Our City Miramar: December 2022

Jesus R. Barreto, DDS, PA Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry

John Brodie, Denise Caligiuri, Adrienne Collins, Caleb Furlong, Nancy Koval, Mariem Garcia, Carlos Medina, Kenny Rodgers, Silvia Silva

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mall acts of kindness can be contagious. A few years ago, when our kids were in Elementary School, Christy dropped them off at school and decided to go to the drive-through at a coffee shop. When she got to the window, with her credit card in hand, the barista told her that the driver of the car in front of her had already paid for her order. Christy looked up, but the other car had already sped off, having accomplished their covert act of goodwill. Christy decided to pay the kindness forward, as did the car behind her. A chain reaction of friendly gestures began as the next car carried on giving the gift of a cup of cof fee as well.

We visited Deerfield Beach this weekend. We saw a mother, who was busy with twin young girls while her older son played in the surf. The tide slowly carried the boy down the beach, as it tends to do. The mother tried to get his attention over the sound of the surf to no avail. Seeing the distress on the mom’s face, a couple offered to watch the girls while she went to retrieve her son. All was well when they returned. We were grateful the kind couple was there to help the mom.

These simple gestures of doing good remind us of President George H. W. Bush’s 1989 inaugural address. He spoke about a thousand points of light. Individuals across the country do “good deeds” for the betterment of all.

Let’s make this holiday season a time when we all look out for each other. Be one of those points of light with an act of kindness.

Sincerely,

December 2022 Calendar

DECEMBER 3

Snowfest & Lighting Ceremony

The City of Pembroke Pines Recreation and Cultural Arts Department invites all Pem broke Pines residents to join them for the annual SNOW FEST event at the Charles F. Dodge City Center. 75 tons of snow, a tree lighting ceremony, games and activities for kids of all ages, and a visit from Santa! Be sure to dress up for the Ugliest Sweater contest! Tickets are required. Get tickets Monday-Friday at the Pembroke Lakes Ten nis Center, 10500 Taft Street. For more info, call 954-392-2116..

DECEMBER 3

Mrs.

Claus’

Davie Christmas

Bring the kids to the Old Davie School His torical Museum to meet Mrs. Claus and more. Write a letter to Santa Claus with an old-fash ioned ink pen and read a holiday story with Mrs. Clause! Storytime begins at 10:30 am and Noon. $5 admission. Hosted at the Old Davie Historical Museum, 6650 Griffin Road. For more info, visit www.olddavieschool.org.

DECEMBER 9

Teen Art Club Workshop

The Frank’s new teenager program holds month ly workshops for middle and high school students to explore art mediums and creative expression with artist and educator Melanie Oliva. FREE for children ages 13-18. 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm at The Frank C. Ortis Art Gallery, 601 City Center Way. For more info call 954-392-2120.

DECEMBER 2-3

Aviation Expo

Come experience Aviation Up Close and Personal during the 5th Annual Miramar Aviation Expo. “School Day” will be on Friday from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, with a “Community Day” from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm. Free Admission, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties are international hubs for aviation and one of the goals of this year’s Aviation Expo is to introduce and expose as many children, youth, and residents to the vast opportunities in aviation. Hands-on interac tive areas will be showcased and displayed --- Drones and Drone Sims, Aircraft Flight SIMs and NASA Smarts Skies SIMs, Static Displays, Helicopter, and KID Zone. Hosted at The Miramar Amphitheater at Regional Park. 16801 Miramar Parkway. For more info visit www.mirarmarfl.gov.

DECEMBER 3&4

Audacy Beach Festival

It’s good vibes and better music! Come rock out on Fort Lauderdale Beach to music by Machine Gun Kelly, Muse, The 1975, Jack White, Jimmy Eat World, The Used, Phoenix, Dashboard Confessional, YUNGBLUD, The Struts, and more. Tickets are available for Saturday, Sunday or both days. For a full list of artists or to purchase tickets visit www.audacybeachfestival.com

DECEMBER 10

Winterfest Boat Parade

The 51st annual Winterfest Boat Parade will kick off in downtown Fort Lauderdale at 6:30 pm. The Parade starts at Stranahan House, traveling East along the New River in Fort Lauderdale to the Intracoastal Waterway as it continues North to Lake Santa Barbara in Pompano Beach. It’s 12 Miles from the “Best Show on H20.” The Parade takes approxi mately 2 and 1/2 hours to view from one loca tion (starting locations stagger as you travel north). For more info, visit www.winterfestparade.com.

December 2022 Calendar

DECEMBER 16-18

The Nutcracker

Christmas music embodies the spirit of the season. Treat your ears to classical Yuletide tunes and buy your tickets to see The Nut cracker, presented by the International Bal let Company. More than 130 cast members pirouette across a wintry stage to recreate the classic, fantastical children’s ballet tale that has drawn sold-out crowds for the last 12 years to the Coral Springs Arts Center. Matinee and evening shows are available. For tickets, visit www.thecentercs.com

DECEMBER 18

Savor the Sounds

The music and food series is rolling into Pines. Savor the Sounds is a fusion of music and food trucks - the perfect way to get the family together for a relaxing, feel-good evening of good food and good music. This month will feature the TJ Cronin Holiday Band and Alli Miranda. 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Charles F. Dodge City Center, 601 City Cen ter Way. For more info visit www.ppines. com/325/Special-Events or scan QR code.

DECEMBER 24

Santa Visits South Florida

Listen for the sirens and wait curbside for Santa and his elves arrival. They will be trav eling around South Florida on Christmas Eve delivering presents to all the boys and girls. For more information visit emailsanta.com

DECEMBER 16-23

Flamingo Gardens’ Garden of Lights

Thousands of lights and holiday decor fill the Arboretum and Wray Lawn at Flamingo Gardens! Flamingo Gardens’ annual holi day event features an after-hours, self-guid ed walk through the botanical gardens adorned with thousands of lights and dec orations. Enjoy visits with Santa and some of his friends along with nightly musical performances. Stop by the Flamingo Pond Snack Bar for holiday treats and beverages available for purchase. Scan the QR code for more info or tickets.

DECEMBER 25

Christmas Day

The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ is the focus of the holiday as well as good will, miracles, and time spent together with family and friends.

DECEMBER 30

Orange Bowl Fan Fest

Don’t miss the Capital One Orange Bowl

Fan Fest! Admission to the event is FREE for all fans with a ticket to the Capital One Orange Bowl. In addition, to live perfor mances, there will be tons of activities and vendors for the whole family to enjoy! Come out to the Capital One Orange Bowl Fan Fest and enjoy plenty of food and beverages, a zip line, free fall, bungee trampoline, rock climbing wall, face painters, caricaturists, interactive games and more!

3:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Hard Rock Stadium. For info visit www.orangebowl.org.

DECEMBER 31

New Year’s Eve

Wishing all our readers a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year from all of us at Our City Media!

Turkey Tuesdays

Local Families Received Free Thanksgiving Fixings

Commissioner Alexandra P. Davis got led a group of neighbors to make sure every family gets to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. The group gave away more than 300 turkeys on November 15th at Sunset Lakes Community Center and Miramar Multi-Service complex. Her efforts were matched the following week by Vice Mayor Yvette Colbourne and Commissioner Maxwell Chambers. “After leaving the western suburbs of

Sunset Lakes where we donated over 150 turkeys to our residents, we culminated ‘Turkey Tuesday’ at our Multicultural Complex in our historic eastern section,” commented Commissioner Davis, “It was great to see some of my former students and parents all participating as we gave away another 150 turkeys! #ILoveMyCity”

The turkey giveaways are yet another example of Miramar residents looking out for each other during the holiday season.

Miramar Police Explorers Have Fun While Learning The Ways of "The Force"

Police Exploring is a Learning for Life organi zation of the Boy Scouts of America. Open to young men and women. Its purpose is to build character, citizen training, and fitness. Another aspect of Police Exploring is to educate and involve youth in police operations.

Students learn how law enforcement functions in their community and what the day-to-day life of a Police Officer is like. Involvement in the Police Exploring program establishes an awareness of the complexities of police service and is a wonderful way for kids to become involved.

Engagement

The City of Miramar and community organiza tions call upon the Police Explorers to assist with traffic direction and parking control at events. Police Explorers are not used in assignments requiring police authority but to assist the community and police department under the direction and supervision of police department employees. The program brings the explorers into direct contact with members of the Police Department.

In recent years, the Miramar Police Department has hired several police officers who received their first exposure to law enforcement through the explorer program.

▸ The Miramar Police Explorer is a program open to motivated and service-oriented young men and women (ages 13 to 21) who have an interest in the law enforcement field. To learn more about The Miramar Police Explorers, scan the QR code or call 954-602-4351.

Responsibilities

Police Explorers are involved in training sessions weekly. These sessions familiarize members with all aspects of law enforcement, including patrol procedures, traffic stops, arrest procedures, traffic, and criminal law, criminal investigations, traffic crash investigations, and firearms safety. Training is reinforced during annual local and state competitions attended by the Miramar Police Explorers.

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Kid Hero 5K - Be Someone’s Superhero

ress up as a superhero, put on your running shoes, and hit the road! The 19th Annual KID Hero 5K is set for January 28th at Vista View Park in Davie. The family-friendly run/ walk will raise funds for Kids In Distress (KID) and is much more than your average road race. Participants are encouraged to release their inner superhero by dressing up in their best costume solo or as a team! The day will also include a “Smallville” Kids Fun Run and Fun Zone, Gotham tent, a Power-Up Breakfast and family-friendly entertainment.

All funds raised from the race will benefit Kids in Distress. KID has been carrying out our mission to prevent child abuse, preserve the family, and treat children who have been abused and/or neglected for more than 42 years. They manage a five-acre multiple program campus in Fort Lauderdale and a four-acre campus in Southwest Ranches, that includes two family foster group homes.

KID’s services include individual, family, and group therapy and counseling; preschool, after care and summer camp programs; recruitment, training, and support of foster/adoptive homes; and prevention, reunification, family preservation and maternal and child health services.

▸ The race starts at 7:30 am sharp! There are also virtual race options for everyone to participate, even if you can’t make it. To sign up or learn more, follow the QR code or visit www.kidhero5k.org.

MIRAMAR HOLDS LATIN NIGHTS AWARDS GALA

Hispanic leaders in Miramar were honored at the 2022 Latin Nights Gala Award Ceremony hosted by Commissioner Alexandra P. Davis on Friday, October 14, 2022, in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The event took place at the Miramar Cultural Center Artspark.

This was an awards gala recognizing Hispanic American service and contribu tions. We celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month here in Miramar from September

15-October 15th and closed out the month with Latin Nights Awards Gala honoring local Hispanic leaders in our community.

This year's honorees included: Community Engagement Award

Ivan Parra, Broward Community ID Director at Broward Legal Aid Education Award

Dr. Alexandra Alvarez, Autism Specialist and Educator

Business & Entrepreneurship Award

Robinson Marte, Co-founder Tribeca Restaurant

Business & Corporate Citizenship Award

Jorge Carballo, President & General Manager NBC-6/Telemundo 51, Miami

The event was emceed by Emmy® Award-winning journalist and news anchor, Jackie Nespral and featured live performances from award-winning Venezuelan American singer Edward Mena and Gianpaul and Latin Soul Band. Dancers from the Fajardo Elite Dance Academy also performed their Latin dance moves.

Black British Heritage Celebration

October is Black History Month in the United Kingdom. During this time, citizens of the British Commonwealth celebrate the contributions of Black British people have made all around the world. Miramar Vice Mayor, Alexandra P. Davis joined with British Consul General of Miami, Rufus Drabble, and his lovely wife, Stella to celebrate Black British Heritage and recognize Black British contributors to our community.

The pair hosted an awards dinner and celebration at the Miramar Cultural Center, on October 25th. The event was emceed by the awesome Honorable Judge Norman Hemmings with entertainment by renowned saxophone player Joseph Tapper, songstress Marcia J. Ball, and British DJ, In Crowd Music.

This event showcased the rich British culture right here in Miramar and the South Florida region! A City of Miramar Proclamation declaring October as Black British History Month read.

Honorees included Chef Anthony Fothergill, who received the Community Engagement Award; Phillip Paul, founder of U.S. Installations INC specializing in racking and shelving installation and Removal, who received the Entrepreneurship Award; Jacky Wright, a British technology executive, chief digital officer, and a corporate vice president at Microsoft received the Business & Corporate Citizenry Award; And, Jamaican reggae singer Barry Biggs was recognized for entertainment.

School Choice Applications Accepted Through February 3, 2023

School-aged children living in Broward County are assigned to a school based on their home address and grade level. Parents can, however, apply for their child to attend a school other than the one their child is assigned school. The period where parents can apply for their child to attend a different school, or the school choice application window, opens on December 1 and will be closed on February 3.

School Choice

By state law, students may apply to attend any public school that has not reached capacity, regardless of their home address. To determine which schools are accepting applications, Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) reviews enrollment data and projected students.

Parents may request a school that is accepting applications by complet ing a School Choice Application during the application window.

School Choice Applications are awarded using a computerized random selection process. If more seats at a school become available during the School Choice process, additional selections from the application pool will be made. There is no guarantee that a child’s application will be granted.

How to Apply

There are three alternative options avail

able for families. These options include Magnet Programs, Nova Schools, or a reassignment School. Parents can submit one application for each option per child. Applications must be submitted on BCPS’ website prior to February 3.

Parents will be notified if their child was selected on February 10 for NOVA, March 3 for Magnet schools and March 17-24 for reassignment. ▸ For more information on Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) School Choice pro gram or apply for an alternate school visit www.browardschools.com/schoolchoice

The Nutcracker

For generations, families worldwide have celebrated the start of the holiday season with their beloved ballet, The Nutcracker. This best-loved holiday classic wows young and old with its delightful tale, unforgettable classical music score by P. Tchaikovsky, and magnificent dancing.

The story of the young Clara, who is magically transported to the Kingdom of the Sweets, is followed by a captivated audience who asks the question: “Was this really all a dream?” Our full-scale professional theater production features stunning costumes, grand scenery, and magical stage effects; snow falls from the sky, Clara’s bed floats on clouds of smoke, and dancers from all around the world dance with joy and happiness.

The Nutcracker promises excitement and enjoyment for the entire family!

Each performance showers the audience with joy and lifts the spirits of all.

A great way to start the Holiday Season!

Cindy Farache Photography

ANKLE INJURIES IN YOUTH ATHLETES

By Dr. John Goodner

arents should encour age their children to participate in sports, not only for the cardiovas cular benefits, but also to help develop attributes like self-discipline, teamwork and an appreciation for the importance of good health habits to carry throughout their lifetime. In children younger than ten, multi-sport participation is advised with a training emphasis on proper technique and coordination. It is commonly advised that sport specialization be delayed until the late teens; research shows that children who specialize too early are more likely to experience foot and ankle injuries.

In addition to proper fitting and supporting footwear, a dynamic warm-up specific to the sport being played is recommended for all ages in order to prevent injury. As the opposite of adults, children are more susceptible to growth plate injuries than injuries to tendons and ligaments. These growth plates typically do not finish closing until 15-18 in boys and 13-16 in girls. Many children suffer from torsional imbalances such as in-toe or out-toe, however,

Pthe majority of these children outgrow these conditions without medical treatment; see a foot and ankle specialist if your child is consistently tripping during activity.

Ankle Sprains - Typically seen more often in older youth athletes, younger athletes tend to also have associated growth plate injuries with ankle sprains. Immediate treatment is critical to healing and prevention of long-term ankle instability. See a foot and ankle specialist, immediately, for better long-term prognosis. Physical therapy to restore balance and strength is often necessary after offloading the injured ankle.

Fractures - If a child is unable to put weight on the injured foot after injury, it is recommended to see a foot and ankle specialist for an X-ray to rule out a fracture. If not severe, rest and immo bilization with a cast may likely be the treatment. More complicated injuries may require surgical correction for better long-term prognosis. Stress fractures are often seen in children whose total participation in sports activity is greater than 16 hours per week; it is recommended that a child’s total hours of organized sports per week should be less than or equal to the age in years.

Heel Pain - Also referred to as calcaneal

apophysitis, it is an inflammation of the growth plate in the heel usually caused by excessive usage, tight Achilles tendon, flat feet, poor fitting cleats or shoes, or blunt trauma. Commonly seen in sprinting sports, like soccer and baseball, because of the cleat patterns and also in bas ketball because of the force from coming down after a rebound. Usual treatment includes rest, immobilization, ice, heel lifts, orthotics, stretching and physical therapy.

Shin Splints – This is a very common overuse injury. The presence of a tight Achilles tendon can cause overuse and inflammation of the weaker dorsiflexion muscles in the front of the leg. In children with flatfeet and a tight Achilles, overuse of a muscle in the back inside of the leg can become inflamed as well. Treatment includes rest, ice, compression, physical therapy, stretching, strengthening exercises, and orthotics.

▸ Dr. John Goodner is a Board Certified Recon structive Foot and Ankle Surgeon with the Foot, Ankle and Leg Specialists of South Florida and specializes in sports medicine foot and ankle injuries, foot and ankle arthroscopy, lower ex tremity trauma, and lower extremity deformities in infants, children, teens and adults. The South Florida Institute of Sports Medicine is located at 17842 NW 2nd St Pembroke Pines, FL 330292806 Tel: (954) 430-9901 The practice website is www.SouthFloridaSportsMedicine.com. Insta gram @SouthFloridaSportsMedicine and Twitter @SFLSportsMed

Dr. Carlo Messina

Dr. John Goodner | Dr. Michael Cohen

Homeless Outreach

Did you know the Miramar Police Department, in addition to providing emergency services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, offers numerous outreach programs and services designed to connect with our community, prevent crime and educate our residents and business owners on public safety?

Below is information on some of the services/ programs offered:

Vacation Watch Our FREE Vacation Patrol Program helps prevent residential burglaries. We check on your home daily, while you are out of town, and look out for any suspicious activity. Visit miramarmp.org and click on services to enroll.

to provide aid and comfort to those in need and to provide a calm and thoughtful presence in times of stress, hardship, and grief. The chaplains are trained clergy or lay pastors of a recognized religious denomination, who are active in their local churches, but serve in a nondenominational role when representing the police department. They do not promote their religion to those they minister to. For services, please contact mhattabaugh@miramarpd.org.

Citizens’ Police Academy

A FREE 14-week course for residents, the Citizens’ Police Academy provides operational information about the Miramar Police Department. The course includes a CSI demonstration, CPR certification, K-9 demonstration, a ride-along, and presentations from our Traffic Unit, Detective Bureau, Training Unit, and more. Our Hispanic Outreach Law Enforcement Academy, “HOLA,” is available for our Spanish language speakers and our Crime Prevention Academy for Businesses includes active shooter, cyber security, commercial security, emergency management, fraud, and crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) topics. The Citizens’ Police Academy’s fall session is currently underway. Follow us on social media for announcements on upcoming sessions.

Security Surveys Residential and commercial security surveys are provided to the community, free of charge. The surveys identify vulnerable areas in the home or business and suggestions are made to improve security. Contact jpresume@miramarpd.org or call 954-602-4101 to schedule your security survey. Stay Connected. Stay Informed. Follow @MiramarPD

Police Explorer Program

The Police Explorer program has been an integral part of our organization for more than 40 years. The program is offered for the youth in our community, ages 14 to 20 (enrollment must be completed prior to the age of 18). The program builds character while providing training and education on law enforcement and the complexities of police service. Explorers compete in local and state competitions and earn volunteer hours. There is no cost to join the program. For more information, visit miramarpd.org and click on Community Programs.

Autism Outreach Program

The Miramar Police Department's Autism Outreach Program will allow officers to better serve those in our community who live on the spectrum. Through this program, we hope to maintain a database of Autistic individuals we may interact with in hopes of improving our response. This program allows officers who are responding to an incident, involving a person with Autism, to appropriately prepare for and handle the situation. Ultimately, through our Autism Outreach Program, we will be improving interactions for all parties involved. Visit miramarpd.org and click on Community Programs for more information.

S.A.L.T The Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (S.A.L.T) program was designed to connect officers with seniors in our community, to discuss crime prevention and law enforcement issues of interest. The program hosts events at local places of worship and quarterly at the Miramar Multi-Service Complex.

Chaplaincy Program The Miramar Police Department’s Volunteer Chaplains Unit was established

Happy Holidays from Your Chamber President

By Patty Archer

It’s Small Business Season! By now you’ve likely seen the statistics that shopping locally keeps roughly $70 out of every $100 in our community, whereas shopping at a national chain means about $40 remains here. What does it mean to you and your family? A lot more than you may think.

When the business spends locally on what they need to do business (like inventory, utilities, and payroll), that has a direct impact on the local economy. While chains are typically limited by corporate on where they can source their goods, a small business owner can choose to keep some of those purchases local. An indirect impact is also felt when that owner and their employees spend their profits locally as well.

But more than that, when your child has a school expense like a club trip or sporting event, it's your local small business owner that is usually asked to chip in. They get their name listed as a sponsor and your child is one step closer to their goal. Local nonprofits are also helped at a higher rate by local businesses versus large corporations.

The more locally owned businesses per capita that a community has, the better off that place is on many of the other indicators of community health. The larger the share of transactions in our economy—buying, producing, investing—that involves a locally owned business, the more thriving, equitable, and resilient our economy and community can be.

This holiday season, you should know that where you spend your money is an investment in the growth and prosperity of our area. You’re either investing for maximized returns on your holiday dollars by spending locally or you’re not. We hope it’s the former

Yours in Service,

Patty Archer

Chamber President

Pet of the Month

“Cloe”

Meet Cloe Alejandra! Cloe is a 4 year old Australian Kelpie. Originally from Puerto Rico, she was adopted from Broward's shelter. She loves to go to the dog park, run and play with tennis balls.

Your Pet Could Be Our Pet of the Month!

Every month Our City Media randomly picks a pet of the month winner. Email entries to: anna@ourcitymedia.com

Send Pet’s: Best Picture, Name and about 50 words describing why they’re so special! Include: Your Name, Email, Phone, and City of Residence. Good Luck!