Viera Voice, April 2023

Family of three moves to Viera sight unseen

BY WENDY SCHEURING

Steffie Bell did an online search to find her family’s dream home in Fawn Ridge a little more than a year ago. She and her husband, Alejandro Rodriguez, had never been to Viera and bought the house sight unseen.

“Viera caught my attention,” Bell said.

“We chose Viera because we liked the lifestyle it provided. The community is fantastic.”

Bell is currently president of the Fawn Ridge HOA. She was nominated a few months after moving in and was eager to get involved.

The couple, who have been married for nine years, work from home as account managers for the same company. It was easy for them to leave Dallas, where they had lived for eight years. The housing in Viera also was more affordable and the winters warmer.

“I love the overall vibe and the nature, the quiet and the community,” Rodriguez said. “I like being close to the beach.”

Their 4-year-old son, Idris, is bilingual in English and Spanish and is a child model for a Florida talent agency. He wants to be Spider Man when he grows up, according to his mother.

Viera’s location also fit into the family’s equation of a great location to live. It is geographically in the middle

of both of their families. Rodriguez is from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Bell is from Indianapolis.

The couple met in Rodriguez’s homeland, where Rodriguez was active in the boxing community. Of her husband, Bell said, “He used to be a boxer and I used to interview boxers.”

Bell also was a boxer, having started with kickboxing when she was a teenager then getting into the sport when she was 20 years old.

The family enjoys visiting Viera’s parks, going kayaking and enjoying the nature trails.

“Behind our home is conservation land. The land is absolutely gorgeous, so we take advantage,” Bell said.

Rodriguez volunteers with the Brevard Zoo’s Restore Our Shores program, which uses oysters to filter the waters of the Indian River Lagoon. Bell and her son do beach cleanups once a month with Keep Brevard Beautiful.

Whenever the family is walking outside, they always keep a trash bag handy.

“We love the area and we volunteer. We are excited to see it grow,” Bell said. “We realize it’s a master planned community. Seeing it grow excites us.” VV

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VIERA VOICE K linton Landress

Alejandro Rodriguez, Steffie Bell and their son Idris, 4, like the conservation land behind their home.

Brenda Eggert Brader

Nanette Hebdige

Randal C. Hill

Linda Jump

Mark Mijuskovic Betty Porter

Flora Reigada Wendy Scheuring Maria Sonnenberg

Young Viera muralist sees art as his calling

BY WENDY SCHEURING

Nicholas “Nico” Brown, 17, of Viera has only been painting murals for the past year, but his success as a muralist has skyrocketed.

He is self-taught and has never taken an art class.

In September 2022, he was the youngest participant in the Space Coast Mural Festival in Cocoa Beach and took first place in the popular vote.

His mural of an astronaut floating in space shooting at an unknown target, with a depiction of an explosion in the background, captured people’s attention.

“I try to give my murals a story. I want to bring an air of mystery,” Brown said. “It gives the viewer something to think about.”

Brown established valuable connections at the event, including muralist Chris Maslow, who penned an article about Brown in LiveWireFL Magazine, and who has since become a mentor, according to Brown.

His mother, Mariela Brown, recognized her son’s talent at a young age.

“He was really good at being able to draw within the lines at 2 years old. At 2, kids are scribbling outside the lines. He was very particular with staying within the lines and keeping the colors separate,” Mariela Brown said.

Brown has been drawing his entire life. Yet it was during his sophomore year, during the pandemic, that he started to draw murals. During his junior year, Brown began making life-board drawings which captured the attention of the administration at Rockledge High School.

From there, Brown started painting murals for the school as well as for area businesses. An upcoming project will be painting on a ceiling, Michelangelostyle, for Urban Prime in Viera,

according to Brown.

Brown will graduate this spring with a Cambridge degree from Rockledge High School, as well as an associate degree from Eastern Florida State College.

He has received several offers from Florida-based universities to study aerospace engineering. The University of Central Florida is at the top of the list.

Although Brown will focus on his studies for the next four years, he says art will be his true vocation.

“I feel like it’s my calling,” Brown said. “It is also a way for me to help pay for my college and a career in the aerospace engineering field.

“But, at the end of the day, I’m an artist. That’s who I am.”

For more information, go to @nic8b on Instagram VV

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Nicholas "Nico" Brown has become a popular mural artist in Brevard County. He hopes to attend UCF in August.

Peripheral Neuropathy Breakthrough!

"My feet feel like they're on fire."

"Each step feels like I'm walking through wet paint."

"I live in constant fear that I'll fall."

"I can't sleep, my hands and feet tingle all night.”

What do all of these people have in common? They suffer from peripheral neuropathy. It's estimated that more than 20 million people in the United States have peripheral neuropathy. Unfortunately this figure may be significantly higher as the disease is often misdiagnosed because of its wide array of symptoms.

Dr. Andrea Izquierdo of Bodhi TCM Acupuncture in Melbourne Florida shares this belief. "I've been treating neuropathy, in all its various forms, for over seven years and so often my patients come to me because of the symptoms, not because of a diagnosis. They read the testimonial of another patient and say to themselves 'hey, I feel the same thing'.”

Beth S. of Melbourne Beach testified to this. "I remember my husband driving me to my consultation and I saw a woman running just outside our neighborhood. I was so envious - I just kept thinking ‘I would give anything just to walk again'. My primary care doctor told me my troubles with pain and balance were just symptoms of old age and gave me a prescription. I was so depressed."

Fortunately Beth would eventually see Dr. Andrea’s patients testimonials talking about similar symptoms and how she offers a real solution at Bodhi TCM Acupuncture. "I just knew I had to see her. She was my last hope."

“Almost all of our patients come to us with a story similar to Beth's. They've been everywhere else. They've been told there's no hope. They've been told ‘it's just part of getting older'." shares Dr. Andrea. "It just breaks my heart but I know how much we can help people like Beth so I'm always so happy when they walk through our door.”

Those diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy often face a very grim reality; Western medicine declares that there is no solution while most alternative therapies carry large price tags and offer little to no resolve. Which is why Dr. Andrea and the staff at Bodhi TCM pride themselves on being 'the last resort with the best results'.

Peripheral neuropathy is a result of damage to the nerves and this damage is commonly caused by lack of blood flow in the hands and feet. A lack of blood flow results in a lack of nutrients; the nerves then begin to degenerate and die which causes pain ranging from discomfort to debilitating.

Because neuropathy is a degenerative condition, once those nerves begin to deteriorate they will continue to do so until they are completely expired, leaving those suffering with crippling balance issues. "In this case, the absence of pain is not necessarily a good thing, shares Dr. Andrea. "This usually indicates that your nerves are hanging on by a fragile thread."

So how exactly is Dr. Andrea able to reverse the effects of this degenerative disease? "Acupuncture has been used to increase blood flow for thousands of years which helps to get the necessary nutrients to the affected nerves. But the real magic happens when I integrate ATP Resonance BioTherapy TM. This is tech that was originally developed by NASA to expedite recovering and healing."

"I just can't say enough about Bodhi TCM," Beth shared through tears of joy. "My husband and I moved here 3 years ago and he's gone to the beach almost everyday. I always stayed home because of the pain and discomfort. Yesterday I walked on the beach with him! And next week we're starting dancing lessons. I am truly living life these days."

According to Beth's test results, she has seen a 74% improvement in pain and functionality, which is on par with a majority of our patients." shares Dr. Andrea. "But more important than those test results is the joy she's expressed being here and hearing about all the amazing things she's able to do because she feels great!"

By seamlessly blending the ancient science of acupuncture with modern medical solutions Dr.Andrea has achieved a 90% success rate in reversing the effects of neuropathy. She starts each patient with an initial consultation during which a sensory exam is performed. "This not only aids in making a proper diagnosis but it helps to define just how much nerve damage has occurred" tells the doctor. "This is important because if a patient has suffered more than 95% damage, there is little that I can do to help them. I'm familiar with the medical miracle but I know my limits as a practitioner and the limits of my medicine."

When it comes to treating peripheral neuropathy, regardless of its origin, early detection greatly improves your chances of a full recovery.

If you or someone you love are suffering with chronic pain that presents as burning, tingling or ‘pins and needles' or you've recently been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, it's important to know that there are options. There is hope.

Call (321) 312 - 0771 to schedule an initial consultation or visit BodhiTCM.com to read more incredible success stories.

Love Run 5K fights domestic violence

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

The Love Run 5K is bringing back awareness against domestic violence in Brevard County. The event will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 29. It is sponsored by the Salvation Army Domestic Violence Program. It will celebrate healthy relationships, with all proceeds and donations going toward assisting survivors of domestic

violence.

“This is our seventh annual 5K to bring awareness to this serious issue,’’ said Cindy Mitchell, the director of the Salvation Army Domestic Violence program. “It’s our second year as the Love Run, as the race was known as Run Domestic Violence out of Brevard. It’s so important to celebrate healthy relationships, and that’s why we’re proud to host this event.”

Online registration will be conducted through April 27. Go to runsignup. com/Race/FL/Viera/ SalvationArmy5K to register.

Runners also can register at 5 p.m. the day of the race. Packets can be picked up at 5 p.m. the day of the race or at Running Zone from 10 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. April 28.

Runners can dress up as their favorite couple from a movie, TV show or a book. Medals will be awarded to the first 200 people to register.

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The organization focuses on supporting adult and child victims by providing confidential emergency support services and transitional shelters, where survivors have a safe and empowering haven to escape abuse as they’re recovering from domestic violence.

The Salvation Army is the second largest provider of shelter and advocacy for domestic violence victims with 18 shelters nationwide, three of them in Florida.

“The program has been helping survivors cope with domestic violence for 39 years,’’ Mitchell said. “Last year, 262 survivors (men, women and children) utilized the program’s shelter to get away from

abuse and hundreds more were helped with our outreach services.”

The event will be a fun evening where participants — runners and walkers — can join individually or partner up with their sweethearts, family members, friends or co-workers. Award medals will be presented to all winners after the race, with music and refreshments available for contestants and attendees.

“Many victims don’t want to disclose or recognize they’re experiencing domestic violence at home,” said Jessica Styers, the program manager. “It’s a very delicate subject and, with our annual event, we hope to run domestic violence out of Brevard.”

For information, go to salvationarmyflorida.org/ ncbrevard/#domesticviolence-program/ VV

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of the Love Run

Continuing to fight domestic violence, the 5K Love Run will be held April 29.

“Last year, 262 survivors (men, women and children) utilized the program’s shelter to get away from abuse”

—Cindy Mitchell

Viera Nature Festival focuses on local flora, fauna

BY WENDY SCHEURING

The annual Viera Nature Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 15 at Clubhouse Park at 1600 Clubhouse Drive in Viera East, adjacent to Ralph M. Williams Jr. Elementary School.

The free community event, open to the public, will be presented by the Viera Community Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to “fostering the health, harmony and well-being of the Viera community by facilitating educational, environmental, cultural and charitable activities, and outreach programs within Viera.”

The festival provides a unique opportunity for attendees to learn more about Florida sea life and wildlife from conservationists, who will be on hand to share their expertise, as well as eco-friendly and environmentally based vendors and exhibitors.

Want to interact with butterflies? One exhibitor will be Judi’s Butterflies, where visitors can learn about their life cycle and what they eat.

“We’re excited to be bringing back the Viera Nature Festival to Clubhouse Park,” said Laurie Widzgowsky, the marketing & events coordinator for The Viera Company. “The terracycling stations will be returning, along with fun, interactive activities for children and adults to enjoy.”

For information on what can be recycled, check the Viera Community Institute Facebook page.

A battery drop-off station will also be available at the event. To date, 147 pounds have already been collected, according to Widzgowsky.

There will also be plenty of delicious treats from onsite food trucks, such as Deja Tea Boba’n Bites, Dom’s Coffee Spot and Strong Island Ice Cream.

Entries for the Charlie Corbeil Youth Art Contest, which is being presented by Viera Voice and Charlotte Corbeil, and hosted by Sandy Michelson, will be displayed at the festival.

Entries in photography, painting/art, digital art, and writing by students from kindergarten to 12th

grade are currently being accepted.

This year’s theme is “Florida Nature.” There will be more than $500 in prizes.

Winners will be announced at 1 p.m.

Submissions can be brought to Viera Voice at 7350 Shoppes Drive, Suite 102, in Viera.

For more information about the art contest, go to vieravoice.com or call 321-242-1235.

To volunteer, contact events@viera.com VV

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

There will be fun activities for people of all ages at the Viera Nature Festival. It will be held April 15.

Wrap up SPORTS

Reitz, Ayers lead Viera tennis programs as they push for strong finish

BY CARL KOTALA

The Viera High boys and girls tennis teams were both off to the kind of starts that could lead them into the postseason.

6-2 start.

Meet the players

The Viera girls have a new coach in Paul Bentley and are playing in a new district (Class 4A, District 10), but there’s one thing very familiar about the Hawks’ starting lineup.

That would be No. 1 player Sunshine Reitz, now a senior, and in her fourth year on the top line after winning back-to-back district singles and doubles titles and leading the Hawks to two regional titles and a spot in the state semifinals.

“She has all the shots you need to play the game with no weaknesses,” Bentley wrote in an email. “She combines strength and finesse with total accuracy to make each point.”

Reitz is followed in the Viera girls lineup by seniors Emily Minot and Mattea Cheung and juniors Izzy Sterzik and Leea Johns.

The Hawks were off to a

“The season has been pretty strong for us this year,” Bentley wrote. “We have been very competitive in all our county matches and look forward to carrying the momentum on to the district championship.

“… This group can go far and look to be very competitive in the district tournament. If the ball bounces the right way, I can see this team playing in the state tournament.”

Viera’s boys, meanwhile, had a 6-3 record under second-year coach Glen Outlaw.

“The season has been progressing as I thought it would,” Outlaw wrote in an email. “We have beat the teams we were favored against and have lost to those who were favored against us.

“We started out the season with a nail-biter of a win against Eau Gallie. It came down to the last match, which we won 13-11 in the tiebreaker. It took us five match points to win the match and we faced a match

point against us.”

Junior Braden Ayers is back as Viera’s No. 1 player along with junior Brodie Taylor; junior Matthew Maroz; senior Trea Dugas;

sophomore Joey Shine; sophomore newcomer Kaden Combs and senior Jon Pinela.

“Every player made noticeable strides in their game in the offseason,” Outlaw wrote. “Every player has plenty of room to improve their games. I can point them in the right direction, but they must do the hard work.”

If anyone has seemed to exemplify that philosophy, it’s been Ayers.

“Braden Ayers, compared to the other teammates, has definitely made the biggest strides forward,” Outlaw wrote. “I think his biggest improvement has been a better understanding of what it takes to win a match. Randomly hitting the ball won't get you very far. He is understanding every shot

has a purpose.”

Getting through an eightteam district that includes top teams Vero Beach and Melbourne will be tough, but Outlaw is hoping the lessons the Hawks are learning will aid them on the court and beyond.

“Winning is a result of performing the fundamentals more consistently and better than your opponent,” he wrote. “In order to accomplish this task, a player must commit themselves being physically fit, mentally strong and an ever-growing knowledge of their sport.

“In my opinion, if our players can embrace this process and execute what is necessary to improve, they will be ready for life after high school.” VV

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Susan Reitz

Junior Braden Ayers, left, and senior Sunshine Reitz are the No. 1 players for the Viera High School boys and girls tennis teams. It's the second straight year Ayers has been on the No. 1 line for the Hawks. Reitz is in her fourth year as the top player for the Viera girls.

Holy Trinity tennis teams hope experience at top will pay off in postseason

BY CARL KOTALA

The Holy Trinity tennis boys and girls teams are off to another strong start that could lead to a strong postseason showing.

The boys team dropped its first match, but has won five in a row since while the girls (3-2) were also on a three-match winning streak heading into spring break.

“Our boys team is very talented,” James Clark, who coaches the Tigers with Mark Harrison and Katya Yergina, wrote in an email.

Eighth graders Shaan Prasad and Ryder Collins are on the top two lines for the Tigers. They’re followed by seventh graders Zacky Dzheneva and Jordy Abdul and freshman Luke Rector. Sophomore Jake Barlow, senior Anthony Zyren and sophomore Rohan Jain make up the boys top eight.

Holy Trinity’s girls are led by junior Aly Dzheneva along with returners such as sophomore Elle Canlas, senior Samara Hall and eighth-grader Thalia Wells. Junior Ashlyn Borboroglu is also back to round out the top five.

Both of Holy Trinity’s

top players have plenty of experience at the top of the lineup.

Prasad was No. 1 for

Holy Trinity last year. Aly Dzheneva has been on the top line for the girls team since she was in the seventh grade.

“Aly Dzheneva and Shaan Prasad continue to lead their teams,” Clark wrote. “Aly and Shaan both have shown tremendous commitment to their own tennis and bringing along the other players. Aly is overcoming significant health challenges and is getting stronger each day.”

Holy Trinity’s boys advanced to the regional finals last season, while the girls team reached the regional semis.

The Tigers are in Class 1A, District 7 along with Florida Prep; Cocoa Beach; Edgewood;

Merritt Island Christian and West Shore.

Both Holy Trinity teams will get a chance to avenge an early-season loss to Florida Prep and also square off against a strong Edgewood team before heading to the district tournament.

The district tournaments for both teams are set for April 10 and 11 at the Fee Avenue Courts.

“Districts are a possibility for both teams, although there are a number of teams in our district that can make that claim,” Clark wrote. VV

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of James Clark Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy No. 1 singles player Aly Dzheneva, right, poses with her younger brother, Zacky. Aly, a junior has been playing on the top line for the Tigers since she was in the seventh grade. Zacky, a seventh grader, is one of the top players on the boys team

“Aly Dzheneva and Shaan Prasad continue to lead their teams.”

— Coach James Clark

Viera’s Waggoner, Ford enjoying final season together

BY CARL KOTALA

Viera High pitcher Skylar Waggoner has just gone 2-0 to the opposing batter, so catcher Maddie Ford is heading to the mound for an important conversation, the kind two close friends who have been playing together for 10 years can have.

Ford: “Do you know what you’re having for dinner tonight?

Waggoner: “No.”

Ford: “Well, want to get Chick-fil-A together?”

Waggoner: “Yeah, but I’ve got two balls on this batter.”

Ford: “Well, yeah, but you’ll get out of it …”

And back to the plate Ford will walk. More often than not, Waggoner will come back from 2-0 to get the out, sometimes by strikeout.

“Just knowing each other and knowing what to say, it definitely carries over to the field since we have to be able to calm each other down, or hype each other up and call pitches and just rely on each other,” Waggoner said. “If you don’t have that reliability, you can’t really throw a game.”

Ford and Waggoner have played a lot of games together through the years.

They started out as teammates on a Coaches Pitch Viera Suntree Little League team when they were 7 years old.

This year, the two seniors

are playing their final season together.

“We’ve been talking about it a little bit more the past few weeks,” Waggoner said. “Every time we play, we’re like, ‘Hey, this is our last time playing so-and-so’ … things like that. We try to put a light spin on it, but we know it’s really sad.

“We obviously don’t want to not play together, but also both want to go to college and start our new experiences. We also don’t

want to leave the old ones behind, either.”

That’s why these past few months of playing together are moments both young women will remember for the rest of their lives.

“It’s something that some people might take for granted, but every day I’m grateful for it,” Ford said.

“Sometimes, when I go catch other pitchers … I don’t have the same connection with them that I do with Skylar because I’ve been

Holy Week Schedule

catching her for so long.

“I know what she wants to throw. I know what works. I know what doesn’t work. It just works really well. It’s a lot of fun.”

Not only do the pair work well together on the field, they also enjoy tutoring first graders in phonics at Manatee Elementary School.

Though they don’t have the same interests … for example, Waggoner loves Disney movies — “Frozen” in particular — and Ford does not, the two have formed a lifelong friendship.

“They definitely are a great pairing,” first-year Viera coach Jason Adams wrote in an email. “I really got lucky having them and the chemistry they have with each other and the leadership each one brings to the team.

“They trust each other on every decision that is made on the field. I can’t wait to see them succeed not only at the next level of their playing career but also in life.”

Waggoner and Ford have certainly had a lot of success, too. During their sophomore years, when Waggoner became Viera’s No. 1 pitcher, the Hawks went to the state semifinals. Last year’s team went to the regional semifinals.

While these Hawks were still trying to build their team chemistry after six games, Ford and Waggoner are at the point where they can just look at each other and laugh because they each know what the other is thinking.

It’s also what makes

those mound visits so entertaining, especially when Ford goes with the “Frozen” reference and says, “OK, Elsa. Get it together … Let it go.”

Moments like that were particularly vital during Viera’s 2021 run to the state final four.

“That was really important for me because sometimes I do get flustered or a little bit nervous,” Waggoner said. “We all do. It’s things like that, the small things like that help me calm down, relax and then reattack the batter.

“It was her way of saying, ‘Hey, I got you. We’re good. All right, let’s go to work.’”

They don’t know when it will end … just that the moment will come this season. Waggoner has signed to play at Jacksonville University. Ford is still weighing her options.

So, what will that last pitch be like?

“I think … we’re going to take it slow,” Ford said. “I’m going to give her the sign, probably her best pitch — screwball. She’ll throw the pitch and then we’ll probably go out and cry and hug together.

“We’re both very emotional, so we’re going to bawling our eyes out. It will really be a full-circle moment from our first pitch together, which was what, 10 years ago until now?

“It will really be something. I don’t really want to think about that.” VV

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Maddie Ford and Laurel Waggoner

Viera High School's Skylar Waggoner, left, and Maddie Ford have been taking photos together after every game since their freshman year. The two first started playing together on a Coach's Pitch Viera Suntree Little League team.

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Viera lacrosse teams built for present, future success

BY CARL KOTALA

If there’s one thing the Viera High boys and girls lacrosse teams have in common, it’s that they’re built for success now … and for years to come.

“We think we can go far in the playoffs this year, and with everybody coming back, it looks exciting next year as well,” first-year boys head coach Bob Nunn said.

The Hawks, who were 9-2 and ranked No. 7 in the state by MaxPreps heading into spring break, have a nice mixture of senior leadership from captain Ethan Disciullo and standout defenseman Eli Manchetti to star sophomore goalie Jackson Lynch and junior long stick middie Jacob Glick, whom Nunn believes is the best defensive player in the county.

“We really have some great talent,” said Nunn, who is in his third year with the program and previously served as Viera’s defensive coordinator.

nation in assists earlier in the season.

Viera lost its best player and top goal scorer, junior Kyle Fischer, to a torn ACL, but he will be back next season. In the meantime, Disciullo has stepped in with 29 goals, followed by sophomore Cannon Volitis (26), Almonte (25) and sophomore Mac Goodman (20).

junior Gabe See; sophomore Matthew Dennin; sophomore Ben Vangenechten; freshman Jonah Woodruff; freshman Kae Stolaas; senior Tristan Shomaker and senior Chase Lohman, who is in his first year playing lacrosse.

Class 2A heading into spring break, its only loss coming to No. 1 Vero Beach in a game that saw the Hawks take a two-goal lead in the first half before getting shut out in the second.

“As long as they figure out how to play together, we can go pretty far,” Vice said. “Our goal right now is one game at a time, play as a team and finish strong.

“If we play like we did in the first half against Vero, we can go pretty far. … We can make some noise if we play to our full potential.”

Viera’s leading scorers are all juniors — Catherine Zeek (32 goals), Isabella DiSciascio (21) and Averi Foster (20) — and the Hawks have a standout in sophomore goalie Camryn Wallace (47.3 save percentage).

But there’s a lot more to Viera this season.

Sophomores Addisen Frydenlund, Kayla Beuer and Sophia Aderton, along with junior Bella Wessel and senior Trinity Baker lead a Viera defense that is much improved. Vice calls sophomores Paige Martin and Makenna Dunegan — along with Wessel — his Swiss Army Knives because he can play them anywhere.

Senior Maguire Pedrick has transitioned from playing goalie to becoming Viera’s faceoff guy. Junior Landon Almonte transferred in from Cocoa Beach and was leading the

Other key players for Viera include junior co-captain Granger Lamp; senior Nick Dunbar; senior Josh Glick; sophomore Connor Hoffman; sophomore Aiden McNamara;

On the girls side, Viera coach Chad Vice summed up the way his team has been playing this way:

“Overall, I’m pleasantly pleased,” Vice said. “I mean, you can’t be mad about winning.”

Viera (5-1) was ranked No. 5 in

Senior Reese Starrett leads the team with 10 assists. Other key players include senior Kaylee Duarte; senior Bella Steele; junior Janey Vargas; senior Chelsea Paglia and junior Camryn Petrucelli.

“Our goal is not to be good just this year, but to continue to be good for years to come,” Vice said. VV

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Viera High School

Junior Catherine Zeek was leading the Viera High School girls lacrosse team with 32 goals through six games as the Hawks went into spring break with a 5-1 record. Both the Viera girls and boys teams are showing tremendous improvement this season, which could lead to a big payoff in the postseason.

“Overall, I'm

pleased. I mean,

mad

— Coach Chad Vice

Holy Trinity boys lacrosse team is built for success; girls team building for future

BY CARL KOTALA

The Holy Trinity boys and girls lacrosse teams are both building for something that could turn out to be pretty special.

But while that time is now for a Holy Trinity boys team loaded with seniors, the girls team is setting itself up for the future with a lot of young players and a new head coach.

“It’s a young team, so we struggle against the better, older teams. But it’s a good group of kids,” Holy Trinity girls coach Craig Carson said.

With only one senior — Kiley Jensen — the goal for the Tigers this season is to continue to build up both their confidence and their lacrosse IQ.

Junior Mia Glover is not only playing her first season of lacrosse, she has taken on the role of goalie.

“She’s a work in progress, but she’s doing great,” Carson said. “All of the girls are reacting well to all the instruction and the change of scenery. I’m proud of them.”

Top players for the Tigers include Jensen, junior Shelby Reeve and sophomore Victoria Nelson. Sophomore Rori Betten has been handling the draws while eighth-grader Samantha Fraser and sophomore Isabella Henderson have been impressive on the attack.

The Tigers won their first three games of the season, but had dropped three in a row heading to the spring break. Carson, who took over the program after the season had already started, believes the talent is there. It just needs to be developed.

“It’s a good core group

that, with a little offseason work, they’ll be really good next year,” Carson said. While the girls are looking to gain experience, the Holy Trinity boys are simply dripping with it. The Tigers, who were off to a 10-0 start, boast nine seniors in their starting

lineup — Dylan Gibson, Josh Romine, Dex Phipps, Jackson Bean, Hudson Sanger, Jackson Schopke, Christopher Moore, Layden Brunger and Jake Pagliarini.

The Tigers also have some talented underclassmen like Julien Warden, goalie Justin Cole,

Andrew Turner, transfer Michael Howkins, Griffin Brunger, Nate Combs, Finn Werder, Brogan McNab, Matt Bouyoucas, Sawyer Jacobs, Chris Moore, Cole McNab and Cooper Cohen.

Senior Reef LaGala, in his first year of playing lacrosse, has already scored a goal this season.

Holy Trinity, which reached the regional semifinals last season, was ranked No. 10 in the state and No. 8 in Class 1A. The Tigers are hungry to go further than they’ve ever been in the playoffs.

“We don’t know what our potential is, but we’re definitely looking to go a few rounds into the playoffs,” coach Eric Marr said. “These guys are on a mission.”

With Cole saving more than 65% of the shots he had faced and Bean at 70-plus percent in winning faceoffs, the Tigers have been strong on both sides of the ball.

“I just think it’s a total package that we’re better this year,” Marr said. “We’re a year older. We had a lot of 10th and 11th graders last year. Now, we’re a lot of 11th and 12th graders. I think that extra year of maturity, that extra year of skill and playing … we’re just playing so much better as a team each game.

“This year, you can tell our skill level and our lacrosse IQ have stepped up. You can tell we’re a more mature team this year.” VV

Space Coast Rockets win second 10U state championship in three years

BY CARL KOTALA

Talk about making a big comeback.

The Space Coast Rockets, who returned to action in 2020 after a seven-year hiatus, have won their second Statewide Amateur Hockey of Florida 10U A2 division state championship in the past three years.

The team, made up of 10 skaters and two goalies from the Space Coast Iceplex in Rockledge, went 5-0 during the three-day tournament held at the Community First Igloo in Jacksonville at the end of February.

“Two championships in three years is a major accomplishment for a small program,” said Nicole Lauer, the president of the Space Coast Rockets Booster Club.

It was no easy task for the Rockets, who went 11-2-3 in the regular season and were seeded fourth going into round-robin play.

The Rockets found themselves trailing 2-1 with 56 seconds remaining in

their opening game against the Central Florida Hockey Club. A goal by Natan Vas, with the assist coming from Bryce Connor tied the game and sent it into overtime.

Space Coast sent Samantha Gaudry, Connor and Andrew Baum out for the three-on-three overtime period and less than a minute in, Baum scored a breakaway goal to give the Rockets the win.

Day two of the tournament saw the Rockets pull out a win against the Clearwater Ice Storm thanks in part to goals by Olly Geanacopoulos, Conner and Vas. Goalie Karstyn Peterson stopped more than 20 shots on net.

Later that night, Space Coast played its toughest opponent in round-robin play, the Pembroke Pines Golden Wolves, and scored a 5-3 win. Conner scored twice in that one for the Rockets, who also got goals from Clark Lauer, Valon Skawanski and Harper Robertson.

That win not only gave the Rockets confidence, it also earned them the No. 1 seed in the state semifinals and a rematch with the Golden Wolves.

Conner’s first period hat trick, his second hat trick of the season, helped give Space Coast a big boost. Kal Baker would add two more goals.

Vas would score twice and the Space Coast Rockets beat the Tampa Bay Crunch 4-2 to clinch the state championship. Petersen was dominant throughout the whole tournament, allowing eight goals in 13 periods for a 1.84 goals-against average.

Members of this year’s Rockets 10U team included Baker (Indialantic); Baum (Viera); Conner (Cocoa); Gaudry (Viera); Geanacopoulos (Palm Bay); Lauer (Cocoa); Robertson (Viera); Skawanski (Rockledge); Blake Thomas (Melbourne); Vas (Melbourne); Peterson (Viera) and Christopher Chambers (Cocoa Beach).

the program director. The Rockets, who feature a 10U and 12U team, are planning to add a 14U squad to their lineup next season.

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VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Kristin McNab

The Holy Trinity boys lacrosse team was off to a 10-0 start and on a mission to go deep into the postseason after making the regional semifinals last season. Holy Trinity's girls, meanwhile, got off to a fast start under new coach Craig Carson.

Corbeil Art Contest recognizes talent of young artists

Don’t let the children hide what they’re sketching and doodling while everyone is watching TV. There could be a spectacular piece of art that no one knows about.

Calling all students in kindergarten through 12th grade — The Charlie Corbeil Art Contest is looking for photography, art/painting, digital art, poetry and essay submissions for the annual youth awards contest of Viera. This year’s theme is “Florida’s Nature.’’

“Every year, I am amazed at the artwork that is submitted by students. The creativity

and thoughtfulness of each artist’s entry is incredible,” said Jill Blue, the publisher of Viera Voice and the host of the Charlie Corbeil Art Contest.

“We are surrounded and inspired by Florida wildlife. We named the contest after an amazing man, Charlie Corbeil. Charlie Corbeil was a master naturalist, volunteer at the Viera Wetlands and he visited the Viera Wetlands every day.’’ Up for grabs is $500 in prize money, provided by Charlotte Corbeil, the widow of Charlie Corbeil. She wrote the Charlotte’s Web Spinning Tales column in Viera Voice for

CALL FOR ARTISTS

several years before leaving the area to live with her adult children.

Winning submissions will be showcased at 1 p.m. April 15 at the Viera Wetlands Festival. The festival will be held at Clubhouse Park at 1600 Clubhouse Drive in Viera East. That is adjacent to Ralph M. Williams Jr. Elementary School. Submissions are intended to showcase, but are not limited to, inspiration from nature art works.

The contest is open to public, private and homeschool students. It is divided into age groups of kindergarten to third

grade, fourth through seventh grade, and eighth through 12th grade. Prizes in all levels and media categories will be $35 for first place, $25 for second place, $15 for third place and $10 for honorable mention. The deadline for artwork submission is 5 p.m. Monday, April 10.

The drop-off location is the Viera Voice office at 7350 Shoppes Drive, Suite 102, in Viera.

For an entry form, go to VieraVoice.com or call 321-2421235. VV

PRESENTED BY:

The winners of the 2022 Charlie Corbeil Art Contest were all smiles at the Viera Nature Festival at Clubhouse Park in Viera.

NewsSCHOOL

Eighth-grade science fair winner sees future in bioplastics

BY MARK MIJUSKOVIC

In the 1967 movie “The Graduate,” Mr. McGuire tells a young Benjamin Braddock, “There’s a future in plastics.”

Flash forward more than half a century, and Aswath Rajesh, the Best of Show winner at the Brevard Regional Science and Engineering Fair, will espouse the same idea but with an environmentally conscious twist.

Plastic, in its current incarnation, is largely responsible for the landfill mountain ranges that provide ill-gotten scenery for the nation’s highways, taking anywhere from upward of 1,000 years to biodegrade. Even then, the remnants can have toxicity levels.

Rajesh, an eighth grader at DeLaura Middle School, is spreading the word of a future in which a bioplastic is made from renewable sources such as paper and food waste versus traditional plastic, which is made of fossil fuels. In one of his experiments, using the earth from a houseplant, he buried a bioplastic which he created.

In two months, there were no visible traces of it. Environmental benefits notwithstanding, the very nature of bioplastic material guarantees a renewable source in its production, birthing the term circular bio-economy. While current bioplastic materials are single-use products, he envisions a future in which “with research and money, it will eventually replace regular plastic.”

Rajesh’s project was displayed and evaluated at the Merritt Square Mall, where judges from the corporate science world

and educational circles recognized its merit. The incredibly detailed display included charts, graphs and pictures assessing how bioplastics interact with environmental factors, such as water resistance, how it can be made stronger and what starch sources might be most suitable for its production.

“My goal is to make my bioplastic out of 100%

waste,” he said, “so that all waste produced is used for something else.”

Conservation of resources and protecting the environment are passions for the young man, who frequently volunteers for beach and park cleanups. His mission is to share this passion with others, and it includes a Zoom meeting for the middle of April. Details for how to participate can

be accessed at his website, sites.google.com/view/ bioplasticforbetterearth/ upcomingevents?authuser=0.

When he is not engaged in making positive contributions to the world, the 13 year old can be found playing video games, enjoying chess or kayaking. He will enroll at Viera High School in August and looks

forward to the rigor of AP coursework and a college pursuit of technological studies.

There is a future in bioplastics, but its course and viability is still being determined. Mr. McGuire appears to have been right to some extent, but the ice cubes in his martini glass couldn’t reflect the intricacies involved.

RANQUIL

Great Trips planned for 2023

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus Live, May 20 — $138 Hysterical 90-minute show. Presented via different vignettes, topics include everything from dating to marriage to the bedroom. Minimum of 35 needed.

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Early option includes the Calgary Stampede on July 13. Canada requires vaccination to enter their country. Rates starting at $3,250 per person based on double occupancy.

American Queen Empress, July 23 - 31

Join Jean sailing on a paddlewheel boat on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Includes pre-night hotel in Vancouver, Washington, unlimited beverages, and wifi. Private balcony starting at $4,500 per person. Deposit is $250 per person.

Celebrity Apex, Oct. 16 - 23

Sailing roundtrip from Athens with overnights in Jerusalem and Alexandria, Egypt. Rates include classic drink package, wifi and prepaid gratuity.

Celebrity Beyond Sailing to the Panama Canal

Jan. 29 - Feb. 9, 2024

Join Jean on an adventure to the Panama Canal.

Sail with Jean on Avalon through Burgundy and Provence, May 28 - June 4, 2024

Travel to the South of France for a few days before joining our river cruise from Avignon, sailing north to Chalon-Sur-Saone. Your choice of home destination whether to Paris or wherever your heart desires.

Greek Island Hopper, Sep. 7 - 16, 2024

Join Jean traveling to Greece, while staying in Athens, Mykonos and Santorini. Double occupancy is $2,919 per person and single occupancy $3,929. Includes Intra Country Air. Deposit is $500 per person.

321-631-8080

VIERA VOICE Mark Mijuskovic

Aswath Rajesh, a DeLaura Middle School eighth grader, flanks his award-winning project at the Merritt Square Mall.

Cocoa Beach wins coveted JROTC District Championship

SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

The Cocoa Beach Junior and Senior High School Army JROTC Drill Team won the District Championship trophy for the 2022-2023 school year on March 4 at the Veterans Memorial Center on Merritt Island. Six other schools — Cocoa, Rockledge, Heritage, Viera, Astronaut and Merritt Island — competed in categories ranging from Color Guard to Platoon Armed Drill to individual demonstration.

Those seven schools will move on to the State

Competition.

Following through on a pledge made early this school year, the Good Deeds Foundation of MOAACC provided funds for every trophy at eight meets from September to March for the 15 JROTC high schools competing in Raider Challenges, Air Rifle and Drill meets.

That total passed $3,400 and included a new, GDF perpetual trophy to recognize the annual winner of the drill competition named after MOAACC member Lloyd Stafford, a Texas A&M

graduate who provided his Aggie Sabre as part of the trophy.

GDF member Doug Bisset created the new trophy, which was presented, along with dozens of others, at the final Drill Meet for JROTC of the 2022-23 School Year. The meet also was supported by the Veterans Memorial Center.

A moment of silence was held for Kiara Terwilliger, a cadet from Cocoa High School, who was killed at her home in Cocoa just three days before the competition. VV

VIERA VOICE photo

Donn Weaver, Doug Bisset and Dan McIntyre of MOAACC award the new trophy to Cocoa Beach Junior and Senior High School Army JROTC.

VIERA VOICE photo Eager JROTC cadets wait for the results to be announced.

ScoopBUSINESS

Nonprofit helps students in difficult decision process

BY MARIA SONNENBERG

Anjanette

Wicks’

nonprofit, Success Indeed, aims to open young minds to the many opportunities that await beyond the typical college path.

“A lot of kids aren’t ready for college or don’t want to go to college, and that’s all right,” Wicks said.

Wicks is definitely not against college, but in her years teaching Sunday School at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, she has seen students she thought would have been happy and successful stumble and fall under the pressures of college and subsequent jobs that do not pay enough to fulfill collegeloan obligations.

Wicks is seeking

volunteers to mentor students as they explore vocational school opportunities.

“We have a wealth of retired people who have so much to offer, and we need mentors to match youth with their field of interest in careers,” said the Viera resident.

To raise money for the scholarships and special programs planned in the Success Indeed initiative, Wicks is orchestrating the Fashion Palooza fashion show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 29 at St. John the Evangelist Church at 5655 Stadium Parkway in Viera.

Dillard’s Merritt Island is providing the latest fashions. The $35 admission includes a chef-curated,

homecooked Italian-themed lunch.

The fashion show is one of several events geared to raise awareness about Success Indeed.

Currently, word-ofmouth has connected students with Success Indeed. But, Wicks hopes that as the organization grows, it will be considered a go-to resource by both public and private schools in the county.

“We’re starting slow so we don’t take on more than we can handle,” she said. While some organizations focus on students from low-income sectors, Success Indeed offers help to students regardless of their socioeconomic status.

“I’ve found that kids

often don’t feel comfortable discussing careers with their parents,’’ Wicks said. “Parents often have their own agenda when it comes to their kids’ future, and the kids may not agree with what the parents want.’’

Wicks has been in conversations with Dr.

help cement connections that will

FASHION SHOW

Continued on page 19

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Anjanette Wicks seeks volunteers to mentor students.

Michael Cadore, the executive director of community engagement at Eastern Florida State College, to

Bluewater Creative, The Viera Company reel in prestigious awards

SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

Bluewater Creative Group, the publisher of Viera Voice, Senior Life and the Boomer Guide, won a 2023 annual Silver ADDY award for its editorial spread, Sax in Public, in the 2022 Boomer Guide

The annual black-tie American Advertising gala awards were held Feb. 24 at the Center of Collaboration in Rockledge.

The AAFSC — the American Advertising Federation, Space Coast Chapter — also awarded Bluewater Creative Group the 2023 Circle of Excellence for the Cover Design Category for the 2022 Boomer Guide magazine.

The AAFSC is the unifying entity and trade association representing all facets of advertising for the Space Coast. The awards are coveted and prestigious.

FASHION SHOW

Continued from page 17

funnel students to the state school’s comprehensive vocational offerings.

“There are so many opportunities for vocational education that lead to high-

“When we designed the 2022 Boomer Guide, we spoke with local residents and models and asked them, “What’s Your Treasure?''' said Jill Blue, the CEO of Bluewater Creative Group.

Suntree resident Frank Rosado was chosen as the cover model and is featured with his treasured sax .

The Viera Company won five American Advertising awards at the gala for projects completed in 2022 in both print and digital marketing categories.

It received the Gold ADDY award for the Aripeka Brochure and Silver ADDYS for its Viera Vision cover, Volume 18, Issue 1; Explore Viera App; Light Up Viera Memory Game; and the Get the APP Explore Viera Campaign.

“We aspire to bring our best creative ideas to our work daily, promoting Viera, Florida,’’ said Stephanie Byrd,

paying, rewarding careers,” Wicks said.

However, if a student wants to tackle college, Wicks also is ready to be a cheerleader for their efforts.

“We want to set them up for success, whatever it is they want to do,” she said.

the director of marketing at The Viera Company. “It’s an honor to have our peers recognize our efforts.”

A Cut Above Video Productions, Inc. won a Circle of Excellence award.

Brandt Ronat and Company won two Silver ADDY awards and a Circle of Excellence award.

Endless Media won a Circle of Excellence award.

Florida Tech won a Gold ADDY award.

Katie Pallone Art & Design won a Gold ADDY award.

LOOK Marketing won two Gold ADDY awards and Best of Show.

L3Harris won a Gold ADDY, a Silver ADDY, two Circle of Excellence awards and a Best of Video award.

MTN Advertising won a whopping five Gold ADDYs,

“Our goal is to help kids know their worth and to help them from going down the wrong path.”

For fashion show reservations or to volunteer as a youth mentor, call 321-591-3414. VV

10 Silver ADDYs, three Circle of Excellence awards and two Judges Choice awards.

Rock Paper Simple won two Silver ADDY Awards, five Circle of Excellence awards

and a Best of Web award. SC Design & Co. won a Silver ADDY award.

SKY Advertising won a Silver ADDY and seven Circle of Excellence awards. VV

VIERA VOICE Bluewater Creative Group

Stephanie Byrd, Kim Africano and Laurie Widzgowski accepted five awards for The Viera Company. Jill Blue, Sylvia Montes and Jorjann Blake accepted two awards for the Bluewater Creative Group..

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Angelina Higgins will lead marketing and community outreach efforts in Brevard for One Senior Place in Viera and its affiliate, Senior Partner Care Services.

In her new role, the former assistant office manager will market One Senior Place and Senior Partner Care Services to businesses in Brevard's healthcare and senior industry sector. In addition, she will seek to attract additional businesses to One Senior Place, a marketplace for senior resources at 8085 Spyglass Hill Road in Viera.

Dr. Christopher Thaver has been hired at Suntree Internal Medicine. He is a board-certified physician by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Thaver graduated from the University of South Florida with honors in biomedical sciences with a minor in biophysics. He then continued his training at Morehouse School of Medicine, followed by a Family Medicine residency in Albany, Georgia.

Born and raised in Melbourne, Thaver returned home to be close to family and to serve the population he grew up with.

Angelina Higgins

Dr. Christopher Thaver

New physical therapy and wellness clinic opening in Viera

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

Knights Physical Therapy and Wellness is scheduled to open this summer on Lake Andrew Drive in Viera.

Dr. Nicole Knights, PT, DPT, a Cocoa Beach native, received her degree in kinesiology from Louisiana State University and her doctorate in physical therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences.

“We are very excited about the opening of our new location and to assist the community with many areas of physical therapy and wellness. Our primary focus will be Parkinson’s disease, vestibular rehabilitation for vertigo, and lymphoedema,” Knights said.

In addition, the clinic will offer orthopedic, sports injury rehabilitation, balance and fall prevention and muscle strengthening.

“Our objective is to provide a wellness and recovery component together with pain management to ensure a better quality of life,” Knights said.

The new 1,700-squarefoot facility is scheduled to

The Viera Company announces promotions

The Viera Company has recently announced promotions as part of organizational changes to support its leadership’s efforts to consolidate areas of its real estate operations within The Viera Company and Viera Builders.

In addition to his role as president of The Viera Company, Todd Pokrywa recently has taken on the expanded role of president of subsidiary Viera Builders.

As president of both operations, Pokrywa announced additional organizational changes and said, “I am delighted to recognize the wellearned promotions of my fellow team members at The Viera Company and Viera Builders that serve to strengthen our integrated community development and homebuilding efforts going forward.”

Recent promotions are:

Scott Miller, executive vice president, sales, marketing, and community development

Nick Crowe, executive vice president, Viera homebuilding

Stephanie Byrd, director of marketing

Felicia Bitter, online sales counselor

Karen Esposito, senior manager, commercial and outside residential sales

Tyler Duda, senior manager, land development

Karen Prosser, land development specialist

Robin Aldridge, vice president, Viera homebuilding

Yves Joyal, director, Viera pools and outdoor living

Mike Wicker, superintendent, Viera pools and outdoor living

Charlene Spangler, senior executive assistant VV

Scott Miller

Nick Crowe

Stephanie Byrd

Angelina Higgins

Robin Aldridge

Felicia Bitter

Karen Esposito

Tyler Duda

Karen Prosser

Yves Joyal

Mike Wicker

Charlene Spangler

Holy Trinity baseball will raise money for autism

BY CARL KOTALA

Holy Trinity baseball coach Tom Kelce has always believed in giving back to the community.

So, for the second consecutive year, the Tigers will host an event to raise money for charity.

Holy Trinity has teamed up with the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation for this year’s event, which is scheduled for April 15, during a 1 p.m. varsity game against the Cocoa Beach Minutemen.

“I believe in helping out and giving back and this is a great way to do it — with a baseball game,” Kelce wrote in an email.

Last year’s event raised $5,000 for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and was considered a huge success. Cocoa Beach was also the Tigers’ opponent on that day.

This year’s charity game could be even bigger with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Eagles Autism Foundation, which says its

mission is to, “support the highest quality and most impactful autism research and care to improve the lives of affected individuals and families now, as well as foster the acquisition of knowledge, technologies and discoveries that will bring new opportunities in the

future.”

Tom Kelce said he has spoken with his cousin, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, about the event at Holy Trinity. While it’s still unknown whether Jason will be able to attend the game in person, he will be signing a number of memorabilia

items to be included in a silent auction that will be held on the day of the game.

Scott Financial Services, which will donate food for the event. Alan Zlotorzynski from Brevard Sports Network is scheduled to be there to do the broadcast. Mike Moffett from Scott’s Sporting Goods and radio DJ Tommy V will also be on hand to do the announcing.

“As I remember talking to (Holy Trinity Athletic Director) Coach (James) Phillips about this idea several years ago, he was excited and said it was a brilliant idea, so we have been running with it ever since,” Tom Kelce wrote. “We’ve had a lot of great people behind the scenes helping out.”

That list includes Steve

Kelce also acknowledged Assistant Athletic Director Chuck Goldfarb with helping him coordinate the event and Jessica Kelce, Head of Holy Trinity’s Lower School, for hosting a bake sale and helping raise money for the charity.

Anyone who would like to contribute to the Eagles Autism Foundation can do so at the following link: donate. hakuapp.com/donations/ new?fundraising_effort=holytrinity-baseball-takingaction-for-the-eagles-autismfoundation VV

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Holy Trinity pitcher Cannon Hopper delivers a pitch during last year's charity fundraiser game against Cocoa Beach. The Tigers are scheduled to host the Minutemen again on April 15 in a game that will raise money for the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation.

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Holy Trinity senior shortstop Sal Carlson and the Tigers are scheduled to host their second annual charity fundraiser at 1 p.m. April 15.

“I believe in helping out and giving back and this is a great way to do it — with a baseball game.”

— Coach Tom Kelce

For an invitation to the April 13 VMB meeting, call 321-242-1235.

In March, the Viera Means Business networking group met at The Artisan at

The Viera Means Business networking group meets at 8 a.m. the second Thursday of each month at member business locations. Join business colleagues in Viera and the surrounding area to network.

VIERA MEANS BUSINESS

VIERA MEANS BUSINESS VIERA MEANS BUSINE NETWORKING GROUP

Neighbors of Suntree help local nonprofits

SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

The Neighbors of Suntree helped four area nonprofits with checks of $3,000 apiece at its annual spring luncheon.

Sally’s House, Veterans Connection, Aging Matters and The Sheriff's Pet Posse were the recipients of the group’s generosity.

Neighbors of Suntree is a social and civic organization of 293 women. The group welcomes new members, and members do not have to be Suntree residents. There is a $25 membership feel.

For more information, go to neighborsofsuntree.org VV

Brandan Payne, Darlene Gagnon and Dustin Scholl.

Selo Alkaranfil, Malak Hammad, Dedra Sibley, Leanne Scianno and Anjanette Wicks.

Jenny Lucas, Yves Lamothe and Andrea Gomes.

Susie Parente and Trent Cardinal.

Viera.

Josh Ford and Joe Rowlette.

Amy Hattrup and Diane Hawthorne.

Job and Career OPPORTUNITIES

opportunity you’ve been looking for. Viera, FL 32940 Call 321-253-6336

In-Home Senior Companion

Senior Partner Care Services

No license required

If you have a kind heart, clean-driving record and a clear background, this could be the dignified, rewarding, low-stress

CNA Full time

Autumn House

Autumn House is looking for a C.N.A full time for 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Must be able to pass a level II background. Working with memory care residents, providing all ADL's.

Contact hr@autumnhouse.com

Volunteer Opportunity

The Friends of the Suntree/Viera Library 902 Jordan Blass Drive, Melbourne, FL 32940 greatlibraryfriends@gmail.com

Delivery

Viera Voice

Be in charge of your own route. Clean driving record and car required. Rewarding, stress-free opportunity. One to two days a month. Drops include restaurants, complexes, businesses, doctors offices. Call 321-242-1235

Seeking volunteer to coordinate and oversee library landscaping.

If you enjoy the library and have an interest in gardening, we invite you to join us.

Sample tasks the volunteer would coordinate:

Tree and shrub trimming, removal of any dead plants, weeding and mulching

Check the sprinklers and arrange for repairs when necessary

Consider where improvements such as adding flowers, shrubs or trees might be appropriate

Venezia Wine Veranda is seeking experienced managers and chefs/cooks to help launch and run its wine bar

Venezia Wine Veranda is first and foremost a “roof top” wine bar surrounded by an attractive garden. It will feature over 100 wines on tap from self-pour dispensers. Beer will be served by the bottle/can – no draft. Mixed drinks and cocktails will not be served. There will not be a bartender. The menu which will feature simple, but creative appetizers type dishes.

Direct responsibilities and responsibilities through staff will include front of house (FOH) and may include back of house (BOH) as well: Recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and training employees and, as necessary, terminating employees.

• Assist team members with their assigned duties, as needed.

• Restocking wine dispensers when bottles become empty.

• Maintaining wine dispensers.

• Ensure wine inventories are maintained to desired levels.

• Determine when the mix of wines from prescribed ratios needs to be adjusted.

• Ensure food stock is maintained to desired levels.

• Maintaining cleanliness in all customer areas, including seating areas, lavatories and gift shop, as well as the kitchen area.

• Ensure OSHA, local health and safety codes, and company safety and security policies are met.

• Work with Accounting to 1) ensure all receipts are gathered and entered into the accounting system, 2) ensure all payments are made, 3) ensure all employees are paid 4) track P&L at specified times.

Interested? Please respond with your resume to HumanResources@VeneziaWineVeranda.com

Chef/Cook Position

The Venezia Wine Veranda needs experienced, creative chefs/cooks to help create a menu ahead of opening and to prepare those dishes once we are open for business.

The menu will feature simple, but creative appetizers, tapas, cicchetti, flat breads, many of which may be built on fresh baked baguettes, ciabatta bread and/ or flat bread, and other small dishes, such as lobster mac and cheese and shrimp cocktail.

In addition to preparing menu items and interfacing with the wait staff and management, ensure food stock is maintained to desired le

Ensure OSHA, local health and safety codes associated with the kitchen and food service are met.

Interested? Please respond with your resume to HumanResources@VeneziaWineVeranda.com

A woman’s place is aboard the ship for Navy veteran

BY MARIA SONNENBERG

The Navy that Lorena Dugan joined in 1979 was very different than today’s, at least in attitude toward those first women assigned to combat ships.

The men didn’t know what to make of them and their own wives and sweeties didn’t trust them with their men.

“The wives really didn’t want that first batch of women going to sea with their men,” Dugan said.

Dugan joined the Navy not because she craved seafaring adventures, but rather because the service offered her the best opportunity to work with computers without the wade of four years of college before actually working in the field. A military brat, Dugan was no stranger to living in different parts of the planet.

“I lived in 27 different

places and I didn’t see anything wrong with that,” said Dugan, now firmly ensconced at Indian River Colony Club. She met her first husband aboard a Navy ship and probably would have remained in the military

longer than the five years, five months and 15 days she served, but her second baby didn’t have the best of timing.

“I was pregnant with my second child and was told my ship was leaving in six days to help with the Iran hostage crisis and that I needed to get

my affairs in order,” she said.

At the time, if husband and wife were both on assignment, they would have to sign over custody of their children to someone else. Dugan would have none of that, so she left, but the military remains dear to her.

After a stint designing software and installing it on ships for the Department of Defense, Dugan, a single working mom for 15 years, earned a degree in psychology. And oh, she met David, a former Army captain and attorney who later retired as a circuit court judge.

“David is the perfect husband,” she said.

The couple are very active with Honor Flight, the national organization that transports vets to Washington, D.C. at no cost to celebrate their service to the country and to allow them to reflect at the war memorials

in the Nation’s Capital.

“We wanted something that would affect lives, and Honor Flight is an organization that says if they’re going to do something, they do it,” she said.

The couple are on the board of Honor Flight and also vet and train guardian escorts who accompany the veterans on their flights. With six flights from Brevard annually carrying 30 veterans each, the two have plenty of vetting and training.

“About half of the vets don’t have any family members who can go with them,” she said.

Dugan remains grateful to the Navy for launching her career and providing her with a work ethic that served her well.

“They will teach you whatever you are willing to learn,” she said.

“I had a good time.” VV

VIERA VOICE Klinton Landress

Lorena Dugan enjoyed her time in the Navy. She is now active with the national Honor Flight organization.

Suntree resident rides, writes about epic journey

BY WENDY SCHEURING

Robert Cress of Suntree never thought he would ride across the country on a motorcycle. He also never thought he would write a book about the experience.

He did both.

Just before his 72nd birthday, Cress embarked on a 6,000-mile journey that would take him from Florida to California and everywhere in between in just three weeks’ time.

There were days when he wanted to turn back, especially in the beginning. But he continued to move forward. He was living a dream that had started more than 40 years ago at the suggestion of a good friend and fellow Vietnam vet.

In June 2021, he set off. He left Melbourne on a Honda Gold Wing, riding toward California without any formal plans in mind.

In those beginning days, it was about the ride. Later on, it became about the people he met along the way.

“It was amazing how people would stop and start talking to me,” Cress said.

Cress’ wife, Kathie Cress, was an encourager and helper from back home.

“I never worried,”

Kathie Cress said. “I lived through his joy on the trip and always had positive thoughts.”

His father and uncle are

credited with getting Cress into motorcycles, as well as a family with eight kids who lived nearby when he was a child in Oregon. “I was considered their ninth child,” Cress said.

“They bought a couple of Hondas, very small ones, a 55cc and a 90cc, and we would tear around on them,” Cress said.

For those planning such

a trip, Cress said,” I would do a little more planning than I did. Take your time and be ready to talk to people”

He added, “On a motorcycle, you need to be continually aware of what’s around you.”

After Cress came back, he started writing about his experiences, which eventually became a

book called “Hey, Is That Your Bike?” which can be purchased on Amazon.com

Cress traded in the Honda Gold Wing and got a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, and then a Road King, in memory of both his dad and his uncle. He did ride to

Key West since that crosscountry trip, but quit on a second trip when a car side-swiped his mirror.

Cress will be 74 and is thinking about his next adventure — the Appalachian Trail. Or, at least a part of it. VV

VIERA VOICE Klinton Landress

In his 70s and defying his age, Robert Cress of Suntree is ready for his next motorcycle adventure

In the beginning days, it was about the ride. Later on, it became about the people he met along the way.

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

Grilled cheese and tomato soup — the perfect marriage

There are countless inseparable and enduring food twosomes — biscuits and gravy, fish n’ chips, PB&J, mac n’ cheese, franks and beans — the list is endless. So where would the ooey-gooey grilled cheese be without its partner the tomato soup dunk wonder?

April 1 is well known for April Fools' shenanigans, but all foolin’ aside, National Grilled Cheese Day is April 12.

And there’s a good reason why it’s been given its own celebratory day, considering it is love in a sandwich and consumed in every household at least once a month.

The grilled cheese has become the ninth cheesy wonder of the toasted world. Because it’s your best friend when you need something decadent, it brings comfort just like a hug from grandma.

No longer the plebeian Kraft kid devoured version, this toasty is now strutting the gourmet red carpet copiloted with the equally fabulous tomato soup. It’s become a national event, both served at dedicated food trucks and included in many fancy restaurant menus.

The grilled cheese craze started when Kraft cheese was brought to market in 1916 and sliced bread appeared on American shelves in 1920, becoming the Depression go-to for its affordability. Their popularity continued into World War II when it was served to the troops overseas. After the war, it became a permanent feature in school lunches paired with tomato soup for its vitamin C.

It wasn’t even called a grilled cheese until the 1960s, as prior it was known as a toasty or melted cheese.

Many vagaries are at play with this dinosaur. Aroma, color, flavor, crispiness and ensuring the results aren’t a greasy mess. Just as the bread, cheese and flavorings play an equally important part.

Purists believe real butter is the golden rule as it brings the expected rich, caramelized notes. The conundrum is that using rock-hard butter doesn’t make for easy spreading.

Mayonnaise has become the gamechanger to create the ultimate GBD — golden, brown and delicious take as it has a lovely lingering tanginess and it is overall more complex than butter. Both versions turn out gorgeous, but the mayo truly sings here due to taste and ease of use.

Bread matters. If the bread is too flimsy, the sandwich will fall apart and, if it’s too thick, the cheese won't melt and its exterior will burn.

Sourdough (best choice), pullman loaf, brioche, multigrain, ciabatta, wheat or deli rye — are all solid options.

The cheesy pulls are indicative of cheeses with good melting points. American and Cheddar are the obvious champs, but Mozzarella, Monterey Jack and Havarti will ensure an equally gooey result. Artisanal cheeses appear in the grown-up arena — Brie, Blue, Fontina, Gruyere and Gouda can be mixed for enhanced flavor. Stay away from the pre-shredded store-bought option, as the additives prevent even melting.

A light spreading of Grey Poupon on the inside slices with a sprinkling of garlic powder or herbs will create incredible elevated flavors. And to make it revolutionary, add caramelized onions, any pesto, roasted garlic, sauteed mushrooms, crispy prosciutto, roasted tomatoes, fresh figs or thin slices of Granny Smith apple.

Move over taco trucks, because these oldschool, comfort faves have come up the ranks and are really wearing a royal crown. VV

Cheese toastie with iconic tomato soup

Nothing is more joyful like dunking a toasty, grilled cheese in creamy tomato soup.

“You say tomahto, I say tomatoe.” Hard to believe tomatoes are actually a fruit and were considered poisonous during the Colonial days. Those fallacies are long gone, because tomato soup is in the annals of soup history.

For the soup, don’t skip roasting the tomatoes and removing their skins after for a smoother soup. The sun-dried tomato pesto that finishes it makes this soup iconic.

The toasty patience is the key here. It takes about 5 to 8 minutes on a low-heated pan or griddle, so don’t rush it, otherwise it will be a burnt mess and the inside won't melt.

Tomato Soup with attitude

10 Roma tomatoes cut in half and cores removed (cores don’t cook down)

1 medium sweet onion — cut into slices

5 large garlic cloves whole and peeled

2 thyme sprigs

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

1 tsp. aged balsamic vinegar

½ cup of half and half or cream

1 tsp. brown sugar

2 or 3 tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

½ cup of pine nuts toasted

1 cup of more of chicken or veg stock

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 tbsp. butter

½ cup of fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F

Melty cheesy toastie

Two slices of sourdough bread — ensure slices are not too thick

½ Granny Smith apple, peeled, sliced thinly

Grey Poupon mustard for spreading Mayo for spreading

½ cup shredded Gruyere cheese (cheeses should be grated fresh)

½ cup of sharp shredded Cheddar cheese

½ cup of shredded Fontina cheese

Sprinkling of dried thyme

In a deep roasting pan, add some extra virgin olive oil. Add the onions, garlic and sauté on the stove top for a few minutes. Add a pinch of cayenne, salt, pepper and thyme sprigs and mix well. Place tomatoes face down on top of onions and add the sugar and balsamic. Roast at 400F for 30 minutes until they’re soft and caramelized. (Don’t skip roasting). Cool slightly, remove tomato skins and thyme sprigs.

Place roasted vegetables in a pot with juices and add the cup stock simmering for about 5 minutes (add more stock if it’s too thick). Blend with an immersion blender, add the half and half, butter and adjust seasonings.

In a pestle and mortar, add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and crush; toast the pine nuts, ensuring they don’t burn and add to the mortar, crush. Add the Parmesan, about 1 tbsp of EVOO and some of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes and plenty of fresh cracked pepper mixing well. Don’t add salt as Parmesan is salty.

Place the cheeses in a bowl and mix. Spread the mayo on the outside of each bread slice so that it will be facing down. On the inside, spread a thin layer of the mustard with a sprinkle of thyme, add apple slices, cheeses and finish with apple.

Preheat a non-stick pan over medium/low heat. Add the sandwich with mayo side down and allow it to toast slowly for about 3 minutes. Turn and toast the other side, pressing down with a spatula. Turn again — total should be about 4 minutes per side or until the cheese has melted.

Serve soup with tomato pesto on top, dunk the toasty in and enjoy!

Restoring shellfish will help the Lagoon

Talk to old timers and you’ll hear that the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) used to be a major source of clams and oysters.

Even before the old timers, these shellfish were a staple for the thousands of Ais Indians that lived on the Lagoon for millennia before the Spanish. There still are mounds (or middens) made of shells discarded by the Ais. The largest was Barker Bluff at Pelican Island, which was 1,000 feet long and 40 feet high. That’s a lot of clams and oysters.

Over harvesting, algae blooms and excessive fresh water running off pavements and lowering the salinity of the IRL nearly did the job. Their loss also made the situation worse. Each mature mollusk can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day.

Lagoon Straight Talk

From the Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition

But wait! We are now beginning to see restoration of both clams and oysters in the Lagoon. Yes, this is great news.

In 2019, Dr. Todd Osborne of the University of Florida Whitney Labs became convinced that a small population of clams surviving the fouled waters of the Mosquito Lagoon had actually adapted and could be farmed to help reseed the whole Lagoon. To date, the Indian River Lagoon Clam Restoration Initiative has seeded more than 20

Crossword Puzzle

Solution, page 36

million of these young super clams in projects around the county. They they appear to be digging into the sand and thriving. For information, go to (whitney.ufl.edu/ conservation--sea-turtlehospital/clams/).

There’s good news on the oyster front as well. The Brevard Zoo has been working on oyster restoration since 2015, trying multiple approaches and learning along the way. While clams live on the bottom, oysters tend to live in colonies and reefs, with young oysters (spat) attaching themselves to other oyster shells. Just recently, the team has confirmed that submerged galvanized steel wire boxes filled with shells (gabions) are very effective at recruiting free floating

spat, which can grow into functioning reefs. Check out (brevardzoo.org/tag/restoreour-shores/)

Our returning shellfish friends will help a lot.

Thanks to Whitney Labs and the Brevard zoo, just

two of the many groups working to restore our piece of paradise. VV

For more about our piece of paradise — the Lagoon, visit HelpTheLagoon.org, facebook.com/BIRLC/ and twitter.com/HelpTheLagoon.

cern 19. Lab project 20. It simply isn’t done 21. Car owner’s annoyance

22. Defined place 24. Collar and cuff 26. Boys of mystery 28. Utopia seeker 29. Paragon of happiness 30. Canine plaint 32. Canyon perimeter

1. Something passing

2. “Blood and Sand” outcry

3. Character study?

4. Bridge or foot feature

5. Like visiting teams, often

6. Lively intelligence

7. Course requirement?

8. Chicken caller 9. Gusto 10. Concert gear 11. Borrowing con-

A Grimm beginning? 37. Finish off

Skilled

Ball thrower?

© Lovatts Puzzles

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition Placing an Oyster Gabion into the water to start a reef can be effective.

Challenges still daunting as Earth Day approaches for 2023

Today, more than ever, we need a day — or a month — to celebrate the environment and remember that the Earth’s natural resources make our life possible on this planet.

According to the Library of Congress, the first Earth Day was held April 22, 1970 “when an estimated 20 million people nationwide attended the inaugural events at tens of thousands of sites including elementary and secondary schools, universities and community sites across the United States. Senator Gaylord Nelson promoted Earth Day, calling upon students to fight for environmental causes and oppose environmental degradation with the same energy that they displayed in opposing the Vietnam War.”

Our partner, Ecochallenge.org, has a perfect platform to do just that — challenge us to notice our actions and, perhaps, set ourselves into new, more Earth-friendly habits. Give this a try by joining our team at Marcia@ RecycleBrevard.org, setting your own goals and taking on the challenge.

Besides changing habits, since we only have one Earth, besides taking good care of it, we’d better keep it clean!

To help with that and make it possible for us to recycle more, Recycle Brevard invites us to join its Ten for Ten Collection Challenge during this month and see if each household can recycle an extra 10 pounds of 10 selected materials.

Participating is simple: just set a box aside and start collecting the following accepted materials:

* Electronics (no printers, monitors or TVs)

* Metal (other than food or drink cans — e.g. household items such as metal pans, cooking sheets and small garage items left over from projects)

* Plastic toothbrushes and empty toothpaste tubes

* Empty dental floss containers

* Disposable razors and their packaging

* Blister packs, plastic scoops and desiccants

* Dead markers, mechanical pencils and pens

* Empty glue sticks

* Brita filters, pitchers and bottles as well as their plastic packaging

BEYOND the CURB

Mr. Delicious turns 1!!

$1

$1 Large Cheese Pizza

Recycle Brevard

* Old plastic food storage containers such as tupperware like

On April 30, print and fill out a Ten For Ten label (go to recyclebrevard.org/p/ tenforten.html ) and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. bring your box to Recycle Brevard at 1535 Cogswell Street, Unit C-15, in Rockledge.

That has been the address of Recycle Brevard’s facility for the past six years. Unfortunately, the building has been sold and Recycle Brevard will most likely need to vacate the premises and find a new home soon — that will be a bigger challenge than Ten for Ten.

Recycle Brevard was founded in 2011. It is a resource for the community that, in the past six months alone, has been able to divert more than 2,000 pounds of waste from the landfill with the potential of diverting even more every year. Besides offering the opportunity for community members to recycle hardto-recycle materials, the organization offers free materials to Brevard Public School teachers throughout the year for their Recycling Club memberships and scheduled Recycle Brevard Gives Back events. Other community members also can obtain free materials.

If an organization or city is willing to forge a partnership and donate space for Recycle Brevard to use for receiving, separating and storing materials for reuse and recycling, please reach out. We love the city of Rockledge and would like to stay but, if that is not an option, we know other communities can also benefit from the work Recycle Brevard does and hope they will be willing to welcome us.

Happy Earth Day!

Email Marcia Booth at Marcia@RecycleBrevard.org

Recycle Brevard is an independent non-profit organization 100% run by volunteers focused on reducing waste and promoting sustainable living. VV

Bunny Mary Cocktail

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

The Easter Bunny didn’t concoct this carrot forward drink and neither did Bugs Bunny. Although his whiskers probably would’ve twitched if he had this tasty take on the Bloody Mary.

The Bloody Mary is the undisputed choice in the brunch cocktail-drinking world, not only because of its medicinal qualities (supposedly the best cure for a hangover), but it’s the drink to champion elegant garnishes such as crispy bacon, grilled shrimp, pickled asparagus, cocktail onions and even roasted jalapeños.

Don’t skip the honey syrup here as it needs the sweetness or the pimenton salt, as it takes it over the top. And as unusual as it sounds, the caper brine adds much needed acidity and roundness to the drink.

Use a sprig of parsley or celery to keep it simple. This Bunny Mary might just make you say, “What’s Up Doc?”

VV

Makes one cocktail

1½ oz. of vodka

3 oz. of carrot juice

½ oz. honey syrup*

½ oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp. caper brine juice

Couple of splashes of Louisiana hot sauce

Pimenton salt for the rim**

Lime for the rim

Parsley or celery sprig for garnish

VIERA VOICE Shutterstock

The Bunny Mary cocktail is made with carrot juice and Louisiana hot sauce and is a refreshing alternative to the popular brunch cocktail, the Bloody Mary. Try the recipe below for a tasty change.

Drink responsibily — Don't drink and drive

Rub a wedge of lime over the rim of a large Collins glass and invert over the plate with the pimento salt. Add ice cubes. Pour in the vodka, carrot juice, lemon juice, honey syrup, caper brine and hot sauce and mix well with a long cocktail spoon. Add more ice if needed.

* Honey syrup: Mix ½ cup water and ½ cup of honey in a small saucepan, bring to boil to dissolve honey. Cool before using — keeps refrigerated up to a month

** Pimenton salt: On a small plate, mix together rock salt and some spicy smokey paprika

“April 11 will mark our first anniversary and we want to give all of our loyal customers a treat, as well as offer a deal for those who haven’t tried us yet. We are so blessed to be able to serve up DELICIOUS to the Viera community once again.”

— Mike Acosta, owner of Mr. Delicious

HelloApril

SUNDAY

National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day

National Hug a Newsperson Day

Passover Begins

1

Egg

April Fools' Day

Faith Fellowship Church 2820 Business Center Blvd. Suntree, 321-259-7200

Easter Egg Hunt 10 a.m.

Hunt for thousands of eggs filled with candy for children to find and retrieve.

Good Friday National Empanada Day

Eggstravaganza 1:30 - 3 p.m. Activity stations geared toward preschool and elementary children. Rockledge Presbyterian Church 921 Rockledge Drive Rockledge 321-636-0811

Seaside Quilt Show Group 1 - 5 p.m. Quilting group that meets once a month. Suntree/Viera Library 902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree 321-255-4404 Music Bingo 6 p.m. Free to play. Pineda Inn Bar & Grill 6533 U.S. Highway 1 Rockledge 321-751-5311

Toddler Tuesday 9:30 a.m. First Tuesday of the month. Story time and a craft. RSVP required. Rockledge Gardens 2153 U.S. Highway 1 Rockledge 321-636-7662

Boomer Trivia 4 - 6 p.m. Pizza Gallery & Grill

The Avenue Viera 321-633-0397

National Pet Day

Sit-n-Stitch Group 1 - 3 p.m. Embroidery, knitting, crochet group. Suntree/Viera Library 902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree 321-255-4404

Line Dancing with Larry 10 - 11:30 a.m. Viera Regional Community Center 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way Viera

Sip & Smoke 6:30 p.m. Viera's only cigar and spirit themed monthly event. Stay tuned for details on the featured spirits and more. 28 North Gastropub 2250 Town Center Ave. Viera 321-241-1159

Gospel on the Lawn 5 - 7 p.m. Features local musicians, praise dancers, soloists and food trucks. Rockledge Civic Hub 1600 Huntington Lane Rockledge 321-631-7419

Photos with the Easter Bunny 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Avenue Viera Central Park 2261 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-634-5390

Viera East Farmers Market 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Easter Egg Hunt for children 2 to 7 years old. Woodside Park 1705 Crane Creek Blvd. Viera, Facebook.com/ VEfarmersmarket Summer Fun and Camp Fair 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Fun4SpaceCoastKids. Wickham Park Community Center 2815 Leisure Way Melbourne, facebook.com/ SCSummerFair 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Church at Viera Easter Celebration

9:30 a.m.

Easter celebration and Easter egg hunt following the service.

USSSA Sports Complex

5800 Stadium Parkway Viera, 321-259-3454

Scottish Country Dancing

6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Springs of Suntree Clubhouse

8300 Holiday Springs Road Suntree, 321-242-1734

Brevard Investment Education Group

Space Coast Area Podcasters

Music that Moves You Concert April 12 and 13

Duran Golf Club Easter

Sunday Brunch

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Tradewinds at Duran

7032 Stadium Parkway Viera, 321-504-7771

6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Meet, share ideas and learn from other podcasters. Viera Regional Community Center 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way Viera spacecoastpodcasters.com

7 p.m. Presented by the Melbourne Municipal Band. Melbourne Auditorium 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. Melbourne 321-724-0555

Legacy Club Book Club 1 - 2 p.m. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera 321-506-2672

Chess Night

Karaoke Night 6 - 10 p.m. Hook & Eagle Tavern 2300 Clubhouse Drive Viera 321-639-3487

Viera Nature Festival 2023 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Vendors, exhibitors and children’s activities. Viera East Clubhouse Park 1600 Clubhouse Drive Viera, 321-255-4500

a.m. - 15K 7 a.m. - 2 mile Quest Elementary School 8751 Trafford Drive Viera spacecoastrunners.org

10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Group that meets to talk about stock market investments.

Suntree/Viera Library

902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-255-4404

Books are Always Better Book Club 6:30 -

National

Columnists' Day

6:30 p.m. Island Kava Melbourne 1900 Municipal Lane Melbourne 321-914-0914

Quit Your Way Tobacco Free Noon - 1:30 p.m.

Tools to quit smoking. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera 407-716-6392

Rockin' the Sunset: Greggie and the Jets

7 - 10 p.m. USSSA Sports Complex 5800 Stadium Parkway Viera, 321-269-4240

Hearing Loss = Brain Stress?

Earth Day Event

Space Coast Cars and Motorcycle Show 5 - 8 p.m. Thrifty Produce Parking Lot 920 Barton Blvd. Rockledge 321-658-2004 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Space Coast Classic 15K and 2 Mile

2 - 4 p.m. Woodside Park 1705 Crane Creek Blvd. Viera, Facebook.com/ VEfarmersmarket

Superhero 5K Race and One Mile Fun Run

7:30 - 9 a.m. Fundraiser for the Friends of Children of Brevard. The Avenue Viera 2261 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-751-8890 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Spring Mix 3 p.m.

Presented by Central Florida Winds.

Suntree United Methodist Church 7400 N. Wickham Road

Suntree, 321-405-2359

Florida Native Plants of the Space Coast Seminar

1 - 2 p.m.

Spring Choir Concert

7:30 - 9 p.m.

Performance by the EFSC concert choir, conducted by Dr. Robert E. Lamb.

EFSC Simpkins

Fine Arts Center

1519 Clearlake Road Cocoa 321-433-7629

Non-Fiction Book Club

3 - 5 p.m.

April’s discussion is on “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed.

Suntree/Viera Library

902 Jordan Blass Drive

Suntree, 321-255-4404

Coin Talk with Bob

6 - 7:45 p.m. American Numismatic Association.

Wednesday Yoga in Central Park

8 - 9 a.m.

Designed for all levels. The Avenue Viera Central Park 2261 Town Center Ave. Viera 321-634-5390

FCA Vision Night 6:15 p.m.

A night of worship, testimonies and encouragement. Calvary Chapel Viera 2852 Fellowship Place Viera 321-369-9339

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Presented by Personal Hearing Solutions. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771

Cars Under the Stars — "Black Panther Wakanda Forever"

5 - 11 p.m.

Free movie in the park

Wickham Park 2500 Parkway Drive Melbourne, 321-633-2046

Chamber and Community Orchestra Concert

7:30 - 9 p.m.

Fashion Palooza Fashion Show

11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Presented by Success Indeed. Proceeds benefit Brevard young adults. St. John the Evangelist 5655 Stadium Parkway Viera, 321-591-3414

See details on page 25

Make-n-Take Tea Herb

Rockledge Gardens

2153 U.S. 1

Rockledge, 321-636-7662

Woof it Up 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Pet parades, children’s activities, vendors, food trucks and a puppy play area with splash pool and mister tent to cool off. Riverfront Park 401 Riveredge Blvd. Cocoa 321-459-9809

Suntree/Viera Library

902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-255-4404

Woman's Club, Inc.

General Membership Meeting & Luncheon

Monday, April 10 Guest speaker, Sara Desseureau, president elect GFWC $25, reservations due April 3. gfwcvierawomanclub.com

Field Manor annual Founders’ Day April 15 12 to 3 p.m.

Field Manor Homestead and Museum

750 Field Manor Drive Merritt Island Free Open to the public

EFSC Simpkins Fine Arts Center 1519 Clearlake Road Cocoa, 321-433-7629

1 p.m. Rockledge Gardens 2153 U. S. Highway 1 Rockledge, 321-636-7662 30

Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 724

April 12 meeting 7 p.m.

Merritt Island Airport

SR 3, 2 miles south of SR 520 Fun and fellowship

You don’t have to be a pilot or aircraft owner to enjoy the group. If you like aircraft and aviation, you are welcome.

The St. John’s the Evangelist Catholic Community grotto is nearing completion

SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

Final touches are underway for the new multi-faceted grotto at St. John’s the Evangelist Catholic Church in Viera.

This beautiful grotto was modeled after the Blessed Virgin Mary’s appearance to Bernadette in Lourdes, France.

The grotto also will contain the 15 Stations of the Cross, depicting the journey of Jesus Christ to Calvary and his decisive victory on the day of the Resurrection. Outdoor masses, rosaries, the Stations of the Cross and other services also can be celebrated at the grotto.

“I am very proud to serve our community,” the Rev. John Britto said. “I am deeply humbled and blessed to worship with you and minister to you in the service of God, the singular joy of my life and vocation. With utmost gratitude, I thank you for your unfailing dedication, extraordinary generosity,

and commitment to serving God and neighbor that inspire me every day.”

Catholics have a great devotion to Mother Mary. Britto observed that this grotto might become an oasis of prayer and peace, where our community can have an opportunity to

sit, meditate and pray the Rosary. Our ultimate joy will be to experience Jesus’ love for us by tracing His steps to Calvary and then to contemplate the glory of His Resurrection. For more information, call the office at 321-6379650.

VIERA VOICE Klinton Landress

The grotto at St. John's the Evangelist Catholic Community will be a beautiful and sacred place for prayer.

SENIOR

News

Viera resident spreads joy of exercising throughout community

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

Viera resident Jeanette White has had a lifelong affair with fitness. White fell in love with jazzercising in California when she started out as an instructor 42 years ago. She has been spreading the joy of exercise throughout her community ever since.

“I love music and there’s always been a symbiotic relationship about movement through music that’s carried through exercise,” said White, a graduate of Cocoa High School. “Where would exercise be without music to make it fun and engaging?”

Having had several surgeries, what pulled her through was exercising to regain her mobility.

“Rebuilding and core re-strengthening for ADL, Adult Daily Living skills are crucial at any age but more so with the elderly,’’ White said. “It involves eye-hand coordination to maintain and keep that range of motion active.”

Her free We Stick Together classes have quite a following

on Friday mornings at the Merritt Island Square Mall. At 10 a.m., her students — of all ages — sit in chairs using sticks and exercising to enhance their agility.

White has been invited to participate in the Classic Universe Woman Pageant World Finals as the Florida delegate for women 55 and older. It will be held this July in Las Vegas.

Aging Matters in Brevard, her charity of choice, is the lead agency in Brevard County focusing on the needs of seniors.

“This charity is dear and near to my heart, as it brings awareness to elderly affairs to support their safety, health and most importantly improve their quality of life,” White said.

“I’m no beauty queen, but I feel brave enough to participate in this pageant which is a platform that showcases a person’s journey and hopefully it will bring awareness to Aging Matters.”

White is no newcomer to the philanthropy arena since she has been involved in many fundraisers for nonprofits throughout her career, sharing her vision and raising money for people in need. In Florida, she has been a fitness advocate and educator. She was the fitness director at the YMCA in the Lake Mary Community Center, and she started the first African American Walking Club in Orlando. It was sponsored by The Florida Department of Health.

“I imagine how something should happen, put ingenuity together and get the wheels in motion — I call it Imagineering and make it happen.”

Her students donated funds and White matched their donations to raise $1,000, making it her first successful fundraiser for Aging Matters. The check was presented at the Duran Golf Club for the charity.

“A person that has their health has many wishes, but the person that loses their health has but one,’’ White said. “If I can touch someone with that awareness, then that makes a big difference in my life.” SL

Solution, Puzzle page 32

VIERA VOICE Keith Betterley

Participants in the We Stick Together classes enjoy the camaraderie provided by Viera resident Jeanette White, left.

VIERA VOICE Klinton Landress

Jeanette White, center, presents a $1,000 check to Aging Matters in Brevard president Tom Kammerdemer along with Laura Kutrub, Classic Universe brand ambassador.

“Where would exercise be without music to make it fun and engaging.”

— Jeanette White

VIERA VOICE Keith Betterley Jeanette White and her students enjoy the power of music and exercise at her We Stick Together classes on Friday mornings at the Merritt Square Mall

Tough Ruck 26.2-mile march honors fallen military, first responders

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

Steve Celeste has been training to be a part of Tough Ruck 26.2 Boston For The Fallen, a 26.2-mile march honoring fallen military and first responders.

“This is my first Tough Ruck along with 11 other participants and we call ourselves the Red, White and Boston. I’m the only one from Brevard County on our team raising awareness and funds for the families of our fallen heroes,” Celeste said.

The event takes place April 16, the day before the Boston Marathon, and the 26.2-mile course will also go through some old battle and historic sites.

—Steve

A transplant from Boston and retired military veteran, Celeste became aware about this initiative from his First Sergeant at Fort Bragg, Ranger Joe Shelley and decided to start training for the April event.

“I’m so glad to be a part of this because it raises awareness and funds for the families of our fallen — they deserve the best care in their hour of need,” Celeste said. “We ruck to honor our heroes by carrying the names of our

comrades with us in our rucksacks.”

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing on April 13, 2013, where many Tough Ruckers were at the finish line on that fateful day assisting the injured after the blasts.

More than 1,000 participants have signed up for this event who have trained to partake in this extremely physical fitness march. They each will carry a 15-pound backpack with the names of many fallen heroes.

Tough Ruck is the only march partnering with The Boston Marathon and all finishers earn the official Boston Marathon Medallion of recognition from the Boston Athletic Association.

Military Friends Foundation is the official site for Tough Ruck.

For more information, check out runsignup.com/steveceleste SL

“I’m so glad to be a part of this because it raises awareness and funds for the families of our fallen — they deserve the best care in their hour of need.”

Celeste

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Steve Celeste

Steve Celeste, a retired military veteran, will participate in his first Tough Ruck 26.2-mile march, which will take place on the same route as the Boston Marathon.

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Steve Celeste

The names of fallen comrades are listed on streamers and carried in backpacks during the Tough Ruck march.

& Events

Wickham Road Viera, 321-254-9453

Brevard County's Original French

Rockledge Church of Christ 2390 S. Fiske Blvd. Rockledge, 321-6310306

Easter Egg Brunch at the Zoo 10 a.m.12:15 p.m. Animal encounter and brunch. Brevard Zoo 8225 N.

Easter Craft Festival

10 - 11 a.m.

Rockledge United Methodist

1935 S. Fiske Blvd. Rockledge, 321-632-7387

APRIL 9

11th annual East Coast Dog Surfing Festival

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Brevard Humane Society

Lori Wilson Park

1500 N. Atlantic Ave. Cocoa Beach, 321-636-3343

APRIL 13

Brevard Corporate 5K

6:30 p.m.

Melbourne Orlando International Airport Aerospace Drive

Melbourne, 321-751-8890

APRIL 14

ShrimpFest

6 – 10 p.m.

Cocktails, shrimp dinner, live entertainment and dancing.

Cruise Terminal 5

9245 Charles M. Rowland Drive

Port Canaveral 321-698-5296

Spring, Sprang, Sprung

7 – 10 p.m.

Swingtime dance by the

Melbourne Municipal Band.

Melbourne Auditorium

625 E. Hibiscus Blvd.

Melbourne, 321-724-0555

APRIL 15

Melbourne Blueberry

Festival

April 15 and 16

10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wickham Park

2500 Parkway Drive

Melbourne, 386-860-0092

Cocoa Beach Air Show

April 15 and 16

Featuring the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

Lori Wilson Park

1500 N. Atlantic Ave. Cocoa Beach cocoabeachairshow.com

2023 Spring Boating and Fishing Expo

9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Boaters Exchange

2145 U.S. Highway 1 Rockledge, 321-639-0090

Turkey Creek Day

9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Art vendors, food, ranger tours and native plant tours.