Astronaut and artist Karen Nyberg displayed her quilt portraits at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, giving recognition to other notable women who have traveled to space and encouraging women of all demographics to achieve their dreams.
The former NASA astronaut was not only the 50th woman to go to space, but also the first woman to actively quilt in space. During her art reveal event
Dance lessons and socials page 4
BY BARBARA JEAN MEAD
Founded in 1999, The Lamb Shoppe thrift store still has some of the original volunteers working to benefit foster children.
Housed in what was once part of a bank building, Manager Cyndi Stowe said the building was cut in half and moved from Melbourne to 1765 South Patrick Drive in Indian Harbour Beach.
The thrift store raises funds for the Haven for Children foster care centers.
The upscale but reasonably priced thrift store has more than 60 volunteers, some of whom have their husband’s help. The men “are a really big help because it is a lot of manual labor involved.” Stowe said.
Aug.17, Nyberg expressed her gratitude for Sovietera cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to fly to space, and astronaut Sally Ride, the first U.S. woman in space. Nyberg’s portraits celebrated the 60th anniversary of Tereshkova’s success as well as the 40th anniversary of Ride’s journey. Both women were role models for Nyberg, who now wants to inspire other women to become astronauts, combating the lower statistics of women in space as compared to men. Nyberg
said that one way to do this is to be a strong example for young girls, encouraging their interests in science and math.
“The key is to stop them from losing that interest and that excitement,” Nyberg said. “The scientists or the engineering girls are not just tomboys. It can be any type of girl.”
As a child, Nyberg was interested in both engineering and art, but decided to pursue art as a hobby. She prefers
ASTRONAUT
continued on page 16
The Lamb Shoppe funds the Haven for Children foster homes, with 100% of the proceeds going to the organization, a beachside residential foster care model with three homes in undisclosed locations for children who have experienced abuse and neglect. The children are in mainstream schools with a few exceptions. Their average age is 12.
Each home sleeps up to 11 children, including some sibling groups. While these children await a forever home, the Haven for Children cares for them with a 24-hour staff that treats them like family, takes them to school, therapy appointments and field trips.
“Our kids are the kids that traditionally don’t make it in family foster care. They need a higher level of resources that we can provide,” Stowe said. A silent auction display has antique jewelry in a locked cabinet awaiting bids. Children’s
continued on page 19
The weather has been the talk of half the world as the northern hemisphere swelters in the summer heat.
Maybe it is still time for some indoor activities.
For months now, we have been telling you about outdoor sports in a series of stories that were well received by you, our readers. We told you about all types of sports and now that series, Games People Play, has pretty much run its course. But for the benefit of health and fitness, we need to keep moving, keep active and keep exercising.
So, now we are starting a new series of stories on activities for those who want to keep moving or at least know what’s out there for boomers and seniors to stay active.
We start this new series with dance — several types, from ballroom dancing, tap dancing, hula dancing to line dancing. We present you with a list of places, the types of dances, the cost and the times for each.
We will then explore other activities designed to keep you moving and active. If there are any activities you would like to read about, let us know.
As usual, in this edition of Senior Life, you’ll read about a unique travel destination you can take on a road trip. Coral Castle is in South Florida. It was built by one man who carved and moved tons of rocks by himself and without the use of heavy machinery.
Ever wonder what businesses offer senior discounts and how to get them? Read that story and a list of some of the businesses that offer senior discounts. Many businesses offer discounts, but in some cases, consumers have to know to ask for them.
If you are a new retiree and not familiar with what a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit involves, we will explain some of it in a story. This is one of our health and wellness stories. Another is about snoring.
As usual, we also bring you stories about some of the thousands of veterans who live on the Space Coast. We also like to tell you about some of the volunteering your neighbors are doing in the community.
This edition of Senior Life is packed with information you can use. SL
R. Norman Moody norm@myseniorlife.com
Savvy seniors can stretch their income by cashing in on senior discounts that many businesses provide. But read the fine print first — make sure your vendor still participates.
“I ask about senior discounts. If they don’t have them, they just say no. I wish there were more because we’ve paid our dues and we need a break,” said Dale Lutz of Palm Bay.
She goes to the movie theater before 4 p.m. to save money, and eats at Sunshine Café in Palm Bay because it offers a senior menu or 10% off.
Frank and Oratina Walker save on Amtrak with a senior discount.
“I guess I should use them more,” Tina Walker said.
Joella Johnson said she uses senior discounts to travel back and forth to Virginia for transportation and hotels, and also at the movies.
“The discounts increase their business,” she said.
Seniors can shop on specified days of the week, join the American Association of Retired Persons to use its AARP-specific discounts or order from a senior menu to save. Restaurants, clothing stores, theaters, transportation services, attractions, grocery stores, car rentals, internet service, hotels and motels and even services can be a bargain.
Some offer a percent off the total bill; others for specified products, such as reduced or free beverages. The required age can range from
Volume 26, Issue 3
Senior Life of Florida 7350 Shoppes Drive, Suite 102 Viera, FL 32940 321-242-1235
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jill@myseniorlife.com
Publisher
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Editor
R. Norman Moody
Office Manager
Sylvia Montes
Copy Editor
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Art Department
Jorjann Blake
Videographer
Klinton Landress
Feature Writers
Jasmine Ball
Ed Baranowski
Brenda Eggert Brader
Ernie Dorling
Susan Houts
Linda Jump
Randall P. Lieberman
Barbara Jean Mead
Flora Reigada
Wendy Scheuring
Maria Sonnenberg
is prohibited.
over 50 to over 65.
Denny’s Restaurants offer not only a senior menu with reduced meal prices, but also 15 percent off the total with an AARP card. Carmen Alford, a server at the Palm Bay Road restaurant, said she has repeat older customers who save.
“Prices are higher for food, and for those on a budget, $20 for dinner with no discount is too much,” she said.
Trish Cornine, a manager at the AMC Avenue 16 in the Viera Town Center, said more than half their movie viewers use either their military or one of three senior discounts offered.
“Before 4 p.m., seniors save $1 and for regular or 3-D movies, they save $1.50,” she said.
Still, Sylvia Fels, acting president of the Greater Palm Bay Senior Center, said some businesses have
cut back on their senior discount programs.
“Some are saying ‘we’ve met our quota’ or ‘we’re not one that participates,’” she said.
Joann Fabric and Crafts has stopped their local senior discount days, a manager said.
See page 24 for discount chart
Whether you are single or part of a couple, there is no shortage of opportunities for seniors to take dance lessons or enjoy a dance social at the senior centers throughout Brevard County.
Lessons are available in a number of different dance styles at three different senior centers spanning all parts of the county. These lessons are available on many different days of the week and at many different times of day (see Dance Lessons and Dance Socials list below).
trying to remember the steps and movements of line dancing.”
Adrienne Herrell, 81, of Titusville, regularly attends two line dancing classes a week with Kling.
“I was looking for something to do that I could do without a partner after my husband died,” Herrell said. “Line dancing is so much fun. I would go every day if Yvette offered a class, because I love it so much.”
At the Martin Andersen Senior Center in Rockledge, there are also lessons offered in a variety of dance styles, including ballroom dancing.
Barbara Bristol, who teaches the ballroom dancing lessons at the Martin Andersen Senior Center, said that unlike line dancing, however, ballroom dancing is an activity meant for couples.
“We do have some people who come as singles for ballroom dancing lessons, and I do my best to find them a partner,” Bristol said, “but a lot of times people come without partners and don’t get matched up and they never come back.”
At the North Brevard Senior Center in Titusville, for example, the primary focus is on line dancing. Yvette Kling, who teaches three of the five line dancing classes offered at the Center, said that line dancing is a good choice for seniors because they don’t need a partner to participate.
“You can do line dancing all by yourself. So many of my students in my line dancing classes come as individuals,” Kling said. “My students come to give themselves a break from everyday life. You can’t be sad while
For information about dancing at senior centers in Brevard County, including costs for members and non-members, call the North Brevard Senior Center in Titusville at 321268-2333, the Wickham Park Senior Center in Melbourne at 321-255-4494 or the Martin Andersen Senior Center in Rockledge at 321-631-7549. SL
12 - 2 p.m. North Brevard
Ballroom All Fri. 2 - 3 p.m. Martin Andersen
Hula All (New) Fri. 3 - 4 p.m. Wickham Park
Line Social Fourth Friday Fri. 6 - 9 p.m. North Brevard
Dance Social Begins Sept. 15 Fri. 6 - 9 p.m. North Brevard
Dance Socials Second/Fourth Sat. 7-10 p.m. Martin Andersen
Dance Socials Begins in Oct. TBD TBD Wickham Park
North Brevard Senior Center — 321-262-2333, 909 Lane Ave., Titusville
Martin Andersen Senior Center — 321-631-7549, 1025 Florida Ave., Rockledge Wickham Park Senior Center — 321-255-4494, 2785 Leisure Way, Melbourne
No current dance lessons at the Greater Palm Bay Senior Activity Center
“I was looking for something to do that I could do without a partner after my husband died. I would go every day if Yvette (Kling) offered a class, because I love it so much.”
— Adrienne Herrell
BY BARBARA JEAN MEAD
Richard Bradley recently celebrated his 90th birthday with 50 of his closest friends — members of the Palm Bay Promenaders, The Space Trackers of Merritt Island and the Dixie Diamonds of Eau Galle.
Local square dancers range in age from their 30s and 40s to the 80s and 90s, with the occasional 21-year-old grandchild participating.
Square dancing is a dance consisting of four couples standing in a square formation. In a square dance, you dance with the whole group. In round dancing, you dance with the same partner throughout.
Square dancing uses a caller to call out the moves, while round dancing uses a cuer. A person can be both a caller and a cuer or one or the other.
Bradley learned square dancing when he was a boy, picking it back up when he was in the Air Force to eventually become a caller. A caller is the person who tells the dancers what their moves will be.
He doesn’t call as often anymore, but still has all the moves.
“Square dancing is fun, healthy, good exercise and low impact,’’ Space Trackers president Linda Reid said. “It uses not only your body, but your brain. Best of all, you meet great people.”
Reid has danced since she took lessons with her late husband and their daughter.
“We were using DVDs to practice in between (lessons),” Reid said.
The Palm Bay Promenaders meet from 7 to 10 p.m. each Thursday at American Legion Post 81 at 2909 Harbor City Boulevard in Melbourne.
The Dixie Diamonds have suspended regular meetings until the snowbirds return. They hope to soon resume meeting at the Eau Gallie Center.
The Space Trackers meet from 7 to
9 p.m. each Thursday on Merritt Island at the Presbyterian Church Social Hall at 155 Cone Road. For information, call Space Coast Trackers president Linda Reid at 321-255-4738. SL
“Square dancing is fun, healthy, good exercise and low impact. It uses not only your body, but your brain. Best of all, you meet great people.”
— Linda Reid, Space Trackers president
Every senior probably knows someone who carries around a bulging wallet — one that can hardly be folded. The overstuffed wallet is a humorous image in our culture, but this situation is no joke.
People who carry bulging wallets are carrying around much more personal information than they should in this age of digital crime and forged identities.
On its Fraud Watch webpage, AARP lists 10 items you should never put in your wallet: Social Security card, multiple credit cards/credit card receipts, checkbook — or even one blank check — work ID card, passport/passport card, list of passwords, gift card not fully redeemed, birth certificate, library card and house key.
Amy Nofziger, a director of fraud victim support for AARP’s Fraud Watch Network Helpline, provided some further explanation.
“Social Security cards are not needed for daily use and criminals can open up lines of credit in your name or sell your number to another criminal,” Nofziger said. “Multiple credit cards are a gold mine for criminals, who can easily charge
items online or dispatch associates to use the cards at different stores.
The danger of carrying a house key is that thieves could find your address and then burglarize your home.”
Thieves are very sophisticated these days in knowing how to profit from your stolen information and create “synthetic identities” — real information combined with fake information to commit fraud. Nofgizer said these synthetic identities
are often very difficult to detect. The bottom line is that many of the informational items we once carried in wallets can now be stored more safely electronically.
Nofziger recommends taking everything out of your wallet, sorting all its contents, then cutting them way down.
“If the item is not something you’ll need often or in an emergency, keep it
at home,” she said. “Create a safe and secure storage system for the occasional wallet items you’ve removed. Grab items when needed — and when done with your errand return the cards to their secure spot.”
For more information about AARP’s Fraud Watch Network Helpline, visit aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/ or call 877-908-3360 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. SL
Identity theft is an emotionally abusive crime. Victims are scared and confused. Their ability to trust anyone has been severely tested.
You’ve heard and read many things you can, and should do, to limit your potential of being victimized by this type of crime; things like protecting your credit card numbers, your PIN numbers for your debit cards; protecting all of your various passwords; not mailing checks from anywhere but the post office, among other precautions.
Studies reveal that while many
victims of identity theft are indeed traumatized by this type of act, there are things one should and must do immediately upon learning that their identity has been compromised.
1 Contact your local police or sheriff’s department. You’re going to want to make a report. Indeed, you will need to acquire a police report number for all future reporting. Sadly, some departments are reluctant to make such a report, as it is often difficult to determine the venue where the ID theft occurred. The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office understands that this is an emotional and
stressful time for victims. They will assist you in the initial reporting of this crime. If your computer was compromised, as it was with John and Gail Sherry of Melbourne, the victims of identity theft and fraud, you should also contact the U.S. Secret Service (USSS). The USSS was very helpful to the Sherrys and aided them in cleaning and restoring their computer.
2
Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC will enter the information into the proprietary sentinel database that tracks this type of crime. By doing so, you are reporting the crime to a federal law enforcement agency. This can be done online at ftc.gov.
3
Contact the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), to notify them. If necessary, request that they flag your file with a fraud alert. This means creditors will have to get your approval before any new account can be opened.
4 Create a victim’s checklist. Try to identify everywhere in the past week and month that you used your Social Security number, showed your driver’s license and where you used your credit cards.
5 If your Social Security number has been compromised, contact the Social Security Administration. You can report this online at ssa.gov/oig/public_
6 Contact your financial institutions immediately. If necessary, draft a letter and address it to the attention of the Fraud Department, informing them that you’re a victim of ID theft. Inform the financial institution in writing of the charges that you are disputing. Ask the financial institution to notify the three major credit reporting agencies to remove the charges from your account. If you have a financial advisor, contact them immediately. They should be able to help you by contacting your financial agencies.
7 Keep a paper trail. Maintain a log and document all the actions you take to resolve issues surrounding your identity being stolen. Keep track of the date, time and telephone number of everyone with whom you speak, including the title and name of the person with whom you have spoken.
8
Follow up all the action with a letter confirming your conversation and any agreed-upon action. Send the correspondence by certified mail, return receipt requested, and keep a copy for your file.
Follow these eight steps and the time you spend resolving issues surrounding the theft of your identity will be held to a minimum. And take a deep breath; you’re the victim. Don’t let this define you. You can work through this. SL
The overstuffed wallet is a humorous image in our culture, but this situation is no joke.
An achievement of wonder and modern technology, the combination washer/dryer units now on the U.S. market are speedily finding their way into American homes.
“The new combo washer/ dryer has been extremely popular in a short period of time,” said Jim West, the general manager of Topline Appliance and Mattress in Melbourne and Merritt Island.
The machines are fairly new to the Melbourne and Merritt Island stores.
“We have had them for about two or three months and the GE capacity is better than any other machine that is all one piece,” West said. “Kenmore and LG also make units, but not in this capacity.
The GE is 4.8 cubic feet overall, based on a front loader washer that is 4.5 cubic feet and a dryer of larger capacity. It is a ventless setup convenient for those with condominiums and apartments that don’t have outside vent hookups. A heat
pump makes it 50% more energy efficient when drying because it’s ventless and
works from a 120V outlet.”
The wash and dry loads take about two hours. Not a
great deal longer, West said. The reason it dries longer is that it is ventless.
“In the long run, it is time and energy savings,” he said. “You don’t have to worry when a wash is done, it is automatically in the dryer itself.”
The washer is designed to use the minimal amount of water.
A cycle fresh vent setting dries up the moisture in the machine preventing mold and mildew.
“Interesting features of the machine are the adaptive smart dispense technology. There is a separate container for the detergent powder, but there is also the adaptive 50-ounce bottle size to pour into the machine all at one time and the machine only uses what it needs. The same goes for the fabric softener. The unit accommodates large loads and up to a king-size comforter.
Taller than regular machines, it does fit in smaller spaces like a closet, garage corner, kitchen or small laundry room.
The unit costs about $2,800. SL
OSP is extremely proud of our amazing partner businesses. This month, the spotlight is on the only two attorneys in Brevard who are Florida Bar Board Certified in the area of Elder Law.
Rhodes Law, P.A.
Attorney Ruth C. Rhodes graduated Valedictorian from the College of Law at Florida A&M University and has been a practicing attorney for over 15 years. Recently, she became one of only two Brevard County attorneys to be Florida Bar Board
Certified in the area of Elder Law. Ms. Rhodes focuses her clients on the future, helping them meet their needs through Estate and Medicaid planning, Asset Protection, Probate or Trust Administration, Guardianship, Guardian Advocacy, and when necessary, maneuvering through the Court system.
William A. Johnson, P.A.
William A. “Bill” Johnson is a graduate of the University of Florida, where he received his Juris Doctor in 1990 from the College Of Law. He has been Florida Bar Board
Certified in the area of Elder Law since 2004, and practices predominantly in the fields of estate planning, Medicaid planning, long-term care planning, guardianship, incapacity planning, will and trust litigation, and probate. Mr. Johnson is Chair Elect of the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar and a member of the Legislative Committee.
Alura Senior Living
Aquatic Health and Rehab
Autumn House
Brennity at Melbourne
Buena Vida Estates, CCRC
Chateau Madeleine Senior Living
ClinCloud Research
Counseling Resource Services
Discovery Village at Melbourne
Estate Planning & Elder Law Center of Brevard
Florida Health Care Plans
The Fountains of Melbourne
Inspiritas of West Melbourne Market Street Viera - Memory Care
Melbourne MedPsych, Dr. Gerald Showalter, Psy.D.
Melbourne Terrace Rehabilitation Center
NHC Home Care
Merritt Island Medical Research
National Cremation Society
Oceans Realty Florida
Palm Bay Memory Care
Palm Cottages Assisted Living & Memory Care
Lacey Lyons Rezanka Attorneys
MASA Medical Transport Solutions
Parasol Luxury Apartments
Personal Hearing Solutions
PRN Home Care
Raymond James Financial Services, Inc
Rhodes Law, PA - Ruth C. Rhodes, Esq.
RiverView Senior Resort
Rockledge Health and Rehabilitation Center
Senior Living Guide
Senior Partner Care Services, In-Home Senior Care and Care Management
Senior Scene Magazine
Serenades Memory Care by Sonata Viera
Shell Harbor Retirement Community
Sonata East at Viera Independent Living
Sonata Viera Assisted Living
Szuba Guardian Care Solutions
Vascular & Interventional Physicians
Victoria Landing Assisted
Living & Memory Care
Viera Health and Rehabilitation Center
Viera Insurance Professionals
Virtuous Senior Living Management & Consulting
VITAS Healthcare
William A. Johnson, P.A.
I met Ann King-Smith about a decade ago when she, with a group of volunteers, helped homeless veterans get their clothes washed once a week at Flamingo Laundy in Melbourne.
The group of ladies would have breakfast for the veterans as they waited for their clothes to be washed and dried. They also got donated socks and underwear for the men and women in need.
King-Smith, who is president of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 163 in Melbourne, has long been a fervent advocate for veterans.
Now she leads a troop of Auxiliary members in helping veterans, their families and others in the community. She credits other volunteers for the
work they do.
“We work as a team,” she said.
“We have a great team.”
The group of Auxiliary has been busy. They teamed with Operation Homefront and Dollar General to distribute school supplies to 60 families of Florida National Guard members with school-age children. Supplies also went to the Boys and
Girls Club and to five elementary schools in Brevard County.
In addition, the group holds fundraising events, such as one called Cheeseburger in Paradise and donates the funds to Space Coast Honor Flight. It is the third year that the Auxiliary helped the organization that takes veterans at no cost to visit the monuments in their honor in Washington, D.C.
King-Smith has accompanied the Honor Flight veterans to Washington on two occasions.
The Auxiliary plans to sponsor local girls to Florida Girls State, an event later this year that takes about 300 girls from across the state to Tallahassee to learn about state
government.
While there are fewer homeless veterans to help with their laundry, King-Smith continues to help one or two homeless and other needy veterans once every two weeks.
The daughter of a World War II veteran, King-Smith never served in the military but has had a passion for helping and serving veterans and their families.
King-Smith served as president of the Auxiliary Post 163 more than 10 years ago. She then was president of the Department of Florida Auxiliary, before being elected again locally as president of the post’s auxiliary in Melbourne. SL
BY MARIA SONNENBERG
Two decades ago, Paul Barton asked the staff at Joe’s Club what he could do to help pay back the kindness his mother had received from the adult daycare center during her struggles with Alzheimer’s. What can you do, they asked him?
“I can sing,” Barton replied.
Thus began Barton’s showbiz career. Using his middle name as his stage name, Dean Barton has been entertaining at Joe’s Club and other senior facilities ever since.
In his singing heyday, Barton would perform as many as a dozen gigs a month at Joe’s Club and at venues such as Aging Matters’ Seniors at Lunch sites throughout the county. His buddy Lenny King joined him, as did other singers, such as Melbourne resident Gail Meyer, who once had her own band.
“A friend told me about it and I thought it would be a lot of fun,” Meyer said.
In fact, it is so much fun that Meyer still sings with Barton and other singers, including Palm Bay karaoke diva Patsy Goodman.
“I know the audience is touched by the songs,” Goodman said.
Even Melbourne Municipal Band singer and former “Lawrence Welk Show” star Sally Hart joined the singing at one point.
Now 87, Barton has cut back on gigs, but still sings at the Melbourne adult daycare center twice a month and also performs at Crane Creek senior apartments in Melbourne, plus at
weddings, funerals, birthday parties and any other event people would like some tunes. He never charges a penny.
His audience at Joe’s Club has memory troubles, but music renews their minds and souls.
“They may not remember what happened five minutes ago, but they remember the lyrics to the songs, and the music would bring the Joe’s Club audience alive,” Barton said.
Before his retirement in 2003, the Kentucky native served the Air Force for 27 years and was a civil servant at Patrick Space Force Base for 22 more. Military assignments took him around the world, from Spain to Thailand. Most importantly, he was sent to a NATO unit in Norway, where he met Unni. They have been married 64 years and
enjoy their family of two children, three grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
A lifelong VFW member, the Melbourne resident is a fixture on karaoke nights at VFW Post 8191 on
Harbor City Boulevard. Barton has been recognized by the national VFW in its Still Serving campaign for lifting spirits through song. As far as he is concerned, he is getting as much as he is giving.
“It’s a pleasure to sing,” he said. SL
“They may not remember what happened five minutes ago, but they remember the lyrics to the songs, and the music would bring the Joe’s Club audience alive.”
—Paul BartonSENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Paul Barton Paul Barton served in the Air Force for 27 years.
BY WENDY SCHEURING
The Army did a lot for him, he likes to tell high school students. And he has made it his life’s mission to give back.
Retired Sgt. First Class Juan Santiago, a Florida Veteran Hall of Fame inductee, recently received a U.S. Army Recruiting Excellence Medallion presented by Lt. Col. Michael Norton at Icon Park in Orlando.
Sgt. First Class Willis Ferguson, who worked at the Army recruiting office in Rockledge from 2014 to 2020, nominated Santiago for the award.
“Juan welcomed me to the team and said he was there to help in any way he could,” he said.
“He went above and beyond to help with recruiting duties. He’s been changing lives since before I met him in 2014.”
Santiago, a Viera resident, served in the U.S. Army for nearly 23 years, including five consecutive tours in Vietnam, and has been volunteering since 2004.
“They asked Juan to be a part of their team,” said Santiago’s wife, retired Lt. Col. Carmen Santiago, referring to the U.S. Army’s Community Partner Outreach Program.
“Juan is what they call a ‘center of influence’ (CIO)/VIP,” she said.
Santiago enlisted in the Army in his native Puerto Rico. At the time,
he could not speak English, but he could read and write it.
“We’re very patriotic on the island,” he said.
“Juan had so many community partners, he would get called from Congressman Bill Posey’s team to assist in bringing home the remains of fallen soldiers that had no family here.” — Sgt. First Class Willis Ferguson
Santiago has helped with recruiting in high schools throughout the county.
“Over the years. Juan has gone to almost every high school in Brevard County and has talked to students,” Carmen Santiago said.
He’s also involved in judging competitions, attending Junior ROTC, graduations, and also helps recruiters make presentations.
“Juan had so many community partners, he would get called from Congressman Bill Posey’s team to assist in bringing home the remains of fallen soldiers that had no family here,” Ferguson said.
The new Brevard County Emergency Operations Center to be located at 1751 Huntington Lane in Rockledge will house a consolidated dispatch center for the Brevard County Fire Rescue and the Brevard County Sheriff’s office in addition to the Brevard County Emergency Management Department.
The current EOC nearby at 1746 Cedar Street in Rockledge opened its doors in 1964 and is approximately 11,000 square feet in contrast with the new 42,000 square-foot building. The original building has no dining area and no place to rest during the long shifts required during emergency responses.
“This is the room that we use to feed the 200-plus people,” said Rachel
Christine Buono, M.D., is a board-certified ophthalmologist with 20 years of experience treating medical disorders of the eye. She met Dr. Pefkaros during their training at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia and is beyond excited to be working with him once again. Please welcome her and her family to the Viera area! Dr. Buono will be seeing patients in Titusville on Mondays and Tuesdays and in Viera on Fridays.
For an appointment with Dr. Buono, call
Horst, the public information officer for Brevard County Government-Public Safety gesturing to the small galley style kitchen. “There’s no dorm area, nowhere for people to sleep. We’re kind of at the whim of wherever we can find on the ops floor. Some people have offices so they can move to those, but for those of us who aren’t stationed here daily, we just have to grab a blanket and
hope for the best.”
The new facility will offer ample space for staff to rest, a commercial kitchen for feeding and food storage and the latest technology to provide emergency preparation and responses.
The new facility will contain backup generators and is designed for 24-hour operation and is 100% fully functional and self-sustaining for 96 hours.
The $35 million project is funded by $4.4 million from the general fund, $6.1 million in grant funding, $12.2 million from the American Rescue Plan Act and $12.9 million of public safety funds. This site was chosen from three different potential locations as the best location because of its proximity to the current center and its central location in the county.
When it is up and running during the 2024 hurricane season, the building, which is hardened to withstand Category 5 hurricane strength winds, will house a cross sectional team of more than 200 people, including staff from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Health Department, municipal representatives, NASA, Department of Defense, Coast Guard, Brevard County Schools, National Weather Service and the State of Florida Emergency Management along with a few private partners including communications and energy providers.
During a launch, the EOC activates to ensure the safety of the public and visitors in the event of an anomaly. SL
When it is up and running during the 2024 hurricane season, the building, which is hardened to withstand Category
living.
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Discover our lifestyle choices. Schedule your personal tour today.
Centered on care and respect, we create purposeful and extraordinary senior
BY BRENDA EGGERT BRADER
A feral cat’s life is hard — they are always afraid.
“They are always being hunted or hunting,” said Teresa Clifton, the executive director of the Brevard Humane Society. “The Humane Society is not for or against feral cats, we just don’t want them repopulating.”
Basically wild animals, the feral cats in Brevard County are trapped by volunteers. Cats are taken to the low cost spay, neuter and wellness center at the Humane Society on Cox Road in Cocoa for a feral cat package through a program called trap, neuter, return (TNR).
Once neutered, and an ear tipped (tip clipped) to signify a neutered feral, they are returned to the site where they were trapped.
“Ferals don’t really need someone to take care of them,” Clifton said. “Feral cats are wild and behave as such. They are just like raccoons and squirrels and hunt for their own food.
Coyotes will eat cats and that is part of the circle of life. But it is upsetting to people because they think of cats as all domestic.
“A true feral colony dies out rather fast, having a lifespan of seven to 12 years, through bad fights or a crocodile gets them,” Clifton said. “I want to save every animal, but I would not take a raccoon into my home. It is a wild animal and feral
cats are, too.”
If you see someone feeding cats outside in various areas, they are feeding what are called community cats that are domestic and will let you love them and pick them up.
“Community cats come from people. A domestic cat can’t survive well outside, and it is the ignorance of the public to let it loose or drop it off, or one is lost and finds its way to a colony of food. The county shelter does not euthanize healthy cats, but if they get too many in their shelter they neuter, ear-tip and put them back out. At least if they are out there, they are not reproducing.”
A female cat ovulates at will and can get pregnant soon after she has a litter, Clifton said.
“It is hoped that people will spay and neuter their cats and when they can’t keep them will find another home or take to a shelter and will not put outside,” Clifton said.
“If you see a cat out there and it runs away from you. Leave it alone. If it is just a community cat, not feral, it is just scared and would be able to let you pick it up. If you see cats and they let you love them and pick them up, they are not feral cats, they are community cats that have been found, neutered and returned to an area.” SL
BY RANDALL P. LIEBERMAN
Marie Vinson, 69, of Indialantic, clearly recalls when she first became eligible for Medicare.
“I was thrilled,” Vinson said. “I quit working at 62 and I had my husband’s health insurance until I was 63-and-ahalf. The next year-and-a-half I had to get my own insurance and it was very, very expensive.”
The way the Medicare system keeps its costs down and helps its patients reach ideal health is through preventive wellness checks.
Seniors on Medicare are entitled to a free Initial Preventive Physical Exam (IPPE) within the first 12 months of enrolling at any provider that accepts the insurance and an Annual Wellness Visit (AWV).
The goal of the IPPE exam is a review of a patient’s medical and social health history as well as providing
preventive education.
The goal of the AWV is to develop or update a Personalized Prevention Plan (PPP) and/or to perform a Health Risk Assessment (HRA).
“With these annual visits, my doctor stresses improving my habits,” Vinson said. “And I do like that. At my Annual Wellness Visit, my doctor also makes sure I am getting my regular yearly mammogram, DEXA (bone density) scan and colonoscopy.”
Whether a senior is on straight Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan associated with one of the private
Lieberman
Colleen Briand, a nurse practitioner for Health First Medical Group, checks Marie Vinson’s blood pressure. Briand said that one of the major issues she finds when performing Annual Wellness Visits is that patients have elevated blood pressure and need to see their primary care doctor right away.
insurance companies, the concept of the wellness visit is the same.
Vinson is a member of Health First Health Plans, a local network that provides everything the national Medicare Advantage Plans provide.
“I worked as a nurse for Health First so I picked that plan because I wanted to keep the same doctors I was already seeing,” she said.
Colleen Briand is a nurse practitioner for Health First Medical Group whose entire practice is conducting comprehensive wellness checks. There are five providers on
Briand’s team — two who work solely at Health First medical offices, two who do at-home visits and Briand — who works two days at medical offices and three days doing at-home visits.
“Some doctors like doing their own wellness visits and some like our team to perform them,” Briand said. “If we perform the visit, though, we are in close contact with the primary care doctor. One of the major things we find are patients with elevated blood pressure. If we see that, we tell the patient to get to their primary care doctor for further evaluation right away.”
Vinson sums up that the insurance companies know that it’s cheaper for them to pay to get you checked preventively.
“These insurance companies want you to get treated early rather than to wait until it becomes a hospital stay,” Vinson concluded.
For more information about Medicare Wellness Visits, see cms.gov and search for “Wellness Visits.”
continued from page 1 using fabrics and threads to create textile artwork. Many of her pieces draw inspiration from orbiting Earth while in space, which has allowed her to gain a new perspective. Nyberg’s portraits of Tereshkova and Ride were created using a collage applique technique with batik fabrics.
“It’s an honor for me to share these because these women were very impactful on me when I was growing up. And they really helped me to realize this lofty dream that I had,” Nyberg said.
Although she never met Ride, she did meet Tereshkova through an opportunity to fly with the Russians. Nyberg attributed her achievements to her hard work and dedication to her goals, and recognized that both Tereshkova and Ride paved the way to her success. SL
“At my Annual Wellness Visit, my doctor also makes sure I am getting my regular yearly mammogram, DEXA (bone density) scan and colonoscopy ”
—Marie VinsonSENIOR LIFE Randall P.
BY SUSAN HOUTS
It’s such an awkward question: do you snore?
At the same time invasive and banal, the topic of snoring brings embarrassment and sometimes even finger pointing: for example, “I don’t snore, but my wife does” was the reply of one local source who wishes, for the sake of his marriage, to remain anonymous.
But what is snoring exactly?
What are the causes of all of this ruckus, and what is this noisy indicator telling us about the inner workings of our bodies?
According to the Sleep Foundation, snoring is caused when the nasal passage airway is obstructed. This obstruction could be caused by any number of culprits including a deviated septum, allergies, medication use, weight gain, or gravity pulling down the tongue when laying on the back during sleep.
Although common, snoring should not be ignored as it is often a sign of a possible larger problem, most notably
sleep apnea. “Obstructive sleep apnea can be identified by a gap in breathing during sleep, followed by a gasp as breathing resumes” said Ed Grandbois, the manager of Health First Sleep Centers. “This pattern signifies a lack of oxygen to the brain and organs, and long term restriction of oxygen to these areas through the night can cause real and lasting damage.”
In addition to the physical impacts, snoring can also have emotional, social and relational ramifications.
According to Amanda Walker, her malady presented itself later in life, and she only learned about it while sharing rooms during an international trip with friends.
“It is embarrassing,” she said, “because it is something you can’t control. You feel bad about it, and it has given me a bit of travel anxiety (when making sleeping arrangements).”
And snoring can also be a problem closer to home: bed partners can lose sleep due to the often unpleasant and disruptive sound, which has led to one in four pairs of couples sleeping in separate
rooms, according to a 2021 USA Today story.
For those who decide to weather the storm and stay in the same room overnight, adjusting the sleeping position of the snorer sometimes works and often loved ones result to waking up the snorer to accomplish this, or “sometimes he snores so loud he wakes himself up” said Tami Leeberg, a local loved one of a known snorer.
Other ways to quiet our nights
and improve our sleep can include seeking medical help. Snorers should consider approaching their primary care physicians with details of their sleep habits and snoring patterns, possibly requesting a referral to a local sleep specialist.
These sleep practitioners will help narrow down sleep patterns and habits and help create a plan of action for better and hopefully healthier sleep — for all involved. SL
a.m. - 4 p.m. Vendors, music, raffles food, beer and cigars. Benefit for A Better Way. Pint & Pistol 2911 Oxbow Circle Cocoa, 321-305-6448 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Sunset in the Hollows
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Enjoy a nature walk.
You can walk two miles around, or around one basin. We recommend sneakers or other closetoed shoes, a hat, a water bottle, sunscreen and bug spray.
Hundred Acre Hollow 1170 Rock Springs Drive Suntree, 321-757-3637
Scottish Country Dancing
6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Springs of Suntree Clubhouse 8300 Holiday Springs Road
Suntree, 321-427-3587
Bingo
11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
DRS Community Center 1089 S. Patrick Drive Satellite Beach 321-202-7337
Art & Painting 9 a.m. - noon Martin Andersen Senior Center 1025 S. Florida Ave. Rockledge 321-631-7549
Bingo
11:15 a.m. - 2 p.m. Wickham Park Senior Center 2785 Leisure Way Melbourne 321-255-4494
One Small Step Concert 6:15 p.m. Presented by the Melbourne Community Orchestra. Melbourne Auditorium 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. Melbourne 321-285-6724
SHINE Counseling 9 a.m. - noon Sunflower House 3125 Fell Road West Melbourne 321-321-4341
Car and Truck Show 5 - 8 p.m. Friendly’s 1011 E. Eau Gallie Blvd. Indian Harbor Beach 321-725-3648
Sip & Smoke 6:30 p.m.
Locally hand-rolled cigars for purchase by Chaffiot Cigars and a spotlight spirit. 28 North Gastropub 2250 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-241-1159
The Dixie Smoke Trio Concert
3 p.m. Cocoa Beach Library 550 N. Brevard Ave. Cocoa Beach 321-868-1104
Food Trucks, Concert and Car Show
4 - 10 p.m. 5800 Stadium Parkway Viera, 800-741-3014
Swing for Charity Golf Tournament 7:30 a.m.
Benefit for the GFWC Viera Woman’s Club. Duran Golf Club 7032 Stadium Pkwy Viera, 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony
9 a.m. Rockledge Civic Hub 530 Barton Blvd. Rockledge, 321-221-7540 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Sybil Gage Jazz Concert
2 - 4 p.m.
Space Coast Jazz Society. Veterans Memorial Center
400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway Merritt Island 321-453-1776
Why Native Plants are Important
Brevard County 9/11 Memorial Tribute
6 p.m.
Remembering the fire, police, EMS, civilians and military who lost their lives on 9/11, and all those afterward.
2023 Woman of the Year Celebration 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Parkinson’s Support Group 10 - 11 a.m.
One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771
Rummikub
Tinnitus and Hearing Loss
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Rummage Sale
8 a.m. - noon
2 - 4 p.m.
Restoring nature’s relationships between plants and wildlife.
Veterans Memorial Park 400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway Merritt Island 321-453-1776
Celebrate the founder and executive director of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, MaryAnn Sterling. RSVP required. Space Coast Convention Center 301 Tucker Lane Cocoa, 321-631-7776
1 - 4 p.m. Wickham Park Senior Center 2785 Leisure Way Melbourne 321-255-4494
Cook the Book 6 p.m. Mims Scottsmoor Library 3615 Lionel Road Mims, 321-264-5080
Chess 1 - 3 p.m.
Wickham Park Senior Center 2785 Leisure Way Melbourne 321-255-4494
RSVP One Senior Place Viera, 321-751-6771
Wine Tasting sponsored by the 55+ Club
4 - 6 p.m.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 2073 Garden St. Titusville, 321-267-4323
Big Camera Basics Camera Class 9 - 11:30 a.m.
Satellite Beach Civic Center, 565 Cassia Blvd 321-773-6458
Turkey Creek Sanctuary
Ranger-led Tour
10 - 11 a.m.
First and third Sunday
Each tour will be led by the park ranger and will focus on common plants and animals found in the sanctuary.
Turkey Creek Park
1518 Port Malabar Blvd. NE Palm Bay, 321-676-6690
Bones and Balance 10 - 11 a.m. Wickham Park Senior Center 2785 Leisure Way Melbourne 321-255-4494
Golden Hearts Senior Fitness
1 - 2 p.m.
North Brevard Senior Center 909 Lane Ave. Titusville, 321-514-5945
Grandparents Raising
Grandchildren Support Group
9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Guest speaker, Belinda Stewart from 211 Brevard. GRG Office 123 Barton Blvd. Rockledge, 321-631-7776
Space Coast Poets
5:30 p.m.
Forum to critique one another's work. Suntree/Viera Library 902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-255-4044
Big Kids: Luncheon Cruise 9:30 a.m. Depart Kiwanis Park, travel to Lake Monroe and board the St. Johns Rivership Barbara-Lee. Enjoy Florida's wildlife, beauty, lunch and live entertainment. Call to signup.
Kiwanis Island Park 951 Kiwanis Island Park Road Merritt Island 321-455-1385
Senior Single Mingle 5:30 p.m. Come out and make some new friends. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771
Chicago Bluegrass Concert 7 p.m. Featuring JT's Bluegrass. Shepherd's Hall 2063 Garden Street Titusville, 321-693-5508
Selections of wine from around the world.
DRS Community Center 1089 S. Patrick Drive Satellite Beach 321-773-6458
Learn to take better photos from award-winning photographer Kim Tank. Hello Again Books 411 Brevard Ave. Cocoa, 321-877-0351 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Karaoke 6 p.m. Hook & Eagle Tavern 2500 Clubhouse Drive Viera, 321-639-3487
Inangual Golf Fundraiser 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Benefit for Shriners Hospital for Children. Baytree National Golf Links 8207 National Drive Suntree 321-259-9060
CCU Florida Shred Day 9 a.m. - noon Bring up to 100 pounds of paper to be shredded safely on site. CCU Florida 1325 Palm Bay Road NE Palm Bay, 321-690-2328
VFW Post 4026 Car & Truck Show 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. VFW Post 4026 3201 Dairy Road Melbourne 321-795-7363
25 26 27 28 29 30
Scavenger Hunt 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Pick up your nature hunt and enjoy the afternoon exploring.
Sams House 6195 N. Tropical Trail Merritt Island 321-449-4720
Bone Builders 9 - 10 a.m.
Martin Andersen Senior Center 1025 S. Florida Ave. Rockledge, 321-631-2749
Mah Jongg Noon - 3 p.m.
Aging Matters in Brevard 3600 W. King St. Cocoa, 321-452-4341
Boomer Trivia 4 - 6 p.m. Tuesdays. Free Pizza Gallery & Grill The Avenue Viera, 321633-0397
continued from page 1
clothing is a hot seller. They display the items cottage core style in a series of small rooms. Items are displayed as in small specialty stores — a room of puzzles and toys, a room of fine dishware, a bridal display. Women’s clothes are sorted by size and style, many with new tags. They take everything except men’s clothing and large electronics.
Donations can be made 24 hours a day in an area near a second building that houses furniture and other large items and some seasonal storage of items.
“In the next few weeks, we are pulling all the Halloween items out and this building is going to be a haunted cottage. Then, at Christmas,
we get rid of almost all of our things. We donate them usually to a church or something and then it’s all hands on deck. We bring all the Christmas out and it becomes big Chaos Corners. The whole front building has Christmas trees everywhere. It’s just a really fun thing and the community really embraces these events that we do.” Stowe said.
Among the volunteers are past store managers Marilyn Peasinger and Judy Roub, who were among the Junior League members who founded the guild that created the Lamb Shoppe. “We asked if anyone knew about thrift stores. Two ladies from Tampa did. They were here about a year, and they did a good job. They gave us all this information because we didn’t know anything.” Roub said.
Said Peasinger: “The first guild
meeting was at my house. They had all babies back then, the foster care system has changed a lot. There was so much talk about babies. Cocaine babies. And that’s what we used volunteers for, me because they needed people to hold the babies.
Chicken Soup Loving, they called it.
That’s why we called the thrift store The Lamb Shopppe, and it was the baby lambs. You could go in there and see five or six people rocking a baby and most of the babies were addicted.”
For more information, contact thehavendevelopment@gmail.com
Helen Hutten reached an incredible milestone when she turned 101 years old on Aug. 7.
The occasion was celebrated with a TV and movie-themed birthday bash on Aug. 9 at the Chateau Madeleine Senior Living & Memory Care, where she has been a cherished resident since February 2020.
Hutten’s birthday was a testament to a life well-lived and a heart full of gratitude. The event, attended by friends, family and about 50 fellow residents, not only honored Hutten’s remarkable journey, but also celebrated the August birthdays of Karen, John, Robbie and Saunder.
“I’m very happy, and if God wants me to keep on going like this, I’ll accept it any time of the day,” Hutten said.
As the party members sang along with guest stars Hugh & Chris, Stella Tobin, the director of activities and recreation, danced with a few residents.
Tobin described Hutten as an embodiment of youthful exuberance and boundless positivity. Hutten is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. She met her husband, whom she lovingly called Bernie, there and was married to him for 61 years until he died at the age of 104. The two often spent their time playing golf together and traveling the world. Hutten has also spent her time working as a hairdresser and living more than 50 years in Brevard County.
“She got so excited and she just can’t believe all this attention is being given to a little Cincinnati girl. She’s full of gratitude,” Tobin said.
In addition to her love for staying
active, Hutten is committed to excellence. She is constantly keeping her brain active by completing crossword puzzles, attending art class, playing Rummikub and socializing with others. Tobin also said that Hutten always tries to look her best.
“We’re literally running to keep up with her,” Tobin said.
Scott Wall, Hutten’s nephew, agreed that Hutten is an amazing, independent woman. When she was in her late 90s, she bought a new house with a river view on her own, Wall recalled.
“It’s amazing to watch somebody like her,” Wall said. “It astounds me every day, and I just thank God that, somewhere in my genes, there’s a little bit of her.”
Both Wall and Tobin attributed Hutten’s vibrant life to a combination of nutritious eating, physical activity and an unwavering pursuit of new experiences. Hutten’s next endeavor is to attend Chateau Madeleine’s trip on Dec. 2 to see the “Nutcracker.”
“It is so surprising that I made it to this alone. I didn’t realize that’s what happened to me, but it did and I’m accepting it and I love it,” Hutten said. SL
SUDOKU
Difficulty: Easy
Edited by Margie E. Burke
HOW TO SOLVE: Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3 by 3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 to 9.
(Answer appears elsewhere in this issue)
6 7 2 1 6 4 5 7 4 3 6 8 9 3 4 2 3 4 5 1 9 4 9 7 Solution on page 26
“It’s amazing to watch somebody like her. It astounds me every day, and I just thank God that, somewhere in my genes, there’s a little bit of her.”
— Scott Wall, Hutten’s nephew
BCOA meetings are open to the public and are held the second Thursday of each month at the government center in Viera. For information, contact Cindy Short at 321-6332076, FAX 321-633-2170, cindy.short@brevardfl.gov, brevardf l.gov/HumanServices/CommissionOnAging or at 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, B-106, Viera, FL 32940.
No one wants to talk about his or her death or to contemplate the decisions to be made at the end of life. We are not getting out of this earthly experience alive, but while we are alive, we have an opportunity, and some would say a duty to give direction and peace to our physicians and our loved ones regarding our wishes in the provision, refusal or withholding of medical treatments and procedures at the end of life. It is one of the greatest gifts we can provide.
Each one of us has a fundamental right of self-determination in decisions pertaining to our own health, including the right to choose or refuse medical treatment.
In a perfect world, this personal right is exercised by us in the present moment after talking with our doctor, weighing the pros and cons, and conducting independent research and soul searching. Unfortunately, many of the most important medical decisions must be made at a time
Readers of this series know that in 2016 Brevard County took an enormous step toward saving and restoring the Lagoon. We voted for the ½-cent sales tax to fund hundreds of Save Our Indian River Lagoon (SOIRL) restoration projects.
The state has pitched in during the past few years, adding millions of dollars to fund projects as well, and we appreciate the help.
This year is different though. This year, the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis took major steps to help by creating the IRL Protection Plan and appropriating more than $100 million for remediation projects.
The Protection Plan (House Bill
when we are not physically or mentally able to make our desires known.
The Florida Legislature recognized this reality, and in an effort to ensure that this right of self-determination is not lost or diminished by later mental or physical incapacity, enacted legislation allowing for the use of advance directives to advise our physicians and others of what we would want or not want under certain circumstances.
A living will serves as instruction regarding how we want to die — our own specific wishes at the end of life. The directives of a living will come into play if the attending physician and another physician separately examine an individual
and determine that the individual suffers from a terminal condition (imminent death), persistent vegetative state (no brain activity), or end stage condition (irreversible, progressively severe and permanent deterioration) with no reasonable medical probability of recovery from that condition; and, if the physicians determine and document that the individual has no reasonable medical probability of recovering capacity to contemporaneously determine his or her treatment. Only then does a living will and an individual’s wishes as expressed in that document direct the course of treatment and the use of life-prolonging procedures at the end of life.
As contemplated in a living will,
a life-prolonging procedure is one whose application would serve only to prolong artificially the process of dying.
Many people choose in their living wills to refuse all life-prolonging procedures at the end of life in order to permit the natural process of dying across the board. Others decide to pick and choose among any number of life-prolonging procedures to artificially slow the dying process, such as placement or continuance on a ventilator, dialysis treatment, surgical procedures and blood transfusion, placement in an intensive care unit, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or active treatment of a reversible condition such as newly-discovered cancer, heart attack or pneumonia.
Start the conversation now with your family and physician, and memorialize your wishes in a living will to give them legal effect.
No one should be placed in the heart wrenching and life altering position of making these decisions for us. SL
performing (65% nitrogen removing) systems will be allowed.
By July 1, 2030, commercial and residential properties with standard septics must connect to central sewer or upgrade to high-performing systems.
along with the above “sticks.” The budget includes nearly $600 million statewide for grants and projects to improve water quality and supply. They also appropriated an additional $100 million specifically for the IRL Protection Project.
1379) applies to land around the Banana River, Central and North Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons (specifically in these Basin Area Management Plan or BMAP areas).
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, it prohibits permitting of new septic systems where sewer is available. And, where sewer is not available, only high
In addition, local governments in these areas will be required to review their plans and submit a list of projects that will be undertaken to improve the water quality in their basin. This must include a review of sanitary sewer planning and be completed by July 1, 2024. This information is then required to be included in the comprehensive plan.
The state included a big “carrot”
This funding is expected to be managed by the Department of Environmental Protection through the Southeast and St Johns River Water Management Districts.
Every step is progress in the restoration of our Lagoon and this may be more than just one step.
For more information, visit helpthelagoon.org/ and facebook. com/BIRLC to stay informed. SL
Each one of us has a fundamental right of self-determination in decisions pertaining to our own health, including the right to choose or refuse medical treatment.
“I’ve had a good life,” one 105-year-old woman said as she celebrated her birthday.
Mildred Hilliard, lovingly called Milli, enjoyed her special day with cupcakes in her hands, a crown on her head and flowers in her lap.
The Aug. 10 birthday celebration allowed Hilliard to share her firm belief about doing good things for others. Her party was held at Atlantic Shores Nursing & Rehab Center with staff, friends and members from Health First Hospice in attendance.
“Be kind to everybody. Someone’s bound to be kind back to you,” Hilliard said.
Hilliard grew up in New York with her parents, three brothers and one sister. She studied history in college, but spent most of her life as a homemaker. As a Baptist, Hilliard enjoys listening to gospel music, but she also loves music by Frank Sinatra. For a while, she socialized by playing Bridge at the Eau Gallie Yacht Club.
Now, she spends her time getting her hair done at the salon and watching TV game shows. SL
BY MARIA SONNENBERG
Florida has always enjoyed an abundance of colorful personalities, but arguably one of its most unique residents was Ed Leedskalnin.
Only 5-foot tall and 100 pounds, what this Latvia émigré lacked in height and weight, he more than made up for in energy and purpose. By himself and without heavy machinery, Leedskalnin excavated, carved, shaped and moved more than 1,100 tons of rock to create Coral Castle, one of South Florida’s most enduring — and unusual — attractions.
How Leedskalnin managed to single-handedly build a structure some consider a wonder of the world, continues to amaze scientists, scholars and tourists.
Unlucky in love, Leedskalnin had been left at the altar in his native Latvia. Despondent, he left the country and traveled through Canada and the United States before seeking a cure for his tuberculosis in the warm climate of Florida City.
In 1923, he unveiled his first castle, which he later moved from Florida City to outside of Homestead
in 1936 after hearing of planned development that would threaten his privacy. Moving a castle was not enough for Leedskalnin, who continued adding components to Coral Castle until his death in 1951.
A sign at the castle’s door would instruct visitors to “ring bell twice” so Leedskalnin would know to come down and welcome them on a tour, for which he charged 10 cents.
After Leedskalnin’s death in 1951, Ed’s castle, which he had originally named Rock Gate after the massive nine-ton, 8-foot coral entrance gate he engineered to open with just the touch of a finger, became Coral Castle. It was added in 1984 to the National Register of Historic Places.
In truth, Coral Castle is not made from coral, but rather from oolite, a sedimentary rock often
found within a couple of inches of the topsoil in South Florida. The type of rock is ultimately irrelevant when considering the scope of the project achieved by the slightly-built Leedskalnin.
Within Leedskalnin’s magic realm is a two-story tower using 8-foothigh pieces of stone, all fastened so well together without mortar that no light shines through. The castle includes an accurate sundial, an obelisk, a water well and an entire suite of furniture, including 25 rocking chairs carved from rocks, plus beds, a throne, a bathtub and even a huge table in the shape of Florida with accompanying stone chairs where Leedskalnin had hoped the heads of the state would one day convene (they didn’t, unfortunately).
Rusty McClure and Jack Heffron, authors of “Coral Castle, the Mystery of Ed Leedskalnin and his American Stonehenge,” thank the builder for leaving the world “a special monument imbued with imagination, possibility and mystery.”
Visitors continue to be amazed by Leedskalnin’s feats. A film about Leedskalnin prepares guests for a docent-led tour that highlights the features of the castle and delves into the builder’s eccentric life. The al fresco Coral Castle Café features gourmet sandwiches, while a small gift shop showcases collectables.
Claims that Leedskalnin must have employed supernatural or psychic powers to build his temple of rock have, of course, never been substantiated. And Leedskalnin would say that anyone who, like him, knew the secrets of building the ancient pyramids could do the same. Regardless, visitors to Coral Castle often feel an energy that encourages meditation.
“Coral Castle combines the mysteries of Egyptology, universal energies and the paranormal,” said Laura Maye, the general manager and curator. SL
When we hear certain songs, we may wonder what the event was that inspired a songsmith to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. Sometimes, though, what we learn about that inspiration is so painful that we may find ourselves reaching for the Kleenex.
Songwriter Alex Harvey explained that “Delta Dawn” was about his mother, a Mississippi Delta-born hairdresser in Harvey’s hometown of Brownsville, Tennessee. At 41, she had given herself over to drink when a man who had promised her the world disappeared from her own, leaving her to stumble along Brownsville streets, suitcase in hand, looking for a “mansion in the sky.”
When Harvey was 15 years old, he played in a band. “We had just won a contest, and we were going to be on a TV show in Jackson, Tennessee,” he recalled. “My mother said she wanted to go. I told her that I thought she would embarrass me. She drank and sometimes would do things that would make me feel ashamed, so I asked her
not to go that night.”
When Harvey returned home later from the TV taping, his world
crumbled when he learned that his mother had died in a car wreck after running her vehicle into a tree.
Harvey suspected that her death wasn’t an accident but had been a suicide. Devastated, he turned deep inside his music as the only form of therapy that brought him any solace.
Several years later, Harvey was at a fellow songwriter’s house. It was late, and everyone there had fallen asleep except Harvey, who had stayed up to noodle on his guitar. That’s when he experienced a life-altering vision: “I looked up, and I felt as if my mother was in the room. I saw her very clearly. She was in a rocking chair, and she was laughing.”
Instantly, two song-lyric lines wafted into Alex’s consciousness:
She’s forty-one and her daddy still calls her “Baby”
All the folks around Brownsville say she’s crazy
He woke his friend and fellow songwriter Larry Collins and breathlessly poured out his story. Together, the two composed “Delta
Dawn” in 20 minutes.
Harvey recorded the song first, followed by Tanya Tucker, Bette Midler and Australian-born Helen Reddy, with Reddy’s version catching the rocket ride to the peak of the Billboard chart and becoming her second No.1 single after “I Am Woman.”
Much of the success of “Delta Dawn” resulted from a combination of Reddy’s muscular vocals and that of the uplifting gospel background, dynamic and thunderous and sounding straight out of a southern tent-revival meeting.
“Delta Dawn” brought Harvey blessed relief from the guilt that had shrouded him concerning his mother’s demise: “I really believe that my mother came into the room that night, not to scare me, but to tell me that it’s OK, that she made her choices in life, and it had nothing to do with me. I always felt like that song was a gift to my mother — and an apology to her.”
Courtenay Springs Village
1200 S Courtenay Pkwy., Merritt Island 32952 321-452-1233 CourtenaySpringsVillage.org
Shell Harbor 2855 Murrell Rd, Rockledge 32955 321-265-6858 ShellHarborRetirement.com
Alura Senior Living 777 Roy Wall Blvd., Rockledge 32955 321-549-3980 AluraSeniorLiving.com
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It had been 37 years since a Titusville firefighter was awarded the Firefighters Medal of Honor.
Lt. Robert Spillers, a now retired Titusville Fire lieutenant, received the Firefighters Medal of Honor for rescuing two people from structure fires, then continuing CPR on a 12-year-old girl being rushed to the hospital.
The medal is the highest recognition in their line of work.
Nearly four decades later, two firefighters, Lt. David Neeld and Driver/Operator Billy Wiegert, were awarded the medal for rescuing families from flood waters in New Smyrna Beach during Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022.
“Lt. Neeld and Driver/ Operator Wiegert represent everything good about the fire service,” said Gregory Sutton, the battalion chief of administration. “We are proud of their actions performed while off-duty. They are
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RESTAURANTS
Applebee’s - 10%, 60+
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Burger King - 10%, 60+
more than deserving of the department’s Medal of Honor.”
Fire Chief John Hustoles presided over the July 25 presentation at Titusville City Hall.
“The firefighters were called to rescue an older couple trapped in their home by rising flood water,” Hustoles said. “In a small boat not designed for rescue, they navigated tropical force winds, falling trees and debris while fighting to keep their small boat from capsizing. This was repeated several times as the firefighters kept responding to cries for help. By night’s end, five people
and their pets had been pulled to safety.”
Neeld and Wiegert recalled the dangerous conditions.
“The wind kicked up as we drove on the interstate. Large oak trees were slamming onto the roadway and trucks were falling over,” Neeld said. “New Smyrna Beach was underwater like the ocean. All we could see was water.”
The winds were strong and the flood water was deep, they said. “We operated a boat where normally we would drive a car.” Wiegert recalled.
The Medal of Honor was especially meaningful to the firefighters because they were
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McDonald’s - reduced price coffee Perkins - senior menu, 55+
Pollo Tropical - 10%, 55+
Chick-fil-A - 10% or free small drink, 55+
Chili’s - 10%, 55+
Culver’s - 10%, 60+
Dairy Queen - 10%, 55+
Del Taco - 10% off meals or free drink, 55+
Denny’s - senior menu and 15% with AARP
Einstein’s Bagels - 10%, 60+
Fazoli’s - senior menu, 62+
Friendly’s - 10% off meals, 55+
Fuddrucker’s - 10% off senior platters, 55+
Golden Corral - 10%, 55+
Hardee’s - up to 10%, 55+
IHOP - 55+ menu
KFC - free small drink, 55+
Sonic - 10% or free drink, 60+
Subway - 10%, 60+
Taco Bell - free small drink, 55+
(most discounts are for in-store purchase, some include online sales)
Bealls Florida - 20% discount one day per month, 50+
Beall’s Outlet - 15% off one day per month, 50+
Belk - 10% off first Tuesday of month, 62+
Kohl’s - 15% off Wednesdays, 60+
Michaels - 10% with Michael’s
Reward Account, 55+
JC Penney’ - 15% and periodic monthly specials, 55+
nominated by their peers, who considered their actions above and beyond the call of duty.
Titusville Mayor Dan Diesel expressed pride in the firefighters and those who risk their lives to make Titusville a better place.
“Our first responders: police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians are my heroes,” Diesel said. “While most of us run from danger, they run toward it.”
He also commended firefighters who did not receive the medal.
“We know you too have it in you.” SL
— Verify discounts as some might change
Roses - 10% off Wednesdays, 55+ Ross - 10%, 55 Plus program on Tuesday
TJ Maxx - 10% off Mondays at some locations, 55+
Choice Hotels - 10%, 60+
Comfort Suites and Inns - 10% or more, 60+
Hilton - 7% off best rate at some locations
IHG - discounts at some locations
Knight’s Inn - up to 10% on best rate, 60+
Marriot - discounted prices at specified locations, 62+ Wyndham - varied savings, 60+ Most require AARP membership.
Amtrak - 10% off most trains, 65+ AMC, varied discounts per show, 60+
Brevard Zoo - save $5, 65+ or annual grandparent pass
CVS - up to 15%, varies by store
Goodwill - 10 to 15% off one day a week, 55+
Greyhound - varied, 62+
Hertz - Fifty Plus Program for up to 20%
National Parks - $20 annual or $80 lifetime entrance, 62+
Publix - 5% Wednesdays at some sites, 60+
Salvation Army - varied discounts, 55+
Silver Sneakers - discounts at 17,000 fitness centers, 65+
Thrifty - 5%, Silver Thrifty Club
State Parks - 50% off base campsite fee at some locations
T Mobile - various discounts
Verizon - 55 Plus Unlimited plan for $60/month
Walgreens - senior day up to 20% by location, 55+
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What are you talking about? Two senior couples meet at the Cracker Barrel for lunch. After a few social pleasantries, the conversation begins to flow.
“How’s your diabetes? Do you have your prostate under control? How’s your gastric disorder? Do you have to get a colonoscopy?”
The waitress interrupts to get four waters with lemon.
They chat more with questions, “Did you get a new pacemaker? Are you still having heart problems?” The answers are interesting and revealing.
Carroll Distributing Company presented checks for $10,000 to Folds of Honor for scholarships and another for $5,000 directly to the daughter of a military veteran.
Anheuser-Busch and Carroll Distributing has supported the Folds of Honor scholarship program with a total of $22 million through the past 13 years.
Folds of Honor provides scholarships to the spouses and children of fallen and disabled military and first responders.
Rocky Sickmann, the senior vice president for Bud accounts, was the guest speaker for the check presentation at Carroll Distributing Company in Rockledge.
Sickmann was once held hostage in Iran for 444 days and released Jan. 20, 1981. SL
Rocky Sickmann speaks with detail of his 444 days as a hostage in Iran as if it happened yesterday. He constantly remembers those who died trying to rescue him and the others.
He was one of 52 held hostage in Iran after a mob stormed the U.S. Embassy. They were released on Jan. 20, 1981.
Sickmann, who is the senior vice president of Folds of Honor, recounted his story of captivity while in Melbourne at Carroll Distributing recently for a check presentation for the organization. Carroll Distributing and Anheuser Busch are supporters of Folds of Honor.
Folds of Honor provides scholarships for the families and dependents of fallen or disabled veterans and first responders.
Sickmann was a 22-year-old Marine Corps sergeant at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran when the mob, described as university student protesters, broke into the Embassy compound.
He was held in a room with two other Americans for most of his time in captivity.
“You are surrounded by the uncertainty of never knowing if you were going to be released,” he said.
Then on the night of April 25, 1980, his captors came rushing into the room.
“They handcuffed all three of us together and blindfolded us,” Sickmann said. “They took us downstairs, put us in a vehicle and drove us off. Little did we know that the United States had sent a rescue operation.”
The hostages were then separated and held in many different places
throughout Iran.
Operation Eagle Claw was a daring rescue attempt in which eight of the rescuers died in a helicopter crash.
“These individuals died trying to gain my freedom,” Sickmann said. “Never again will those eight individuals have an opportunity to take their daughters to a fatherdaughter dance.”
During his time in captivity, Sickmann kept a diary, hundreds of pages, which is now on loan to the St. Louis’ Soldiers Memorial Military Museum and displayed two pages at a time. In it he tells of the isolation, the mental anguish and about it being boring up to the time just before the hostages’ release.
“It seems too good to be true that we’ll be getting out of here,” he told NPR in St. Louis in an earlier interview, “then again, I can’t see myself here for the rest of my life.”
The water arrives and the order for the special of the day is given. The conversation switches to, “The meal prices sure have gone up. It’s the government and inflation. I’m sure glad I don’t have to buy a house with interest rates so high.”
Just before the food arrives, the topic switches to “pills, poop and the bathroom.” Yes, they did comment briefly about their fabulous grandchildren.
During the meal, there is discussion about memory loss, fall and balance testing, car problems, dysfunction, skin cancer, aches, pains and deaths. It seems every topic from A to Z related to seniors is covered.
There’s a switch to “streetscaping plans for downtown Melbourne,” proposed construction of high-rise apartment buildings, affordable housing and property insurance rate increases. Yikes, the topics are enough to give a senior heartburn. They survive and skip dessert.
Similar conversations occur at an AARP Chapter meeting, after church, while out shopping, other gatherings, email, texting, on Facebook and
Puzzle on page 21
through other internet exchanges. Most topics are part of life. They may be depressing, sad, concerned and relatable.
The challenge for seniors: “How can we change the focus and switch topics? Move to the positive! Point out new discoveries in medicine, benefits of innovations, technology and cures. Make comparisons of “the good old days” with the quality of life now. Make positive and upbeat statements. News sources often report crime, weather catastrophes, scandals and political missteps. Look for what is good in the world.
Rotary Club luncheon conversations often started with discussing bad things. Rotary members in a service organization were challenged to change the conversation. Clubs began “Happy Dollars.” As part of the meeting, Rotarians were asked to pay $1 and state why they were happy. What is good in your life? The tone of the meetings changed. People counted their blessings. You, too, can have happy conversations! SL
Ed Baranowski is an awardwinning writer, artist, speaker and seminar leader. He lives in Melbourne and can be contacted at fast75sr@ gmail.com
Puzzle on page 19
