Delray Newspaper | October 2019

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DELRAYNEWSPAPER.COM OCTOBER | 2019

Ashlee Ritter kicking it for the Atlantic High Eagles this season

Take two on naming new city manager: Commission chooses to enter negotiations with George Gretsas

Atlantic High School football team’s kicker Ashlee Ritter. Photo by David DiPino.

By: David DiPino Contributing Writer Ashlee Ritter and her Atlantic Eagles varsity high school football teammates have a motto printed on a shirt they wear with pride “1% Better Every Day.” It’s a slogan she also uses as inspiration to compete as a field goal and extra point kicker.

Ritter, a 17-year-old senior at Atlantic Community High School, played soccer in her youth as a center halfback and then competed as an athlete for the Eagles’ flag football team. Now, she’s kicking extra points and

field goals for the tackle team, soccer style, a popular way of football kicking prominent in the 1980s and 1990s and 100 percent protocol today. “I’ve been playing soccer since I was little. Then, I started this summer with the team kicking for the Atlantic Eagles varsity high school football team,” [CONT. PG 2]

Your stay includes private beach club

Delray selected George Gretsas as the new city manager. Submitted photo.

By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor It is take two for hiring a new city manager. After a failed attempt in contract negotiations to onboard the city of

[CONT. PG 2]


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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Ashlee Ritter kicking it for the Atlantic High Eagles this season [FROM PG 1]

Ritter said. In practice she kicked a 40-yarder, which split the uprights and through, for a field goal. “I played flag football last year and I always thought about playing tackle football. I got a text message saying the football team needs a kicker so I came out and tried out.” She showed her coaches she was serious about working her way on to a team which just two seasons ago played for a state championship in the Class 8A Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) State Championship Game. “It was in the summer, one of the coaches

kicked with me. I kicked a couple and they went in so I kept kicking more,” said Ritter. In Ritter’s first regular season game of the season she connected on four of five extra-point kicks, scoring 4-points for the Eagles in their 40-13 win on the road at Palm Beach Central High School. She missed a 49-yard field goal in the game, which just makes her practice harder to become a better kicker for the Eagles. “I come out here every day and practice with the rest of the team. We always start out every practice with the entire team. Then, we break out into position groups. I practice with the kickoff kicker and then the entire team comes together for special teams practice,” said Ritter.

She said her teammates, which are all young men, as she’s the only young woman on the team, treat her like a teammate, equally and respect her for who she is as a person and then, for her ability. In her first pre-season game against the Deerfield Beach Bucks, Ritter booted a 32-yard field goal helping Atlantic build a 12-3 lead in a game they won 12-10 against Broward County’s high school football powerhouse. According to the Week 5, FloridaHSFootball.com Top 25 and classification rankings, the Atlantic Eagles High School Varsity Football Team ranks No. 6 in the State of Florida’s Class 7A and No. 17 for the entire State of Florida (The entire Class 1A

– 8A for high school football in Florida). Ritter said her favorite subject in high school is mathematics and that she’s planning on going to college. Her cumulative grade point average hovers above 4.0 and she would consider kicking field goals in college if she is recruited as a kicker. Atlantic will spend almost the entire month of October playing away games. The Eagles fly back home to play the Blanche Ely Tigers on Friday, Oct. 25, at Atlantic Community High School, 2455 W. Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach and on Friday, Nov. 1, against the Columbus Explorers, a high school varsity football team from Miami.

Take two on naming new city manager: Commission chooses to enter negotiations with George Gretsas Tamarac’s manager Michael Cernech, the city commission voted 3-2 to enter into negotiations with another candidate that [FROM PG 1] made the top three shortlist, George Gretsas. Commissioner Ryan Boylston made the motion to enter into contract negotiations with Gretsas, who is the current city manager of Homestead. “We need to put the city first today,” he said. “We need stability. We need a city manager with experience.” Gretsas has served as city manager in Homestead for the past 9 years. He previously worked for the city of Fort Lauderdale as its manager for 6 years. Boylston’s motion was supported by Mayor Shelly Petrolia and Commissioner Shirley Johnson. Petrolia placed Gretsas as her No. 1 pick for the position after the commission publicly interviewed the top three candidates. But she ended up supporting the will of the commission to go with Cernech in 4-1 vote, Johnson dissenting. Initially, Johnson supported the third candidate, Joseph Napoli, but opted to go with Gretsas in the second go-around. “Let’s move the city forward,” she said, before casting her vote. Commissioner Bill Bathurst said he

wasn’t ready to make a decision on who should be the next manager.

torney Lynn Gelin to explain what happened in the negotiation room.

Commissioner Adam Frankel called the entire process “tainted” and said he preferred to start over completely with a new search.

“He walked away,” Petrolia said of Cernech. “I didn’t ask him to walk away. I was absolutely dumbfounded. We were not prepared for that.”

“The process unfortunately ended up flawed so we are settling,” he said.

Petrolia said some of the terms that Cernech wanted in his employment contract with the city were not terms she could support. She called some of the requests “outrageous.”

There will be one difference this goaround during the negotiation process. Mayor Shelly Petrolia will not have a seat at the negotiation table. This time, negotiations will be handled internally by city staff. Commissioners will have final say on the contract and it will have to come before them for a final vote. In trying to come up with an agreement with Cernech, Petrolia was accused of sabotaging the deal by several commissioners. When news broke that Cernech backed away from becoming Delray’s city manager, the blame game began during a special meeting called to discuss the topic. Commissioners Boylston and Bathurst placed the blame on Mayor Petrolia. “Two people in the room told me it was doomed from the beginning because of the attitude of the mayor,” Bathurst said about the negotiations between the city and Cernech. But Petrolia was quick to defend herself and often placed the pressure on city at-

Boylston said the negotiations were “going smoothly” based off updates he received from Gelin. “How did we get here?” he asked. It was a question the rest of the commissioners, who were not in the negotiation room, wanted answered. Petrolia said she was “ready to have him on board.” But Bathurst quipped back, “That isn’t what we are hearing.” Attorney Gelin said Cernech wanted to receive full support on his contract and that he wouldn’t be able to leave his job without a 5-0 vote from Delray commissioners. “He wanted his contract and he wanted my approval of it,” Petrolia said. She calculated the contract he proposed totaled nearly $400,000 when the salary

and benefits were added up. She said she should “almost be thanked” that the deal didn’t happen. A proposed deal didn’t make it before commissioners to vote up or down. Cernech backed out of the entire process before that could happen. Cerncech declined to comment to the Delray Newspaper on the failed negotiations. With Cerncech out, commissioners discussed what steps to take next. Commissioners agreed to reopen the interview process with the top four candidates. But the two out of state candidates were no longer interested in the position. Until a new city manager is hired, interim city manager Neal de Jesus will remain in the role. Commissioners recently voted 3-2 to increase his salary to what the former manager was making, $244,000 while he serves in the role, retroactive to March 1. They also agreed to change other terms including how much notice is required if he is fired from the fire chief position, once he returns, from 90 days to 180 days and eliminated a requirement that he have a bachelor’s degree. Petrolia and Johnson voted against his contract change. The contract negotiations will be discussed during a special meeting at 1 p.m. on Oct. 1.


OCTOBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

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Delray Beach youth minister working to break down mental health barriers at church Staff report Freslaine Saint Louis accepted Christ into her life on her birthday. Nov. 4, 2007 and decided she was going to serve where she was needed. That place was the church she was raised in, Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church in Delray Beach. She began helping with the worship arts and then took over as the youth minister for the church in 2010. For the past nine years, she has watched her students get married, go off to college and one even finish with a doctorate. “It’s been amazing,” she said. “It’s beautiful to see them go away to college and stay in touch with them. It’s been an awesome journey.” But not all journeys are smooth sailing, she said. Many of her students have had bumpy roads. And that is how she realized, she could help the congregants in her role. She learned that cultural differences between Haiti, where a lot of the congregants are from, and America were stressing out a lot of the parents of her students.

With help from the first lady of Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church, Filise Jules, a mental health professional, the two worked together to provide Mental Health First Aid at the church. They began hosting generational meetings where people could share how they were feeling and air out issues they were facing. When substance abuse problems were uncovered, they brought in help.

Saint Louis recently became one of the first Creole speaking trainers in the county for Mental Health First Aid. MHFA is a nationally renowned eight-hour course that gives people the skills to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.

MHFA is now not only accepted, it has grown through word of mouth and parents are realizing the benefits of learning how to communicate and engage more with their children. The program has become embraced by the church and they are working on making MHFA a requirement for its leadership curriculum.

Saint Louis was introduced to MHFA through Healthier Delray, a Palm Health Foundation initiative focused on behavioral health. Recognizing the training’s potential to reach the parents of her church’s 700-member congregation and teaching them how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders among their children was important to her.

Funding for Saint Louis to provide MHFA training came through a grant made to Palm Health Foundation by Florida Blue Foundation in November 2018. The funding provides free MHFA trainings for 2,000 African American, Haitian and Hispanic adults residing in the foundation’s Healthier Together communities, including Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Riviera Beach/Northern West Palm Beach, Jupiter and the Glades. MHFA is delivered in partnership with Alpert Jewish Family & Children’s Services.

“As a youth minister, I feel that the children’s lives are in all of our hands,” she said. “We can’t be passive. We need to have difficult conversations, or we’ll lose our children when their anxiety and stress turns to substance abuse.” Saint Louis is working to remove the stigma and fear around mental health. Often times in the church, she said people associated mental health with severe conditions, not realizing stress and anxiety fall into that category as well.

“We are really working to ensure the youth and adults were getting the necessary resources that they needed,” she said. “I am really excited to see what comes out of it. I’m so grateful to be able to teach it, especially in the church.” Saint Louis provides MHFA in Creole and English throughout Palm Beach County. To learn more, please visit https://www.alpertjfs.org/mental-health-first-aid/.


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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

things you need to know this October in Delray Beach 1 Music at St. Paul’s presents Beethoven’s

to noon this month and will sell fall items.

es that may be faced and helps dispel some

First on Oct. 20. Trillium Piano Trio will play

The Holly House is celebrating its 50th anni-

common misconceptions about the future.

versary on Oct. 16.

There is no charge for this event. Because of

4 The Delray Beach Historical Society is partnering with the Sandoway Discovery Center to bring ocean conservationist, filmmaker and author of “Emperor's

space limitations, reservations are required. For more information, please contact John Campanola at 561-642-5180 or jmcampanola@ft.newyorklife.com.

https://achievementcentersfl.org/witches-of-delray-2/.

of the Deep: Sharks—The Ocean’s Most

7 The Inaugural Picnic-in-the-Park will

Mysterious, Most Misunderstood, and

take place at Old School Square from 3 to

Most Important Guardians” Bill McKeev-

5:30 p.m. on Oct. 20. Grab a group of up to

er to Old School Square on Oct. 17. There

12 friends and reserve a 12 foot by 12 foot

Beethoven’s first publication and more. The

will be a VIP cocktail reception prior to

picnic spot at the park for $256. Select any

trio is made up of pianist Yoko Sata Kothari,

the lecture.

international cuisine and costumes to repre-

violinist Ruby Berland, and cellist Susan

costs $25 per rider, $30 on day of ride,

9 Delray’s National Night Out has been rescheduled to take place on Oct. 3. Head to Old School Square from 6-10 p.m. to support local law enforcement and take a stand against crime.

sent your theme. Match your menu to your

10 Trick-or-treat along Atlantic Ave-

theme. Compete for best menu, costume

nue on Oct. 26. The city will host Kids-

and theme. The community picnic is pro-

fest and Halloween festivities beginning

Tickets cost $20 at door, kids 18 and under

duced by Living Hungry and has a goal to

at 11:30 a.m. with trick-or-treating from

enter for free.

feed every homeless student in Delray Beach

NW 5th Ave. to the Intracoastal Bridge.

Schools. Every picnic feeds one homeless

Then at 1 p.m., participate in the 56th

student for a year.

Annual Halloween Parade. This year

Bergeron. A pre-concert lecture will begin at

5 The Delray Beach GreenMarket will

2:30 p.m., followed by the concert at 3 p.m.

open for season on Oct. 26. Head to Old

2 The Delray Beach Orchid Society will present its 30th annual show and sale "Orchids on the Square” Oct. 25-27, at Old

8 Grab your witch hats and brooms-

the parade will take a new route. Meet

or bicycles- and get ready to take flight during the 8th annual Witches of Delray ride benefiting the Achievement CenSchool Square to shop for your favorite local goods from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The GreenMarket runs every Saturday.

6 New York Life Insurance Company School Square's Fieldhouse. Flowers will be on display between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4

agent John M. Campanola will host a free educational session titled, “What’s Different at the water fountain at Veterans Park to

About Retirement?” on Oct. 8 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at 401 West Atlantic Ave. Suite 09.

ters for Children and Families on Oct.

march down the Avenue and end at the

The session will feature an industry expert

26. The four-and-a-half mile charity

Tennis Center. The parade is organized

3 The annual Holly House at the First

who will be speaking about the risks in re-

bike ride route goes through downtown,

by the Rotary Club of Delray Beach this

Presbyterian Church of Delray will open its

tirement, the “needs and wants” strategy

along A1A and ends at the GreenMar-

year. Once the parade ends at the Ten-

Holiday Gift Shoppe on Oct. 8. The shop is

and the strategies to guarantee income. This

ket where there are contests for “Best

nis Center, Kidsfest will run until 4 p.m.

open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.

retirement workshop outlines the challeng-

Decorated Bike,” “Best Witch Costume”

There will be food, entertainment and

and “Best Witch Cackle.” To sign up it

kid friendly activities.

p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5 per day.


OCTOBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

BULA! LET'S LUAU! Thursday, October 10, 2019 6:00pm at the Delray Beach Club

A Fundraiser for the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce

Enjoy sea breezes and Island rhythms at the Delray Chamber's annual fundraiser. Join us at the Delray Beach Club for hula dancing, tiki cocktails and catch up with your Delray Chamber friends & colleagues. Tickets $100 per person – Includes dinner and two drinks! We will honor our 2019 Business Person of the Year & award the annual Crystal Palm for community service!

Purchase Tickets at: DelrayBeach.com/events

Thank you to our sponsors:

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Stephanie Seibel, CEO the Achievement Centers for Children & Families 1 What happens at the Achievement Center for Children & Families? At ACCF children are involved in Early Learning (Toddler and Preschool), Outof-School (After School and Summer Camp), and Teen Mentoring programs that prepare them for academic and social success and empower them to discover their talents. Our families are served through our Family Strengthening and Economic Stabilization services which benefit the community by stabilizing families in crisis; enabling them to serve as the foundation of their child’s growth.

2 How many children and families do you provide for and how many programs do you offer? ACCF serves 900 local children and families each year from three locations in Delray Beach; Nancy K. Hurd Campus, Village Academy, and Pine Grove Elementary. We embed family strengthening services within our four core programs of Early Learning, After School, Teen and Summer Camp.

3 The Achievement Centers for Children & Families has garnered some major accreditations, what are they and how did you make it happen? We have earned several accreditations including: • The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

• Afterschool programs have achieved top tier accreditations through Prime Time, an intermediary organization dedicated to ensuring that afterschool and summer programs in Palm Beach County are of the highest quality. • Excellence in Nonprofit Management by Nonprofits First. • Green Apple Accreditation of Children's Services, a nationally recognized independent, nonprofit accrediting agency. • 4 Stars from Charity Navigator rating (highest rating). We obtained these accreditations because ACCF implements evidence-based programs, practices continuous program improvement, conducts internal evaluations of its programs, engages staff in regular professional development and provides high-quality programming that supports the healthy development of children and families.

4 What new programs do you have and will be offering? ACCF was recently awarded “Economic Stabilization Funds� from the county to promote independence and enhance the quality of life in Palm Beach County by providing effective and essential services to residents in need. These funds will allow us to provide the finances families need to avert a crisis, such as unexpected homelessness, while they engage in income stabilization and employability

programming with us. We also received funding from the County Youth Services department this year to expand our mentoring program that pairs teens with younger children to provide tutoring in reading. The teens engage in employment and job skills development as part of the program. 5 How can people get involved in your organization? Achievement Centers for Children & Families depends on the community’s support to keep our many programs and services available and affordable to the families we serve. Support Achievement Centers for Children & Families in a way that makes sense for you. If you’d like to volunteer we are always in need of volunteers to help us all year long at our agency, for more information please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Jessica Gregoire, at jgregoire@delraychild.org If you’d like to sponsor an event or provide a donation please contact Events@ accffoundation.org You can find all of our events listed on our website at www. achievementcentersFL.org/all-events For more ways to get involved please visit www.achievementcentersFL.org/ways-togive Coming up: Witches of Delray Bike Ride returns, benefits Achievement

Centers for Children and Families Grab your broomstick, or bicycle, and prepare to take flight, or ride the course, during the 8th Annual Witches of Delray Bike Ride. The ride will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 26 and start at City Hall. It is guided by the Delray Police Department through the city. Riders will end at the Delray Green Market Old School Square location, where the event continues with awards for “Best Costume,� “Best Witch Cackle,� “Best Decorated Bike,� and “Best Group Theme!� The kickoff event “Witches Brew� before the ride will take place from 5-9 p.m. on Oct. 18 at Tim Finnegan’s Irish Pub. Sample specialty cocktails, bid on silent auction items, register to ride and more contests so come dressed in your wicked best. Early registration is $25 until October 25th, day of registration is $30. Visit www.witchesofdelray.org to register.

Delray assistant city manager resigns after allegation she used city resources to prep home before hurricane By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor

was filed alleging she used city staff to prepare her home for Hurricane Dorian.

Delray Beach assistant city manager Caryn Gardner-Young submitted her resignation several days after an anonymous complaint

Her resignation submitted on Sept. 9 was effective immediately. She served in the role for about two and one-half years.

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Interim city manager Neal de Jesus said he directed human resources to “immediately begin an internal investigation� when he was made aware of the anonymous complaint. As of Sept. 12, he said that internal investigation is still open. The complaint was also submitted to the Palm Beach County Office of the Inspector General, which is a watchdog agency for the county. The anonymous complaint states city employees were sent to Gardner-Young’s residence during business hours to “ensure her property was safe for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian.� In her resignation letter, Gardner-Young addresses the situation. Her letter states: “In the run-up to Hurricane Dorian I was approached by a colleague offering to help me with any last-minute storm preparations that I could not handle on my own given the physical limitations of my husband.�

She writes her husband is disabled and uses a wheelchair. “I deeply appreciated this thoughtful offer, and accepted it and two men wearing city shirts arrived at lunchtime to help me secure the brace in my garage and my shutters. I assumed that these men, who were there for approximately 45 minutes, were helping me on their lunch break. With hindsight being 20/20, I should have confirmed this fact, but in the chaos of the moment and out of sincere appreciation for their kind assistance, I did not, which is a decision I now regret.� She states she would “never abuse my position in any way, nor would I divert or utilize city resources for my own personal benefit, I still feel that it is in the best interest of the city for me to step down to avoid even the appearance of any impropriety.�


LIFE 7

Cultural Conversations

Ron Garrett’s “Sinking Tides” gallery exhibit will open in connection with Delray Beach’s First Friday Art Walk from on Oct. 4 from 6-9 p.m.

Contemporary Sculpture exhibit on display at Boca Museum of Art

“Sinking Tides” is an educational and historic exhibition including the artist’s original prints, sculptures, and paintings created with recycled materials and everyday found objects. This exhibition will focus on the ocean tides’ influence and effects through processes of change and corrosion to man-made objects. The focus is on the poetry of the forces of nature, decay as well as the corrosive power of saltwater on human endeavors.

Catch the works of two breakthrough contemporary sculptures at the Boca Raton Museum of Art.

The exhibit is in conjunction with the City of Delray Beach’s “Rise: Climate and Art Weekend.”

Curated by the museum’s assistant curator Lanya Snyder, Contemporary Sculpture: Sam Anderson and Michael Dean is on display through Oct. 6.

Admission to this exhibit and the Cornell Art Museum is free during the Downtown Development Authority’s First Friday Art Walk on Oct. 4.

There are 13 pieces of sculpture and video by New York-based artist Sam Anderson and six sculptures by London-based artist Michael Dean. This is the first time their work is featured together.

New seating option at OSS Pavilion

Check out Contemporary Sculpture on display at the Boca Museum of Art. Photo courtesy of Jacek Gancarz.

Dean’s art typically begins with concrete and then he adds other elements such as cable ties, paper and books. Anderson uses traditional materials such as clay, wood and wire and then incorporates other elements such as light and video into her work.

Discover what it’s like to fly like Superman or have super strength like the Hulk at a new exhibit at the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium. Hall of Heroes explores the history and science behind America’s superheroes and their impact on pop culture. “In our mission to open every mind to science, we strive through our exhibits to make sure learning is fun,” said Kate Arrizza, CEO of the Science Center. “Hall of Heroes is the perfect way to get kids to find out more about the physics and chemistry behind superpowers like thermodynamics and X-ray vision as well as the history behind the heroes. Science and imagination go together to help us advance and shape our future.” According to Arrizza, the original Batmobile from the 1969 TV show – the first one to fly – will be welcoming travelers at the Palm Beach International Airport while stars like Iron Man and Wonder Woman will greet Science Center guests.

Old School Square will now offer reserved seating at the outdoor Pavilion.

“The exhibition was the inspiration of our Assistant Curator, Lanya Snyder, who saw in Michael Dean and Sam Anderson’s sculpture an opportunity to bring together artists who are both exploring themes of communication in a variety of forms, abstract and figurative,” said Irvin Lippman, the Executive Director of the Boca Raton Museum of Art. “One walks through the gallery with a background of music coming from Andersons’s video installation, tying everything together in a holistic experience.”

Patrons will now be able to prepick their seats. So, if you want front row or an aisle, you can reserve it early.

‘Sinking Tides’ on display at Cornell Art Museum

‘’For us, it’s not really about generating more revenue, as it is customer retention,” said Old School Square’s COO, Holland Ryan. “This is a great addition for keeping our concert goers happy with their seats,’’

A new exhibit using recycled materials and everyday found objects will debut at Cornell Art Museum this month.

Test your superhero powers at new exhibit

Prior to the change, VIP, and Premium seating sections were first come, first serve. “It’s a much more sophisticated way for people to buy tickets, and it’s a much better experience,” said Susan Andrews, Old School Square’s Director of Ticketing Operations. The new seating chart is up for the launch of the 2019-2020 season.

Discover your own superpowers through tests of grip strength, agility, coordination and the powers of the mind. Visitors will be sorted into one of the four disciplines that are the basis for all superpowers. Powers of the Body analyzes strength, sight, flight and speed. Powers of Mastery explores tactical analysis. The Gadgets section will show how modern scientists and inventors are developing specialized tools. The Elements deals with the manipulation of water, electricity, earth and fire. The rich history of heroes will be broken down into the Golden, Silver, Bronze and Modern Ages of comics, ranging from the late 1930s to present day. Those who visit the exhibit will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills and explore new concepts through discovery. The exhibit is on display through Sunday, April 19, 2020.

INSIDE

Palm Beach County

Halloween Pop Up Bar [8]

Feeling fall in SoFla [12]


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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Don’t miss events

1 The second Annual Angels for Angels Charity Gala to benefit the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics will take place on Oct. 12 from 7 to 11 p.m. at St. Andrews Country Club. This event is once again chaired by Coral Springs resident Eslin Guice, whose daughter was diagnosed with the disease. The purpose of this event is to again raise money to fuel cutting-edge research and takes an active role in drug development to treat and ultimately cure Angelman Syndrome – a rare disease that affects the nervous system. With featured entertainment by Rock With U, guests will enjoy a cocktail hour, silent auction, sit-down dinner and open bar. Tickets are $175 per person.

2 Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation is celebrating its 16th Annual Go Pink Luncheon on Oct. 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Boca Raton Resort & Club with keynote speaker, Dr. Ken Jeong. Tickets start at $175.

3 Check out the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens for free on Oct 5 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. As a thank you to the community, the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens is proud to kick off the season with a free Community Open House. For one day only, the public can step through the

garden gates free of charge to experience garden and exhibition tours, refreshments in the courtyard, music and some special surprises. Visitors will also be able to view the exhibition Expanding Horizons: Nontraditional Approaches to Photography. In partnership with JL Modern Photography, the exhibition will include photography featuring works by Kimiki Yoshida, Bernard Faucon and Steven Wilkes.

4 Bring your pooch to Mounts Botanical Garden on Oct. 19 for Dogs’ Day in the Garden. Bring the family, dogs included, to

walk the winding paths, meet other pooch pals and heel for photo opportunities. Mounts will provide complimentary water and treats for all dogs. Admission price includes admission to Cutting Corners: A Stickwork Exhibition. Admission is free for members, $10 for non-members and $5 for children ages 5-12.

5 Ditch the formal cocktail dresses and tuxedos and put on your favorite pair of pajamas and join Sweet Dream Makers for the nonprofit’s 2nd Annual Pajama Game Night on Oct. 15 from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. at St. Andrews Country Club. Teams of Mahjong, bunco, canasta, board game players and more will gather in stylish bedtime attire to play games, enjoy food and drinks, and raise money to purchase beds for local families in need. Tickets are $55 each and available at www. sweetdreammakers.org.

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Death or Glory will be scaring up some fun for Halloween with the Death or Gory Halloween Pop Up Bar. The popular Delray restaurant and bar will be stuffed full of ghoulish decorations and will feature a separate menu with 13 Halloween cocktails whose names reference Edgar Allen Poe. Some cocktails will be served in Death or Gory tiki mugs, designed just for the occasion. Others will be in ghostly vessels, including a chemistry beaker. The Death or Gory pumpkin cauldron style mug was specially made for the restaurant and bar and will be available for $9.95, or for a special price with the purchase of a cocktail. A Halloween menu will be available and lifesize silver skeletons will grace the Falcon room. Branded witches hats will dangle from the ceiling and be available for purchase.

7 Want to learn more about poetry? Head to a poetry workshop “The Wonder of Poetry” on Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. at Old School Square. Facilitated by Guillermo Cancio-Bello, the workshop will focus on reading examples of poetry that convey a strong sense of wonder about the world. Through generative writing exercises, participants will use a tool box of poetic devices: images, syntax, tone, rhyming, repetition, form, etc. to find their own wondrous moments in their poems. This workshop aims to explore how we use poetry as a vehicle of meaning and self-discovery. The event costs $10 per person.

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Catch Beatles tribute band The Mersey Beatles, Four Lads from Liverpool, at Mizner Park Cultural Center. They will perform on Oct. 5 at 8 p.m. In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of The Beatles iconic Abbey Road, the band will play the entire album, followed by a set of Beatles’ greatest hits. Julia Baird, John Lennon’s sister and the Director of the Cavern Club, will be in attendance selling and signing copies of her book Imagine This: Growing Up with My Brother John Lennon at the general merchandise table before, during and after the show. Tickets range in price from $39 to $55 (VIP) and are on sale now http://miznerparkculturalcenter.com.

9 See Hot Shoe Shuffle at the Wick Theatre beginning Oct. 17. A big hit in London and Australia, 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. More surprises follow when a lost twin sister turns up. The tap dancing alone will have you on your feet! “Puttin’ on the Ritz” and many other favorite songs are part of this new musical. The show runs through Nov. 10 on Wednesdays-Sundays. Tickets $75-$95.

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JAFCO will hold its annual In My Shoes luncheon on Oct. 17 at Boca West Country Club. The event starts at 9:30 a.m. with a boutique and is followed by lunch at 11:30 a.m. The event benefits children and families using services from JAFCO’s Children’s Ability Center. Tickets cost $125 per person.

Fifth annual Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase & College Spirit Night chefs and brew masters begin countdown to the Nov. 5 event at the Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel Staff report Put on your college colors and get ready to taste tailgate treats during Fifth Annual Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase & College Spirit Night. About 30 local chefs and mixologists have plans to whip up their twist on tailgate favorites during the annual culinary event. Scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel, the community football and food event will

raise money for Spirit of Giving’s Annual Holiday Gift Drive. “Each year this competition gets more exciting as chefs and breweries up their

game strategies with bold, new recipes and spirited station decor,” said Doug Mosley, executive director of the Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl. “This year’s roster includes many new Boca Raton restaurants that are debuting this fall, and I can’t wait to see what everyone is cooking up. It’s all in good fun and fundraising for our Bowl’s charity partner Spirit of Giving and the holiday magic the nonprofit brings to thousands each year.” Participants from local restaurants, country clubs, hotels and cooking school

chefs, as well as brew masters and mixologists, will compete for various titles. A panel of expert food media personalities will rate the tastings and guests can cast their vote for the “People’s Choice” designation. New participants include Bazille, Cheffrey Eats, Crazy Uncle Mike’s, La Boulangerie Boul’Mich, Rex Baron and Sammy J’s Kitchen & Cocktail. Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at door. To purchase tickets, visit www. spiritofgivingnetwork.org or call 561385-0144.


OCTOBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

October Calendar

7:30 p.m. Old School Square Pavilion TK Blu- soul, Motown of 60s, 70s, 80s

Mizner Park Cultural Center

First Friday Art Walk

Oct. 18

The Mersey Beatles: Four Lads from Liverpool

Oct. 4

7:30 p.m.

Oct. 5

6-9 p.m.

Old School Square Pavilion

8 p.m.

Join the Downtown Delray Beach Art Galleries & Working Studios as First Friday Art Walk resumes Friday, Oct. 4, and kicks off the season in conjunction with Rise: A Climate & Art Weekend hosted by the City of Delray Beach. Enjoy a self-guided tour from 6-9 p.m. through a myriad of styles in art, photography, furnishings and live entertainment, many themed around climate change and the rising tides.

Old School Square Free Friday Night Concerts Simply TINA- Tina Turner Tribute Oct. 4 7:30 p.m. Old School Square Pavilion Remix- top 40 Oct. 11

The Addison Neon Nights Oct. 31 7:30 p.m. Halloween at the Addison is back for the fourth consecutive year on Thursday, October 31, 2019. Five Star Diamond Award winning event venue and historic Boca Raton landmark the Addison will open doors to the public at 7:30 PM, showcasing the venue’s delicious catering, an open-bar, live entertainment and outrageous event production. Tickets are $125 for general admission and $250 for VIP. All tickets include entry, food, open-bar and entertainment. VIP benefits include a three-course, table-side dinner, champagne bottle service and complimentary valet parking. Call 561- 372-0568 or specialevents@ theaddison.com

D o n ’ t miss THE MERSEY BEATLES: FOUR LADS FROM LIVERPOOL, live on October 5, 2019 – featuring an appearance by Julia Baird (John Lennon’s sister and author of “Imagine This: Growing Up with My Brother John Lennon”) appearance. VIP option also available!

The Joe Cotton Band Oct. 12 8 p.m. Influenced by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Neil Young, The Black Crowes, Government Mule, The Grateful Dead and just about any jam band and classic Rock ‘N’ Roll from the ’70s and countless acts from blues, country, folk and the ’50s and ’60s bands, THE JOE COTTON BAND is one of the best bands in Palm Beach County.

9

Harrison Greenbaum: What Just Happened? Oct. 18-19 7:30 pm BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!!! After two sold-out shows, award-winning magician and comedian, Harrison Greenbaum, who has been featured on ABC’s “America’s Got Talent,” NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” National Geographic’s “Brain Games,” and more – is bringing his gut-busting, jaw-dropping show back to Mizner Park. Florida’s Funniest Comedians Oct. 26 7:30 pm. Florida’s best comics hit the stage at Mizner Park each month in our intimate Cabaret Room. Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens Lantern Festival Oct. 19 3-8 p.m. Cost: $20 ages 11+, $12 ages 4-11, children 3 & under FREE; Advance Ticket Purchase Required Inspired by Obon, Japan’s traditional three-day holiday honoring ancestors, Morikami celebrates Lantern Festival in


YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

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one fun-packed evening. Enjoy Japanese folk-dancing, drumming, our Ennichi street fair, Morikami’s iconic lantern floating ceremony and an electrifying fireworks show during a fall festival in the spirit of Obon – Japan’s summer homage to ancestors who return for a brief visit to the living. Morikami’s Lantern Festival will feature Japanese street fair food and drink, crafts and activities. Morikami is closed during normal hours of operation on this day and opens at 3 p.m. for the festival.

In honor of Bullying Prevention Month, share your story of Bullying. How did you find the courage to persevere? What was your escape? Calling all poets, writers, and lyricists! Hosted by Kyle Holder of Smooth Bounce Entertainment. Milieu Art Exhibit Opening Reception Oct. 4 6-8 p.m.

Comedy Night

Enjoy wine and art at the opening of our MILIEU EXHIBITION featuring local emerging artists Katerina Slinkina and Rick Baer. The event is free!

Oct. 1

Selwyn Birchwood

8-10 p.m.

Oct. 4

$5 for patrons and performers

8-10 p.m.

Try your hand at stand-up, sing a comedic tune, or tap into your literary side with a funny poem during an hour of open mic. Two regional stand-up comedians take the stage in the second hour to close the night with gut-busting laughs.

General Admission $25 | Reserved $35 | Premium $40

Arts Garage

Poetry Open Mic Night Oct 3 8-11 p.m. $5 for patrons | Free for performers

The award-winning Selwyn Birchwood Band returns for an encore performance at Art’s Garage! The Selwyn Birchwood Band’s enchanting, high energy, live performances are NOT TO BE MISSED and have taken them all over the world as they have performed in 15 countries in the past 2 years!

Where customers are Number 1! Fashion Fabrics & Full Line of Notions Adult & Children’s Classes Excellent Alterations Embroidery Services Brother Machine Dealer Expert Machine Repair on All Models

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Alterations or Monogramming For new customers My “go-to” store for all my sewing needs! Lori and her staff are absolutely lovely. They have saved me so so many times...from fixing my machine to providing knowledge and professional insights to projects I am working on. Erin McDermott

“Sew Much Fun” is So much more than your local sewing supply store. Owner Lori and her amazing staff are there to help with all your sewing needs. They make alterations to any of your clothes to make them fit perfectly. Jay Tee

I found Sew Much Fun by googling sewing lessons while visiting Florida. Glad I did. I am a beginning doll maker and had a variety of projects I needed help with. Lori embraced the challenge. Regina Pagles

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Roman Street

Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials

Oct. 5

Oct. 12

8-10 p.m.

8-10 p.m.

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

General Admission $30 | Reserved $35 | Premium $40

Brothers Noah and Josh Thompson put their guitars together to form Roman Street. Since the college years, this brotherly jam session has developed into a Billboard/iTunes charting band who many have dubbed ‘the next generation’ of Jazz Fusion.

With 30 years of touring with the same original members, Ed Williams (lead guitar and vocals), Michael Garrett (rhythm guitar and vocals), James Young (bass) and Kelly Littleton (drums), Lil Ed & The Blues Imperials have been nominated for 16 Blues Music Awards and are two time winners of the “Best Band” category at the Blues Music Awards.

The Wolfepak Band

JD Danner

Oct. 6

Oct. 13

7-8:30 p.m.

7-8:30 p.m.

General Admission $25 | Reserved $30 | Premium $35

General Admission $20 | Reserved $15 | Premium $10

This show features top Grammy and Hall of Fame musical selections inspired by their unique and collective backgrounds in Rock, Blues, Jazz, and Funk. Spend an evening with the band and you too will become a fan. Hip Hop Revolution: Back to Basics

From Nashville’s legendary Bluebird Cafe to Lucas Oil Stadium for an NFL halftime show for the Indianapolis Colts, singer/songwriter JD Danner has been captivating audiences with her heartfelt lyrics and rockin’ riffs for more than a decade. Dubbed Joan Jett meets Johnny Cash, Danner performed as the first ever and only house band for the Florida Panther’s hockey team for the 2015-2016 season.

Oct. 10

3rd Thursday- Art Meets Music

9 pm. to midnight

Oct. 17

General Admission $10

7-11 p.m.

Celebrates Hip Hop Culture by joining rappers with graffiti artists, Hip Hop influenced dance and DJ’s from all over South Florida. Talented performers will hit the main stage to present their various rap styles, filling the night with dope lyrics and beats.

Free event

Carli Muñoz Trio Oct. 11

Centennial Celebration for Jose Fajardo - Featuring the Jose Fajardo Jr. Orchestra

8-10 p.m.

Oct. 18

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

8-10 p.m.

Carli’s performance will focus on his latest CD, Follow Me, a tribute to Nobel Peace Prize winner and environmental activist Wangari Maathai, in addition to original music and jazz standards. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Carli Muñoz is a jazz pianist whose music of choice was jazz, European avant-garde and American pop music.

The 3rd Thursday of every month Arts Garage hosts a FREE art walk & concert featuring local artists and bands. This month we are featuring live music by New River Groove and Mood Swing.

General Admission $35 | Reserved $40 | Premium $45 Get ready for a very special show! Jose Fajardo, Jr.’s father, Jose Fajardo would have been 100 on this day. This show will celebrate the Charanga Flute master who was well known during the Palladium days! Jose Fajardo, Jr. began at the age of 3 with his father playing percussion and since then has performed alongside and/or has recorded with some of the best and iconic Latin artists and musicians of all time.


OCTOBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Joyann Parker Oct. 20 7-8:30 p.m. General Admission $25 | Reserved $30 | Premium $35 Joyann Parker brings a full range of talent to her performances as an accomplished singer, pianist, guitarist and songwriter. Parker frequently sells out at some of the most prestigious clubs in the Midwest and garnered national and international attention for her newest record, “Hard To Love.” Paul Marinaro

The Wick Phantom Voices Oct. 12 8 p.m. Oct. 13 2 p.m. Tickets $75-$95 Spend an evening with The Phantom of The Opera at The Wick. Celebrate the iconic production and the best of Broadway as Chris Mann is joined by Krista Buccellato, Adam Machart and a live band for this exciting concert event, Phantom Voices.

Delray Beach Playhouse

Ray Stark tried to recruit a creative team to write a musical about his mother-inlaw, Fanny Brice, the legendary Vaudeville star who introduced songs like “My Man” and “Second-Hand Rose.” Its score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill remains a classic, with songs like “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” “You Are Woman (I Am Man),” “The Music that Makes Me Dance” and the stand-out hit of the show, “People.” Florida’s Funniest Comedians: Myke Herlihy and Kevin White Oct. 25 8 p.m.

Tickets $20 Myke Herlihy is one of the most lovable jerks you’ll ever meet! After spending 13 years behind bars, serving drinks not time, Myke now takes his bartender’s sarcasm and wit to the stage. Kevin White describes himself as a wounded veteran of two marriages. Raised on a strict regime of cartoons, comic books and afternoon movie marathons, his outlook on life and love has been described as ‘some-

Oct. 25 8-10 p.m. General Admission $40 | Reserved $45 | Premium $50 Vocalist Paul Marinaro captivates audiences with his bold yet velvety baritone and lush intricacies. Performing both classic jazz standards the audience will know and love, Marinaro also has a gift for captivating audiences with lesser known songs some have never heard before. Paul demonstrates a mastery of and an infectious passion for the material he chooses. Moonlight Thief Returns Oct. 26 8-10 p.m. General Admission $20 | Reserved $25 | Premium $30 Moonlight Thief returns to the Arts Garage to complete your funkification! It is an evening of wide variety, high-energy music ranging from R&B to Latin, to Motown and good old fashioned Rock & Roll. Moonlight Thief is an exciting and new group of innovative musicians who will keep you delightfully entertained from start to finish.

Calendar Girls Oct. 4-20 Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m.; Wednesday (10/9 only), 8 p.m.; Thursday, 8 p.m. Tickets $35 (adults); $15 (students); $25 (groups) In this deeply moving and often hilarious true story set in England, a woman convinces her local women’s club that a new, “sex sells” approach is needed for their annual fundraising calendar to support their local hospital. Fast-forward to the finished product, filled with classy, nude portraits of club members… all middle-class British wives, mothers and a retire school teacher! The Rylstone calendar ends up raising over 550,000 pounds for the hospital and for cutting-edge research into leukemia at the University of Leeds… a far cry from the previous year’s 75 pounds!

5K / 10K Race and Kid’s Run January 11, 2020 John Prince Park • Lake Worth, FL Registration @ 6:30am • Race @ 7:30am Register or create a team at: avdaonline.org/event-info

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From Funny Lady to “Funny Girl” – The Birth of a Classic American Musical

Thank You Sponsors:

Artur Menezes Oct. 27 7-8:30 p.m. General Admission $35 | Reserved $40 | Premium $45 Get ready to see the guitarist from the Blues Beatles that performed at Arts Garage in May! Artur Menezes is a high-energetic guitarist and plays with such a feeling that impresses the crowds. Based in Los Angeles, the Brazilian artist is making his name known by playing around the US and released his 4th album - Keep Pushing- produced by Josh Smith.

Oct. 14-23 Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, 2 p.m. Tickets $35 (adults); $15 (students); $25 (groups) Bringing a team of uniquely talented people together to write a musical is always a challenge, but sometimes it becomes a truly harrowing ordeal. So it was when

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Feeling fall in South Florida with pumpkin patches, hayrides You can pick your pumpkin from their traditional pumpkin patch.

By: Heather McMechan Contributing Writer I love pumpkin patches, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin cake and pumpkin coffee. Pumpkin everything this time of year. Truly one of my favorite things to do is pick out pumpkins with my family.

Amphitheater in Boca Raton. The festival will feature a variety of fun activities for the whole family, including a pumpkin patch with 2,500 pumpkins to pick from! Plus, carnival rides for all ages.

South Florida fall weather is usually 80 to 85 degrees. But this is the one thing we do as a family that makes it feel just a little bit like fall in South Florida.

Included in the entrance fee: unlimited carnival rides, a cornstalk maze, a dressyour-own scarecrow village, and tons of beautiful photo vignettes to capture that perfect autumn photo. Attendees can also decorate their pumpkins right on-site, as well as enjoy savory & sweet pumpkin delights (and delicious fair food) in the Pumpkin Food Court!

Get the scoop on these fun pumpkin events: BOCA PUMPKIN PATCH FESTIVAL The Boca Pumpkin Patch Festival is back and more wonderFALL than ever! It’s on Saturday, Oct. 19 and Sunday, Oct. 20 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at Mizner Park

For more information about this event, visit http://www.bocapumpkinpatch. com/ Ticket Pricing is $20 General Admission for everyone 2 Years Old & Up. Free admission for Babies Under 24 Months

Bedner’s Farm is located at 10066 Lee Road, Boynton Beach. Call 561-7335490 for more details. Monday-Saturday: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. CASON METHODIST CHURCH old (does not include access to carnival rides). BEDNER’S FARM Bedner’s Farm offers customers a variety of locally grown produce and is one of the few remaining family owned farmer’s markets left in South Florida. They grow some of the most delicious tasting corn which is so sweet you can pick and eat it right off the cob. Each season they host their Fall Festival Weekends, which runs through Oct. 27.

Ever since my kids were little, we’ve been driving up to the Pumpkin Patch at Cason Methodist Church. It may be in a parking lot, but they have great photo opportunities for you and your kids. Dress them up in their favorite costumes and pick out your favorite pumpkin to carve. You’ll find pumpkins from baseball size to monsters along with colorful gourds of every size and description to make the perfect fall display. Cason Methodist Church is located at 342 North Swinton Ave. Call (561) 2765302 for more details.

JD Danner set to headline Arts Garage with rockin’ tribute to women By: Joanie Cox-Henry Contributing Writer Boca Raton-based singer and songwriter JD Danner believes women rock. She’s put

together an entire musical tribute to celebrate that philosophy at Arts Garage in

Witches Ride • Oct. 26th Ride for Charity • 7:30am - 11:30am Downtown Delray Beach Join us in your witchiest costume, decorate your bike and y with us for our 8th Annual Witches Ride for charity. Proceeds from this event beneďŹ t Achievement Centers for Children & Families.

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Delray Beach Oct. 13 with special guests Sista Marybeth DeSarle and Judy Routley. “When I think about the contributions women have made to rock and roll such as Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks and so many others, it astounds me an entire show paying tribute to these iconic women hasn’t really been done on a local level,� Danner said. “This show will feature cover songs by beloved female performers as well as originals by myself and Marybeth [DeSarle].� After spending more than two decades performing throughout South Florida as well as touring military bases to entertain U.S. troops and performing at an Indianapolis Colts NFL halftime show at Lucas Oil Stadium, Danner enjoys sharing her love for music with others since it’s been the one constant in her life. “Music has gotten me through the hardest times,� Danner said. “It’s the only thing that’s never left me and it’s always the thing I run to and can find comfort in at the end of the day. Music is a very powerful thing.� With a setlist lined up that will include Jett’s version of “Crimson and Clover,� “I’m The Only One� By Melissa Etheridge, “Dog and Butterfly� By Heart and originals written by Danner such as “Almost Home� and “When Loves Comes Around,� Danner is particularly excited to perform at Arts Garage for the first time. “I’m thrilled to be playing at this venue because they truly support, embrace and encourage local and touring art-

ists,� Danner said. “Arts Garage gives artists a chance to be heard.� DeSarle, who has sang back up for Mavis Staples on “The David Letterman Show,� won an episode of “Star Search" and hit the recording studio with legend Paul Simon, is also eager to pay tribute to women in the music industry. “When I play music, I’m in my happy place,� DeSarle said. “When I’m hitting certain notes, I’m in a zone. Your adrenaline is going and the music vibrates your entire body. I become married to the emotion of the song and travel outside my head and into my heart. As female artists, we really need to support each other more and I love that about JD. She’s very passionate when she sings and through her music she has something to say.� Routley, who developed her lifelong love for singing while at church, hopes the audience at Arts Garage enjoys the variety of the show. “These are our interpretations of these songs and we’re looking forward to sharing that with the Arts Garage audience,� Routley said. Join JD Danner and special guests Sista Marybeth DeSarle and Judy Routley 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at Arts Garage. Tickets cost $10-$20 and are available at artsgarage.org. For more on Danner, visit JDDanner.com.


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OCTOBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

15

Ingrid Robinson—mother on a mission—curates art show to benefit charities By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor When Ingrid Robinson moved to West Delray Beach nearly two years ago, she had lost everything—- her California home, her only child, a daughter Michelle, and her money. She said she felt lost. Then, she found herself in the Kings Point art room and she began to paint. It was a new hobby and she picked it up quickly. “I was painting and painting and painting,” she said. She paints big and she paints fast. Her water soluble oils are large and many of them tell stories. Some are snapshots of life and others she calls whimsical. As she painted, she said she struggled to find an audience. So, she created her own. She did so by forming Artists & Charities | Hand in Hand, which is a third party fundraiser for three nonprofits, Armory Art Center, Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation and Peggy Adams Rescue League. So far, she has coordinated two shows with the biggest undertaking scheduled for Nov. 2-3 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.

The Artists & Charities | Hand in Hand Fine Art Show will feature 100 artists from across the country. The event is free to attend with a suggested $10 entry, which is a donation to the nonprofits the group supports. All participating artists have agreed to donate 20 percent of their sales to the three nonprofits that Artists & Charities supports. She has done it all because she says she is a mother on a mission. Her mission is to leave a legacy in honor of her daughter, Michelle. “It’s beyond my grief,” she said. “It’s creating a legacy.” Her goal for the show is to have the community come together. “It’s not just a gala or a 5-mile jog,” she said. “This is a great way for people to talk without saying anything.” That is what art is about, having a conversation without the need for words, she said. Putting together an art show isn’t her first mission. She was a mother on a mission when she made it her mission to take down a fraudster who bilked money from her. Robinson wanted to build a mixed-use

project in Northern California called Michelle’s Diamond and the project looked like it would happen when a private investment firm, Remington Financial Group (or Remington Capital), agreed to fund the entire project. But that didn’t happen. The firm was running an Advanced Fee Scam and Robinson along with thousands of others were scammed by the company and lost millions of dollars. So, Robinson made it her mission to take the company and the people involved down. Her story was featured on an episode of American Greed. The founder of the company Andrew Bogdanoff pled guilty to a number of charges in a scheme that involved over 1,900 victims and $26 million. He was sentenced to about 18 years in federal prison back in 2014. Robison lost her California home due to a different type of fraud where third parties take over titles to home and force the tenants out. She had five days to move out of the home she had resided in for nearly 40 years. She donated her possessions to victims of California fires, packed up her two dogs, Ace and Clint, along with one painting of her daughter and wound up in South Florida.

Pictured is a painting of artist Ingrid Robinson’s daughter, Michelle. Robinson said she began painting as a way to cope with loss. She is planning an art show at the Palm Beach County Convention Center Nov. 2-3 to benefit local charities.

She said finding painting is what has allowed her to continue her daughter’s legacy. At the event, Manuel Oliver, father of Parkland student Joaquin Oliver, will be on hand to do a live demonstration of his passionate painting, and Miami artist, Romero Britto, is scheduled to make an appearance over the weekend. For more information, visit https://artistsandcharities.com.

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HEALTH

OCTOBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services hires full time psychiatrist for seniors in need with grant dollars Staff report For the past five years, Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services has had a part-time psychiatrist on its team to help local seniors in need of mental health services. But, the demand for help by those seniors has grown and led to long wait times, so the organization launched the JFS Psychiatry Program with the financial support of the Norman and Ruth Rales Foundation. The funding will allow JFS to hire a full-time psychiatrist (with a focus on seniors) within the program and offer services on a sliding scale – meaning patients will pay what they can. “With wait times in excess of weeks to months and beyond, there simply isn’t enough supply to meet the demand, leaving many seniors in need of care going untreated, undiagnosed and resorting to dangerous self-medication often from substance abuse and other harmfully needless measures,” said Danielle Hartman, President & CEO of Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services.

In addition, the program will pay for a full year of consulting with Dr. Susan W. Lehmann, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Lehmann will guide JFS as it creates and develops an expanded Psychiatry Program. JFS is also partnering with Florida Atlantic University to establish a community based practicum site for FAU Medical Psychiatry students. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults are at an increased risk for experiencing depression and they do not seek help because they don’t understand they could feel better with appropriate treatment.

common of which are dementia and depression, according to the World Health Organization.

Palm Beach County is home to 262,076 seniors, a higher percentage of seniors (22%) than any U.S. county of comparable size.

Depression among Florida seniors (65-and-older) increased to 16 percent, or about 672,000 people.

Rales JFS, which has provided affordable counseling and mental health services to those in need (regardless of religion) in South Palm Beach County since its inception 40 years ago, is committed to relieving the stress and what many call a shortage of mental health professionals available.

Over 1 in 5 adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental or neurological disorder, the most

Dr. Lehmann spoke last month on the topic of “key issues in meeting the mental health needs of older adults.”

Healthgrades recognizes West Boca Medical Center as 5-Star Recipient for vaginal deliveries, C-Section deliveries for fifth consecutive year

INSIDE

Palm Beach County

Staff report West Boca Medical Center is a 5-star recipient for Vaginal and C-Section Deliveries as recognized by Healthgrades, a leading online resource for information about physicians and hospitals. This 5-star rating indicates that West Boca Medical Center’s clinical outcomes are statistically significantly better than expected for Vaginal and C-Section Deliveries. To help consumers evaluate and compare hospital performance, Healthgrades analyzed all-payer state data for 15 states for years 2015 through 2017. Healthgrades found that there is a significant variation in hospital quality between those that have received 5-stars and those that have not. For example:

Women’s workshop Abbey Delray South [19]

From left to right: Ruth Schwarzkopf (CNO), Nina Jack (Director, OB), Dr. Alan Patterson (OBGYN), Anna Hoo (Manager-OB), Dr. Marc Denker (Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist) Submitted photo.

From 2015 through 2017, patients having a Vaginal Delivery in hospitals rated 5-stars have, on average, a 43.5 percent lower risk of experiencing a complication while in the hospital than if they were treated by hospitals rated 1-star.

From 2015 through 2017, patients having a C-Section Delivery in hospitals rated 5-stars have, on average, a 57 percent lower risk of experiencing a complication while in the hospital than if they were treated by hospitals rated 1-star.

Do you have Post-Concussion Syndrome? [21]

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18

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Effects of health discrimination By: Christine King Contributing Writer I recently encountered an ugly situation of which I was utterly unprepared and unfamiliar. While seeking a new place to live, I engaged in the regular searches; online, rental apps, etc. I arranged viewings and had lovely, in-person discussions with the owners or landlords. On two occasions, I had appointments to sign a lease, only to be texted a few hours in advance, "the property was rented to someone else." I found it peculiar, however, brushed it off as they may have found a better fit.

Nonetheless, my search ensued. To my shock and dismay, the properties mentioned above were relisted. I was disappointed and confused at the same time. Being an amateur detective, I learned why. Discrimination is defined as: "The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people." I was judged on my visual appearance; leg braces, on bad days the use of a walker, and sometimes merely looking like death warmed over. The feeling was visceral, haunting, mental, and more than uncomfortable. Worse, I didn't understand how to process the experience.

Discrimination is a sensitive topic. To better understand, I reached out to the world and asked people to share situations in which they've experienced discrimination. Renee D. Webb, an author from Memphis, TN, told me she was on the brink of losing her life from discrimination as a 25-year-old pregnant woman. She experienced acute tachycardia and GI issues during her pregnancy. Specialists and general doctors dismissed her time and again, blaming depression, youth, and hormones from the pregnancy After the delivery of her child, her symptoms worsened. Renee quickly dropped to under 95 pounds and once again, began seeking answers.

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By then, she'd been labeled as a hypochondriac, bi-polar, and as having borderline multiple personality disorder along with anxiety. Renee was referred to a psychiatrist. On the first visit, the psychiatrist prescribed Seroquel, a potent psychotropic drug. Following, the same psychiatrist prescribed six more psychiatric drugs to add to her "cocktail." After three months of waiting to see an endocrinologist, Renee was once again near death. However, this doctor administered proper testing and diagnosed her with Addison's Disease. But something still wasn't right. So she fought through the ugly feelings of judgment in her soul and turned to the internet. Renee found her second diagnosis, Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome Type 1 (APECED), an autoimmune system disease defined as multi endocrine system failure. It's exceptionally rare, and there are only 500 cases in the world. Through judgment and discrimination, Renee fought the system. She "lost" nine years of her life, almost died, and came close to losing her marriage. She's now under the care of the National Institute of Health and is feeling better. She told me, "I felt like a princess, validated, was taken seriously, and now have an open line of communication with my doctors," she continued "Life is moving along well. I just turned 40; I'm writing novels with strong female leads who have chronic illnesses." Her next book "Rhapsody in Blue City" is expected to be out in 2020. Andry Laird, 29, an IT specialist, writer and father from, from Lufkin, TX, experienced discrimination in the workplace. As he approached the two-year mark with his employer, he began to have seizures. He took one week off from work to seek medical treatment. His body wouldn't even allow him to type on a keyboard. About one month after the incident, his boss called a meeting. Andry was told the company was downsizing and he was laid off. He supports his wife, two children, and his father, who lives with them. Andry told me, "The only way I could've managed to overcome this was the love and support of my wife. She was my rock through all of this."

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After all, isn't all we can do? We continue to be our best selves, be militant about our health and wellbeing, do our jobs, and be kind to others. And when unfortunate experiences of discrimination occur, we somehow cope.

that it takes more than medicine to heal. It takes compassion, attentiveness, and a healthy dose of kindness. From cardiac surgery to lifesaving stroke care, all of us are here to treat you well. See us at DelrayMedicalCtr.com

Andry wholeheartedly believes he was dismissed due to his medical status. He said, "I felt betrayed, as I'd given so much to the company." Happily, he's found another position and is managing his seizures. Andry says, "I learned from this experience that there are people dealing with struggles we know nothing about. It's taught me that compassion is always important. And I've learned to look on the bright side even when everything looks grim."

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Women’s Only Workshop at Abbey Delray South sparks community conversations By: Joanie Cox-Henry Contributing Writer Whether they’re discussing the power of smiling, living with passion or the effects of ageism in society, the Women’s Only Workshop is always a popular group for residents of Abbey Delray South to attend the third Tuesday of each month. Led by Elaine Hollander, around 15 women gather to watch TED Talks and engage in a discussion afterward. “I started this group in 2015 because I really wanted to get to know the other women who live here,” said Hollander, 92, who was a professor of so-ciology and psychology at The University of the District of Columbia and American University in Washington, D.C. “My intent was also to promote our own personal growth and create a group where we could learn and grow together.” The Sept. 17 lecture focused on ageism and a TED Talk featuring Ashton Applewhite, author of “This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism.” The video seminar prompted women in the group

to share their own thoughts on aging, society, the cos-metics industry and more. “Youth is so celebrated in our society, especially through what we see in cosmetics ads and even TV and film,” said Phyllis Goldenberg. “Ageism is a real thing, especially in the workplace. But aging is something to really be thankful for. I have lost friends and family members at a young age so I’m grateful to still be here.” Yerti Nelson hasn’t missed a Women’s Only Workshop since its inception. “We discuss all different topics and I look forward to hearing the different perspectives,” said Nel-son, who is so devoted to the group she has shown up still dripping wet from aqua therapy in the pool. “I never want to miss this workshop. We all get a lot out of it.” Sue Merrell, who helped plant a butterfly garden at Abbey Delray South, has also been attending the Women’s Only Workshop since it started. “Our talks are always fun and educational and it promotes a lot

Abbey Delray South women attend TED Talks-style women only workshops monthly. Photo by Joanie Cox-Henry.

of sociability,” said Merrell, 79. “Ageism is an im-portant topic to discuss. I think age is an accomplishment.” Valerie Ever, 84, appreciates the community of the Women’s Only Workshop. “We really celebrate age here,” Ever said. “And living at Abbey Delray South in community, we have so much support. And there’s an endless list of activites for us.” Kathy Leonard, 80, looks forward to the solidarity meeting with the group brings her. “The topics we cover really get us to

think and it helps us grow as a group and as indi-viduals,” Leonard said. “We get to share some of our own experiences and we don’t feel alone.” Abbey Delray South’s Director of Lifestyle Teresa Zorn was delighted when Hollander had come to her with the idea to launch a women’s workshop. “Our lecture topics are all resident facilitated and we like to offer as many choices of groups and activities as possible for our residents,” Zorn said. “The resident volunteerism in this community is truly wonderful.”

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Post-Concussion Syndrome: Headaches, dizziness, brain fog, forgetfulness, irritability lasting greater than three months after head injury By: Dr. John Conde DC, DACNB Special to the Boca and Delray newspaper

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Post-concussion syndrome (PCS) is defined as cognitive impairment and or headache lasting more than three months after a concussive event. Headache, dizziness, fatigue, irritability, nausea, insomnia, lack of concentration, short term memory difficulty, changes in affect and changes in personality are the major symptoms reported. Most concussive symptoms resolve in about two weeks, and with proper recovery all symptoms usually resolve within one month. Demographics play a role with women and older individuals being at higher risk. Previous concussion and medical history are also important variables. From a neuroscientific perspective, individuals with persistent concussive symptoms exhibit functional deficits in the brain regions affected by the blow. However, the neighboring nerve cells in the brain that form connections with these regions are affected as well. Thus this makes the radius of injury that much larger. If an individual had previous health concerns or if baseline neurological activity was less than normal this would increase the probability of concussion with a milder head injury as well as increase the probability of long term neurological compromise. Neurophysiologic testing which includes videonystagmography (VNG), posturography (measure of balance), and cognitive assessment tests should be conducted with the persistence of these symptoms and should be best practices in evidence-based healthcare. The results should be interpreted and a proper treatment plan generated with a goal of increasing functionality. Prior to the explosion of research into traumatic brain injuries including concussions, the standard of care for a concussion and post-concussion syndrome was a brain-rest approach. This included resting and restricting activities to allow the brain to recover. While this is still valid, it is only part of the total rehabilitative

program that is currently best practices. Similar to a newly operated knee or hip, early and accurately targeted activity is important for the brain to heal properly. This is why an examination looking at function is so important early on as it sets the recommendations for what areas of brain need rehabilitation. Activities such as balancing exercises, specific eye and head movements, timing exercises, and cognitive challenges are all part of the rehabilitative program. Specifically, a cutting-edge instrument termed the Dynavision D2 is utilized in the assessment and therapeutic process. This tool is comprised of 64 LED digital targets on a board. The clinician has the ability to administer controlled testing protocols to get a baseline reading as well as create dynamic exercise sessions that work on brain processing speeds as well as timing and coordination. The Dynavison D2 was used in a study through the Ricky Williams Foundation assessing cognitive processing in retired National Football League Players. The results were astonishing. Do not let concussive symptoms keep you down, do something about it today. 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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Business of health and wellness in Boca booming Panel event showcases four Boca companies focused on health, wellness By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor What do a laser hair removal business, concierge physician services, a fat burning, vitamin infused energy drink and an online platform to purchase vitamins and supplements have in common? They are all headquartered in the city of Boca Raton. Executives from Body Details, MDVIP, Celsius and vitacost. com were on hand to discuss the topic of health and wellness in the city of Boca during a recent panel discussion put on by the city of Boca Raton’s Office of Economic Development at the Boca Raton Innovation Campus. The morning event opened with breakfast and networking followed by a discussion moderated by the city’s economic development manager Jessica Del Vecchio.

Health and Wellness panel left to right: moderator and Boca economic development manager Jessica Del Vecchio, founder and CEO of Body Details Claudio Sorrentino; CEO of Celsius Holdings, Inc. John Fieldly; Chief Medical Officer of MDVIP Dr. Andrea Klemes; and marketing vice president of vitacost.com Guy Burgstahler. Staff photo.

Panelists included: founder and CEO of Body Details Claudio Sorrentino; Chief Medical Officer of MDVIP Dr. Andrea Klemes; CEO of Celsius Holdings, Inc. John Fieldly; and marketing vice president of vitacost.com Guy Burgstahler. Executives shared information on themselves, their companies and how they play in the sphere of health and wellness in the city of Boca and beyond. MDViP and vitacost.com were right at home at the event as both companies are housed on the BRiC campus, the former home of IBM. Vitacost recently moved into BRiC where it occupies 43,000-square-feet of space. And even though the company was acquired by Kroger 5 years ago, Burgstahler said the integration between the companies is picking up steam.

The city of Boca’s economic development manager Jessica Del Vecchio was the moderator of a panel on the topic of the business of health and wellness in the city of Boca. Staff photo.

INSIDE

On the topic of acquisitions, Fieldly shared that Celsius acquired Nordic Wellness Company Func Food Group Oyj for $25 million. The company is focused on innovative food that is healthy and better for you and produces protein snacks and products. The goal is to bring those products to the United States and push Celsius sales in Europe. Body Details founder and CEO Sorrentino announced that the company just closed on its first round of investment with a private equity group, which will allow them to expand.

Palm Beach County Boca Raton’s Office of Economic Development and the Boca Raton Innovation Campus hosted executives of Boca-based health and wellness companies for a panel discussion. Staff photo.

Sorrentino, a FAU honors college graduate, founded his company after working at a laser hair removal company to selfishly take advantage of the perk of laser hair removal. He saw a missing part of the laser business world, tattoo removal, and then launched Body Details in 2006 in Coral Gables. Now, headquartered out of Mizner Park, he said the company is the largest provider of laser treatment in Southeast Florida. Boca’s MDVIP, which started with one patient and one physician, now has a large national network totaling 1,000 physicians in 43 states and Washington D.C. With a focus on proactive preventive care, Klemes said the company is always seeking more physicians to partner with and more patients. Each doctor that signs on typically transitions about 400 patients over with them, she said. To keep their businesses thriving, all executives said the culture of the workplace is a key component.

Taste Five Organic [24] Boca business professionals networking before the panel discussion at BRiC. Staff photo.

At Body Details, they host weekly Champagne Tuesdays for employees. And for consumers, they are partnering with social media influencers to promote their brand and services. MDVIP was named a “Best Place to Work” for the second year, Klemes said. She also said they offer perks like work from home one day a week after you have been employed by the company for a year.

Fieldly said Celsius wants employees to have a connection to the company and its purpose.

Burgstahler said Vitacost’s recent move from a “dank, sobering environment” into BRiC changed the millennial energy drastically.

The executives agreed they have had to shift how they do business to cater to millennials both in the workforce and as clients.

BRiC hosts panel discussions and community events regularly. For a list of upcoming events, visit https://workatbric.com.

Umbrella expands to South Florida [32]

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24

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Boca’s BTB preferred training facility of professional athletes By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor sional boxer and co-owner of the boxing side of BTB, Andre Dirrell. Stoliker has worked with olympians, NFL players, NHL players, NBA players, UFC fighters, MLS players, tennis players and lacrosse players at BTB.

The goal is to create a plan that is constructive, not destructive, Stoliker said. That means, you aren’t beating up your muscles to where it feels like you were run over by a truck the next day. Rather, the work out will allow you to train seven days a week, head to toe. No work out ever repeats, either.

The only sport missing so far, golf. BTB owner Steve Stoliker and professional boxer and co-owner of the boxing side of BTB, Andre Dirrell. Staff photo.

Tucked back in a warehouse district of Boca Raton, the world’s top athletes head to BTB where they train in a boutique facility that is more of a laboratory than a gym. Equipped with top-of-the-line machines sourced from across the world, these are not treadmills you find in your community’s gym. Last month, several New York Knicks players were wrapping up training at BTB and the undisputed middleweight world champion Claressa Shields was gearing up for a Showtime match scheduled for Oct. 5. Before the match, you will see BTB featured along with owner Steve Stoliker and profes-

And he said that is what his clients often prefer, especially the professional athletes. They want a truly private place where they are trained individually. His clients mostly come from referrals. But word does spread and there are non-professional people who work out there, too. “This is not a gym, it’s a lab,” he said as he explains the high-tech functions of the machines. “There is no cookie cutter training here.” Every client is given a personal assessment and given a special regiment that is tailored to their needs. The process isn’t just an intake checklist. It is in depth and covers 39 different steps.

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BTB owner Steve Stoliker and professional boxer and co-owner of the boxing side of BTB, Andre Dirrell at one of the facility’s pro ring. Staff photo.

BTB keeps a low profile. Stoliker said he barely uses his website, doesn’t promote the gym and rarely posts on Instagram.

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Steve Stoliker trains professional athletes at Boca’s Big Time Boxing. Staff photo.

Plus, those taking a boxing class are learning and working hands-on with professionals like Dirrell. Stoliker said BTB mixes modern science with the roots of the building, a down and dirty boxing gym. BTB, which stands for Big Time Boxing, began as an underground boxing circuit for professional fighters. Scenes from Creed II were even filmed there. Within the last 18 months, Stoliker has taken the place beyond the boxing ring. While keeping the charm of the old school boxing gym, he has introduced the old to the new school mindset of human performance. He has invested about $2 million into building out the boxing side with two rings, creating a human performance playground and building a baseball academy. The three different focuses are housed in separate bays of the space. The boxing area

has two rings and tons of punching bags. The human performance section features machines outsourced from across the globe. And the baseball academy, which will be led by Bryan Jones of the Detroit Tigers, has a real pitching area and batting cages. Top of the line technology measures swing speed, ball pitch and analytics that recruiters will look at when division one players are practicing. Stoliker already has a commitment from 130 MLB players to train there in the off-season and 150 division one and prospective players plan to use the academy. Stoliker’s background is science and human performance and the gym world. He worked in the corporate world for several big box gyms. The biggest challenge Stoliker faces is creating a program for an NBA player coming off an injury and then turning around and coming up with a regimen that will work for a woman who just had her third child. Keeping both clients challenged and enthusiastic is what keeps the job busy for him and the other trainers. As he gears up for the baseball acsemdy to launch, he is looking forward to the idea of expanding the concept to other cities.

Five Organic offers healthier alternative to sports drinks By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor Looking to nix all the sugar and artificial flavors in sports drinks? Try Five Organic, a 5-calorie beverage that is entirely organic. Created by entrepreneurs Nadav Haimberg and Kara Clapp, the organic drink has nine ingredients including organic white tea and organic maqui berry, both known antioxidants. The other organic seven ingredients: coconut juice, lemon juice, stevia, erythritol, pectin, fruit juice and natural flavors. There are no artificial dyes, no artificial flavors, no preservatives and no sugars added. The sweet taste is from organic stevia only. Served by the bottle, three flavors Crimson Grape, Honeycrisp Apple and Georgia Peach are available in Publix and Whole

Foods stores. Total, Five Organic has a dozen flavors. Five Organic hit the shelves of Publix in Sept. 2018 with three flavors, grape, apple and peach. It took the duo about 18 months to come up with the concept and create the beverage. Peach is the best-seller, but not by much. Apple is just 1 percent point behind. They were able to work quickly in developing Five Organic because it is not their first experience bringing a beverage to market. They were also behind Onli, a premium chef-inspired sparkling drink served in a glass bottle. [CONT. PG 28]


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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Protect yourself from scams, fraudulent schemes By: John M. Campanola, Agent New York Life Insurance Company Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers

crime unit and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has a list of 23 common fraud schemes on its “Scams and Safety” web page, including credit card theft. The thief makes small purchases with your stolen credit card number and sees if they go through, if they do, then they hit your account for bigger purchases. You should have an email, text message, or phone alert set up with your credit card company, so that the bank will contact you if there are any unusual spending items, if there are illegitimate charges, you must report to the bank as soon as possible so you won’t be charged for those items. The bank will lock your account and send you a new card in the mail. This can be

Forewarned is forearmed

frustrating when you have set up monthly withdrawals to be charged against your card. You’ll have to go to those companies’ websites and change the card numbers you use for those charges. How to protect yourself from Internet scams and fraudulent schemes The FBI says protect your computer by keeping the firewall turned on and by installing and updating your antivirus and antispyware software. Be careful what you download and only download from trusted and secure websites. Also, keep your operating system up to date, and turn your computer off when it’s not in use. You will pay a yearly fee for antivirus, antispyware, and firewall software services, but the safety they provide makes it well worth the cost. If you’ve been the victim of a scam, file a complaint with your local/state police department’s cyber-

The more you know about e-scams and fraudulent schemes, the safer you will feel. Another way to protect yourself is by going to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) website. Its function is to protect America’s consumers by educating and taking consumer complaints on everything from identity theft to unwanted telemarketing solicitations by phone or by email. It runs the National Do Not Call Registry,5 which you should sign up for. Once you are on the do-not-call list for at least 31 days, the calls/ emails should stop, and if they don’t then you can file a complaint with the FTC. You can register each phone number that you have, and your registration won’t expire. You can check the FTC’s website if your phone number is still registered. Remember, it’s not OK for companies to leave

recorded voicemails on your phone, so you can file a complaint if you receive unwanted telemarketing robocalls. Once you are registered on the do-not-call list, it’s illegal for those telemarketers to continue to call you. Use your common sense. If you don’t recognize the area code or the phone number on your caller ID, chances are it’s a telemarketing call. Don’t answer it, or if you do, insist that they take you off their call list. To keep up to date on current scams that are plaguing consumers, the FTC has an email alert system that you can sign up for. This educational third-party article is provided as a courtesy by John M. Campanola, Agent, New York Life Insurance Company. 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.

Protecting your adult children: The under-appreciated benefit of a revocable living trust By Jennifer L. Fulton, Esq. The Law Offices of Robin Bresky Special to the Boca and Delray newspaper The golden age of the pension plan is waning. Social security is at risk of going

bankrupt. The divorce rate has risen, and can wreak financial havoc in a person’s life.

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How will your children retire? While you may not be able to protect them from these possibilities, your estate plan can serve as a piece of financial security for them when and if any of these things come to pass. Consider the following ways a trust can protect your children after you are gone: •

Book the Member Rate

A spendthrift trust does not allow most creditors to invade the trust to settle the debt of the beneficiary (not the grantor). A notable exception is for child support.

is satisfied that the addiction is under control. •

A trust can state that no distribution will be made pending a divorce.

Choosing a neutral trustee avoids distributions that dissipate the trust principal too quickly.

Using ascertainable standards for discretionary principal distributions, such as health, education, maintenance and support, gives the flexibility to use principal when appropriate, with guidance.

Note that special needs children also need planning for when you are gone, but use a different type of trust.

Consider including a distribution scheme that delays the distribution of a beneficiary’s share until the beneficiary is older, and hopefully has matured, developed a work ethic, and settled into a longer-term marriage.

If your child receives trust proceeds, they should place it in an account in their sole name, and not use the proceeds for regular household expenses, to show they have a special equity in the funds in the event of a divorce.

Some people divide the distribution of the principal of the trust into portions given to the children at various ages, to give them some access when they are younger and buying a house and perhaps starting a business, and retaining some for later, so as to give the child a safety net to weather the storms, such as divorce, than can pop up young adulthood and middle age. Income is usually distributed every year, reserving the principal until the appointed age.

It’s good to know that just a little planning for your children’s future can afford them some level of protection from the uncertainties of life.

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You can make your own retirement plan for your child by postponing principal distribution until your child is of retirement age.

If addiction is a concern, the trust can retain the funds until the trustee

Jennifer L. Fulton, Esq. is an attorney at The Law Offices of Robin Bresky (www.breskylegal.com) focusing on Estate Planning, Probate, and Estate and Trust Administration. A member of the Florida Bar since 1996 with a Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University, Fulton works with clients to plan for the milestones of life (college, “adulting”, marriage, children, grandchildren, aging parents, pre- and post-divorce, loss of a spouse, aging, diminished mental capacity) and administration upon death. She can be reached at 561-994-6273 or EstatePlanning@BreskyLegal.com.


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28

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Biz Briefs Tint World names Deja Holley as social media manager, creative designer Boca-based Tint World Automotive Styling Centers recently named Deja Holley as social media manager and creative designer. Holley brings more than 7 years of social media experience in the South Florida area to the Tint World® family and will provide an ever-increasing online presence to the company’s more than 70 global franchise locations with creative and social media support. “Deja is a social media whiz and brings the marketing, SEO, and other essential tools to boost the Tint World® brand not just here in the U.S., but across the globe,” said Charles J. Bonfiglio, president and CEO of Tint World®. “We’ve always been proud of the fact that our Tint World® franchisees have the best marketing and social media support possible. Her wide range of experience will ensure that we continue leading the industry.” Graduating from Florida International University, Holley received a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration and management. She has also earned certificates in leadership/management from Florida Atlantic University and project management from Nova Southeastern University. Prior to joining Tint World®, she served as a marketing assistant, graphic designer and creative director with various agencies in the South Florida area. “Tint World®’s commitment to excellence and perpetual growth mentality is infectious,” Holley said. “I am looking forward to promoting our franchise owners and the overall Tint World® brand. This company has built a solid reputation among entrepreneurs here in the U.S. and abroad, and we are always seeking opportunities to expand our global imprint. I want to be part of that growth and promote our cutting-edge products and services to all of our customers.” Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™ offer sales and installation of auto and marine accessories, mobile electronics, audio

video equipment, security systems, custom wheels and tire packages, window tinting, vehicle wraps, paint protection films, detailing services, nano ceramic coatings, maintenance and repair services and more. Boca Helping Hands promotes social worker to Job Training Admissions and Care Coordinator Ariella Bloch, RCSWI, is the new Job Training Admissions and Care Coordinator at Boca Helping Hands. Previously, Bloch worked as the Boca Helping Hands Social Worker. In her new role, she will apply her social work skills to the Job Training Program, helping to train, certify and employ students in the organization’s seven Job Training Programs. Bloch celebrated 1 year of employment at Boca Helping Hands this August. Bloch coordinates the Job Training Program, which includes recruitment and candidate interviews as well as student evaluation, monitoring and as-needed case management support. Ariella helps monitor and assess the students, from interview to training to employment. She graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Social Work and graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Master of Social Work. She is currently working on becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and will receive her certification this month. Delray-based PurWell hires new Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing Nick DiFrancesco is the new Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing for PurWell, a company focused on providing pure, natural hemp oil products that promote general health and wellness. DiFrancesco brings more than 20 years of experience in the medical industry to his position. Prior to joining PurWell, he

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worked with Veritas Farms, which produces quality, full spectrum CBD products as vice president of Medical Sales & Marketing. There, he directly oversaw the creation, launch, marketing strategy and sales for the company. In addition, he also hired, trained and developed all outside sales representatives. Before devoting his work full-time to Veritas Farms, he launched pharmaceutical products and devices nationwide for companies like Primus Pharmaceuticals, Rotech Healthcare and Pulmocair. “We are very pleased to have Nick on our team to spearhead our sales and marketing initiatives, Purcell CEO Jon Fedele said. “With over two decades of experience and an exceptional performance record within the pharmaceutical and medical industries, he brings a great deal of expertise to Purwell.” A resident of Delray Beach, DiFrancesco earned his Bachelor of Arts in marketing and finance from Florida Atlantic University. He holds an associate degree in marketing from University of Miami.

grams, and that Saiko-i patrons can dine out and donate on a regular basis. Boca Helping Hands Development Manager Karen Swedenborg and the Development Specialist Anna Campitelli Rubenstein recently visited Saiko-i to receive the first donation from the restaurant. "We, at Boca Helping Hands, greatly appreciate our community partners such as Saiko-i,” Swedenborg said. “We thank Tina Wang and Chef Jason Zheng for their kindness and for choosing Boca Helping Hands to be a recipient of their restaurant patrons' generosity. These funds will be used to help to feed our clients through our food programs.” BHH distributes more than 70,000 pantry bags filled with groceries each year (6,000 bags per month) to qualified Palm Beach Country residents at three locations (Boca Raton, West Boca and Boynton Beach). BHH volunteers serve over 55,000 hot meals annually, six days per week, at their Boca Raton Food Center. Saiko-i donations go towards Boca Helping Hands' hot meal program, which serves between 150-200 meals per day, as well as the Pantry Program, which helps over 17,000 adults and children.” [FROM PG 24]

Boca Helping Hands Development Specialist Anna Campitelli Rubenstein, BHH Development Manager Karen Swedenborg, Saiko-i co-owner Tina Wang, and Saiko-i General Manager Lawrence Kwan at the first check presentation/donation from Saiko-i to Boca Helping Hands. Submitted photo. Saiko-i Sushi Lounge & Hibachi donates dollars from Buddha statue to Boca Helping Hands Diners who leave money at the Buddha statue at West Boca’s Saiko-i Sushi Lounge & Hibachi restaurant are helping to pay it forward. The restaurant owners Tina Wang and Chef Jason Zheng recently donated $2,200 of diners’ dollars to Boca Helping Hands. The restaurateurs say they plan to make several donations to the nonprofit, which provides food, and medical and financial assistance, to meet basic human needs as well as education, job training, and guidance to create self-sufficiency. "We had been looking for a local charity with food programs that feed people in our community, and Boca Helping Hands is the perfect fit,” Wang said. “Their food pantry programs, where they provide groceries, and their other meal programs, provide an extremely important service for adults and children. We look forward to donating the 'Buddha money' to this wonderful charity, throughout the year, for many years to come.” The couple is also happy that the money can specifically be donated to BHH's food pro-

When it came time to created Five Organic, they realized that the market had a void. It was missing a healthy hydration option that wasn’t artificially flavored and loaded up with sugar. The electrolytes in the beverage come from potassium rather than sodium. The ingredients are sustainable, GMO-free, sourced in America, kosher and gluten free. The packaging is BPA free. Five Organic can be found in the water aisle. They estimate they have sold about 1 million bottles this past year. They were just picked up by Anheuser-Busch’s distribution system, so the goal is to expand where you can purchase Five Organic. “We want to go from Publix and Whole Foods to everywhere else,” Haimberg said. As expansion continues, the team is looking for investors. Ideally, they would like to bring on local investors since they are based in South Florida. They said the company is profitable and carries no debt. They said they have been successful at a rapid rate, but know they are up against giants like Coca-Cola’s Powerade and Pepsi’s Gatorade. Haimberg said about 400 new beverage concepts are introduced every year. They hope they have found their niche in the market that will take them to the next level.


Try a taste of Nashville’s music, eats at Delray’s Tin Roof jang ranch. The pickles were the right amount of batter and crisp, not deep fried and oily. We also ordered the madein-house pork rinds, which we could have snacked on all night.

Staff report With two stages, southern inspired menu items and speciality cocktails, Tin Roof brings jams, eats and libations to patrons. On a recent Friday night, the happy hour crowd was still going strong as the dinner hour approached. To cool off, we sampled cocktails from the “Roof Favorites” drink menu the 2 Night Stand: Beefeater gin, elderflower, lime, grapefruit and cucumber and the Lynchburg Lemonade: Jack Daniels, triple sec, lemon, lime and sprite. Our waitress called the evening a quiet one even though the bar was packed and every high top full. She said maybe the summer heat kept some folks inside. Tin Roof is an indoor, outdoor concept with not much air conditioning. Outside, people listened to the live band and sipped on cans of White Claw Hard Seltzer and drafts of beer. Inside, college football games were screened on the televisions. To go with the drinks, we sampled the fried pickles served along with a dipping gochu-

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For our main course, we went with the Nashville hot chicken, which is every bit hot as its name suggests. The fried chicken was rubbed thoroughly with cayenne pepper and the white bread it was served on to help with the heat was just as spicy. To help cool down the heat, the ranch potato salad was a refreshing side and highlight of the meal. The voodoo shrimp was also a southern-inspired dish that lived up to the “Comforts” section it was listed under on the menu. Many of the menu items are made in house and from scratch. The calendar for the venue appeals to those looking to hear live music, catch a football game or even participate in trivia. Tin Roof hosts karaoke on Tuesdays, tribute bands several times a month and various themed trivia nights. Highlights for October include a Bahamas Benefit Concert featuring Steel Town Religion and BKH Band at 5 p.m. Oct. 3, a Jazz on the Ave brunch music series from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 6, Pineapple Jack o Lantern Carving Night - $5 includes pineapple, carving utensils, and tea lights on Oct. 14, Stranger Things Trivia at 8 p.m. on Oct. 28 and a GUNZ and ROZES Tribute act at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 31.

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30

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Rex Gryphon group brings dining, entertainment experience Rex Baron outpost to Town Center Mall By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor

“To disrupt and excel in an ever-evolving industry, we have mastered the REX: Restaurant, Entertainment Xperience at our posts by offering a high quality, healthy and delicious menu with a storied, rustic, new world atmosphere that engages and stimulates,” said Michael Norris, who leads the development of Rex Gryphon’s vigilante posts.

Rex Gryphon Culinary Director Ralph P. Fernandez holding a Lava Rock Charred Caesar Salad. Photo courtesy of Mike Zimmerman.

When you walk into Rex Baron, you are transported into another world. It is a place that is post-apocalyptic and tells a story while you taste dishes from the scratch kitchen. What Rex Baron is all about is in its parent company’s name, Rex Gryphon. The restaurant group’s name Rex- stands for Restaurant, Entertainment, Xperience and the gryphon is part eagle and part lion, which brings both heart and vision. The concept combines entertainment into the dining experience.

A look at how you your meal is served if you order from the Hunter Menu at Rex Baron. Photo courtesy of Mike Zimmerman.

That experience starts depending on how you enter the restaurant, which is located in the Nordstrom wing of Town Center Mall. If you access the restaurant’s store front space, you will enter a 2,500-square-foot

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VREX Lounge where you can escape reality and partake in a “bucket list” adventure like skydiving, diving in the ocean, piloting a plane, driving a race car or venturing on a safari. There are 32 different stations where you can find an experience you want to escape into. The virtual reality lounge has a full-service bar and offers a choice of OcThe Baron Burger is one of the ulus Valve Inmenu items at Boca’s Rex Bardex and XTAL on outpost. Photo courtesy of experiences. Mike Zimmerman. XTAL is the world’s first VR headset with AutoEye and embedded Leap Motion with 5k resolution. Rex Baron’s VREX Lounge will be the only VR venue in the world offering the XTAL. And when you work up an appetite, you can enter the themed restaurant where you will be greeted by Rex Baron and his 18 vigilantes, who will protect you in the new world.

deserted pets he finds and takes care of them in the outpost’s own animal sanctuary. Each character is a piece of art, dressed in high fashion, and styled to look like their role in the society. The menu continues with the survivor theme, too. There is a forager’s menu for vegans and vegetarians and meat eaters become the chef at their own table after selecting from the hunter’s menu. After you choose your protein, an inhouse butcher will bring you your steak, seafood or poultry and give you tips on seasoning and cooking on the Black Lava Rock or the Pink Himalayan Salt Block. You get a choice of three sauces: Wasteland (hot pepper relish, horseradish, crème fraiche, Mad Rex BBQ sauce and spice rub), Guts & Glory (Mad Rex hot sauce, tzatziki sauce, romesco sauce, spice rub) or The Grasslands (Pesto, balsamic reduction, sriracha). Other items include Lava Rock Charred Caesar salad, half-pound Baron Burger and Pan Seared Scallops with turkey chorizo and roasted corn puree.

As you enter the restaurant, you become a survivor along with the other vigilante characters who have a goal of creating a new inclusive world. The Boca location or “outpost” is the second for the restaurant group. The first, Mad Rex, is located in Philadelphia and recently was nominated for Best Steakhouse in the city.

Pan Seared Scallops with turkey chorizo, roasted corn puree is a chef ’s selection menu item at Rex Baton. Photo courtesy of Mike Zimmerman.

Booths feature patches of the old world with swatches of Gucci and Louis Vuitton prints sewn into the worn leather look.

Sides include Goat Cheese and Mushroom Risotto, Himalayan Salted Baked Potato and Wild Rice Pilaf with chickpeas, cranberries, cherries, and apricots.

The 18 vigilantes, nine men, nine women, all have their own role and story line. Their leader is Rex Baron, a MIT graduate who started a medical drone company and after becoming a billionaire retired to Boca Raton.

To drink, there are 16 signature cocktails served in post-apocalyptic barware or served up in military-grade IV bags perched on rolling frames.

Each outpost has a local nod, so the farmer is Yamato, who tens and protects the land; Watson, who leads technology; and there is former police officer Boca Blade. Other characters include Cobra, a former surgeon who saves and heals those in need; Roughneck, who drills for water and protects the wells; and Drifter, who is in charge of exploring for new territories while recruiting, and rescues

In addition to the main dining room, there is an outdoor terrace for dining and a private room. Rex Baron will be open on Oct. 16 for lunch at 11 a.m. Rex Baron is open seven-days-a-week, on Sundays to Thursdays from 11 a.m. to midnight and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Reservations are not required, but can be made via Open Table, www.TheRexBaron.com or by calling 561-447-6993.


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32

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Umbrella follows their clients to Florida

people in it, and make sure they aren't taken advantage of."

yard or patio work, paint, hang pictures

"It's a win-win situation," he said. "We are truly their helping hands.”

By: Jan Engoren Contributing Writer Watching their clients head south every year for the warmer climes of South Florida, was the catalyst for a New York-based membership service company, Umbrella, to head south to where their clients are. Founded in 2017 for people 60 and over, Umbrella helps take care of their homes by matching seniors with vetted community members, called “Umbrella Neighbors,” who help with odd jobs at an affordable rate (everything from changing a lightbulb to installing an AC unit to fixing a leaky faucet), the idea to come south was a no-brainer. Most of their Umbrella neighbors are retired 50-60-somethings from the larger community. "Some of our clients may have had bad experiences with contractors or are not sure who to call," said Alexis Peschiera, a spokesperson for the company. “We are your ally. We make sure our members are happy and if the request is something we don't do, we'll make a referral." Typical requests come in for a handyman to change light fixtures, bulbs, help with

One service they won’t be offering to South Florida residents: winterizing homes and snow removal. Currently, they offer a membership special in honor of their September Florida launch which includes: a start of season special, an annual home walkthrough to check systems and proactive care to check air conditioner filters, vents, hinges, etc.

Lindsay Ullman, Umbrella's CEO, at the Delray launch at the Weisman Community Center. Submitted photo.

Members receive a package of proactive home maintenance services, plus access to unlimited handy help for $20/hour, after the annual membership fee of $245, which includes an annual home walkthrough, a preventive maintenance visit and one QuickChore.

or help with de-cluttering and home organizing.

She also had hip replacement surgery and after rehab was sent home to her three-level townhome. Finding it difficult to climb up and down the stairs, Rose reached out to Umbrella after seeing an ad in her local newspaper. She needed help reorganizing her dressers to put things within easy reach and relocating an office from her basement into a spare bedroom. “It’s worth it” (to join the membership), she said. “The concept seems ideal; if you use their services repeatedly it's definitely worth it.”

“Once you join, you can call any time and enjoy peace of mind,” Peschiera said. New to Florida and its vagaries, especially after Hurricane Dorian, the company is thinking about providing hurricane preparation services for South Florida and is targeting the areas from Boynton Beach south to Boca Raton.

Retired middle school teacher from East Meadow, NY, Doreen Rose, 73, is enjoying her retirement. Last year she travelled to Namibia on safari and indulged her hobby of photography.

Rose had two men come to move a desk and a heavy TV and another woman came to help her declutter. Umbrella is now offering services in South Florida. Submitted photo.

Boca Raton resident Gary Miano, 66, is one of Umbrella's newest neighbors. Originally from New Jersey but living in Boca since 1981, the licensed insurance agent is semi-retired and said he is always looking for something fun and rewarding to do.

“She was amazing,” said Rose. “She even took the items to the Salvation Army for me.”

"I like to help people and doing home repair is fun for me," he said. "When my customers like it and they smile I feel better than they do." Miano saw the listing on Craigslist and an opportunity to help people and get paid for something he enjoys. He was impressed with the company vetting process and says that seniors can feel comfortable with the people they send. "Sometimes seniors want to stay in their home and need someone to trust and someone who is affordable," Miano said. "This service fills a void." Miano, who can do almost everything except carpentry, says he looks out for the seniors and tries to fix things he sees that could lead to bigger problems in the long run. “This service gives you peace of mind, a low rate and the ability to work with somebody who is a part of the community and who cares,” he said.

New York Umbrella member Pam Madison receives help from Neighbor Brendan Frodell. Submitted photo.

She’s already planning her next project. She has some painting jobs that need to be started and plans to utilize Umbrella’s services again. ‘They're very friendly,” she said. “And ‘neighborly’ is really the right word.” Kim Visconti, 64, also from East Meadow, NY, lost her husband a year ago. She's had two knee replacements and hip surgery and finds it difficult to do common household chores. A member since January, Visconti, a hairdresser, has had more than 10 jobs done by Umbrella everything from cleaning to painting to power washing and staining her deck.

Miano says his values are in line with the company's mission.

"It's a great concept," Visconti said. "The price is reasonable and the people they send are great.”

"It's more than a service," he said. "It's a way to care for your community and the

Fore more information visit, AskUmbrella. com/Florida and 561-475-2448.



34

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Boca’s economic development report By: Jessica Del Vecchio Economic Development

The 3.8-acre vacant land at 900 Peninsula Corporate Circle sold for $3.75 million. Dizengoff Boca Raton LLC sold the vacant property to Peninsula Ice LLC, managed by Hal M. Jacovitz and Jacob Dinov in Delray Beach.

For the first time in the university’s history, U.S. News & World Report ranked Florida Atlantic University in its list of

foot-office is a national headquarters supporting Kroger’s digital businesses,

pany acquired in 2017. Have corporate news to share or looking to relocate/expand your company to Boca Colliers International announced the $4.8 million sale of a 1.7-acre multifamily apartment community, Bouganvillas Apartments, in East Boca. Located at 1500 - 1650 NW Fourth Avenue, the apartment community is comprised of 23, two-bedroom and two-bathroom

By: Stephanie Immelman Interim CEO of the Greater Delray Beach

Raton? Contact the city’s economic devel“Top Public Schools” in the nation. US News & World Report analyzed 1,400 colleges and universities across the country and FAU ranked 140th.

opment office at economicdevelopment@ myboca.us or 561-393-7761. Want to see what we are up to? Follow us on Facebook @BocaEconomicDevelopment.

But it’s a two way street. When I started as the Interim CEO, I felt that it was really important that the

Chamber of Commerce Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers

It’s also time for Party in Paradise, the Chamber’s annual fundraising event. This year it takes place on Oct. 10, from 6-9 p.m. at the Delray Beach Club. It’s a luau theme so expect tropical drinks and Hawaiian entertainment. Tickets are $100. Go to www.delraybeach.com to register.

retailer has moved to the Boca Raton

including Vitacost.com which the com-

Engage with the Delray Chamber this October It’s that time of year. It’s the start of our Community’s Season. October is the best time to be in Delray Beach because our favorite events start taking place and it’s still quiet enough in town to enjoy them. I always look forward to the Witches ride, the Green Market and the Friday Night Concerts at Old School Square.

by revenue and second-largest general

Innovation Campus. The 43,000 square-

Manager Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers Celsius Holdings (Nasdaq: CELH), maker of the drink brand Celsius, announced it is set to acquire Finland based Func Food for $24.6 million. Celsius plans to add the FAST Sport Nutrition line to its offerings.

units throughout the three apartment buildings.

Kroger, the largest supermarket chain

That’s why the Chamber offices will be open on the First Friday Artwalk on Oct. 4. We’re partnering with artists from the Arts Warehouse and the kids from the Milagro Center to showcase their artwork with a Climate theme.

Leadership Delray kicks off on Oct. 16. Leadership Delray kicks off on Oct. 16. Twenty young business leaders in the community take one day per month to learn about what makes this City tick ---from visits with the Mayor and tours of the Police and Fire Departments to field trips out to the Agricultural Reserve in Belle Glade. This year we are partnering with the National Leadership Institute who will provide Leadership training modules during each session. The Chairman’s Club welcomes Art Hogan, CNBC Financial Correspondent , on Oct. 9 at the Seagate Beach Club. We’ve got a lot going on and we want you to engage with the Chamber.

Get your tickets to Party in Paradise, the Chamber’s annual fundraising event. Photo courtesy of Emiliano Brooks, Studio B Squared.

Chamber staff and Board participate more in Community events. The team here took that direction and ran with it and nowadays, you’ll find Chamber staff at events and happenings all over town such as welcoming kids back to school at Village Academy.

Leadership Delray kicks off on Oct. 16. Submitted photo.

You’ll also find us at the Police Department’s National Night Out against crime which was rescheduled to Oct. 3 on the grounds of Old School Square. Enjoy the beginning of our Community’s Season this October. We hope to see you around town!

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REAL

ESTATE

OCTOBER 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Commercial property spotlight: Penn-Florida Commerce Center Staff report Located just off Clint Moore Road on Rogers Circle is one of Boca Raton’s most unique commercial properties: Penn-Florida Commerce Center. Owned and developed by Boca Raton-based Penn-Florida Companies, this 70,927-square-foot Class A facility combines luxury with flex-warehouse space. Its tenant roster includes Barrel of Monks Brewery, Boca Raton Champions Golf Charities, Blinc Incorporated, Designer Resource, Dab-OMatics Holdings, Moraca Builders and Water Conservation Solutions & Management. “This upscale two-story property offers showroom, warehouse and office space and can accommodate an array of business types. In addition to the serene lakefront view, suites are fully air-conditioned with 24-foot clear height ceilings, plus dock high and grade level doors,” said Dyana Kenney, Executive VP and Director of Leasing for Penn-Florida Companies. “The building is nearly 100 percent leased by a strong, diversified tenant base.” One of the most notable tenants is the headquarters for the Boca Raton Championship, a nationally televised PGA Tour Champions event held annually in Boca Raton. “We love what Penn-Florida Commerce Center offers us: office space in the heart of Boca Raton and the warehouse we need to prepare and host a significant world-class golf event. Most importantly, the building

that has allowed us to keep growing,” said Eddie Carbone, Tournament Director for the Boca Raton Championship. You wouldn’t expect to find a brewery in a flex-warehouse building, but Barrel of Monks, a local and nationally respected brewery, got their start at Penn-Florida Commerce Center in 2015. The Belgian-style brewer focuses on quality while combining traditional techniques with modern technology. We asked Barrel of Monks’ co-founder Keith DeLoach about the center: Why did you choose the Penn-Florida Commerce Center? Barrel of Monks was started by a group of friends who lived in Boca and loved Belgian-style beer. We wanted our business to be born in Boca, grow in Boca, and eventually be able to bring more attention to this vibrant community… which I’m proud to say we have done. We knew we needed a location in the center of Boca Raton to accomplish this, so when we discovered Penn-Florida Commerce Center, we recognized that it was going to be our home for a long, long time.

Has the Commerce Center been an advantage for your business? Many doubted a brewery could be a success in Boca Raton. Not only did we quickly silence the skeptics, we have thrived in this building! There is no doubt our location has played a major role in our success and the open space and high ceilings allows us to have the best in manufacturing equipment. The property also offers easy access for deliveries and pick-ups as well as room for growth. It’s truly the perfect fit for us. What’s next for Barrel of Monks, besides winning awards and impressing the taste buds of South Florida? As we continue to grow and get the word out about our incredible beers, we are seriously considering an expansion at Penn-Florida Commerce Center. Penn-Florida Companies offers flexible options that make it easy for tenants like us to renew at the same location, expand and be successful. We are grateful for all the support the community provides and we look forward to being in Boca Raton for generations to come.

Investments Limited has added to its real estate portfolio with the recent purchase of the West Boca Plaza. Located on State Road 7/US 441 and Marina Blvd. in

Palm Beach County

For more information on Penn-Florida Commerce Center visit pennflorida.com. For more info on Barrel of Monks visit barrelofmonks.com.

Investments Limited purchases West Boca Plaza Staff report

INSIDE

Kroger Company signs lease at BRiC [38]

West Boca Raton, the plaza was recently remodeled and is anchored by a Publix. Other tenants include Little Caesars Pizza, Cricket Wireless, and 411 Animal Hospital.

Delray Courtyard Marriott to open [39]

35


36

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

What’s up in the real estate market… Atlantic Crossing project secures $45 million investment Edwards Cos., which is building Atlantic Crossing in downtown Delray Beach, recently secured a $45 million investment from Pearlmark Real Estate Partners for the project. The money from the preferred equity investment will help pay for building the mixed-use project, which features apartments, condos, office and retail space. Atlantic Crossing is located on 9-acres of land on Atlantic Avenue and Federal Highway. The Ohio-based developer already has a $110 million construction loan from Fifth Third Bank, Huntington Bank and Santander Bank that it received in January. Mark Witt of Pearlmark arranged the preferred equity transaction. The entire project is expected to be completed within five years of groundbreaking, or 2023. The luxury residential units would be completed in 2020 with the park-side residential units being delivered in 2022.

More tenants sign on for Uptown Boca Uptown Boca has announced seven new tenants for the new lifestyle center in West Boca Raton. The project will feature 155,000-square-feet of retail space and 456 luxury apartments on 38 acres at Glades Road and 95th Ave. South. New leases recently secured include Lazy Dog Restaurant, Lynora’s Osteria, Olive U Mediterranean Grill, F45 Training, Sport Clips, Paradise Grills and Tipsy Salonbar. Those businesses will join existing tenants Lucky’s Market, Silverspot Cinema, Chick-fil-A, Bolay and BurgerFi. The project is being developed by Schmier Property Group, Giles Capital Group and Rosemurgy Properties in partnership with Wheelock Street Capital. “At the heart of Uptown Boca is the desire to create a vibrant local destination where people within the community will find their new favorite eateries, entertainment and nightlife as well as a carefully curated mix of new options for daily needs and services,” said Brian Schmier, CEO of Schmier Property Group. “We’ve seen incredible interest on the leasing side, and so far we’ve accomplished our goal to bring some of the most highly sought after restaurants and retailers to west Boca. In the upcoming weeks and months we’ll

announce some more key tenants that will really solidify the merchandising mix at Uptown Boca. At that point we’ll be around 90 percent leased.” “The walkability at Uptown Boca will be a huge benefit to our residents,” said Rick Giles, President of Giles Capital Group. “Uptown Boca will be the first new Class-A Multifamily project in this community in the past 20 years. The apartments will provide our residents with an unparalleled list of resort style amenities, plus the added benefit of being able to walk to an organic grocery, luxury cinema and a diverse mix of other restaurants, retailers and service providers.” For more information about Uptown Boca, visit uptownboca.com.

Delray Realtor attends FIABCI-Miami meeting welcoming World President of FIABCI

Shuttle service reinstated at Lake Delray Apartments

Christel Silver, owner of Silver International Realty in Delray Beach recently attended in the FIABCI-Miami (International Real Estate Federation) meeting welcoming Walid Moussa, World President of FIABCI, to discuss the future of the Miami chapter as well as to get the USA involved in the Grand Prix D’Exellence.

The service resumed this summer after the senior residents were about to lose the public transportation service.

The FIABCI Grand Prix of Real Estate is a competition that recognizes those exceptional individuals and firms whose creation and use of real estate make the world a better place to live, work, and play. “FIABCI has provided access and opportunities for real estate professionals interested in gaining knowledge, sharing information and conducting international business with each other,” Silver said. “The organization has a commitment to excellence in all spheres of our work and in our interactions with members, partners and all real estate professionals.”

Shuttle service has resumed for Lake Delray Apartment residents.

at Lake Delray Apartments. After hearing about this issue, Krieg arranged for a meeting with Palm Beach County Commissioner Robert Weinroth and representatives of Delray Housing Group, Jakeleen Fernandez and Shirley Erazo.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Robert Weinroth and Delray Housing Group (DHG) Board Member Ezra Krieg, negotiDHG Board Member Kreig and County ated with PalmTran to reinstate bus service Palm Beach County Commissioner Robert Commissioner Weinroth reached out to to the complex. Weinroth, Bus Driver Kerry Roberts, Resident PalmTran on numerous occasions in order Ellen Desantis, and Delray Housing Group to ascertain what progress was made and On July 25, the inaugural shuttle bus made Commissioner Ezra Krieg. Submitted photo. to facilitate the establishment of the circuits first stop in front of 1050 Dotterel Road. lator bus. Residents were waiting and had signs thanking PalmTran for the shuttle. In June 2019, PalmTran contacted the Lake Delray Apartments site staff wanting to start the shuttle on July 1, 2019 and have it The next day, there was a reception at the complex clubhouse to stop in front of 1010 and 1050 Dotterel Road and go to Publix thank Commissioner Weinroth and Krieg, as well as to present only. both with awards for their hard work and dedication in getting “We want to thank DHG Board Member Krieg and County the residents of Lake Delray Apartments a shuttle. Commissioner Weinroth, along with the representatives of In 2018, notices were put up at the bus stops for the then PalmTran for reinstating this shuttle,” said Dorothy Ellington, Route 80 bus on Dotterel Road and Audubon Blvd that there President Delray Housing Group. “It is so important for our would no longer be bus service. The closure of these bus residents to be able to maintain a certain amount of indepenstops affected approximately 460 senior citizens who reside dence and this shuttle will provide them with that opportunity.”

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

What assistance animals, service animals mean when it comes to housing By: Christel Silver Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) definition of an Assistance Animal is: “An Assistance Animal is an animal that works, provides assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or that provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified effects of a person’s disability. An assistance animal is not a pet.” What does this mean to the landlord? Here is one example: Even if the owner has a “no pet” policy, if a deaf tenant explains that the dog is an assistance animal that will alert him to several sounds, the landlord must make an exception to its “no pets” policy to accommodate this tenant. He/she cannot charge a pet deposit for the animal, because it is not a pet. The landlord also cannot ask for proof that the animal is trained. This rule does not only apply only to dogs, it could be a cat, a ferret or another animal. Service Animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. The owners can train the animal themselves. They are not required to use professional service dog training programs. But they have to comply with local and state animal control or public health requirements, like leash laws and vaccination requirements. Service Animals are working animals, not pets. They are trained to provide direct service to the person’s disability. The ADA does not restrict the type of dog breeds that can be service animals. If your tenant has a pit bull breed

as service dog, you cannot deny the tenant, because the HOA is not allowing pit bulls in the community. The U.S. Department of Justice published revised final regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Here are some rules a landlord needs to know: No questions can be asked if it is obvious what service the animal provides, for example a dog guiding a blind person. When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, you are only allowed to ask these questions: (1) Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) What work or task has the dog been trained to perform. The landlord cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task. The owner must maintain control of the animal at all times through voice, signal, or other effective controls. Allergies and fear of dogs are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people using service animals. You may have seen the picture in the news about a miniature horse service animal on an airplane. The Justice Department revised ADA regulations and added a provision for miniature horses. They have to be individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.

Downtown Delray real estate firms True Floridian, Furbaby Real Estate join forces

True Floridian Realty led by Noelle McIntyre and The FurBaby Group led by Adrianne Kurman have merged.

taneously giving back to animal rescue charities with every home sale and purchase, Kurman has created a specialized and sought-after niche in the real estate market.

True Floridian Realty has over 30 agents in offices in Jupiter, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, in addition to the Delray headquarters.

McIntyre, who founded True Floridian Realty in 2011 and is the Broker/Owner, has made her mark as a third-generation Floridian with a wide network of contacts and a thirst for helping those in need (including various pet rescue organizations).

Kurman created FurBaby Real Estate in 2017, after 15 years in the real estate industry, with the goal of making it easier for clients to find homes that fit both their own needs and their pets’ needs. By focusing on finding her clients pet-friendly homes and communities and simul-

With their joint passion for giving back to individuals, animals and organizations in need, Kurman and McIntyre are confident both their clients and the community will benefit. In 2019 alone, True Floridian Realty and FurBaby Real Estate have donated nearly $20,000 to

About Christel Silver Christel Silver is a full time Broker/Owner of Silver International Realty servicing the East Coast of South Florida. 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.

Kroger Company inks lease at BRiC Staff report

Staff report Two women-led, downtown Delray Beach-based real estate firms are teaming up to become “The FurBaby Group at True Floridian Realty.”

What is a miniature horse? Its height is generally 24 inches to 34 inches (measured to the shoulders). The weight is generally between 70 and 100 pounds. There are some requirements to allow a miniature horse: It must be house broken and the owner has to be in control, the accommodations must be able to facilitate the size and weight of the miniature horse and its presence has to be safe for the facility. For more information contact: www.ADA.gov

Adrianne Kurman, Bella and Noelle McIntyre celebrate teaming up. Submitted photo.

local pet rescue organizations in Palm Beach County. “Noelle and I both have an enormous passion for animals and with over 30 years combined real estate experience, this partnership will be beneficial for all of our clients, their ‘furbabies’ and the local charitable organizations that we support,” Kurman said. McIntyre added: “There is no other local company that so closely mirrors our own values and passion for supporting the community. We are so happy to welcome Adrianne and the FurBaby Group to the True Floridian Realty team!”

The Kroger Company’s Boca office will now be located in 43,000-square-feet at BRiC, Boca Raton Innovation Campus. Kroger is the largest supermarket chain by revenue and the second-largest general retailer. The company moved from 5400 Broken Sound Blvd. NW to the 4700 building on the former IBM campus. “[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 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.” Their Boca office supports digital business including Vitacost.com, which the company acquired in 2017. The new space is more efficient for the company. The previous space was seg-

mented as the company grew. Now, it is one contagious space split by break rooms and huddle spaces with flexible space options featuring 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 lease. “Our first-class amenities and immediate access to I-95 and the TriRail help us check the boxes for progressive organizations like Kroger. We welcome their addition to campus in continuing to foster a community of innovation.” Mitchell Millowitz of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank represented Kroger while Vennett and CBRE’s Jeff Kelley represented the landlord. Kroger’s Boca headquarters are located at 4700 Exchange Court, Suite 200.


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Courtyard Marriott to open in downtown Delray this month Staff report There is a new place to staycation downtown. Courtyard by Marriott will open its doors to guests this month. Located at 135 SE 6th Ave., in the city’s Marina Historic District, the hotel features 150 rooms with 12 deluxe suites. Rooms are offered in about a dozen configurations with double king bed options with a pull out sofa for families. The hotel is geared toward both families vacationing and folks traveling for business trip meetings. The hotel is modern and has pops of blue sofas in the lobby. The water and ocean vibe is subtly present in the design and color scheme. The ground floor features The Bistro, which will serve breakfast and Starbucks coffee as well as dinner. There is also a private dining area. The ground floor houses three guest rooms and the fitness center with floor to ceiling windows. On its own wing is an area dedicated to meeting space. Away from any hotel rooms, three different rooms total 2,005-squarefeet. There is a board room for intimate meetings and a larger room that can accommodate about 90 people. There are media pods with built-in-TVs and technology for hosting meetings. Some rooms on the fourth floor have Intracoastal views. And the top floor is close to the rooftop pool, which also has a bar, The Reef. The pool and bar area will be open to the public with the purchase of a wristband pass. Here is a peek inside a guest room with a king-sized bed.

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40

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

80s pop icon Tiffany rocks Boca Black Box By: Joanie Cox-Henry Contributing Writer Tiffany twirled into the hearts of millions of fans in 1987 when her cover of “I Think We’re Alone Now” became a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 list. After wrapping the Mixtape Tour in July with New Kids On The Block, Salt-N-Pepa, Debbie Gibson and Naughty By Na-ture, Tiffany is back out on the road on her own offering fans a more intimate look at her music and her life. She’s recently performed at Boca Black Box Center For The Arts on Sept. 22 where she sang classic hits as well as tunes from her latest album, “Pieces of Me.” “This new album is much more rock based. I think it’s been a progression really,” Tiffany said. “‘The Color of Silence’ was 2000. I started stepping into this world a bit. I had taken a hiatus. I had wanted to do a follow up album and had looked for producers for a long time. We went into the studio several times and we were going to do rock projects with a harder edge and it all end-ed up in pop land again. I was like ‘Well this is not what I said I was going to do.” Tiffany continued to tour, host and do

things that made her grow as an artist, but she longed to go back into the studio. “I thought ‘Well I’ll get back on track at some point, but it’s got to be with the right people.’ And that started to happen about three years ago,” Tiffany said. “This album is a lot about love and heartbreak and a reflection of pieces of my life.” While Tiffany is delighted to be back on the road, she is missing her Mixtape Tour family, espe-cially The New Kids On The Block, who Tiffany had catapulted to fame after allowing them a spot as her opening act. “I didn’t expect the tribute from New Kids in the show,” Tiffany, 47, said. “I held off crying until the 54th show and then the tears started to come. I struggled with the video. I couldn’t watch it. I was in awe that they took the time to tell the story and give me that credit back. I real-ly appreciated it. To me, I just did the right thing. They came in. It made sense. It was a great pairing.” Tiffany also enjoy connecting with fans during that tour.

“It’s been so much fun meeting the fans and hearing their stories,” Tiffany said. “Some have said they didn’t like me back then because I was dating Jon [Knight]. It’s been amazing to see how many have traveled to follow the New Kids and they’ve got a group of girls who go together and the relationships that were founded on loving that group.” During her own meet and greets, Tiffany admits she has a more new age approach. “When the fans would come on my bus, I’m very earth child so I would have my candles going and crystals and I do a lot of saging,” Tiffany added. “When you smudge with sage, it cleans the air and I can’t get sick.So they’d come on my bus and wonder ‘What is happening?’ It was very intimate and I had fun with it every night. When she’s not sipping authentic jasmine green tea or playing with aromatherapy oils you can find her shopping for Versace fashions or getting a healthy glow from Makeup Forever products. But every once in a while, fans still ask her what she misses most about her 1987 mall tour that trans-

formed her into an overnight teen icon. “I miss many things from the 80s that aren’t around anymore, but what I miss most of all that still exists, but is not as readily available, is Orange Julius,” Tiffany reminisced. “That was my favorite drink in the 80s and I drank it at every mall. I also miss Charlotte Russe. I rocked some Charlotte Russe back then. That was my jam!”

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41

Local groups step up to help with hurricane relief efforts By: Diane Feen Contributing Writer There was hysteria and then a sense of calm pervading South Florida last month. Hurricane Dorian was slated to hit our shores with a ghastly gush of rain and wind gusts of up to 200 miles per hour. But as luck would have it, we were spared. There was rain and a bit of panic (water and gas shortages) but we were left pretty much intact after the ferocious storm passed. But for those who live in the Bahamas, it was a different story. It was one of hardship and death, displacement and despair. The Category 5 hurricane hit the Grand Bahamas, Great Abaco and other nearby areas. It’s estimated over 60,000 people were affected, and 45 percent of their homes were destroyed. It was heartbreaking to watch – but out of compassion grew a mammoth surge of goodness. Organizations and charities – churches and non-profits rose to the challenge of helping those in need in the Bahamas.

Members of Delray’s Elks Club collected truck loads of items to send to the Bahamas. Submitted photo.

the plate in a big way was South Florida IPIC Theaters. Their Hurricane Dorian Relief Supply Drive went from Miami Beach to Delray. They sent out an extensive list of items to be collected - ranging from canned foods to tents, generators, baby formula and more. They collected 600 cases of water, 60 cases of diapers. 50 cases of hand wipes, 130 boxes of canned and non-perishable foods and other items. Those who donated were given complimentary IPIC Access Gold Pass (and 30-day Gold Trial memberships). The Boca Raton Airport also supported Bahama Relief Efforts by suspending customs Fees (until Nov. 17) and collecting donations. Private pilots were able to come back to the US after humanitarian relief visits and bring people back to the US. The Boca Raton Airport Administration office served as a collection site for donations.

Junior League members pitched in to send diapers and other supplies to the Bahamas. Left to right are Samantha Eckhart, Shelby Seidler, Alyson Reeves, Amanda O’Brien, Margi Cross. Submitted photo.

“Our hearts are with our Bahamian friends who have suffered unimaginable tragedy. South Florida has a connection with the Bahamas, so a lot of our sister Leagues contributed to our relief efforts,” said Cristy Stewart-Harfmann, president of the Junior League of Boca Raton. The Junior League accepted donations for Bahamian hurricane victims at their headquarters, the Vegso Community Resource Center. The lobby of the Resource Center was overflowing with medical hygiene products, supplies and diapers destined for those who desperately need them in the Bahamas. Junior Leagues in San Diego, Ocala, Savannah, Boston and Virginia also sent supplies. Another local business that stepped up to

The Delray Beach Library came up with a unique idea to raise money and consciousness for the cause. Their “Food for Fines” drive encouraged people to bring in overdue items to the library and all fines would be forgiven. Instead people were asked to bring non-perishable items to be shipped to the Bahamas.

Boca Raton Firefighter and Paramedic Benevolent Fund members stand in front of items they helped collet and sort for hurricane relief efforts. Submitted photo.

the entire community was very generous, said Eaton. Matchmaker – and king of the single’s social scene - Steve Fox also got into the fundraising mode. Over 350 people came to a fundraiser at Carmine’s La Trattoria of Palm Beach Gardens. “We are fortunate to be able to safeguard our loved ones, homes and valuables. As we hunkered down in the comfort of our homes, we watched those less fortunate lose everything. The question is not why did I decide to do the party for their benefit, but how could I not?”

If you know the Delray Elk’s members then you know they sprang into action for hurricane victims. “Members Iain Paterson and David Stenson coordinated the logistics so the Elks could get donations directly to those who need it. They went by barge, yachts and planes. We collected, sorted and boxed up donations. We’re still accepting monetary donation,” said Carol Eaton. St Joseph’s Episcopal School, The Boys Market, Walmart, the Delray Chamber and

“Across South Florida, we are breathing a sigh of relief that Hurricane Dorian passed by. However, we know that across the Bahamas, the devastation has been overwhelming. In keeping with our Jewish values of tzedakah, and not standing idly by, we are asking all members of the synagogue to help out in the relief effort,” said Senior Rabbi Dan Levin.

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At Cross Country Home Services (in Boca) they had a corporate match fundraiser for disaster relief. So far CCHS employees have raised $5,130, bringing the total donation to over $12,000.

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Pulitzer prize winning author, humorist Dave Barry at Downtown Boca Library

Boca Helping Hands’ food delivery curtailed as truck dies, nonprofit seeking help to replace truck

Staff report

Staff report

In partnership with the Flamingo Comedy Festival, the Boca Raton Public Library is hosting an author talk and book signing with Pulitzer Prize-winning author and humorist, Dave Barry. The event will take place from 3-5 p.m. on Oct. 20 at the downtown library. The bestselling author will discuss his most recent books, Lessons from Lucy: The Simple Joys of an Old, Happy Dog and A Field Guide to the Jewish People. From 1983 to 2004, Dave Barry wrote a weekly humor column for The Miami Herald, which in 1988 won a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. He is the author of more than thirty books, including such bestsellers as the nonfiction Live Right and Find Happiness (Although Beer Is Much Faster), You Can Date Boys When You’re Forty, and I’ll Mature When I’m Dead; the novels Big Trouble, Tricky Business, and Insane City; the very successful

YA Peter Pan novels (with Ridley Pearson); and his Christmas story The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog.

A truck used to deliver food for Boca Helping Hands has failed, curtailing delivery efforts.

Two of his books—Big Trouble and Dave Barry’s Guide to Guys—have been turned into movies. For a while, his life was even a television series, Dave’s World. Barry is also a guitarist with the wildly untalented, all-author band, the Rock Bottom Remainders.

“With the loss of this truck, we’re having to use multiple vehicles to fill these needs, resulting in double the fuel and paid drivers,” said Greg Hazle, Executive Director of Boca Helping Hands. “We are unable to provide food to as many people in need because of our current situation. We are asking for the community’s help to replace this truck.”

“When you hear the name ‘Dave Barry,’ you know you are about to hear something funny and uniquely Florida,” said Oyuki Poletz, Program Services Librarian, “which is why we are thrilled to partner with the Flamingo Comedy Festival to bring some much needed laughter to the community.” Dave Barry’s books will be available for purchase and signing after the talk. Register for this free program at www.flamingocomedyfestival.com.

Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, to visit FAU Staff report

The 24-foot truck was used regularly to procure and deliver food to the needy. Now, the nonprofit is looking for community help to get a new truck.

The truck was used to: • Pick up at Feeding South Florida. The vehicle held 10 pallets of food. Now, Boca Helping Hands has to send two of its smaller trucks with two drivers and pay for twice the amount of fuel to pick up the same amount of food. • Help operate the BHH Backpacks Program. The vehicle delivered pallets of food to 10 participating local elementary schools in Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach. The

food was then placed in backpacks for kids to take home to have meals over the weekend. • Bring pantry bags to BHH’s Boynton Beach satellite. The truck transported food to the Boynton Beach pantry bag distribution location. With the loss of this truck, fewer pantry bags of groceries can be distributed to Boynton Beach families. • Store and deliver Thanksgiving Box Brigade meals. If not replaced in time, the loss of this truck will affect upcoming Thanksgiving plans to feed the community, including the Box Brigade and Turkey Distribution Day. To find out how to help, contact Karen Swedenborg at 561-417-0913, ext. 202 or email karen@ bocahelpinghands.org

Miami Dolphins brings ‘The Audible: Football Fridays’ at Atlantic High Staff report

Peace activist and granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi Ela Gandhi will visit Florida Atlantic University on Oct. 21. FAU will present “A Life for Peace, from Apartheid to Democracy,” with Ela Gandhi, at 4 p.m. at the Osher Lifelong Learning Auditorium, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus. She will share her message of social justice gathered during a lifetime establishing democracy, using nonviolence to overcome a segregated Apartheid South African regime. She was born in South Africa, fought against discrimination and faced persecution and house arrest by the Apartheid regime that she helped to defeat. Ela Gandhi’s visit to South Florida is part of the Gandhi King Global Initiative by the King Institute at Stanford University, and the Gandhi 150 Celebration. Sponsors of the event

include the Peace, Justice and Human Rights Initiative at FAU, International Hindu University, Gandhi Square of Florida, and Aurora’s Voice. VIP tickets include a seat at the front of the auditorium and admission to the reception following the talk. The reception will include a meet-andgreet with Ela Gandhi, FAU students, and local peace and justice teachers and organizers. In honor of Gandhi’s simple lifestyle and spiritual disciplines, the reception will include a vegetarian meal, water, tea and coffee. VIP tickets also include admission to the “Gandhi at 150 Symposium” on Saturday, Oct. 19 and Sunday, Oct. 20 at 3200 College Ave, FAU Davie campus. For more information, visit fau. edu/artsandletters/pjhr. General admission tickets cost $35 and VIP tickets are available for $100. To purchase tickets, visit www. fauevents.com or call 561-297-6124.

Former Miami Dolphins Kim Bokamper and Joe Rose were at Atlantic High last month hosting “The Audible: Football Fridays,” a 30-minute pregame game promoting high school football in the Tri-county area. The program is in its third year and highlights local match-ups and previews the upcoming Dolphin game. In addition, the Dolphins will now incorporate signature NFL Community initiatives into the broadcast and games for the first time, including popular programs like My Cause, My Cleats, Salute to Service and Crucial Catch. As part of this NFL collaboration, each team will receive custom shirts and branding prior to the game.

Miami Dolphins Alum Troy Drayton meets with Atlantic HS Football Team. Photo courtesy of Miami Dolphins.

The live pregame show was in Delray Beach for Eagles game against Chaminade-Madonna Prep. The Eagles were also visited by Dolphins alum Troy Drayton the week of the game. Viewers can watch the broadcast on Facebook Live, Twitter and YouTube.

Atlantic High School Football receives visit from former Miami Dolphins. Photo courtesy of Miami Dolphins.



44

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | OCTOBER 2019

Boca students create Compete 2Give to help give back and for families of victims from the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburg, PA, after the shooting in Oct. 2018.

By: Jan Engoren Contributing Writer It all started with a Moonjar, a children’s bank that teaches kids to save, spend and share. When Jett and Stone Sacks, were 4-years-old, their parents Barbara and Mark Sacks of Boca Raton, gifted them with this bank. This is their earliest memory of giving back, as they donated their share proceeds to the Boys & Girls Club of Palm Beach County. Now 18 and students at St. Andrews School in Boca Raton, the fraternal twins have continued their charity work by founding the Compete2Give club and non-profit, which raises money for charities and engages other students in the process.

Now that the clubs have spread to more local high schools, people are reaching out to them. An angel investor is matching dollar for dollar the money they raise.

Compete2Give has partnered with Humanity of Palm Beach County to help with its neighborhood revitalization projects. Submitted photo.

“We’re grateful for the partnerships and continued support of our mission that Compete2Give has shown us,” said James McLelland, resource and marketing manager for Habitat for Humanity. Compete2Give has been selected to run the new Florence Fuller Basketball En-

“Barbara is a great model for her two sons, Stone and Jett, and now they are great role models for our kids,” Pugliese said. “They are modeling for other high school students how to step outside of themselves to be leaders and why that is important.” In August, the charity held its “Back to School Jam” at the Wayne Barton Study Center in Boca Raton and provided over 1,600 pairs of sneakers to under-resourced kids. Compete2Give student volunteers helped with distributing backpacks and school supplies for kids in need. Wayne Barton, Founder & CEO of the charity that bears his name said, “Compete2Give brought a lot of sweat equity and a lot of manpower to our back to school event. I can’t begin to say how much I appreciate their efforts.”

Compete2Give was selected to run the new Florence Fuller Basketball Enrichment Center in West Boca Raton. Every Friday Compete2Give will provide a coach for team sports events using students from each participating school to assist in providing a learning experience for the kids at the center. Submitted photo.

“We’re very proud of Stone and Jett,” said mom, Barbara Sacks. “They had an idea and stepped in to help. Our focus has evolved from raising money to getting more kids involved. When kids participate in these charity events they feel so fulfilled. It’s very rewarding and is a win/ win situation for both givers and receivers.” To-date the club has branched out to a number of other high schools, including Spanish River, Olympic Heights, West Boca, Boca High, Pine Crest and North Broward Preparatory Schools. Students earn community service hours and build relationships with the children whose lives they’ve impacted. They have partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County to assist with its neighborhood revitalization projects.

richment Center in West Boca Raton. Every Friday Compete2Give will provide a coach for team sports events using students from each participating school to assist in providing a learning experience for the kids at the center. Once a month they host an arts and crafts activity where they provide all of the items to create projects such as tie-dye T-shirts and jewelry. In addition to the Florence Fuller Center and Habitat for Humanity, the charity has worked with the Wayne Barton Study Center, Special Spaces and Love Serving Autism, a non-profit which teaches tennis to children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. Lisa Pugliese, founder and CEO of Love Serving Autism, said, “Compete2Give empowers young volunteers to make a difference in the community. They provided buddies and role models for our kids with autism.”

“They gave up their Saturday mornings to make life fortunate for those less fortunate,” Barton said. “In addition, they got the chance to bond with kids they might not meet otherwise. They reached across the table and became a huge blessing for our population.” Barton was effusive in his comments about the Sacks family. “Barbara is great,” he said. “She’s always eager to help out with projects and is always calling and asking what else they can do.” Barton says both groups benefit. “It’s a two-way experience,” he said. “These two groups of kids from different cultural and societal backgrounds get to know each other and have fun together. It provides a lifetime of experience for them both.” Other events have included teaming up with Habitat For Humanity and Home Depot to help revitalize The Wayne Barton Center, offering volunteers for Veg Fest Boca Raton last January and organizing a car wash to raise money for Breaking The Chains Outreach Ministry

Stone Saks created Compete2Give with his brother, Jett. Submitted photo.

Stone and Jett, now in their senior year at St. Andrews, will be making plans for college next year. Stone hopes to combine his interests in marketing and social entrepreneurship and both kids are looking to Duke University, University of Texas or New York University. Since 7th grade, each summer the twins have been attending college-level business courses. Jett plays on the school’s varsity tennis team, surfs and is part of the student government. Stone, who also plays tennis and ran varsity track and field last year, enjoys body building and spends significant time each day at the gym. “When our parents first brought us to the Boys & Girls club to donate our savings, I didn’t see the value at first,” remembers Stone Sacks. “But as we got older and entered middle school, we saw that it is not that difficult to make an impact on our community. Through hard work, determination and having a good team around us, it’s very rewarding to see that our work can have a positive effect on the people in our community.” With a motto of “Get in the Game of Giving to Others,” the twins hope to continue their philanthropic work and after they graduate and establish branches on college campuses as well. Visit compete2give.org for more information.



Here’s What has been happening at City Hall is not normal. In fact, it’s extraordinary and if you are a homeowner, business owner or even just a casual fan of Delray Beach you should be alarmed. We’ve been beating this drum for a while now because the dysfunction we have witnessed is not new. City Hall is unstable. We are hoping that the selection of George Gretsas as City Manager will stop the bleeding and begin the important task of rebuilding the team at City Hall. We have experienced a parade of city managers and department heads come and go—some quietly, some as a result of cryptic investigations and some in dramatic fashion after suffering public humiliation. Several key departments are without leadership including critical areas such as finance, public works, utilities and development services—all core functions. So Mr. Gretsas has his work cut out for him. We’ve called around and heard some great things. He’s known as doer—a hands on manager. He will need to be because he’s facing a challenging environment. Some folks around town are beginning to compare our current era with 1980s Delray. That’s not something to be proud of. The 1980s was not the best decade in Delray Beach. It was marked by instability at City Hall and political infighting. Today, we have instability that makes the 80s look tame and while the commission is often polite to each other publicly--- behind the scenes the political division is vicious and counterproductive. Like the 80s, the infighting is not over policy. There are no great Lincoln vs. Douglas debates being waged over the

future of Delray Beach. Instead, the division is driven mostly by personality conflicts and who holds power; to do what we don’t know because we have seen no real visioning involving the community for close to 20 years. We have long argued that instability is wasteful, inefficient and exhausting. That was true in the 80s and it is true now. Last month, our newspaper’s front page reported on the hiring of a new city manager after a long search that yielded a pedestrian field of applicants because we have become known as the place where managers come to get chewed up and spit out. Michael Cernech, the commission’s choice, didn’t even start the job before walking away from the opportunity after failing to come to terms with the city. While the city’s press release attempted to spray perfume on the reasons why Cernech walked, others--- including several members of the commission---blamed the mayor for the breakdown. The failure to land Cernech laid bare the divisions on the commission and the lack of trust a few commissioners have in Mayor Shelly Petrolia. In short, they believe she torpedoed the deal. The public fight over why the negotiations fell apart was ugly and spilled over onto social media. The Mayor’s supporters said she saved the city from a greedy applicant looking for a rich compensation package. We don’t buy that argument in large part because the city’s political and organizational dysfunction is driving up the price. Still, we’re hopeful that Mr. Gretsas will be able to right the ship. But wishing him well is not sufficient. We need to learn why and how we got to this place. A place where executive recruiters were turning


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what we think… down the city’s business because they felt the city’s political dysfunction would be a turn off to candidates. We’re here because years of poor leadership, nasty politics, a lack of vision and infighting. Some of this is reminiscent of the 80s, but what’s different is that in the 80s, big and important things managed to get done including the establishment of the first historic districts, the creation of the CRA, Visions 2000, the Sharing for Excellence blueprint for schools, Old School Square and the Decade of Excellence bond issue. When we look back on those days, a lot of those accomplishments were driven by civic visionaries---the developers of Andover led Sharing for Excellence, Frances Bourque spearheaded Old School Square and a cavalcade of citizens drove Visions 2000 and the passage of the Decade of Excellence Bond. Sadly, we are not seeing that level of involvement today and it’s hurting us. Here’s a few reasons why. Volunteers have been dismissed, denigrated and disrespected. As a result, many valuable citizens have voted with their feet and pulled back from civic involvement. In recent years: • The city started a Congress Avenue Task Force only to shelve the recommendations of volunteers who worked for more than a year on a plan. • Former Mayor Cary Glickstein tried to sideline the Beach Property Association when it came time to move forward with the Beach Area Master Plan, a plan the BPOA raised funds for only to be told that their involvement was self-serving and that the consultant working on the plan should not listen to an organization that has been a force for good in Delray for decades. •

The new commission took over the volunteer board of the CRA although nobody ran on that issue. The past mayor and others on the commission at the time criticized the volunteer library board, Old School Square board and regularly questioned the importance and relevance of the Chamber of Commerce, a 90-year-old organization.

• Community events were driven to other cities hurting the bottom lines of the chamber and other non-profits who relied on some of the events for grassroots fundraising. When citizens complained, they were dismissed, insulted, denigrated from the

dais and by surrogates on social media.

the Internet to divide not build community.

• The city got rid of its traditional town hall meeting, replacing it with a mayor’s lecture series which brought in top minds for lectures on planning, design and parking. Sadly, the advice was not taken. It’s as if these experts were brought in to show us what we can’t have in Delray. That’s a sad departure for a city that once was heralded for its innovation and planning.

But there is hope in the current crop of elected officials.

This kind of behavior has had a chilling effect on public participation, civic pride and the willingness of community leaders to step up and run for public office. Sadly, the hangover lingers. Voting rates in municipal elections are way down despite a ramp up in spending by candidates and PACs, some of which never disclose their donors dinging public confidence among those few who do pay attention and vote. We have also argued that despite efforts such as “Always Delray” that the city seems visionless and rudderless too. While we laud the efforts of those involved in “Always Delray” we would wager that few know about the Comprehensive Planning effort and fewer still participated. This is in stark contrast to prior city visioning efforts which often had standing room only crowds. We have to go back to the formula that rescued Delray from some of the worst aspects of the 80s, a decade in which the city suffered from turnover, crime, the crack epidemic, and 40 percent vacancies downtown, zero nightlife, virtually no culture and a lack of investment in our most blighted neighborhoods. Like most challenges, the solutions can be found in leadership. This commission has four new members and a former commissioner who is still new to being a mayor. They inherited a mess created by tragically poor leadership that missed the lessons of the city’s success formula: civic engagement, respect for staff and a willingness to let them do their jobs free of micromanagement, the importance of having a citizen driven vision, respect for the codes and city charter, transparency and a willingness to see both sides of an issue and where possible seek compromise and consensus. Instead, Delray’s proud past—which includes All America City Awards, real redevelopment success stories, investment by the CRA in neighborhoods, successful partnerships to improve local schools, a vibrant downtown and a willingness to face the tough issues head on—has been dismissed, denigrated and disrespected by people who should have known better and their surrogates on social media who use

We know all five well and believe that they want to see Delray Beach succeed. But they need to find a way to work better together and more effectively. Being polite publicly, but attacking each other behind the scenes or through surrogates isn’t producing results, it’s producing more dysfunction. Commissioner Bill Bathurst is a native of Delray whose family has deep roots in this community. He loves Delray Beach. We know him to be a kind and sensitive person. He understands the value of building a strong team. Commissioner Adam Frankel ran on a platform of being kinder to staff and restoring stability. Ryan Boylston is a new commissioner who also wants to restore stability and vision to a city he deeply cares about. Vice Mayor Shirley Johnson is a lifelong resident who wants to see Delray Beach work for everyone. She abhors bullies and wants to create opportunities. Which leaves us with Mayor Petrolia. Mayor Shelly Petrolia has a unique opportunity to work with four committed commissioners and lead the city back to a place of vision and stability. A mayor’s job is to build a team, work with and not undermine her fellow commissioners and insist on civility and professionalism. In other words, be a leader. And create an environment in which a city manager and staff can succeed. Sometimes that does mean being on the wrong side of a 4-1 vote or making an unpopular decision. It also means being able to let those votes go and move on. Sometimes it means standing on principle and sometimes it means forging a compromise. The mayor’s success will be judged on how or whether she is able to rebuild City Hall and the civic mood in town. That starts with getting the right CEO. Hopefully, Gretsas is that CEO. Still, we will not attract or retain talent if we don’t change what has become a toxic culture marked by factions, mistrust and divisions. It’s a two-fold job: we need a good culture at City Hall and we need to rebuild our civic fabric in the community at large because it’s frayed and it has been for a long time now. We believe that the commission owns culture. And we believe that culture is essential to success.

Culture is not something you put on a memo and dictate to the organization or community that this will be our culture. Culture is ultimately what's borne out of the values of the community. If we value civility, trust, accountability, vision, kindness and compassion we will get those values. But that means calling out those who threaten those values or who stand in the way. There’s simply no room for bullies. We know you've heard this before. It's easy to become skeptical, because you’ve also known leaders who talk a good game but who don't follow through. Yet, some things are clichés because they're the truth. You need to build the culture. When you separate the great leaders from everyone else, a key difference is whether they truly believe in building a great culture. We are suffering from instability because we lack it. We are too quick to accuse volunteers of self-interest, too quick to label those who wish to invest here as corrupt or greedy and too tolerant of bullies who chase good folks away from the civic square. It’s time to put an end to the nonsense before we squander what has been achieved, endanger the present and kill all hopes of a bright future. We need to give the new City Manager a fair chance. We think the elements are there for that to happen. And if it does we will see a happier, more efficient and more successful Delray Beach.

Meet the team Reach us at: DelrayNewspaper.com 561-299-1430 info@delraynewspaper.com

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 Kylee Treyz, Account Manager Ginger Novak, Account Manager Kelly McCabe, Account Manager


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