Senior Life, March 2023

Tradition continues with fun Boomer Expo

BY JEFF NAVIN

Wearing green is a given on St. Patrick’s Day. Add the Boomer Guide Expo to the festivities on Friday, March 17. The 15th annual free event will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Hilton Rialto Place Ballroom at 200 Rialto Place, near the Melbourne Orlando International Airport. The event is sponsored by Health First Health Plans and William A. Johnson PA.

The new 2023 Boomer Guide’s Fun and Leisure issue will be handed out during the gathering and spectators will be able to meet the cover model and the other models adorning the pages of the award-winning publication highlighting Brevard County’s resources for boomers and seniors.

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Department will conduct self-defense presentations for seniors.

Frank Robb of the Environmental Education Awareness Research Support and Services (EEARSS) also will give a presentation on some of the projects his Brevard County nonprofit is working on.

Robb plans to bring an alligator, snake and terrapin to the expo. He regularly goes to schools in Brevard County to talk about the environment. Robb also produces a live podcast for the Titusville High School TV production class, and he does drone surveys with students from

BOOMER EXPO

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Suntree Internal Medicine

SENIOR

Jill Blue Models from the 2022 Boomer Guide enjoyed the festivities at the 2022 Boomer Guide Expo.

Spring break 2023 is here. It might be time for a little visit to see the grandchildren or to take them on a short vacation or day trip.

There is plenty to do right here on the Space Coast with our beaches, and even some museums, that offer free entry. There also are great parks and wildlife sanctuaries nearby.

Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary is just down the road from business areas, almost hidden at a sharp curve near one end of Sykes Creek Parkway.

For day trips, in this edition of Senior Life, we tell you about The Citrus Tower in Clermont. The 226-foot tower used to be surrounded by orange groves for about as far as the eye could see. Today, there is hardly even a withering orange tree anywhere near the tower. Instead, sprawling urbanization and traffic is more the norm. But the tower is still an attraction with its view from the top and its Florida souvenirs and coffee shop at the base in fast-growing Clermont.

I like bringing these kinds of stories that introduce you to something that maybe you had not thought about in a long time, something that maybe will intrigue you and prompt you to go for a visit.

Have you ever played a game of horseshoes? We’ll tell you about it in this edition’s installment of Games People Play. We have been looking at both outdoor and indoor games in this series of stories. Maybe after reading about them, you might want to try out the games. The story about horseshoe games is in this edition of Senior Life

There is a lot of useful information for you in this edition of Senior Life. I only highlight a few in this column.

There is a growing trend to pay with cellphones for almost any transaction where a merchant will accept credit cards. The system uses encrypted data for each transaction and thus is believed to be more secure than swiping a credit card to pay.

If you are on social media, you have likely seen some of those advertisements that look like a fantastic bargain or a new product that you just must have. Be careful, as the old adage goes, “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.” Is it a good deal or a bad deal? Make sure you check it out well before you decide to buy. Sometimes scammers will make their website look like that of a legitimate business to separate you from your money. Read more about it and lots more informative, useful and entertaining articles in this edition of Senior Life SL

R. Norman Moody norm@myseniorlife.com

Raise a glass to good Ol’ Maewyn! Legend of St. Patrick lives to this

BY RANDAL C. HILL

With legendary heroes, myths about them often become entangled with the truth, and we end up being uncertain about the validity of their stories.

Take St. Patrick, for instance. Was Patrick really his birth name? Was he from the Emerald Isle? Did he drive snakes from Ireland? Was March 17 the day he was born? Did he become a full-fledged saint?

Let’s see what we know and don’t know here.

Sometime in the fifth century, when he was about 16 years old, Maewyn Succat was captured by Irish pirates from his wealthy family’s villa in Roman Britain, probably in the area we now know as Wales. He was whisked away to become a slave in Northern Ireland, where he worked as a shepherd for six years and spent his precious spare time in prayer.

In his early 20s, Succat claimed he heard a voice telling him that he would be going home soon. At the right moment, he fled his master and made his way to a port 200 miles away, where he found a ship’s captain willing to return him to Britain.

Once back home, the pious young man studied to be a Christian missionary, all the while planning to

their bizarre pagan religion — which sometimes demanded animal and human sacrifices — with the Catholic faith.

After becoming a priest, Maewyn Succat changed his name to Patricius, the Latin term for “father figure.”

In his missionary work, he used the common three-leaf shamrock to teach the Irish about the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity — Father, Son and Holy Ghost. By the way, a shamrock always has three leaves, while the similar clover can occasionally but rarely have four. (The chances of finding such a plant are about one in 10,000.)

Supposedly, St. Patrick chased all the country’s snakes into the sea during a 40-day fast he was undertaking on top of a hill. That never happened. Since the Ice Age, the Emerald Isle has been snake-free, so there was nothing for Patrick to banish.

Today, we honor Patrick each March 17, which is thought not to be the day he was born but the day he died. Historians can never be certain of this, however, and St. Patrick’s own writings don’t provide evidence for dates more precise than the fifth century in general.

Perhaps the biggest myth of all? Although he is widely venerated

yet to be canonized by a pope.

As for today’s celebrations, St. Patrick’s Day often means parades. Contrary to belief, they didn’t start with the Irish. The first such event took place in Boston in 1737, with New York City following 25 years later. Dublin didn’t offer a parade until 1931.

In the Big Apple’s iconic event, about 150,000 marchers walk for up to five hours on Fifth Avenue. It doesn’t take that long in Hot Springs, Arkansas; their parade route measures 98 feet in length. And that’s no myth. SL had a passion for the Irish.

By Attorney

PEOPLE PLAY Games

Horseshoes: It’s not just for horses

BY ERNIE DORLING

It is believed, although difficult to prove, that during ancient Olympic Games, athletes who participated in discus throwing often practiced with horseshoes.

Some contend that soldiers in both the Greek and Roman armies drove stakes in the ground and threw old horseshoes at it when not engaged in fighting.

Today, 76-year-old Jerry Michalek, the president of the Brevard County Horseshoe Club, (BCHC) who has been pitching (the official term of one who throws horseshoes) for more than 35 years, has little in common with ancient Olympians or Roman soldiers. Instead, Michalek shares a love of the sport that many, no doubt, give little thought to.

On a cold and windy Saturday morning at Wickham Park, he was preparing to host a horseshoe tournament, welcoming pitchers from other clubs throughout the state.

“I’ve enjoyed horseshoes since I was a kid growing up in New York,” Michalek said. “Like so many sports, it’s competitive, but attracts a group of people who enjoy the camaraderie and socialization aspect as much as anything. The sport, like bowling and golf, is handicapped. Normally, people pitch from 40 feet. However, if you’re over 70, you pitch from 30 feet.”

Handicaps are established after a new player throws 100 pitches. The number of ringers (when the shoe encircles the stake so that you can touch the tips of the shoe with a straight edge without touching the stake) the player makes out of 100 establishes their handicap.

The BCHC members play at 9 a.m. on Sunday and Wednesday at Wickham Park and at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Stradley Park in Cocoa. The cost for league play is $4. Anyone wishing to try it out can simply show up.

“We have plenty of extra shoes for people who want to try it out. And, if Wickham Park is open, so are the horseshoe pits. The gate is never locked,” Michalek said.

Michalek, along with the BCHC secretary and treasurer, Bob Hilpertshauser, hope to introduce the sport and the club to new players.

“We used to be the largest pitching club in the state,” Michalek said.

“Now, we’re down to about 20 people. We really are hoping to

increase our membership in the club and sport.”

The club is open to everyone of all ages, but currently it has only four female members.

The flier that is provided to all who inquire about the sport reads in part, “Many seniors pitch horseshoes because it provides light exercise, a chance to meet people and is a wonderful outdoor activity.”

For more information on the

BCHC, contact Michalek by phone at 321-632-2527 or Bob Hilpertshauser at 321-433-1579. Or, check out the club at brevardhc. mysite.com SL

SENIOR LIFE Ernie Dorling Members of the Brevard County Horseshoe Club play at Wickham Park.

SENIOR LIFE Ernie Dorling Jerry Michalek, the president of the Brevard County Horseshoe Club, has played horseshoes since he was a child growing up in New York.

“Like so many sports, it’s competitive, but attracts a group of people who enjoy the camaraderie and socialization aspect as much as anything.”

—Jerry Michalek

Seniors can bet they’ll have a good time at poker games

BY FLORA REIGADA

Poker is in the blood of Linda Trawle, the operations manager at the North Brevard Senior Center.

“I’ve been playing since I was six or seven years old and watched family members play every Saturday night,” she said.

Today, she plays each Wednesday at the Titusville Elks Lodge. The game is open to members and their guests.

“We sit and talk, enjoying each other’s company. We are not a cutthroat group,” she said.

And what about that expressionless poker face to conceal emotions related to one’s hand?

“I have learned how certain people play and that some might bluff about their hand more than others,” Trawle said.

Another poker group meets at the North Brevard Senior Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Monday. The cost is $2 for members and $4 for nonmembers. A bag of chips is $4.

“It’s not high-rollin.’ They play Poor Man’s Poker/Dealer’s Choice,” Trawle said.

Les Craig coordinates the Senior Center group.

“I enjoy the game and getting out of the house for a good time,” he said.

“We have six or seven regulars, but would like to expand. The community is invited, our games are friendly and we will teach beginners.”

The North Brevard Senior Center is at 909 Lane Ave. in Titusville. Call 321-268-2333 or visit nbsc.website/ index.html.

Those who want to play a different kind of poker for a good cause can hop on their motorcycle and join the

American Legion Riders Chapter 1 for a poker run. The entry fee varies.

Organizations the event supports include the Special Olympics, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Project Veterans’ Relief and National Veterans’ Homeless Support.

“We stop at posts involved in the run and usually get a poker card at each,” said Randall Hartung, the Riders director.

“When we return to our starting point, we can make a poker hand from our best cards.”

The best hand and worst hand are awarded.

The American Legion Riders Chapter 1 is at 1281 N. Washington Ave. in Titusville.

For more information, visit Facebook at facebook.com/ AmericanLegionRidersChapter1 SL

Chefs put on a show at Taste of Senior Living event

SPECIAL TO SENIOR LIFE

Alura Senior Living in Rockledge won the trophy for Best Appetizer in the Senior Living Options Day and Chef Competition.

The competition was part of the A Taste of Senior Living event, which was held Feb. 10 at the Center for Collaboration at 1100 Rockledge Blvd. in Rockledge. Chefs from 12 senior living facilities participated in the competition.

Palm Cottages of Rockledge won the prize for Best Dessert.

The event was an opportunity to compare Brevard County’s best senior living communities all in the one location, while enjoying food samples from the chef competition. The event drew more than 350 visitors. SL

SENIOR LIFE Dan Reigada

Gene Parr, left, Gloria Stotts, Carlton Williams and Tom O’Connell enjoy their weekly poker game at the North Brevard Senior Center.

SENIOR

Alligator Robb’s fervor for environment defines his life

BY MARK MIJUSKOVIC

One doesn’t earn a nickname like Alligator without a back story or two. For Frank Robb, those stories have been written exploring his passion for the environment and turning it into his life’s mission.

While his long beard helps punctuate the outdoorsman persona, his eyes carry a sense of humility and wisdom that attest to a man who can speak of how reptile research can better the health of mankind. And how in one ironic twist of fate, an alligator saved his life.

atseemetheexpo

Young Frank Robb’s earliest forays were in the wilderness of Port St. John, to hear him say it, before there was anything there. His father worked as a land surveyor and took the young teen on some of those jobs. Inevitably, they would come across wildlife that his dad was adept at identifying. At that time, he also occasionally helped his uncle who was working trapping alligators, and thus the seeds were sown.

Today, his resume includes being an animal researcher, a biomedical degree from Eastern Florida State College, and his 2019 establishment of the nonprofit Environmental Education Awareness Research Support and Services (EEARSS).

EEARSS has a foothold with Brevard Public Schools doing classroom presentations, working with Titusville High School’s TV production class to produce a live podcast, and doing drone surveys with Astronaut High’s program. Some of its most poignant research has involved studying the endocrine systems of alligators. Coupling the fact that they are at the top of the food chain and eat

almost everything in the environment, they share traits with humans so that what impacts their health may impact ours.

“They’re the perfect single species for human health,” Robb revealed. “Their endocrine systems and hormones are the same as ours.”

It was an alligator in Chicago, of all places, that earned Robb a lot more than his 15 minutes of fame.

In July 2019, he received a call and agreed to be transported to the site, a lake in Humboldt Park, where the gator had been eluding capture for 10 days.

The strong theory to the gator being out of its habitat was the idea that some drug houses use them in watchdog roles. By this time, the story had reached national prominence. News crews, food trucks, T-shirt vendors, thousands of people, and a Mariachi band greeted his arrival and turned him into a celebrity after he trapped and relocated the gator to St. Augustine, courtesy of Southwest Airlines.

Today, he speaks of throwing out the first pitch at a game at Wrigley Field and meeting some of the most wonderful people imaginable.

Robb’s eyes light up and a smile lifts his beard when he speaks of this time, but he retreats from this display into a somber stance as he finds room

for his faith and as he says, things “beyond my pay grade.”

A year after the Chicago event, he found out that he had a heart condition that required a delicate surgery. Being that he works for his nonprofit, there was no insurance to cover the costs, and apparently, no one locally wanted to perform the delicate operation.

Calling some of his contacts in the Windy City set in motion a chain of events involving finding the medical expertise and covering the costs. Robb believes the gator story was all part of life’s bigger picture.

“I’m alive today due in big part to that story and being put where I needed to be. There are so many things in Florida that we’re blessed to have. We take for granted having what we have down here.”

EEARSS is actively searching for donations for its research and educational outreach. For more information, go to eearss.org. SL

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Frank Robb

Frank Robb enjoyed exploring the wilderness of Port St. John as a child. His father was a land surveyor.

“There are so many things in Florida that we’re blessed to have. We take for granted having what we have down here.”

—Frank Robb

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Frank Robb

Frank Robb isn’t afraid to play with alligators, big and small.

Rolling Thunder presents POW/MIA flags at ceremony

SPECIAL TO SENIOR LIFE

Alura Senior Living and the Rolling Thunder organization held a Presidents’ Day ceremonial raising of the U.S. flag and presentation of the POW/MIA flag.

Rolling Thunder, an advocacy group that seeks full accountability for POWs and MIAs of all U.S. wars, has presented and raised the POW/MIA flag at all public schools and other institutions and organizations in Brevard County.

The ceremony was held Feb. 20 on the front lawn of Alura Senior Living at 777 Roy Wall Blvd. in Rockledge. Residents of the facility lined the front of the building for the event. SL

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Alura Senior Living Verna Joshua, a resident of Alura Senior Living in Rockledge, turned 101 on Feb. 4. Joshua loves to work on crossword puzzles and read books.

Centenarian, retired teacher celebrates birthday in style

SPECIAL TO SENIOR LIFE

Verna Joshua celebrated her 101st birthday in style on Feb. 4. Born in Baldwin, Louisiana in 1922, Joshua has lived a full and exciting life.

She obtained her bachelor’s degree in teaching from Sam Houston College in Texas and became a teacher with Oakland Public Schools in California.

time machine In March...

March 1, 1961

President John F. Kennedy establishes the Peace Corps. Young American volunteers go to developing countries to help with health care, education and other basic needs.

March 4, 1681

King Charles II of England grants a huge tract of land in the New World to William Penn to settle an outstanding debt. The area eventually becomes Pennsylvania.

March 6, 1475

Renaissance genius Michelangelo is born in Caprese, Italy. The painter, sculptor, architect, poet and visionary is best known for his fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and his sculptures of David and The Pieta.

March 10, 1862

A widow, Joshua has six children, two of whom are Brevard County residents.

She really enjoys family visits. She loved playing the piano and was an active member in a teachers’ bowling league for many years.

A popular resident at Alura Senior Living in Rockledge, Joshua can often be found actively working on her crossword puzzles or reading a book.

The first issue of U.S. government paper money occurs as $5, $10 and $20 bills begin circulation.

March 11, 1918

The Spanish influenza reaches America as 107 soldiers become sick at Fort Riley, Kansas. One quarter of the U.S. population eventually becomes ill from the deadly virus, resulting in 500,000 deaths. The death toll worldwide approaches 22 million by the end of 1920. Medical workers wear masks to protect themselves from the flu.

March 14,1879

Albert Einstein is born in Ulm, Germany. His theory of relativity leads to new ways of thinking about time, space, matter and energy.

Source: Shutterstock

SENIOR LIFE Susie Parente Members of the Rolling Thunder organization prepare for the flag raising ceremony at Alura Senior Living in Rockledge.

STRI PES

Hundreds of volunteers show support for homeless veterans

Many organizations and businesses providing any kind of service to the public these days struggle to find enough employees to help customers.

While employers have a hard time finding employees, finding volunteers to help veterans is totally the opposite. And in one case, far too many for the number of people that required the help being offered. More than 200 volunteers were present to help veterans in need, not knowing that only 60 would show up.

Stand Down to Stand Up, an event Jan. 21 at the Florida National Guard Armory in Cocoa, provided homeless and needy veterans with a variety of services — medical, eyeglasses, chiropractic, VA benefit assistance,

clothing and supplies.

Again, as I have said many times, Brevard County residents are always ready to help and support veterans. And these volunteers were not just veteran organizations and veterans, but also included many who have not served in the Armed Forces, but who support veterans.

Many more veterans were expected to take advantage of the event, but

only about 60 showed up. While volunteers were ready and eager to help, most were pleased that fewer than planned veterans attended. That’s because it appears that efforts by National Veterans Homeless Support and other organizations through the past few years, have drastically reduced the number of homeless veterans in Brevard County. Many have been placed either in transitional or permanent homes with the help of organizations in Brevard County.

The Stand Down was modeled after the stand down concept in Vietnam. During the war, troops were given short periods from combat operations to a relatively safe camp where they would get medical checks, new uniforms and

other supplies.

The Stand Down to Stand Up has been held many times on the Space Coast and has drawn more than 100 homeless and in-need veterans. The event was not held during the COVID pandemic.

This time, though vehicles were sent out to pick up veterans from known wooded camps, some of the vans returned with very few veterans.

Those that showed up were given a lot of attention. All those who wanted, left with large backpacks with the supplies they were given.

It is so pleasing to me to see how the community comes together to do their part to help others, especially veterans. SL

Center’s work is a passion of long-serving veteran Lou Rossi

BY MARIA SONNENBERG

At the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center and Museum, Lou Rossi is somewhat of a longevity legend.

“Lou Rossi became involved with the Veterans Memorial Center from its inception on Merritt Island in 1989,” said Donn Weaver, the vice president of the Veterans Memorial Center and chairman of the Brevard Veterans Council.

Through three decades of volunteering, Rossi has been involved in everything from the center’s initial construction to service in various leadership positions. His passion for the Center is such that he always has the ears of the crowd.

“His ideas for new projects are imaginative and sometimes controversial but always listened to since Lou Rossi is truly the longest serving elder statesman now at the VMC,” Weaver said.

Years ago, Rossi even rented an airplane to survey the Merritt Island facility for all things veteran to photograph its progress. The Merritt Island resident’s association with the Center continues even though he has clocked 90 birthdays.

“I’m there almost every day,” he said.

Rossi remains grateful to military service, which provided him with sanctuary from an abusive family situation.

“My father was a strict disciplinarian and beat the hell out of me and I couldn’t take it anymore,” Rossi said.

In 1948, at age 17, the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native joined the Navy, primarily because his older brother was

already there. The Navy channeled the teenager to submarines, where he found a calling that would serve him well for decades.

After four years working as a diesel engineman in submarines plying the waters around England, Rossi left the bottom of the ocean and took to the skies by enlisting in the Air Force.

“I wanted something different, I wanted to fly,” he said.

Craving yet more experiences, Rossi left the Air Force after three years and

went into civilian work, but the air conditioner engineer was still never too far from the submarines, including Nautilus, the world’s first operational nuclear powered sub. He worked on the legendary sub before it made history as the first sub to make a submerged transit of the North Pole in 1958.

After the civilian stint, Rossi joined the Merchant Marines, where he served for 31 years. In fact, he considers himself a Merchant Marine now and for the future.

“I’m still a licensed reservist,” he said.

By the 1970s, Rossi was in Brevard, employed by Brevard County.

Rossi cannot imagine not being a part of the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center.

“I spend a lot of time at the Vet Center,” he said.

He has little use for hierarchy and politics; he just wants to help veterans.

“I always say we don’t have officers here, we have vets,” he said. SL

SENIOR LIFE Jill Blue

Lou Rossi had a long military career before becoming very involved in veterans advocacy.

World War II veteran earns recognition 70 years later

BY MARK MIJUSKOVIC

He’s a little bent over these days; his vision isn’t as clear as it once was; leaning on a cane beat grabbing a hand to get out of a chair. But, 95-year-old World War II veteran George Bowdren remains sharp of mind, and he has some stories to share.

One story details his recent receipt of the Atomic Veterans Commemorative Service Medal and Certificate, a recognition he earned nearly 70 years ago when he was chosen as part of a unit to attend Atomic Devices Training in the Nevada desert with the understanding that radiation exposure was a given.

Along with the soldiers, piglets and rabbits were there on May 25, 1953, but this macabre rendition of the Hundred Acre Wood did not include a lesson beyond perhaps the idea that people and other animals may be expendable in the name of science. The piglets had skin most closely resembling humans, and they were fitted with little uniforms of a fabric being tested. The rabbits, with their eyes being similar to humans, were positioned accordingly, and the soldiers were outfitted with meters to measure the level of radiation exposure from the close proximity detonation of an atomic artillery projectile. Operation-Knothole Grable shot its 15-kiloton bomb at 8:30 a.m.

The images of that day have remained vivid. Bowdren described a narrow bunker, about 5 foot in depth and, after shielding his eyes from the blast, he took in the shock waves that were displayed through the disturbed

desert sand. As they reached the bunker, he recalled being thrown backward from the force.

“The thing I really remember from that mushroom cloud was the ice cascading from the top of it,” he said. “That was what made it white.”

Bowdren’s U.S. Army career spanned 26 years during which he attained the rank of major, and it found him seeing the world in places such as Germany, Italy and Korea. His earliest assignment was in Germany at the war’s end, where he served with the United States Army Constabulary helping bring order to the chaos associated with the defeated country and its influx of refugees and displaced persons. It was during this six-year stint, from 1946 to 1952, that he met and married his wife Elisabeth, who passed away in 2010.

By 1971, Bowdren retired, and the couple settled in Maryland where they began a life of volunteerism, first

at a local community college, then continuing in Brevard County, where they moved in 1995. At different intervals, they provided a meals-onwheels service. Bowdren volunteered at both Wuesthoff Hospital in Rockledge and Saint John the Evangelist Church in Viera for many years.

Bowdren’s selflessness finds him worrying that other veterans or their descendants might be eligible for the same recognition, but haven’t heard about it. Eligibility in this case means having been exposed to radiation through their service. It was another veteran who told him and prompted him to apply. For more information, interested parties should contact dtra.

mil/About/Mission/Nuclear-TestPersonnel-Review/Atomic-VeteransCommemorative-Service-Medalinformation/.

From the time he applied to the day he received his confirmation was eight days. Bowdren believes that the office in charge didn’t have anything to do.

“I’m probably the original applicant from the state of Florida,” he said while laughing.

There were different veterans’ organizations to which he belonged, but many of those involved have passed away. He attributes his longevity to beer. “From the end of the 40s until now.” SL

where I can walk around Lake Madeleine and hang out at the dock. It’s very peaceful here.” — Don, resident

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of George Bowdren

At 95, George Bowdren still looks good in uniform and retains vivid recollections of his service.

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of George Bowdren George and Elisabeth Bowdren met in Germany and spent many years together working on behalf of those in need.

Event set to celebrate and honor military children

BY MARIA SONNENBERG

The Military Child Education Coalition has designated the dandelion as the official plant of the military child, because like these children, the plants thrive in almost all locations and conditions.

In Brevard County, the volunteers of AVET Project invite the community to join them in celebrating April, the official Month of the Military Child and the dandelion-like hardiness of these youngsters with a special dinner event from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 1 at the Cocoa Beach Country Club at 5000 Tom Warriner Blvd. in Cocoa Beach.

“These kids deserve the recognition,” said Kim Cone, AVET’s president and treasurer.

Cone anticipates the celebration to become an annual tradition.

“This year is the first time, but it won’t be the last,” she said.

Cone’s husband, Garren, founded AVET Project and American Warrior Radio. Garren Cone, a war-time disabled Air Force veteran, was also a military child.

The event will feature plenty of kid magnet activities such as games and a photo booth, as well as inspirational presentations, followed by a buffet dinner at the country club.

History

“You do not have to be in the military to attend,” Cone added. Attendees are encouraged to wear purple, the official color of the military child because it combines

each military branch’s special colors into one.

Young people 17 and younger accompanied by an adult will be admitted free. The grownups pay

Then and Now

$25 for the dinner. Sponsorship opportunities are available. The event also supports the efforts of AVET, or American Veterans Empowerment Team, which assists veterans with VA claims, and offers reintegration retreats and similar services.

Among the speakers will be 18-year-old entrepreneur — and military child — Christian Lape.

“My dad was either working or deployed half of my childhood,” said Christian, the son of Air Force veteran Brandon Lape.

To Christian, the support he enjoyed from his dad and the rest of the family helped shape him into the young adult he is.

“The level of discipline I learned from him and my grandparents is through the roof,” he said.

The Space Coast is home to 74,000 veterans and military children are connected to thousands of them. These children have grown up moving from military base to military base, attending multiple schools, celebrating milestones with parental phone calls and worrying about the safety of their mothers or fathers, or both.

“The struggle is very real for these kids,” Cone said.

For more information and tickets, visit avet-project.org SL

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of AVET Project

Children of military families will be recognized and celebrated during the AVET Project’s Month of the Military Child.

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of City of Melbourne

The Melbourne City Hall building was completed in 1964.

SENIOR LIFE Klinton Landress Melbourne has a modern city hall building.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Lifestyle, nutrition essential in treating chronic kidney disease

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

March brings global awareness to Kidney Health with March 9 focusing on optimal kidney function and addressing CKD — chronic kidney disease.

About 850 million people worldwide are currently affected by different types of kidney disorders and one out of seven Americans is diagnosed with CKD.

The “Are your Kidneys OK” campaign was created in 2006 by the International Federation of Kidney Foundations and the International Society of Nephrology to reduce the impact of the disease and other health conditions associated with it.

Prevention at the onset, education and evaluation are fundamental as kidney disease can be prevented with early detection coupled with ongoing lifestyle modifications and nutritional changes.

Following their tenure as dialysis nurses both Michelle McMurtery and Michelle Zachry started Nutrition Specialist Group in 2020 to promote awareness for CKD and address dietary management for the disease.

“After working so many years in dialysis, we realized our doctors were unable to refer patients to any centers in Brevard County that provided awareness and treatment for healthy kidney function and ongoing treatment

for CKD,” McMurtery said. “It’s called “the silent disease,” as most people aren’t aware their kidney function is

declining, which can be managed by the proper diet and exercise plans.”

Charles Bivona, a Melbourne

resident, visited McMurtery after being diagnosed with stage 3 CKD in late 2022.

“I felt miserable with swollen and sore joints, lack of energy and very little strength, which took away from being able to do any exercise,” Bivona said.

“My doctor had provided little advice on how to counter my kidney deterioration and I was at my wits end because I didn’t know what to do. At first I was skeptical when I was referred to Michelle, but I soon realized that my diet was a major contributor to all my health issues, not just my CKD. After some changes and substitutions the management prescribed, it has led to dramatic improvements overall.”

The theme for 2023 World Kidney month is “Kidney Health for All — Preparing for the Unexpected, Supporting the Vulnerable” and its importance is being carried out throughout the year.

“Kidneys are essential organs in our body, with big responsibilities. Creating awareness and providing education is essential for prevention as hypertension, diabetes coupled with obesity and smoking are major contributors for non-genetic kidney disease and failing kidney function. The last resort for any patient should be a transplant, as donors are scarce,” Zachry said. SL

Key to older adult health and fitness — keep moving

BY BRENDA EGGERT BRADER

Seniors are urged to exercise to stay fit and be able to perform basic activities in daily living.

Everyone knows the importance of exercise on a cardiovascular system to

make the heart stronger, lower blood pressure, sugar levels and cholesterol. But there is much more.

“Marching in place for 20 counts, standing in place to kick butt helps stretch hamstrings, and perform toe raises 20 times, or nice little squats

20 times will make a difference,” said Lisa Gladu-Molina, a certified personal trainer at Aquatic Health and Rehabilitation of Melbourne through Aging Matters. “Start off slow with say, 10 and then add as you go along until you get to 20.

“Stand to balance for one to two minutes on a foam pad and practice with feet shoulder-width apart standing near a counter or chair for needed support. Then stand with feet closer together for narrow base support for a minute or two minutes. Place feet in front of each other crossing over back and forth, practicing single leg stand on each foot for 30 seconds.”

Gladu-Molina said that practice makes perfect at least two or three times a week.

“The more they put into it, the more they get out of it. If they are consistent, they will notice improvement right away.”

More than one type of physical activity, such as aerobic activity, muscle strengthening, and balance training can be done at home or in a community setting as part of a structured program, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is agreed that older adults should move more and sit less throughout the day, urging some physical activity is better than none. Physical activity can help reduce the

risk of injury from falls and improve physical function.

“The more simple exercises they can do at home is great,” Gladu-Molina says. “If they can do a group exercise, they get more motivated. Get a friend. You are always more motivated with a friend. Exercise two or three times a week.”

The CDC recommends that adults age 65 and over exercise 30 minutes a day, five days a week at least 150 minutes a week — two days a week of activities that strengthen muscles, and those that improve balance.

Recreational activities such as dancing, yoga, tai chi, gardening, or sports can also be considered multicomponent because they often incorporate multiple types of physical activity.

SENIOR LIFE Shutterstock

Chronic kidney disease is a silent disease that can be prevented with lifestyle modification and nutritional changes

“If they can do a group exercise, they get more motivated. Get a friend. You are always more motivated with a friend. Exercise two or three times a week.”

—Lisa Gladu-Molina

Additional Products

Storm Panels

Screen Rooms

Accordians

Roll-Ups

Bahamas

Hurricanerated Roll-Up Screens

Acrylic Sliders

Carports

Easy Open/Close Accordion Shutters

Boniface Hiers Mazda Car & Truck Show

Belly Dancing 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

FIT Over 50 with Polly

9 - 9:55 a.m.

Bingo

11:30 a.m.

Forgiveness Workshop

Indiafest

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Boniface Hiers Mazda

625 E. NASA Blvd.

Melbourne, 321-948-7553

2023 Swim Melbourne

Masters 1.5K and 5K Open

Water Swims

Race 1 - Race 2 on March 12

9 a.m. - 1.5K starts.

Paradise Beach

2301 Florida A1A

Melbourne Beach, 321-266-

4808

Fee is $2 for members and $3 for non-members.

Martin Andersen Senior Center

1025 S. Florida Ave. Rockledge, 321-631-7549

Seaside Quilt Show Group

1 - 5 p.m.

Quilting group

Suntree/Viera Library 902 Jordan Blass Drive

Suntree, 321-255-4404

Banana River at Pavilion Cocoa Beach Country Club 4800 Tom Warriner Blvd. Cocoa Beach 321-266-4808

Brevard Investment Education Group 10:30 a.m. Suntree/Viera Library 902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-255-4404

Zumba 9 - 10 a.m. Low impact Brevard Veterans Memorial Center 400 S. Sykes Creek Pkwy Merritt Island, 321-4531776

Cardio, strength and core work designed to improve flexibility, mobility strength and balance. Bring hand weights and water - floor mat and large exercise ball optional.

Cape Canaveral Public Library 201 Polk Ave.

Palm Bay Senior Center

1275 Culver Drive NE Palm Bay, 321-724-1338

Swingtime Free Concert: Sundry Showcase

7 p.m.

Concert presented by the Melbourne Municipal Band.

Melbourne Auditorium

625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. Melbourne, 321-724-0555

Muscle Memory, Strength, Balance

10 - 11 a.m. 909 Lane Ave. Titusville, 321-609-0999

Tap & Jazz for Seniors

11 a.m. - noon 909 Lane Ave. Titusville, 309-236-7786

Melbourne Wellness Fair

9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Health and wellness providers, free screenings, presentations, giveaways, door prizes and more. Space Coast Convention Center 103 Tucker Lane Cocoa, 941-539-8391

1 - 2:30 p.m. Learn what forgiveness is and is not.

Physical and Psychological Benefits of Animals and Seniors

10 - 11 a.m.

Aging Matters

3600 West King Street

Cocoa, 321-452-4341

“Unmasking Freedom"

Fourth annual Charity Dinner & Auction

6:30 - 10 p.m.

The Grand Manor 1450 Sarno Road Melbourne, 844-673-2639

High Tea at Field Manor

2 - 4 p.m. We will be serving up to five teas, as well as sweet and savory treats. Field Manor 750 Field Manor Drive Merritt Island, 321-8480365

Presented by nurse Lisa and Dr. Joel Shuy, Psy. D. Enjoy refreshments and be entered to win a raffle prize. Touch of Grey will bring friendly dogs. RSVP. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771

March 11 and 12 Cultural shows, traditional Indian cuisines, fashion show, music, henna, Indian cooking demo, arts and crafts, yoga demo, great raffle prizes, and more. Wickham Park Regional Pavilion 2500 Parkway Drive Melbourne, Indiafest.com 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Boomer Guide Senior Expo Let the Shenanigans begin 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Melbourne Art & Craft Expo

10 a.m.

March 18 and 19 Wickham Park 2500 Parkway Drive Melbourne, 772-492-6106

Symphonic Jukebox

7 p.m.

Bridge Noon - 3 p.m.

Brevard Veterans Center 400 S. Sykes Creek Pkwy. Merritt Island 321-453-1776

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day at Boomer Guide's annual expo featuring exhibitors, a coffee bar, music and snacks. Meet Alligator Robb and take a self-defense class. Pick up the new Boomer Guide magazine. Wear green for good luck. Beads provided. Hilton Rialto Melbourne Conference Center, 200 Rialto Place, Melbourne 321-242-1235

Presented by the Space Coast Symphony. Satellite Beach High School 300 Scorpion Ct. Satellite Beach 855-252-7273 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Free Family Concert:

Bountiful Garden Party:

Candle Making

1 p.m.

Learn how to handcraft your very own bountiful candle from start to finish. All the materials are provided to assemble the vessel. Rockledge Gardens

Music Monday: Auld Triangle

- 7 p.m. Traditional Irish music. Cape Canaveral Public Library 201 Polk Ave. Cape Canaveral, 321-8681101

Medicaid Planning Seminar 10 - 11 a.m.

Presented by William

A. Johnson, Elder Law Attorney. RSVP One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771

University of Saturday Morning Cartoons

p.m. March 22 and 23

Presented by the Melbourne Community Orchestra. Melbourne Auditorium 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. Melbourne, 321-285-6724

Amazing You! Workshop

- 2:30 p.m. Discover if emotions are good or bad. Learn how breathing may help control emotions. Aging Matters 3600 West King Street Cocoa, 321-452-4341

Line Dance Social

- 9 p.m. Dance to all genres of music, great for beginner to advanced. North Brevard Senior Center 909 Lane Ave. Titusville, 321-268-2333

Third Annual Out of This World Golf Tournament 7 a.m.

Benefit for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Turtle Creek Golf Course 1278 Admiralty Blvd. Rockledge, 321-631-7776

2153 U. S. Highway 1 Rockledge, 321-636-7662

Space Coast Poets

5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Suntree/Viera Library

902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-255-4404

Fox Lake Spring Festival of Crafts 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Fox Lake Park 4400 Fox Lake Road Titusville, 321-633-2046 26 27 28 29 30 31

Indoor/Outdoor Vendor and Craft Fair Noon - 4 p.m.

Greater Palm Bay Senior Center 1275 Culver Drive NE Palm Bay, 321-724-1338

Golden Hearts Senior Fitness 1 - 2 p.m. 909 Lane Ave. Titusville, 321-514-5945

Bones and Balance 10 - 11 a.m. Wickham Park Senior Center 2785 Leisure Way Melbourne, 321-543-6358

Healing Mind, Body & Soul through Cancer and Beyond

5 - 6:30 p.m.

Panel discussion of healthcare and support resource experts.

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community 5655 Stadium Parkway Viera, 321-266-0564

Watercolor Instruction

9:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Wickham

Joelle, Jammer a comforting combination at Health First

BY MARIA SONNENBERG

Health First volunteer coordinator

Joelle Boccabella is followed by a golden shadow at Health First, and the shadow’s name is Jammer, the hospital system’s facility dog.

Provided by the nonprofit Canine Companions for Independence, Labrador/golden retriever Jammer brightens the day of everyone he meets at Viera, Palm Bay and Cape Canaveral hospitals.

Wearing his work vest and his official Health First badge, Jammer is ready to help Boccabella. The five-year-old canine takes his duties of cheering patients and staff and providing encouragement at the Joint Centers very seriously.

“He’s the motivator,” Boccabella said.

Jammer’s role with patients who have recently received a hip or knee replacement is to get them up and walking.

“He’ll walk beside them and it gets them asking me questions about the dog and they’re not thinking about their exercise,” Boccabella said.

On at least one occasion, Jammer has been known to remove the socks off a patient and give them to him. Jammer also works with physical therapists to assist patients trying to regain mobility after a stroke.

Michelle Sokol, the nurse manager of the medical and surgical units at Viera Hospital, knows the joy that is Jammer.

“Joelle and Jammer come to the unit happy and smiling,” she said.

They proceed to cheer up patients and staff alike.

“The team will gather around to pet Jammer, and you can see their spirits lift,” Sokol added.

At Palm Bay Hospital, Jammer and Joelle are part of Team Lavender, a fastacting team who help support associates through acute, negative mental health events.

“The pastor usually comes down and talks to me, so it’s what is the immediate need when we first get there,” Boccabella said.

When associates have experienced stressful or heart-wrenching cases in the Emergency Department or the ICU, Jammer helps by offering a furry head to pat and soulful eyes that overflow with gentleness.

In his third year with Health First, Jammer relaxes as passionately as he works. Once the vest comes off, he chills out on the little hammock Boccabella placed in her lanai at home.

He also likes watching television.

“He likes surfing for some reason, and I’ve caught him staring at the TV when they’re surfing,” she said.

When the vest is back on, however, Jammer knows it is time to get back to work.

“His whole demeanor changes,” Boccabella said. SL

SENIOR LIFE Klinton Landress Jammer, a Labrador/golden retriever, is a welcome site at Health First hospitals as he cheers up patients. Jammer is provided by the nonprofit Canine Companions for Independence.

SENIOR LIFE Jill Blue Through the past 15 years, the annual Boomer Guide Expo has offered a free, fun day for Brevard County residents to obtain information on local services and pick up a copy of the awardwinning Boomer Guide.

SENIOR LIFE Klinton Landress Joelle Boccabella and Jammer often walk with and help to encourage patients who have had knee or hip replacement surgery. Jammer has also been known to help hospital staff in dealing with stressful situations.

TECH KNOW TIDBITS

Pay-with-phone a growing trend, more secure than cards

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

Keeping up with technology can be exhausting, especially when navigating across unfamiliar territory. But embracing new things digital is vital to keep from becoming a dinosaur. The days of paying with a check are a relic.

Everything lives in your smartphone — music, camera, contact numbers, GPS and now the mobile wallet — used daily for payments.

It took five years after Apple Pay was first launched in 2014 for it to become the trendy form of payment and now half the world’s iPhone users pay with Apple Pay — that’s more than 65 million globally. Google and Samsung Pay are catching up just as fast.

Credit cards have become slower thanks to new chip-based readers and they’re not as secure. With that in mind, a vast majority are using a digital wallet instead of digging out the plastic.

User interface is effortless. It is just a matter of unlocking your iPhone or

Apple Watch, (the same if you’re using Android or Google Pay) hover it over the payment reader and it automatically swipes the card information instantly, without even opening the cash app.

“I’ve been paying with my mobile wallet for over four years. I love the ease of use and the best is that I don’t carry a wallet,” said Imad Ahmad of Melbourne, a regular at Starbucks.

“It’s safe and now most vendors are using it”.

Credit cards aren’t pillars of safety as identity theft is rampant and the mobile wallet is vastly more secure. With the use of tokenization (an encrypted number for every transaction), the card information is hidden behind a fingerprint, passcode or face recognition on each phone, adding an extra layer of security that plastic doesn’t offer.

Any credit card can be stored and if the phone is lost or stolen, cards can easily be turned off.

Credit cards are still the payment of choice by a vast majority, but with so many merchants embracing digital payments, it will soon be the go-to method.

Everything is a personal choice, but with technology advancing at an exponential rate, the digital wallet is becoming an optimal payment method to reduce fraud for the end user and the merchants. SL

Online bargain purchases are great if made with care

BY BRENDA EGGERT BRADER

Always take care in scrutinizing what may be a deal when shopping online. As the old adage goes, “if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.”

“In terms of shopping, kind of have an idea of the cost of the item you are shopping for,” advises Gayle Whitworth, a family and consumer sciences agent with the University of Florida Extension Service in Brevard County. “Having a general knowledge of the item is a good deal, it probably is.”

“Check the website, then check the URL (website). Always look for https on the website that tells you that you are on a secure site, a padlock icon also says you have a safe site. Look for any missing contact information. If there is nobody to contact or no return policy, you’ve got to kind of wonder about that.”

Whitworth urges that if something pops up and looks too good to be true, do a fraud search. She did a search for whatever it was and it came up as a fraud. You can search just through the name.

“Google has a transparency report, URL.com,” Whitworth said. “Go check legitimate sites to see if any warning is on one of them. Always

BOOMER EXPO

continued from page 1

Astronaut High School.

“Trust me, everyone will be entertained,’’ said Robb, who earned acclaim in 2019 for rescuing an alligator from Humboldt Park in Chicago after it had eluded capture for 10 days. The alligator eventually was relocated to St. Augustine. Some believe the alligator was used to guard a drug dealer’s residence.

“No one will lose interest; we’ve

check for reviews even on legitimate sites. I like to check those sites. Reviews come in, so keep track of the quality. Terms like ‘refurbish’ and you must question to see what that means. Also look at the return policy.”

Payment should be by credit card Whitworth said.

“You want to be able to use a credit card because it is secure,” she said.

“Look for a trust seal, padlock and ‘s’ on sites that indicate honest secure sites. Still check this and if something looks kind of fishy, investigate.

“Never buy anything from online sellers that accept payment only by gift cards, money transfers through companies like Western Union or MoneyGram or cryptocurrency,” according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission advice. “Payments you make that way are nearly impossible to trace and reverse. Scammers often tell people to use those payment methods so they can get money quickly.

“Before you buy, find out what the seller says about shipping and delivery,” the FTC says. “They must ship on promised time. If there is no promise, then they must ship within 30 days after getting your name, address and payment or permission to use a charge account.”

given these talks all over the world,’’ said Robb, a Brevard County native who explored the wilderness of Port St. John as a child since his father was a land surveyor. “We’re so appreciative and thankful that we can talk about what’s going on with the Space Coast.’’

Robb, who earned a biomedical degree from Eastern Florida State College, is an animal researcher. He has conducted extensive research on how the endocrine system for alligators is similar to that of humans.

“Using Amazon or email going to a particular website is when the scam sites usually appear as pop-up deals,”

Like humans, alligators eat almost all of the food in the environment.

Those attending can register for a grand prize as they enter the Rialto Place.

Informative exhibits will include health and medical, volunteering, elder law, eye care, hospice, wellness, travel, retirement options, caregiver and resources for veterans, insurance and representatives from 55-and-older communities.

“I’m excited about the new Boomer Guide,” said Jill Blue, the president

Whitworth said. “Sometimes they are good deals. Fortunately, there are a lot of good people in the world.”

of Bluewater Creative Group, the publisher of the Boomer Guide and Senior Life. “I love the models and the energy they exude. They are so happy and delighted to be a part of this great magazine.

“Wear green for St. Patrick’s Day. We hope that people will begin their fun on this great holiday with us. The Rialto is a great place for this event with plenty of parking and space for all the exhibitors and entertainment.”

For information on the expo, call 321-242-1235. SL

SENIOR LIFE Shutterstock

SL

SENIOR LIFE Brenda Eggert Brader Gayle Whitworth, a family and consumer sciences agent with the University of Florida Extension Service in Brevard County, checks out online shopping and possible consumer scams.

CROSSWORD

DOWN

1. Author’s last word?

2. Cradle call

3. Going around the world

4. Talk a big game

5. Comeback, in sports

6. Dreaming, perhaps

7. Your, of yore

8. Imam’s text

9. Hieroglyphic symbol

10. Margin of victory

11. Stains

19. Bird sanctuary?

20. Dachshund, for one

21. Beginning, as of an idea

22. Good fellers

24. Have a bug

26. Calif. resort

28. Snowball

29. Cartoon wolf’s look

30. Hardly more than

32. Car nut?

34. Battle joiner’s choice

37. Marcher’s woe

39. Fans have at least one

40. Mead’s study site

42. Animal rights issue

43. “Tosca” selection

44. Reached for the floor

46. Battery word

48. Bottled gas

50. Reporter’s question

51. Bowl over

Crossword solution on page 26

© Lovatts Puzzles

TIME TO TRAVEL

Orange groves are gone, Citrus Tower still attracts

BY MARIA SONNENBERG

All that remains of vintage Florida attractions such as Cypress Gardens, Circus World and Disney’s River Country are memories. Yet the Citrus Tower keeps going Energizer Bunny-like, despite the challenges that the changing Florida landscape has tossed in its way.

Long before the theme parks ruled Central Florida, the Citrus Tower reigned. Built in Clermont to showcase Central Florida’s orange industry, the tower opened in 1956 on U.S. 27, once a tourist thoroughfare that connected Cypress Gardens with Silver Springs.

In its heyday, the 226-foot tower drew half a million visitors eager to ride the elevator to the glass-enclosed observation deck at the top to marvel at the miles upon miles of citrus groves that surrounded it, along with a vista of the hundreds of springfed lakes of hilly Lake County.

The extension of the Florida Turnpike in 1964 cut into the visitor numbers and three major freezes in the 1970s killed most of the orange trees, and even less visitors made the trip to the top.

Although the orange trees have been replaced by housing developments, the lakes and the rolling hills still make for splendid viewing. Grab an amazing orange cappuccino or similarly orange-infused drinks from the café at the base before heading to the vintage Otis elevator for a leisurely ride up 19 floors.

Sip your drink while enjoying the view of the sun reflecting off Lake Minnehaha or Lake Minneola or Lake Apopka. Look north for a glimpse at the spine of Florida, where you will see Florida’s tallest mountain. At 312 feet, Sugarloaf is not much taller than the tower itself. With a view of 35 miles to the horizon, the Citrus Tower allows visitors to catch glimpses of everything from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the east and Disney’s Contemporary Hotel to the south.

A feature of this gentle attraction is the coin drop where pennies or nickels can be heard falling 226 feet down before ending

Citrus Tower

7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday - Saturday Noon to 7 p.m. • Sunday

$11 adults

$10 seniors, military, teachers and AAA members

$7 children

manager.

Chuck Edward was traveling from Atlanta to Orlando when he happened upon the tower.

“It brought back memories,” wrote Edward of a family excursion in 1966. Even though he was only six years old, Edward never forgot the tower and the simpler times it represents.

“So glad to have found it still standing and in operation,” he said.

The Citrus Tower is located at 141 S. U.S. 27. For more information, visit citrustower.com SL

the show with a ding as the coins hit a bell at the bottom.

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Citrus Tower

Built in 1956, the Citrus Tower remains an attraction in Clermont.

SENIOR LIFE Maria Sonnenberg

Development in the Clermont area has taken the space that once was covered in citrus groves.

Ulumay a gem of a sanctuary hidden on Merritt Island

BY BETTY PORTER

The spring months are a great time to visit the historic Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary on Merritt Island.

The 1,200 acre site offers birding, a hiking trail, biking, a canoe and kayak launch, and fishing along the interior trail from a 20-foot by 100-foot pier.

to North Sykes Creek Parkway at Old Audubon Road. The address is 805 Sykes Creek Parkway.

There is no admission charge. The Sanctuary is open during the daytime to visitors seven days a week with free parking and is accessible to people with disabilities as required by the American with Disabilities Act.

An Ulumay historical marker sits on Old Audubon Road at the entrance to the Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary. Its inscription tells the story of the area having been part of the Ais native American culture. The Ais were one of the most influential and powerful tribes in Florida.

When Spanish Army Lt. Alvaro Mexia mapped the Ulumay Lagoon in 1605, he wrote in his diary “Here is the town of Ulumay, the first one of the province of Ais. In the back of, adjacent to this town, there are many camps.”

The Ais people occupied small interior camps and towns along the resource-rich estuaries. The camps were abundant with fish and fresh vegetables.

It is a place of quiet and tranquility rich in Florida history.

While tucked away, it is also very much in the middle of the urban environment of Merritt Island. The site runs from State Road 528 south

British merchant Jonathan Dickinson of Jamaica trekked north through the Ais territory in 1696 after he had been shipwrecked near what is now Hobe Sound. Within a few years of his visit, epidemics weakened and then decimated the Ais. By 1715, only a few natives were seen by survivors of the Spanish fleet shipwrecks.

Through the 1950s, Ais village mounds, including Ulumay, were mined to obtain decomposed shells for use as roadbed material.

In 1970, the area was given to

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The Brennity at Melbourne

7300 Watersong Lane, Viera 32940 321-253-7440 BrennityMelbourne.com

Chateau Madeleine

205 Hardoon Lane, Suntree 32940 321-701-8000 SuntreeSeniorLiving.com

Buena Vida Estates

2129 W. New Haven Ave., W. Melbourne 32904 321-724-0060 BuenaVidaEstates.org

Brevard County by the State of Florida as a park. In 1993, the Brevard County Historical Commission dedicated the Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary as a historical landmark.

“Ulumay is an important Mosquito Control Impoundment,” said Mike Knight, the Environmentally Endangered Lands program manager. “The berms around the perimeter keep water inside the impoundment during the mosquito breeding season to minimize egg-laying by the salt marsh mosquito. This species of mosquito can only lay eggs in wet exposed mud. If the mud is flooded, they cannot lay their eggs.”

“While currently we do not track visitation data at Ulumay, it is a renowned international attraction for

birdwatchers,” Knight said.

Mary Ellen Donner, the director of the Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department said the trailhead on Hall Road is for the Pioneer Trail which is under Parks and Recreation management.

“Pioneer Trail is a three-mile hiking trail and has four observation decks of varying heights for viewing wildlife,” she said. “The Pier is managed by the Parks and Recreation Department, but the interior of the site is managed by EEL and Mosquito Control.”

More information is available at brevardfl.gov/EELprogram/ sanctuaries/ulumaysanctuary. Or call the Brevard County Parks and Recreation at 321-633-1874. For EEL, call 321-255-4466. SL

SENIOR LIFE Jill Blue

Larry Mayo of Merritt Island, a frequent visitor, checks out a trail map at the Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary.

SENIOR LIFE Klinton Landress

Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary offers plenty of trails and wildlife viewing.

Shelter dogs bring comfort to children, veterans, first responders

BY FLORA REIGADA

The month of February celebrates love on Valentine’s Day. It is between a couple, a parent and child, or relatives and friends. Another kind of love is demonstrated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Paws and Stripes College, also known as the Comfort Dog program.

By adopting and training shelter dogs to comfort children with behavioral or emotional disabilities, veterans and first responders, this love transforms lives, both human and canine. Male and female inmates help in the process.

Cpl. Mariah Biddle, an AKC (American Kennel Club) temperament evaluator, manages daily operations with her team.

“We are responsible for the care, evaluation and training of the dogs,” she said. “We maintain the building, conduct training of inmates,

of adopters and securely transport inmates to and from the jail complex.”

First responder therapy dogs are used to comfort crime victims during interviews and courtroom testimony. They assist in community relations and major crises such as the Surfside condo collapse in June 2021.

“It is a win-win situation,” Biddle said. “It provides those in need with a trained therapy dog and helps our animal care center achieve no-kill status. It also teaches inmates a trade to assist them when they re-enter society. Seventy-five percent of Paws

and Stripes inmates do not return to the jail.”

This is at no expense to taxpayers.

Paws and Stripes recently paid a visit to the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum.

“We enjoy when our furry friends visit with their human partners,” said Jayme DiGennaro, the director of museum education.

Some of the dogs are named after fallen law enforcement officers.

They will return for the WaggingTails @ Work K-9 event from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 11.

The cost is $20 per family and $10 for adults. This includes free hot dogs and chips.

Other visits are being planned.

The American Police Hall of Fame and Museum is at 6350 Horizon Drive in Titusville.

Call 321-264-0911 or visit aphf. org/.

Veterans, first responders or the parent of a child in need of an emotional support animal may email pawsandstripescollege@bcso.us, or visit brevardsheriff.com/home/howdo-i/request/paws-stripes. SL

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Cpl. Mariah Biddle, who manages operations at the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Paws and Stripes College, sits with therapy dog Bolt.

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Cpl. Mariah Biddle Therapy dogs from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Paws and Stripes College recently visited Titusville’s American Police Hall of Fame and Museum.

BCOA NEWS

Brevard Commission on Aging

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.

Early detection could prevent ailments, disability, even death

Most resolutions focus on improving our health, quality of life and becoming more active. The resolution most of us leave out may well be one of the most valuable approaches to maintaining our health. … Early detection health screening.

Many diseases that cause us the most pain, disability and even death can be prevented or reduced in severity through early health screening.

The American Heart and American Stroke Associations recommend taking your blood pressure regularly to alert you to unhealthy blood pressure swings. Knowing your numbers and working with your

doctor to keep your blood pressure normal is an effective way you can avoid or lessen heart disease and stroke. Blood pressure monitors are easier to use and more accurate than in the past.

In 2022, 37.3 million Americans had diabetes and 8.5 million of them were undiagnosed. These figures included 26.4 million seniors 65 years of age and older. You can ask your physician for an A1C blood test that will give your blood sugar average during the past three months. This is a simple and effective test to determine if you have diabetes or prediabetes.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America recommends memory

Center provides opportunities for people with disabilities

BY WENDY SCHEURING

Brevard Achievement Center (BAC) has been expanding its presence as it remains an important and well-known cornerstone of the community.

Solidified more than 50 years ago, the nonprofit organization has been at the same location at 1845 Cogswell St. in Rockledge. Begun in 1968, the center is a place where the disabled in the community can go to seek employment and sharpen their job skills as well as life skills.

“Our mission is to provide persons with disabilities innovative services and opportunities to achieve personal success,” said Keri Goff, the director of community relations of BAC, which is housed on a five-building campus.

The nonprofit organization’s growth has outpaced its original campus size.

“We outgrew the space we had, so we bought the lot next door and built a new 10,000-square-foot building,” Goff said. “We are expanding our footprint.”

She said that BAC, a member of the Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce, will have a ribbon cutting for the new facility at a future date, which is yet to be determined.

BAC has an employment side and a personal development side.

“We are hiring individuals,” said Goff, who has worked at BAC for the past four years. “Five hundred fifty out of 750 employees (hired by BAC) have a significant disability.”

On the program side, we take a participant who is not a BAC employee and place them into the community through training.”

BAC pays for their on-the-job training, which is approximately eight to 10 weeks, with hopes of them receiving employment afterward or, at the very least, work experience that can proudly appear on a resume. BAC offers additional programs, such as an adult day training program, where people can receive employment assistance, job coaching, pre-employment training, guidance in entering the workforce, as well as life enrichment skills, building self-esteem, and even art programs.

“We focus on the individual person,” Goff said

The Brevard Achievement Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 321-632-8610 or go to bacemploy.com. SL

Murtha Law Group, PA

screenings as a significant first step toward finding out if a person may have a memory problem and providing baseline information for your provider.

A memory screening is a simple and safe evaluation tool that checks memory and other thinking skills. It can indicate whether an additional checkup by a qualified healthcare professional is needed. It takes about 30 minutes and is confidential.

Early recognition of mild cognitive impairment and memory loss provides an opportunity for healthcare professionals to treat this condition and possibly slow down the changes in memory and other

thinking skills.

The Health First Memory Disorder Clinic provides memory screens free to anyone in the community 18 years of age and older. If you would like to schedule a free memory screening, call 321-434-7614 for more information.

Bluewater Creative Group - Issue 1

There are many other early detection health screenings like these that will help you understand your risk of health issues. Ask your doctor what tests are recommended for someone your age and gender.

Take charge of your health now since we all know “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!”

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.

Edited by Margie E. Burke

Behind the Beat

John Denver and his wife Annie moved to Aspen, Colorado in December 1970, hoping to purchase a home in the couple’s favorite part of their favorite state.

What they discovered was that everything cost much more than they could afford. The two thus bought land in a nearby scenic valley, with plans to build a house there the next year — if Denver’s career star continued its ascent.

The success of “Rocky Mountain

High” would put their minds at ease.

He was born in the summer of his 27th year

Comin’ home to a place he’d never been before

He left yesterday behind him

You might say he was born again

You might say he found the key for every door

By Randal C. Hill

‘Rocky Mountain High’ — John Denver

In his autobiography, “Take Me Home,” Denver stated, “I remember, almost to the moment, when that song started to take shape in my head.”

He recalled how he and Annie and some friends had hiked up to Lake Williams to camp below the stars and watch the Perseid meteor showers. (They are called the Perseids because the point from which they appear to hail lies in the constellation Perseus.)

“Imagine a moonless night in the Rockies in the dead of summer and you have it. ... We were right below the tree line, just about 10,000 feet. ... Around midnight, I got up and could see the shadow from the starlight, there was so much light from the stars. I went back and lay down in front of our tent, thinking about how in nature all things, large and small, were interwoven, when

swoosh, a meteor went smoking by. ... It got bigger and bigger until the tail stretched out all the way across the sky and burned itself out. It was raining fire in the sky.”

He began work on a folk tune about the experience with friend Mike Taylor, an acoustic guitarist who had performed with Denver and had also moved to Aspen. The result was Denver’s autobiographical “Rocky Mountain High.” After Denver tweaked it for several months, the resulting RCA Records single became a Top 10 classic.

But the Colorado Rocky Mountain high

I’ve seen it rainin’ fire in the sky

The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullaby

Rocky Mountain high

7 6 8 2 7 1 4 3 8 5 6 9 7 6 4 8 4 1 3 7 9 7 8 6 1

However, his creation became controversial when some listeners thought the word high referred to drug use. (Nine times we hear high in Colorado in the background whenever the line Rocky Mountain high is sung.) This led Denver to testify before a Senate hearing. “My song ‘Rocky Mountain High’ was banned from many radio stations as a drug-related song,” he said.

“This was obviously done by people who had never seen or been to the Rocky Mountains and also had never experienced the elation, celebration of life or the joy in living that one feels when he observed something as wondrous as the Perseids meteor shower.”

End of discussion.

In 1915, “Where the Columbines Grow” became Colorado’s state song. In 1973, “Rocky Mountain High” was added as the official second one. SL

Overcome hate, live better

What do you hate? Whom do you hate? Why do you hate? How do you overcome hate in your life? Our media is loaded with messages about some individual or some group that shows hatred toward another. A big challenge for many people, including seniors, is how to overcome hate.

We start with a behavior of dislike, aversion or contempt. We detest, get angry and feel envy. As we grow from childhood to adulthood, we learn hatred from our environment — family, friends, community, school, church, social groups and the news media. Our life experiences include situations where we learn to hate.

As a young boy living in an ethnic area in a large industrial city, I heard my father make comments about certain groups of people. He cried in front of the Philco radio while listening to reports about the war in Europe and the Pacific. He made ethnic slurs and hateful remarks.

Throughout our lives, we have seen protests, riots, labor strikes, marches, looting, peace marches and even marches on our national capitol building. Each side of the hate justified their actions under freedom of speech and constitutional rights. We may decry and often support in our own minds and sometimes with our actions.

With our knowledge and experience as seniors, we should set an example with helpful solutions. We have wisdom, we may be sages with perspective, and we are the source of knowledge. We do not have to be confrontational. What can you do?

Seniors should listen and learn

Challenges of Living to Age 100

Ed Baranowski

with understanding and acknowledge the different sides to an issue. Rather than jump in with your point of view, ask “what lessons have we learned?”

Playback (reflect on what has been said) to help the parties find a solution. Share your own ideas.

With learned skills, you can overcome hate with negotiation, mediation and peacemaking techniques. People want to win. Provide win-win solutions. A local group called Braver Angels works to bring civility to political debates and disputes. The key is understanding how and why people on each side feel about an issue.

Be part of the solution. Involve your family in discussions, understand their reference point that is most often social media and internet sources. Check your bumper stickers. Engage your brain before you speak. Challenge yourself to be a peacemaker. SL

Ed Baranowski is an awardwinning writer, artist, speaker, and seminar leader. He lives in Melbourne Florida and can be contacted at fast75sr@gmail.com

SENIOR LIFE Shutterstock John Denver died in a plane crash in 1997.

Puzzle on page 21

COME HOME TO

You know the feeling. It hits you the moment you walk through the door. A feeling of belonging, safety, and community. A place where the comforts of home come together with the best of friends, services, and amenities. We know home is so much more than an address. It’s a place where you feel accepted and appreciated just for being you. Come home to Sonata and discover a place that builds bonds and friendships that feel just like home. Maybe even better.

Veteran specials available. Call today to schedule a personalized tour and learn more about Sonata Senior Living.

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