Once upon a time, the thought of senior residents getting together and forming a band would have seemed absurd.
But in this day and age, where
some of the world’s most famous artists, such as Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac and Elton John are senior citizens themselves, it doesn’t seem so odd to watch the older population rock out to the music of their youth. And that’s precisely what
viewers will experience when seeing the local cover band, Lost in Space Coast. Born from a mutual love of music, the members of Lost in Space Coast
Continued to page 27
Volume 27, Issue 8
Senior Life of
Shoppes Drive, Suite 102
Viera, FL 32940
321-242-1235
myseniorlife.com
jill@myseniorlife.com
Publisher Jill Blue
Editor R. Norman Moody
Office Manager
Sylvia Montes
Copy Editor
Jeff Navin
Art Department
Jorjann Blake
Feature Writers
Ed Baranowski
Chris Bonanno
Cameron Countryman
Ernie Dorling
Mike Gaffey
Randal C. Hill
Susan M. Houts
Linda Jump
Betty Porter
Flora Reigada
Nichole Yuan
THE
We again commit to giving you our best as we begin 2025
It is already 2025. As we start the new year, we again commit to you our readers and advertisers to strive to bring you our best with each edition.
We will continue the series of stories and features that you want while finding new and interesting articles for your knowledge, entertainment and information. We depend on the feedback from you to bring you relevant information.
In this Senior Life’s first edition of the year, we will again tell you about those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and the stories of interest to veterans and others. We have a story about an Air Force veteran pilot who served a lengthy career in the military.
Archaeologist Tom Funk tells us in a story about Spanish treasure ships sunk during a hurricane in 1715.
What is your hobby or passion? We continue with our series of interesting hobbies — this time with a man who has an impressive collection of hockey memorabilia.
We have a story about a musical group, which could also be considered a hobby. Lost in Space Coast are a group of retirees who love to play music and often share their talents with people in assisted living facilities. The group was a hit at the Boomer Bash Senior Expo on Nov. 15 at the Space Coast Convention Center in Cocoa.
We occasionally get inquiries from readers looking for volunteer opportunities. Because of that, I always like to share about volunteer opportunities in Brevard County. You can share your talents with the City of Cocoa Beach’s Community Paramedic’s program. Read about their call for volunteers to assist older adults in the community.
In addition, for those who live in North Brevard, the Titusville Police Department is looking for volunteers for its community watch program. Read our story to find out more about how you might be able to help fill that need.
Did you know that with open angle glaucoma there are virtually no symptoms? We explore the topic since glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness. About three million Americans have glaucoma.
As we start the year, I want to hear from readers about what feature stories you would like to read more about. SL
R. Norman Moody
Local archaeologist helps identify 1715 Spanish fleet treasures
BY NICHOLE YUAN
Decades ago there was a young boy inspired by the ancient artifacts shown on the now-defunct television show “What in the World?” But the child, having already committed to playing the trumpet, continued to pursue musical education well into college until a course in anthropology again ignited his interest in archaeology and anthropology.
Whether by coincidence or fate, Thomas Funk took off down the path of anthropology, following in the footsteps of his professor.
“So, I became a social studies major. And a music major. So I double majored. And my sophomore year, I took a course in anthropology and I loved the professor. He was fantastic. He was dynamic, he was interesting, he traveled and had done things and rekindled my interest. And the next thing you know, I’m working on an archaeology project in a Quaker burial ground,” Funk recounted.
It wasn’t until the 1990s that Funk moved to Florida. Although he recalls many opportunities being available in archaeology, all of the offers were for underwater projects.
“So this guy was hired to do a survey from Sebastian Inlet all the way up to Cape Canaveral and the upshot of this survey was to see if we could find any more of the (lost) 1715 fleet,” Funk said.
The project, which occurred during the course of several years, finally produced the anticipated results in the early 2000s.
“I get, basically, taken out to the stand up barge and I have to look at all these artifacts and determine what, if any, significance they have in terms of being associated with the 1715 fleet,” Funk
SHIPWRECK
Continued on page 17
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SENIOR LIFE
Courtesy of Thomas Funk Thomas Funk followed his childhood passion for archaeology.
SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Thomas Funk
Thomas Funk will often speak to groups about the search and salvage of ships in the 1715 fleet.
HOBBIES & PASSIONS
THE FIFTH FEATURE IN A SERIES ON HOBBIES & PASSIONS
Retired police officer enjoys showing off his hockey memorabilia
BY ERNIE DORLING
Edward Enright, known as Bo to his friends, started attending Boston Bruins hockey games with his close friend Tony Marchetti in 2009.
“I was living and working as a police officer in Providence, Rhode Island at the time,” Enright said. “My friend, Tony, had two season tickets to the Bruins, and he invited me to 10 home games that season and a couple of playoff games. I always loved sports, having played football and baseball in high school.
But I couldn’t skate. Still, I loved the game.”
Enright continued attending Boston Bruins games with his friend, sometimes up to 40 home games a year.
“Because Tony was a season-ticket holder, we had access to private events that the team would host. I met many players at these events, including players from the visiting teams. When I started buying Bruins memorabilia, the players would often sign whatever I bought,” he said.
“I’ve met players from other professional sports, but I found
that the guys who play hockey are some of the nicest and most down-to-earth people you’ll ever meet.”
As Enright continued to attend Bruins games at the Garden in Boston, he found that his collection of hockey memorabilia began to rise.
“I bought pictures of players, frames, jerseys, even hockey pucks,” he said. “I realized that I was spending a lot of money on this stuff, but it didn’t concern me because each piece I bought came with a story. It became more about the chase, hoping to
SENIOR LIFE Ernie Dorling A lot of the hockey memorabilia that Edward Enright has collected through the years has been signed by players from the Boston Bruins.
meet a player and get the item signed. It was about the years of memories of attending those games with my friend Tony. You can’t put a price on that.”
Enright doesn’t sell or trade his cherished memorabilia. He prefers to enjoy the hundreds of items he’s collected through the years. However, he enjoys showing his collection and discussing the stories behind his accumulated pieces with friends, especially his most treasured item, a team picture of the Boston Bruins after winning the Stanley Cup in 2011.
“I was able to get every team member to sign that
picture,” Enright said proudly.
After retiring from the Providence Police Department after 29 years of service, Enright visited his brother, who lived in Viera.
“I fell in love with the area,” he said. “I went home and sold my house in one day and moved to Viera. You can’t beat it here; the weather is perfect and the people are exceptionally nice. However, since moving to Florida, I no longer have access to the Bruins games as I used to. I can’t thank my friend Tony enough for this great chapter in my life. It was a great ride while it lasted.” SL
A r e y o u t i r e d o f l i v i n g w i t h b a c k p a i n
t h a t w o n ’ t l e t y o u d o t h e t h i n g s y o u
o n c e e n j o y e d ?
H a v e y o u t r i e d e v e r y t h i n g a n d f o u n d
n o r e l i e f ?
I t i s t i m e t o c o n s i d e r a n a l t e r n a t i v e t h a t
h a s w o r k e d f o r t h o u s a n d s o f o t h e r
B r e v a r d c o u n t y r e s i d e n t s D r A n d r e a
I z q u i e r d o , A P , o f B o d h i T C M
A c u p u n c t u r e , o f f e r s a n i n n o v a t i v e
a p p r o a c h t o h e a l i n g .
I m a g i n e w a k i n g u p f r e e f r o m p a i n . Y o u
a r e a b l e t o e n j o y y o u r l i f e , h a v e m o r e
e n e r g y , s l e e p b e t t e r , a n d d o t h e t h i n g s
y o u l o v e T h e s e a r e t h e t y p e s o f r e s u l t s
a n d s u c c e s s s t o r i e s p a t i e n t s a t B o d h i
T C M e x p e r i e n c e e a c h w e e k .
S u c c e s s s t o r i e s l i k e S h e r K f r o m
M e l b o u r n e :
" A f t e r t h r e e d a y s o f s e v e r e b a c k p a i n ,
I w a s r e a d y t o g o t o t h e E R . I c o u l d n ' t
s i t , s t a n d , o r l i e d o w n w i t h o u t p a i n .
L u c k i l y , I g o t a l a s t - m i n u t e
a p p o i n t m e n t w i t h D r A n dr e a W i t h h e r
c o u r s e o f t r e a t m e n t , I f e l t s i g n i f i c a n t r e l i e f M y b a c k i s s t r o n g e r t h a n e v e r ,
a n d e v e n m y s h o u l d e r p a i n a n d f o o t
t i n g l i n g h a v e i m p r o v e d . I h i g h l y
r e c o m m e n d a n y o n e i n p a i n t o s e e h e r . "
T h e s e a m a z i n g r e s u l t s a r e d u e t o t h e i r
p e r s o n a l i z e d t r e a t m e n t p r o t o c o l s , w h i c h
a d d r e s s t h e r o o t c a u s e o f c h r o n i c p a i n
b y b l e n d i n g T r a d i t i o n a l C h i n e s e
M e d i c i n e w i t h t h e i r o w n C e l l u l a r
B i o M o d u l a t i o n T h e r a p y
“ E v e r y o n e i s d i f f e r e n t , e v e n i f t w o
p a t i e n t s h a v e t h e s a m e c h r o n i c p a i n
d i a g n o s i s , t h e a p p r o a c h n e e d s t o b e
u n i q u e t o t r u l y a d d r e s s t h e r o o t c a u s e ” -
D r A n d r e a e x p l a i n s
“ T h a t s w h y a l l o f o u r p r o t o c o l s a r e
p e r s o n a l i z e d . D u r i n g o u r c o m p r e h e n s i v e
c o n s u l t a t i o n w e g o o v e r m e d i c a l h i s t o r y ,
l i f e s t y l e a n d h e a l t h g o a l s I f I c a n h e l p , I w i l l t e l l t h e p a t i e n t e x a c t l y w h a t i t t a k e s
t o h e l p t h e m a c h i e v e t h e i r he a l t h g o a l s ”
D r . A n d r e a c o n t i n u e s :
“ O n c e w e g e t s t a r t e d , t h e b e s t p a r t i s
t h a t o u r t r e a t m e n t s a r e v e r y r e l a x i n g
M o s t p a t i e n t s f a l l a s l e e p a n d d o n o t w a n t t o l e a v e t h e o f f i c e ”
C o n t i n u i n g t o s t r u g g l e w i t h c h r o n i c p a i n d o e s n o t h a v e t o b e p a r t o f y o u r
l i f e . E v e n a f t e r y e a r s o f f i n d i n g n o h o p e , g o i n g t h r o u g h s u r g e r i e s , s t e r o i d s h o t s , p r e s c r i p t i o n s a n d e v e n p r o c e d u r e s l i k e k y p h o p l a s t y , p a t i e n t s a r e s t i l l a b l e t o
o b t a i n g r e a t r e s u l t s . L i k e R a c h a e l G . o f
V i e r a w h o s h a r e s :
" S h e h a s g i v e n m e r e s u l t s a f t e r j u s t a f e w
s e s s i o n s , w h e r e a s o t h e r d o c t o r s h a v e
l i t e r a l l y j u s t s h r u g g e d a t m e a n d s a i d t h e y
d i d n ' t k n o w w h a t e l s e t h e y c o u l d d o f o r
m e b e y o n d a p r e s c r i p t i o n S h e i s
t h o r o u g h a n d t r u l y l i s t e n s ”
T h e i r t r e a t m e n t s a r e e f f e c t i v e f o r m a n y c h r o n i c p a i n c o n d i t i o n s s u c h a s : n e c k , s h o u l d e r , k n e e p a i n , f o o t p a i n , f a i l e d s u r g e r i e s a n d m o r e , a s s e e n b y
t h e i r m a n y 5 s t a r t r e v i e w s a n d t e s t i m o n i a l s
B i l l y F o f S a t e l l i t e b e a c h s h a r e s :
“ A s a v e t e r a n I h a v e h a d m a n y i s s u e s , k n e e s r e p l a c e d , n e c k s u r g e r y , b a c k
p a i n , y o u n a m e i t . S i n c e s t a r t i n g
t r e a t m e n t , t h i s i s t h e f i r s t t i m e I h a v e
b e e n a b l e t o w a l k w i t h o u t p a i n T h e y
w a n t t o d o a f o u r t h k n e e r e p l a c e m e nt ,
b u t I w i l l b e a v o i d i n g t h a t n o w t h a n k s
t o m y t r e a t m e n t s h e r e . ”
A n o t h e r o n e o f t h e i r h a p p y p a t i e n t s ,
C h r i s t o p h e o f W e s t M e l b o u r n e s h a r e s :
“ I h a d b e e n s u f f e r i n g f r o m s h o u l d e r
M e e t t h e P r a c t i t i o n e r
p a i n a n d r e c e i v e d c o r t i s o n e i n j e c t i o n s ,
b u t t h e r e l i e f w a s s h o r t - l i v e d . T h e n I
f o u n d A n d r e a a n d h e r t e a m w h o
s p e c i a l i z e i n a c u p u n c t u r e T h e r e s u l t s w e r e r e m a r k a b l e W i t h i n a m o n t h , m y
p a i n a n d i n f l a m m a t i o n h a d v a n i s h e d I t
d i d n ' t j u s t al l e v i a t e t h e p a i n ; i t s e e m e d
t o h e a l m e . I w o n d e r w h y I h a d n ' t t r i e d
i t s o o n e r . ”
I t i s p r o v e n t h a t c h r o n i c p a i n b e c o m e s w o r s e o v e r t i m e , m a k i n g i t h a r d e r t o
t r e a t . D e l a y i n g t r e a t m e n t m e a n s
e x t e n d i n g s u f f e r i n g u n n e c e s s a r i l y
D o n ’ t w a s t e a n o t h e r d a y o f y o u r l i f e i n
p a i n T a k e t h e f i r s t s t e p a n d c a l l t o d a y
t o s e t u p a c o n s u l t a t i o n a n d f i n d o u t
h o w y o u c a n t o o b e p a i n f r e e !
S c a n t h i s c o d e t o s e e t h e i r p a t i e n t s u c c e s s s t o r i e s
o r v i s i t : w w w b o d h i t c m c o m
D r . A n d r e a I z q u i e r d o , A P .
S t a r t e d B o d h i T C M
A c u p u n c t u r e i n
2 0 1 7 w i t h t h e
p u r p o s e o f
b r i n g i n g a
d i f f e r e n t t y p e o f
h e a l i n g t o t h e S p a c e C o a s t S h e
c o m p l e t e d h e r P r e m e d i c i n e s t u d i e s
a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f F l o r i d a , a n d h e r
A c u p u n c t u r e P h y s i c i a n d e g r e e a t
F C I M i n O r l a n d o S h e i s n a t i o n a l l y
B o a r d C e r t i f i e d a n d h a s s t u d i e d
o v e r s e a s a t t h e 3 0 1 h o s p i t a l i n
B e i j i n g C h i n a a s w e l l a s T i b e t
H a v i n g p e r f o r m e d o v e r 1 5 , 0 0 0
t r e a t m e n t s a t h e r p r a c t i c e , s h e h a s
h e l p e d t h o u s a n d s o f B r e v a r d C o u n t y
r e s i d e n t s w i t h s e e m i n g l y h o p e l e ss
C h r o n i c a n d c o m p l e x c o n d i t i o n s
B l e n d i n g A n c i e n t C h i n e s e
M e d i c i n e w i t h M o d e r n S c i e n c e , D r .
A n d r e a a n d h e r t e a m d e v e l o p
p e r s o n a l i z e d t r e a t m e n t p r o t o c o l s
t o a d d r e s s t h e r o o t c a u s e o f p a i n e v e n w h e n e v e r y t h i n g e l s e h a s f a i l e d .
By Randal C. Hill
Behind the Beat
‘Mandy’ — Barry Manilow
Imagine that you are a multitalented singer-pianist who just isn’t happening in the music-recording world. You might ask yourself, “What would it take to soar to the heights of this world, ride high on the hit charts, and sell out concerts night after night? I’ve got both the pipes and the looks for success. Through the years, I’ve learned the ins and outs of the record business. I’ve even managed to sign with a small label and release an LP, even though it bombed.”
Such is a conversation 31-year-old Barry Manilow could have had with himself as the year 1974 began to wind down.
Eventually, he would grab the elusive brass ring, but he nearly squandered his chance when he did.
He met the right person — recordbusiness veteran Clive Davis, who would soon change the life of the frustrated Brooklynite. After being a Columbia Records executive, Davis was about to take over Bell Records — Manilow’s recording home — and rename it Arista Records.
To see what he had to offer,
Davis went to evaluate him when Manilow opened a show for Dionne Warwick. “I was really taken by his performance,” the businessman enthused later in his autobiography. “He was a terrific singer, and his manner was upbeat, funny and selfdeprecating. The audience loved him.”
Davis believed that none of Manilow’s maiden LP tracks had shown the potential to be a hit single (at the time a necessity for most new artists seeking success). To the super-savvy Davis, there was nothing more important than to correctly match the just-right singer with the just-right material and the just-right production.
Manilow knew that Davis had primarily worked with rock artists, but Manilow had no real interest in rock ‘n’ roll. Davis thus set about casting for something suitable — no, perfect — for his talented protege. Davis had nurtured the early careers of several recording luminaries and knew how to connect good artists with good songs.
Sifting through hundreds of discs,
Davis was drawn to an obscure tune called “Brandy,” a mid-chart 1971 British hit by American expatriate Scott English. But when Davis showed Manilow the
hauntingly beautiful ballad of lost love and regret, Manilow balked, thinking “Brandy” would at best be an album-track filler and that English’s tune would be of no help to him as a career-launcher. Davis disagreed and pushed hard for a first-class production and promotion. Eventually, Manilow decided not to argue with his new boss (good idea!) and reluctantly agreed to record the song.
Davis had the disc’s title tweaked to avoid confusion with the 1972 Looking Glass hit “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl).” To Manilow’s amazement, “Mandy” — as it was now known — shot to the top of the Billboard chart, and Manilow was instantly catapulted into the pantheon of recording superstars.
You can see and hear the original British hit of “Brandy.” Go to Google, key in YouTube, add “Brandy Scott English,” then select the concert video clip. You’ll find that it’s 1971 UK “cool” at its very best. SL
SENIOR LIFE Shutterstock
“Mandy” shot to the top of the Billboard chart in 1972 and Barry Manilow instantly became a recording superstar.
TECH KNOW TIDBITS
Smart fan/light offers remote control, versatility, modern style
BY R. NORMAN MOODY
Homeowners looking to replace a ceiling fan or install a new one might consider a modern smart fan with a dimmable LED light that fits flush to the ceiling.
This fan/light allows adjustment of the brightness and color — from a bright warm to cool or clear lighting with a remote control. The remote also allows users to adjust the speed or the rotation direction of the fan.
The 20-inch light and fan should give enough lighting and airflow for the average size bedroom. It is suitable and would look good in bedrooms, living rooms or dining rooms.
The fan blades are of transparent plastic, surrounded by the LED light circling it.
They come in at least two other sizes besides the 20-inch — a smaller and larger one. Some styles come with
A modern smart fan with a dimmable LED light is a good substitute for the traditional ceiling fan and is easily operated by a hand-held remote control.
a trim around the light either in black, chrome or white.
It has a memory function that enables the user to set and save preferred functions, that after
changing, it can be recalled, returning to the saved settings each time it is turned on.
The fan has several speeds from a low gentle breeze to a high speed that
can be considered quiet.
These fans/lights can be found in several brands, one of which is Volisun. They can range in price from $80 to $130 from Amazon, home improvement stores and lighting stores.
Though the advertisement for these fan/lights claim that they are easy to install, it does require some knowledge of electricity to make sure the work is done properly.
The product comes with an instruction manual, which after an initial review the remote is easy to operate.
The light and fan can be turned on with a wired switch and adjusted with the remote. It can also be installed where it is simply turned on with the remote control.
The remote control comes with a holder that can be affixed to the wall.
Lifelong love — Viera couple nears 65th anniversary at Senior Expo
BY SUSAN M. HOUTS
For Bill and Sara Franklin, their love story began with an unexpected blind date and has flourished into 65 years of love, adventure and commitment.
The Viera couple will renew their vows alongside other long-married
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“You have to give and take a lot. You need to forgive and can’t hold grudges. And you can’t give up.” — Sara Franklin
community members Feb. 14 at the Senior Expo and Valentine’s Party at the Nyami Nyami Lodge at the Brevard Zoo, marking a lifetime of devotion.
Bill, a Miami native, and Sara, originally from Guntersville, Alabama, first met while Bill was stationed at Redstone Arsenal with the U.S. Army. Sara’s best friend set them up. Neither had ever been on a blind date, and both were hesitant about the idea.
When Bill was running several hours late in arriving, Sara opted instead to stick to her weekly Saturday beauty parlor appointment. As fate would have it, her best friend brought Bill to meet her there.
“There I was, sitting under this big dryer cone, and I heard a male voice,” Sara recalled. “I had never heard a male voice in the beauty parlor before.” she said.
“And I had never been in one before,” Bill added.
Sara directed them across the street to a restaurant, and the rest is history. They spent their first date talking through a drive-in movie, and Bill Franklin was smitten.
“I fell in love with her after the second date,” he said.
They were engaged the day before Easter in 1960 and married that June.
Through the years, they’ve built a life filled with love, resilience and family — raising two children, welcoming four grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and even one great-great-grandchild.
A Vietnam War veteran, Bill
served heroically in a platoon that was featured in the 2002 film “We Were Soldiers.” He sustained serious injuries during the conflict, spending nine months in Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 1965, where Sara reunited with him on Thanksgiving.
“What I love most about Bill is how easy he is with everybody,” Sara said, adding that she admires his sharp memory. For Bill, Sara’s faith, patience and strong character are what he treasures most.
Their secret to a lasting marriage? “You have to give and take a lot,” Sara Franklin said. “You need to forgive and can’t hold grudges. And you can’t give up.”
Faith has always been the foundation of their relationship, a shared bond they credit for their enduring love.
As they prepare to renew the vows taken almost 65 years ago, Bill and Sara embody the essence of lasting commitment.
SENIOR LIFE R. Norman Moody
The ceremony at the Valentine’s Day 2025 celebration will serve as a poignant reminder of the power of love. SL
SENIOR LIFE
Courtesy of Bill and Sara Franklin Bill and Sara Franklin met on a blind date and became engaged in 1960.
SENIOR LIFE Susan M. Houts
Bill and Sara Franklin plan to renew their vows at the Senior Expo and Valentine’s Party at the Nyami Nyami Lodge at the Brevard Zoo.
8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, Florida 32940
Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 5 pm
STRI PES
Advocate serves those women who served in the military
If there is an issue concerning a female veteran in Brevard County, Dorothy Walsh Pearsall could be involved in helping to solve it.
If there is a veterans’ event at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center, Walsh Pearsall will likely be there. In fact, it seems to me that she is involved in anything that advocates for female veterans on the Space Coast.
She founded Their Voice of Hope, which is a nonprofit advocacy and assistance program that helps veterans access the resources and services they need. Its focus is working with female veterans.
Walsh Pearsall is passionate about the organization and any effort to assist female veterans, whether it is a material need or a mental health issue.
“People seem to forget that women served in the military,” Walsh Pearsall said.
Though she did not serve in the military, she wants to continue to serve those who served. Her father was a Marine who served in World War II and her husband, Don Pearsall, the chairman of the Brevard Veterans Council, served in the Army in Vietnam.
“It is something I strongly believe
in, and I want to bring awareness,” she said.
In addition to Their Voice of Hope, she volunteers as a mentor with Brevard Veterans Court, in health and wellness through equine therapy, and she coordinates Wreaths Across America for the Pinecrest Cemetery in Cocoa.
With Their Voice of Hope, the veterans get together for monthly luncheons to create art and camaraderie. The meetings are held in different places each time in a positive atmosphere, where those struggling with post-traumatic stress can feel safe and secure. Walsh Pearsall said the meetings are not about bringing up past traumatic issues, but about doing and discussing positive things.
“It’s helping them to build self-
esteem, it’s helping them build confidence,” she said.
Walsh Pearsall, who holds a master’s degree in psychology, has training in helping others dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. Yet, she gives credit to others.
“It’s not just me; it’s the other women veterans.”
The organization also holds at least two events for the children of veterans. It relies on donations to fund its programs and events.
Walsh Pearson acknowledged that she could be doing other things with her time, but finds that helping veterans is most satisfying.
“There is nothing more rewarding than when a veteran says ‘thank you,’” she said. SL
Retired pilot recalls long career, flying rescue missions in Iraq
BY ERNIE DORLING
In the summer of 1974, Jim Croce released one of his most iconic songs, “Time in a Bottle,” about how precious life is and how we all need to appreciate what we have while we have it.
That same year, Robert Key, known as Tookie, to his friends, graduated from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.
“I was an Air Force brat,” Key said. “I was working construction in Columbia, South Carolina, after my father retired from the Air Force. I hadn’t planned to join the Air Force; I just fell into it.”
After graduating from The Citadel, Key went to flight school, becoming a fighter pilot.
“I flew just about everything in my
career,” Key said. He also flew combat rescue missions during the second Gulf War.
“I flew C-130s, known as the Hercules in Iraq,” Key said. “We would refuel helicopters, often at night, when that chopper was trying to locate and rescue a downed pilot or a team of infantry on the ground. Leading a crew of seven and effecting a combat rescue at night is taxing and exhilarating.”
Key spent 11 years on active duty and another 26 years in the Active Reserves. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2012 after 37 years of service. “I didn’t want to retire; I thought it was too soon,” Key said. “The most important thing we have is time. And I wanted to give my career more time. But the Air Force said I was out of time.”
During his career, Key was stationed
at Patrick Air Force Base (now Patrick Space Force Base) from 1983 to 1986 and again from 2000 until his retirement.
“My wife, Deborah, and I both like it here,” Key said. “That’s why we
920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Space Force Base. Key and his wife Deborah have lived in Cocoa Beach since his retirement.
decided to make it our home.”
After retiring from the Air Force, Key did contract flying. In his spare time, he plays golf and tries to get to the gym to stay healthy. He also sings in a choir.
“I can’t play rugby any longer,” Key said with a smile.
In November, Key attended his 50thyear class reunion at The Citadel.
“I can’t believe how quickly the time has flown by,” he said. “Many of my classmates didn’t make it to the reunion because they have passed on. It makes you appreciate the things you have.”
Like Jim Croce’s song, “Time in a Bottle,” Key believes that if we could save enough time in our lives, there could be enough time someday to do the things you want to do. SL
SENIOR LIFE Ernie Dorling Robert “Tookie” Key served with the
SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Robert Key Retired Lt. Col. Robert Key served 37 years as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force.
Hefty space hardware heading to Eau Gallie High
BY MIKE GAFFEY
A 13-ton piece of U.S. space history is coming to Eau Gallie High School.
NASA is lending a prototype service module for its Orion spacecraft to the high school, which is gaining acclaim for its pioneering aerospace and aircraft assembly program that prepares students for well-paying, in-demand jobs upon graduation.
“It’ll be a media circus, but that’s a good thing,” said Bill McInnish, an award-winning Career and Technical Education instructor who has taught ninth- through 12th-grade students since creating the program, the first of its kind in the nation, at Eau Gallie High in 2015. “It’s great for the program.”
Scheduled to arrive in the coming months, the 10-foot-tall, 23-footwide aluminum and titanium service module will share space inside a 7,500-square-foot on-campus hangar that already houses a donated Mitsubishi Diamond 1A business jet and a Piper PA-28.
Students will use the spacecraft for instructional purposes, McInnish said.
“When we get it, it’s not going to look like the pictures that you see because what we’re getting is the prototype so it doesn’t have all the white cowlings,” he said. “You’re seeing all the hydrogen and oxygen tanks on the inside and all the wiring and everything on it. So the kids are going to literally create all the outside panels that go on it out of corrugated plastic, so that when you look at it when we get done with it, it’s going to
Eau Gallie High School teacher Bill McInnish offers an aerospace and aircraft assembly
prepares students for well-paying, in-demand jobs upon graduation.
look just like you see in the pictures of the spacecraft. But it’s going to be done in a way so that we can pull panels off and get in there and work on things.”
McInnish, who was named the Air & Space Forces Association’s 2023 National Teacher of the Year, said he already has four former students building the Orion crewed spacecraft. It is used in NASA’s Artemis program and currently scheduled to return
humans to lunar orbit in 2026 and to the lunar surface in 2027. Other exstudents who earned their certification through the program work for such employers as SpaceX, Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance, L3 Harris, Embraer and Piper.
McInnish’s students have even helped design and fabricate products for NASA, including extra-vehicular wires used on spacewalks outside the International Space Station; food
transport storage lockers for the ISS; and assembled wheels for a moon mining machine.
“Our kids learn the skills that the industry has told us that they need,” said McInnish, who wrote the curriculum for his program and currently teaches more than
ORION SPACECRAFT
Continued on page 17
SENIOR LIFE Mike Gaffey
program at the school that
Wenner project will add parking spaces in Cocoa Village
BY MIKE GAFFEY
A yearlong construction project will add nearly 75 parking spaces to Lee Wenner Park in Cocoa Village, while preserving boat trailer parking for boaters who launch from the park’s ramps.
Work started Sept. 9 on the $1.8 million project, which has closed the park, its parking lot, boat ramps and the Captain Ed Lanni T-Dock, said Samantha Senger, Cocoa’s director of communication and economic development.
“We are actually a little bit ahead of schedule, which is good,” Senger said.
Parking can be limited in the popular Cocoa Village downtown district during large events, so extra parking spaces will be a welcome addition, Senger said.
Identified as a priority in the Cocoa Waterfront Master Plan, the project will reconfigure the parking lot, utilizing some grassy areas for additional parking spaces, Senger said. Work also will include new curbing, asphalt, drainage structures, signage, utilities and lighting.
Cocoa Mayor Mike Blake called the project “an important step for Cocoa Village.”
“By adding more parking and improving the area, we’re making it easier for people to visit and enjoy everything our community has to offer,” Blake said in an email. “It’s a big win for residents, visitors and local businesses, while also keeping boaters’ access to the waterfront.”
Florida Power & Light and Florida City Gas are doing underground utility work at the park, Senger
said. Once that work is done, “we should be able to repave and do the sidewalks, curb and gutter,” she said.
Besides the additional vehicle parking spaces, there will be an estimated 46 boat trailer spaces, Senger said.
While construction is underway, motorists in Cocoa Village can park at the Stone Street Public Parking Lot between Oleander Street and Stone Street, just east of Florida Avenue; Oleander Street Public Parking on Oleander Street, just west of Hughlett Avenue; the Old City Hall site at the
southwest corner of Brevard Avenue and Factory Street; and Rosa L. Jones Public Parking at the southwest corner of Florida Avenue and Rosa L. Jones Drive.
Another parking area, at City Hall on the northwest corner of Orange Street and Florida Avenue, is open to visitors only on evenings and weekends.
Other public boat ramps with Indian River access include the Port St. John Boat Ramp at 6650 N. Cocoa Blvd., Cocoa; Griffis Landing at Intracoastal Waterway Park, 1 Myrtice
Ave., Merritt Island; and the Pineda Causeway Ramp at 5879 N. U.S. 1, Melbourne.
The Cocoa Community Redevelopment Agency is paying for the project, Senger said. Cape Canaveral-based Doug Wilson Enterprises is the project’s contractor. Cocoa Village businesses are looking forward to the project’s completion, Senger said. “So we’re trying to get it done as quickly as possible,” she said. “The addition of 75 spaces in the Village will be huge.” SL
Volunteers in Cocoa Beach find helping others rewarding
BY CAMERON COUNTRYMAN
In addition to great surfing, a fun downtown area and frequent rocket launches, the citizens of Cocoa Beach also have another perk: the fire department’s Community Paramedic Program.
The Community Paramedic Program is a service that responds to referrals from the fire department, police department or neighbors of Cocoa Beach residents to check on them and assist them in many ways.
The program’s assistance begins with an assessment of the resident’s home by Community Paramedic Sherry Mahaffey. She ensures that smoke detectors work, the resident has food and checks for potential hazards. One such hazard could be a slippery bathroom where grab bars should be installed to prevent the resident from falling. If residents need a wheelchair or other medical equipment, they can check out a donated one at no cost.
Mahaffey provides wellness checks and takes vitals to identify possible medical issues and gets residents the healthcare they need. She provides them with resources for home healthcare, home care, hospice and placement for independent, assisted living or memory care facilities, depending on their needs.
In addition, the Community Paramedic Program helps residents by providing them with a free “File of Life” magnet. The magnet goes on residents’ refrigerators and contains the resident’s medical information in case EMS arrives and the resident is unable to communicate with them.
One volunteer, Georgette McWilliams, reported that she has distributed more than 140 of these magnets in her community.
The volunteers help with transportation, companionship and medical equipment distribution; everything else is done by Mahaffey.
According to Mahaffey, many residents “just want somebody to come and visit them.” She often visits them and will even “send them birthday cards…and call them on their birthday.”
When volunteers visit residents, they also get something out of it. Volunteer Steve Hoskins said that he loves to spend time with his elder Cocoa Beach neighbor and often “get(s) attached.”
McWilliams enjoys learning the history of the residents, which is often impressive and NASA-related.
“I’ve met some very, very interesting people through helping out in the community,” she said.
Those interested in becoming a volunteer must pass a background check and complete training.
The Community Paramedic Program collaborates with Volunteers In Motion, VIM, to train volunteers to provide residents with transportation to their doctors’ appointments.
There are similar programs in Satellite Beach, Titusville, and Brevard County for those who live outside of Cocoa Beach. Volunteers rave about the Community Paramedic Program.
“It just feels good to be able to get out and help people,” said McWilliams.
For more information, contact Sherry Mahaffey at 321-868-3225 or email at smahaffey@ CityofCocoaBeach.com. SL
SENIOR LIFE Mike Gaffey
Lee Wenner Park in Cocoa Village is closed for a construction project that will add nearly 75 parking spaces at the park.
SENIOR EXPO & VALENTINE’S PARTY
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Access your funds when you need them—without penalties.
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
Regular checkup can safeguard sight from glaucoma blindness
BY BETTY PORTER
Getting regular exams is the best protection against glaucoma.
During January, which is Glaucoma Awareness Month, the American Academy of Ophthalmology advises that the best defense against developing glaucoma-related blindness is by having routine, comprehensive eye exams.
Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the United States. It has no noticeable symptoms in its early stages, and vision loss progresses at a gradual rate. That is why it is called “the sneak thief of sight” since as much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing. Once vision is lost it is permanent.
The disease is more prevalent among African American and Latino populations.
Palm Bay resident Joyce Wilmot said her husband Roy’s blindness was caused by glaucoma and came about gradually during a period of five years. He is now totally blind and has been for the past six years.
“His being blind makes life even more challenging now that we are older,” Joyce Wilmot said. He is 90
BY NICHOLE YUAN
Let’s face it. Just the thought of exercising is enough to make some people say ”no thank you.”
But what if exercise didn’t have to feel so tiresome and monotonous? That’s precisely what the AARP set out to do when it put together the Walk with a Doc program.
Started in Ohio in 2005, the Walk with a Doc program has soared in popularity, resulting in global meet ups. As it continues drawing in more and more walkers, Brevard County is now proudly welcoming a Merritt Island walking group beginning January 10 within the Merritt Square Mall.
The walks for this specific location are scheduled for 9 a.m. the second Friday of each month and is a collaborative effort between the Merritt Square Mall, the Florida AARP Associate State Director of
“We can stop blindness from glaucoma, but we cannot reverse the damage yet.”
— Dr. Nicholas Pefkaros
years old and she is 84. They have been married for 60 years.
Ophthalmologist Dr. Nicholas Pefkaros is a surgeon and owner of Space Coast Ophthalmology in Viera and Titusville. He said glaucoma is a condition where the eye pressure in the eye is too high.
“The elevated eye pressure causes permanent damage to the optic nerve,” he said. “Patients with glaucoma usually cannot tell when their eye pressure is elevated, which is why it is so important to have regular eye exams with the specialist. We can stop blindness from glaucoma, but we cannot reverse the damage yet. In the past, eye drops and surgery were the only options to treat glaucoma. Now, we have a variety of other procedures that can stop the damage before it can affect the vision.”
Fellowship trained glaucoma
Outreach and Engagement Yazmin Alfonso and nurse practitioner Lydia Rivera. Alfonso, who was contacted by the Merritt Square Mall, was more than happy to put together another Walk with a Doc location.
“The purpose is to inspire community through movement and conversation,” she said, reciting the program’s mission statement with sincerity.
Rivera, who is bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish, will lead the walks and has a goal to bring this event to even more communities. As a retired nurse practitioner with more than 40 years of experience, she wants
specialist Regina Pappas opened her Pinnacle Eye Center practice in 2000 in Melbourne. She is a former president of Women in Ophthalmology and speaks at meetings of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Glaucoma Society.
Her son, Alexandros, an ophthalmologist and eye surgeon, joined the practice in 2019 and they
opened a second location in Viera. He sees a significant number of glaucoma patients.
“The screening process is simple if you are found to be a glaucoma suspect, with a few simple diagnostic tests done in the office,” Dr. Alex Pappas said. He also agrees that it is of the utmost importance to have routine eye exams to detect any problems early. SL
9 a.m.
to share her knowledge and help others live healthier lives.
“I (couldn’t) just stop and sit around,” Rivera said of her retirement.
So what can walkers expect by joining Walk with a Doc? Rivera said that each meetup begins with stretching, followed by a health topic for the day. And for January’s inaugural walk, Rivera plans to “stress the importance of brain health.”
According to Rivera, the plan is to touch on several aspects of brain health such as cognitive decline, sleep and of course walking. Future topics may include diabetes care, the effects of isolation and the importance of magnesium, to name a few.
Handouts related to the topic of discussion are provided for walkers to take home as well.
Once the walking begins, those with questions are welcome to walk with Rivera to discuss health-related concerns and receive her professional
Friday
feedback, while others may choose to walk with a new friend or small group. As the walk comes to a finish, be sure to grab a snack and a drink, generously provided by the AARP. Walkers are encouraged to come back the following month to learn more ways to improve wellbeing. SL
SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Dr. Nicholas Pafkaros
Dr. Nicholas Pafkaros of Space Coast Ophthalmology of Viera and Titusville performs an eye exam. He said routine eye exams can detect glaucoma early.
SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Yazmin Alfonso Walk with a Doc participants warm up with stretching before walking. Walks at the Merritt Square Mall are scheduled to begin this month at
on the second
of each month.
SENIOR LIFE
Courtesy of Yazmin Alfonso Lydia Rivera, a retired nurse practitioner, will begin health topic discussions in January with the importance of brain health.
Every
BCOA NEWS
Brevard Commission on Aging
two
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 or cindy.short@brevardfl.gov.
BCOA is located at 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, B-106, Viera, FL 32940.
seconds, someone in the U. S. needs blood
January is National Blood Donor Month, a time to celebrate generous volunteer donors and raise awareness for the need for blood donations. It is also a month often plagued by seasonal illness and winter storms that result in low donor turnout at blood drives and force many to delay giving, and this year is no different.
The Red Cross needs to collect more than 13,000 donations every day to keep the blood supply ready and available to meet the needs of about 2,600 hospitals, clinics and cancer centers across the country. They rely on voluntary blood donors.
Why January?
According to the American Red Cross, winter is “one of the most
SHIPWRECK
Continued from page 3
recalled. “(There were) cannons, some silver platters, a handgun …”
The 1715 fleet was a group of Spanish ships that were sailing in July 1715 from Havana to Spain with treasures — gold, silver, artifacts and other treasure — when it got caught in a hurricane off Florida’s east coast. Eleven of the 12 ships sank in an area from Cape Canaveral to Port St. Lucie.
difficult times of year to collect enough blood products to meet patient needs.” That’s because of, among other things, busy holiday schedules and bad weather often resulting in canceled blood drives. Furthermore, seasonal illnesses such as the flu force potential donors to forgo their blood donations.
That’s just one of the reasons that National Blood Donor Month, which has taken place each January since 1970, is such an important observance. Donating blood saves many lives and improves health for many people. According to the World Health Organization, “blood is the most precious gift that anyone can give to another person — the gift of
Having found a dated object as well as connections to the fleet’s passenger list, after about 10 years, Funk and the rest of the team were even more certain of their discovery. Together, they brought up the artifacts they could find within their allotted time frame, but the remnants have not been touched since then due to lack of a salvage permit. And although the future of shipwreck discovery is uncertain, the past remains our key to moving forward. SL
life. A decision to donate your blood can save a life.”
Give blood.
Don’t wait for a disaster. Someone needs blood now. Contact the American Red Cross or your local blood bank for more information.
Use #NationalBloodDonorMonth and #GiveBlood to share on social media.
Here are some of the biggest reasons giving blood is so important:
• The most requested blood type by hospitals is type O. This kind of blood can be transfused to patients of all blood types, so it’s always in great demand and in very short supply.
Only 7% of people in the U.S. have type O.
• About 36,000 units of red blood
cells and 7,000 units of platelets are needed every single day in the U.S.
• About 6.8 million people donate blood every year in the U.S. Thirtyeight percent of our population is eligible to donate, but less than 10% actually do.
• A single donation from a single patient can help more than one person.
• Donating blood is a simple, safe process. All you have to do is register, take a mini-medical history test, donate, and then accept free refreshments like water, Gatorade and granola bars. You can make a difference. SL
Source: https://bit.ly/3ByoUmg
Funk noted the difficulty in identifying underwater artifacts prior to any cleaning or restoration efforts, saying that there are times when it’s almost impossible to determine what some objects are at first glance.
“I mean, you can see that it’s a handgun, you just can’t see anything (else) about it. But once we got that gun cleaned off, the date was right on it — 1709 or so,” Funk explained. “The silver platters even had the name — once everything was cleaned, we could see the name(s) of the people who owned them on the back, and their family was on the ship’s manifest of the 1715 fleet.”
ORION SPACECRAFT
Continued from page 11
200 students. “The ones who are successful and complete the four-year program and get their certification as an aerospace aircraft assembly technician, there’s a job waiting for them.”
Eau Gallie High Principal Keith Barton said NASA is still working out how to haul the massive module to the school. But he’s excited about having a piece of historic space hardware on campus that will offer a “tremendous opportunity” for the school and its students for several years.
“I’m still kind of in awe of how Mr. McInnish does his things, but he is able to bring opportunities to our students that no other CTE instructor in the county is able to do,” Barton said. SL
SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Thomas Funk Thomas Funk helped to identify some of the treasures from the 1715 fleet.
Year's Day
January calendar
SATURDAY
National
Bird Day
Sunday Afternoon Winter Concert
2 - 3 p.m.
Live music featuring Sybil Gage.
Cocoa Beach Library
550 N. Brevard Ave. Cocoa Beach 321-868-1104
Free Liver Scans 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Presented by ClinCloud. Call to make appointment. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771
Strength and Stretch
9 a.m.
North Brevard Senior Center 909 Lane Ave. Titusville, 321-268-2333
2025 Speaker Series, Brevard Authors 9 a.m.
Local authors will share their works and process, followed by a question and answer session.
Field Manor
750 Field Manor Drive Merritt Island 321-848-0365
1 2 3 4
Red Eye Open Golf Tournament 8:30 a.m. Two-person scramble. Duran Golf Club 7032 Stadium Parkway Viera, 321-504-7776
Senior Fitness
1 - 2 p.m.
Cocoa Beach Library 550 N. Brevard Ave. Cocoa Beach 321-868-1104
Brevard Authors Critique Group 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Suntree/Viera Library 902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-255-4404
Learn Conversational French
4 - 4:45 p.m.
Cocoa Beach Library 550 N. Brevard Ave. Cocoa Beach 321-868-1104
of Sleep Day
Cup of Joe Afternoon Trivia 3 - 4 p.m.
Compete individually or on teams.
Cocoa Beach Library 550 N. Brevard Ave. Cocoa Beach 321-868-1104
Bingo 10 a.m.
Wickham Park Senior Center 2785 Leisure Way Melbourne 321-255-4494
Spaghetti Day
Concert in the Park 4 - 8 p.m. Concert and food trucks. Veterans Memorial Park 2201 Port Malabar Blvd. Palm Bay, 321-726-5682
The Ultimate Elvis-Mania 7 p.m. Cote Deonath and the Infinit-E Tribute Band present an Elvis tribute show. Tickets $30. Melbourne Auditorium 625 Hibiscus Blvd. Melbourne 352-789-7269 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
That's Entertainment 4 p.m. One-man tribute show by Ashley the Entertainer. Free.
Tech Talk 10 a.m. - noon Bring your smartphone and/or tablet for a one-on-one 30-minute session. Registration required. Cocoa Public Library 308 Forrest Ave. Cocoa, 321-633-1792
Save the Eagles Day
AARP Walk with a Doc 9 - 10 a.m. Take a walk and have your top medical questions answered by a healthcare professional. Merritt Square Mall 777 E. Merritt Island Causeway Merritt Island aarp.org/WWADFL
Reaching New Heights: Women in Space 1:45 - 4:30 p.m.
Celebrate the achievements of women breaking barriers in the field of space exploration, hosted by the Zonta Club. Emil Beugler Center for Aviation Training and Research 801 Harry Goode Way Melbourne 321-729-0755
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Live Jazz Concert
2 - 4 p.m. Concert presented by the Space Coast Jazz Society. Brevard Veterans Center 400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway Merritt Island 321-453-1776
Discover Brevard: Birding with Dr. Wells 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Dr. Wells will present how to get started as a Florida bird watcher, identification of some common species and popular birding hotspots. Cape Canaveral Library 201 Polk Ave. Cape Canaveral 321-868-1101
Shattered Glass Workshop 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Create a unique piece using shattered glass and resin. All supplies included and no experience needed. Register online. $65. Venezia Wine Veranda 5475 Lorkey Lane Viera, 321-301-4115
Adventures in Time 7 p.m.
Melbourne Municipal Band concert showcasing the first 100 years of Jazz music.
Melbourne Auditorium 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. Melbourne 321-724-0555
Third Thursday 5 - 8 p.m. The Avenue Viera 2250 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-634-5390
Beginning Jazz Dance 9 a.m. North Brevard Senior Center 909 Lane Ave. Titusville, 321-268-2333
Bootlegger's Day
Friday Fest 6 - 10 p.m.
Downtown Cocoa Beach 24 N. Orlando Ave. Cocoa Beach, cocoabeachmainstreet.org
Tango Dance Class 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Wickham Park Senior Center 2785 Leisure Way Melbourne 321-255-4494
Gourmet Coffee Day
BSO Matinee Series 1: Mozart & Mother Goose 2 and 7:30 p.m. A concert presented by the Brevard Symphony Orchestra. King Center 3865 N. Wickham Road Melbourne 321-242-2219
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Sunday Night Karaoke
8 p.m.
Merritt Island Moose Lodge #2073 3150 N. Courtenay Parkway Merritt Island 321-452-8383
From Senior Taste of Living to Your Table
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Award-winning Chef Manny presents a class on how to recreate his brie and fig grilled cheese. 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771
Hugging Day
Viera Women’s Book Club
2 - 4 p.m.
The book being discussed is “The Thursday Murder Club” by Richard Osman.
Suntree/Viera Library 902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 32-255-4404
Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival
Jan. 22 - 26
Exhibitors, field trips, speakers and workshops.
Radisson at the Port 8701 Astronaut Blvd. Cape Canaveral scbwa.net
Belly Laugh Day
Instant Pot with Chef Warren 1 - 2:30 p.m. Chef and author Warren Caterson will give a cooking demonstration on how to use an Instant Pot. Mims Scottsmoor Library 3615 Lionel Road Mims, 321-264-5080
Paranormal Cirque Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m. Jan 25, 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Jan. 26, 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. Jan. 27, 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $21.40.
Space Coast Harley Davidson 1440 Sportsman Lane Palm Bay 941-704-8572
Brevard Renaissance Fair
Jan. 25 and 26
Viking Weekend. A full cast of colorful characters with music, dancing and shows. Castle Park 3190 New York Ave.
Melbourne brevardrenaissancefair.com
26 27 28 29 30 31 Feb. 1
Spouses Day
Winter Art & Craft Expo
Jan. 25 and Jan. 26
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
More than 250 booths of creativity and inspiration by exhibitors from all over Florida. Wickham Park 2500 Parkway Drive
Melbourne
772-492-6105
Discover Brevard: Cape Canaveral Lighthouse
2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Come and learn about a historic landmark in Brevard – the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse. Cape Canaveral Library 201 Polk Ave. Cape Canaveral 321-868-1101
Coin Talk 6 - 8 p.m. Bring in your old coins or old money and talk to a local American Numismatic. Suntree/Viera Library 902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-255-4404
Puzzle Day
Golden Hearts Senior Fitness
1 - 2 p.m. North Brevard Senior Center 909 Lane Ave. Titusville, 321-268-2333
Wednesday Art Group
1:30 - 4 p.m.
Suntree/Viera Library 902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-255-4404
Explore Florida: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. A St. Johns Regional Audubon field trip to see numerous species of ducks and birds. Bring binoculars, scopes and a camera. MNW/Publix Parking Lot 3275 Garden St. Titusville, 202-251-2017
Hot Chocolate Day
Line Dance Social Noon - 3 p.m. North Brevard Senior Center 909 Lane Ave. Titusville, 321-268-2333
Glenn Miller Orchestra 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $65. King Center 3865 N. Wickham Road Melbourne 321-242-2219
Fire & Rain: Folk Anthems of the '70s 7:30 p.m. Presented by the Brevard Symphony Orchestra. King Center 3865 N. Wickham Road Melbourne 321-242-2219
Cruise ship passengers have more options from Port Canaveral
BY CHRIS BONANNO
Celebrity and Princess’ cruise ships began offering travelers more options with new seasonal sailings that started recently from Port Canaveral.
Equinox began seven-day cruises to the Caribbean, becoming the first Celebrity ship to set sail from Port Canaveral.
“We finally convinced them (Celebrity) that this is the right move and we’re really happy to have the ship here,” Port Canaveral CEO Capt. John Murray said Dec. 7 at the ship’s inaugural departure celebration. “It’s one of our most requested brands here at Port Canaveral and we’ve never had that product to offer.”
The ship, which will sail from Cruise Terminal 1 at Port Canaveral, can carry 2,850 passengers and is the 15th cruise ship to homeport there, according to Port Canaveral officials.
“It’s a good fit because it’s a different brand,” Murray said. “It caters to more of an adult audience. All of our brands are diverse and each cater to a specific clientele, but this is just a different type of ship. The ships are smaller, a little more luxurious, not as many children on board, just a different design, different feel, different experience.”
Murray also indicated that the ship will be at the Port for this winter season and that there were plans for Celebrity to have a presence at the Port in the following winter season as well.
The ship’s features include a casino, solarium, workout area, lounge areas, aquatic areas, a theatre, a bevy of
Crew and guests
restaurants and bars.
“At Celebrity, we are continually striving to elevate our guests’ vacation experience from start to finish, and are delighted to offer even more ways to relax, unwind and explore the Caribbean,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, the president of Celebrity Cruises in the release. “The addition of Port Canaveral offers guests the ultimate flexibility for their perfect Caribbean getaway.”
Caribbean Princess also set sail in late November on its first Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral.
The Caribbean Princess, with a capacity for 3,140 passengers, began its itineraries of four-to-14-day cruises to locations in the Caribbean and Central America. The 952-foot ship has 1,200 crew members.
“For me, it’s an honor, a privilege to be the captain of the Caribbean Princess and be the first captain of a Princess Cruise in Port Canaveral,” Capt. Vincenzo Lubrano said.
“… We are the Love Boat and this crew and the guests that came on board, their experience will be wonderful.” SL
SENIOR LIFE Chris Bonanno Celebrity’s Equinox recently began seasonal Caribbean cruises from Port Canveral.
SENIOR LIFE Jill Blue
celebrated the inaugural cruise of the Caribbean Princess.
15. Readied
16. Date or age beginning
17. Driver’s ___
18. Blow to pieces
20. Bowler, but not golfer
21. Fox chaser?
22. Orbital extreme
23. Not so cordial
25. Tot tenders
26. They’re twirled in parades
28. Rome septet
29. Take effect, in legalspeak
30. Island of entertainment
31. So ___
34. Emulated Lady Godiva
35. Less firm, maybe
36. Add a kick to
37. Common tip jar bill
38. Moisten, poetically
39. Pulverize
40. Repaired a shoe
41. Moves unobtrusively
42. Worldly, not spiritual
45. “Haystacks” artist
46. Collar, for cops
47. Whim
48. Small handful
51. Call girl
53. Bridges of film
54. Tiny particle
55. Ducks
56. Caveat to a buyer
57. Lacking liquid
58. Colt’s sound
59. Bank adjuncts
DOWN
1. Opulent 2. Grounds 3. Exalted happiness
4. Created a lap
5. Future ferns
6. Pergola
7. Saber handle
8. Bud in Burgundy
9. Shopkeeper
10. With skill
11. Celebrity’s concern
12. Not as timely
13. A couple of big joints
19. Languishes
21. One of a trident trio
24. Compost heap discard
25. Connective tissue
26. Ball point pen inventor
27. In a moment
28. Was optimistic
30. Sweet or hard beverage
31. Most flawed
32. Cause of some scars
33. Lipstick hues
35. Family tree entry
36. Metal deposit
38. Prop up
39. Color for the tickled
40. Files litigation
41. Hurting the most
42. Flavorsome
43. Trial associate?
44. Close pal
45. Agrippina, to Nero
47. Form of pachisi
49. Injure badly
50. Cat in boots
52. Astaire specialty
53. Bucolic cry
More launches mean less time for fishermen to earn living
BY MIKE GAFFEY
As rocket launches from the Space Coast become more frequent, commercial and charter fishermen operating from Port Canaveral are seeing their prime fishing hours gutted.
Launch security zones activated by the U.S. Coast Guard two hours before the start of a scheduled launch window bar boats from traveling through Atlantic waters in the path of the rocket’s course. Mariners also are urged to stay out of launch danger zones sometimes for hours after a launch due to “extremely hazardous conditions,” according to the Coast Guard.
Those lost hours are precious to Chris Cameron, the owner of Fired Up Fishing Charters, which operates several offshore charter fishing boats at the Port.
“If we want to go north to fish and there’s a Security Zone in effect because of a launch, we can’t go there until after the rocket takes off,” Cameron said.
Commercial fishermen have sailed from the Port in search of tasty seafood since the manmade Port Canaveral was dedicated in November 1953. They’ve shared the facility with huge cruise ships and commercial space ventures that return their rockets’ boosters back to the Port.
But more rockets are roaring into orbit from nearby Cape Canaveral, with 88 launches alone this year as of Dec. 9.
“We used to worry about the cruise ships,” Cameron said. “Now we’re worried about the space industry.”
Port Canaveral Chief Executive Officer Capt. John Murray sympathized with the fishermen’s plight. At the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners’ Sept. 25 meeting, he said that at a Sept. 19 public meeting to review a USCG Port Access Route Study it became apparent that the fishing industry “is really hurting” from the safety zones and he hoped that a compromise can be found.
“As we have more and more launches and more and more safety zones and restrictions, it’s getting harder and harder for commercial fishermen to make a living if they can’t fish the ocean,” Murray said. “Their business goes where the fish are and if the fish are in that area and they can’t go, then it will be impacting their business. So we’re looking for ways to try and streamline that.”
At the Sept. 19 meeting, fishermen pitched ideas such as waivers or exemptions for commercial fishing boats in security zones or paying more insurance for ocean access.
Greg Rapp, the owner of Port Canaveral-based Sea Leveler Sport Fishing Charters, said fishermen want to cooperate and find a solution, but stressed that access to areas where fish gather is critical.
“On the charter side I have people who will pay us to go and have a good time out at Port Canaveral,” Rapp said. “If I take them somewhere and I don’t catch some fish they’re never coming back to Port Canaveral. They’re not spending money at the restaurants. They’re not spending money at the hotels. I have to get to where the fish are. It’s very important
to the livelihood of commercial fishermen because they only get paid if they catch the fish. But also it’s important to the charter business.”
At a follow-up meeting in late October attended by fishermen, space industry representatives, Port officials and Coast Guard members, some fishermen offered to sign documents absolving space agencies of any liability in case an angler fishing in a security zone is killed or injured as a result of a launch.
Southeastern Fisheries Association, who drove six hours from Panama City to attend the meeting. “They know the area. They know the conditions. They know everything that’s there.”
Anglers emphasized that fewer fishing hours not only hurt their ability to earn a living, but the restrictions also harm retail markets and seafood restaurants, Zales said.
fishermen by sharing up-to-date launch-day information by radio or cell phone, Zales said.
While Zales thinks that it might take the federal government to come up with an equitable solution, he thought the meeting was a positive way to bring all parties together.
“It was a good meeting to establish good back and forth conversation and so that people on both sides of the issue understand more about the other side,” he said.
“The guys are willing to sign waivers to take that risk since they’re on the water a lot,” said Captain Bob Zales, the executive director of the
“When you adversely affect that harvester, then you’re adversely affecting the whole economic chain,” he said.
Coast Guard members proposed improving communication with
Cameron said he hoped both sides “can work something out.”
“This is our livelihood,” he said. SL
SENIOR LIFE Jill Blue
As more rockets lift off from Cape Canaveral, commercial and charter fishermen like Chris Cameron at Port Canaveral have less time to fish the Atlantic in order to make a living.
TIME TO TRAVEL
Green Springs Park is a gem for bikers, hikers, nature lovers
BY R. NORMAN MOODY
Green Springs Park is an emerald jewel that is a short — a little more than an hour drive — day trip from Brevard County.
It is a 31-acre nature park in Volusia County and one of the state’s few green sulfur springs. It is a beautiful spring to admire. However, swimming and fishing are not allowed.
There is still a lot to enjoy seeing — the spring, the scenery and the natural setting. Stroll the trail or take a bicycle ride through the park to the adjacent trail.
The park has paved trails through wooded areas, a playground and picnic pavilions in naturally canopied and shaded areas of Oak, pine and cedar trees.
The park is a boon for bicyclists and hikers, as it is also a trailhead to both the Spring-to-Spring Trail and the East Central Regional Rail Trail.
The East Central Regional Rail Trail begins at Green Springs and travels 5.7 miles to State Road 415 in Osteen. More of the trail is being developed.
Bicyclists and hikers can enjoy the Spring-to-Spring Trail, about 15 miles of which is completed.
Bicyclists and hikers can enjoy the Spring-to-Spring Trail, about 15 miles of which is completed. There is also the East Central Regional Rails Trail, which spans 50 miles across southern Volusia County and is part of several major bike trails in the state. The trails are 12-foot-wide paved paths. Green Springs Park is at 994
Enterprise/Osteen Road, Enterprise in Volusia County on the north side of Lake Monroe. The fastest way to get to Green Springs from
SENIOR LIFE R. Norman Moody Green Springs Park in Volusia County offers an enjoyable outing. It is a short drive from Brevard County.
SENIOR LIFE R. Norman Moody
There are hiking and biking trails that start at Green Springs Park.
Saturday, Feb. 22 10 am to 1pm
Booth • Animal Balloons Snacks • Live Music
Food Trucks • Kid’s Face Painting Crafts and More! Take
Photo
NORTH BREVARD
Volunteers keep eyes, ears on the community
BY FLORA REIGADA
The Titusville Police Department is recruiting for its Community Watch program, which invites qualified citizens to help detect and prevent crime.
“I am in a heavy recruiting mode,” said Ken Hutchings, the volunteer coordinator. “Opportunities are expanding for civilians and there are a variety of ways for them to serve such as in records, making deliveries and patrolling in city-owned vehicles.”
Established in 1993, the program is in its 32nd year of service.
Volunteers serve as additional eyes and ears for police, patrolling residential neighborhoods and parking lots. A visible presence in the city’s business areas, they provide valuable assistance to officers on the street.
They handle only nonconfrontational duties and remain on the lookout, reporting questionable behavior to police dispatchers via two-way radio. Community Watch members wear a marked, gold polo shirt and black pants, and do not carry weapons. Their involvement is passive. They do not scuffle with people or use force.
“They are an amazing multifaceted
SENIOR LIFE
Courtesy of Community Watch Community Watch members assist police during special events in Titusville.
group,” public information officer Amy Matthews said.
She cited their help with traffic control and at crime scenes where they collect evidence. During the Titusville Christmas Parade, they serve many functions, including safeguarding children from parade floats.
The group conducts vacation home checks. This involves picking up mail, newspapers and remaining alert for suspicious activity.
“There have been instances when they located a suspect,” Matthews said.
Roz Foster, the president of the
confrontational duties.
North Brevard Heritage Foundation, appreciates the group’s surveillance of the Historic Pritchard House in Downtown Titusville.
“People were sleeping under the porch and pergola,” she said. “Items, such as clothes and cigarette butts were being left on the porch, and we worried a fire would start. That would be a tragedy for this historic property,
the city and its citizens.”
In addition, the volunteers keep an eye on the Titusville City Hall, downtown businesses, parks, and check alleyways that lead to Washington Avenue.
For information about applying call Hutchings at 321-567-3913 or 321323-4214. Send emails to Kenneth. hutchings@Titusville.com. SL
Titusville writer’s seventh book inspires and thrills
BY LINDA JUMP
Flora Reigada took five years to complete her seventh book when computer issues slowed her down. But like her fictional character Laura Murillo, who runs a horse rescue ranch, Reigada’s courage and faith guided her to completion.
“Bibles and Bones in the Forest” was released this fall by MillerWords, a hybrid publisher. The book is part of a series about angels at Pine Brook Ranch, a fictional town in the Adirondacks of upstate New York.
“It’s a story of faith, friendship and suspense, with three friends, three dreams and one secret. It combines religion, romance and mystery,” she said.
Born on Staten Island, Reigada said she has been writing all her life, beginning with letters and journaling.
She was a columnist for the nowdefunct weekly Star-Advocate in Titusville and currently writes for Senior Life and Viera Voice
She has also published inspirational and devotional pieces for Guideposts, Decision and the Upper Room
She and her husband Dan, a reporter and photographer who worked for the Department of Defense, have three grown children. Her husband’s photographs illustrate her books, she said.
Reigada was inspired by C. S. Lewis.
“He also wrote about the natural
Murtha Law Group, PA
Kevin M. Murtha
Attorney and Counselor at Law
Serving Brevard County
Estate Planning
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Author Flora Reigada has been writing for a long time and is proud to publish her seventh book, “Bibles and Bones in the Forest,” a story of faith, friendship and suspense.
and supernatural.”
Her tales often involve old Victorian homes with secrets, she said, because “I grew up in one.”
She also published a series including, “Where Your Heart Meets God,” “Love’s Sweet Revenge,” “Love’s Sweet Deliverance” and “Love’s Sweetest Truth,” as well as “The Face behind the Veil” and “Elizabeth’s Secret: Left for Dead in the Forest.”
The Rev. Dan Ferguson, the associate pastor at Park Avenue
Baptist Church in Titusville, said he normally reads theological tracts, but he is enjoying Reigada’s work.
“She gave me the first few chapters to read and it combines three of my loves — a love of horses, spiritual topics and adventure. I can’t wait to finish it.”
He called the author creative and artistic with “the skill of the pen.”
Reigada said the book is offered in paperback or as an e-book and is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble or MillerWords SL
SENIOR LIFE Linda Jump
First 3D printed home under construction in Melbourne
BY CHRIS BONANNO
The first Habitat for Humanity 3D printed home in Florida is now under construction in Melbourne.
Local elected officials and community members gathered Dec. 6 on Lipscomb Street in Melbourne as construction began on two affordable homes built by 3D-printing.
The project is the result of partnership between Space Coast Habitat for Humanity and Macedonia Community Development Corporation with Apis Cor selected to build the homes. Funding came from the City of Melbourne and Wells Fargo, according to Anna Terry, the executive director of Space Coast Habitat for Humanity.
“This is the first affordable 3D home in Brevard County,” Terry said. “It is the first Habitat 3D home in Florida.”
She said that one of the homes will be a rental through Macedonia, while the other will be owned through Habitat. The hope was that the family would be in the home by summer.
“At Habitat for Humanity, we work with the homeowner,” Terry said. “They’re low-income and we make sure it’s based on their ability to pay.”
Terry added that both homes were less than 1,400 square feet, with one slated to be a three-bedroom, twobathroom residence and the other is to be a two-bedroom, two-bath.
The work on the Habitat home would take a few months to complete.
“We’ll do the interiors. It’ll be traditional framing but it’ll have
Space Coast Habitat for Humanity, Macedonia Community
affordable 3D-printed home in Melbourne.
impact windows,” said Terry, who noted that the homeowner would likely save on insurance rates because of the impact windows.
Terry said there is an advantage of 3-D printing when compared to traditional construction.
“In the long-term, it will be more efficient for the homeowner,” she said. “Utility bills, insurance. It’ll last longer than typical construction, and then as we progress in — because this is still a new technology — it will be quicker to build 3-D homes than traditional homes.”
Work begun recently on the first 3D-printed home.
The hope is that there would be similarlyconstructed affordable housing in the future.
Those gathered for the start of construction had the opportunity to see a wall built as machinery gradually constructed a concrete wall. That process came after a dry run, according to Trevor Ragno, director of construction and building technologies at Apis Corp.
“There’s a little laser that’s on the nozzle that
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.
and
will kind of hover over a corner on each of the foundation points and then it goes ahead and kind of traces
out what it’s about to do,” Ragno said addressing the crowd gathered at the construction site. SL
Couple look back at early Titusville with love, laughter
BY FLORA REIGADA
Ron and Teedie Boyd’s roots go deep into Florida’s sandy soil. Both are Florida natives. She was born in Key West and he, New Smyrna Beach. They are proud parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.
The couple will give a presentation, “A Humorous Look at Early Titusville” at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, at the House of Ashkelon at 1651 S. Park Ave. in Titusville. Admission is free.
“In 1953, when I was a teenager living in Orlando, my uncle took me to visit Titusville,” Teedie Boyd said. “When we drove into town, I asked him, ‘Where is it?’ The town seemed to disappear after one block.”
She recalled a trip to the beach, where she met her future husband, who did not leave the best first impression.
Ron Boyd remembers the Indian River abundant with ducks and fish such as trout and redfish.
As a boy he took part in a soap box derby, for which he built his own racer. A roadway overpass was closed for the event and contestants took off down the hill. Boyd’s racer broke halfway down and he pushed it the rest of the way. Despite this, he came in third.
“There were only three contestants,” he chuckled.
His father, Guy Boyd, called Titusville home for 101 years.
(Answer appears elsewhere in this issue)
Solution on page 26
“He operated a Gulf service station north of City Hall,” Boyd said. “He also served as mayor and a court judge, walking from the service station to conduct court in his work uniform.”
The Boyds have been married for 67 years.
Find out at the January presentation what captured her heart SL
SENIOR LIFE Chris Bonanno
Development
Apis Cor teamed up to build the first
- Issue 6
SENIOR LIFE Chris Bonanno
SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Ron and Teedie Boyd Ron and Teedie Boyd will give the presentation “A Humorous Look at Early Titusville.”
SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Ron and Teedie Boyd Ron and Teedie Boyd have been married for 67 years.
Resolve to think good thoughts, smile and sing a song
At the beginning of each new year, people resolve to change their lives with a written list of goals, resolutions and purpose.
Changes in government leadership are accomplished with a transition team. Let us all go forward with good thoughts.
Seniors often resist change. They lament the “good olde days,” and are concerned about the country going downhill while enjoying so many innovations that create a better, longer life.
John Krasinski, an actor, who was selected the 2024 Sexist Man Alive by People magazine (November 25, 2024) stated, “I do go to bed every night knowing that there’s more good in the world than bad.” He hosted a Good News podcast some years ago to focus on good thoughts.
Jo Ann Jenkins retired as CEO of AARP recently after 10 years of service. In 2016, she released the book “Disrupt Aging,” a bold new path to living our best life at every age. The core areas cover good thoughts related to health, wealth and self. Action plan pages in the book prompt a senior to move forward with a full life.
Some years ago, a motivational speaker, Lloyd Shearer, provided many good thoughts for a good life. He said: “No one will ever get out of this world alive. Resolve, therefore, to maintain a reasonable sense of values. Take care of yourself. Good health is everyone’s major source of wealth. Resolve to be cheerful and helpful. People will repay you in kind. Resolve
Challenges of Living to Age 100
Ed Baranowski
to listen more and talk less. No one ever learns anything by talking. Be wary of giving advice. Wise men don’t need it and fools won’t heed it.”
With each day, we are challenged to start it with good thoughts and continue the same approach throughout the day. Many seniors start the day with the Bible Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it.” Remember, there is more good happening than bad. Turn off the news.
When I joined the Rotary more than 50 years ago, the weekly meeting included happy songs. “Smile — Sing a Song” was a favorite: “Smile and the world smiles with you sing a song. Don’t be weary, just be cheery all day long.”
You’re challenged this year to think good thoughts, smile and sing a song. SL
Ed Baranowski is an awardwinning writer, artist, speaker and seminar leader. He lives in Melbourne and can be contacted at fast75sr@ gmail.com
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BAND Continued from page 1
met through a band club. After a short while, Greg Schweitzer invited Ann Tarpey, Jacqueline Bray, Stan Troup and Michael Deveneau to play at a house party. The rest, as they say, is history.
A cohesive and collaborative unit, the members of the group decide together on the songs they perform.
“These guys are all so talented. They can play anything,” Bray said of the instrumentalists.
And indeed, they make their performances seem effortless. But that might just be because they’re having such a good time. With the right group of friends, people can do amazing things and even be brought out of their shell.
“I’ve had stage fright most of my life, so I wouldn’t sing (before),” Tarpey said.
Seeing Tarpey on stage, full of power and confidence, it would be easier to think that she was born for this. Duetting with Bray, the ladies of Lost in Space Coast mesh well with the gentlemen that play the accompaniment, proving that when you’re doing something you love, everything else comes naturally.
At a recent Senior Life Boomer Bash Senior Expo in Cocoa, the group wooed the crowd with tunes such as “Love Somebody,” “Bye Bye Love,” “We’ll Sing in the Sunshine” and “Blue Bayou.”
As the group of boomers continue to rise in popularity among locals, the band is booking more and more shows. According to Schweitzer, they already have bookings into the year. So be on the lookout for Lost in Space Coast and sing along as they belt out the songs of yesteryear. SL
