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NOVEMBER | 2019

Boca high schooler pilots own birthday flight By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor Andy Traficante wanted to fly for his 16th birthday— and not on a commercial flight, but in a plane he was piloting himself.

are days he could teach us. He loves learning and it makes it so enjoyable to teach him as an instructor.”

His wish came true thanks to his participation in a dual-enrollment program with his Saint Andrew’s High School and Lynn University’s College of Aeronautics.

Jeff Johnson, the Dean of the College of Aeronautics, said the only other person he knows who flew solo on their 16th birthday is himself.

Now, a junior, Traficante enrolled in the program with Lynn when he was 15 and a half. To take a solo flight, which he did on his 16th birthday, you have to be 16-yearsold and pass multiple tests.

“It’s really something that is extremely rare,” Johnson said. “He’s a gifted, young man.”

“It was a great experience,” he said. “It’s something I will never forget.” He also said it almost didn’t happen due to the weather. “It was pretty crazy honestly,” he said, adding his instructor was so determined to make his birthday wish come true that they waited out the weather to make the flight possible. To prepare for the solo flight, Traficante took lessons twice a week for several months at the Boca Raton Airport. “It’s a huge accomplishment to make it on a solo flight at 16,” flight instructor for the College of Aeronautics Lance Blank said. Blank called his student one of the most dedicated people he knows. “He is always prepared,” Blank said. “There

Traficante said first became interested in flying after he took a ride in a hot air balloon when he was 8. He said he will spend the next year working on obtaining his private pilot license, which he can’t receive until he is 17. Since the solo flight, other students at Saint Andrew’s have expressed interest in flying. High schoolers aren’t the only ones learning how to take flight. College students at Lynn of course take classes and the courses are also open to the public. “It’s quite an eclectic group,” Johnson said. Those in training include people changing their careers to become a pilot, people with a passion for flying and people who want to learn more about careers in aviation. Johnson said the program places high school students in the same classroom with CEOs of big businesses. The student who flies in the time slot before Traficante on

Andy Traficante took his first solo flight on his 16th birthday. Submitted photo.

Saturdays is a neurosurgeon. “It’s student pilot and student pilot,” he said. “They are both in the same spot. It’s very much an equalizer.” Traficante said flying is definitely a profession he wants to get into. He said his solo

flight was just the beginning of a commitment. He plans to major in Aerospace Engineering in college and hopes to one day contribute to the design and testing of new aircraft and avionics.

No tax rate hike or Ocean Strand sale to fund Boca National By: Diane Emeott Korzen Contributing Writer The good news for the roughly 125,000 residents of the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District -- which includes the smaller 93,235 population of residents who live within City of Boca boundaries -- is the District’s millage rate for Fiscal Year 2020 did not go up, as it was tentatively proposed to. The District’s final millage rate for this fiscal year is the same as it was for one that just ended, 0.9147 mills. The bad news is, as of press time, it is still unknown how the district will fund the cost of building Boca National golf course on the site of the old Ocean Breeze in Boca Teeca. The topic has caused controversy between the district and city council. City council members have balked over

the proposed price tag of the course. City council members have also offered to take over the project from the district. The decision to hold the tax rate steady came after the final hearing on Sept. 25 was postponed to Oct. 1 and moved to a larger venue due to a large turnout of folks complaining about the proposed increase. “Over the past couple weeks members of our community voiced their desire to keep the tax rate stable – at least for one more year,” Commission Chair Susan Vogelgesang said. “We encourage that kind of involvement from the community and try whenever possible to be responsive to community desires.”

Wall to wall people at Willow Theater for Beach and Parks District millage rate hearing. Photo by Diane Emeott Korzen.

Then, a week later, the district ruled out the possibility

[CONT. PG 2]

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Soroptimists honor Boca’s Helen Babione with Lifetime Achievement Award By: Dale King Contributing Writer at Boca West Country Club, overlooking an audience on its feet and applauding loudly for the woman with a proven community track record. “It’s wonderful to see so many people,” she said, taking in the enormity of the situation. Hundreds packed the West Boca th Winners of Women of Distinction Awards are shown with Helen Babione, seated, venue for the 46 th and Christine Lynn, standing right, at the 46 Annual Awards Breakfast of the So- yearly gathering of roptimist International of Boca Raton/Deerfield Beach. Mark Haworth Photography. Soroptimists – a group whose misAs a successful Boca Raton businesswomsion is to improve the lives of women and an, philanthropist, civic leader and supgirls through programs leading to social porter of local charities for a half-century, and economic improvement. Helen Babione has rightfully earned a reputation for compassion, grace, empa- “This is our signature fundraiser,” said thy and charm, with a special heartfelt ad- event co-chairs Terry Fedele and Jennifer miration for the community she adopted Thomason. “Money raised by this event as her home in 1960. are distributed to various local charities serving women and children and also She has never hesitated to speak her mind provide scholarships for women who are about the causes she supports. But when trying to continue on an educational path it came time to accept a Lifetime Achievethat will improve their livelihood.” ment Award from Soroptimist International of Boca Raton/Deerfield Beach at The women’s organization split the breakits Women of Distinction 46th Annual fast event’s agenda between honoring its Awards Breakfast last month, she was mo- Women of Distinction and presenting Bamentarily wordless. bione with her accolade. “I’m not used to making speeches,” Babione said in a soft voice from the podium

Another noted Boca Raton charitable donor and Soroptimist member, Chris-

Helen Babione tears as Christine Lynn reads a list of her achievements during the 46th Annual Awards Breakfast of the Soroptimist International of Boca Raton/Deerfield Beach. Photo by Dale King.

tine Lynn, took the floor to introduce her friend, Helen Babione, who fought back tears as Lynn heaped praise and tributes upon her.

After living in Lake Worth for 12 years, Helen Babione moved to Boca Raton in 1960 where she and her husband, Robert, opened Babione Funeral Home.

Lynn said she took on the task of being the event’s honorary chair “because it was for Helen.”

Seeking to serve local civic groups, she became active with the communities in and around Boca Raton. Helen is a halfcentury member of the Women’s Club, a life member of the Debbie Rand Memorial Service League and member of the Caridad Center. She is also a founding member of both Horses and the Handicapped and the Society for the Disabled. She has also co-chaired the Go Pink Luncheon for Boca Raton Regional Hospital for many years.

She went on: “Is there anyone active in South Palm Beach County who does not know Helen Babione?” Lynn asked. “More than 50 years ago, she was a founding member of our Boca Ra-ton/Deerfield Beach Chapter of Soroptimist International in which she held numerous leadership roles – including president and board member.”

She still works as a funeral home consultant.

[CONT. PG 51]

No tax rate hike or Ocean Strand sale to fund Boca National District is committed to.

[FROM PG 1] of selling the Ocean Strand property as a possible venue source to pay for the golf course.

By the beginning of the final hearing, the District had reduced its proposed millage rate hike to a 15 percent increase (1.0195 mills). The after residents and council members voiced concerns, the rate remained the same.

The District received an unsolicited offer from the Compson Boca Group to purchase the property for $67.5 million. The property was originally purchased by the District with a bond via the city.

The District’s final budget is $39,506,300 – nearly $4 million less than a tentative budget of $43,350,300.

“We are a Special Taxing District with somewhat limited authority. We have the ability to acquire, purchase, or lease office property, or beach and park property. Noticeably absent is the power to sell or convey [property],” said district attorney Jacob Horowitz. The legal opinion pleased Commissioner Steven Engel, “How delighted I am to hear this! [Ocean Strand] is something near and dear to me since I’ve been on this Board. Now I don’t have to say, ‘Over my

Beach & Parks District Commissioners hold continued 2nd hearing on millage rate in Willow Theater. Photo by Diane Emeott Korzen.

dead body’ [regarding any potential sale of Ocean Strand -- as none is possible].” Boca Beach & Park District originally pro-

posed raising its millage by 30.71 percent (1.1956 mills) in order to fund the golf course and various capital projects the

Unchanged are the District’s Capital Expenses, budgeted at: $250,000 for Golf Course Design & Construction; $715,000 for District Capital Projects; and $500,000 for Gumbo Limbo Project, as well as $300,000 for Beach Renourishment Sinking Fund and $120,000 for contract administration. The Beach & Park District also oversees both Sugar Sand Park and Patch Reef Park.

NOVEMBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Ballet master teacher John Prinz teaching in Boca By: Diane Feen Contributing Writer

All ages are represented in his classes. A young woman moves with such grace she looks like a modern-day messenger for Balanchine. Her head is held high and she moves with the grace of a principal dancer. Yet she dances alongside a much older gentleman named Harold who is not as nimble on his feet yet has a passion for ballet.

If you met John Prinz you would never guess he was once a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theater and New York City Ballet. He danced in Alvin Ailey and Jerome Robbins productions and shared the stage with Baryshnikov. Prinz is loath to brag, but if you Google him you will see that the New York Times wrote about him when he left the New York City Ballet company. They also called him one of the best dancers in the world at one time. But that was yesterday. Today he is quiet, unassuming and goes with the flow in most matters, until you see him teaching a ballet class. Then the maestro and ballet master comes alive and is instantly transformed as the messenger of a ballet world that is almost extinct.

“I was a dairy farmer and financial professional and I love ballet. It’s not easy but John is passing down what he knows to us, and this knowledge you can’t find anywhere else.”

This lost ballet art is alive and well today thanks to Prinz who is teaching in Boca Raton (at Organic Movements Studio) and in West Palm at Ballet Florida. It is there you can catch a glimpse of his majestically pure ballet classes that are mesmerizing. Prinz shows students how to glide into angelic poses that once characterized the masters. “Ballet is up there, he says, not down there.” All eyes are on him as he goes from lifting his leg on the ballet barre to asking students to stretch their arms in the air.

“Balanchine handed down so much of the great Russian tradition of ballet to me. He made sure we did every movement properly - like hollowing out the palms of our hands by holding a small ball,” said Prinz.

after-parties in New York and meet luminaries like Natalie Wood, Andy Warhol, Patty Duke, Anthony Quinn and others. “One minute I would see these people in the movies and the next they were asking for my autograph.”

Karen, the music maestro, plays music for the class that matches each pose and movement. There are moments when you feel transported to an earlier era of ballet. Some movements are sharp, yet everyone watches Prinz to see exactly how to move their bodies in unison with the perfection of the classic ballet world.

Aleena is from Russia but was unable to study ballet as a child because of the stringent requirements in her country. Her love of ballet is what motivated Aleena to study with Prinz. “This is a wonderful body challenge; I am much stronger now and have arches in my feet. John is an incredible person – he lights up the room when he enters. You can feel his passion for ballet.” If you ask Prinz how his ballet roots sprouted, he will tell you. “I used to pick up my sister from ballet class in Chicago and watch the class. Eventually I took classes and fell in love with the ballets my mom took me to as a child.” His other influence was his uncle Tony who studied art in Paris and showed Prinz a glimpse of European culture, music and art. “When I went to ballet and opera houses as a child the orchestra and dancers captivated me.” So did the ballet life. Prinz used to go to

Though Prinz knows the golden days of ballet from center stage, he is now letting others grab the limelight in his ballet classes. They study with him so he can show them the correct movements and tempo to assimilate the present with the golden era of ballet of the past. Pilates instructor and studio owner Mary Jo Sade is one of them. “My dancing has been taken to another level with John. We have a gem here; John breaks down the dances into small pieces and It affects the whole body. I feel so good when I leave. My heart comes through my chest and I feel like I can conquer the world.” If you want to take ballet classes with John Prinz, call 561-395-6111 or johnprinzabt@ gmail.com

Boca West Children’s Foundation appoints Pamela Weinroth as Executive Director Staff report Boca West Children’s Foundation has appointed long-time Boca Raton resident and community leader Pamela Weinroth as executive director. She took over the role on Oct. 7. She will oversee the collaboration with the 25 local non-profits it currently supports, fundraising and community interface. The Boca West Foundation has raised $9 million for 30 local children’s charities since it was founded in 2010. “We are thrilled to welcome Pam as our executive director. Her deep involvement in the community, her dedication to local nonprofits and her corporate experience will bring our organization to the next

level,” said Arthur Adler, Chairman of Boca West Children’s Foundation. “This is the perfect person at the perfect time to help us continue our mission to aid children at risk in our area.” Weinroth has chaired non-profit events and assisted with fundraising for a number of organizations in the area including Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, Levis Jewish Community Center, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, Israel Bonds, Best Foot Forward, KidSafe Foundation, National Jewish Health, ChildNet, Habitat for Humanity, Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County, Hospice, Impact 100, Soroptimist International, and the American Cancer Society.

Most recently, Weinroth co-founded and served for 17 years as the Chief Operating Officer for Freedom Medical Services in Boca Raton where she grew the company to serve more than 10,000 patients. “I am honored to join the Boca West Children’s Foundation, an organization I’ve followed and supported since the beginning. The Foundation has directly impacted thousands of children and families in our community and I’m looking forward to guiding the organization as it continues to grow,” said Weinroth. A native of Winnipeg, Canada, Weinroth is a graduate of the University of Manitoba. She is married to Palm Beach County Commissioner and former Boca Raton City Councilman Robert Weinroth and their blended family includes Chuck,

Michael, David and David, as well as their Bishon Poos, Sierra and Siggy.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

things you need to know this November in Boca Raton

1 The Faulk Center for Counseling will host its Community Impact Awards reception and dinner on Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. at Broken Sound Club. This year’s honorees include: Palm Beach Commissioner Robert Weinroth– Advocacy Award; Dr. Virginia Crist, Licensed Mental Health Therapist– Caring Heart Award; Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton– Mental Health & Wellness Award; Dr. Paul Peluso, Chair & Professor, Department of Clinical Mental Health Counseling; and Florida Atlantic University – Education Excellence Award. Co-chaired by Eileen Sands and Lois A. Weisman, the Community Impact Awards recognizes individuals who and organizations which support the Faulk Center’s mission of providing free and low-cost mental health counseling services to uninsured, underserved and at-risk individuals of all ages.Tickets $125 per person.

3 The Boca Raton Historical Society and Museum will host its 23rd Walk of Recognition on Nov. 6 from 6-9:30 p.m. at The Addison. This year’s induction ceremony and celebration will recognize individuals and organizations, that have served in the interest of the community, and have enriched the lives of the citizens of Boca Raton. The ceremony will also include recognition of all past inductees to the Walk of Recognition. This year’s individual winners will receive a special Walk of Fame medallion and this year’s institutional winners will receive a special desk-top award. The Walk of Recognition event’s presenting sponsors are Marta and Jim Batmasian and the committee co-chairs are Marta Batmasian and Joyce DeVita. The reception and the induction ceremony, at The Addison, is free for all past inductees. After the ceremony, and the presentation of medallions and desk-top awards, everyone will be able to enjoy dinner-by-the-bite, libations, entertainment and dancing. Tickets $85.

currently expanding with new affordable housing options. Boca Raton resident Kelly Fleming and Boca Raton company NCCI, Inc. will be honored for their support to the mission. Hope Bash Boca guests will enjoy dinner, dancing and live music. Fleming will receive the Individual Hero of Hope award, and NCCI, Inc. will receive the Corporate Hero of Hope award. The gala will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Boca West Country Club. Tickets are $300.

8 Watch the city of Boca light the holi-

day tree on Nov. 23 at Mizner Park. The event is free and open to the public.

5 The Boca Raton Chamber of Com-

merce will host its annual Holiday Party & Auction from 5:30-9 p.m. on Nov. 20. Network your business before the start of the holiday season.

9 Enjoy Sunday Jazz Brunch featuring

the Debbie Spring Group and Jay Blue Band from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 24 at Mizner Park. The event is hosted by the city of Boca Raton.

10 Boca Ballet Theatre Guild’s 28th an-

6 The city of Boca will host a Veter-

4 On Nov. 2, Place of Hope at the

2 Head to Mizner Park Amphitheater

for hotworks.org’s Boca Raton Fine Art Show on Nov. 2-3. The show features over 175 juried artists and will run both days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Rinker Campus will celebrate its 7th Annual Hope Bash Boca “Under the Palms.” Proceeds will assist area foster children, youth and families who reside on the Rinker Campus in Boca Raton, which is

ans Day Concert at 7 p.m. on Nov. 11 at Mizner Park Amphitheater. The concert is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6 p.m.

7 FAU Band-O-Rama will head to Mizner Park Amphitheater on Nov. 17. The concert is hosted by the city of Boca and is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m.

nual A Princely Affair performance and luncheon will return on Nov. 3 at noon to the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Baptist Health South Florida is the sponsor and Arlene Herson is the honorary chair. The event will begin with a silent auction and mimosa social hour. It continues with a delicious luncheon and performance by amazing guest artists and the Boca Ballet Theatre dancers. Tickets cost $95 per adult and $65 for children 13 and under.

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

In advance of the Junior League of Boca Raton’s Woman Volunteer of the Year luncheon and fashion show, we caught up with this year’s president.

Junior League of Boca Raton president Cristy Stewart-Harffman My path to becoming President has been filled with innumerable acts of kindness, support and love. I have had the pleasure to work alongside the most thoughtful, dynamic and smart women. Somedays I want to pinch myself that my goal has been achieved.

3 What are your plans and goals for your team as president?

1 How many years of membership do you have with the league? What committees have you chaired or served on? Junior League of Boca Raton (JLBR) has been a part of my life for over 30 years. My mom introduced me to the league when I was a child and she became a member in the 80’s. I have been an active member for 15 years.

ing President of the JLBR?

I have served in all areas of the league, including fundraising as a co-chair of our food and wine event, community projects as the co-chair of Child Welfare which includes Junior League of Boca Raton’s Diaper Bank and on our Self-Esteem committee and internal placements as the Placement Chair and an advisor. I also have many years of service as a board member, holding positions such as Vice President of Communications, Board Member at Large and President-Elect.

Being the President of Junior League of Boca Raton is one of the greatest honors of my life. Growing up I looked up to women like Debbie Abrams, Marta Batmasian, Barbara Thompson, Barbara Hill, Cindy Krebsbach and Judy Hilsmire. It was not until later in life that I learned the common thread between these women that I admired was that they were all JLBR members and many were past Presidents. When I joined Junior League 15 years ago I set the goal of being President.

2 What are your thoughts on becom-

My goal is for the JLBR to be a missiondriven and member-centric organization. Our strength is in our almost 800 members. The league promotes volunteerism by giving all of our members exceptional training opportunities so they can develop their potential and, in turn, improve the community. I want to inspire our members to try something that pushes them out of their comfort zone. And if something does not work, I want them to lean on the support system in the League. Together we can figure out how to change the direction so it works. I want our members to know that we are not failing, we are learning new skills and lessons that will help not only ourselves but the South Florida community.

4 What committees are you overseeing this coming year?

As the President of Junior League, I guide our board of directors as we plan for the future of our league. In 2021 we will celebrate 50 years of service in the community. This year the board is taking a deep dive into our focus areas to ensure we are continuing to meet the unmet needs of our community. And as our diaper bank continues to see the need for diapers grow, we are focused on what the future of our diaper bank will be so we can continue to meet these needs.

5 What has impacted you the most being a member of the Junior League? Being a member of Junior League of Boca Raton has been one of the best decisions of my life. The Junior League has given me so much, including my connection to our community, sense of accomplishment outside of my home and career, most of my local friends, the most amazing training, my husband’s career at his current company, my career there that lead to me to create my marketing company and Happy Family Blog. The deeper answer is that Junior League has given me a safe space to push myself, learn new skills, become not only a better volunteer, but a better business owner, wife, friend, and mother.

Briann Harms named Executive Director of Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District Staff report Interim director of the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District Briann Harms recently received a promotion. The district commission voted to remove the interim title from her position and officially hired her as the executive director at the end of Sept. She had been serving as interim director since January. “Briann’s dedication to the Boca Raton community and her effectiveness as the interim made this an easy decision for us,” Commission Chairperson Susan Vogelgesang said. “She stepped into the Executive Director position and met or exceeded all expectations, proving to be a tremendous asset for the Boca Raton community.”

During her tenure as interim, which began in January, the District resurfaced the tennis courts and playground at Patch Reef Park and recently finished installing three environmentally friendly artificial turf fields there. The District also renovated the batting cages and added shade structures at Sugar Sand Park, and completed Swim and Racquet Center construction, giving the District a new home for its offices and meetings. Harms led the effort to improve the District’s interactions within the community by improving its website user experience and upgrading technology designed to provide easier and more complete access to board meetings. She is also spearheading the District’s Boca National golf course project which, when complete, will give Boca Raton a public facility second to none. “I am excited about the opportunity to

continue working with the Board of Commissioners in service to our residents. The District has a long history of providing first class facilities and amenities to en- Briann Harms is the new Executive Director of Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District. Photo courtesy of Beach and Parks District. hance the recreational experience A graduate of Florida State University of our community and it is a pleasure with a degree in Interdisciplinary Soto be selected to continue that commitcial Science, Harms is also certified in ment,” Harms said. records management by the Florida DePrior to being elevated to the director popartment of State and is trained in FEMA sition, Harms served as the District’s asemergency management. sistant director from 2013 through 2018, Prior to joining the District, Harms spent during which time she worked as a liaison 8 years working for the City of Boca Rabetween the District and the City of Boca ton in its Recreation Services DepartRaton, managed construction projects, ment, earning the City’s 2013 Supervisor and reviewed budget submissions prior to reporting to District commissioners. of the Year award.

Don’t miss events 1 The inaugural Artists & Charities Hand in Hand Fine Arts Show will debut at the Palm Beach

County Convention Center Nov. 2-3. The show is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. About 100 artists will be featured and 20 percent of all art sales will be donated to the participating charities, Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation, Armory Art Center and Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League.

2 The 2019 Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl’s Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase & College Spirit Night will return on Nov. 5 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Renaissance

ter, followed by a gala that evening at the Boca Resort. Guests will enjoy dinner, dancing, and a live and silent auction. Musical entertainment provided byBarry Gibb. Tickets range in price from $20 to $900. Purchase tickets online at www. chrisevert.org/tickets/or call 561394-2400.

5 The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County is kicking off its 2020 Annual Campaign with its eighth annual season kickoff event“Live Your Passion” on Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. at B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton. The festivities will start at 6 p.m. with cocktails, heavy hors d’oeuvres and connections among colleagues. The program begins at 7 p.m., featuring Jesse Itzler, former rapper, extreme endurance ath-

giving with Max Weinberg’s Jukebox for two shows on Nov. 29 and 30 at 8 p.m. Max Weinberg, the rhythmic force propelling The E Street Band for 43 years, invites the audience to create, in real time, the set list he and his fourpiece group will play that night.

8 Connected Warriors will hold its “Stars of Honor Gala” at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 9 at the Boca Raton Marriott. The event will celebrate 10 years of “helping the world feel better-one breath at a time.” The event’s honoree is Dr. Ira J. Gelb. Tickets cost $250 per person.

LIFE

NOVEMBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

9 Catch the Commodores at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek on Nov. 9. The Grammy Award winners will perform in The Pavilion at 8 p.m. One of the greatest Motown and R&B and funk groups of all time, The Commodores (Walter “Clyde” Orange,

INSIDE

Palm Beach County Boca Raton Hotel. Benefiting Spirit of Giving Annual Holiday Gift Drive, the culinary event features dinner-by-the-bite from local restaurants. Rep your college colors.

3 The Alzheimer's Association will host its “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” on Nov. 10 at Mizner Park. Registration begins at 6:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 8:30 a.m. It is free to walk, but donations are suggested. 4 The Chris Evert Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic presented by Chase Private Client is set for Nov. 22-24. Celebrities scheduled to play in the 30th nnual event include Chris Noth, Carson Kressley, Jon Lovitz, David Cook, Hélio Castroneves, Shawn Hatosy, Tate Donovan, Jamie McShane and Maeve Quinlan. The Classic kicks off with a Friday morning Pro-Am, followed by the Classic Cocktail Party that evening. Saturday begins with celebrity tennis at the Delray Beach Tennis Cen-

lete, best-selling author, entrepreneur and co-founder of Marquis Jet, as well as David Moore, Chairman and CEO of Moore Holdings, Chair of the Board of UJA Federation of New York, Atlanta Hawks Co-owner, and professional stand-Up comedian. The event costs $95 per person in addition to a minimum household contribution of $500 to the 2020 Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County Annual Campaign.

Pride & Prosecco, a literary themed event featuring cocktails and shopping returns to the Delray Beach Public Library from 6-9 p.m. on Nov. 7. Eat by the bite and shop from 15 vendors while supporting the library. Tickets $65 per person or $100 for 2 tickets.

7 Head to Delray’s Arts Garage for the First Annual Mighty Max-

James Dean “JD” Nicholas, and William “WAK” King) have influenced artists young and old and in all genres with their classic songs. The Commodores formed after meeting as freshmen at Tuskegee University in 1968. They tour with their five-piece band known as the “Mean Machine.” Tickets priced at $30/$40/$50 per person.

10 Family Promise of South

Palm Beach County is hosting its annual Friends of the Family Gala from 6-10 p.m. on Nov. 14 at The Addison. The nonprofit provides temporary shelter, meals and counseling for homeless children and their parents. Annually, Family Promise helps approximately 15 families (60+ children/parents) get back on their feet again and no longer living in their car, sleeping on the streets or couch surfing. The event raises about 30 percent of their budget for the year. The evening begins with a cocktail hour/hors d’oeuvres followed by a three-course dinner. Tickets cost $188 per person.

Art exhibit at Cornell [9]

Woman Volunteer of the Year luncheon returns [12]

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Cultural Conversations

display and a multimedia presentation that celebrates the ratification of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote.”

The Wick Costume Museum celebrates The Roaring Twenties with new costume exhibit Flappers, Suffragettes and other 1920’s inspired wardrobes are on Wick Costume Museum display at a The celebrates The Roaring Twennew exhibit ties with new costume exhibit. “The Roaring Photo by Amy Pasquantonio. Twenties” at the Wick Costume Museum. Open from now through May, the exhibit showcases the style of the time. “The 1920s were a time of dramatic change, especially for women,” said Kimberly Wick, Curator. “While the iconic ‘flapper’ is one of the most indelible images of the era, it is only one aspect of the increasing influence women had upon this momentous decade. That is why we are very proud to dedicate an entire section of the exhibition to the Suffragettes, with a vintage wardrobe

brilliantly captured the Art Deco era, will be represented by extravagant original and replica showgirl costumes.

His ceramics include sculpture as well as cups, bowls, planters and vases.

The Museum will open for general tours and luncheons, with tickets priced at $48 and $58 for the added cabaret show. Tours require RSVP.

Submissions open for The Student Showcase of Films

Ceramic exhibit on display at Sugar Sand Park Head to the Wick Costume Musume to check out the fashion of the 1920s. Photo by Amy Pasquantonio. Prohibition also defined the decade, creating an underground culture that spawned speakeasies and fueled the Jazz Age. The Wick’s collection will bring the Great Gatsby era to life with a dazzling array of gowns, coats, hats and other stylish influences that created one of the most recognizable decades in fashion. The Wick’s extensive Broadway Costume catalogue will be on view with selections from shows that celebrate the 1920s including The Boyfriend, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Drowsy Chaperon and others. The exhibit also pays homage to one of the greatest designers of all-time, Erté. The Russian-born French Artist, who

After retiring from his job as the Director of the Boca Raton Museum Art School last year, Walter O’Neill enrolled in a free pottery class at the Deerfield Beach Center for Active Aging. The painter had not studied ceramics since 6th grade. But he began taking courses at Palm Beach State College, and in the summer returned to Boca Museum Art School to take pottery classes.

Submissions are now being accepted for the 25th Student Showcase of Films. The competition is free and open to aspiring filmmakers, writers, graphic designers and digital media artists who are currently enrolled in any high school or college in the state of Florida. This year, the program boasts an increased award offering, with more than $20,000 in cash, scholarships and prizes up for grabs for entries in various categories including documentary, animation, music video, screenwriting and more. Entries are judged by an international panel of more than 40 entertainment industry experts.

He now works on his ceramic sculpture four days per week and his pieces will be on display this month at the Sugar Sand Park Community Gallery in Boca Raton.

Winners will be announced, and awards will be presented at an exciting, red carpet award show on April 3 at the Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center at Lynn University.

The opening reception of New Ceramics by Walter O’Neil will take place from 5-7 p.m. on Nov. 1. The exhibit runs through Dec. 1.

Interested students should visit pbfilm. com/ssof for more details and entry guidelines for each category. The deadline for entry is Jan. 27 by 5 p.m.

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November Calendar

ic beverages are allowed; concessions and full cash bar available on site. Classic Albums Live: Led Zeppelin: IV

Silverball Museum Play for Arc

Nov. 16

Nov. 8

8 p.m.

6-10 p.m.

OSS Pavilion

Give thanks November- Pinball for a cause during the Gala for Developmental Disabilities at Silverball Museum. Proceeds benefit Arc of Palm Beach. Enjoy open bar, seafood buffet, entertainment. $100 per person. Cocktail attire.

This is the album that put Led Zeppelin into homes around the world, acting as a successful marriage of the hard rock from their second album with the folksier meanderings of their third album. IV is the one that demonstrates their subtlety and confirmed the band’s status of rock superstars. (Doors open at 6:30 pm) Tickets $20, $40, $75 VIP The Drifters

Old School Square

Nov. 21 One of Rock & Roll’s founding vocal groups is once again touring the U.S. under the auspices of their original management team.

Art Couture: The Intersection of Fashion and Art Cornell Art Museum Art Couture: The Intersection of Fashion and Art brings together contemporary art and the world of fashion design. The exhibition will include illustrations and clothing created by well-known fashion designers as well as contemporary art inspired by iconic designs of the fashion world. On view through April 25. 2nd Annual Fall Art on the Square Nov. 9-10 Signature Art Museum Fundraiser

Cornell

The Cornell Art Museum presents an outdoor, juried fine art show featuring fine artists in all media by 100 artists from around the country. The front lawn of the Cornell Art Museum will transform into an exciting outdoor gallery with live music and Hospitality Lounge.

Libby Dodson’s Live at Lynn Theatre Series McArdle & McKechnie Celebrate Sondheim & Hamlisch Nov. 2–3 Saturday: 7:30 p.m., Sunday: 4 p.m. Two of Broadway’s most endearing leading ladies, Andrea McArdle from Annie and Donna McKechnie from A Chorus Line, bring their talent to this celebration of two American composers: Stephen Sondheim and Marvin Hamlisch. Location: Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center Tickets: $70 for box, $55 for orchestra and $50 for mezzanine

Theatre Lab at FAU

Free Friday Night Concerts

‘Everything is Super Great’ by Stephen Brown

Pavilion

Nov. 30-Dec. 22

Doors open at 6 p.m., music at 7:30 p.m.

Runs Thursday to Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m.

Nov. 1- VAM Band Nov. 8- Wolf Pack Nov. 15- Entourage Nov. 22- The Turnstiles Nov. 29- Fab Fleetwoods Free admission; weather permitting; bring your own chair; no pets or outside alcohol-

A Co-World Premiere in conjunction with New Light Theater Project and Stable Cable Lab Co. A typical day in the life of 19-year-old Tommy involves triple shot lattes, yearning after his assistant manager at Starbucks, and arson at Applebee’s. Such distractions

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

are therapeutic when your older brother has been missing for months. But when a well-meaning, if somewhat misguided, therapist shows up on his doorstep, Tommy must finally face his loss.

Broadway, Cady also has a legion of fans who adore her thanks to HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and her ten seasons on Iron Chef America. Tickets are $65 and $85, which includes VIP reception with meetn-greet.

Wick Theatre

Delray Playhouse

Hot Shoe Shuffle

Lenny Dave presents 100 Years of Comedy

ends Nov. 10 The fun begins when the seven tap brothers receive a telegram – telling them that they will inherit millions from their late father if they reproduce the famous Hot Shoe Shuffle one month after his death. “Puttin’ on the Ritz” and many other favorite songs are part of this new musical. Tickets $75-$95 Cady Huffman in Tomboy, Showgirl Nov. 16, 8 p.m.

Nov. 6 We d n e s day, 12:30 p.m. Nationally recognized comedy historian Lenny Dave entertains audiences as he takes them on a nostalgic trip down comedy’s Memory Lane… back to a time when the best comedians were both funny and clean! Lenny’s fun, fast-paced, and highly interactive show spotlights crowd-pleasing comedians of the past 100 years; from vaudeville, radio, motion pictures and Broadway to night clubs, records and TV.

cer. With music direction by talented jazz pianist, Phil Hinton, the 75-minute show includes over 20 hit songs such as “Blues in the Night,” “Autumn Leaves,” “That Old Black Magic,” “Skylark,” “Satin Doll,” “Days of Wine and Roses,” and of course “Moon River.” Twenty-year comedy veteran, Scott Novotny is known for appearances on TV shows such as “Comedy On the Road” and MTV’s “Half Hour Comedy Hour” and for headlining comedy clubs throughout the country. Tiffany Barbee is a retired pageant kid, who eventually rebelled against her wacky stage mom just enough to become a national touring stand-up comedian.

Cady Huffman will be bringing her critically acclaimed cabaret show, Tomboy, Showgirl to Boca Raton. Best known for her Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award-winning performance as “Ulla” in The Producers on

Florida’s Funniest Comedians: Scott Novotny and Tiffany Barbee Nov. 15 Friday, 8 p.m.

See How They Run Nov. 29-Dec. 15 Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m.; Wednesday (12/4 only), 8 p.m.; Thursday, 8 p.m.

Tickets $20 Moon River: The Songs of Johnny Mercer starring John Lariviere Nov. 20 Wednesday, 12:30 p.m.

Tickets $39 (includes lunch catered by Too Jays)

Nov. 17, 2 p.m.

Tickets $39 (includes lunch catered by Too Jays)

Internationally-acclaimed cabaret and concert singer, John Lariviere presents MOON RIVER, a tribute to the musical genius of prolific composer and lyricist Johnny Mer-

This British farce by Philip King is one of the most popular ever written. Set in a quiet English village immediately after World War II, the story centers on a former actress (an American) now married to the local Vicar, her American friend and fellow actor, a nosey spinster, and an escaping Russian spy. Through a series of misunderstandings, the plot weaves itself into a hilarious state of confusion. Tickets $35 (adults); $15 (students); $25 (groups)

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West Boca Raton High School Drama Department

ing local emerging artists Julia Loudon and Brighton Kilgore.

Jabari Grover

Cowboys and Frenchmen

Chicago blues ‘triple threat’ Nigel Mack delivers a high-energy show that fuses classics of the genre with the punch of contemporary original blues.

I Never Saw Another Butterfly

Nov. 1

Ghost Town Blues Band

Nov. 8-8 p.m.

8-10 p.m.

Nov. 15

Nov. 9 -8 p.m.

General Admission $35 | Reserved $40 | Premium $45

8-10 p.m.

General Admission $35 | Reserved $40 | Premium $45

Nov. 10- 2 p.m. Nov. 15-8 p.m. Nov. 16- 8 p.m. Over 15,000 Jewish children passed through Terezin. And only about 100 were still alive when Terezin was liberated at the end of the war. One of the survivors, Raja, having lived through it all, teaching the children when there was nothing to teach with, helping to give them hope when there was little enough reason for hope, creating a little world of laughter, of flowers and butterflies behind the barbed wire, tells the true story of the children. There were no butterflies at Terezin, of course, but for the children, butterflies became a symbol of defiance, making it possible for them to live on and play happily while waiting to be transported. Show is approximately 2 hours with a 20 minute intermission. Tickets are $16.

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens Anime Architecture Nov. 9-April 3 Anime Architecture traces the architectural world-building process of Japan’s most influential animated science fiction films. In order to highlight the artists, designers, and directors of the meticulous backdrops that bring to life the futuristic urban environments of anime, curator Stefan Riekeles of Berlin spent years compiling these works. The Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens is the only U.S. venue hosting this special exhibition. From location photographs and concept sketches as detailed pencil drawings, through to final expressions as cells in full color, Anime Architecture reveals some of the intricacies of the creative processes behind Japan’s ultramodern animated films. More than 100 works on exhibit.

Arts Garage

Reclaimed Art Exhibit Opening Reception Nov. 1 6-8 p.m. Free admission Enjoy wine and art at the opening of our RECLAIMED EXHIBITION featur-

The front line of two alto saxophones is the vehicle for reimagining the role of horns in a small group setting, charting new territory by exploring individuality within the same timbre. The inspiration for the band name, Cowboys & Frenchmen, is a short film by David Lynch, called “The Cowboy and The Frenchmen.”

General Admission $35 | Reserved $40 | Premium $45 Horns, harmonies and homegrown instruments combined with an energetic and roots rich festival set makes Ghost Town Blues Band one of the “must see live bands on the festival scene today.” Coco Montoya Nov. 16

The Gabe Stillman Band

8-10 p.m.

Nov. 3

General Admission $40 | Reserved $45 | Premium $50

7-8:30 p.m. General Admission $25 | Reserved $30 | Premium $35 The Gabe Stillman Band is unmistakably rooted in the blues, the band plays both original and cover songs that draw deeply from the well of Soul, R&B, Rock’N’Roll and New Orleans music.

The old Willie Dixon adage, “blues is truth,” perfectly describes the searing, contemporary blues-rock of world-renowned guitarist and vocalist Coco Montoya. Montoya mixes his forceful, melodic guitar playing and passionate vocals with memorable songs, delivering the blues’ hardest truths. The Monroe Doctrine

The Lauren Anderson Band

Nov. 17

Nov. 8

2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

8-10 p.m. General Admission $30 | Reserved $35 | Premium $40 Lauren Anderson has been playing shows since 2014, mixing her blues-rock roots with elements of Americana, soul, and country music. Emily Asher’s Garden Party Nov. 9 8-10 p.m. General Admission $35 | Reserved $40 | Premium $45 Emily Asher’s Garden Party is a versatile musical ensemble led by Asher’s tenacious trombone and sweet vocals. Nigel Mack and the Blues Attack Nov. 10 7-8:30 p.m. General Admission $35 | Reserved $40 | Premium $45

Staged Reading with Playwright Talkback General Admission $25 What does success mean in America? What does it mean when you don’t make it? In THE MONROE DOCTRINE, poet and adjunct professor REAL MONROE tries to hold his world together from his trailer on Hog Island on Maryland’s eastern shore. It is Memorial Day weekend and the men of the family gather for what may be the last time to meet the wishes of Real’s Korean War veteran father, an assisted living facility refugee. Libby York Nov. 22 8-10 p.m. General Admission $35 | Reserved $40 | Premium $45 The Chicago native has performed at venues as diverse as Mezzrow & Kitano NYC, Jazz Showcase & Green Mill Chicago, Sacramento Jazz Coop, Tennessee Williams Theater Key West, and Cafe Laurent Paris.

Nov. 23 8-10 p.m.

An Intimate night of Smooth Soul (Marvin Gaye Style), Improvisational Jazz Phrasing (George Benson Style) and a pinch of Swinging Blues (Lou Rawls Style)! Duwayne Burnside Nov. 24 7-8:30 p.m. General Admission $35 | Reserved $40 | Premium $45 Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Duwayne Burnside is one of 14 children born to legendary North Mississippi musician R.L. Burnside and his wife, Alice. The First Annual Mighty Maxgiving Nov. 29-30 8-10 p.m. General Admission (Standing Room Only) $50 VIP Ticket (Meet and Greet Max Weinberg and 1 General Admission Ticket-Standing Room Only) $200 Weinberg invites the audience to create, in real time, the set list he and his crack fourpiece group will play that night. Performing songs from the glory days of rock and roll. Choose from a video menu of over 200 songs, everything from The Beatles, Stones, Springsteen and the E Street Band’s biggest hits!

Music at St. Paul’s Cellist Jason Calloway performing Bach Suites Nov. 24 3pm (pre-concert lecture with Dr. Paul Cienniwa at 2:30pm) $20 suggested donation / 18 and under FREE St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is handicapped accessible Music at St. Paul’s continues its 32nd Season with a concert by cellist Jason Calloway performing three of J.S. Bach’s legendary Suites for Violoncello Solo. Calloway will perform Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007; Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009; and Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Junior League’s Woman Volunteer of the Year luncheon, fashion show to return for 32nd year Staff report Thirty-eight do-gooders are up for the coveted “Woman Volunteer of the Year” award. Hosted by the Junior League of Boca Raton, the annual Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon will return for the 32nd year on Nov. 8 to the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Over 1,000 Junior League members, nominees and guests are expected to attend the festivities, which kick-off at 10 a.m. The luncheon celebrates outstanding women in the community nomi- Junior League League’s Woman Volunteer of the Year luncheon, fashion show to return for 32nd year on Nov. 8. Submitted photo. nated by nonprofit organizations throughout Palm Beach County for their dedication and expertise as volunteers, as well as the work they do to further the missions of the organizations they serve.

Saks also donated a Fendi Baguette Leather Shoulder Bag valued at $2,690 to be raffled off. Only 200 tickets will be sold. Raffle tickets cost $100. The winner will be drawn at the luncheon.

“The coolest part of this event is we get to honor these women who make such an impact in our community,” Junior League of Boca Raton president Cristy Stewart Harfmann said. “What would Boca be like without our volunteers?”

Tickets to the luncheon start at $150 per person. VIP runway seats cost $250 per person, which includes priority check-in and access to a VIP lounge where guests can sip on a signature cocktail in Saks Fifth Avenue’s Beauty Bar. Runway VIP guests will have an opportunity to meet the Fashion Show’s featured designer during a preshow meet and greet.

This year, the event will be planned by co-chairs who know what it takes to put on a large luncheon. Nicole Mugavero and Lisa Warren cochaired the luncheon 10 years ago. They have been Junior League members for 20 years. And while they wouldn’t dish out what surprises they have up their sleeve for the event this year, they shared that there will be a big surprise when you walk in the room.

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Amy Kazma, a long-time member of Junior League, has been named the honorary chair of this year’s luncheon. The 38 volunteers were introduced late September during a kick-off event at the Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute. The hospital is the award sponsor and hospital president Mark Larkin said it is something that the hospital is “honored to do.” Also announced during the kick-off event is the fashion designer who will be featured during the fashion show produced by Saks Fifth Avenue. This year, the designer is Andrea Lieberman and her ready-to-wear line A.L.C. Lieberman will attend the event and sit at the Saks-VIP table. The swag bag at the Saks-VIP table will include gifts from A.L.C.

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“We’re thrilled to have such an exciting designer showcased in this year’s fashion show and attending the luncheon! Andrea Lieberman’s design is known for being bold, versatile, and modern; a style which also embodies the essence of our volunteers and members,” Stewart Harfmann, said. Yves Saint Laurent is the 2019 Beauty Partner for the fashion show and will provide YSL gifts for the nominees at the kickoff reception and gifts in the Saks-VIP Table swag bag on the day of the luncheon.

2019 nominees: Judi Shuman, Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center; Cheryl Van Hare, Alzheimer's Association; Jan Dymtrow, American Association of Caregiving Youth, Inc.; Lori Castle, American Cancer Society; Meryll Bangsil, Best Foot Forward Foundation; Julianna Miron, Boca Ballet Theatre; Mariebel Torres, Boca Helping Hands; Pamela Higer-Polani, Boca Raton Brain Bowl (Alzheimer's Brain Bowl); Sabrina Smith, Boca Raton Children's Museum (ImagiNation at the Children's Museum); Maria Di Pasquale, Boca Raton Christian School; Joanne Barnes, Boca Raton Firefighter & Paramedic Benevolent; Denise Alman, Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum; Jane Katzen, Caridad Center; Nilsa McKinney, Caring House Project Foundation; Fran Nachlas, Connected Warriors; Becky Knapp, CROS Ministries; Sherry Thomas, Debbie Rand Memorial Service League; Martine PierrePaul, Eat Better Live Better; Gwen Collins, Faulk Center for Counseling; Kelly Ferrarese, Florence Fuller Child Development Center Inc.; Nancy Dockerty, George Snow Scholarship Fund; Robyn Raphael-Dynan, Habitat for Humanity South Palm Beach County; Aggie Stoops, HomeSafe; Kim Beaumont, Impact 100 Palm Beach County; Kirsten Stanley, Junior League of Boca Raton; Julie Rudolph, Junior League of the Palm Beaches; Lisa Ashley, KidSafe Foundation; Marilynn Wick, National Society of Arts & Letters, Florida East Coast Chapter; Michelle Stallone, Pinkball; Renee Feder, Place of Hope Rinker Campus; Marilyn Wilson, Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton; Shaw Thomas, Speak Up for Kids Palm Beach County/ Guardian ad Litem Program Palm Beach County; Debbie Anderson, Spirit of Giving Network; Jamie Levin, Student ACES; Jeannette Stark, Unicorn Children's Foundation; Viviane Altef, Women's Executive Club of South Palm Beach County; and Rosie Inguanzo-Martin, YMCA of South Palm Beach County, Boca.

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Local ice skaters make regional competition debut Staff report

accomplishing goals she sets out for herself.

Two local ice skaters qualified for the first time to perform in a regional competition last month to close out their season.

In this competition, she said she set a personal goal of beating her last score and she did it.

Addison Manofsky, 12, of Delray Beach and Emmi Merhi, 11, of Boca Raton, traveled to Aston, Pennsylvania to compete in the U.S. Figure Skating South Atlantic Regional Singles Challenge at the Juvenile level.

Her performance was to an instrumental version of a song from The Beauty and the Beast.

The competition is one of nine regional meets in the country. The two skaters represented the Florida Gold Coast Figure Skating Club and competed against 450 skaters from the Southeastern region, which ranges from upper New York to Florida. The girls both skate at the Rink on the Beach in Pompano Beach. Even though skating in an individual sport, other skaters hosted a send-off party for the competitors before they flew out. “The athletes who compete at the regional level work hard all year long,” said Hyatt Aldahwi, who coaches both girls. “It is a joy to work with them as they develop as athletes and artists. No matter how they rank at the competition, the experience helps them grow as skaters and as friends.”

To prepare she practices six days a week and often twice a day.

“I practice almost every morning before I go to school and almost every afternoon as well,” she said. She has plenty of time before the next skating season begins. She said she will be working on landing her double jumps and axels consistently. Her favorite move— a double loop. She isn’t the only one hitting the ice frequently. Merhi also has a rigorous practice routine that includes daily skating and agility training off the ice. She said she got into ice skating because it was a hobby her mom used to have when she was younger.

Addison Manofsky, 12, of Delray Beach, recently competed in a regional competition. Submitted photo.

The regional competition was a first time appearance for Merhi and she recently moved into that competition level. She skated her 2 minute and 22 second routine to a song called “Trampoline.”

Manofsky started skating when she was 7. She took a group class with a few of her friends and said she quickly realized she didn’t want to get off the ice. “I was the only one who wanted to stay on the ice,” she said. So, she started private lessons and began to compete. She said she likes the feeling of gliding on the ice and the challenge of

Emmi Merhi, 11, of Boca, recently competed in her first regional competition. Photo courtesy of. Gabriele Photo LLC.

She nailed her first double lutz and will be working on her double axel in the off-season. They are both preparing for a holiday show at the Rink on the Beach on Dec. 14.

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5 hot health trends for 2020 By: Christine King Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers November is the optimal time to get a jump on your health and fitness goals for the New Year. With the holidays upon us, there are parties, rich food, celebrations, and unavoidable temptations. Then, the looming, dreaded, Jan. 1st, filled with renewed promises to make this the year to achieve your goals, hits like a lightning bolt. Rather than self-sabotage and place yourself in the dreadful New Year’s Day blues, use November as your opportunity to implement the newest upcoming trends. Technology: Many people use gadgets and apps to help make their

workouts and dietary habits more motivating and efficient. Developers have honed in on more specifics for next year, including incorporating genetics, intermittent fasting, more playful interaction in the apps and… wait for it, shaming. Instead of an app sending you an upbeat, motivating, notification, you’ll receive messages like “You’re not going to hit that snooze button again this morning, Rebecca, are you?” This new approach is meant to hold you accountable to the goals you’re trying to achieve. Mental Health: A strong emphasis on a healthy mind and body will

also be prevalent in 2020. Infusing yoga, meditation, and relaxation techniques are becoming more critical as our world becomes more complicated. People are in desperate need of stress relief, and incorporating some of these methods will be instrumental in helping you to calm down, focus, and feel centered. Home Workouts: Once thought for only the wealthy, more and more

people are working out in their homes. Simply the convenience and time saving is enough motivation to select a method most appropriate for you. Conventional options include hiring a personal trainer or using a DVD or streaming service. 2020’s offerings are laser-focused on programs and equipment such as Peloton and other “smart” workout devices, along with “MIRROR,” a full-length fitness mirror providing options for a personal trainer and a variety of classes in which to participate. Sleep Deprivation: The CDC now considers this to be a nation-

al health epidemic. A lack of good, sound sleep affects brain function, mood, motivation, physical appearance, and mental health. A massive emergence of blue-light blocking glasses and screen protectors, as well as mood-boosting light bulbs, will help you more effectively wind down and wake up. Also, fitness and wellness companies are offering sleep coaches to help their clients mitigate sleep problems.

Nutrition: Healthy eating habits have always been a focus of health and wellness. Grocery stores are finally catching on! In 2020 expect to see a wide variety of healthy snacks

around the perimeter of the store (where you’ve heard 1,000 times is the place to shop!). Fresh, convenience and fast foods will be abound in the refrigerated section of your local grocery. Selections like yogurts, protein bars, dairy-free shakes, and a range of probiotic foods will now be at your fingertips so you can stay out of the middle, “packaged” aisles of the store. As with any new venture, the key to success is maintaining your new commitments for over 90 days. This marker is where we see the highest incidence of drop off. Make this year yours, and do whatever it takes. Stay committed to your selection of app, personal guidance, or other methods you select. If you’re finding it impossible to do so, make a change right away. Perhaps the app isn’t a fit. You can also reach out to a buddy, which is a proven method of accountability and success when making lifestyle changes. Also, the use of a professional, a personal trainer, health coach, nutritionist, or mental health counselor is highly effective in keeping you in line. Sometimes, we all need a baby sitter for one reason or another. Don’t allow this need to compromise your self-confidence or success. Engaging help is more effective than quitting. Christine King is a Medical Exercise Specialist, Fitness Expert, and Founder of YourBestFit. The health and wellness company has helped thousands of clients recover from injuries, look and feel better and improve their overall well-being. Please visit Christine at www. ByChristineKing.com.

HEALTH

NOVEMBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

INSIDE

Palm Beach County

Looking for a Medicare plan? [18]

Delray doctor treats PAD [20]

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Born before 1955 or living with a disability? Here are 5 questions to help you choose a Medicare plan By: Betty Assapimonwait Humana South Florida Medicare President If you’re one of 56 million Americans eligible for Medicare, it’s important to understand coverage options when selecting your health plan for 2020. Research can take time, and many people

find working with a licensed health insurance agent helpful when deciding between Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, Prescription Drug Plans and Medicare Supplement plans. Answering these five questions can help you make an informed choice during the Medicare Annual Election Period, now to December 7:

1 Are my doctors, hospitals and spe-

tion drugs? Original Medicare does not cover most prescription drugs. Many Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage, or you can sign up for a Part D Prescription Drug Plan separately. A licensed agent can look up the medications you would like covered and help you estimate what the cost of each drug would be on a plan.

2 Which plans will cover my prescrip-

3 Are there new, innovative benefits I should consider? Beyond vision, hearing and dental coverage, if you aim to become healthier, look for fitness program benefits as many Medicare Advantage plans offer a gym membership. If you travel or appreciate technology, virtual doctors are helpful services when you can’t see a doctor right away. Most Medicare Advantage plans now offer transportation to doctor appointments and the gym.

cialists in network? Most Medicare Advantage plans offer online tools to help you find doctors and hospitals that are in a plan’s network. A licensed agent can also help you look up hospitals and doctors to see if they’re in a plan’s network and taking new patients and confirm what’s in network if you’re a seasonal resident.

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4 Will a zero monthly premium plan save me money? Private insurers help keep premiums down through programs like disease and chronic care management, which help people better manage health conditions and, in turn, reduce medical costs. You’ll still need to pay your Medicare Part B premium, which covers medical services and preventive care. You might want to use the additional premium dollars you save for out-ofpocket medical costs, such as co-pays. 5 Do I need to sign up for Medicare Parts A and B if I’m still working? If you or your spouse have health insurance from an employer, you can delay enrolling in Medicare until the employment or the coverage stops. At that point, you’re entitled to a special enrollment period of up to eight months to sign up for Medicare without incurring any late penalties. Resources are available to help you in this process, including licensed sales agents, local seminars, and websites such as medicare.gov and humana.com/Medicare. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800633-4227) (or TTY: 1-877-486-2048) 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or call Humana at 1-800-213-5286 (TTY: 711) 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time seven days a week. As with any major decision, proper research will go a long way toward making the best plan choice for your personal health care needs. Humana is a Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organization, and standalone prescription drug plan, with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any Humana plan depends on plan renewal.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Upward of 8.5 million Americans have peripheral arterial disease, local Delray doctor offers a variety of treatments for PAD ailments By: David DiPino Contributing Writer A world-renowned vascular surgeon and endovascular therapy specialist, Joseph Ricotta, MD, MS, FACS, provides treatments in a variety of ways for peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a leg ailment caused by plaque buildup in blood vessels in the legs. Dr. Ricotta said peripheral arterial disease simply is blockages in the arteries in your legs. Symptoms can range from pain in your calves, thighs, hips or buttocks area when you walk because usually when you stop and rest the pain goes away and when you walk again it comes back. When the blockage gets worse, you can get pain in your legs or the tops of your feet, ulcers or sores on the feet, gangrene on the feet and that could lead to amputation. Factors putting patients at risk include age, 55 and older, smoking, which causes

plaque and clogs up arteries, and diabetes which causes plaque, hardening of the arteries, as well as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Dr. Ricotta points out there is a wide-variety of treatment for PAD ailments today including medical options, it can be surgical with bypasses or it can be endovascular with minimally invasive needle puncture in the groin using balloons and stents, wires and catheters. About 90 percent of the time, he treats PAD using an endovascular approach with a minimally invasive technique. Because the endovascular treatments are minimally invasive, Dr. Ricotta said sometimes patients leave the hospital the next day. Dr. Ricotta said some of the reason why his vascular treatments and outcomes have quicker recovery times is due to robotic endovascular tools Delray Medical Center invested in upon his arrival to this area in 2016. One of the tools Dr. Ricotta uses at the hospital for vascular procedures is the Magellan™ Robotic Sys-

tem and in 2018, Dr. Ricotta was the first ever person in the world to successfully complete a robotic-assisted peripheral vascular intervention procedure using the FDA-cleared CorPath GRX System. It is widely reported how Dr. Ricotta saved the limb of a Delray Beach man after an imperfection in a new shoe he was walking in caused a diabetic wound, many other doctors thought should be amputated. Dr. Ricotta specializes in limb salvage and saved the foot. “My right foot and ankle infection went all the way down to my bone. It was a nightmare. I went to see Dr. Ricotta in his office, where he determined it would be beneficial to undergo a procedure to save my foot, ankle and leg,” said Bill Wilson. “This limb salvage procedure was done by Dr. Ricotta, robotically using an intravenous approach to get into the vascular system in my leg. Dr. Ricotta told me during the surgery he inflated a drug-coated balloon to create an angioplasty to open up a blockage and create a path in my right leg, which was caused

by my diabetes and the infection. This is what saved my life. The lack of circulation in my right leg was causing my limb to die and the infection in the leg was down to the bone. In addition, Dr. Ricotta had to remove three-quarters of my Achilles tendon.” Wilson added that Dr. Ricotta’s operation is what saved my leg and foot. The wound was the size of a silver dollar and now it’s completely closed. The MRI’s showed the infection went down to the bone. I had osteomyelitis which is an infection in a bone. I’ve had no discomfort whatsoever, none procedurally or after care. I have Brittle Diabetes and my team of doctors and everyone at Delray Medical Center from my primary care doctor to my podiatrist, to my infectious disease specialist and Dr. Joseph Ricotta, did such a fantastic job in treating me. “It was a real team effort but the turning point was the establishment of the blood flow by Dr. Ricotta – that saved my leg and my life,” said Wilson. Dr. Ricotta has a Tenet Florida Cardiovascular Care practice and adjacent onsite laboratory and he is on-staff at Delray Medical Center. Dr. Joseph Ricotta’s office is located at 4205 W. Atlantic Ave., Bldg. B, Suite 201. For more information visit www.DrJosephRicotta.com or call 561-303-0013.

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NOVEMBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Study published in Journal ‘Brain’ reveals exciting novel approach to non-pharmaceutical treatment of cervical dystonia/torticollis By: Dr. John Conde DC, DACNB Special to the Boca and Delray newspaper Cervical dystonia is a neurological movement disorder characterized by sustained or repetitive muscle contractions resulting in twisting and abnormally fixed postures of the neck. It is also known as torticollis and is most commonly noted in infants with flattening of the skull or in adolescents that “slept wrong” the night before. However, it is a rather disabling disorder that affects adults as well with a more chronic presentation that may significantly affects day to day activities. In essence, it is analogous to a severe muscle spasm that does not go away. The aberrant posturing is made worse with physical activity and may progress into adjacent muscle tissue. Pain is very common and the condition does have a negative impact on employment and activities of daily living. Cervical dystonia or torticollis is considered just one type of a wider array of movement disorders that can be seen throughout the body. Dystonia itself can be classified into three main types which are generalized, focal, and segmental. Generalized is the most dramatic and crippling and affects most or all of the body. However, the most common type of dystonia is the focal variant and it is usually localized to a specific part of the body

such as the neck. Spasmodic torticollis is the term utilized when dystonia affects the neck and is exhibited as the classic kissing posture with the neck bent to one side and the head turned to the other side. Other examples of focal dystonia include blepharosapsm which involves the eye lids, oromandibular dystonia which involves the muscles of the jaw and tongue, and writer’s cramp which involves the hands. Lastly, segmental dystonia may affect two adjoining parts of the body. A promising study in the well-respected journal Brain through Oxford Press in June of 2016 has surfaced which has changed the landscape in the understanding and treatment of dystonia. The study has uncovered what is termed a head neural integrator (cluster of nerve cells) in the top of the brainstem which controls head movements and keeps the head stabilized. It is analogous to another cluster of cells in the brainstem called the ocular motor neural integrator which ensures that the eyes are held steady in different positions of gaze or movement in space. The abnormalities in head movements seen in dystonia are now attributable to a malfunction of the head neural integrator. This groundbreaking revelation is thus

applied in clinical practice through the modulation of feedback into the impaired neural integrator which changes its activity and promotes health. The take home message being if we can change the activity of these cells through specific activation/therapeutic exercise we can improve or reverse the cervical dystonia. Plasticity is a medical term used to delineate the ability of the brain to physically change according to specific stimulation. With this understanding in hand, we know we can change the health of the neural integrator through pin-point activation and thus improve outcomes substantially. Precision diagnosis is of paramount importance in securing positive outcomes for patients with cervical dystonia. Incorporating a thorough neurological examination utilizing cutting-edge technology such as visual-oculography (VOG), computerized dynamic posturography (CAPS balance assessment), and Dynavision D2 is crucial in locating the specific faulty brain neural integrator. Targeted neurophysiologic rehabilitation is then prescribed using several modalities such as laser tracking with the head, specific eye movements, interactive metronome, computerized assessment of posture targeting device (CAPS), and manual therapy. These

treatments have to be performed diligently with great appreciation for the fragility of the nervous system in patients with cervical dystonia therefore no two treatments are ever the same. We are in an exciting time for patients with cervical dystonia with these most recent medical advancements. Dr. John Conde is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist, one of only one thousand in the country. He holds diplomate status through the American Chiropractic Neurology Board. He provides specialized care for difficult cases of back neck pain, numbness-tingling, vertigo-dizziness balance disorders, fibromyalgia, migraines, AD/HD, autism, and dyslexia. His office is located at the Atlantic Grove in Delray Beach and can be reached at 561-330-6096, drconde@thecondecenter. com, www.thecondecenter.com

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Delray fashion designer Amanda Perna pens children’s book By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor There is a new line debuting from the Delray Beach-based House of Perna in time for the holidays— a children’s book. “F is for Fashion” authored and illustrated by fashion designer Amanda Perna will be on sale this month at Neiman Marcus and Amazon. The colorful kids book, co-authored by Perna’s husband, Solomon Strul, helps teach the alphabet with help from fashion lingo. Perna fans will catch her patterns incorporated into the illustrations of A-line dresses and signature style earrings. Perna came up with the idea as a way to teach her daughter Stella, 3, the alphabet. In lieu of cards, she asked people to send books as gifts after Stella was born. Now that Stella is learning the alphabet, she said she quickly noticed there wasn’t an ABC fashion book. So, she started sketching out pages on her iPad. She printed two copies of the book and whenever friends came over they asked where she bought the book. That is when she decided to pitch the book to Neiman Marcus. They hopped on board and ordered the book this summer for 29 of their stores. Sales will begin early November. The book retails for $28 and can be found in the children’s department or online. There are two versions of F is for Fashion. One is the original, which can be purchased on Amazon or found at local boutiques. The other is the Neiman Marcus exclusive edition. The idea of penning a children’s book is meaningful to Perna because she was told she would never have a child of her own after she was diagnosed with endometriosis.

So when she found out she was pregnant with Stella, “It was a huge surprise.” Stella has been around the fashion world since she was born. She goes to work with Perna and is surrounded by sketches, fabrics and design. She thought what better way to teach Stella her ABCs by using items she sees.

BIZ

NOVEMBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Her inspiration for working on the children’s book also led her to design a kid’s clothing line for the holidays. “Kids are so fun and easy to dress,” she said. She said parents often dress their kids in more playful outfits than they are willing to wear and the line shows that off. Perna also recently completed a contribution to an exhibit that is currently on display at the Cornell Art Museum, “Art Couture: The Intersection of Art and Fashion.” Displaying her designs in a museum has always been on her bucket list, she said. “I like to be busy,” she said. The exhibit brings together contemporary art and the world of fashion design. The exhibition includes illustrations and clothing created by well-known fashion designers as well as contemporary art inspired by iconic designs of the fashion world. Works included by the following artists: Caroline Dechamby, Sylvestre Gauvrit, Rick Lazes, Jane Maxwell, Amanda Perna, Becky Rosa, Wayne Warren, Andy Warhol, Timo Weiland, Stephen Wilson and Russell Young.

INSIDE

Palm Beach County

Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce appoints new CEO Staff report The word interim has been stripped from Stephanie Immelman’s title. Immelman is now the permanent CEO of the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce. The board of directors selected Immelman to continue in the role at the end of September. “I’m proud of what this new team and I have already accomplished the past four months,” Immelman said. “Our new hires, Angelica Vasquez and Kristopher Fisher, are already making waves, membership has increased dramatically, and the Chamber has re-engaged in a big way with the Delray community. We can’t wait to do more.” The selection of Immelman caps a search process focused on selecting a results-driven leader to drive change management, mission fulfillment and operational outcomes to maximize the value the Chamber provides to its membership. The choice was made after the search committee considered the qualifications and experience of over 240 qualified applicants. “After an extensive search for a new CEO of the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, we are pleased to have selected Stephanie Immelman,” said Bill Branning,

Chairman. “Stephanie has an energetic leadership style. This combined with experience in non-profit and for-profit management positions makes Stephanie uniquely qualified to lead the Delray Chamber.”

Noreen Payne, Delray Beach Chamber Chair Elect, Stephanie Immelman, Delray Beach Chamber CEO; and Bill Branning, Delray Beach Chamber Chairman of the Board. Submitted photo.

Check out Wine House Social [24]

Immelman was the former Executive Director of the Delray Beach Marketing Cooperative and she has extensive business experience at Fortune 500 companies both in the USA and Europe. She has held senior marketing positions at Continental Airlines and AT&T and worked in the corporate finance department of Global Crossing focusing on international mergers and acquisitions. November will be another packed month at the Chamber with the West Business Expo at the Big Apple Shopping Bazaar on Nov. 6, Wine, Women and Wisdom at the new Courtyard Marriott on Nov. 14 and the Legislative Lunch at La Cigale on Nov. 26.

Paragon Events celebrates 30th anniversary [30]

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Women-owned, locally created Natural Hair Care Line supports charities By: Jan Engoren Contributing Writer The two best friends, business partners and Delray residents, Lauren Donald, 43 and Julie Peyton, 49, met almost 20 years ago at a Mommy & Me class in Boca Raton. They were both single parents raising sons and quickly bonded over coffee dates. The two share a similar sensibility and a sense of humor and like any long-time couple, finish each other’s sentences. “She was the only one talking,” jokes Donald, about their encounter. In 2005, after training at Vidal Sassoon and Bumble and Bumble, Donald founded the Bond Street Salon in Pineapple Grove and 7 years later, with Peyton, developed their hair care treatment line, Under the Sun, in reaction to southern Florida’s coastal environment. “After working with my clients here in South Florida, I came up with the ideas of how to protect my client’s hair from the elements,” says Donald. “And, I bounced my ideas off Julie. She has a real ability to communicate with the consumer.” The products were two years in development. Donald worked with a lab she found in

Dobbs Ferry, NY, and infused the products with natural botanical extracts and antioxidants. The shampoos and conditioners – with catchy names such as “Let’s Get Deep” conditioner and “Hey There Sexy” shampoo - are sulfate and sodium chloride free and designed to retain the hair’s natural oils, moisture, color and proteins. Their products are sold at Purlife Fitness Center in Delray Beach and at the Seagate Hotel and Coco & Co. as well as at other shops along Atlantic Ave. “Although we were inspired by coastal living, our products can be used everywhere,” Donald said. “There is heat, sun and humidity everywhere.” She says like any other creation, what makes theirs unique is the quality of the ingredients. Peyton, an educator, created the visual concepts and in addition to Under the Sun, dedicates much of her time to philanthropic causes including JAFCO, the Achievement Centers and as a mentor at the Village Academy for the Women of Tomorrow Mentor and Scholarship Program (WOT). She is also a member the Palm Beach County Leadership Council. Colleen Lockwood, VP of development for WOT has worked with Peyton on a number of campaigns for WOT,

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a mentorship program for at risk girls. Under the Sun is a presenting sponsor for the organization’s upcoming Wine Dinner at the St. Andrews Country Club in January and donates their hair care products for the silent auction. “Julie is one of the most positive people I know,” Lockwood said. “And, she and Under the Sun are very generous with their support.” An active participant of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., Peyton recently returned from a mission trip to Rwanda, acknowledging the 25th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, raising awareness and stimulating preventive efforts and international response in case of future genocides. Among other things, she brought along the company’s shampoo and distributed it in a youth village where many orphaned children live. She downplays their philanthropic efforts, saying, “While we’re making changes to their hair, we’re also making changes to their lives.” Describing their commitment to philanthropy, she also jokes, “We’ve never needed for anything,” turning the typical phrase

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upside down. “Of course, we still want,” she admits. In November, the two will participate in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s 65 Roses Evening on the Ave. at Old School Square. Lora Hazelwood, executive director, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Florida-Palm Beach chapter said, “We are grateful to Lauren and Julie for their support, not only as a sponsor of 65 Roses Evening on the Ave., but as committee members. Their energy and passion to help those with cystic fibrosis is evident in all they contribute. They are true community champions.” Bond Street Salon is located at 25 N.E. 2nd Ave. Visit alwaysunderthesun.com or to find a store, or call 1.855.888.HAIR.

Grab a glass of vino at Pineapple Grove’s Wine House Social Staff report Dina Branham doesn’t consider herself a saleswoman, but her career has focused on selling people homes. Now, she is also selling glasses of wine in her new venture, Wine House Social. The real estate broker responsible for Deluxe Properties in Delray considers selling homes a service. So, her skill set of hospitality is helping her with her new business.

FIND NATURAL RELIEF AT...

Under The Sun business partners Lauren Donald and Julie Peyton. Submitted photo

Located next to the Hyatt Place Hotel, the Wine House Social combines Branham’s passions of wine, real estate and socializing. Bringing Wine House Social to life began in May 2018 when she wanted to open a branch office for Deluxe Properties. To open a micro-office, she had to get creative to get around city rules that only allow retail shops to open in Pineapple Grove Arts District. “I thought Capital One married banking with coffee, I’ll do real estate with wine,” she said.

Dina Branham behind her bar at Wine House Social. Staff photo.

The first Wine House Social was located across the street from the current space and was much smaller. Branham was able to sell organic wine, showcase real estate on iPads and hold events. And the concept took off, she said. So, when the space at the Hyatt became available, she said she jumped on it. The grand opening was in May. “Not only did I outgrow the space, but the Wine Store and Wine Bar took off,” she said. “It was really a shock that it transformed into this.” [CONT. PG 28]

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Fall flavors featured at Delray’s Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar Staff report Even if it doesn’t feel like fall in South Florida, it is beginning to taste like fall at Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar.

dients that celebrate autumn like root vegetables. A majority of food products are selected locally.

The restaurant rotates its menu every season and last month the fall offerings debuted.

options for the menu. The plant-based spicy “chorizo” flatbread is vegan and cab be prepared gluten free ($11). Entree bowls like the roasted root vegetable ($14), spicy thai noodle ($14) and Cuban black bean and rice ($15) start out vegetarian or vegan. Proteins can be added for an additional charge.

“What drives customers is they know the menu is going to change,” Harvest Grill founder and owner and CEO of Dave Magrogan Group Dave Magrogan said. So its in with butternut squash soup ($6), pumpkin ravioli served with a butternut squash puree, sage brown butter, dried cranberry, baby spinach, toasted pumpkin seed and gingerbread dust ($24); and pasta-less vegetable lasagna made from butternut squash, horseradish-pumpkin seed pesto, macadamia nut “ricotta,” tomato sauce, vegan mozzarella and crispy plantains ($20). The menu highlights seasonal ingre-

The farmers and vendors that Harvest works with are highlighted on the top of the menu. Locally, Harvest works with Pero Family Farms, Roth Farms, Pontano’s McKinstry Farms, Mozzerita, Natural Nomad Farms, Old School Bakery and Finnatic Fish Company. Overhauling a menu is no small task and Magrogan said it is a process that keeps the entire culinary team engaged. The chefs have just six days to learn the new menu and then servers have to pass a test on the overhauled menu before they can begin waiting on tables. Magrogan said he challenged the chefs to come up with additional plant-based

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and a roasted garlic-lemon yogurt ($10). Seasonal cocktails are also crafted with fall flavors. The Harvest Fall Bourbon features apple cider ($14) and the Apple Cranberry Mule mocktail brings Thanksgiving flavors to a cup ($5). Mocktails can become upgraded to cocktails for an additional $5. Menu items are prepared with little butter or cream. There are many options under 500 calories and dishes can accommodate all types of diets from vegan, gluten free, keto and meat eaters.

Fall menu appetizers like pork potstickers are served over a celery root puree, apple cider soy gel and thai peanut-space pumpkin seed ($11). Crispy brussels sprouts are served with dried cranberry, smoked bacon pumpkin seed

Chef Amit Jain often whips up a chef ’s special depending on what items come in. On a Thursday night last month, his specials included a watermelon salad and a pork chop for a main dish. One thing is for certain about the fall weather in South Florida and the fall menu at Harvest- neither will last long.

Indulge in Boca bakery dedicated to cinnamon roll creations By: Shaina Wizov Contributing Writer It’s a gourmet cinnamon roll bakery that specializes in 100 percent certified kosher and vegan baked goods with over 20 different frosting flavors and a variety of toppings available to create your own unique cinnamon roll that’s almost as big as your head. The Cinnaholic concept was developed by Shannon and Florian Radke and first opened in Berkeley, CA in 2010. The couple appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank and then adopted a franchise business model, expanding all over the U.S. and Canada. While the entire franchise is vegan, only a few are kosher — the Boca Raton location, in the University Park plaza, is one of them. This works to their advantage in that they are able to satisfy the dessert desires of the area’s large Jewish community — but those aren’t the only locals who are benefitting from Cinnaholic’s craveable creations. Their close proximity to the FAU and Lynn University campuses make them a haven for college students with a sweet tooth. As soon as you walk through the doors of Cinnaholic, you’re instantly met with the smell of cinnamon and sugar, as well as the open arms of owners Naomi and Todd Cohn. It truly is a family owned-and-operated bakery, and it won’t be long before you become part of the Cinnaholic Boca Raton family.

Customers can choose from one of the classic rolls, like Blueberry Pie, Strawberries and Cream, Cookie Monster, and the classic Old Skool Roll — or they can customize their own. Tantalize your taste buds with frosting flavors such as Amaretto, Banana Cream, Chai, Maple and Peanut Butter, just to name a few. You’ll feel like a kid in a candy store when you see the array of topping choices — everything from strawberries, blueberries and slices of banana to cookie dough, brownie bites and pie crumble, and so much more. The homemade peanut butter cups and ‘Oreo’ cookies are definitely a crowd favorite. That same edible cookie dough topping is also available in grab-and-go 5 ounce containers, or you can get it by the scoop with your choice of frosting on top. It’s also used to make soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies. Cinnaholic also offers brownies, bite-size Baby Buns, and Cinnacakes, which are made out of four, six or eight cinnamon rolls, topped with classic vanilla frosting and your choice of up to five toppings. Coffee and espresso drinks, smoothies and soft serve ice cream are available too — and don’t forget, everything is vegan and free of all dairy, lactose, egg and cholesterol. Cinnaholic is located at 141 NW 20th Street, Suite B-1, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Call 561-617-7277 to inquire about catering orders, birthday parties, and pre-orders. Follow along on Instagram at @cinna.boca for all specials and promotions.

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Biz Briefs Marshall Grant, PLLC hires new attorney Boca-based Marshall Grant, PLLC, one of South Florida’s leaders in corporate real estate law, bankruptcy, and restructuring, recently hired Gregory Mitchell. Mitchell joins the firm as a litigation attorney. “Greg is one of the most respected local attorneys dealing with commercial litigation matters, he has achieved numerous large settlements and victories for clients. He has helped close multi-million-dollar transactions and real estate deals, ensuring that his clients' interests are protected,” said Adam Marshall, co-Founder and Member of Marshall Grant, PLLC. “Greg’s diverse legal background allows him to cater to the differing needs of our transactional clients, while providing viable solutions when a client’s rights demand enforcement and protection.” Mitchell joins Marshall Grant from a boutique law firm in Palm Beach Gardens. His family is considered “royalty” in the city of Boca Raton with five generations of Mitchell’s calling Boca home. His great grandfather, J.C. Mitchell and wife Floy, moved to Boca in 1923, helped build the old City Hall and was Mayor for over 10 years. “I was eager to get back to Boca Raton, a city where I was born and raised, and where my family has such strong ties. The Marshall Grant culture of focusing more on the client rather than billable hours was so attractive and unique to this industry,” Mitchell said. “Also, the firm’s dedication to supporting the local community was pivotal in my decision.” Mitchell received his law degree from University of Florida’s Levin College of Law and was awarded the outstanding achievement pro bono certificate. He lives in Boca Raton with

his wife and son and is active in the community through his involvement at Boca Raton Community Church, BocaLead, and volunteering with other local charities including Boca Hoops, Boca Helping Hands and Habitat for Humanity.

Nielsen: Boca’s TEN Spring Water No. 2 selling alkaline water in bulk Boca-based TEN Spring Water’s one-gallon-jug is now the No. 7 top-selling SKU in Enhanced Water in the U.S., catapulting the brand into the No. 2 position in terms of bulk water in the category (Nielsen: Total U.S. Food - Value Add Water). The data examines alkaline water brands and is representative of the previous 52 weeks ending Aug. 10. “Our 1 gallon jug continues to be among the fastest-growing SKUs in the entire category, and the strong sales is reflective of the growing consumer trend towards larger bulk sizes,” said TEN founder Jose Fernandez. “Our customers spoke and we answered their call with not only a 1 gallon bottle but also a new 1.5 liter size launched this year. Meeting the needs of our loyal customers will always be our top priority.” The 1 gallon jug can be purchased at Publix, Food Lion, Brookshires, Ingles, Food City and Whole Foods. Other TEN retailers include Wegmans, Albertsons, The Fresh Market, United, Market Street and more. TEN is BPA free, offers PET recyclable bottles and the highest pH available among bottled waters with a stable pH of 10. TEN Spring Water is naturally filtered in the foothills of the Great Appalachian Valley, in underwater caves deep below the earth’s surface. These caves are natural quartzite and granite aquifers with rock so dense they naturally filter the water to an incredibly pure state, free of chemicals, impurities or pollution.

Boca resident receives top status from employer Darden Restaurants Boca resident and Director of Operations of the Bahama Breeze locations in the

Tampa and South Florida areas Bo Odom has achieved parent company Darden Restaurants’ Diamond Club status. Odom will be recognized for his work in becoming a top-performing Director of Operations. “Bo knows that delivering an island experience starts with our people – and he develops our General Managers to do just that,” said John Fadool, President of Bahama Breeze. “He is devoted to ensuring his teams have what they need to create superior guest experiences.”

Hope & Henry opens at Town Center Clothing company Hope & Henry is now open at Town Center mall near Vineyard Vines and the new children’s play area, PLAY. "Town Center at Boca Raton is excited to welcome Hope & Henry to our center and give customers an opportunity to interact with a brand previously constrained by exclusive online distribution,” said Sal Saldaña, General Manager.

Odom, a resident of Boca Raton, oversees eight Bahama Breeze restaurants in the Tampa and South Florida areas. He attributes his professional success to his region of tenured and committed General Managers who are all focused on driving results.

“Hope & Henry wants to continue to build on its success at and give more families access to our unique clothing”, said Matthew McCauley, Hope & Henry founder. “Hope & Henry was born from the belief that it was possible to create beautiful, high quality clothing that was affordable and distinctive while being committed to a sustainable future.”

International executive, search consultant joins Stanton Chase as managing director

Grab a glass of vino at Pineapple Grove’s Wine House Social

Peter Lawson, an international senior-level executive and global search consultant, has joined the Boca Raton office of Stanton Chase as managing director.

To help with her real estate business, she partnered with Delray Beach Real Estate’s owner/broker, Noelle McIntyre to create the “Deluxe Division.”

[FROM PG 24]

In this capacity, he joins Juan D. Morales, Managing Director, of the Boca Raton office of Stanton Chase, a global retained executive search firm with more than 70 offices in 45 countries. Prior to joining the Boca Raton office, Lawson was a Director with the Stanton Chase offices in both New York and Nashville. “Peter brings a wealth of experience to South Florida,” said Morales. “He is a distinguished executive who has lead operations, marketing, strategy and mergers and acquisitions in the United States and around the world. In addition, he has served as a senior management consultant and advisor to numerous Fortune 500 companies.” Lawson’s background gives the office and the global Stanton Chase locations direct access to C-level decision-makers, board leaders, and outstanding candidates. “It is a distinct pleasure to join Juan and the South Florida team,” said Lawson. “We have many opportunities to grow globally and regionally from Miami. Our skill sets, while different, are complementary in that the singular goal is to recruit and place the finest executives and board directors to lead our clients into the future.”

Wine House Social sells wine by the glass next to the Hyatt Hotel. Staff photo.

Wine House Social has a bar, lounge-like areas and communal spaces to socialize at. She serves charcuterie boards to snack on along with the wine and provides entertainment like live music, wine tastings and painting with wine classes. There are over 30 wines sold by the glass on the menu from all over the world. She selects wines you may not find on your own. Specials change every month and she has a section for top shelf options that can range anywhere from $20-30 per glass. A majority of the wines are biodynamic, organic and sustainable Wine House Social is open 7 days per week. Wednesday is Ladies Night. Live music takes place on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Wine House Social is located at: 104 Northeast 2nd Ave., at the Hyatt Place Hotel. For more information, winehousedelray.com or call 561-501-7570.

Drive Shack opens by Palm Beach International airport Staff report Practice your drive at the new three-story, 96-bay Drive Shack. The 65,000-square-foot golf entertainment venue opened last month in West Palm Beach by PBI airport at 1710 Belvedere Road.

At Drive Shack you can play a golf course like St. Andrews or Palm Beach National, practice your swing on the range or play one of their signature interactive golfing games. Golfers rent a bay per hour. Up to six players can be assigned to one bay. Pricing varies depend-ing on the time of day. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the hourly rate is $25, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., the rate is $35 and from 5 p.m. to close costs $45 an hour. Drive Shack opens at 9 a.m. daily and closes at midnight Sunday-Thursday and 1 a.m. on the weekends. There are bays on all three levels of the facility. The second floor also houses a restaurant and bar. On the third floor there is an outdoor bar and deck with fire pits. There are more than 300 televi-sions located throughout the venue.

In addition to golf, there are arcade games, Jenga, cornhole and other family friendly activities. The restaurant is open to golfers and non-golfers. You can also order food directly to your bay to eat while you play. Highlights on the menu include truffle flatbreads, pork wings and watermelon poke bowls. For dessert, there are specialty ice cream sandwiches featuring locally influenced flavors - like the “Chilly Palmer,” a lemon shortbread cookie sandwich filled with sweet tea ice cream and a key lime pie.

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A brunch menu is offered on the weekend with items like avocado toast, chicken and biscuits and boozy cereal. Drive Shack - with the support of 2nd Swing and the PGA TOUR Superstore - will be collecting used clubs to help benefit The First Tee and support its mission to positively impact the lives of young people through the game of golf. Swing by Drive Shack until Nov. 3, to donate golf clubs – anything from a single iron to a putter to a full set of clubs. In return, those donating clubs can receive up to $100 of free BayPlay. Donated clubs will be valued and converted to cash donations and all Drive4Change proceeds will be given directly to The First Tee of The Palm Beaches. In addition, Drive Shack with the support of the PGA TOUR Superstore – Delray Beach, will be presenting The First Tee of The Palm Beaches with brand new sets of junior golf clubs to give to the young members they serve.

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Woman-owned, small business Paragon Events celebrates 30th anniversary Events employees have planned meetings, conferences and events in 62 countries.

It is the white glove service she learned in the hotel sector that she brings to her business, Paragon Events.

“I am really, really proud of where we have come from,” she said. “I also don’t for a moment take it for granted.”

“I felt like I understood what clients wanted,” she said after working in the hotel industry. “So, I built a business around it.” She was working in a flower shop she owned, a high-end boutique where she designed arrangements for weddings and Bar Mitzvahs, when her daughter, who was 2-years-old, pulled at her leg, told her to “take off her fancy clothes” and stay home to play.

President and CEO of Paragon Events Renee Radabaugh celebrates 30 years in business. Submitted photo.

By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor From a 1929 home in downtown Delray Beach, Renee Radabaugh, CMP runs a global organization that produces 150 programs a year for businesses, nonprofit organizations and associations all over the globe. Headquartered in Delray Beach, Paragon Events celebrated its 30th anniversary on Oct. 20. Under Radabaugh’s leadership, Paragon

Paragon Events produces events all over the globe. Pictured is conference in Hawaii. Submitted photo.

Radabaugh started out her career doing social work before transitioning into the hospitality sector. She worked in the hotel business and was relocated to Boca Raton to helped open the Polo Club in Boca, what is now an Embassy Suites and the Four Seasons in Palm Beach.

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So, she worked to launch her business and eventually landed a large account that she said, “Catapulted me into this journey.” Along the way to building her event empire, which began in Boca Raton, she was introduced to the city to the north, Delray Beach.

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Of the company’s 32 employees, about

Paragon Events planned an event beachside in Costa Rica. Submitted photo.

22 are located in Delray. Other team members are located Boston, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Richmond, VA, St. Augustine and Washington, D.C.

“It’s a collection of really talented people who are big thinkers and creatives and its about delivering and hospitality,” she said of her team.

Delray was about to celebrate its 100th anniversary and Old School Square’s then director Joe Gillie reached out to see if Radabaugh could help with some of the celebration planning.

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All the projects were done as Paragon Events grew. She said they only put a sign on the building about 4 years ago.

They have produced events in places as far away as China, Japan and the Maldives.

An event in the Bahamas organized by Delray based Paragon Events. Submitted photo.

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At the time, it had a defunct Piggly Wiggly and auto store in the plaza. They renovated the plaza and helped turn it into the shopping area that exists today. They also purchased a building by the Camera Store, renovated it and sold it.

She went to the event, took the next day off to stay home with her daughter and realized she could create a company where she could balance her career and family.

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Her husband, an executive chef, helped with the catering and she helped work on the event production. Not too long after, they opened a restaurant, Dakotah 624 on Atlantic Ave. It was opened for 10 years and then they sold it. They fell in love with the city, sold their home in Boca and moved into a home in Delray. Then, they bought a building on 3rd Ave. in the arts district, which became the home of Paragon Events. Radabaugh joined the chamber of commerce and served on the board, sat on a committee for the Pineapple Grove Arts District and bought the plaza that will soon become The Ray hotel in Pineapple

Paragon Events provides all types of services in house that needed to put on an event including branding, graphics, copy and creative. From registration to data collection, Paragon keeps track of all of that information for their clients. Over the years, she said the challenge is staying on top of technology. She remembers using fax machines and sharing one computer to register conference attendees. Now, it is about understanding social media and what software is the right program to invest in. “I think that technology is a friend and foe,” she said. “When we started, the big technology was a fax machine and sharing a $3,000 computer. Social media has been the biggest change.” She said she is always learning especially when it comes to learning how to communicate effectively with the consumer. “I think when you stop learning, you stop growing,” she said. “I have never stopped changing.”

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

MNM Theatre company creates jobs in off season By: Joanie Cox-Henry Contributing Writer When MNM Theatre Company Executive Producer/Artistic Director Marcie Gorman was search-ing for a place to set up production for her non profit organization founded in 2014, Boca Raton was immediately her top choice. “We came to Boca looking for a space to do our rehearsals and the place we found in there gave us the opportunity to build our own sets. So, from day one, our actors are working on the fin-ished sets,” Gorman said. “Boca was also a wonderful middle ground for us since we have people working for MNM Theatre company from Miami to West Palm Beach.” Gorman, who is the former CEO of Weight Watchers of Palm Beach County, is so passionate about enriching the cultural life of the local community, she wanted to create a theater company that could perform during the off season when job opportunities in the arts for area residents are diminished. “We want to keep these people working so they don’t run off to another state,” said Gorman, who was also a substitute teacher at Dreyfoos School of the Arts. “I’m very community and the-ater-minded and always have a focus on emerging tal-

ent. While many actors do go to New York and aim for Broadway, there is still work here and if you’re really talented, you can actually rise more quickly here because the pool is smaller.”

MNM Theatre Company rents a 3,500-square-foot studio off NW 2nd Ave near 10th street where all production work is done and then performances take place at the Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center.

Since their inception and through May 2020 the Company is projected to have provided 750 job opportunities for Floridians in the arts. Some of these jobs include: working behind the curtain, administrative support roles, internships and community service hours for area students and gigs for musicians. Having live musicians in lieu of backing tracks was essential for Gorman.

For the 2019-2020 season, the group has been working with area organizations and schools on key cultural collaborations including a complimentary day of arts and culture for low income children and families served by area charities.

“I'm creating jobs where no one else is,” Gorman said. “We can all go to the theater any time dur-ing season, so I wanted to create something in the off season. When everyone else’s seasons are ending, I’m raring to go!” Through the Emerging Artist Initiative, MNM Theatre Company kicked off a $100,000 campaign in order to increase the number of opportunities for enrollment in their Emerging Artists' Initia-tive job training program, increase the amount of paying professional careers in front of and be-hind the curtain for local theatrical professionals and expand opportunities for students.

“We’re working with Imagina, a U.S.-based nonprofit that supports disadvantaged Mexican na-tionals. On Nov. 10, we’re having a performance by the children at the Rinker Playhouse,” Gor-man said. “We hired a professional choreographer and this collaboration will also feature a diver-sity inclusion dance workshop for disadvantaged Palm Beach County children and the Imagina cast.” MNM Theatre Company also works with Shakespeare Troupe of South Florida, Primal Forces at the Sol Theatre Set building services and Theater Arts Productions, a nonprofit run by college student, Jaycie Cohen, who works with middle and high school students pursuing the arts at Wellington High School. “MNM provided monetary support and set building services for a three-week run

of The Lion King Jr. presented at Wellington High School,” Gorman added. “We do whatever we can to support everyone else. We’ve got props, wood—all sorts of amazing stuff to lend to the commu-nity.” As Gorman reflects on leaving corporate America to emerge fully into the theater world, she ad-mits she’s come full circle with her roots being in musical theater. “I’m regional professional thea-ter and I sang in chorus growing up. Theater is my life.” This season’s remaining plays include: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum run-ning from Nov. 22 - Dec. 8, 2019 and Cabaret which runs May 15-31. Visit http://mnmtheatre.org/ for details.

Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce recognizes local businesses, influential locals during annual celebration By: Stephanie Immelman CEO of the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers

We are also aiming to build a Chamber of the 21st century and are working to reach out to our membership and our community via all the communications channels we have available today. There is a lot going on at the Delray Chamber and we invite all businesses to be a part of what we are building here.

The Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce got together at the Delray Beach Club on Oct. 10 for our annual celebration of Del- Chamber Business Achievement award winray Beach businesses. This ners: Ted Hoskinson, Nancy Reagan, Mark Now, on to the winners of Dr. Marcie Young. Photo courtesy The Greater Delray Beach year’s Party in Paradise Cassini, of © Emiliano Brooks, Studio B Squared. Chamber of Commerce had a Luau theme with the 2019 Business AchieveAtlantic Ocean as our gorgeous backdrop. It ment Awards: was a wonderful evening of cama-raderie and celebration. Someone mentioned to me that Crystal Palm Award for Community Service it felt like the “old” Delray. Anyone who was Ted Hoskinson around 10 to 20 years ago when the commuNon Profit of the Year nity was coming together to build up Delray Community Greening will understand what that means and I defiBusiness of the Year nitely considered it a compliment. Young Dentistry led by Dr. Marcie Young But you didn’t have to be here 10 or 20 years ago to be part of what we are building at the Chamber today. We’re so proud of our members and the great things they are doing in this Community. We have a very strong Non-Profit Council, Young Professionals group and Chair-man’s Club. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will be setting up shop at the Chamber this month.

Business Person of the Year Nancy Reagan of Bella Reina Spa

We also gave the Lifetime Achievement Award to architect and local legend, Bob Currie, for his visionary artistry that helped to make Delray Beach our Village by the Sea. Francis Bourque ac-cepted the award on his behalf and gave a moving tribute to Bob, who sadly passed away on Oct. 11.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Boca’s economic development report By: Jessica Del Vecchio Economic Development Manager Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers Lynn University’s social impact lab hosted an incredible and inspiring panel discussion about B Corporations. B Corps are a new kind of business that balance purpose and profit. With shared values based on corporate responsibility, sustainable companies like TOMS, Patagonia, Etsy and EILEEN FISHER are all doing well by doing good. We recently provided an economic development update at the Business Develop-

ment Board of Palm Beach County’s fourth quarter luncheon, which took place at the beautiful Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. Our Office partnered with the Boca Raton Innovation Campus and the Boca Newspaper for our first panel discussion event. The topic of discussion was the Business of Health and Wellness and there were about 75 attendees. The local executives that participated in the discussion included the

CEO’s from Celsius and Body Details, the Chief Medical Officer from MDViP and the VP of Marketing for Vitacost. We look forward to hosting similar events in the future. Boca. Business. Briefs.

Our partners at Kroger (Vitacost.com) and Celsius Holdings, Inc. announced their expanded partnership. Maker of the fitness drink, CELSIUS®, announced further expansion into the grocery channel as it strengthens its partnership with Kroger, the largest U.S. grocery store chain in the country. With over 1,100 locations nationwide, the first product placements began in the second quarter of 2019. According to the Palm Beach County

Boca Kmart closes after more than 40 years on Monday, Oct. 7, where dual “Store Closed” signs were posted on both doors, and another worker was still cleaning up the floors inside the now vacant store.

By: Diane Emeott Korzen Contributing Writer

The beloved-by-the-Boca Square neighborhood Kmart, just east of I-95, at 1401 W. Palmetto Park Road, celebrated its last day in business on Sunday, Oct. 6 by offering its loyal customers 90 percent off remaining store merchandise. Shoppers perused the few remaining aisles looking for a bargain, be it a decorative wooden plaque with a moose labeled “Life Is Better At The Cabin,” a rack of DVDs, or clothing. Before leaving the store for one last time, shoppers made sure to find out where the next nearest Kmart location is – on Lantana Road and Dixie Highway, 1201 S. Dixie Highway., Lantana, 33462, 561-586-7222. Employees who wished to stay on with Kmart are transferring to the Lantana store.

Shoppers enjoy 90 percent off savings on last day of Boca’s KMart. Photo by Diane Emeott Korzen.

Sears and Kmart merged, Nov. 17, 2004, (becoming a major new retail company Sears Holdings Corp.) in an effort to strengthen the stores’ retail market share. Since then, Sears, the anchor store in Boca’s Town Center Mall closed in April 2018, and now in October 2019 Boca Kmart has closed too – as dot. com shoppers, who prefer to shop online, become more of the norm. Boca Kmart employee Mark McClure was pictured outside the store

McClure said he has worked at Boca Kmart “for at least 2 years. It’s kind of a sad thing, with the store Boca KMart store employee McClure stands beclosing. Some Mark side Store Closed signs. Phoof the employ- to by Diane Emeott Korzen. ees were here when the store first opened!” McClure comes from a long line of proud retail workers. Both his father and his grandfather worked for Publix; his dad for 16 years, and his grandfather for 25 years. That Monday, the proud, red, Kmart sign affixed to the top of the building, had already been removed.

Property Appraiser, Boca Raton’s real estate taxable values, which equates to about $25 billion, or 12.6 percent — are generated by 42,745 parcels. Analytical firm Niche.com compared 15,000 towns and neighborhoods across the country to find the best neighborhoods. Boca Raton ranked in the Top 25 Best Neighborhoods in all of South Florida. Have corporate news to share or looking to relocate/expand your company to Boca Raton? Contact the city’s economic development office at economicdevelopment@myboca. us or 561-393-7761. Want to see what we are up to? Follow us on Facebook @BocaEconomicDevelopment.

What will the store shell become? And would plans come before the City of Boca’s Development Services Dept.? “If another big retail store were to come in, and the use is already there, all they would really have to do is pull permits. However, if the store footprint changes, e.g. they demolish the building, then it would have to come through us, said Amy Price of Development Services. “I had last day of busiheard a Chili’s KMart’s ness in Boca was Oct. 6. maybe, although Photo by Diane Emeott I believe they Korzen. were looking at the bank property by Denny’s, not the Kmart property -- or I’d like to see a Target -- but right now it’s a lot of talking, a lot of gossip on Facebook. Nobody really knows,” she said.

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Staff report

serve as the center of all activities of the club. “Nothing compares to what you’re about to experience and see,” he said as members awaited to enter the new facility. “We know the wait is going to be well worth it.”

Mizner Country Club residents have all the perks of a 5-star hotel right at home. The club recently completed a $22 million renovation and expansion of its poolside, lifestyle complex. Formerly known as the Palazzo, “CENTRAL” is the new meeting point for dining, exercising and socializing. “In designing CENTRAL, we’ve reimagined life at Mizner,” president of the board of directors Steven Nathan said.

The project involved adding 41,000-square-feet to the club. The two-story structure has two sections, a north and south building. The buildings are filled with amenities with a modern design and original artwork from renowned “Postgraffism” artist Ruben Geraro Umbiera Gonzalez and his partner, Golden. “This project was a Herculean task,” Nathan said during the ribbon cutting ceremony, adding it was completed within budget. General Manager and COO of the club Larry Savvides said they came up with the name “CENTRAL” because it will

After the ribbon was cut, members swarmed the new facility buzzing with compliments over the new feel and fin-

ishes. The women were overjoyed with the completion of the new ladies card room. The north building houses a cycling studio, Pilates studio, aerobics room, massage therapy and meditation rooms, steam rooms, tennis shop and golf cart parking on the lower level. The upper level houses the Technogym Fitness Center.

a meeting room, ladies card room, arcade and activity center for kids. There will be a bridge that connects to the

main clubhouse. Outside, the new aquatic center and spa has a poolside restaurant and bar designed by Pamela Manhas. She is the designer behind more than 100 restaurants including Burt & Max’s Bar & Grille, Apeiro Kitchen & Bar and Lucille’s Bad to the Bone BBQ in nearby Delray Marketplace.

The south building has two restaurants on the ground level, the Craft Bar & Grill and The Market Cafe, which offers more casual grab-and-go items, smoothies and coffee. Upstairs, there is

Gonzalez’s original artwork helps each room tell its own story. Overall, he said his inspiration was Addison Mizner. Known for his work in Wynwood, Gonzalez said he hasn’t done studio work in over a decade. When Mizner approached him about creating art for the new space, he said it got him back into the studio.

Mizner is the first country club in Southeast Fla., to be outfitted with a complete Technogym center. Mizner Country Club will become one of Technogym’s flagship country club facilities. Technogym is the official supplier to the Olympic games and other professional sport circuits. The machines use technology to personalize training sessions. Users can connect their cell phones up to the machines to keep track of their goals and progress.

REAL

Mizner Country Club completes $22 million lifestyle complex ‘CENTRAL’

ESTATE

NOVEMBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

INSIDE

Palm Beach County He said bringing an urban artist in to create the art is “unlike anything else” he has seen in a country club. His urban pop can be found in nearly every room in CENTRAL. “Every room has its own identity and look and feel,” he said, adding it gives the sense that a different artist worked on each room. For more information, visit miznercc. org.

New Mizner Country Club complex [35]

Pebb Capital closes on Midtown Delray property Staff report

ical garden.

Boca Raton-based Pebb Capital officially acquired Sundy Village also known as Midtown Delray.

“After nearly a year of working on this project – from contract to close – we are looking forward to breaking ground and moving forward on building this transformational lifestyle destination that will boost the city’s business and tourism sectors with its retail and office components,” Rosenberg said. “Its location in a Qualified Opportunity Zone further strengthens our goal of bringing positive economic impact to the area.”

Developers Todd Rosenberg and Ian Horowitz of Pebb Capital closed not the seven-acre development for $40 million from MGM Delray LLC. The project will include about 50,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, and 70,000 square feet of office space. The acquisition includes Sundy House, a historic property featuring a restaurant, boutique inn and trop-

Kapp Morrison LLP served as counsel for Pebb Capital in the transaction.

Residents move into Akoya [38]

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

What’s up in the real estate market… Boca West Realty opens at Boca West Country Club Looking to buy in Boca West Country Club? Now, you can head to Boca West Realty, which will focus exclusively on the residential club community. The new real estate company will be located onsite within the Country Club’s new Golf & Activities Center. This convenient location will provide easy access for Boca West members and residents. Boca West Realty will also work with outside brokers to facilitate the demand for the wide range of luxury properties in 55 distinct villages. Boca West Realty’s Managing Broker Stephann Cotton and Glen Trotta Director of Sales will oversee daily operations and the expanded services. The company will be supported by an advanced digital and traditional marketing campaign showcasing the esteemed Club lifestyle and exceptional, maintenance-free properties at Boca West. The program will target the influx of buyers to South Florida from the northeastern United States, Canada, and Europe. “Buyers are flocking to Boca Raton to enjoy the luxurious lifestyle and weather while escaping high taxes in the Northeast and overseas. We are also seeing a demand from buyers from Miami-Dade and Broward who are looking for

great schools, lower property taxes, and a higher quality of life,” said Stephann Cotton. “With homes ranging from under $300,000 to more than $2 million, there is something for nearly every buyer. It’s a matter of personal preference between single family homes, villas, townhomes, condominiums, and the new ultra-luxe residences at Akoya.” The 400,000-square-feet of resort-style amenities at Boca West Country Club overlook four championship golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer, Jim Fazio and Pete Dye. A new $50 million, 100,000-square-foot Golf & Activities Center is the social centerpiece for an endless array of activities and events. The Club also features six highly acclaimed dining venues, a European-inspired spa, aquatics center, fitness center and world-class tennis and pickleball facilities that appeal to every generation and age group. Boca West Realty’s sales team will market the properties through a comprehensive digital and lead generation program. A new Boca West Realty website and a custom published lifestyle magazine will ensure the Boca West story is appropriately conveyed to buyers, outside brokers and realtors. “We are the first Club in the area to benefit from a marketing initiative of this magnitude,” said Matthew Linderman, CCM, President and COO of Boca West Country Club, “and

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Boca West Realty is being led by two of the most recognized names in South Florida realty, Stephann Cotton and Glen Trotta. Boca West Realty is a great asset for buyers from around the world, as well as for sellers within the Club.” Managing Broker Stephann Cotton, with more than 40 years of industry experience, has established a solid reputation as a leader in the field of luxury real estate, resort and community development. In 1983, Stephann established Cotton & Company in Stuart, where he incorporated experience and talent to aid clients in achieving sales goals and implementing award-winning marketing campaigns. Over the past 30 years, the firm has represented over 1,700 prestigious communities throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Sales Director Glen Trotta has more than 20 years of experience in executive roles as the driver of sales/marketing and managing real estate broker for leading national and Florida real estate developers and homebuilders. Throughout his career, he has generated $4 billion in sales with more than 20,000 closed properties.

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A six-bedroom home totaling 11,370-squarefeet sold on Sept. 15 for $6.295 million. Jeffrey Ray represented the buyer of the

Mediterranean-style estate at 1003 Rhodes Villa Ave. The home is situated on a point lot with 240 feet on the Intracoastal Waterway and dockage for two superyachts. It is on a culde-sac one block from the beach. Features include a living room with a bar, formal dining room, wine room, Turkish marble floors, soaring detailed ceilings, fireplace, and a home theater with recliner seating and water views from most of the rooms.

They will be supported by associates Simone Talaia, who joins Boca West Realty from Signature International Realty in Delray Beach; and Debra Segal, previously with Toll Brothers and SOBELCO, Residences at Banyan Cay in West Palm Beach.

The home has patios, covered loggia with a summer kitchen, overflow heated pool and separate spa. Randy Ely and Nicholas Malinosky, agents with Douglas Elliman, represented the seller.

Amy Snook selected President-Elect for the Women’s Counsel of Realtors

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Dennis Walker, WCR Governor, Charmaine Hickey, Treasurer, Amy Snook, President Elect, Paige Brewer, Vice President, Dinorah Guerra, Secretary, Julie Montei, Governor, Lorna Moodie, District Vice President. Submitted photo.

Amy Snook, a partner in the All About Florida Homes Team of Lang Realty, has won the election for the Women’s Counsel of Realtors

“I am honored to be part of the leadership of the Women’s Council of Realtors. Success in business today is achieved through positive, productive collaboration. The Women’s Council provides an environment in which members support each other and work together to achieve personal growth and business success,” Snook said. Snook is a partner in the All About Florida Homes team of Lang Realty, along with co-partner Noreen Payne of Delray Beach. She has been practicing real estate and title insurance for 17 years and is currently the Florida State secretary for Women’s Council of Realtors. Amy is also a director of the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale, and a director of Florida Realtors.

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Tenants signed on to Delray’s Atlantic Crossing project, vertical construction to begin by end of year Staff report With plans to open the retail and office component of the $300 million Atlantic Crossing project on East Atlantic Ave. by the fourth quarter of 2020, there are already several tenants signed on to open in the new space.

signed on for a 3,150-square-foot shop fronting Atlantic Ave. The first restaurant tenant, Chicago-based The Hampton Social, an East Coast-themed lifestyle experience concept, has leased 8,677-squarefeet.

With the vertical construction about to commence, the developers announced three tenants that have already signed on to the new project.

Overall, the project will bring 73,000-square-feet of retail and restaurant space, 83,000-square-feeet of office space and new luxury residences downtown.

Developers Ohio-based The Edwards Cos., said vertical construction is slated to begin by the end of the year. The western block’s underground parking garage and infrastructure is already underway. The western block is fully financed with a $110 million construction loan and a $45 million preferred equity investment. The entire project spans nine acres. It is bound by Federal Highway to the west and Veterans Park and the Intracoastal Waterway to the east. it has 560 feet of frontage along Atlantic Ave.

The buildings will offer 20,000-squarefoot floor plans, which can accommodate mid-to large-sized companies.

With the initial underground parking garage formed, Atlantic Crossing’s western block is slated to begin vertical construction by year-end. Submitted photo.

“Atlantic Avenue is nationally known and demand is strong,” said Edward Companies Vice President Don DeVere. “Our timetable allows us to be selective and to identify ‘best of class’ commercial tenants for the project.”

Lead tenant Merrill Lynch will occupy the entire 20,000-square-feet on the third floor, which is half of the available office space in the first building. Chico’s has

A number of additional tenant prospects are in active negotiations, DeVere said. “Atlantic Crossing is coming on line at an exciting turning point,” Drew M. Barkett of Strategic Retail Advisors, exclusive retail leasing agent, said. “Retailers and restaurateurs are looking to ‘High Street’ opportunities, rather than enclosed malls or lifestyle centers. Atlantic Crossing delivers the authentic sense of place to draw today’s shoppers and diners, and to become the ‘must-see’ spot for out of towners.” Each of Atlantic Crossing’s six buildings of three to five stories has a different architectural design. All parking is hidden, below ground or in a garage wrapped by residences, and convenient valet service is provided. Completion of the first luxury residential residences is anticipated for 2021, with additional park-side residential units added in 2023.

Akoya residents begin to move into luxury building at Boca West Country Club Staff report Akoya at Boca West Country Club is welcoming its newest residents at the 113-unit luxury building.

round private club activities.

Closings and move-ins are underway at the building, which offers two-to-four bedroom units with dens priced from $1 million to over $4 million. Built by Siemens Group, units range from 2,000 to over 4,000 square feet. Each residence features large, open living areas and floor-to-ceiling impact U.V. resistant windows offering golf course and lake views. Residents will enjoy a gated entrance, attended lobby and private foyer with elevators providing direct access into each unit. Luxury amenities include exclusive access to Akoya’s resort-style swimming pool and sun deck, a

Akoya was designed by renowned architecture firm Garcia Stromberg/GS4 Studios with Interiors by Steven G. 24-hour ﬁtness center with state-of-the-art training equipment, a party room for social events, a card room and a board room. “Akoya gave us a unique opportunity to build a one-of-a-kind project with stunning golf course views,” said Rob Siemens, Siemens Group. “The premier access to Boca West and its world-class amenities was a major draw when selecting where to build, and all of the infrastructure was already in place. We

couldn’t have picked a better location.” The development sits on the grounds of Boca West Country Club. In addition to Akoya’s exclusive amenities, residents will enjoy access to a combination of Boca West’s resort-style amenities and services, including: four celebrated 18-hole championship golf courses, a 29-court tennis complex, a European inspired spa, a fitness and aquatics center, seven restaurants offering casual to gourmet fare, and year-

“When designing developments, we put a major focus on experimenting with new design concepts and utilizing the spatial components of the surrounding land to create projects that mirror a work of art,” said Jorge Garcia, Garcia Stromberg/GS4 Studios. “Akoya is located in a premier location with beautiful golf course views, which are visible from each residence. The project is a work of art and a major game changer – especially for golf lovers.”

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Kroger moves its online health/wellness business to BRiC campus in Boca By: Dale King Contributing Writer One of the biggest names in the grocery store business, Kroger Company, has moved the national headquarters of its online healthand-wellness Vitacost.com business to a 43,000-square-foot, second-floor suite in the Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC) building at 4700 Exchange Court off Yamato Road. The premises were relocated from a site across the street at 5400 NW Broken South Blvd.

The entrance to the Boca Raton Innovation Campus on Yamato Road, where Kroger has just moved its Vitacost.com online health-and-wellness business. Photo by Dale King.

Kroger is the largest supermarket chain by revenue and the second-largest general retailer, says a company news release. It has also spun off into various ancillary enterprises.

Raton area, opting instead to support the Boca-based online health food and vitamin business it acquired 5 years ago.

Vitacost.com Inc. is an American e-commerce company based in Boca Raton that sells vitamins, supplements and organic grocery products. The e-commerce firm’s website said it was purchased by Kroger in 2014. "[BRiC's] rich history and compelling story as it relates to the digital focus of our Boca office is one of the several reasons we chose to move to the campus," said Guy Burgstahler, senior director of customer experience for Kroger. "It is home to several South Florida businesses that collectively create a great atmosphere that we are proud to be part of.” Kroger apparently has no plans to open any brick-and-mortar supermarkets in the Boca

There has been speculation that Kroger has been eyeing a purchase of the Bi-Lo/ Winn-Dixie chain, but the new Boca location is not for that purpose. In response to a question from the Boca Newspaper, Krystal Howard, head of corporation communications and media relations for Kroger explained plans for the BRiC site. “Kroger associates working at the Boca Raton Innovation Campus will support functions across the national business, including leading the work for Vitacost.com and supporting the development of a seamless experience that offers Kroger customers anything, anytime, anywhere.”

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“Our seamless experience is powered by physical stores, delivery, pickup and ship. To illustrate, Kroger recently announced plans to build a Customer Fulfillment Center in Groveland, Fla., that will bring customers fresh food faster than ever before as part of our partnership with Ocado. The CFC will create 400 new jobs and serve Florida residents. It’s expected to become operational in 2021.” Bloomberg News reported in 2018 that Kroger had acquired United Kingdom-based online grocer Ocado Group, which operates e-commerce platforms and its technology helps run logistics systems. The grocer agreed to buy a stake in Ocado and license the technology that helps other grocers run automated warehouses and deliver groceries. The deal is the first of its kind in the U.S. According to Bloomberg, Kroger will exclusively use Ocado's technology in the U.S. and agreed to buy new shares in the company, taking a stake of 5 percent. As to the relocation within Boca Raton, Kroger’s press release said that while the size of its new office at BRiC is roughly the same as the previous one, the new space was designed to be more efficient. “The company's initial space was broken up into different offices as it grew,” the firm said. “Now, the office is all in one contiguous space,

split by break rooms and huddle spaces with flexible space options like standing desks and private phone booths.” “One of BRiC's value propositions is the efficiency of our building. Our column-free, open floor plans allow businesses the flexibility to design workspaces that meet their needs,” said Danielle Vennett, vice president at Crocker Partners, who helped facilitate the Kroger lease. “Our first-class amenities and immediate access to I-95 and TriRail help us check the boxes for progressive organizations like Kroger,” she added. “We welcome their addition to campus in continuing to foster a community of innovation." Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC) is the largest single-facility office building in the state at 1.7 million square feet. Designed by architect Marcel Breuer, the campus was originally constructed in 1969 for IBM and is home to the invention of the first personal computer in the early 1980s. The campus was acquired by Crocker Partners in 2018 with the vision of building off BRiC's history and evolving the campus into a science and technology hub. A landing place for companies with large footprints, BRiC is currently home to 36 tenants including Bluegreen Vacations, Modernizing Medicine and MDVIP.

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Senior living issues top list of concerns at local Town Hall By: Joanie Cox-Henry Contributing Writer The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s Zinman Hall was packed Oct. 2 with concerned citizens and state and federal lawmakers. Sinai Residences, along with LeadingAge Florida, Jew-ish Family Services, the Jewish Federation and Life Care Services put together the event for sen-iors’ voices to be heard regarding the issues that matter most to them.

Congresswoman Lois Frankel, Congressman Ted Deutch and Sen. Lori Bernman participated in a panel on senior living issues. Photo courtesy of Laura Kokus.

Rep. Tina Polsky, Rep. Mike Caruso, Sen. Lori Berman, Congresswoman Lois Frankel and Con-gressman Ted Deutch participated in a panel discussion that also included Dan Liftman, Special Assistant to Congressman Alcee L. Hastings and Tomas Alcala, Legislative Aide to State Sena-tor Bobby Powell. Healthcare, the cost of prescription drugs,

affordable senior housing and poverty were among the top issues affecting seniors up for discussion. “In Florida, we don’t fund programs for seniors very well,” Berman said. “Many seniors have a fear of outliving their money.” Polsky agreed that the plight for affordable housing for seniors in Florida must improve. “Palm Beach County is desperate for affordable housing,” Polsky said. “Through the Sadowski Fund for building affordable housing, when someone purchases real estate, money goes to the state but we’re not getting this money back and we have to continue to fight for affordable housing. Eve-ry year, it’s a battle.” Riesha Levy, who lives at Sinai Residences, considers herself one of the very fortunate seniors who hasn’t had residential concerns. “Attending this Town Hall was important to me as a 94 year old,” said Levy, who is a retired psychiatric social worker. “The concerns about Medicare and the high cost of drugs are topics many seniors are talking about.” Larry Feldman, who is chair designate on the Jewish Federation’s Board of Directors, was eager to the attend the event. “As an American who grew up in the projects, every American should be responsible for each other. It’s not about being a democrat

Jewish Federation hosted lawmakers to discuss senior living issues during a town hall meeting. Photo courtesy of Laura Kokus.

or republican. It’s about being an American.” Matthew C. Levin, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County was proud to host and co-sponsor the town hall event. “Our Federation is continually engaged in advocacy for our seniors,” Levin said in a press release. “This was a great opportunity for local seniors to learn and be heard on issues of interest and concern, and to get to know their state and federal elected officials.” Other hot button topics effecting seniors

that hit the panel included immigration law and the sal-aries of home health care workers. While Frankel argued home healthcare workers should be paid more, Deutch emphasized the impact Washington’s immigration laws could have on some care-givers remaining in Florida. “The decisions made in Washington on immigration have a huge im-pact on caregivers,” Deutch said. “The other care group we don’t acknowledge nearly enough are the family members who are caregivers. We must have more family caregiver support services available in this community.”

Glades Road to Linton Boulevard: Next leg of I-95 expansion By: Diane Emeott Korzen Contributing Writer Plans for the I-95 expansion will be moving north as residents ring in 2020. In January, another phase will be added to I-95 expansion that so far has been focused on the stretch of roadway from SW 10 Street in Deerfield Beach to just south of Glades Road in Boca Raton.

both the Cities of Boca Raton and Delray Beach. Estimated cost of this phase is $148 million. The anticipated start date is early this month for milling and resurfacing along I-95 only. Mainline construction activities are anticipated to begin in January 2020, weather permitting. Completion is targeted for spring 2023.

sign-Build firm Yamila Hernandez, Construction Senior Project Engineer Scott Case, Jose Otero, FDOT Consultant from Stantec Juan Bolivar, and FDOT Public Information Officer (PIO) from the Corradino Group Andi Pacini.

The project has been awarded to Prince Contracting LLC and is currently in the design phase.

At work on Glades Road exit. Photo by Diane Emeott Korzen.

That $102 million 3B-1 project began construction in January 2018 and expected completion is spring 2022. The new project, Phase 3B-2, will expand the interstate from south of Glades Road to south of Linton Boulevard -- impacting

Boca City Council recently heard from a team of about eight engineers, consultants, and project managers from Florida Dept. of Transportation (FDOT) and its subcontractors at a Monday af-ternoon, Sept. 23, Workshop meeting -- at which I-95 Phase 3B-2 was the only agenda item. Presenting were: Carlos Alba of WSP, FDOT Design Project Manager Vanita Saini, FDOT Palm Beach Operations Construction Engineer Melanie Straub, WSP Design Project Manager for the De-

The first one in the country was built in Springfield, MO in June 2009; the first one built in Florida was in Sarasota in July 2017. The purpose of the project is to implement Express Lanes for additional I-95 capacity, use a de-sign that addresses the significant traffic spill-back onto I-95, and reconfigure the Glades Road interchange for less congestion and greater safety. FDOT is looking to alleviate existing issues and future need. New noise walls are also to be erected within city limits as part of the project.

Mounds of dirt piled up at Glades Road. Photo by Diane Emeott Korzen.

The project features a Diverging Diamond Interchange at Glades Road. According to FDOT, a DDI is “a form of Diamond Interchange that allows the two directions of traffic on the crossroad to temporarily divide and cross to the opposite side of the road to provide easier left turns to and from the freeway.” There are 105 DDIs in the United States.

Council Member Monica Mayotte asked whether the I-95 bridges [overpasses] currently being expanded over Camino Real and recently built over Spanish River Boulevard would be disrupted by the new project. The answer was “No.” Vice Mayor Jeremy Rodgers said, “You’ve showed a ton of benefits. What are typical draw-backs? FDOT responded, “Educating the public. They [will] navigate [the roadway] differently than what they are used to.”

Choose an agent who puts you first By: Christel Silver Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers You may buy and sell real estate without using an agent thinking you are saving the commission. But buyers and sellers can hugely benefit from using an agent. The agent can not only assist you in identifying the right property at the right price bracket, but also will help you provide updates on current prices and help with the negotiation process.

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Many buyers and sellers contact multiple agents and then have the “wait and see” approach. You are much better off consulting with a small number of brokers/agents and then select one to work with you. Understanding the needs of the client is the first and most important task of your agent. It is important to select the right agent. Your agent should have professionals on hand you can trust like a CPA, attorney, title company, home inspector, construction company. A good agent has knowledge of the property, area and real estate trends.

In the real estate business referrals and word of mouth are the best form of marketing. Clients ask their friends to recommend an agent, and these are the agents who have put you – the client – first.

Attitude is equally important. The agent should be able to help the buyer in identifying the pros and cons of the property. There are other aspects that are important: the agent should be punctual, get the showings completed on time, process all documents and respond to client needs. The broker/agent should understand the needs of the client and then guide them to the right property.

Christel Silver is a full time Broker/Owner of Silver International Realty servicing the East Coast of South Florida. In 1985 she was licensed in Maryland and Washington, DC as a Realtor and later as a Certified Residential Appraiser and Associate Broker and has been in Florida since 2001. The National Association of Realtor's (NAR) President appointed her (2010-2014) and again for 2018 as the President's Liaison to Germany, where she grew up and worked at the Justice Department for 17 years prior to coming to this country. The Germany Real Estate Organization (IVD) has an agreement with the NAR and she is an International member of this organization. Ms. Silver is a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), and a certified speaker teaching CIPS classes. She served the Florida Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Chapter as President, as Regional Vice President helping Chapters to grow, and as a member of the Board of Directors for two years. She is the Global Ambassador for Austria and Germany in 2019. Fifty percent of her business is in the International arena. For more information visit www.silverhouses.com.

If you are thinking of buying a new home, most new home builders work with agents, and you are not getting a benefit working without an agent. So use an agent who is neutral about the particular development and is advising you about the pros and cons of the location, construction quality, and what extras to pay for. There are certain extras you should add on at the time of purchase, like upgrading tiles. But I advise my clients to upgrade the pad but not the carpet. Get the use out of the builder’s grade carpet first and when you are ready to make a change later, it does not cost you more but typically less. The credit you are getting is typically less than the value.

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Buying your first home By: John M. Campanola, Agent New York Life Insurance Company Special to the Boca and Delray Newspapers You’ve decided that’s it’s time to buy your first home. Congratulations, you are on your way to fulfilling your dreams. Before you start house hunting though, you should have a number of things in place. You should be saving for the down payment (a down payment can be about 20 percent of

the price of the house) and the closing costs. Simultaneously, you should be getting your credit rating as high as possible so you can get a favorable interest rate on your mortgage. You’ll also need to decide where you want to live. Do you have specific neighborhoods in mind, are school districts a factor in your decision, how large a house do you need for your family, do you expect to have more children? These are all questions that will affect the kind of home you will purchase. Do you want a single-family dwelling, or will a condo be fine? Talk to local real estate agents to get ideas on how much homes go for in your

area. Find out what they think you can afford. Ask lots of questions and become well-versed in house buying by the time you are actually ready to buy. Talk to your banker, and shop around for mortgage rates. Getting preapproved for a mortgage can make the buying process quicker and smoother. Calculating how much you can afford to spend involves estimating your income. Are you counting on two salaries or only one? Your calculations should take into consideration your current debt level, real estate taxes in your area, and the costs of a mortgage. Many banks require that your monthly mortgage payment not be higher than a specified percentage of your income3and that you have three to five months of mortgage payments set aside in savings. Use a mortgage calculator. Several are readily available on-

line, and a mortgage calculator will help you create a realistic budget. An important part of the equation will be life insurance to protect your family and enable them to handle the mortgage payments should something happen to you. The bank will have mortgage insurance built into your monthly payments, but that insurance covers the bank’s liability only. Your family will not be able to replace your income unless you protect them with life insurance. You don’t want your dreams to evaporate or your family’s dreams to disappear and not be fulfilled. To learn more about the information or topics discussed, please contact John M. Campanola at 561-642-5180. Neither New York Life, nor its agents, provides tax, legal, or accounting advice. Please consult with your professional advisor for tax, legal or accounting advice.

Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County New operator at The and Bank of America partner to build Delray home Atrium at Boca Raton Bank of America presented $20,000 in funding to Habitat in support of efforts to address affordable housing needs In October, Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County and Bank of America employee volunteers rolled up their sleeves and worked to install irrigation and landscaping on a new home for a Delray Beach family.

“A safe and affordable home is fundamental for individuals and families to achieve economic mobility,” said Fabiola Brumley, Palm Beach County Market President, Bank of America. “Partnering with Habitat for Humanity and our employees volunteering are ways we are helping build a more sustainable community in Palm Beach County.” Ilomane Brivaus, the new homeowner, is a single mother of three who immigrated from Haiti.

Bank of America employee volunteers rolled up their sleeves alongside Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County team to prepare a new home. Submitted photo.

The Bank of America volunteers also presented a $20,000 check to Habitat in support of the nonprofit’s efforts to address affordable housing needs.

“We are proud to take part in this event to build safe, affordable homes that enrich local communities and provide people like Ilomane and her family with a foundation for the next phase of their lives,” Randy Nobles, President & CEO Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County said. “Our longstanding partnership with Bank of America helps further our organization’s mission to create a world where everyone has a decent place to live.”

communities in eight states in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Texas and Oklahoma. [FROM PG 36]

The Atrium at Boca Raton also has a new look after recent renovations.

Bank of America employee volunteers installed irrigation and landscaping on a new home. Submitted photo.

This new construction project was part of the largest Bank of America Global Build since the initiative launched in 2014 and serves as a celebration of the bank’s 33-year commitment to Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County was one of more than 108 participating local organizations in 10 countries from Oct. 5-12, helping future homeowners build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.

The signature program Valeo, Latin for “to thrive,” is designed for residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s and centers on holistic care to promote a life of purpose and meaning through engagement, socialization and physical and mental stimulation. The Atrium at Boca Raton provides a variety of valuable amenities with spacious apartments and desirable shared community spaces including a library as well as beautiful enclosed landscapes offering a safe and secure environment. “Our focus is to partner with families, residents and team members to create an environment of engagement, community and collaboration,” said Ward. “Our ultimate goal is to provide a supportive environment where residents can live a fulfilling and inspired life.”

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

CEOs ditch suits to build home Staff report Local CEOs were climbing a literal ladder last month when more than 100 top executives teamed up to participate in the 2019 CEO Build hosted by Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County.

CEO builders with new Habitat homeowner Gretta Cesar. Photo courtesy of Gina Fontana/Kaye Communications.

CEOs and top senior executives spent two days raising the roof on the “House that CEOs Built” on land granted by the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency. The home is the third one built by CEOs. Builders raised over $350,000 to help pay for the construction of the home. When completed, the home will be owed by Gretta Ceasar and her family. Ceasar moved from Alabama to Delray Beach when she was 14 after her parents divorced. Gretta and her six siblings lived with her uncle, while her mother worked

to provide for her family. Gretta often took on the responsibility of helping her mother clean homes after school to contribute financially. Eventually they saved enough money to purchase a home. Upon graduating, Gretta fell in love. Despite her family’s disapproval, she got married and followed her husband to Florence, Ala. After facing years of domestic abuse, she left him and returned home to her support system. A few months later, Gretta found out she was pregnant. After a difficult labor, her son Marcus was born with several congenital disorders.

Eroica Trio

The doctors believed Marcus wouldn’t live long but with the continuous help of occupational and speech therapy he was able to work through his disabilities. In April of 2015, Gretta was diagnosed with stage three Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. After 8 months of extensive treatment, the doctors found more cancer. Gretta was ready to give up but when the tests eventually came back benign. Gretta had a new outlook on life and decided to volunteer at a local voting poll. Another volunteer encouraged her to apply for a Habitat home; however, Gretta doubted she would ever be accepted into the program. Reluctantly she filled out an application and to her surprise she was invited to the future homeowner orientation. Gretta has worked for Palm Tran for nearly 6 years and has been saving for a home and providing for her son. Gretta is thrilled to finally move out of her mother’s house and give her son a place to call home. On July 14, she welcomed a new grandson, Malik, into their family. CEO builders also spent time revitalizing the Marantha Haitian Evangelical Baptist Church, right behind the Ceasar family home, through Habitat’s Neighborhood Revitalization Program. That program reinvests in homes and community assets. The presenting CEO Build sponsor is Tom

Moraca of Moraca Builder. The presenting home sponsors are Rick and Pat Howard of Sklar Furnishings. Additional CEO Builders: Penny Schaffer, Market President/ South Florida, Florida Blue; Angelo Bianco,

CEO builders participate in the 2019 Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County CEO Build. Photo courtesy of Gina Fontana/Kaye Communications.

CEO, Crocker Partners,Forrest Heathcott, EVP, JM Family Enterprises;Bill Donnell, President & CEO, NCCI; John Tolbert, President, Boca Raton Resort & Club; Matthew Linderman, CEO, Boca West Country Club; Patricia Nobles, Regional Manager and Florida Market President, Comerica Bank; Bradley Hurlburt, President & CEO, Community Foundation of the Palm Beaches and Martin County; Nelson Hinojosa, President & CEO, Anchor Commercial Bank; Paul Adkins, Chairman, Florida Peninsula and Santi Bernardez, Regional VP, Home Depot.

A SEASON OF HEROES

Feb 28-Mar 8, 2020

The Empire Strikes Back Film With Live Orchestra

Postmodern Jukebox

Miloš

festivalboca.org 561-300-4138

Nu Deco Ensemble

Amy Walter

Jesmyn Ward

Laurie Santos

Authors & Ideas Series

The Moth StorySLAM

Roz Chast

Presented by The Schmidt Family Centre for the Arts, Mizner Park, Boca Raton – Constantine Kitsopoulos, Music Director. Sponsored in part by the Board of County Commissioners, the Tourist Development Council, and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.

Troupe Vertigo

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Countdown to Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl Staff report

Bowl tickets on sale now Tickets are now on sale for the sixth-annual Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl. The game will be held at FAU Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 3:30 p.m. at FAU Stadium. After spending five years on the Tuesday evening before Christmas and being aired on ESPN, the 2019 Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl will kick off earlier and has moved to ABC. The game will also broadcast on ESPN Radio and locally on ESPN 106.3 FM. The bowl game has conference tie-ins with teams from Conference USA, the American Athletic Conference and the Mid-American Athletic Conference. As one of 41 postseason college bowl games in the country and one of 15 owned and operated by ESPN Events (a division of ESPN) the Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl is the only one hosted in Palm Beach County. As a celebrated annual holiday tradition in Boca Raton and Palm Beach County that lives up to its other name, ‘Boca’s Biggest Annual Outdoor Party’ the event features

all the pomp and circumstance of traditional bowl events. It is a high-energy, entertaining experience for both college football fans and non-fans alike and allows the national spotlight to shine on Boca Raton and Palm Beach County. Bowl week activities will begin on Dec. 17 with the arrival of the participating teams; days, times and sites for the team welcome parties, beach parties, luncheon, pep rallies and other bowl week activities. Tickets are $32 for end zone seating, $57 for sideline seating, $375 for club seating, and $12,000 for suites. To purchase tickets for the sixth-annual Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl, call the ticket office at 361-362-3650 or visit www.CheribundiBocaRatonBowl.com

Boca Bowl Chef’s Tailgate returns Suit up in your college colors and get ready to taste tailgate bites during the Annual Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase & College Spirit Night on Nov. 5. Head to the Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel at 6 p.m. to try bites and craft beer. New bites include Yucatan-Style Cochinita Pibil, Key West Pink Shrimp + Florida Cit-

rus Tostadas, Lamb Barbacoa Tamales, Unbeetable Burger Sliders, Spicy Middle Eastern Arayes, Woonsocket’s Dynamite Sloppy Joe and Tuscan Cheesy Polenta and Guava and Cheese Croissants. New participating restaurants include La Boulangerie Boul’Mich, Rex Baron Survivors Kitchen, Sammy J's Kitchen + Cocktails. Other first time entries will come from Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill+Bar, Bazille, Cheffrey Eats, Crazy Uncle Mike’s, Cinnaholic Gourmet Cinnamon Rolls and Kapow Noodle Bar. Returning eateries include Boca Raton Resort and Club, Bolay, Ceasar's Famous Ribs, Chartwells at FAU, Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar, Hooters, Los Bocados, M.E.A.T. Eatery & Taproom, Oceans 234, Seasons 52 Grill & Wine Bar, The Melting Pot, True Food Kitchen, Tucker Duke's Boca Raton and more. The “Boca Bowl Beer Garden” to feature craft brews” from Barrel of Monks Brewing, Due South Brewing Co, Prosperity Brewers, Crazy Uncle Mike’s and Robot Brewing Company & Quixotic Lounge. Try them all and cast your vote for the best bite with the People's Choice Award. Tickets are $50 per person in advance and $60 at the door; price includes all chef food samplings, entertainment and beer, wine, cocktails and soft drinks. To purchase tickets, visit Spirit of Giving at www.spiritofgivingnetwork.org or call 561-385-0144.

Fourth Annual Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl’s ‘Women Change the Game’ featured panel of Miami Heat women executives More than 100 women business and community leaders and media “got in the game”

Keli Ferguson, Lorrie-Ann Diaz, Jennifer Alvarez, Raquel Libman, Brooke McKernan participated in the ‘Women Change the Game’ Boca Bowl event. Submitted photo.

-- without shoulder pads -- at the Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl “Women Change the Game” presented by Northwestern Mutual. The night of food, fun and female empowerment hosted by GL Homes headlined a panel of Miami HEAT and Northwestern Mutual executives. Held at Seven Bridges, the event reinforced the message that women are a force to be reckoned with and are making strides not only in sports, but in other industries as well. Radio and television sportscaster (and working mom) Keli Ferguson of ESPN 106.3 on WPTV News Channel 5 and Fox 29 served as emcee while panelists shared their career challenges and wins. They also shared their current job responsibilities, exciting developments within their companies, sacrifices they had to make to get to where they are now, work/life balance and what it is like to be a top female executive in a traditionally male-dominated industry. The panel included: •

Lorrie-Ann Diaz, Vice President, Business Communications & Social Responsibility, Miami HEAT & AmericanAirlines Arena

•

Jennifer Alvarez, Vice President, Creative & Digital Marketing, Miami HEAT & AmericanAirlines Arena

•

Raquel Libman, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Miami HEAT & AmericanAirlines Arena

•

Brooke McKernan, Financial Advisor, Northwestern Mutual

Guests enjoyed amazing food served up by Seven Bridges and drinks from Citrus Distillers, Corona, Fling Craft Cocktails and Garcia Carrion.

Information & Enrollment Center for Medicare Advantage & Supplement Plans Major Carriers Represented Fairfield Inn Marriott 910 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach November 2, 5, 12, 19, 23, 26 11AM-6PM

Questions? Call Jean at 832-834-1023

NOVEMBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Community pitches in for new food delivery truck for Boca Helping Hands Staff report Boca Helping Hands put out a call for help after its 25-year-old food delivery truck “Grandpa Bear” failed on Friday the 13th last month and the community responded by raising enough money to pay for a new truck.

Boca Helping Hands Board Member Greg Peters, Sun Capital Foundation reps. Jenna Pillsbury and Alexis Racine, BHH Executive Director Greg Hazle, BHH Development Manager Karen Swedenborg, BHH Development Specialist Anna Rubenstein. Submitted photo.

The truck, which was used to deliver food to Boca Helping Hands’ clients, was unable to perform its duties leaving the nonprofit and its clients without services. After news spread, the community stepped up and more than $150,000 in donations poured in to fund a new, 24-foot-refrigerated truck. Major contributors included The Sun Capital Partners Foundation, Boca West Children’s Foundation, Eric and Loren Stein, Stoops Family Foundation, the Gary Peters Family Foundation and Charles and Robin Deyo. Members of the community, Boca Helping Hand volunteers and clients also contributed.

“We are simply astounded and so grateful for the incredible outpouring of support from the community and particularly appreciate the media getting the word out about this,” said Greg Hazle, Boca Helping Hands Executive Director. “Even a couple of our clients pitched in after seeing our story on TV, giving us what they could to help and wishing they could give more. This new truck will enable us to fulfill and expand our efforts to feed families in need and will serve us well.”

A photo of Grandpa Bear, the Boca Helping Hands truck that failed. Submitted photo.

The Boca Newspaper reported on the failure of the truck in its October edition. “The Sun Capital Partners Foundation has been a sponsor of Boca Helping Hands for many years, and we were happy to help them address this significant need,” said Marc Leder, Co-Chairman of the Sun Capital Partners Foundation. “Especially as we come closer to the holiday season, we should all remember to be thankful for and support great organizations like BHH that serve our community.” Eric Stein, who came forward with the offer of a matching grant said, “BHH is a fabulous organization doing truly critical work. I have been watching them for years and have made smaller contributions in the past. But

when I read that ‘Grandpa Bear’ needed to be replaced, my wife and I decided it was a perfect project for us to support. I decided to offer my gift as a matching grant to encourage the community to join me in helping the organization feed the hungry. I’m delighted that so many responded, and the organization can continue to grow and move forward. But why wouldn’t people respond? We are a generous community and BHH is such a compelling story!” Boca West Children’s Foundation is also a major funder. “Boca Helping Hands fills an enormous void in supplying food to local kids and their families, which is why it is one of the children’s charities that we have supported for nine years, helping fund the backpack and food program, reaching 1,200 kids,” said Arthur Adler, Chairman of Boca West Children’s Foundation. “When we heard the news that this critical piece in the food delivery process was gone, our board voted unanimously to help Boca Helping Hands with a new truck.” The new truck will: •

•

Be able to make one-stop pick-ups at Feeding South Florida. It can hold 10 pallets of food and will allow Boca Helping Hands to also pick up perishable items like milk, eggs and frozen meat all in one trip. Deliver pallets of food for the BHH Backpacks Program. Eleven elementary schools in Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach receive food from BHH so that kids can bring home backpacks containing meals for the weekend. Distribute pantry bags to BHH’s Boynton Beach and West Boca satellite loca-

Boca Rotary members, city, join in FAU Peace Day activities By: Dale King Contributing Writer Members of Boca Raton Rotary clubs endorsing non-violent themes joined activists and other visitors at the International Day of Peace meeting held Sept. 21 on the Florida Atlantic University campus in Boca Raton. Morning and evening sessions were held that day, coinciding with the international observance of Peace Day. Among other activities, participants viewed video streaming from the 17th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Merida, Mexico. Former Rotary District 6930 Governor Steve Laine led the Boca Raton Sunset Rotary in its plans to celebrate Peace Day.

“The United Nations and Rotary International both share similar visions for a more peaceful world and have worked together since 1945 with the aim of maintaining peace after World War II,” the mayor’s proclamation said.

In preparation for the event, Mayor Scott Singer stopped at a recent Rotary Sunset meeting to provide a special proclamation on

Singer also said: “The United Nations adopted 17 sustainable development goals because they understood that it would not

•

‑Store and deliver Thanksgiving Box Brigade meals so that families who register can enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner at home.

Boca West Children’s Foundation chair Arthur Adler, BHH Executive Director Greg Hazle and Pam Weinroth. Submitted photo.

There was a surprise response to BHH’s community appeal. After hearing about the original truck’s fate, TBC Corporation, parent company of Tire Kingdom, donated a Ford E-250 cargo van to the BHH fleet, adding even more capacity to collect and deliver meals. “TBC’s foundation is built upon our core values, including our value to leave everything better,” said Jamie Levin, VP of Communications for TBC Corporation. “When we heard about the need from Boca Helping Hands in the news and from our own associates, we knew we had to help.” Boca Helping Hands is located at 1500 NW 1st Court, Boca Raton, FL 33432. For more information, please visit bocahelpinghands. org. City Councilwoman Andrea Levine O’Rourke recently delivered the same proclamation to members of the Rotary Club of Boca Raton at a meeting in the Renaissance Hotel.

behalf of the city. The declaration recognized all six Rotary Clubs in Boca Raton for their contribution as leaders locally and globally in working toward peace throughout the world. Named in the proclamation were Boca Raton Sunset Rotary, Boca Raton Central Rotary, Downtown Boca Raton Rotary Club, the Rotary Club of Boca Raton, the Rotary Club of Boca Raton West and the Boca Raton Sunrise Rotary Club.

tions, serving the growing number of families who need grocery bags of food in Palm Beach County.

The morning session of Peace Day included a broadcast of the summit in Mexico that included a session on “The Power of Law vs. The Law of Power.” The panel of Nobel Laureates included Frederik Willem (F.W.) de Klerk, former president of South Africa. Boca Raton City Councilwoman Andrea Levine O’Rourke holds a proclamation from Mayor Scott Singer declaring Sept. 21 as International Peace Day. With her during a meeting of the Boca Raton Rotary Club is Steve Laine from the Boca Raton Sunset Rotary. Photo by Dale King.

be possible to build a peaceful world if steps were not taken to achieve economic and social development for all people everywhere.”

The evening program include an appearance by Rotary District 6930 Governor Donna Gaiser, the Barb Schmidt Fellowship and members of FAU’s Peace Justice and Human Rights Initiative. The theme of non-violence was acted out in a dance by the Rhythms School of Dance.

Issues in need of improvement, the mayor listed, include poverty, hunger, health, education, climate change, gender equality, water sanitation, energy, environment and social justice.”

Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution, Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to peace above all differences and to contribute to building a culture of peace.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Corporate culture toward cybersecurity must change

By: Jess Coburn President/Founder of Applied Innovations; Boca Raton Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers Not a day goes by that we don’t hear about the devious actions of hackers seeking financial gain through “phishing” expeditions. The results render large businesses, municipalities, school systems, hospitals, and individuals helpless, forcing them to write large checks to retain control of their data. Unfortunately, these individuals are becoming more sophisticated leaving anyone who has a computer vulnerable. Last month was National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), a collaborative effort between the government and industry. And while October is over, it was a reminder that we must implement cybersecurity efforts 24/7, 12 months a year. We must realize that every time we turn on our computer, open an email, or respond, our information becomes vulnerable. Here are some recent examples of organizations being held hostage due to an employee’s un-knowing action: •

The City of Naples (FL) recently paid a hacker $700,000 because an employee thought he/she was respond-

Boca Briefs FAU turtle exhibit travels to Museum of Discovery & Science Turtle Travels presented by Florida Atlantic University is on display at the Museum of Discovery & Science through Jan. 5.

Turtle Travels is a hands-on exhibit that allows visitors of all ages to discover fascinat-

ing to a familiar vendor.

common and easily identified:

•

Lake City, FL paid $460,000 to recover data

•

Jackson City, Ga. Paid $400,000 to recover data

Email from Amazon that your new laptop couldn’t be delivered, except you didn’t order a laptop.

•

Baltimore’s city data was held ranson and then restored at a cost of $76,000

Email from Office 365 that your password is expiring in 48 hours and you need to log in and change it immediately or lose access to email.

Since employees are the most common gateway for hackers, organizations must take these threats seriously and continually educate them on ways to recognize and ignore these attacks.

•

Email from the IRS that your tax refund was just deposited in your bank account at Washington Mutual but you don’t have an account at Washington Mutual.

First, let’s take a look at the serious nature of these phishing efforts:

Here are a few more red flags indicating you’re being targeted:

•

Spam accounts for 85 percent of all emails.

•

Another study showed that 56 percent of CISOs felt that defending against the user be-havior of clicking a malicious link in an email is very or extremely challenging, ranking higher than any other security concern.

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Misspellings, typos, grammatical errors on the emails and landing pages.

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Landing pages that are missing images, don’t use https or the URL looks wrong. Exam-ple www.microsoft.com.bobsblog.org or mailrnicrosoft.com or microsoftt.org

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Requests that are out of the norm. Request to immediately send a wire, buy a gift card or do an action but not to reach out to me because I’m getting on plane, going into a meeting, etc.

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Verizon’s 2018 Data Breach Investigations Report says email is the most common meth-od for malware distribution (92.4 percent) and phishing (96 percent). Why? Because it works. Volume of spam email is currently at a 15-month high, according to Talos Intelligence da-ta, and the number of new phishing domains has shown a 64 percent increase from Janu-ary through March 2019, indicating that attackers could be gearing up for more phishing attacks.

These statistics indicate that hackers will continue their efforts simply because they stand to ben-efit. With billions of users, there are plenty of potential victims.

What you can do: •

Run phishing simulations where you send your employees actual phishing emails and use it as a way to teach them what to look for.

•

Ensure software is updated from the servers to desktops and even your mobile devices and smartphones are up to date.

Here are a few of the tactics that are fairly ing facts about what it’s like to be a turtle — how turtle bodies adapt themselves to many different habi-tats, why turtles need shells, the kinds of hazards they encounter in the wild and why turtles have been important to many different cultures. “We are excited the Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Science is a part of the journey for those exploring the MODS’ Turtle Travels exhibition this fall,” said Ata Sara-jedini PhD, professor and dean of FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. “Dr. Jeanette Wyneken’s sea turtle conservation research featured in the exhibit is focused on sea turtles right here on our local beaches. It is important to recognize the critical work performed by our scientists, such as Dr. Wyneken, whose novel findings help save endangered sea turtles not only in Florida, but around the world.”

Email from a known contact but the email address is wrong. Always check the senders email address and when you click “reply” look at the email address it’s going to.

Boca’s PR team takes home The city of Boca Raton’s Communications and Marketing Division recently won top honors for its communication efforts at the international City-County Communications & Marketing Asso-ciation (3CMA) annual conference. The Division won the following awards – •

Savvy (First Place) – Digital Interactive – Electronic Newsletter category for populations up to 99,000 Submis[CONT. PG 49]

Pictured left to right: Lance Liebl, Digital Media Specialist, Chrissy Gibson, Communications & Marketing Manager, Anne Marie Van Casteren, Public Relations Specialist, Mary McGuire, Communications & Digital Media Coordinator.

•

Invest in modern security solutions like time-of-click email protection, attachment sand-boxing and detonation.

•

Upgrade from traditional antivirus software to Endpoint Detection and Response solu-tions like Sentinel One, Microsoft Defender ATP or Cylance

•

Provide training that’s tailored around current and modern threats.

•

Leverage alternative training mediums like posters, animations, movies and online classes and provide them in micro-training nuggets throughout the year so the information remains fresh and current.

•

Users – check the sender’s email address against the message signatory – do they match? If not, don’t touch it

Improving cybersecurity efforts must be part of a corporate culture, and it’s the responsibility of management to continually educate employees of the risks and consequences of not following established protocols. Developing cybersecurity policies are moving targets. They change daily as hackers devise new and creative ways to trick us. The key is to stay steps ahead of the hackers and their efforts to extort money from our organiza-tions. This can only be done with trained IT departments which can identify new threats and re-spond with firm policies and educational programs. Jess Coburn is president and founder of Boca Raton-based Applied Innovations (www.appliedi.net), a firm that has helped businesses succeed in the cloud since its inception in 1999. Today Applied Innovations is one of Microsoft’s closest partners and a recognized industry leader in delivering high performance, secure cloud solutions.

Local barber shops to visit after ‘No Shave November

Make it your...

By: Michele Bellisari Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers Full-service barber shops are the hottest trend for men in South Florida. Everyone loves a little pampering now and then and the choices are endless. Time to choose a new place or space? Or looking for a barber after No Shave November ends? In Boca Raton, try ManCave For Men, a “luxury modern barber shop.” This establishment has six locations in Palm Beach County offers haircuts and master hot shaves. The Barber Club Mizner Studio, located in Mizner Park, offers a “premier barber shop experience.” Or try, Classic Styles Boca, Oasis Mens Hairplace, Breakroom Mens Salon and Spa and Dapper & Divine. If you’re looking for a spot in Delray Beach, consider Lanzetta’s in the Pineapple Grove District. This shop offers “a uniquely fresh approach to the classic barber shop experience.” Have your hair cut and enjoy a hot lather shave while listing to classic Frank Sinatra and watching ESPN and CNN. You can also check out Prime Time Barbershop and The Mens Room Barbershop. Haven’t heard of No Shave November? It is when men grow out their beards for the month to raise awareness for cancer. As the No-Shave website says, “The goal of No-Shave November is to grow awareness

produced by

by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free. Donate the money you typically spend on shaving and grooming to educate about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the battle.” In the #SoooBoca home that means my husband begins to grow his annual beard to support the cause! He is perfectly happy to lose the razor for a month and take a break from the daily facial grooming grind. If you are planning to participate make sure to plan ahead and make your appointment now with one of our local barbers to get you all fresh and fabulous at the end of November just in time for the holidays! Michele Bellisari is the founder of #SoooBoca® Lifestyle & Media based in Boca Raton and a Realtor with RE/MAX Services. She and her daughters blog, vlog, post and share all things Boca Raton, South Florida & Beyond from events, people, food, travel, home decor, fashion, beauty and real estate! You can find more at www.soooboca.com and on all the socials @soooboca.

•

Silver Circle Award (Second Place) – Go Green Communication Program Efforts category Submission – MARS Water Unit

The gala will take place at 6 p.m. at Boca West Country Club. There will be a special Rotarythemed colored blue carpet and gold entrance, cocktail reception, dinner and dancing. The Bo-ca Raton Historical Society & Museum will decorate the event and the Steve Chase Band will provide the musical entertainment.

•

Award of Excellence (3rd Place) – Digital Interactive Media – Other Media, podcast, radio, etc. category Submission – Boca Behind the Scenes

The highlight of will be the annual presentation of the George Long Awards sponsored by Boca Raton Regional Hospital – named for the city’s first appointed mayor in 1924.

Boca Raton Mayors Ball recognizes ‘service above self’

This year’s recipients are: Kevin Ross- Lynn University (Individual Category); Bluegreen Vaca-tions (For Profit Category); and Florence Fuller Child Development Centers (Nonprofit Catego-ry).

[FROM PG 48]

sion – Know Before You Go Newsletter

The Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton will bring the fifth annual Boca Raton Mayors Ball back on Nov. 16. Presented by Marilyn and Jay Weinberg, the fundraiser recognizes individuals and organizations that put “service above self” in their daily community involvement.

Proceeds from the 2018 Mayors Ball benefited 27 Boca Raton-based nonprofits and Rotary In-ternational’s Polio Plus Program that helps globally to eradicate polio and other diseases. Tickets start at $300 per person.

SAVE THE DATES

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | NOVEMBER 2019

Boca City Council approves 2019-2020 budget; Will maintain, improve municipaloperated trash pickup By: Dale King When you get right down to it, one municipal budget is pretty much like every other. Boca Raton’s spending package for 20192020 approved by the City Council after a two-hour-plus public hearing and vote the night of Sept. 23 includes lots of things that homeowners have seen before: No increase in the tax rate – again; about two dozen new employees coming onto the city payroll; pay raises for all city employees and the like. But this year, the council made a leap, deciding to maintain city-run trash pickup, and to pump more taxpayer money into the service to make it work better and more efficiently. During the lengthy budgeting session, council members scrapped the idea of farming out trash pickup to a private hauler, as it considered doing earlier this year. Instead, the city recommitted its support for expanding sanitation services. Improvements include newer technology for safety and customer service. But taxpayers will have to reach a bit further into their pockets to make the waste pickup program work. In the budget, councilors decided that as of Oct. 1, the cost of residential curbside collection would increase by $3.99 to $21.59 a month. Residents in multifamily units faced a hike of $2.42 to $13.07 a month. City dwellers will see these charges on their bi-monthly water bills. With more than 50 employees, the city’s Sanitation Division is considered some of the hardest working folks in the city’s employ. As stated by City Manager Leif Arnell in his message to the council, “The growth of the city has created a need to expand the sanitation operation. In order to implement the City Council’s direction to retain sanitation services in-house, the FY 2019-2020 budget includes increased costs for vehicles, personnel, equipment and an expansion of the city’s sanitation vehicle maintenance and storage facilities.” By the end of the budget hearing on Sept. 23, the council had adopted a total operating budget of $526.3 million, with a millage rate the same as last year -- $3.68 per $1,000 valuation. “Boca Raton continues to have one of the lowest property tax rates for a full-

service city in Florida,” said Ahnell. But he added: “Although the millage rate will remain the same, some homeowners may see an increase in property taxes because the average assessed home value has increased by 4.94%.” Mayor Scott Singer was delighted with the budget conclusion. “I’m pleased that in the six years I have voted on the budget that we’ve never had a property tax increase. But we’ve added quite a bit.” He said the spending plan includes “millions in funding for first responders and enhanced technology; more than a million dollars to better secure public schools and to increase coordination between the school district and city police forces and additional economic development efforts to create more than 10,000 high-paying jobs to date, expanded funding for recreation and our library system, as well as staff for the soonto-open Hillsboro El Rio Phase II park expansion. In other areas, the city manager said, “8% of property tax revenues will be allocated to the Capital Improvement Program, which is the city’s plan for infrastructure improvements and equipment acquisitions over the next six years.” Ahnell said that in fiscal 2016-2017, Boca set up an Infrastructure Surtax Fund to account for the voter-approved one-cent sales tax surtax program. The 2019-2020 budget includes $23,524,700 in projects, including: •

Pavement resurfacing

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Streetlight design

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Off-site school roadway improvements

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Waterfront master plan.

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Lake Wyman and Rutherford Park waterfront.

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Wildflower Park.

The city manager said the general fund includes nearly $10.5 million to pay for salary raises for police, firefighters, other city personnel, equipment, insurance costs and pensions. Another $348,700 will pay the salaries of 26 new full time workers, including five for the sanitation department.

NOVEMBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Raising a grateful child By: Heather McMechan Contributing Writer We live an area where everything is handed to our children and they completely expect it. They want the latest toys, to see the latest Disney movie, and have their birthdays at the hottest birthday spots. As a parent, you start to feel unappreciated at the end of the day sometimes. But you know what, it’s our own fault. The other day I asked my daughter if she would like some more mac and cheese during dinner. She told me “sure”. How about

Soroptimists honor Boca’s Helen Babione with Lifetime Achievement Award As to the Women of Distinction presentation, 26 nominees were selected in five categories. Each group was called to the podium where one winner was chosen from each assemblage. [FROM PG 2]

Michelle Adams was selected by judges as winner in the Children and Families category for her participation in the group, Best Food Forward. Other nominees in that classification were Rosie InganzoMartin, Pat McCarthy, Jennifer Rey and Nicole Roman. Robin Bresky, a member of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County’s Board of Directors for 12 years, took the top spot in the Community category. Others judged in that division were Jennifer Jager, Debbie Langson, Jan Savarick, Crystal Spears and Lina VaLant. Abigail Howard, a 21-year-old criminal justice major at Florida Atlantic University, and who founded her own nonprofit organization, Project Micah 6:8 at age 18, took the lead award in the Education category. Also vying for that honor were Donna Korn, Lisa Rabinsky and Seton Smith. In the Health division, Patricia C. Collazo, a volunteer at Trustbridge Hospice, took first place honors. Also in the running were Meryll Bangsil, Kim Champion, Mara Murphy and Fran Nachlas. Soroptimist International notched a win when judges chose SI member Dr. Heidi Schaeffer. She serves as District 1 director overseeing eight clubs from San Juan to Homestead. She is also chair of Southern Region’s Human Trafficking Committee where she has successfully lobbied for victim-centered policy/legislation.

a “Yes! Please!” I thought to myself. And then proceeded to correct her, but later found myself answering her with a “sure.” Because it’s a time to of wanting, it’s also a time of being grateful for the things and people that are in our lives already. I know what you are thinking. How can you start raising a grateful child during all this time of chaos? Live it. Set an example for your kids. Show them appreciation for the small things like

when they remember to put their shoes in the basket or turn in their homework on time. Say, “Thank you.” When “thank yous” are instilled in our vocabulary at home, a lifelong practice begins, even if it doesn’t stick at first. My daughter had so much homework this weekend and she thanked me over and over again. I actually acknowledged that I appreciated all her thanks. Make giving and volunteering a habit. Choose a family in need this holiday season. Have your children shop for toys for local

philanthropies. Deliver the items to a deserving cause together. Thank those who serve in the military. Start a grateful journal. Before bed, have your kids write down one thing they were thankful that day. Go around and offer yours. It creates a great discussion. Be patient. This is not something that happens overnight, but if you keep instilling these few things we can all raise some grateful and kind human beings.

Commission Corner: Public transportation By: County Commissioner Robert Weinroth, Dist. 4 Special to the Boca Newspaper Public transportation is a loser. Be it trains, buses, trolleys or urban circulators. The conveyance of people traveling hither and yon, on a public transportation system has, invariably, necessitated the infusion of significant financial subsidies to remain solvent. So, in early 2012, when Florida East Coast Industries announced its plan to establish All Aboard Florida as a privately owned and operated intercity passenger rail system, there were skeptics aplenty. The idea that passenger rail could be operated without public subsidies between Miami, Orlando and, Tampa, was viewed as wishful thinking. Overcoming regulatory and financial hurdles, construction began in 2015 in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach to establish the first three stations. At the same time, track and safety improvements along the corridor were initiated to support higher speeds and to provide relief for adjacent communities seeking “quiet zones” to curtail the need for the air horn to be utilized at each rail crossing. In October 2014, work on the Fort Lauderdale station began and a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the West Palm Beach station the following month. Service between Miami and Fort Lauder-

dale began in January 2018 with West Palm Beach added to the system five months later. Plans call for service to Orlando begin sometime in 2022. All Aboard Florida, rebranded as Brightline in 2015, was renamed again a year later with the decision by Sir Richard Branson to become a minority shareholder in the enterprise. The underpinning of the financial viability of this venture is clearly real estate. At each station, Virgin USA is negotiating for density, development rights and municipal concessions to produce the revenue stream that will balance the all but certain shortfall in fare box receipts. Many communities are clamoring for the convenience of a train station in their urban center (something TriRail could not achieve, having been relegated to the western CSX rail corridor for its tri-county commuter rail system). Virgin is currently eyeing intermediate stops in Aventura, Boca Raton and the Port of Miami with several other cities eager to hop on the train. While real estate will supplement the revenue stream from passengers, it is clear Virgin will only entertain proposals from cities capable of delivering business and tourism travelers. There is clearly the potential for a symbiotic relationship between the addition of passenger rail within the selected

stops and economic growth these cities can anticipate. The challenge, especially for the cash strapped South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (operating TriRail) is to retain its passenger base as Virgin continues to chug along. The potential addition of Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport will further challenge TriRail’s ability to attract commuters notwithstanding the lower price point for its fares.

Likewise, it will be a critical test for TriRail, with its 18 stations between Mangonia Park in Palm Beach County and Miami International Airport, to maintain its level of service without significant fare increases or seeking additional financial subsidies from the state and counties. With each additional station adding time to the trip between Miami and Orlando, its unlikely many more cities will be able to grab hold of Virgin’s success, near term. The potential of more people abandoning the interstate for a seat on the train will benefit both riders and drivers as it increases road capacity without adding additional lane miles of asphalt.

Virgin reported in June it carried over 80,000 passengers and generated total revenue of just over $1.5 million (a 65 percent increase in ridership and 90 percent increase in revenue, year over year). The target for Virgin is leisure riders and business travelers with high incomes Reach us at: seeking to avoid the hasBocaNewspaper.com sle of travel by passenger 561-819-1109 vehicle or air alternatives info@bocanewspaper.com for the Florida cities they must visit.

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According to Virgin’s analysis of its fledgling ridership, the legal community is a heavy user of the service, followed by real estate, technology, hospitality and finance. In June, the average Virgin fare, system wide, was just over $15 (about three times the fare charged by TriRail). Time will tell whether passengers are willing to fork over premium fares for a high-speed regional railroad.

Jeff Perlman, Editor-in-Chief and Principal Scott Porten, Chief-Financial-Officer and Principal Craig Agranoff, Content Director and Principal Fran Marincola, Adviser and Principal Marisa Herman, Associate Editor Kelly McCabe, Account Manager Ginger Novak, Account Manager Kylee Treyz, Account Manager

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