Viera Voice, May 2023

Borrows West Park — perfect hub

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

Borrows West Park — which with its lake will offer a pleasing view to nearby rooftop bars and restaurants currently under construction — has opened to the public.

Already, visitors are taking advantage of the new park off Lake Andrew Drive, west of Interstate-95 off Viera Boulevard.

The park includes a concrete walking trail nearly a mile long around the lake. Benches along the lake invite visitors to linger along the way.

Large colorful red swings and spacious benches near the entrance could easily draw visitors to relax after walking and exercising along the trail, which is lined with palm, cypress, oak, bottlebrush, maple and Royal Poinciana trees.

“What we really wanted to do with the Borrows West Park is to create a more adultfocused park,” said Eva Rey, the vice president of Community Management and Communications for The Viera Company. “You won’t find children's playsets or anything like that, but you will find

huge adult swings. You'll find huge adult benches — benches around the lake area.”

The expansion at Borrows West also will include restaurants, some with rooftop views of the lake.

The Venezia Wine Veranda, a new Olive Tree Greek

Grill, Ford’s Garage and the Polynesian-themed Tiki Docks Bar and Grill are among the restaurants coming to the regional commercial hub.

The lineup includes two hotels now under construction. Hilton Garden Inn will be a waterfront hotel, while Homewood Suites will have a water view.

“When the restaurants get a little bit closer to opening, we’re going to put patio furniture out there,” Rey said. “So, it’s very much focused on facing the lake and socializing with your friends and family, eating at the restaurants and spending some time around the lake. We want to create some Instagrammable moments. … You're going to want to sit there and take a selfie.”

The park has about two dozen spots for golfcart parking with an equal amount for vehicles.

“(The name) Borrows West comes from the fact that those four ponds around the I-95 Interchange — dirt was borrowed from those ponds to build the I-95 Interchange,” Rey said. “So, they are borrow pits. This is on the west side of I-95 — Borrows West.” VV

VIERA VOICE Steven Hollinger

Borrows West Park is expected to draw patrons from nearby bars and restaurants for a leisurely stroll in a scenic environment. Related story, page 22.

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Red swings are a popular feature at the newly opened Borrows West Park.

Online friendship leads young family to Viera

BY WENDY SCHEURING

Kelsey and Kyle Rockwell decided to leave the Buckeye State in search of warmer weather. Viera seemed like the best choice.

When Kelsey had made a friend on a doctors’ wives Facebook group who suggested they move to Viera, they decided to look into the area.

Kyle Rockwell, a nonoperative physician in sports medicine, decided to apply to Health First.

“Coming from Ohio, snowy and cold, to the mid-60s and 70s, I knew this is where I wanted to raise my kids and spend the rest of my life and practice,” Kyle Rockwell said. “It’s perfect.”

So, in July 2022, the family moved to Viera East. In February, they decided to build on the west side of town.

“I love Pangea Park,” Kelsey Rockwell said. “The floor plan is perfect.”

Kelsey has dual South African and Canadian citizenship. She was born and raised in South Africa and immigrated to Canada when she was 11. Her father’s work later brought her to Columbus, Ohio.

Kyle is from Akron, Ohio.

The love story between Kelsey and Kyle may never have happened if Kelsey’s father had not made a mistake when paying for her college tuition at Columbus State

Community College.

The payment was 2 dollars short, but all of her classes were dropped, and she had to reschedule. She ended up taking Kyle Rockwell’s human anatomy class.

“He was young. He made anatomy class so much fun,” she said.

After she graduated, she looked for him on Facebook then asked him to go to the movies.

Since that first date, the couple has been inseparable. They dated for about one year before tying the knot.

Early on in their marriage, Kyle applied for medical school, and Kelsey worked full-time while he furthered his education.

The couple will celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary in July.

They have three girls: Holly, 5, Emma, 3, and Piper, 1.

The Rockwells spend their free time at the beach, the zoo, birthday parties, playdates and the pool. They love being outdoors.

“Viera is well planned,” Kelsey Rockwell said. “I love the master plan. It’s multigenerational here with a lot of new families with kids the same age as ours. I love everything about it.”

Said Kyle Rockwell, “I think it would be great if I could become a team doctor at Viera High School and enjoy our lives forever here.” VV

Featured Family

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VIERA VOICE K linton Landress Kyle and Kelsey Rockwell moved from Ohio and love life in Viera with their daughters Holly, 6, Emma, 3, and Piper, 1. The family is building a house in Pangea Park.

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BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

The Viera Wetlands will close in mid-June for cleanup work that is expected to last about six months.

The berm roads are already shuttered to vehicle traffic, including golf carts since 2021. The Wetlands will now also remain closed to bicycles and pedestrians while the $2.7 million project is being done.

Funding for the Wetlands project comes from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act.

The county already had closed the berm roads to vehicle traffic due to safety concerns and environmental issues.

“The extensive cleanup project will comprise of muck dredging and the removal of dead vegetation to make the area safer to the public and address some environmental concerns,” said Don Walker, the Brevard County communications

director.

“While the renovations take place, the Wetlands will be closed to public access.”

Also known as the Rich Grissom Memorial Wetlands, it’s one of Brevard County’s ultimate ecotourism destinations for photographers, birders and lovers of Florida’s wildlife with more than 200,000 visitors a year.

“Additionally, two bird lookout towers and a gazebo will also be removed which have been roped off to the public for some time, as they were deemed unsafe,” Walker said. “There aren’t any plans to rebuild them at this time.”

The Wetlands were established in the 1980s as Brevard County’s South-Central Wastewater Treatment Plant to address water recycling in Viera. It provides a necessary biological function in the treatment of water, as the natural vegetation reduces solids, phosphorus and nitrogen.

It officially became part of the Great Florida Birding Trail in 2008, with one mile of shoreland covering 200 acres.

“Once the project is completed, it will admit bike and pedestrian traffic only,” Walker said. “The Board has opted not to allow vehicle access inside after reopening, as there are no funds allocated in the budget for road paving and other improvements.”

Walker said the county did not have money to make this area handicap accessible.

Anita Ingram, a Viera resident who visits the Wetlands weekly, started a community Facebook group in 2021 called the Viera Wetlands.

“I started a Facebook group to keep our neighbors and community informed on what’s taking place,” Ingram said. “Most residents and visitors don’t realize that the main objective of the Wetlands is for the recycling of water treatment and the

county has provided access to the park for the public to enjoy Florida’s natural beauty and wildlife.

“I’m happy the maintenance has been scheduled, as it will ensure public safety and address environmental concerns.”

Bruce Lott recently was visiting his son from Vancouver and this was his third visit to the Wetlands.

“I retired from a busy sales job traveling between Canada and the States and the Wetlands are a great place to capture scenery and wildlife as photography is one of my hobbies now,” Lott said.

“This time, I noticed a lot of garbage and overgrown vegetation at the park. I’m glad there’s a cleanup project scheduled, which I wasn’t aware of.” VV

Look for updates in upcoming editions of Viera Voice and on vieravoice.com.

See Charlie Corbeil's Viera Wetlands Birding Guide at Vieravoice.com

VIERA VOICE Klinton Landress

Bruce Lott captured the beauty and life of the Viera Wetlands, located in west Viera, before the park closes for six months for a cleanup in June.

VIERA VOICE Steve Hollinger

In the future, cars will not be allowed to drive around the Viera Wetlands.

Bishop, St. John the Evangelist dedicate, bless Grotto

SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

The St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community reached a milestone in the development of its campus with the dedication and blessing of the Grotto honoring Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes and the 15 Stations of the Cross.

On April 22, Bishop John Noonan of the Diocese of Orlando, in the presence of the Rev. John Britto Antony, other priests, deacons and more than 1,000 parishioners dedicated and blessed the Grotto.

“We ask Mary to bless us all on this journey of faith. Mother of the church, may your fiat increase our faith,” Noonan said at the conclusion of the blessing.

Founded in September 2001, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community campus is at 5655 Stadium Parkway in Viera.

“I am deeply grateful to God for the way the overwhelming generosity of this parish made it possible to create such a glorious place in which to honor our Mother Mary. In the Grotto, we relish Mary in her role as the Mother who leads us to Jesus,” Antony said following the dedication.

Antony also referred to the surrounding Stations of the Cross: “With these, we can trace with Mary the iconic moments of Jesus’ way to Calvary and embrace the Cross with her, as we make it an indispensable means to our Salvation. I truly trust and pray that this new oasis of prayer and peace will be a place for all to encounter Jesus through Mary.”

Everyone is welcome to visit, pray and enjoy the serene ambiance of the Grotto. VV Check out a video of the blessing at vieravoice.com.

Wickham Road gets additional lanes to access Interstate-95

BY LINDA WIGGINS

Major work is afoot to help move more cars off North Wickham Road onto Interstate 95 in Viera.

The Florida Department of Transportation project will add a second left-turn lane and a second on-ramp lane to both north- and south-bound entrances to the interstate.

The $4.3 million construction cost will be covered by the FDOT and is estimated to be completed by summer. The project caps the expansion of the interchange

from four lanes to six lanes in recent years, making full use of the recently constructed bridge widening the overpass and I-95 a decade ago.

Lane closures started in late April from Murrell Road to Lake Andrew Drive for installing drainage improvements, according to FDOT spokesperson Tina Thomas. She added that the last portion of the project would be to add new mast arms for turn signals.

The completion of the interchange’s expansion echoes its initial installation

some 50 years ago in the 1970s, when the interstate system finally made its way to Brevard County from its start in the 1950s. The community of Viera sits on what used to be a much larger A. Duda & Sons Cocoa Ranch, which was cut in half by the interstate, making it less feasible to maintain a large spread for raising cattle.

Community forefathers decided then that the answer was to one day create a planned-home community that is Viera, but ranching

will continue thanks to an agricultural preserve that backs up to a protected watershed on the banks of the St. Johns River.

“The footprint may be smaller, but ranching activities continue as the Cocoa Ranch for A. Duda & Sons, Inc.,” said Eva M. Rey, the vice president of Community Management and Communications for The Viera Company.

The ranch will also continue to produce sod, she added.

Brevard County District 4

Commissioner Rob Feltner pointed out recent and planned improvements designed to streamline traffic.

“This improvement will put safety first as more cars are able to move from Wickham Road onto I-95,” Feltner said. “Residents in the area will have less of a wait, both accessing the interstate and continuing along Wickham without congestion from cars that might otherwise be stopped waiting to access the interchange.”

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

The Rev. John Britto Antony blesses one of the 15 Stations of the Cross.

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

The Rev. John Britto Antony was assigned to the parish in 2013.

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

On April 22, Bishop John Noonan of the Diocese of Orlando, in the presence of the Rev. John Britto Antony, other priests, deacons and more than 1,000 parishioners dedicated and blessed the Grotto.

VIERA VOICE Steven Hollinger

As Viera continues to grow, community leaders have begun a project to add lanes to make entering Interstate-95 from Wickham Road an easier task.

Wrap up SPORTS

Hawks have records on their minds as track postseason begins

BY CARL KOTALA

Viera High School

senior Aedan Rendek and freshman Addy Elwell are both happy they’ve been able to break school records on the track this season.

Meet the players

meters (5:20.32) and is coming off a personal best 11:42 in the 3,200 meters at the Cape Coast Conference meet that tells her that record is within reach, too.

But they’re both hungry for more.

“It’s something I’ve been looking forward to doing pretty much since my sophomore year,” said Rendek, who broke the school record in the 800 meters with a time of 1 minute, 57.65 seconds.

“Even though it wasn’t what I wanted it to be, it was still a school record and my name (is listed there).

“Next is the mile, though. The mile is the serious one.”

Elwell, meanwhile, set a school record in the 1,600

“The 1,600 record has been a goal for me for a long time and I can’t wait to see how it will improve my next years of high school,” Elwell wrote in a text message. “… My 3,200 PR is only 15 seconds away from the record. Before my conference meet, it wasn’t really on the table for me this year. Now it’s definitely a possibility, maybe not this year, but next.”

Rendek, Elwell and the rest of the Viera track and field team will have a chance to take their shot at postseason success when they compete at the Class 4A regionals on May 5 at Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens. The state meet is set for May 20 at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville.

“We are looking as strong as ever,”

Viera girls track coach Samantha

Gerrits wrote in an email.

“We’ve broken (five) school records this year. One of our goals was to bring more athletes to state than ever before and I believe we’re going to make it happen.

“A district or regional win is likely along the way. I’m proud of how hard the team worked this year and they’re going to see that hard work pay off now.”

Viera’s 4x100 girls relay team of Ciara Thomas, Paris Jernigan, Jazmine Diaz and Alexis Antoine set a school record of 49.59 earlier this season. At the CCC meet, Thomas broke the school 400 mark with a time

of 58.62.

Senior Deznee Joseph, who won the CCC javelin event, broke her own school record earlier this year with a throw of 37.07 meters.

Although Rendek is ranked No. 1 in the region in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, he will likely concentrate on the mile once the postseason begins.

He is only two seconds off the school record of 4:15.1.

“Times-wise, I haven’t hit what I wanted to, but placements have still been high compared to last year,” he said when asked about his season so far.

“Overall, it’s been good. But the fast races come postseason. That will be the big determiner on how my season is.”

Elwell will measure her success a little differently.

“My goal for postseason is, obviously, to just keep healthy and run well,” she wrote. “I also want to just go into it being grateful for everything I have and everyone supporting me.

“I’m not sure what my times will be but as long as I keep enjoying my sport, I will count it as a success.”

VV

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Samantha Gerrits Viera freshman Addy Elwell, left, broke the school record in the mile earlier this season and, after running a personal best 11 minutes 42 seconds in the 3,200 at the Cape Coast Conference last month, that record is now within her grasp as well. Viera senior Aedan Rendek was very grateful to set a new school record in the 800 meters earlier this season. Now he's out to break the school record in the 1,600 during this year's postseason meets.

“One of our goals was to bring more athletes to state than ever before and I believe we’re going to make it happen. ”

— Samantha Gerrits

With some of state’s top-ranked athletes, Tigers could excel at state track meet

BY CARL KOTALA

Armed with underclassmen, the Holy Trinity track and field team is ready to make some noise now … and in the future.

“We’ve got a pretty wellrounded, strong girls team that is very young,” Tigers coach Marc Bailey said. “Every single girl that will qualify for state this year is an underclassman. They’ll all come back. So, the girls program is very strong for the next two years.

“The boys program is pretty strong itself. We have three of the top hurdlers in the state.”

Freshman Jaeden McMillan (15.11) ranks second in Class 1A in the 110 hurdles. Junior Jaylen Ballard (15.22) is tied for third and freshman Camryn McRoy (15.50) is seventh.

There’s plenty of talent around the rest of the program, too. Junior Maya Collins ran a personal best 11.83 in the 100 and junior Alinah Sarratt (15.16) is sixth in the 100 hurdles.

“It’s been really good. It’s been fun,” distance runner Skyler Jensen said of the season so far. “Each week, we see improvement, a lot of PRs from both sprinters and distance runners as well as field events. We’re looking good going into the state series.”

All three girls relay teams are expected to reach state, but the boys 4x800 relay (8:19.78) could really

do something special this season and then be even better in 2024. Augustine Stehley, Luke Thomas, Jensen and Zack Gunderson are currently ranked third in the state.

“I’m really excited for that,” Jensen said. “We have two sophomores — Zack and I. Augustine is a junior. Luke is a freshman. So, we have everyone returning. If we keep getting better, it should be exciting.”

Jensen would like to run a sub-4:30 in the 1,600 and a sub 9:45 in the 3,200 meters in the state meet as well. He will also be running on the 4x400 relay.

“The strength of our boys team is our distance crew and he’s the leader of that crew,” Bailey said of Jensen. Another reason to get excited about the Holy Trinity track program is in the girls field events where junior Evelyn VanZwieten stands out. She ranks first in the state in the discus (37.92 meters), second in the javelin (40.67 meters) and eighth in the shot put (11.16 meters).

“It’s been pretty good,” VanZwieten said of her season. “I’ve been trying to work on javelin. That’s the one I really want to do in college.”

VanZwieten, who led Class 1A in the javelin until just recently, said she wants to stay consistent and throw in the 40-meter range at the state meet, while also hitting 38 meters in the discus and 11 in the shot.

Her success in all three throwing events has led the Tigers to lay out some incredible plans for her at the upcoming regionals, which are set for May 6, at Mount Dora Christian with the state meet on May 17, at Hodges Stadium in

Jacksonville.

“Evelyn could be the first girl to do what we’re trying to pull off,” Bailey said. “She could be in the top three in all three throws. It’s unheard of for a girl to go to state in all three throwing events because logistically,

you can’t do it. They overlap, they run into each other. But we’re going to try to pull it off this year.” VV

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Darren Nazareno Holy Trinity junior Evelyn VanZwieten, left, is ranked No. 1 in Class 1A in the discus. She's also ranked No. 2 in the javelin and No. 8 in the shot put.

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Darren Nazareno Holy Trinity's top distance runner, sophomore Skyler Jensen, is planning on running the 1,600 and 3,200 meter races this postseason along with the 4x800 and the 4x400 relays.

First season of beach volleyball a big hit with Viera Hawks

BY CARL KOTALA

Sydney Williams had a decorated career playing indoor volleyball for the Viera Hawks.

But when the senior heard the FHSAA was going to make beach volleyball an official sport this spring, she knew she had to be a part of the debut season.

“I was thrilled,” Williams wrote in an email. “Finding out I would be able to continue playing for Viera made me so excited. I am so grateful for all the progress that has been made to make this an official FHSAA sport and even more excited that I get to be a part of it.”

The Hawks, who finished the regular season with a record of 7-4 overall and 4-0 in district play, were awaiting the start of the district tournament which was expected to take place April 24 to 27 with regional play set to begin May 2. The state championship tournament (there is only one class in the inaugural season) is scheduled for May 12 and 13 at the Florida State University Beach Volleyball Courts.

What makes this first season even more special

is how it all came about because the push for the sport came from the players themselves.

“This year has been an amazing experience for me, not knowing what to expect in this inaugural season of high school beach volleyball,” coach Sarah Wayne — who also coaches the indoor volleyball team — wrote in an email.

“This is a pure example of the determination and the will of a group of high school students wanting to get things done. Viera junior Allie Burroughs and others around the county took it all the way to the school board and asked that we have beach volleyball in Brevard.

“I recruited Viera’s football coach, Shane Staples, and I can honestly say that we are learning as we go along and having so much fun. Most people believe that indoor volleyball and beach volleyball are very similar to each other. But in fact, they are completely different.”

Whereas indoor volleyball has six players on each side, beach volleyball is played with teams of two, which means, for one thing, beach volleyball players have to cover a lot more

ground … and there are no substitutions allowed.

While it’s certainly easier to dive on sand than it is on an indoor court, it also takes

more energy and better hydration to be able to play outdoors.

“It’s all about control on the beach,” Williams wrote.

“In indoor, you could give your best effort to just get a touch on the ball, but on the beach, you have to make sure your partner can get to that touch.

“Mindset is definitely a big factor. For example, if you are messing up, you can’t get subbed out. If the elements are getting to you, you can’t get subbed out. It definitely makes you a stronger athlete mentally and physically and a big respect is owed to all beach players.”

Viera beach volleyball already has its first player to receive a scholarship. Caitlyn Kemer, who plays strictly on the beach, signed to play at Saint Leo University.

Williams, who will play indoors at Maine Maritime Academy next year, has been partnering with Hannah Kemer (Caitlyn’s sister) and called her an “absolute beast.”

“Hannah plays beach often and I was so grateful for the opportunity to get to know her better and play the game with her as I will not get the chance to play with her indoors,” Williams wrote. “Her sister Caitlyn

VOLLEYBALL

continued to page 35

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Joe Kemer

Viera senior Caitlyn Kemer, left, and freshman Hannah Kemer have been two of the top players for the Hawks during their inaugural season of beach volleyball. In fact, Kemer is the first Viera beach volleyball player to earn a college scholarship. She signed to play at Saint Leo University.

Hawks working to be bigger, stronger as spring ball kicks off

BY CARL KOTALA

Viera High football coach Shane Staples has noticed a definite change in his team since last season ended.

“I think these guys really bought in this offseason,” Staples said. “After having so many young guys last year, I think they see what it takes to go through a varsity schedule. There’s definitely been a change in the weight room.

“We’re excited to get back out there and show people how we’ve improved.”

The Hawks, who went 0-10 last year with a roster stacked with sophomores, opened spring practice April 24 in preparation for their spring game on May 19 at Bayside.

“We’re still going to be young,” Staples said. “I think I’m going to have three, four seniors play and then it’s going to be mostly juniors and then sprinkle in some sophomores and freshmen.

“So, all those 10th graders that played last year, they’re going to be playing again, but this time they’re going to be juniors. Still young, but I think we should be better this year.”

Just how much better the Hawks may be won’t really be answered until the fall. A number of players, including four or five starters, likely won’t be at spring practice

because their track and baseball seasons are still going on.

However, there are a number of players the Hawks will be counting on to help lead the way this spring.

Staples said he expects big things out of rising junior wide receiver Zack Pillow and rising

junior quarterback Chase Cromartie, who dealt with a number of injuries last season.

In addition to rising junior running back Ryan Boobar, the Hawks have a number of receivers to watch this spring, including rising seniors Mikey Schmidt and Javon Cooper, rising junior Jack Hancock and

rising sophomore Eric Nelson. The Hawks also have a new threat in transfer Bruce Tucker.

“I legit have six, eight receivers who can play,” Staples said. “The hard part is going to be trying to get them all on the field. But it’s a good problem to have in case of injury and what not.

“I expect the offense to pick up a little bit, be a little better than last year.”

Defensively, the Hawks return key players such as rising senior defensive end Owen George and rising junior Isaac Hungerbuhler along with rising senior Zane Humke and rising sophomore James Olson at linebacker.

Rising junior ballhawk Cooper Keith is also back in the secondary along with rising senior Colin Mutz and rising junior Dominic Leoni, who could see time at linebacker or safety.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we have 14 or 15 juniors playing this year that all have some kind of experience,” Staples said. “We’re kind of ready to see what it looks like.

“I think our biggest question mark is going to be the offensive line. Not that we don’t have the guys. We just have to see where they fit.”

Among the leading candidates for the offensive line are returning center and rising junior, Finn Goldinger, along with rising juniors Grant Kindig and Dawson Forsythe.

Rising seniors Connor Freeman and Jackson Detwiler, along with rising sophomore Sal Orlando will also be in the mix.

While the Hawks still may be young, there’s no reason to think they won’t be more competitive next season.

“We have the pieces,” Staples said. VV

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Viera High School

Viera head coach Shane Staples said he expects rising junior quarterback Chase Cromartie, left, to have a big year next season. Rising junior Jack Hancock, right, and his Viera teammates learned a lot about what it takes to play on the varsity level last season. The Hawks opened spring practice on April 24 and are set to play their spring game May 19 at Bayside.

Faculty Softball Challenge games return for 17th year

BY CARL KOTALA

Nothing says summer is almost here more than the announcement that the Faculty Softball Challenge is almost here.

The 17th version of the annual event is slated to take place May 25 at the USSSA Space Coast Complex. This year’s games will feature Quest Elementary vs. Viera Elementary at 6 p.m., followed by Manatee Elementary vs. Suntree Elementary at 7:15 in a matchup of teachers, administrators and custodial staff from each school.

The popular event returned last year after being forced to take a twoyear hiatus because of the COVID pandemic.

“The main purpose of the event is to get the community together,” Manatee teacher and game organizer Todd Zgonc said.

“Every year, we try to make it bigger and better since COVID took a lot of our thunder away. We’re continuing to build it up

from where it was before COVID, when it was going in a really good direction before we got knocked out for a couple of years.

“I think we’re doing that. We’re doing a Fanfest for the second year at our school.”

Manatee’s Fanfest is expected to feature players signing autographs, a car

show, a Kona Ice booth and a drum line performance from band members at Viera High School.

“I think we’re almost making that as big a deal as anything else. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Zgonc said. “Schools are still doing T-shirts and all that good stuff.”

The gates will open at

5 p.m. and the concession stands will be open for both games. The goal this year is to surpass 3,200 fans.

Tickets for the event are $3 at the school and $5 for walk-up sales. Proceeds from the games will go to cover costs, with any extra money going into a discretionary fund for the school principals.

As anyone who has been to previous Faculty Softball Challenge games can attest, it’s a fun night for all as students from all four schools help create a unique atmosphere.

“Kids bring a different type of energy than you see from your typical fan at a typical sporting event,” Zgonc said. VV

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

The 17th Faculty Softball Challenge game matching teachers, administrators and custodial staff is set for May 25, beginning with a matchup between Quest Elementary and Viera Elementary at 6 p.m. and followed at 7:15 by Manatee vs. Suntree. The local community event has been popular ever since it started and could draw as many as 3,200 fans to the USSSA Space Coast Complex.

2023 Charlie Corbeil Youth Art Contest winners

Publisher’s Choice

Corbeil’s legacy lives on

Charlie Corbeil’s legacy lives on each spring as children throughout Brevard County participate in the Charlie Corbeil Youth Art Contest.

There are three age categories for painting/ drawing, photography, poetry and digital art. The theme for this year’s contest was Nature.

Corbeil’s widow, Charlotte, donates more than $500 each year for prize money.

Contest participants

WINNERS — Painting/Drawing

Grades: K to 3

Grades: 4 to 7

Charlie Corbeil, who died in November 2013, was a Florida Master Naturalist, nature photographer and one of the original volunteer rangers for the Viera Wetlands. VV

Grades: 8 to 12

Grades: K to 3

WINNERS — Photography

Grades: 8 to 12

WINNERS — Poetry/Essay

Grades: K to 3

First — Amritha Vuddharaju

Second — Gabriela Rivera-Vargas

Grades: 4 to 7

First — Ella Grace Helton

Second — Riya Reddy

Third — Izzy Darby

WINNER — Digital Art

Grades: 4 to 7

Grades: 4 to 7

Grades: 8 to 12

First — Kenji Blakeley

Second — Adaya Rabadan

The Judges

Second — Kenji Blakeley

Second — Emma Landreville

First — Zoryana Rivera-Gonzalez

First — Abigail Hurst

Third — Cali Rush

First — Ethan Landreville

First — Charlotte Landreville

Second Charlotte Landreville

Second — Mayu Hurst

Third Elena Wisoker Second Adalia Rodriguez

Third — Grace Saunders

Third — Ana Rabadan

First — Ethan Landreville

First — Amina Murodora

First Anika Reddy

Molly Stuker

Ella Grace Helton, left, with Jill Blue

SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

Artists Phyllis Shipley, left, and Madison Smith were the judges. Judging took place at the Luna At Viera apartments.

Seventh grader’s art selected for Salvador Dalí Museum exhibit

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

When 13-year-old Quinn Carlson, a student at Ronald McNair Magnet Middle School, was told that his artwork had been selected for display at The Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, he was thrilled and surprised.

The museum sponsors The Dalí Student Surrealist Art Exhibit, a yearly statewide exhibition as part of its outreach educational programs. The theme for 2023 was “The Shape of Dreams,” encouraging students to explore the meaning of their dreams and inviting them to submit their own surrealist interpretation on an 8-by-10 canvas.

“Quinn creates

BY WENDY SCHEURING

Project Graduation began decades ago by MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) then spread across the country. Its purpose was to provide graduating seniors with an alcohol and drug-free celebration on graduation night.

Viera High School’s Class of 2023 graduating seniors are invited to participate in an all-night, lock-in event at Route 7 Adrenaline Warehouse on U.S. 1 on graduation night from 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. May 26. The cost of the tickets is $25 and can be purchased online at vierahighgraduation.com

spectacular art,” said Jennifer Bergendahl, Carlson’s visual arts teacher.

This will be the first Project Graduation since the pandemic, according to Shannon Nilsen, whose son is a VHS graduating senior.

Last year, the VHS Class of 2022 held a casino night at the Brevard Zoo a couple of weeks after prom, not on graduation night, Nilsen said.

Half of the graduating class of approximately 430 students is expected to attend, according to Nilsen, who helped with fundraising throughout the year for this event.

Proceeds were raised via a “Where Did My Hat Go” fundraiser at Painting with a Twist, a “Sweets for Seniors” fundraiser sponsored by

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

“He poured hours into his pencil composition creating incredible detail and I was

Crumbl Cookie, a spirit night at Blaze Pizza, a bingo night and a trivia night. Proceeds for graduation announcement signs also contributed to the cost.

The Viera High Board, composed of three members, president Cherie Buziak, secretary Jill Bowen and treasurer Amy Kloes, is overseeing the event.

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hoping he would be selected, as he’s remarkably gifted. Being accepted as part of the exhibit is an award in itself.”

The students participating in the 2023 Dalí Student Surrealist Art Exhibit are in grades seven to 12. The museum received 422 student submissions from 93 Florida schools, with only 117 works selected to be displayed at the museum.

“Quinn has been drawing since he was a toddler, even through pre-school,” Carlson’s dad, Charlie Carlson said. “He’s never limited himself to thinking outside the box and not only is he very creative. but he’s a great kid. Teachers and coaches love him and when he serves in church,

Twenty adult volunteers will be on hand at Route 7 to supervise the teens.

Pizza and soda will be served and snacks will be available.

“We’re also going to have a going-away breakfast,” Nilsen said. “Something for the kids to eat or grab as they are leaving. I’m sure they’ll be tired by 6 a.m.,”

the other kids see the love pouring through him.”

What makes it extraordinary is that Quinn, a seventh grader, was the only student selected to participate in eighth grade art class because of his artistic talent.

“When Mrs. Bergendahl told me that she’d been notified that my artwork had been selected for the exhibit, I couldn’t believe it,” Carlson said. “I’m so excited, and the best part is that it’s going to be on display the whole summer with artwork from the other kids that got selected too.”

The exhibit will be available for viewing at The Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, May 13 through Aug. 20. VV

she said.

Activities will include go-carting, bowling, a ropes course, a ninja course, a zipline, an arcade and a photo booth. There will also be a quiet room to play board games and take a rest.

“I feel it will be a fun get-together. One last hurrah after graduation,” Nilsen said. VV

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Quinn Carlson's artwork will be displayed this summer at The Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.

Hawks robotics team reaches regional, to host summer camp

BY WENDY SCHEURING

The Viera High School Robotics Team, Wingspan #7431, competed in two regional First Robotics Competitions (FRC) in March, doing well in both.

“We were in fifth place out of 50 teams at the Orlando competition,” said Coach Kim Beiderman, a literacy coach at Rockledge High School.

The team reached the playoffs in both Orlando and Tallahassee.

Beiderman co-coaches the team with David Formanek, a business academy instructor at Viera High School.

The 97-pound robot took seven weeks to build, then the software installation took one week, according to sophomore

Jansen Joss, who has been on the team for two years.

“We used CAD software to design our robot down to the individual parts,” Joss said.

The team then used a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine, a “computer-driven machine tool” with the help of its sponsor FieldWerx, a Melbourne robotics company, to make the parts.

The robot was designed to move autonomously and balance on an electronic charging station as required by the rules. Students also used a remote control to make the robot do tasks, such as picking up fabric cubes.

Because participating in robotics competitions can be expensive, according

to Beiderman, the team is participating in fundraising to defray the costs, such as appealing to local businesses as sponsors, holding fundraising events and hosting a STEAM summer camp geared to children from kindergarten to eighth grade to learn more about science and robotics.

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math.

The camp will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 26 to June 30 at Viera High School, with an extended day option for parents who work later in the day.

Hands-on experience with robots and other fun projects include the science of water balloons and making a theremin, an electronic musical

instrument that is played without touch, for the older kids, and a xylophone for the younger set.

“They will also learn non-technological ways to code,” Beiderman said.

Other outdoor activities include scavenger hunts and designing and building obstacle courses, then mapping out the physics behind them.

“We are also planning for the students to get their hands on our robots to see how they were built and to drive them,” Beiderman added.

The cost of the weeklong camp is $349. A 10% sibling discount is also available. For more information and to register, go to wingspancamp.com VV

VIERA VOICE photo

The Viera High School Robotics Team built a 97-pound robot in about seven weeks. The software installation took one week

ScoopBUSINESS

The Crossings at Viera set to begin construction, Soup Shop onboard

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

A Whole Foods Market, which will anchor a shopping center is scheduled to open south of Interstate 95 on the southwest corner of Viera Boulevard and Star Rush Drive, west of Texas Roadhouse.

Groundbreaking for The Crossings is scheduled for the second quarter of this year with staggered tenant businesses opening during the summer of 2024.

Atlanta-based developer SJC Ventures purchased the 20-acre property in October 2022. Developers will have a Whole Foods Market and a home improvement store with a garden center in the plaza.

“We expect The Crossings at Viera to be a fantastic amenity for residents and visitors with the best-inclass grocery, wonderful restaurants and specialty retailers to Viera and the

greater Space Coast area,” said Jeff Garrison, the principal of SJC Ventures.

In addition to the major anchor stores in the 161,618-square-foot plaza, the confirmed restaurant lineup includes the popular Orlando-based, sports themed Miller’s Ale House and Chicken Salad Chick.

“The plaza is 95% leased already, but announcements have to be made by the individual tenants,” said Candice Brown-McElyea, of One Eight Oh, a public

relations firm.

The Alabama-based Chicken Salad Chick offers a fast-casual eatery environment with a large array of unique chicken salads in their menu and boasts of more than 200 locations across 17 states.

Miller’s Ale House has more than 100 locations in 10 states with trendy bar food and a microbrewery program, with some restaurants offering more than 75 beers with a large selection offered on-tap.

Fulfilling people’s dreams one home at a time since 2007

The architecture look and feel for the commercial center is in line with Viera’s current standards, including extensive parking and white building exteriors, to allow tenants front signage to stand out prominently.

SJC Ventures has several other ongoing projects in Florida and in other states. The company has completed other shopping centers projects in Florida and in other states that are anchored by Whole Foods Market. VV

The Soup Shop takes on Viera

The Soup Shop will be one of the restaurants scheduled to open in The Crossings at Viera in early 2024.

Owner Julie Shipley said she started making soup in her house in March 2009 when people at her gym asked if she could make soups for their café.

In April 2012, she opened her first location in the Publix Shopping Plaza across from the King Center for the Performing Arts in Melbourne.

The Soup Shop has 15 to 20 freshly made soups offered daily. It also has sandwiches and salads on the menu. VV

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VIERA VOICE Courtesy of SJC Ventures

This is a rendering of The Crossings at Viera, which will feature restaurants anchored by Whole Foods Market and a home improvement store.

If you build it, they will come: The Viera Company goes by the numbers

BY MARK MIJUSKOVIC

Those who have lived here for a while have known it was coming, have been told to expect it, and have collectively held their breath. In the drag race of anticipation, the light has turned green, and a lead foot is on the accelerator of the Viera community with no signs of letting up. The master plan is at full throttle, complete with its purveyors, board rooms and PowerPoint visions.

The Viera Company manages the commercial and residential development, including the planning, development, marketing and sale of its land. Its office, located off Murrell Road, rests inconspicuously on the second floor of a structure that also houses the Community Credit Union downstairs. Its trappings are cozy and humble, with a greeting area facing a board room.

Therein, sits the requisite conference table, the projector-and screenpresentation assembly, and most importantly, Todd Pokrywa, the company president, overseer and keeper of the vision. His demeanor is casual, his handshake firm, his personality contagious. He comes across with a confidence borne of success, and he has the lowdown.

In talking of migration to Viera, he shared, “There’s the traditional Northeast that we see, but we’re also seeing more from some of the Midwest, with Illinois and where some of the jobs are coming from in hightech commercial space and defense-contracting sectors like California, Washington state, Colorado and even Texas.”

Pokrywa has encapsulated the master-planned Viera community in a 19-slide presentation entitled Viera on the Horizon. The current population sits at 33,704 and is expected to grow to

more than 70,000 by 2050. To accommodate this growth, today’s 13,870 housing units will expand to more than 31,000.

Who are Vierans? Vierites? Vieranians? Do we have a word for them? What do they do for a living? Where will the newcomers live? How will they spend their leisure time? How will the world of commerce co-mingle?

The Viera Company has done its research and clearly knows the population it serves. Greatest Generation (10.7%), Baby Boomers (27.4%), Generation X (20.5%), Millennial (17.9%), Generation Z (18.1%), and the Alpha Generation (5.3%) don’t necessarily represent a bell curve, but they yield a median age of 49.1, an average household of 2.43, and a collective body of which 46% have four-year and/ or graduate degrees. Eleven percent work in the service industry, 16.6% are blue-collar workers, and 72.4% wear a white collar. Their average yearly income is $117,446, and 83% are homeowners, with homes’ median values at $325,519.

Pokrywa gives credit to the commercial space defense contracting and high-tech job sectors for some of the growth “but also to what we’ve developed here and the momentum that we have in Viera. We have approximately a 30% share of new residential sales within the Space Coast and a 60% market

share of those residences over $400,000.”

In a quasi-Orwellian reality, residents’ annual lifestyle budgets have been broken down to the dollar, including travel, entertainment events, and dining out. Using the 2050 expectations as the population continues to explode, businesses are going to expand from the current 863 to well over 1,000. Commercial square footage is going to grow from 3.8 million to more than 7 million. Given these facts, the workforce is expected to expand accordingly.

“Today, with 12,000 employees working in Viera, we have nearly one job for every household,” Pokrywa shared. “By buildout, we’ll have more than a thousand businesses we anticipate

calling Viera home with over 25,000 employees.”

the COVID crisis and increases in lending rates. At times, the demand has exceeded the supply, and lotteries have been established to grant permission to prospective buyers, even before groundbreakings have occurred.

On the 2022 Johns Burns Real Estate Consulting top50 list of master-planned communities in Florida, Viera ranks eighth in net sales with 722, only a 1-percent drop-off from 2021, an achievement given uncertainties posed by

The need is there, the hype is real and the lure is intoxicating. The landscape and the infrastructure are evolving. Projects are being concluded, and others are in their infancy. Where are the new communities, businesses, and places of entertainment going to be? What will make them different or unique? Many are only beginning to be unearthed by tractors and backhoes.

More on Viera’s continuing development in coming issues of Viera Voice VV

VIERA VOICE Steven Hollinger

The continued growth of Viera continues to astonish longtime residents of Brevard County. By 2050, there could be more than 1,000 businesses in Viera employing more than 25,000.

VIERA VOICE photo

Todd Pokrywa predicts that Viera will eventually have more than 1,000 businesses.

“By buildout, we’ll have more than a thousand businesses we anticipate calling Viera home with over 25,000 employees.”

— Todd Pokrywa

Zachary Archer

Christien Flores

Colton Hurlbut

Sophia Kolcun

Mable Mutumwa

Natalie Rhodes

Erin Sherden

Kaitlyn Vigeant

Emma Baumgartner

Sarah Gerrity

Ava Isenbarger

Matthew Seth Mainwold

Jonathan Nunes

Eleanor Riggs

Sydney Smith

Cassidy Werder

Raghav Balaji

Bianca Fontanin

Katelyn Ippolito

Reef LaGala

Kiara Norris

Lynn Rieth

Mathew Smith

Raina Wamsley

Jackson Bean

Joshua Dylan Gibson

Luc Iten

Alejandra Martinez

Austin Olivas

Evelyn Rittenhouse

Michael Sottile

Chad Worthington

Layden Brunger

Olivia Grigsby

Elle Jacobsen

Kareena Mathews

Kaitlyn Osborne

Isabella Rogers

Rydyr Stockton

Chunong Wu

Salvatore Carlson

Samara Hall

Harrison Jacobus

Lauren Mays

Michael Jake Pagliarini

Joshua Romine

Jake Sturm

Fuyu Yang

Catalina Castillo

Morgan Hammond

Kiley Jensen

Aidan McCarthy

Sophia Panarese

Grace Rush

Gabriel Symeonides

Alexa Youngsma

Caleb Adsit

Jackson Fain

Brynn Holland

Hunter Koenig

Devin Morton

Greyson Reynolds

Kiran Shay

Hayden Van Kramer

EPISCOPAL ACADEMY

the Class of 2023!

Brown University

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University of Massachusetts (Amherst)

University of Miami

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University of Virginia

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United States Air Force Academy

United States Military Academy at West Point

Samuel Chaffiot

Savannah Harris

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Armoni Peppers

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Katherine Szabo

Faizan Zaidi

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Davis Hattaway

Kaylie Johnson

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Kevin Zhao

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Jackson Schopke

Miya Tanner

Christopher Zizzo

Terry Dyer

Alyse Hendrix

Timothy Kelly

Jose Fernando Montalvo

Connor Quinn

Thalia Schrumpf

Isaac Tichy

Matthew Zorovich

Emerson Euziere

Sophia Hibner

Conor Knight

Christopher Moore

Junes Rashwan

Averie Schweitzer

Giancarlo Valdivia

Anthony Zyren

Photos courtesy of Dean Stewart Photography, Inc.

O ver the past five years, Ho l y Trinit y graduates have been accepted to some of t he world’s finest c o l leges and universit ies, including:

Enticing restaurants, rooftop bars bring new look to Viera

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

Three new rooftop bars coming soon to the Borrows West regional commercial hub will offer views of the adjacent park and lake.

The nearby Borrows West Park opened recently south of Viera Boulevard on Lake Andrew Drive.

The Venezia Wine Veranda, now under construction, will likely be the first to open. It has an expected opening date of October 2023.

“We’re creating a sense of the outdoors indoors, with all around, floor-to-ceiling windows on our covered veranda rooftop. It will have lots of foliage and greenery offering a garden-like setting to enjoy the great wines we’re offering with a variety of small plates,” owner Rich Abbruscato said.

The ground floor of the free-standing two-story building will house the kitchens and the gift shop. On the rooftop, wines will be offered via a self-pour concept where customers will dispense their own wines and have the availability of purchasing the bottles located under the dispensers. With spectacular views of Viera and the lakefront, Venezia will also offer wine tastings.

“We are aiming to provide

a unique experience with 120 wines on tap at all times. The food will consist of tapas, flatbreads and a solid selection of appetizers that will pair well with our extensive wine list,” Abbruscato said.

The next contender on the rooftop lounge list is the Hilton Garden Inn, a multi-story building with 208 rooms. Currently under construction, the hotel will also include a restaurant with expected operations to commence in the second quarter of 2024, following the opening of its sister property Homewood Suites.

“We’re very excited about our new location in Viera as we loved the area when we visited,” said Trina Black, the vice president of sales and marketing at General Hotels Corporation. “We haven’t selected a name for our rooftop bar yet, but it will have a loungelike, relaxed and casual atmosphere with cabanas, hi-top tables and lounge seating. It will include a full-service bar with an appetizer menu and the lounge will also be available for private bookings.”

Also on the list is the Olive Tree Greek Grill which will open a new restaurant

RESTAURANTS continued to page 23

VIERA VOICE Steven Hollinger

Borrows West is attracting diverse restaurants, rooftop bars, hotels and other businesses to Viera.

VIERA VOICE Steven Hollinger

Borrows West Park features a flag display near the Olive Tree Greek Grill that is now under construction.

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Olive Tree Greek Grill

This is a rendering of the Olive Tree Greek Grill and Bakaliko Greek market, which is expected to open in late 2023 or early 2024.

Hilton Garden Inn rooftop bar

Homewood Suites

Tiki Docks

Olive Tree Greek Grill & Bakaliko

Ford's Garage

Venezia Wine Veranda

RESTAURANTS

continued from page 23

south of Viera Boulevard and east of Lake Andrew Drive. It will include two covered patios — front and back — surrounded by olive, cypress and eucalyptus trees. The expected opening is late in the year or the beginning of 2024. The Olive Tree Greek Grill will include a Bakaliko, which is a Greek market, with lots of canopies for shade and plenty of outdoor seating.

A second-floor air-conditioned lounge will offer cocktails and Greek fare with dining overlooking the lake. VV

Our plan for the Lagoon — and how it continues to improve it

In 2016, after the big fish kill, Brevard County demanded action. The County Department of Natural Resources and multiple community groups responded with a plan for restoration, and voters overwhelmingly approved the half-cent sales tax, which began the major commitment to save the Indian River Lagoon.

Two key aspects of this effort were: The Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan (a 91-page description of how the tax money would be used to battle pollution) and The Citizens Oversight Committee (a group of 14 volunteers with varied expertise that would meet monthly to monitor progress, review new information and oversee annual Plan revisions). In other words, it set up a process to undertake projects according to the best information available and to ensure new information was incorporated into the plan annually: A Plan — And Continue to Improve It.

Here are just a few of many examples of how this process has worked during the past seven years.

Clams — while the Lagoon was the clam capital in the 1950s, they were overfished and most believed that clams could no longer survive in today’s polluted Lagoon. However, the University of Florida Whitney Lab found and began breeding a species that thrives and clam seeding projects are now going on throughout the Lagoon.

Vegetation harvesting —

Lagoon Straight Talk

From

we have endless numbers of holding ponds and they all grow vegetation, which is ignored or sprayed with chemicals. Both approaches leave the pollution in the water. Recently, the Plan has been helping to fund vegetation harvesting that actually reduces pollution.

Septic systems — the original Plan recognized these were a problem, but with some 90,000 systems and more being installed, how to be cost effective?

First the Plan sponsored a detailed analysis of which systems had the greatest impact and enacted a ban on new systems in high-impact areas. Then, it created financial assistance programs to help owners connect systems near sewer lines and to replace old inefficient systems with advanced systems in other critical locations.

All along, the idea was to follow a Plan and Continue to Improve It. It’s working!

Check out the Plan: brevardfl. gov/SaveOurLagoon/ProjectPlan and also helpthelagoon.org/ and facebook.com/BIRLC to stay informed. VV

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

Crossword solution on page 36

Manatee care, rehabilitation planned for Brevard Zoo

TO VIERA VOICE

The first manatee rehabilitation center in Brevard County is set to be built as the Brevard Zoo expands its effort to rescue and rehabilitate the aquatic mammals.

Zoo officials hope to provide immediate care to manatee in the county as well as expand bed space at other facilities in the state.

This rehabilitation center is made possible by a grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

The zoo recently received permitting, grant funding and donations to establish manatee rehabilitation facilities.

While there are plans to create a rehabilitation center at the future Aquarium and Conservation Center, the efforts begin by building three tanks in behind-the-scenes areas of the zoo.

These initial facilities will be able to care for stable, non-critical manatee patients in need of additional monitoring, weight gain or better weather conditions for release. The goal for all the manatee will be for eventual release back into their native range.

The zoo’s veterinary staff already are working with other facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership to learn more about manatee care. The zoo’s two veterinarians, Dr. Trevor Zachariah and Dr. Kyle Donnelly, will also attend continuing education classes to learn more about this species. VV

Brevard Zoo outlines $15 million

bear care center

BY LINDA JUMP

Brevard Zoo CEO/ Executive Director Keith Winsten had no plans to house a black bear until Brody was found abandoned as a cub in 2019, and recently a second cub needed help.

“This is a small zoo, but we answer the call,” Winsten said.

Betty was brought to the zoo at six weeks old last summer by Florida Fish and Wildlife officials.

Zach Marchetti, a community engagement and outreach officer, said Brody had medical issues so he can’t be released, and Betty failed at release because “she was teaching the other bears bad behavior. Merritt Island used to be covered with black bears, so they’re at home here.”

Winsten said $15 million of an ongoing $100 million campaign will be used for an orphaned bear critical care center and numerous other projects at the current zoo. The remainder will be used for an off-campus aquarium at Port Canaveral, which will be

constructed by 2027.

The zoo’s Expedition Africa section will become looped by early next year with new decking to include a permanent home for the zoo’s three lion brothers that arrived a year ago from a Naples zoo. Chobe, Ruaha and Karoo will move into the cheetah enclosure, with an upper viewing area and lower training wall for future VIP encounters. Cooling rock will be placed near the glass to encourage the cats to come close to be viewed, said Emma Reynolds, the community engagement and strategic partnerships officer.

Much of Expedition Africa will be closed in May for construction. Visitors can see meerkats and pythons and can kayak, but giraffe feeding and rhino encounters won’t be available.

Fox sisters Thelma and Louise were rarely seen by the public because they sleep during zoo hours, Winsten said. “We determined they were perpetually stressed,” he added, so they were transferred to the Tallahassee Museum to join foxes in a larger site.

The bobcat area will soon be extended overhead with a tunnel system to the renovated fox enclosure to give bobcats Eko and Abby more space.

The zoo added an accessible kayaking system at the Wild Wetlands launch earlier this year, Winsten said. A handicapped woman from Tennessee recently drove to the zoo for her first kayak trip through the zoo’s wetlands. Those with wheelchairs or decreased mobility can use the launch transfer bench system for stability, he said. A Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation grant assisted. Those requiring the system should check ahead for staffing availability.

A CT scan at the L3Harris Animal Care Center for the Sea Turtle Healing Center will be added. “You can’t X-ray to see inside a turtle, because all you see is their shell,” Marchetti said. Brevard becomes the fifth zoo in the world to have the scanner. VV

VIERA VOICE Klinton Landress Karoo sunbathes at the Brevard Zoo. The expansion includes moving the lions to a larger exhibit.

VIERA VOICE Klinton Landress Brody

SPECIAL

BUSINESS

For an invitation to the May 11 VMB meeting, call 321-242-1235.

In April, the Viera Means Business networking group met at Luna at Viera. After time to network, Eva Rey, the vice president of Community Management and Communications, for The Viera Company, shared an update on Viera business growth.

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.

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Carmen Vastola and Jenny Lucas.

Sanna Scheverman and Pam Rogan.

Alan Frisher and Chris Martin.

Mike Houston, Valerie Clark, Lindsey Dunwoody, Mandee Combs, Kristine Quattrone and Jill Blue.

Madison Mykoo, Nicole Davis and Yvette Cruz

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VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Lindsey Dunwoody, left, Tammy Langenbach, leasing manager of the Luna At Viera, Phyllis Shipley, a contest judge, and Madison Smith, a contest judge, participated in the Charlie Corbeil Youth Art Contest. The Luna At Viera hosted the judging of the annual

for the first time.

Judge Fran Jamieson: Toughness and tenderness personified

BY MARK MIJUSKOVIC

Editor's note: The information that paved the way for the Judge Fran Jamieson story (Viera Voice, March 2023) has also provided an opportunity to correct inaccuracy. The article’s request for personal anecdotal information regarding the judge yielded responses.

Fran Jamieson’s University of Tennessee graduation date was 1945 (not 1958). Following a divorce and remarriage in 1954, she enrolled at Cumberland University Law School, graduating summa cum laude in 1958. A subsequent second divorce found the family — Jamieson, her son and a younger stepsister — moving to South Melbourne Beach, where she first found employment as a contract administrator for a San Diego-based company procured to build gantries at Cape Canaveral.

Upon passing the Florida Bar Exam in 1960, Jamieson moved the family to Cocoa Beach after being hired as a clerk for Attorney Thurmond Justice.

In 1961, she married Raymond A. Jamieson, the first mayor of Cape Canaveral. There, she wrote the Cape Canaveral Articles of Incorporation and the City Charter. The bumpy road of her married life found her divorcing in 1965 and remarrying in 1971 to Joe Rose whom she predeceased in 1995.

Jamieson was not the stay-athome June Cleaver mother figure. She was never a widow. Rather, she was an occasional single mom who did her best to make sure her kids had a roof over their heads, food on the table, clothes on their backs, and educational opportunities while steadily building an exceptional professional reputation. She had to be both a mom and dad.

Life-long educator Bill Pearlman

recounted seeing Jamieson in action in juvenile court. In the mid-tolate 1980s, he taught at-risk fourth and fifth graders at Meadowlane Elementary School, students who this early on in life had exhibited enough characteristics to be considered at risk of not graduating. Some already had been suspended and had interactions with law enforcement. In the mold of scared-straight efforts, Judge

Jamieson did not disappoint.

“Children in shackles were openly crying in court,” he recalled. “She was harsh, especially with children she had seen in her courtroom before.”

Pearlman recalled her advising some of the wayward children to bring their toothbrushes with them should they ever appear in her court again, letting on that they would not be going home. He also saw a kinder, gentler Jamieson with those children who might have been appearing before her for the first time.

“Judge Jamieson impressed me as a stern, tough-talking yet very compassionate person who wanted very much to help children make better choices,” Pearlman recalled. “We can’t know, but we can wonder if it would have been more impactful if she saved her harshest words for the parents of those children.”

There appears to have been no shortage of toughness and no shortage of compassion in Jamieson. When speaking before a group of mostly male attorneys, Jamieson would often open up by declaring, “I stand before you proudly today, because I chose to be a member of the world’s second oldest profession.’’

In the wake of her legacy, Judge Fran Jamieson Way remains a straight and narrow path. VV

Courtesy of the Jamieson family

to 30 people.

A Picnic Affair brings outdoor fun to Brevard County

BY KALEIGH NEIDIG

If you're looking for a unique and memorable way to celebrate a special occasion or just spend time outdoors with friends and family, A Picnic Affair might be the answer.

This local business offers pop-up picnics for groups ranging from two to 30 people, for everything from date nights to family reunions and bachelorette parties.

Ally Aboud, the founder of A Picnic Affair, said the company offers unique picnic experiences for clients on the Space Coast. Originally from California, Aboud moved to Florida in 2013 and is married to Josh, who builds picnic tables for A Picnic Affair.

Aboud, who has a passion for party planning and decorating, started her business in 2020 after being let go from her previous job due to the pandemic. She found inspiration in a Pinterest post and decided to make her vision a reality. She takes pride in the little details and spends countless hours picking out the perfect pieces for her clients' events.

Stretch-Ability focuses on wellness, pain prevention

BY WENDY SCHEURING

Stretch-Ability, a new private training studio focusing on preventative health and wellness, opened its doors in the Boardwalk of Suntree plaza.

It opened in January and its grand opening was held March 31.

A Picnic Affair has quickly gained popularity among Brevard County residents looking for a fun and stress-free way to enjoy the outdoors. With a range of add-on options and partnerships with local vendors such as photographers and caterers, A Picnic Affair can help create a truly memorable experience for any occasion.

“We pride ourselves on making sure you don’t have to lift a finger, you have fun picking out what theme you want and inviting your friends, but we do all the heavy lifting. We take care of all the set-up and take-down, so you can focus on enjoying your time with friends and family,” Aboud said.

In addition to its popup picnics, A Picnic Affair recently started offering movie nights, where they can bring a 42-inch inflatable screen to your backyard in Viera or elsewhere in Brevard County.

They also offer indoor slumber parties for children, complete with themed tents and cozy blankets.

For more information, go to apicnicaffair.com.

The Stretch-Ability studio offers a free 45-minute motion analysis based on the feet, legs and hips while walking.

“You are a body, not a part,” said owner Abby Regan, who holds a doctorate in physical therapy. “I look at the whole body. A minute change in body mechanics can create problems down the road.”

Before opening her studio, Regan co-owned a mobile physical therapy business during the pandemic called True Motion Physical Therapy.

Regan has practiced physical therapy in Brevard County for the past 12 years. Originally from New Hampshire, she moved to Orlando in 2009 to work as

a physical therapist before relocating to Brevard County two years later.

“A lot of people come in because something’s hurting them, and they are not sure what’s wrong, but they are not yet ready to go to the doctor,” said Regan, who is a married mom of three.

Reading Disability Tutoring

READING DISABILITY TUTORING

At Stretch-Ability, people can get immediate care without going through the red tape often associated with submitting insurance. It offers a selfpay model, enabling customers to pick and choose which

services they’d like to take advantage of based upon their own individual needs.

Four main categories of services are available, including bodywork, stretching, sports recovery and physical therapy.

The 672-square-foot studio is reminiscent of a spacious and open dance studio. Its wide-open spaces include a variety of equipment, such as an exercise bike, treatment tables, exercise balls, Normatec compression boots, stretching apparatus and a TRX workout machine.

Additionally, a la carte services for sports therapy include compression therapy, light therapy, cupping, tissue mobilization and kinesiology taping.

There is a play area for parents bringing their children along to their appointments.

Stretch-Ability is located at 7720 Wickham Road, Suite 105. VV

VIERA VOICE Klinton Landress

Stretch-Ability offers services for stretching, sports recovery and physical therapy.

VIERA VOICE Love Lane Photography

A Picnic Affair offers pop-up picnics for groups ranging from two

Memorial RunWalk benefits those suffering with PTSD

BY BRENDA EGGERT BRADER

Committed to helping stop American soldier deaths from PTSD, Paul and Heidi Martin of Viera will host the first memorial run walk in memory of their son, Zachary M. Martin.

“He was a private first class soldier who had a grenade to the face in training and left the military with shrapnel in the eye,” Heidi Martin said.

“He was one of the only kids in New England to get the specific assignment for the presidential detail in 2020 based on his testing. It was a big deal to him. He was a country boy, grew up on a farm and this was a huge appointment for him.

“All his staff sergeants were surprised at the time that he got the assignment. Camp LeJeune is where the accident happened. He knew his career was over when it happened. He was given an honorable discharge and full scholarship, deciding to study audio engineering, and writing podcasts. Appearing to be doing so well at every avenue of his life, Martin was apparently really suffering

— that is the typical thing happening with PTSD.”

Some service members turn to drugs, feeling their life is over. PTSD or posttraumatic stress disorder doesn’t develop overnight, but unaided it becomes deadly.

The couple are partnering with proceeds from registration from the race with Stop Soldier Suicide, a Durham, North Carolina-based organization whose focus is PTSD. The Martins formed a nonprofit

corporation, Zachary M. Martin Memorial RunWalk, Inc.

To sign up for the 8 a.m. June 10 event at Viera Regional Park, go to raceroster.com Zachary Martin Memorial.

“The runners will go first, and the walkers will be second,” Paul Martin said. “Children age 12 and under are free. We have a friend who will be on a cruise at that time, but will do the event virtually.”

Like a party and

celebration of life, families are encouraged to attend the event.

“It was a horrific experience to have the police come to your home with such news,” Paul Martin

said of the instant he and his wife learned of their son’s suicide. “We want to try to prevent this from happening to other families and having this fundraiser may provide the help.” VV

Coming in the June issue

Viera Voice follows Pinecrest Space Coast Academy's fourth-grade class as it tours the new Brightline train station and basecamp in Orlando.

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Paul and Heidi Martin PFC Zachary M. Martin plays the guitar during a warm Clearwater sunset. The Zachary Martin Memorial RunWalk will be a fundraiser to provide help to people suffering from PTSD.

“It was a horrific experience to have the police come to your home with such news. We want to try to prevent this from happening to other families.”

— Paul Martin, father

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

Honor the fallen heroes before you celebrate the start of summer

Memorial Day signifies the unofficial beginning of summer starting the first three-day holiday weekend. Yet, it carries a more solemn meaning as it is America’s annual observance to remember the heroes lost in combat.

It was originally called Decoration Day following the Civil War to honor the graves of fallen soldiers

with flowers, wreaths and flags at Arlington National Cemetery beginning May 30, 1868. It officially became Memorial Day in 1971 to remember all who perished in any of America’s wars.

After we’ve paid our respects, food will play a big part at picnics, parties and barbecues, but even simple dishes deserve exaltation. Whether it’s a pot

of chili, slapping steaks, hotdogs or burgers on the grill, show-stopping sides aren’t up for debate.

It’s hard to imagine an outdoor shindig without the ubiquitous spud salad as it’s an institution with recipes passed down for generations.

The earliest known version was inspired by German settlers who brought it here in the 1900s although

Herbacious Potato Salad

it was a vinaigrette-based rendition. Richard Hellmann, a German immigrant, could be responsible for the addition of mayonnaise in American potato salad since he first created mayo in New York City in 1920. His wife, Margaret, incorporated it in her potato adaptation, instantly becoming all the rage and one of the most popular dishes in America. VV

There are no duds in this spud salad and it doesn’t include mayo. It tells the story of gorgeous potatoes loaded with fresh herbs and pulled together with a joyful vinaigrette.

A few tips for success:

• Dress salad while potatoes are warm — they’ll absorb the vinaigrette better

• Reserve about ¼ cup of the water from boiling the potatoes

Don’t overcook potatoes so they won’t break down when tossing them in the dressing.

Six servings

2 pounds of small potatoes, unpeeled cut into medium squares

¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil

½ bunch of flat leaf parsley

½ bunch fresh basil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp each Dijon and whole grain mustard

½ tsp honey

2 cloves of garlic minced

½ lb of fresh green beans — cooked 8 minutes and thrown in an ice bath

½ lb of cherry tomatoes halved

½ cup of finely chopped Vidalia or

Photos from the Viera Nature Festival

red onion

Kalamata olives for garnish

Salt and fresh pepper

Add potatoes to a pot with 1 tbsp of salt, cover with water by one inch and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until tender. Reserve ¼ cup of the water.

Add lemon juice, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey, fresh garlic, mustards, parsley, basil, salt/pepper into a food processor and emulsify with 2/3 tbsp of reserved water.

Toss potatoes with green beans and tomatoes and remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving and toss again.

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Viera Woman’s Club continues its tradition of community service

BY BETTY PORTER

In 2022, The Viera Woman's Club logged 14,785 hours of community service, participated in 109 charitable projects, including work with local veterans, teachers, specialneeds and at-risk children and homeless shelters.

This year, the club celebrates its 20th anniversary. Members will recall its achievements during two decades of service and look forward with a vision to accomplish more in the coming years.

The club currently has 117 member volunteers.

“Volunteerism is our heart, our spirit,” Membership Chairman Debra Gorham said. “We added 26 new members in 2022 with 11 of those new members taking leadership positions already.”

The club began with just 11 local women with a goal of supporting local charities, education and the arts. Those 11 women met in December 2003 to establish the club and in April 2004, its then 23 members attended the Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs Spring Convention, at which time the Viera Woman’s club, Inc. was accepted into the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC).

“Our affiliate is the 133-year-old General Federation of Women’s Clubs, which is headquartered in

Washington, D.C. and has grown to 80,000 members with clubs in every state, the District of Columbia and 18 countries,” Viera Woman’s Club president Jan Gates said.

Since its formation, the GFWC Viera Woman’s Club members have dedicated their volunteer work to benefit charitable, educational and civic activities in Viera.

“We are fortunate to live in a rapidly growing community where women of all ages, backgrounds and experience are joining us in our volunteer efforts to enhance the Viera community,” Gates said.

—

Bluewater Creative Group - Issue 6

Prospective new members are welcome to attend the next general membership meeting and luncheon on May 8. The program theme will be Environment and Conservation. It will feature a guest speaker from the Brevard Zoo Aquarium Project. If interested in attending, respond and make a payment of $25 by 5 p.m. May 1 by going to gfwcVieraWomansClub. com. For more information about becoming a member,

SUDOKU Solution, page 36

Edited by Margie E. Burke

contact Gorham at debgorham28@gmail.com

GFWC Viera Woman’s Club is a nonprofit organization that raised nearly $70,000 in combined cash/goods donations in 2022.

“We are well on our way to achieving goals for 2023 and planning for key fundraisers, including The Swing for Charity Golf Tournament to benefit the charities of GFWC Viera Woman’s Club, Inc. to be held at Duran Golf Club on Saturday, Sept. 9,” Gates said. “We are contacting local companies for support

and participation.”

Interested corporate sponsors can contact the

event chairman, Debra Smith at Deborahsmith. vwc@outlook.com VV

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Catherine H. Meng

Jan Gates, the General Federation of Women's Club president, left, presents Cary Giesler with a certificate as the Volunteer of the Year

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Viera Woman's Club

The GFWC proudly celebrates growing membership numbers and increased volunteerism in the community

“We are fortunate to live in a rapidly growing community. ”

Jan Gates

Hello May

National Day of Commuy Service

for Special Olympics. Starts at Viera Courthouse and ends at Publix Viera. Viera Courthouse 2825 Judge Fran Jamieson Way Viera, 321-608-6731

Star Wars Trivia

Dinner and a Movie

- 10 p.m. Watch "Star Wars the Rise of Skywalker" playing outside. Bring a chair. Addison Village Club 8015 Stadium Parkway Viera, 321-237-2377

Sip & Smoke

6:30 p.m.

Kentucky Derby Party

5 - 8 p.m.

Wear your best derby bonnets and bow tie.

Music and dancing by Rick Brensinger. Wickham Park Senior Center 2785 Leisure Way Melbourne, 321-255-4494

Viera’s Pet Fest – Derby Day Hat Contest 10 a.m.

Awards will be given for the best in three categories: classic, most outrageous and colorful. Viera Town Center Park 2853 Rodina Drive Viera, 321-255-4500

Brevard Antique & Collectibles

10 a.m. - noon

7:30 - 10 p.m. World of Beer 2290 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-633-6665

Locally hand-rolled cigars provided for purchase by Chaffiot Cigars and a spotlight spirit selected by our mixologists. 28 North Gastrobub 2250 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-241-1159

Rotary Foundation’s 2023 Space Coast Derby Day

4 - 9 p.m.

The subject will be

“Anything Goes.”

Suntree/Viera Library

902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-254-5831

Live and silent auctions, a hat contest, live music, bourbon tasting and prizes. Twisted Birch Sports Bar & Grill 1279 Admiralty Blvd Rockledge, 321-213-1818 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Eat My Crust 5K

7 - 10 a.m.

Runners will carry a pizza box the entire distance of the race.

Viera High School 6103 Stadium Parkway

Viera 321-412-1830

Brevard Investment Education Group 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

VRBA Spring Fling

5 - 7 p.m.

Get to know the businesses of the Viera, Suntree & Rockledge area. The Avenue Viera 2261 Town Center Ave Viera, 321-724-5400

Wine Down Wednesday 4 - 7 p.m. Rockledge Gardens 2153 U. S. Highway 1 Rockledge, 321-636-7662

Benefits of Affirmations & Journaling

1 - 2 p.m.

Aging Matters 3600 W. King Street Cocoa, 321-806-3752

Thimble Girls in Friendship

Seaside Piecemakers

9:30 a.m. - noon

Suntree/Viera Library

902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-255-4404

Viera East Farmers Market

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Woodside Park 1705 Crane Creek Blvd. Viera

Decades of Music On Ice

Pizza with a Purpose

5 - 8 p.m.

Veterans History Project 10 a.m. - noon History project training presented by the Library of Congress.

Senior Health Friday with Nurse Lisa

3 p.m.

Pizza Gallery

2250 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-266-0564

One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771

10 - 11 a.m.

Romance and aging.

One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771

Ice skating show. Space Coast Iceplex 720 Roy Wall Blvd. Rockledge, 321-504-7500 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Mother's Day in the Gardens

11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

A free 4-inch perennial to every mom mimosas.

Rockledge Gardens

2153 US Highway 1 Rockledge, 321-636-7662

Free Admission for Moms

9:30 a.m.

Must be accompanied by a paying child of any age.

Brevard Zoo

8225 N. Wickham Road Viera, 321-254-9453

Scottish Country Dancing

6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Springs of Suntree Clubhouse 8300 Holiday Springs Road Suntree 321-242-1734

Estate Planning Seminar 10 - 11 a.m.

Presented by William A. Johnson, elder law attorney. RSVP required. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771

MacMad User Group 5:30 - 7 p.m.

Topic will be photo apps.

One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771

Parkinson’s Support Group 10 - 11 a.m. Every third Wednesday One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771

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

3rd Thursday at The Avenue Viera 5 - 8 p.m. Live music, vendors, complimentary snacks and a free drink or ice cream. The Avenue Viera 2261 Town Center Avenue Viera 321-634-5390

Lunch and Learn: Ringing Ears 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Presentation on the causes of Tinnitus and what can be done to improve it. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera 321-751-6771

Space Coast River Jam 3 - 10:30 p.m. Riverfront Park 401 Riveredge Blvd. Cocoa, 321-254-9976

Armed Forces Day Celebration 3 p.m. Veterans Memorial Center 400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway Merritt Island 321-453-1776

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Farm + Fairy Friends Market 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Local produce, vendors, live music, food, a fairy garden scavenger hunt. Rockledge Gardens

2153 US Highway 1 Rockledge, 321-636-7662

Spanish Intermediate and Advanced 1 - 2 p.m. Martin Andersen Senior Center 1025 S. Florida Ave. Rockledge, 321-453-5098

Boomer Trivia 4 - 6 p.m.

Tuesdays. Free to play, teams or solo. Pizza Gallery 2250 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-633-0397

Sit-n-Stitch 1 - 3 p.m. First and third Wednesdays Suntree/Viera Library 902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-255-4404

Swingtime Concert 7 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL

continued from page 10

… is a beast and represents our one’s team very well. She is strong and skilled along with being so kind and funny. I had such a great time this season getting to know them and loved learning from them.”

Other players on this year’s Viera team include Adriana Salinas; Lanon Baumhover; Hailey Hubbard; Amelia Talbott; Brooke Bolduc; Erin

Fitzgerald; Kendall Pierce; Maddie Wilgeroth; Taylor Christensen; Burroughs; Hope Svarstrom and Haley Beigh.

The Hawks, who play their games at Satellite High, are certainly having fun and Williams said the sport’s popularity can only get bigger.

“We are fortunate to be so close to the beach and have access to beach courts that it would be impossible for it not to grow,” she wrote. VV

How much do you know about Mother’s Day?

BY RANDAL C. HILL

In 1870, social activist and poet Julia Ward Howe created the Mother’s Day Proclamation, in which she envisioned mothers everywhere protesting the concept of war.

Since then, Howe’s original idea has morphed into an American holiday to honor the goodness of moms everywhere.

How much do you know about this May tradition? Try your hand at this multiple-choice quiz.

1. What is a littleknown fact about Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother’s Day?

(a) She was never a mother herself

(b) She intensely disliked her mother

(c) She hated the idea of giving gifts on Mother’s Day

(d) She initially wanted to establish Father’s Day

2. Mother’s Day was made an official holiday by President

(a) Teddy Roosevelt

(b) Woodrow Wilson

(c) Warren G. Harding

(d) Calvin Coolidge

3. Mother’s Day is typically the busiest day of the year for

(a) movie theaters

(b) florists

(c) candy stores

(d) restaurants

4. Mothers are on duty 24/7 and 365 days a year. Salary.com says that, in theory, a mother’s work should earn her an annual salary of

(a) $47,927

(b) $88,021

(c) $126,776

(d) $162,581

5. What percentage of mothers are raising children without a spouse or partner?

(a) 12%

(b) 18%

(c) 24%

(d) 29%

6. This state is called “The Mother of Presidents,” as eight chief executives have come from here.

(a) Virginia

(b) Ohio

(c) Illinois

(d) Massachusetts

7. In the first year of a baby’s life, how many

diapers will the average mother change?

(a) 1,400

(b) 1,850

(c) 2,000

(d) 2,200

8. What Beatles song was inspired by a Paul McCartney dream about his late mother?

(a) “In My Life”

(b) “Let It Be”

(c) “Something”

(d) “The Long and Winding Road”

9. The most popular Mother’s Day gift is

(a) a card

(b) flowers

(c) chocolates

(d) jewelry

10. What famous musician was born to an unwed teenage mother and raised believing his older sister was his mother and his grandparents his parents?

(a) John Lennon

(b) Barry Manilow

(c) Eric Clapton

(d) Bruce Springsteen

(c), 6 – (a), 7 – (d), 8 – (b), 9 – (a), 10 – (c).

Answer key: 1 – (a), 2 – (b), 3 – (d), 4 – (d), 5 –

Proceeds from military tribute truck to help injured veterans

BY MARIA SONNENBERG

The creative mind is a wondrous thing. A case in point is Rick Beech, who from an abandoned truck created a magnificent celebration of America’s heroes, one that also will raise funds to help military families.

After retiring from the Air Force and subsequently spending more than a quarter of a century in diplomatic missions, Beech wanted to honor the memory of fallen soldiers he had met while working as a civilian contractor in Afghanistan. The idea of a moving tribute in the shape of a truck took shape.

In 2007, Beech found a 1957 Chevy truck rusting away at a North Carolina goat farm. He purchased and trailered it home to his Satellite Beach garage, where work began.

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

to honor the many members of the military we have in the county,” Beech said.

Copyright 2023 by The Puzzle Syndicate

Restoring the truck was preparation for a two-month, 10,000-mile tour of 38 military installations where, one by one, soldiers from the Korean War to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom signed the blue vehicle with alternating lines of red and white oilbased markers. A special glazing will safeguard the signatures, also enhancing them with a 3-D effect. On the bed of the truck are now 7,030 miniature flags, each one representing a hero. Coins minted locally at the Highland Mint honor soldiers who, like Lt. Todd Weaver, gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country while fighting in Afghanistan.

“Thanks to Rick, the fallen will not be forgotten,” Todd’s father, Donn Weaver, said.

HOW TO SOLVE:

“We completely restored it,” said Beech, who was helped in the multi-year project by his son.

Like an ugly duckling transforming into a beautiful swan, the old truck shed the rust and dirt of years, emerging resplendent with a custom paint job, red-whiteand-blue re-upholstered seats and medallions representing branches of the Armed Forces. The hood enjoyed a metamorphosis with the patriotic artwork of a Palm Bay airbrush artist.

“Everything was done locally, because I also wanted

The old truck was reborn to tell the story of heroes and, like the soldier it honors, has served admirably as it raised awareness at the many special events Beech trailered it to.

“Every time in every venue his display enthralls all who attend,” Weaver said.

There is no more room for signatures, signaling the completion of the project. The Chevy continues doing the circuit of special events until next year, when it will be auctioned, with proceeds helping the Travis Mills

Solution, Puzzle page 33

to Sudoku:

Foundation, which assists post-911 veterans who have been injured in active duty or as a result of their service to the nations. Retired Staff Sgt. Mills is one of only five quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive. The unique project reflects the dedication of the man who created it.

“Having known Rick’s passion and seen the project expand and improve over seven years, his patriotism and honor are topped by few in our county,” Weaver said.

Join our team Drivers Wanted

Be

CLASSIFIED

PET HEALTH

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Rick Beech

The 1957 Chevy truck has a rebuilt engine prepared to drive several more years.

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Rick Beech

Rick Beech restored a 1957 Chevy truck to make it the ultimate patriotic vehicle

Golf — each course is different, challenging and playing opportunities abound on the Space Coast

BY ERNIE DORLING

The United States has more golf courses than any other country in the world, with more than 16,000 courses representing about 42% of the courses worldwide. And Florida has more courses than any other state in the union, possibly because Florida has an abundance of senior citizens with free time and disposable income. Oh yeah, Florida also has an abundance of sunshine.

On a recent afternoon, David Tomczak spoke enthusiastically about the game of golf. Tomczak, who started his career in golf as an assistant pro at the age of 20, recently retired as the general manager of the Duran Golf Club.

“I love the game,” he said. “Every round is a journey. However, people should understand that no matter who you are, you will never be perfect at it.”

Tomczak is a Professional Golf Association (PGA) professional who plays golf three days a week.

“Weekend and amateur golfers should take a few lessons,” He said. “Think of it as an investment in your game that will pay you dividends for years to come. Find someone you can connect with to help you.”

Most golfers would know that Tomczak is right: No matter how badly you play, it is always possible to get worse. There are few sports, if any, where lessons with a one-on-one instructor are the best way to learn the game.

Alex Basso, 69, of Viera, plays golf twice a week. “My goal is to always break 90,” he said.

Basso’s favorite group to play in is on Friday mornings at Patrick Space Force Base. “We’re called the Militia,” he said. “That’s because the majority of us are former military and/ or retired government employees. However, that is not a requirement to play with us.”

John Gowing, who runs the Militia league with the precision of the planners of Operation Overlord involving the D-Day invasion said, “the only real requirement to join our Friday league is access to the base. You can contact the pro shop and get an application for a golf pass. We have about 40 members, and while our target audience is seniors who are prior military or retired

government employees, everyone is welcome.”

Gowing has been playing golf for 45 years.

“What I love about the game,” he said, “is that no matter how many times you play it, the course is always different. The challenge is continuous.”

John Sherry, 81, of Suntree, has been playing golf on and off for 50 years and also plays in the Friday Militia group. “I love the game because it keeps me young, and somehow, provides a calming, relaxing environment,” Sherry said. “However, what disturbs me the most about the game is others who might be having a bad day doing things to interfere with mine.”

Sherry’s sentiments were echoed years ago by a very wise man and former PGA professional who said, “I was told by my father years ago, that no matter how poorly I was playing, I had no right to ruin anyone else’s round of golf.”

“That’s another thing about golf,” Tomczak told me, “It doesn’t build character, it defines it. You can learn a lot about people on the golf course, including how they deal with adversity.”

There is no dearth of golf courses in Brevard County. Playing opportunities abound. Area golf clubs host numerous men’s and women's leagues and golf groups. For those couples who want to play together or simply work on their short game, the par 3 course at Duran is the perfect solution. Duran hosts a Friday

night couples league where everyone is welcome.

You can play golf well into your 90s if you take reasonable care of yourself, both physically and mentally. Clint Eastwood, when asked about golf and aging, said, “I wake up every morning and don’t let the old man in. If you think you’re old, if you talk about it enough, you will be.”

Maybe it’s time for a lot

of people to throttle back on our talks about all of our medical ailments and do what professional golfer

Nick Price suggested about

playing golf: “Spend more time with the people who make you laugh, and you’ll always have something to look forward to.” VV

VIERA VOICE Ernie Dorling

Alex Basso and John Sherry enjoy playing golf while socializing with friends. Florida is the state with the most golf courses in the United States.

VIERA VOICE Ernie Dorling

David Tomczak, the retired general manager of the Duran Golf Course, encourages people to take golf lessons to improve their game. It will pay off in the future

MAY 4

Vietnam And All Veterans Reunion

May 4 - 7

35th annual event with music, vendors, displays, helicopters and The Moving Wall.

Wickham Park 2500 Parkway Drive Melbourne, 321-690-0805

MAY 5

Moon Light 5K and Dolphin Dash

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Great Trips planned for 2023

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus Live May 20 — $138

This live comedy show is more than meets the eye. Meet someone who has resisted Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus and its message for years, but then meets the author, John Gray — now his experience leads him to share with others how he sees the relationships of men and women. This hysterical 90-minute show will have couples elbowing each other all evening as they see themselves on stage. Presented via different vignettes, topics will cover everything from dating to marriage to the bedroom! This trip is a go!

Glacier National Park and The Canadian Rockies with Calgary Stampede Option — July 15 - 23

New dates are set for July 15-23, 2023 or if you want to take in the Calgary Stampede join us on July 13 to begin your trip. As of 2022, Canada requires vaccination to enter their country. Rates starting at $3,250 pp based on double occupancy.

American Queen Empress — July 23 - 31

Sail on a paddlewheel boat on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Includes prenight hotel in Vancouver, Washington, unlimited beverages, and wifi, daily onboard enrichment and hop-on/off in each port of call.

Key West 17 Annual Holiday Trip — Dec. 3 - 6

Includes breakfast daily, 2 lunches, 2 dinners and sunset sail with live band and drinks. This trip sells out every year. Nonrefundable deposit of $100 due by June 1. Final payment due by Oct. 1.

321-631-8080

Golf course run 5K and 1-mile kids run. Spessard Holland Golf Course 2374 Oat St. Melbourne Beach 321-720-4342

Friday Night Dancing at the VMC

6:30 p.m. Veterans Memorial Center 400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway

Merritt Island, 321-453-1776

Platinum Coast Orchid Society 58th annual Orchid Show

May 5 - 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

May 6 - 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

May 7 - 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Kiwanis Island Park Gym

951 Kiwanis Island Park Road

Merritt Island 321-525-7540

Friday Afternoon at the

Movies

1 - 3 p.m.

“Legacy Park”

Aging Matters

3600 W. King Street

Cocoa, 321-806-3752

MAY 6

Tough Gator 5K Mud Run

8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

35 challenging and muddy obstacles. The event supports orphans in Africa. 885 East Hall Road

Merritt Island, 321-453-0350

2023 Town of Melbourne Beach Founders Day

8 a.m.

Arts, crafts, entertainments, presentations, and food vendors.

Ryckman Park

507 Ocean Ave. Melbourne Beach 321-724-5860

Cardboard Boat Regatta

10 a.m. - noon

Boats must be constructed of cardboard and duct tape only.

Call for rules and to register. McLarty Park

790 Barton Blvd. Rockledge, 321-633-1874

Brevard Alzheimer's Car Giveaway and BBQ

3 - 5:30 p.m.

Annual barbecue and car drawing.

American Muscle Car Museum

3500 Sarna Road Melbourne, 321-253-4430

Veteran Owned Business

Down for Derby Gala and Auction

5:30 - 10 p.m.

Benefit for families and individuals in Brevard with Down syndrome. Silent and live auction hosted by Sheriff Wayne Ivey, dinner and entertainment.

Hilton Rialto

200 Rialto Place

Melbourne, 321-579-3296

Armed Forces Day

Rescue 5K

6:30 p.m.

DRS Community Center

1089 S. Patrick Drive Satellite Beach, runsignup.com

MAY 7

Major League Baseball

Pitch, Hit & Run

9 a.m. – noon

This program is a free event series for boys and girls, and consists of a series of movements that are important in baseball and softball.

Liberty Park

895 Carlyle Ave., SE Palm Bay, 321-952-3444

First Responders

Appreciation BBQ (Hero Fest)

11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Center

400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway

Merritt Island, 321-960-2033

Totes Against Trafficking

Purse Bingo

2 - 5 p.m.

Proceeds benefit Life Recaptured. Win designer purses & totes with 15 rounds of bingo; plus, raffles, prizes for the best table décor.

Moose Lodge

3150 N. Courtenay Parkway Merritt Island, 321-452-9061

Clowns, Beasts and Beauty

3 p.m.

Concert by the Space Coast Flute Orchestra.

First Baptist Church of Brevard

4300 N. Wickham Road

Melbourne, 321-385-7236

Ron Teixeira Trip

2 - 4 p.m.

Ron Teixeira Trip featuring the Space Coast Jazz Society’s 2023 scholarship winners.

Veterans Memorial Center

400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway Merritt Island, 321-453-1776

MAY 9

Brevard Parkinson’s Alliance

10 a.m. – noon

Seminar about Parkinson’s disease and related dementias.

Bring your questions. A light brunch will be provided.

Greater Palm Bay Senior Center

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

Social Media for Beginners

1 - 2:30 p.m.

Cocoa Beach Library

550 N. Brevard Ave. Cocoa Beach, 321-868-1104

MAY 11

Benefits of Affirmations & Journaling

1 -2 p.m.

Aging Matters

3600 W. King Street

Cocoa, 321-806-3752

MAY 12

Friday Afternoon at the Movies

1 - 3 p.m.

“Puss in Boots”

Aging Matters

3600 W. King Street Cocoa 321-806-3752

MAY 13

Run for the Gecko 5K

6:45 a.m. Race proceeds benefit the Eau Gallie High School running programs.

Wickham Park

2500 Parkway Drive

Melbourne 321-751-8890

Melbourne's MEGA Rummage Sale

8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Melbourne Auditorium

625 E. Hibiscus Blvd.

Melbourne 321-608-7420

Summer Art & Craft Fair

May 13, 14

10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Historic Cocoa Village

434 Delannoy Ave. Cocoa 321-631-9075

Decades of Music On Ice: Space Coast Iceplex

3 p.m. Iceplex

720 Roy Wall Blvd. Rockledge 321-504-7500

City of Rockledge annual Charity Golf Tournament

7 a.m.

Benefit for the Brevard Achievement Center.

Turtle Creek Golf Course

1278 Admiralty Blvd. Rockledge, 321-221-7540

MAY 15

Make Gratitude Jars

1 - 2:30 p.m.

Aging Matters

3600 W. King Street Cocoa, 321-806-3752

MAY 16

Space Coast Poets

5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Suntree/Viera Library

902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-255-4404

MAY 17

Space Coast Modern Quilt Guild

9 a.m. - noon

Suntree/Viera Library

902 Jordan Blass Drive Suntree, 321-255-4404

MAY 19

Cape Canaveral’s 60th Birthday Celebration

6:30 – 10 p.m.

Ice cream social and movie in the park. Movie is Disney’s “Encanto.” Canaveral City Park 7920 N. Orange Ave. Cape Canaveral 321-868-1220

Ladies Sewing Group

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Aging Matters

3600 W. King Street Cocoa, 321806-3752

MAY 24

2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season Public Outreach

6 - 7 p.m.

The National Weather Service Melbourne discusses the upcoming 2023 Atlantic Hurricane season and how to be prepared for it. City of Cape Canaveral 100 Polk, 321-868-1200

Swingtime Concert

7 p.m.

A salute to jazz conductor Gene Egge. Melbourne Municipal Band. Melbourne Auditorium

DOWNTOWN MELBOURNE

Brevard County's Original French Bakery SUNTREE PLAZA 6977 N.