Space Coast LIVING - Fall 2020

MEETING ABUSE VICTIMS WHERE THEY ARE > PAGE 74 • SPACECOASTLIVING.COM FALL 2020

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FALL 2020 5

TABLE OF CONTENTS 22 Hawaiian Shave Ice Brings

Home Taste of the Big Island

32 Once Upon a Theme Park 47 New Pediatric Dentist Expands Practice in Melbourne

68 EGAD Back in Business 78 Living Shoreline: Protecting the Indian River Lagoon

92 Holy Trinity Grad Pursues Bio-Medical Innovation

94 Higher Education

Responds to Pandemic “Heart of Paradise”

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About the Artist: Renee Decator is an award-winning local artist and friend who uses mixed media to create colorful presentations that are focused on nature, whimsy and her own experience. This painting, Heart of Paradise, hangs in my living room. For more: reneedecator.com, Instagram (@reneepaints) and Facebook (@rdecatorart)

PUBLISHER’S LETTER have always sought comfort and curiosity among letters and within words, in language, in the nuance of communication. Lately, I have been thinking about words and phrases that have become part of our new, collective vernacular: pandemic, new normal, socially distanced, lockdown, community spread, herd mentality, isolation.

That last one is particularly difficult for me, social a creature as I am. But, in my isolation, I have made time to reflect, to be still, and to learn to identify the feather-light tendrils of possibility that are hiding among the dark smoke of words defining these recent days.

Courage is everywhere as people reach outside themselves to support others in this time of need. The call has been heard; the streets filling with people hungry for change in mostly peaceful pronouncements of support and solidarity against hate, injustice and prejudice.

I have discovered a new confidence telling some of the stories you’ll find in this issue: in the conversations with high school grads who are on-fire-excited about what they will do to change the world; and promise in the way Stephanie Husted, the new(ish) leader at the Women’s Center, is redefining outreach to victims of domestic and sexual abuse (see the story on p. 74).

Here on the Space Coast and, indeed, as a nation, we are adjusting to new ways of thinking, new ways of connecting, new ways of being.

I pray you find strength to lend a hand to your neighbor, to reach across political divide and preconceived notions, to cast away hate and fear, to trust that every single one of us basically needs the same thing to survive and thrive: love, encouragement and hope.

And we hope you’ll patronize local businesses of every sort to help them thrive, as well. We are introducing our Best of the Space Coast 2020 on the pages that follow this letter. Make sure you visit our website to vote for your favorites and keep an eye out for announcements on our Best of the Space Coast winner’s Reveal Event, tentatively planned for November.

#BEKIND #STAYSTRONG #WEAREALLINTHISTOGETHER P.S.: Our charity highlight has been presented this month in a full page article on the Women's Center, p. 74.

Shawna

SHAWNA L . LUCAS, PUBLISHER

FALL 2020 7

Colleen J. Mitchell, AAMS®

Cameron B. Mitchell, AAMS®, CRPC®

FINANCIAL ADVISOR colleen.mitchell@edwardjones.com (321) 254-5202 OFFICE: Viera 7370 Cabot Ct., Suite 102 Viera, FL 32940

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Melbourne, FL 32935

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 We want to understand what’s most important to you. We’ll use an established process to build personalized strategies to help you achieve your goals. We will partner together throughout your life to help keep you on track.

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SpaceCoastLIVING.com Eric Wright, President EDITORIAL Shawna Lucas, Publisher Heather Motro, Assistant Managing Editor

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Cheyenne McCully, Creative & Print Operations Manager Evelyn Sutton, Creative Director

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Financial Strategies | Life Insurance | College Savings | Estate Considerations Preparing for Retirement | Living in Retirement

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SPACE COAST LIVING® 1900 S. Harbor City Blvd., Suite 117, Melbourne, FL 32901 Tel. (321) 622-5986 SpaceCoastLiving.com Space Coast LIVING® is a registered trademark of Space Coast Magzines, LLC (“SCM”). The contents of Space Coast LIVING, associated websites, and any other print or electronic publications published by SCM or related to the brand, including advertisements, articles, graphics, websites, web postings, photographs and all other information (“content”), are for informational purposes only, are protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, broadcast or modified in any way without the prior written consent of SCM, or in the case of third party content, the owner of that content. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. SCM does not necessarily endorse, verify, or agree with the content, and makes no warranties or representations, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or usefulness of any content. SCM shall not be held liable for any errors or omissions in the content. ©2020 All rights reserved. Any reproduction, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

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T R O P R I A E N R MELBOU BASED TUI LANDS UK“Tourism is our region’s biggest asset, and I look forward to the day when UK travelers are admiring our beaches, enjoying our restaurants, relaxing at our hotels and catching a Space Coast thrill at our attractions.”

- Jack L. Ryals, MLB Authority Chairman

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“Our new Orlando gateway will be perfectly situated to offer TUI UK customers total flexibility in designing their holidays.”

- Dawn Wilson, Managing Director at TUI Airways

T

by Eric Wright, President he Orlando Melbourne International Airport (MLB) – like Port Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center – has long been a gem in our collective tourism portfolio that makes the Space Coast both economically-robust and internationally-inviting. With an aerospace industry presence that is envied around the world, in just a few years the impact of a budding new partnership will have the tourism industry just as green.

For decades, Brevard’s ability to match those of larger municipal airports to the north and south has been more of a trickle than a tsunami. Even spillover from the booming cruise industry here has been limited due to theme parks and other attractions outside of our community which beckon tourists away.

But, thanks to tenacity, successful negotiations and the tireless efforts of airport leadership, particularly Executive Director Greg Donovan and MLB Authority Chairman Jack L. Ryals, that story is poised to change. And soon.

Beginning in 2022, TUI (also known as TUI Group) is an Anglo-German multinational travel and tourism company headquartered in Hannover, Germany.

Rated the largest holiday company in the world – with more than 1,600 travel agencies, six airlines with a fleet of over 150 aircraft worldwide, 380 hotels and resorts, 17 cruise ships and 70,000 employees – will make Melbourne the Florida gateway for all their customers traveling to the region, an estimated combination of more than 150,000 travelers each year.

Specifically, TUI plans to bring 126,000 beach and 30,000 cruise passengers to MLB annually on their fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners, using the Orlando Melbourne International airport as both the arrival and departure point.

Of all tourist types, statistics bear out that international travelers tend to stay longer (averaging nine nights) and spend more (averaging $3,241 per visitor).

When those foreign visitors are not landing and immediately bussing over to Central Florida theme parks, instead planning to rent cars and visit local beaches, shop at area retailers and patronize Brevard’s hotels and restaurants, the economic impact is staggering.

Photos by Jason Hook Photography

According to Dawn Wilson, Managing Director at TUI Airways: “We’re committed to offering our customers an outstanding airline and holiday experience and we are delighted to be working with Orlando Melbourne Airport on their exciting expansions plans.”

“Our new Orlando gateway will be perfectly situated to offer TUI UK customers total flexibility in designing their holidays.”

FALL 2020 15

Rolling Out the Red Carpet The effort to win TUI’s business was a process that unfolded over the past five years. Donovan and the airport authority leadership initially lost on their first attempt to lure TUI from Sanford, but afterwards redoubled efforts by carrying out over $100 million in airport infrastructure improvements, including a new U.S. Federal Inspection Station for international visitors, the complete refurbishment of three of the airport’s principal runways and the clearly-visible new air traffic control tower.

Terminal expansion will soon move from the planning to the construction phase and will include unique concessions, innovative passenger amenities and other family-friendly features that will provide an entertaining, speedy, stressfree and uncongested experience to travelers.

Offering a personalized introduction to Florida, holidaymakers will be welcomed to the airport by MLB’s team of multi-lingual international ambassadors with a glass of fresh Florida orange juice and before being assisted with any onward arrangements. Additionally, concierge services, public and private transfer options and major rental car companies will be immediately accessible upon arrival.

These amenities will aid in the priority to recruit more international and domestic flights into the airport. And in what can best be de­scribed as a win/win outcome, just as the UK tourist season starts to slow in the fall, Central Florida’s Canadian snowbird season ramps up. MLB’s visionary expansion of the terminal will only help its efforts to attract Canadian airlines.

It is estimated that some 4.7 million UK visitors come to the U.S. each year, resulting in a travel spend of over $12 Billion.

With the collapse of the 178-year-old UK travel giant Thomas Cook Group, TUI’s share of that market in the UK and throughout Europe has spiked. By making the Space Coast its Florida gateway, the benefits to area businesses and residents are varied and lucrative. Revenues from tourism tax fees will climb, likely resulting in infrastructure improvements and new crop of restaurants and destinations that will be attractive to both visitors and locals alike. “This is a major win for Melbourne and our entire region,” said Ryals.

“Tourism is our region’s biggest asset, and I look forward to the day when UK travelers are admiring our beaches, enjoying our restaurants, relaxing at our hotels and catching a Space Coast thrill at our attractions.”

The global coronavirus pandemic has brought challenges with major impacts to airlines, airports and tourism.

While international travel is on hold, MLB has a unique opportunity to overcome the latest travel challenges and become a leading international airport by future-proofing the terminal with the latest technologies. Plans are to incorporate the latest health and touchless technologies, automated screening, faster processing with advanced biometrics and enhanced queuing and spaced out shopping and waiting areas.

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Welcoming Visitors to our Slice of Paradise The introduction to the Space Coast for TUI travelers will be the opportunity to fly into what has been voted the most scenic of airport approaches in the U.S.

by PrivateFly.com.

With incredible vistas of the Cape, jetsetters crossing over the Atlantic beaches and the Indian River Lagoon are set for an unparalleled experience during clear conditions. At night, the spectacle is even more dramatic, with twinkling lights dotting the coastal landscape.

It is estimated that some 4.7 million UK visitors come to the U.S. each year, resulting in a travel spend of over $12 Billion.

To help make that travel experience more comprehensive, TUI is making plans to homeport one its cruise ships (branded under Marella Cruise Lines) at Port Canaveral. The 1800+ passenger Marella Discovery will have 11 ports-of-calls, including New York, Key West and New Orleans.

Greg Donovan has worked long and hard to position MLB as an exceptional Florida destination, not just for TUI passengers, but also as a state-ofthe-art facility that other airports will emulate.

He summed it up saying, “TUI’s proven product, combined with MLB’s exceptional concierge

services will make for an unprecedented customer experience for UK holidaymakers traveling to Florida. With more than $100 million of investment into MLB’s airport facilities over the last few years, and much more on the way, MLB will be

Average number of nights per visit

We are preparing for the future, even with today’s historic challenges, and are aiming for better days in 2022.” •

of 4.7 million annual UK travellers that visit the U.S come to Florida

GET TO KNOW

THE UK TRAVELER

practically the newest and most modern airport in Florida.”

average spending per visitor

Average age of UK travellers that visit the U.S. FALL 2020 17

Sparkling

with

Patriotism

hh, the unofficial launch of Summer: Fourth of July, outdoor barbecues and nights lit up with fireflies and sizzly sparkler sticks. If you can, beat the heat with these festive foods that can be combined for a feast among friends or prepared individually for secret savoring.

STAR-SPANGLED BLUEBERRY PIE Ingredients: 1 Package Refrigerated Pie Crust 6 Cups Fresh Blueberries ¾ Cup Sugar ¼ Cup Cornstarch ½ Tsp Ground Cinnamon 1 Tb Lemon Juice 18 SPACE COAST LIVING

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Directions: Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Set aside.

Line a pie dish with a refrigerated pie crust. Pour the blueberry mixture into the crust-lined pie dish. Bake on a baking sheet on the center rack for 50-60 minutes. While the pie is baking, cut out stars with the 2nd pie crust using a cookie cutter. Arrange on a cookie sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown. Allow pie to fully cool for 2-3 hours before adding star crust and serve!

SPACECOASTLIVING.COM

CAPTAIN AMERICA'S PIZZA (KID BAKING APPROVED) Makes: 1 Medium Sized Pizza Ingredients: 1 Package Refrigerated Pizza Dough ¼ to ½ Cup Favorite Pizza Sauce 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 25-30 Slices Pepperoni

Directions: Preheat the oven to pizza dough's specifications. (Have an adult help with the oven.) With a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut stars out of pepperoni slices. Set aside. Stretch or roll out your premade pizza dough on a pizza baking sheet. Evenly spread pizza sauce over the top of your dough with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle a layer of mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce. Place the star pepperoni pieces on top of the mozzarella. Bake according to your pizza dough's specifications.

Let cool for a few minutes before having an adult help cut and serve!

FALL 2020 19

PATRIOTIC PARFAITS Makes: 4 Parfaits Ingredients: 1 ¾ Cups Vanilla Yogurt 1 ½ Cup Strawberries, Chopped ¾ Cup Blueberries You’ll also need tall water or iced tea glasses, or champagne flutes for fun

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Directions: To the bottom of 3 tall glasses, add equal amounts of vanilla yogurt. Add a layer of chopped strawberries to each glass. Add a final layer of blueberries.Add a sparkler to each glass, light, and serve immediately with care.

SPACECOASTLIVING.COM

FIREWORKS FRUIT & FETA SALAD Servings: 4 Ingredients: 1 medium or ¼ large watermelon, or 6 - 8 pre-sliced wedges 1 Cup Strawberries 1 Cup Blueberries ½ Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese ¼ Cup Fresh Mint Leaves Olive oil, salt and pepper Fresh Lime

By Harmony Lynn Goodson, Contributing Writer

Directions: Slice the watermelon into thin wedges and cut with a starshaped cookie cutter. Add the star-shaped watermelon pieces, strawberries, and blueberries to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Top with feta cheese, and fresh mint leaves. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Toss with olive oil, salt/pepper and a squeeze of fresh lime before serving.

CHECK OUT MORE OF HARMONY’S WORK HERE: Website: harmonylynn.com | Instagram: @harmonylynngoodson FALL 2020 21

or more than half of his life, Keone Silva has been taking orders. As a high school graduate, he entered the Air Force at 17, and worked his way up the ranks to the officer’s status of Major, working in logistics and later retraining as a graphic designer for the organization.

He always kept close ties to his Hawaiian heritage, reflecting along the path of his life about the important customs and spiritual underpinnings of the island state, which is deeply rooted in respect for elders, the land and a mindset of deep gratitude for the abundance of life.

Shave ice creations come in three sizes: Small (6 oz. for $3), Medium (8 oz. for $5) and Large (12 oz. for $7), in a rainbow of flavorful options which can be mixed or sold solo, including: Banana, Blue Coconut, Vanilla, Pink Lemonade and Watermelon, for example, in natural flavors; Blue Bubble Gum, Green Apple, Mango, Root bear and Green Apple, for example, in regular flavors.

Toppings such as sweetened condensed milk, ice cream and gummies can be added for $1 more.

Now Keone is taking orders of a different sort.

No longer outfitted in the classic navy uniform that he wore for decades, the retired officer and entrepreneur now wears a Hōkū Hawaiian Shave Ice shirt and hat, and watches intently from inside his custom treats truck as customers decide on flavor variations that include a selection of natural flavors, with no added sweeteners, and regular flavors, with added sweeteners.

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By Shawna L. Lucas, Publisher

TREATS TRUCK The Hōkū Hawaiian Shave Ice Truck—colorfully emblazoned with the logo Keone designed himself, coupled with vibrant, larger than life images of shave ice and fresh fruits, started testing flavors and combinations last year, pre-shutdown.

The pandemic slowed Keone’s start up pace a bit, but now, as businesses begin to open back up and events start to be planned, he is again testing sites and looking for opportunities to share the childhood treat that he loved so much as a young boy growing up on the Big Island.

Recently, he was invited to park the truck at the Marine Bank and Trust in Suntree. As fate would have it, after transferring his business account to the bank, Keone learned that bank manager Charlie McCoach also grew up in Hawaii and even attended the same high school just a few years later. “When he realized this, he invited us out to park the truck and bought shave ice for everyone at the bank that first visit,” he said.

GUIDING STAR Keone is philosophical about this transition to business ownership, likening the journey to navigating the stars. Hōkū means “star” in Hawaiian, and when Keone and his wife, local attorney Jessica Silva, started thinking about post-retirement plans, they knew they wanted to run a family business with purpose, meaning and fun.

So, they settled on the idea of recreating a bit of the island culture on the Space Coast, and also adopted an “Aloha Friday mentality,” in the spirit of celebrating the end of the work week with family, friends and colleagues.

With the shave ice truck, everyday can be an Aloha Friday, a time to celebrate and honor our family, our friends and our good fortune, he said. “This is the time in our lives to slow down a bit, and enjoy family, life and special people,” he said.

For more information on Hōkū Hawaiian Shave Ice Truck, “Veteran owned, Ohana operated,” including planned upcoming locations or to hire for an event, please visit online at hokushaveice.com or call 321-345-3443. • FALL 2020 23

ntributing Writer

By Harmony Lynn Goodson, Co

before

COLLE GE If your high school graduate is heading to college in the Fall, you might want to embark on a culinary adventure right from home to be sure his or her new dining repertoire consists of more than the standby Ramen noodles and Red Bull binges.

Learning this roundup of easy dishes will help your frosh fend for themselves with just about any recipe, and they’re equally as good for kids of any age, as long as supervised by an adult (for the wee ones). Another bonus is your student can take this knowledge forward and get creative to fancy things up, such as swapping ingredients or toppers to taste.

INGREDIENTS: 1 Tbs Unsalted Butter, room temperature 2 Slices Artisan White Bread Cheddar Cheese, 3-4 thinly sliced pieces Gruyere Cheese, 3-4 thinly sliced pieces DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat a cast-iron grill pan on a stovetop over medium heat.

2. Spread the butter on one side of each piece of bread.

3. Lower the pieces of bread to the pan, buttered side down.

4. Add the cheese evenly on one piece of bread.

5. Let cook for a few minutes, until the cheese starts to melt.

6. With a spatula or tongs, combine the bread pieces to make a sandwich.

7. Cook and flip until grill marks are visible (but not burned) and cheese is melted.

INGREDIENTS: 2 Boneless Chicken breasts 1 Cup Rice + 2 Cups Water 4 Tbs Unsalted Butter 1 Tbs Lemon Juice 1 Tbs Olive Oil Salt & Pepper to Taste DIRECTIONS: 1. In a small pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the rice, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and let cook for 20 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the water.

2. While the rice cooks, heat 1 Tbs of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on one side, flip and repeat on the other side.

4. In a medium skillet, melt 4 Tbs of butter over medium heat.

Stir continuously for about 3 minutes or until the butter becomes a light brown color. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

5. Plate the rice and chicken and pour the brown butter and lemon sauce on top.

INGREDIENTS: 1 Box (16 oz) Elbow Macaroni 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour 1 1/2 Cups Whole Milk 2 1/2 Cups Half & Half 4 Cups Cubed Velveeta Cheese 2 Cups Grated Gruyere Cheese 1/2 Tbs Salt 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper 1 Tsp Paprika Optional Toppings: Crumbled Spicy Doritos or Cheese-Its! DIRECTIONS: 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about two minutes less than the recommended time, drain and toss with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking. Set aside.

2. Grate the Gruyere cheese and cube the Velveeta.

3. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.

4. Once melted, add the flour and whisk to combine, creating a roux.

Slowly pour the milk and half & half to the pot and whisk continuously until it thickens.

5. Remove pot from heat, add the cubed Velveeta, 1 Cup of the Gruyere Cheese, and whisk until melted and combined.

6. Combine the cooked macaroni and cheese sauce into one large pot and stir together.

7. Pour macaroni and sauce into the greased casserole dish, top with remaining grated Gruyere cheese, and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

8. Serve hot with optional toppings!

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INGREDIENTS: 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, Melted 2 Cups Sugar 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract 4 Eggs 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder 1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder 1/2 Tsp Salt 1/2 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, grease an 8x11” casserole or non-stick pan 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs with a spatula.

3. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

Stir until well mixed.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips.

5. Pour batter into casserole dish.

6. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.

7. Let cool on the counter until firm for an additional 30 minutes before cutting.

Here’s a sampling of a few well-reviewed cookbooks for college-bound students:

1

The best of the basics (and a whole lot more) from the former NY Times Food Columnist, Mark Bittman. This book is a treasure trove of easy to follow recipes for all occasions using simple techniques, basic kitchen equipment and fresh ingredients.

2

> From $12.49 on Amazon Prime 26 SPACE COAST LIVING

3 The Everything College Cookbook will help jumpstart your meal plan in minutes.

Whether you’re cooking for one or multitudes with a hot plate, studio stove or microwave, you’ll find everything you need to create fantastic meals that won’t take tons of time.

> From $16.99 on Amazon Prime |

SPACECOASTLIVING.COM

Eating Vegan is packed with vegan recipes that are simple to make and includes a starter guide to plant-based eating.

You’ll also find nutritional information with every recipe, plus first-timer tips to help you get the most out of your meals.

> From $13.20 on Amazon Prime

4

Real meals with real food, in an easy to follow guide that is centered around 10 basic lessons to inspire confidence in the kitchen.

Also included are notes on knife skills, essential (and nonessential) cooking tools, and stocking your pantry.

> From $12.29 on Amazon Prime

Author Kimberly C. Mo

ore

NEW BOOK DETAILS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT

By Shawna L. Lucas, Publisher

It’s been 13 long years since a love triangle involving two NASA astronauts and a Cape Canaveral Air Force Station captain made front page news, but a new book by former Space Coast resident & Florida Today reporter Kimberly Moore is offering surprising insights into the bizarre situation that captured the attention of the world.

“STAR CROSSED, THE STORY OF ASTRONAUT LISA NOWAK,” currently available for pre-order purchase on Amazon ahead of its September 1 release, chronicles the criminal investigation via the detective’s questioning of Nowak and his thoughts on her state of mind, along with extensive research into NASA’s policies on astronaut mental health care.

Originally, Kimberly had started working on the book in 2007 while covering the yearslong case for Florida Today.

Notes Gone after Home Theft However, in what can best be described as a series of unfortunate events, including the theft of her home computer and an external hard drive that contained all of her research on the story, the debut was delayed.

FALL 2020 27

“I had, at that point, emailed most all of my chapters - about half the book at that time - to a friend, so I was able to piece it all back together, but it was a really scary moment to realize that someone had taken a substantial amount of my work when they robbed me,” she said.

The story, which rocked headlines around the globe, was almost too sensational to comprehend: An accomplished naval officer, Lisa Nowak was a jet pilot who had checked out on more than 30 complex types of aircraft, logging over 1,500 hours before being accepted to the astronaut’s program at NASA. Just seven months prior to her arrest, Lisa was part of the Shuttle Discovery crew, serving as flight engineer, medical officer and mission specialist in robotics.

Love Triangle At the time of her arrest at the Orlando airport, Lisa had driven some 900 miles from Houston to confront U.S. Air Force Captain Colleen Shipman, the new girlfriend of Lisa’s former lover, William Oefelein, a former Navy test pilot and Space Shuttle pilot for the NASA astronauts Corps. A bag found in her car at the time was filled with what could best be described as tools of malice: rubber tubing, large black garbage bags, a knife, a BB pistol, and a steel mallet, Kimberly said.

Luckily for Colleen, the attempt was thwarted after she was able to escape in her car, despite being pepper sprayed by Lisa. A police officer arrested her at the scene and the drama began to unfold for the world to see. “I got a call from my metro editor, who wanted me at the jail the morning after her arrest for her release,” Kimberly said.

Lisa was first charged with attempted kidnapping, burglary of a conveyance and battery. Just as she was set to be released, the State Attorney’s office and Orlando Police decided to add an additional charge of attempted murder. She pleaded not guilty and was released on $25,500 bail.

28 SPACE COAST LIVING

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Kimberly said her curiosity was in overdrive during this time. She sought to understand, and report on, how someone so accomplished, with so many talents, could have devolved to a place where this 900-mile drive and confrontation scenario seemed like something reasonable enough to plan and follow through on.

The answers would come over time as she poured into records, NASA documents and psychiatric evaluations that detailed some of Lisa’s childhood behaviors that Kimberly believes signaled Lisa’s then-undiagnosed Asperger’s Syndrome.

From High Performing to Highly-Pressured But it was the events of December 2007 that saw Lisa descend into mental illness. “In the span of one month, her husband (with whom she had been living, but from whom she was estranged) moved out; and her lover, William, stopped communicating with her, Kimberly said.

“She lost out on one of the few shuttle missions left and her parents stopped talking to her when they found out about her pending divorce. She stopped eating, she wasn’t sleeping, she lost 20 pounds in about a month. There really was something very wrong.”

Kimberly said there was speculation that Lisa had been traumatized by the Space Shuttle Columbia explosion in 2003, though it’s not clear what mental health services were offered at the time, all as she was caring for the family of friend and fellow astronaut Laurel Clark.

Mental Health Evaluations She was only evaluated once – years earlier – when she was interviewed for the space program,” Kimberly said.

A former NASA psychiatrist noted that the number of hours spent psychologically analyzing astronaut candidates decreased from 30

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hours for the Mercury program to ten hours for Gemini and Apollo candidates in the 1960s to just three hours for the space shuttle program.

That changed after Lisa’s arrest.

Since this event, NASA has instituted regular psychiatric evaluations of its corps and also created a Written Code of Conduct after it dismissed both William and Lisa following the incident, the only two astronauts ever sent back to their military branches.

Conclusion of Trial At her trial, Lisa pleaded “No Contest” to the charges and Judge Marc Lubet withheld adjudication, meaning Lisa would not be formally charged and would be released with time served: the one day she spent in jail. She also served a probationary period and her attorney managed to get the court records sealed, “as though it never happened at all,” Kimberly said.

An August 2010 military hearing concluded that Lisa - a Naval Academy graduate, should be dismissed from the U.S. Navy with an “other than honorable” discharge and her rank bumped down from Captain to Commander.

While embarrassing, it allowed her to keep her $6,000-a-month pension.

Moving On Lisa has remained out of the spotlight since her probation ended, flying these days mostly under the radar and working in the private sector in Texas. William and Colleen were married in 2010 and are raising a son together in Alaska.

Kimberly, too, has moved on. She left the Space Coast in 2010 and works as an investigative reporter at The Ledger in Lakeland, Florida, but she returns often to reconnect with friends and the beaches here. •

Star Crossed, the Story of Astronaut Lisa Nowak is available for pre-sale through Sept. 1 for $28.95 on Amazon

Excerpt from Chapter 1 of “Star Crossed, The Story of Astronaut Lisa Nowak,” by Kimberly C. Moore.

To read the entire chapter, scan the QR CODE on the right with your smartphone camera!

THE DRIVE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2007 Astronaut Lisa Nowak woke up in her Houston home at the end of a cul-de-sac on Parsley Hawthorne Court that Saturday, not intending to launch herself into infamy.

Nowak was alone in the red brick house. Her 14-year-old son and 5-year-old twin girls were spending the weekend with her husband, who had moved out just before Christmas. Her son’s birthday was that coming week.

She looked into the room with her vast collection of stamps for making cards, the stamps with which her girls loved to play. Her crop of 400 African violet cuttings were growing throughout the house, although some were wilting after weeks of neglect. She had propagated them from just eight plants left behind by her friend Dr. Laurel Clark, who had died on board the Space Shuttle Columbia. It was as though, in her mind, the woman’s life somehow continued through these plants.

Lining some of her bookshelves were rows of the crime novels she told reporters she liked to read.

She had been thinking about what she needed to do for herself, envisioning it, planning it, for nearly a month--ever since her boyfriend told her he was seeing someone else.

In mid-January, she had logged in to her work computer on the sixth floor of an office building at Johnson Space Center and went to the MapQuest site to get directions from Houston to Orlando. She had gone to her local Sports Authority and bought a knife and BB pistol, along with ammunition and a can of pepper spray, paying cash for it all.

That week, at her boyfriend’s apartment and on his USS Nimitz aircraft carrier stationery, she had hastily scribbled his new girlfriend’s flight itinerary, her unlisted home phone number that she had found in his phone bill-the number he called repeatedly.

Most importantly, she wrote down the hour that this woman, Colleen Shipman, would arrive back in Orlando on a United Airlines jet late Sunday night, February 4th.

At home that Saturday morning, Nowak packed her black duffel bag. Like any well-trained NASA employee with an obsessive attention to detail, she had made a list of what she needed: knife, BB pistol, ammunition, hammer, plastic gloves, and a disguise. And cash--a lot of cash to pay for gas and hotels.

No need to leave a paper trail of credit card and debit card purchases. She wrote it all down on her astronaut “flight events/ history/briefing” stationery.

She got into her husband’s blue BMW, with its fading paint, and left her suburban home, the one with the snapdragons planted around the brick mailbox. She headed to her local grocery store, and, at just about 1:00 p.m., she bought a phone card with 100 minutes, paying $6.50 in cash. She had left her cell phone, with its tracking device, at home.

It was a cool day on the first Saturday in February. She was leaving behind her office on the sixth floor at the famed Johnson Space Center, a place where she had spent 10 years perfecting maneuvers in space shuttle and space station replicas, and in simulated zero gravity, packed into the bulk of a space suit. She worked with a team of people who, like her, were the most elite professionals in the world.

And like her, they had perfect credentials, perfect track records, and perfect personal lives. At least to someone peering into their tiny capsule, that’s how it all seemed.

Her plan was perfect, too. Nothing could go wrong, she thought.

She merged onto I-45 and then onto I-10, to make a turn that would, nearly a thousand miles later, allow the world to watch her tumble from her privileged pedestal. But for now, her mind was on one thing alone: finding her boyfriend’s new love interest so she could, hopefully, get him back.

Her trajectory to astronaut was a textbook example of creating a plan, following it, and achieving it. •

STAYCATION POSSIBILITIES. With a Staycation, you can relieve stress, reconnect with one another and see everything Florida’s Space Coast has to offer!

Start exploring with our ultimate staycation planner.

Plan your staycation at SpaceCoastStaycation.com FALL 2020 29

or 14 years, Scott Earick has been creating his own brand of culinary craft from a tiny kitchen adjacent to the glittering bar at his much-loved restaurant, Scott’s on Fifth in Indialantic.

Along the way, he has amassed a loyal following of regulars and visitors who tuck into the red-walled dining room with oversized art prints, twinkling LED lights and the low bass thumping of ambient music.

GREAT SCOTT!

Tables here are covered in crisp white cloths, martinis and Manhattans served in champagne coupes. Shedding the heat and sand of the outside, most people who come here feel transported by the ambiance, by Scott’s affable personality and by the delicious meals and desserts he skillfully (and lovingly) prepares by hand.

Chef Scott Earick Connects through Food with Heart

When Covid-19 struck, Scott, a James Beard House Featured Chef, says he had just “crossed the line into profitability” after years of running his restaurant. A wave of panic struck as Scott realized that the small amount of profit he had managed to squirrel away was going to quickly, ahem, get eaten by the uncertainty of the times. Then a lightning bolt of an idea allowed him to reframe the crisis.

When They Can’t Join You, You Join Them Knowing he could not, like other restaurants who had adapted to the shutdown, provide take out service, nor could he open the restaurant to his beloved clients, he switched the narrative.

“I decided if my customers can’t come to me, then I am going to go to them.”

Years earlier, while living in Tallahassee, Scott had starred and produced in a local television series called Capitol Dish. The shows features Scott with local politicians, hipsters, influencers and the like, cooking together and chatting in cheeky 30-minute segments.

After the shutdown and a brief conversation with his husband, Hank Huston, he decided to launch past episodes from the series through his restaurant’s Facebook page. After two days of release, “I realized that we were attracting quite a bit of attention.” At that point, more than 400 people were watching.

30 SPACE COAST LIVING

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Story by Shawna L. Lucas, Publisher Photos by Jason Hook Photography

After more conversation with Hank, Scott decided on day three to again step in front of the camera to begin streaming live cooking videos, which, he says, is not being done anywhere else in the country (other cooking videos are heavily styled and pre-recorded).

he said. Instead, these dishes represent more of an everyday lineup of foods that viewers might not know how to cook but can easily follow along with Scott while he teaches - and preaches - to his choir of home chefs, many of whom are interacting live with him on the video.

Throughout the summer, Scott has been showing up behind the lens of Hank’s phone at 6:30 to talk watchers through simple-ish recipes, using easy-to-access ingredients. Hours earlier each day, he would release an ingredients list so viewers could gather together the needed spices, vegetables and meats to make the meal at home.

Hank expertly manages the video feed and helps field questions from the comments. Scott replies, giving feedback and instruction on ingredient swaps, or cooking techniques, for example. He also lets people into his heart, sharing his own fears and frustrations about the pandemic along with personal anecdotes, news of the day and updates on his home life, health and his beloved pets.

With his signature “Hey Everybody! It’s siiiix thirrrrrty, and you know what THAT means!” intro, champagne in hand, Scott launches into his nightly show, starting with a short presentation on whatever is on his mind or heart and then pulling together the ingredients to start the lesson.

Some of the streams have shown Scott in very vulnerable states. During the shutdown, he has lost two pets, a beloved cat named Mr. Peepers and Pepino, Scott’s 18-year-old dachshund. Each episode, he raised a glass of champagne to his fur babies, and then went on with the show. “I’m living life right in front of everyone, sharing my fears, my emotions, my love with everyone,” he said.

Follow Along, Cook at Home Although he’s cooking in the kitchen at his restaurant, “It’s not the same kind of food I serve there,”

Shrimp Scampi. Mock Paella. Thai Peanut Noodles.

Freeform Apple Pie with Homemade Caramel Sauce. These are some of the delectable dishes Scott whips up live, using store-bought (not procured) items from local retailers like Publix, Winn Dixie and the Indialantic Seafood Company.

The video presentations have evolved,” said Hank, noting “It started with people watching Scott cook and has changed now to many viewers cooking along with Scott.”

Viewers have logged in from as nearby as the Space Coast to as far away as London, with as many as 1,000 verified viewers on the live stream and up to three or four times that amount of interactions after they are posted.

SQUIRT Squad!

James Hanchett, a retired Air Force officer living in Warner Robbins, GA (about 90 miles outside Atlanta), has seen every video Scott has posted so far. When he’s not on lockdown, he visits the Space Coast area frequently and when he does, makes a stop at Scott’s on Fifth his first priority.

“Scott’s a rock star in the kitchen, I just love the man. It’s been so great to connect with him through these shows and I tell you, I’ve made at least 20 of the dishes and they are all… just…so… great.”

James’ affinity for Scott is echoed by a number of clientele that, pre-pandemic, made frequent stops to the restaurant, either while visiting from out of town or just driving a few miles from home.

Michelle Mason of Indialantic has been to the Scott’s restaurant a dozen or so

times since it opened and says it was always fantastic.

She says she has come to a whole new appreciation of Chef Scott since she started watching the streaming videos. “I always liked him,” she said with a giggle, but now “I love, LOVE, love him!” She’s watched about 15 or 20 episodes and her process has also evolved.

“I went from trying to cook along with Scott to realizing how marvelously skilled he is… he makes it look so easy, chatting and cracking jokes while he’s cooking while I am frantically rushing around my kitchen trying to keep up with him,” she said.

Now, Michelle sits down with a glass of wine to watch and comment on the episodes as they stream live, then goes back later to cook them at her own pace, able to stop the show or back up the tape when she needs more time to work out the process.

She also appreciates the access: “It’s like getting a backstage pass into a place you may not be able to go to all the time. And, you don’t have to give up a whole evening to learn something new,” she said, noting the 20 minutes, more or less, of actually cooking time. •

Q2020 COOKBOOK More access is coming. After Scott had to stop producing the videos to have surgery for skin cancer, he poured his energy into developing a Quarantine Cookbook with his good friend and Florida Today food and dining reporter Suzy Fleming Leonard. The two are meeting online daily to record the ingredients and preparation techniques together, which Suzy then formats accordingly into the cookbook format. Scott says he hopes the project will be completed by early Fall. Sales will be announced through his social media feeds, and a percentage of proceeds will be divided among charities that support animals, he said.

He also will restart the videos sometime in the near future, after he’s able to reopen the restaurant, anticipated late summer. “I love the show, it’s felt like a calling to me.

I’m glad I’m able to connect to my friends and clients through a time when many people can’t leave their homes or see other people, he said. “It’s been a great distraction for me and, I hope, for them as well.”

Scott Earick’s online cooking classes are available for viewing on his Facebook page. Scott’s on Fifth is located at 141 Fifth Avenue in Indialantic. For more information, call 321-729-9779 or visit scottsonfifth.com.

FALL 2020 31

Once Upon A Theme Park Jess Mack, Contributing Writer

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he time has finally come! After almost three months of shutdown, Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando reopened in early July.

This phased reopening does not yet include experiences that draw large gatherings such as fireworks and parades, and what Disney calls “high-touch” experiences, such as makeover opportunities, playgrounds and character meet-andgreets. But don’t let that dampen your Disney spirit… the loveable characters will still be visible throughout the parks, just keeping to socially distanced protocols!

The biggest news coming from the park’s reopening is the new reservation system, which will require all guests to obtain park entry reservations in advance to regulate park capacity.

Guests who have resort reservations this year, guests with tickets purchased and annual passholders will be able to make reservation requests in phases.

Guests will need a My Disney Experience account and a valid theme park ticket or annual pass.

Guests with a Disney resort hotel reservation must link it to their My Disney Experience account. Once you’ve logged into your account, you will be able to see the days available for reservation.

If you have purchased a multi-day ticket, you will need to make a reservation for each day of your visit. Guests will only be able to visit one park per day to help with capacity control, so no park hopping.

Disney has also cancelled all existing dining reservations.

I’ve personally had reservations cancelled as far out as September.

They also cancelled experience bookings such as behindthe-scenes tours.

Once the parks reopen, you will be able to make reservations again, but they will be moving from a 180-day booking window to a 60-day booking window to allow guests the opportunity to make plans closer to the time FALL 2020 33

Guest Requirements

of visit. Other cancellations included FastPass+ to allow the use of additional queue space to maintain social distancing and Extra Magic Hours.

Only select resorts will be opened into the foreseeable future: Disney Vacation Club resorts and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campgrounds are open at this time. Disney has enhanced their cleaning measures and will implement a number of other safety and cleanliness protocols amid reopening.

The biggest news coming from the park’s reopening is the new reservation system, which will require all guests to obtain park entry reservations in advance to regulate park capacity.

Guests of the theme parks and resorts will have to follow enhanced safety protocols as well.

Everyone two years of age and older will be required to wear face coverings in the theme parks and public areas of the resorts.

All guests will undergo temperature screenings prior to entering the parks and cashless transactions are highly recommended.

We have already experienced some of these procedures at Disney Springs, which opened in May. Upon entering, Cast Members take your temperature, face coverings are required, and social distancing markers are everywhere.

I do want to add that When you are eating or drinking, you do not need to wear a face covering, but, once you are finished you must put it back on.

For up-to-date information about the parks, visit online at disneyparks.disney.go.com and the Disney Parks Blog at disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/latest-stories/ 34 SPACE COAST LIVING | SPACECOASTLIVING.COM

It is a different theme park experience than what we are used to, but for now we can all be excited at the fact that our beloved Walt Disney World is finally open again, making the world a little more magical. •

FALL 2020 35

DIY PLANT-BASED INSECT REPELLENT 36 SPACE COAST LIVING

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SPACECOASTLIVING.COM

SUMMERTIME IN THE SUNSHINE STATE beckons us outdoors for beach time picnics, backyard barbeques, frosty cold drinks and digging around in the garden. Unfortunately, this time also has become synonymous with invisible no-seeums and buzzy mosquitos, which can turn a few hours planned for yardwork into the most dreadful of days.

The easiest way to avoid bites is to cover up, but let’s be honest, once August arrives, the heat and humidity often makes us want to wear less clothes, not more. To ward off pesky flying and stinging bugs, we’re offering a few recommendations.

Do They or Don’t They? A Word on the Repelling Power of Plants Before we dive in, it is important to understand that research does not support, generally, keeping insects at bay simply by planting plants with oils that repel them. It is when the oils of those plants are dispersed into the air or spread on your skin that insects turn their, um, noses up and dissipate. Similarly, using repelling scents in the form of incense is an effective way to keep pests away, most notably due to the scented tendrils of smoke alone. However, a recent study published through Mississippi State University did find that Florida’s native beautyberry shrub (Callicarpa) was enough to send mosquitoes buzzing over to the neighbor’s yard.

Essential Oils

By Amanda Rose Newton, Rockledge Gardens

Repellents featuring DEET and other chemicals have shown to be hazardous to our health, so plant-based essential oils are always a better option. The plants discussed below produce scents that are unfavorable to mosquitos, gnats, and a few other arthropods. Luckily, with the surge in popularity for aromatherapy, you can find these scents in an abundance of places, from online retailers to in-store selections at big box pharmacies and specialty candle shops, for example.

FALL 2020 37

MAKING SENSE OF SCENTS WITCH HAZEL: Derived from bark of Hamamelis virginiana, the oil from this shrub has great attributes as an anticoagulant and can be thought of as “pre-bite” care.

Follow the recipe below and try a few combinations to find your own unique Buzz Off Mosquito repellent blend!

MATERIALS

NEEM: From the Indian tree, Azadirachta indica, this oil has long been used as a natural pesticide. The Neem tree grows well in our tropical climate, providing ready access to a great repellent and wonderful product for all sorts of medicinal and self-care products.

ROSEMARY: As a general rule, the tastes and smells appreciated by humans are not usually appreciated by flies or bugs.

LEMONGRASS: Those strong scent of citronella candles you very likely have used at some point is from a type of lemongrass. The plant can be grown year-round in Florida and, luckily, the oil is readily available as well.

I find a 4 oz plastic bottle (easily found in bulk or in travel size section of stores) is convenient to carry and still allows enough room to shake up contents. Glass bottles also work well.

Now it’s time to put together a simple sprayable solution that will help keep the bugs away in a chemically-free solution that is kind to your skin and to the environment.

BASE INGREDIENTS This is the solution you will blend with your favorite oils to create your own Buzz Off blend.

• 2 tablespoons of Witch Hazel (you can also use Vodka in a pinch) • 2 tablespoons of Neem Oil • ½ teaspoon of Vodka (it makes a great preservative) • 100-120 drops of Essential Oil Blend • Repellent Blend

LEMON BALM: This is a hardy plant that can thrive in sandy soils and the rubbing the crushed leaves on your skin can help to deter mosquitos.

Different arthropods are repelled by different scents, so it is in your best interest to combine several types. This combination has successfully worked for me and it smells amazing.

• 55 drops of Lemon Eucalyptus

LAVENDER: Lavandula angustifolia is further proof that if it smells sweet, flies probably will fly on by. This purple flowering plant has the bonus of being naturally calming and stress relieving, a big win-win!

• 15 drops of Cedarwood Oil • drops of Lavender Oil • 15 drops of Rosemary Oil BLEND & APPLY! - Add base recipe to a spray bottle

CEDAR: Extracted from cedar oil, this has been used to control fleas on pets for decades.

It is also effective against other arthropods such as ticks, biting gnats, and mosquitos. That it is safe for pet use is a serious plus. The price is worth it as a small amount goes a long way.

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- Mix in the essential oil blend - Be sure to give the bottle a good shake before each use, as the oils will be oils and separate from the mixture.

- Reapply every few hours (as you would sunscreen) to ensure effectiveness.

Note: If this scent is too strong for you, try other blends to find the right combination for your skin and your surroundings.

FALL 2020 39

LOVE, LOSS & LOVE AGAIN: Water in Transit’s Hermann Bach’s Adventurous Life he road to Hermann Bach’s current business, Water in Transit, is paved with love, loss and adventure that started about 35 years ago, when the young man from Stuttgart, Germany, decided to take an overseas trip to “discover America.”

At the time, Hermann was a successful nightclub manager in the carefree times era of Donna Summer and the Bee Gees. But he was bored and craving adventure, so he boarded a jet to New York City with a backpack and his passport and headed for Cocoa Beach, 40 SPACE COAST LIVING

which he had heard about from friends at the clubs.

After a bad reaction to the yellow fever vaccination required for travel to the US forced a three week stay in Manhattan’s Red Light district, he finally headed south on a Greyhound Bus bound for Florida.

The bus went far further south than he planned, but he only realized his navigation miscalculation when he hailed a cab for Cocoa Beach from Miami the cabbie told him the fare: almost $600! He made it up anyway and |

SPACECOASTLIVING.COM

By Shawna L. Lucas

fell in love with the beach lifestyle. Wanting to meet locals and learn English, he rented a small apartment and began working at a local nightclub as a bouncer.

Eventually, after making contacts and friends and deciding this was going to be his new home, he returned to Germany to convince his girlfriend to join him in a new adventure: life in Cocoa Beach.

the patent for interlocking paving stones in the US, he drove down to his office in West Palm Beach to check it out. Thinking it might be a great business to start in Brevard County, he became a licensed mason (number 35) and was contracted for his first job by Richard Hefley. (Richard now owns U Rent It in Merritt Island, and they are still in business after all these years!)

They married, bought a home and sought to start new careers in Florida. Remembering that a German acquaintance had bought

Hermann was the first paving stone installer in Brevard County, and he wrote most of the code that is still used in the

industry today. His first office, “The Brickyard,” was in Cocoa Village. He bought the property with Tom Mills, an incredibly talented builder, who later became the Vice President of Holmes Regional Hospital. As time passed, the business grew and Hermann was contracted by a number of prominent companies including Kennedy Space Center, Florida Tech, BRPH, Downtown Titusville, and even the Courthouse in New Orleans. Angela served as the office manager (aka the boss) and they were a quite successful team, sometimes executing as many as 60 jobs per month.

is a graduate of Genesis 3, a continuing education program that that focuses on the establishment of higher standards in swimming pool design and is considered a prestigious and respected accomplishment in the industry.

Hermann and Angela ran the pool and paving stone company together and slowly started to concentrate more on the pool side of the business. In 2014, Angela’s cancer returned, and after a brave battle, the disease took her life.

Hermann was devastated.

He had lost his wife and partner of 30 years and found his passion and drive for the business waning.

The devastating financial loss from medical bills even put his home in jeopardy. Times were difficult and Hermann was alone.

In 1989, Hermann and Angela welcomed a baby boy, Sean, who is now a local Cordon Bleu Chef. They decided Angela should be a full-time Mom, so Hermann took over the business and life was good. Planning to return to work as Sean entered fourth grade, Angela was diagnosed with breast cancer. Without health insurance, the stress and financial losses were tremendous, but, somehow, they kept going.

After a mastectomy, chemo and radiation, things took a turn for the better. They purchased a building in Melbourne and added a second location in Titusville a few years later. They were so busy they could barely keep up with the work.

Shortly after that, the housing market collapsed, and business began to dry up. Sometimes, they’d go two weeks without a phone call. They were forced to close the Titusville location and concentrate on the work in Melbourne.

paving stone business, and now is the construction supervisor in charge of the many demanding and challenging pool projects for the business Hermann created in 2004: Water in Transit quickly became Hermann’s passion.

Around that time, Hermann met Rafael Ramirez.

“Raffa,” as he was affectionately referred to by Angela, became Hermann’s right-hand man in the

Utilizing his unique European design sense and knowledge of architecture, he became a state-licensed residential and commercial pool contractor. He Rafael Ramirez. “Raffa

Months later, a chance encounter with friends Don and Julie Herndon, owners of Classic Wood Flooring, would signal another turn in the road for Hermann.

After some prodding, they convinced him to accompany them on a double date with good friend, Gina Pierce, owner of Tuscany Grill in Suntree. Gina had been a single mom of five for the past two decades, was busy running a successful restaurant, and had not given much consideration to dating.

Once they met, though, everything changed. They quickly arranged a second date and things moved quickly. Within six weeks they were engaged, and soon after, they married. It was amazing how many mutual friends they shared, and about 100 of them joined in their wedding celebration aboard the Indian River Queen in Cocoa Village.

Hermann’s life went from basically being alone to suddenly having a huge family that adored and welcomed him. He is now proud Opah to many precious grandchildren. And, at 72, he has added the title of “head busboy,” and spends his nights running around the restaurant with Gina!

Hermann’s newfound love rekindled his love of design and, before long, he was busier than ever with Water in Transit. In fact, the past two years have been the busiest so far. Hermann and Raffa, still working side-by-side, have designed and built some of the most amazing projects in the county: every project is a custom design, and always created to fit the lifestyle and taste of the homeowner.

Recently a local pool cleaning company representative told one of his customers “you can always tell a Hermann Bach pool, they are always so unique, wellbuilt and each one is simply stunning,” quite a compliment from someone who obviously sees a lot of pools!

Hermann would love to have the opportunity to earn your business. Call 321-3495777 for a complimentary consultation or check out some of his projects online at waterintransit.com. • FALL 2020 41

BREVARD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & REALTY GROUP Owners Share Unique Bond, Friendship

By Shawna L. Lucas, Publisher illie Simmons and Maureen Roche have been working together so long, they can finish each other’s sentences, and often do.

Their easy-going rapport and institutional knowledge of the real estate sales and rental markets makes it easy to see why property owners turn to them time and again for help with procuring tenants, property maintenance and sales.

EXCEPTIONAL TENANTS, EXCEPTIONAL CLIENTS

Now, the two manage a portfolio of more than 260 mid-priced to luxury homes up and down the Space Coast, with each agent assigned as the solo point person to each property owner/tenant. “This allows us to build a relationship with each client so we can get to know them and understand their needs so we can provide the services they expect,” said Billie.

“We feel so fortunate that through this very difficult time, all of our tenants were able to pay their rent costs,” said Billie, noting that a large part of the good reputation of the company lies in its ability to attract quality, responsible tenants.

Maureen and Billie are both available 24/7 to assist clients and tenants and do so while managing a sales roster of about 50-100 homes per year, often for the clients and tenants they already are working for or have worked for in the past.

Brevard Property Management & Realty Group was started by the two in 2011 after the owner of the real estate firm they were working at decided to retire.

The two said they have managed a steady stream of clients through the pandemic. Real estate agents were listed as essential workers and able to continue working through the shutdown. In order to serve as a property manager, something Billie has been doing for more than 20 years and Maureen a few less, a real estate license is required in Florida.

At the time, both were busy real estate agents with a proven track record of client satisfaction who realized the opportunity before them. Together they purchased the business from McCluskey Realty in Melbourne, and with it, the list of rental properties that had been managed by the firm.

42 SPACE COAST LIVING

PORTFOLIO OF SPACE COAST HOMES

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Maureen agreed, stating, “We have a detailed list of requirements for our tenants, including a background check, credit check, employment verification and check on past rental payment history.”

They are both showing rental and sale properties using new protocols recommended by the CDC and the Space Coast Association of Realtors, or SCAR, which includes masks, social distancing and requiring a signature on an addendum about Covid-19 exposure risks.

Their longstanding work in the field keeps customers coming back for sales and rentals, but it’s their love of the community that makes them really feel a sense of pride in their contributions.

COMMUNITY ACTIVISM Billie is a high school basketball referee and Maureen serves on the professional standards board for SCAR, as well as the property management committee.

Prior to his career in real estate and property management, Billie served 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, with assignments in Viet Nam, Thailand, Guam, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt and Bahrain, among others.

Additionally, Brevard Property Management & Realty Group regularly contributes to area school drives, an annual Christmas Toy Drive and the New Life Mission, formerly the Brevard Rescue Mission, which equips homeless mothers with the skills and knowledge to become self-sufficient through education, accountability, and goal advancement.

Brevard Property Management & Realty Group is located at 901 Jordan Blass Dr., Melbourne. For more information, call 321-7520460 or visit online at bpmrealtygroup.com. •

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Lighting the World with Color and Shade

By Sue DeWerff Panzarino, Contributing Writer

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t was back in 1976 when John Emery (the creative and promotional power) and Jerry Preston (the senior partner and all-important technician) of Preston Studios of Melbourne began selling their unique Tiffany-inspired stained-glass art at merchandise marts in Atlanta, Miami, Dallas, and New York.

The designs were masterfully translated onto panes of windows and lamps in the cultured themes of the Renaissance era, of colorful and tropical wildlife, of birds and turtles and sea life and flowers such as Iris, Morning Glory and Calla Lily. The collection spans homes, museums and art galleries around the globe. “Back then, there was no one creating stained-glass art” said John.

“We knew then we had the talent and confidence to make our business work, but realized we had to come up with other ways than just selling at merchandise marts to pay the bills.”

“Our designs have always been one-of-a-kind, and our goal was then to establish a new voice within the tradition. Our business soon began to grow, and thankfully, as we stuck to our roots with our designs; the Space Coast began to experience rapid growth.”

Designing Spaces By the late 80’s, their connections into the world of private commissioned works took flight, and the business began to flourish.

Their first big break happened almost a decade earlier, when they were commissioned to build five 3x4” windows in 1982 for a project with a 200-acre development just north of Sebastian Inlet in Melbourne Beach called Aquarina.

After images of those windows appeared in international print media, including a major spread in Eastern Airline’s Sky Magazine, the works were selected for the first-ever museum exhibition for the Brevard Art Museum.

“The rest, as they say is history,” he said.

For the past 44 years, Preston Studios has become a household name in the stained-glass art industry both here and abroad. The works are featured locally in up-

scale subdivisions like Lansing Island, The Cloisters, Wyndam at Duran and Heritage Isle, Isle Worth and Bella Collina in Orlando, as well as other notably storied locales such as the Hearst Castle in California, Palace Ledreborg in Denmark and Castle Foulis in Scotland.

FALL 2020 45

Form and Function Preston Studios is not known for a particular design approach or sentiment. Instead, they are highly sought after for their ability to create original new designs that reflect period and style.

“For residential entrances, bilateral symmetry has been the mantra,” John said, noting that the creations reflect a sort of “graphic simplicity.”

“We strive to exploit the concept of Chiaroscuro—a word borrowed from Italian meaning ‘light and shade’— an effect that uses contrasts of light to achieve a sense of volume,” he explained. For art glass, this necessitates the use of very dark shades of glass combined with the light entering the space to create to create the perception of depth.

Attention to Detail One of their most unique creations was a stained-glass violin designed for a fund-raiser sponsored by the Brevard Symphony Orchestra in 2003. The flower motif piece was one of about a dozen entries from local artisans who were challenged to create the musical instrument in various mediums. The pieces were later auctioned off in a benefit at the King Center for the Performing Arts.

Their 40th anniversary exhibition in 2016, held in Eau Gallie Art District’s Foosaner Art Museum, featured many of the studio’s unique, one-of-a-kind lamps.

One of the most recent works, an exquisite lamp entitled “The Kapok Tree,” was inspired by John’s travels to India in the 80’s. The base, which includes a detailed sculptured presentation of three elephants, retails for $3,800. Other lamp prices range from $1,000 to as high as $30,000, depending on the level of intricacy and design.

46 SPACE COAST LIVING

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One local collector, Elizabeth Frost-Knappmans, has a variety of Preston Studios’ collectibles on display in her Indialantic home. After commissioning windows from the studio for her dining area, she later added stained-glass art depicting bamboo sprouts to her front door, and an original abstract that hangs in her guest bath.

“My house makes me so happy,” said the retired author. “Their work is so exceptional. If I had more money,” she laughed, “I would go crazy adding stainedglass work in every room.”

Teamwork for Seamless Art Although Preston and Emery come from different backgrounds, their ability to work together as a team for the past 44 years is as amazing as the works they lovingly concept and create. They met by chance at a Red Cross fundraiser in Palm Beach in 1976. Both were selftaught in stained-glass arts, though initially only hobbyists.

Preston holds a bachelor of arts in business administration and Emery, a bachelor of arts degree in history.

“Art has to do with longevity, and you have to have purpose,” said John.

SPACECOASTLIVING.COM

“The combinations of our education and passions have worked well, so we are grateful,” said John.

“Art has to do with longevity, and you have to have purpose.”

Being an artist always has its ups and downs, and more so these days with the pandemic.

However, “every minute I can create something of beauty that is genuinely appreciated—there is no higher reward in life.”

Preston Studios is located at 552 Magnolia Avenue in Melbourne.

For more information, visit online at prestonstudios.com or call 321-259-0044. •

HEALTH

SUMMER 2020

Dr. Morvarid Moini, DMD, MPH

PEDIATRIC

DENTIST Expanding Melbourne Practice

FALL 2020 47

PEDIATRIC DENTIST

EXPANDING MELBOURNE PRACTICE

By Shawna S. Lucas, Publisher

SCIENTIFIC STUDY + CLINICAL EXPERIENCE According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the pediatric dentistry residency program, taken after graduation from dental school, immerses the dentist in scientific study enhanced with clinical experience. This training is the dental counterpart to general pediatrics, and trainees learn advanced diagnostic and surgical procedures along with: • Child psychology and behavior guidance • Oral pathology • Pharmacology related to the child • Radiology • Child development and growth

ypically, a patient falling asleep during a health examination is more cause for concern than celebration.

For pediatric dentist Dr. Morvarid Moini, DMD, MPH however, it was a signal to take her dentistry career in a different direction.

“All of my adult patients were so relaxed that they fell asleep during treatment while I was in dental school. It made me think about how I could best channel that skill and that’s when I decided that I wanted to pursue pediatric dentistry,” she said.

• Management of oral-facial trauma • Caring for patients with special health care needs • Sedation and general anesthesia • Dietary and nutritional counseling

“With kids, there’s so much fear around the treatment, that arises from the unknown and lack of trust, and that was something that intrigued me,” she said.

Southeastern University and pediatric dental residency at Tufts University, she decided to come back to the Space Coast to contribute directly to the community where she was raised.

Good thing for us, Brevard is listed as a shortage area in a number of medical categories, including pediatric dentistry, mental health services and oncology services.

Morvarid, who tells her patients to call her Dr. M&M, hopes her work will help ease the burden a bit.

“There is definitely more need than can be addressed at this time, but we will do our part,” she said. Her office is located in the central part of the county, on Sarno Road, and currently sees about 100 patients on the three days the office is open: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

“We are here to progress to a fulltime schedule as our patients need us,” she said.

Morvarid grew up in Brevard, attending Indialantic Elementary, Holy Name of Jesus and Melbourne Central Catholic schools before graduating and heading off to college.

After attending dental school at Nova

DENTAL CARE FOR BABIES Wipe gums twice a day with a soft, clean cloth in the morning after the first feeding and right before bed to wipe away bacteria and sugars that can cause cavities.

48 SPACE COAST LIVING

When teeth come in, start brushing twice a day with a soft, small‑bristled toothbrush and plain water.

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Visit the dentist by your baby’s first birthday to spot signs of problems early.

Talk to your dentist or doctor about putting fluoride varnish on your child’s teeth as soon as the first tooth appears.

PREVENTION IS KEY “We can see kids as early as their first tooth, but definitely by their first birthday,” she said. Prevention is key. We treat if we have to, but really the goal is to keep them out of treatment with prevention.

Our goal is to make the process fun and easy by giving the patients a sense of control. We say ‘You are my boss. Raise your hand if you have a question and give me a thumbs up if you’re ok.’”

Ensuring patient comfort and working to build trust is critical to reducing the fear factor that children often experience with a pediatric dentist. We try to keep visit times short - no more than 20 or 30 minutes, because we understand they are children after all, she said.

Pearl Pediatric Dental is located at 2261 Sarno Road, Melbourne. For more information, call 321-499-2660 or online at PearlPediatricDental.com •

Office images supplied by Dr. Morvarid Moini Cover image shot by Jason Hook Facebook: Jason Hook Photography Instagram: @jasonhookphotography

DENTAL CARE FOR KIDS Brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

Drink tap water that contains fluoride.

Ask your child’s dentist to apply dental sealants when appropriate.

FALL 2020 49

THE POETRY OF MOTION IN EVERYDAY ERGONOMICS Content Source: Mayo Clinic | Presented by Parrish Medical Center Every day we have opportunities to prevent common bone, muscle, or joint injuries associated with repetitive stress (strain) injuries (RSI).

Webster’s Dictionary defines RSI as any of various painful musculoskeletal disorders (such as carpal tunnel syndrome or tendinitis) caused by cumulative damage to muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, or joints from highly repetitive movements.

At work or at play simple adjustments in posture and movement and use of available ergonomic tools can make a big difference. For example, hobbies such as gaming or binge watching your favorite shows on your handheld device keep our bodies in awkward positions for long periods of time. This can lead to eye, neck, shoulder and back strain. Take breaks and change positions often. If sitting, maintain a good neutral posture.

Consider using an ergonomic keyboard, mouse, or chair.

The summer months in Florida mean more time spent to keep our yards well maintained. From routine maintenance to cleaning up after a severe thunderstorm, or worse, cleaning up after a hurricane, spending prolonged periods in our yards on a hot summer day bending, twisting and pulling can leave our whole body feeling strained, and, if not careful can cause injuries.

Remember to take frequent breaks from the heat; stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water; wear a wide brim hat and sunscreen to protect your skin; avoid twisting; get help lifting heavy loads; and use good gardening tools such as a gardening bench to prevent back strain.

Repetitive motion and poor posture put you at increased risk for injury.

As your bone, muscle and joint health care partners, we believe in blending the art of healing with the science of advanced medicine to keep your body in motion. Learn more at parrishhealthcare.com/ orthopedics.

Repetitive motion and poor posture put you at increased risk for injury.

MORE ACTIVITIES THAT CAN PUT YOU AT RISK INCLUDE: • Overuse of a particular muscle or group of muscles • Poor posture or a non-ergonomically designed workspace • Holding the same posture for prolonged periods • Direct pressure to particular areas • Carrying heavy loads 50 SPACE COAST LIVING

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GENERAL SYMPTOMS OF REPETITIVE OR OVERUSE INJURIES INCLUDE: • Tenderness or pain in the affected muscle or joint • A throbbing or pulsating sensation in the affected area • Tingling, especially the hand or arm • Loss of sensation • Loss of strength

Life Moves We believe every life is poetry in motion, motivated by strength and determination.

As your bone, muscle and joint health care partners, we believe in blending the art of healing with the science of advanced medicine to keep your body in motion.

We believe in bringing together the best and brightest orthopedic and sports medicine experts; including the expertise of Mayo Clinic.

This dedicated team focuses on you as an individual because every life is a work of art to us.

Visit parrishhealthcare.com/orthoaware for a FREE Orthopedic Health Risk Assessment.

parrishhealthcare.com/orthopedics

Where the Art of Healing comes to Life

FALL 2020 51

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

SPONSORED CONTENT

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(321) 255-0199 dentalexcellencemelbourne.com

DEREK CHENET, DDS, PA

336 North Babcock St., Suite 102 Melbourne, FL 32940

Doctor of Dental Surgery, Master of Arts in Science and Education

Dr. Derek Chenet was born at the Misawa Air Base in Japan while his father, Dr. Cedric Chenet, served overseas as a dentist in the United States Air Force.

He achieved his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Duke University before pursuing his Doctor of Dental Surgery at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. While at school, he was selected as one of six students to take part in the Comprehensive Implantology Continuum, where he received extensive training in implant treatment planning, surgery and restoration. He also earned the Henry Chang Jr. Memorial Scholarship and the Academy Osseointegration Outstanding Dental Student in Implant Dentistry Award.

Additionally, he completed two years of post-graduate training in a general practice residency at the James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center in association with Mount Sinai Hospital, where he trained in the management of complex cases, fixed and removable prosthodontics, restorative dentistry and implant placement and restoration.

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In 2015, he became a Certified Invisalign Provider. Today, Chenet works alongside his dad and fiancée, Dr. Veronica Yu, at Dental Excellence Melbourne.

“The best part of my job is working with my hands and using new technologies every day,” said Chenet. “The Space Coast region is one of the fastest growing areas in the country.

With the increased importance being placed on engineering and computer science jobs, I am hoping for an injection of youth that will bring more diversity and excitement to the area.”

Education: B.S. in Chemistry, Duke University, Doctor of Dental Surgery, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, M.A. From Teachers College at Columbia University Years in area: 1 Years in Industry: 6

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

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(321) 308-0659 porterderm.com PorterPremiereMedicalandAesthetics 1515 W. Nasa Blvd. Ste. 101, Melbourne, FL 32901 5325 N. Wickham Road, Suite 108, Suntree, FL 32940

DR. ANTHONY PORTER, M.D., F.A.A.D. Owner/Medical Director

Dr. Anthony J. Porter’s driving principles are compassion, integrity, and excellence. He has a passion for innovation, progress and quality patient care. He earned a B.S in Engineering from the University of South Carolina and worked as a nuclear engineer for seven years prior to returning to school to study medicine, graduating from the Medical University of South Carolina in 2002, selected to the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, and working in Indiana and Kentucky prior to relocating to Brevard County in 2005.

He opened Porter Premiere Dermatology and Surgery Center on Nasa Boulevard in 2010. A second location in Suntree recently was opened with a focus on aesthetics, which offers the services of a Registered Nurse Practitioner and several estheticians.

At his full-service dermatology practice in Melbourne, Dr. Porter is one of the few dermatologists on the Space Coast to offer full body Phototherapy and Blu-light Treatments. And to address patient fears of a traditional biopsy, an innovative biopsy option by Dermtech is offered using a small adhesive patch that uses the precision of genomics to enhance accuracy of diagnosis and eliminate unnecessary surgery.

This location also offers Xtrac Excimer Laser for treatment of skin conditions such as Vitiligo, Psoriasis and Alopecia, as well as the latest technological non-invasive treatment equipment to treat basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, as well as the non-malignant tumor cells that cause keloids: the SRT Vision, which uses Ultrasound Guided Radiation. This is a great non-surgical, no down-time option for patients with skin cancers that are exploring non- surgical options and is cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer and keloids. Most insurance plans cover this outpatient series of treatments, and patients can be referred by their doctor for this treatment.

Many physicians in the area refer to Dr. Porter for the aforementioned services as well as his vast knowledge in general dermatology.

He treats all skin ailments, from acne to rare diseases such as leprosy and Mycosis Fungoides.

Once you meet him, it is easy to see why he is highly sought after by physicians and patients, alike. His gentle demeanor and knowledge of skin conditions is incomparable.

FALL 2020 53

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

SPONSORED CONTENT

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COVID-19

By Health First

NO MATCH FOR HEALTH FIRST NURSES’ COMPASSION “Having to put on a gown, goggles, mask and gloves before going in to talk with a patient and ask how they are doing and feeling made me realize how much we communicate without even speaking.”

Angelic and her team were determined nothing could curb compassion – or bonding with their patients. Located in an isolated area on the seventh floor of the Melbourne hospital, this is where potential and confirmed COVID-19 patients are being treated.

So the team got creative.

“You don’t realize how much you rely on a smile or your eyes or face changes when you are speaking to people to let them know the feelings and intent behind your words,” Angelic said. “When they can’t see you are smiling beneath the mask, it makes you think differently, and it’s like learning a whole new communication style.”

Teams Tending to Sickest Patients Get Creative to Support Their Physical, Emotional Well-being eing a nurse is about more than caring for patients. It’s about connecting with them.

But COVID-19 has thrown plenty of nurses a curveball, as they find themselves suiting up in Personal Protective Gear (PPE) before tending to patients, which is crucial to prevent the spread of the virus.

“It’s our job to make sure they feel cared for and safe,” said Angelic Dixon, Interim Nurse Director at Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center’s Respiratory Isolation Unit.

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Angelic’s team – made up of about 100 Health First associates who volunteered to care for some of the hospital’s sickest patients – developed many ways to try to make sure people feel connected with their nurses, even when they aren’t in the room. Patients are equipped with iPads to call nurses and see them at their station, or they can use their iPhones – equipped with a secure application – to reach out to their care team.

Also, leaders call into the room every day to let patients know they can always reach out.

In addition, nurses have been spending extra time with these isolated patients, making sure they not only have what they physically need, but socially, too,

SPACECOASTLIVING.COM

during an emotionally trying time. The unit is equipped to care for up to 41 people. “We know we are the only people they are going to see today,” Angelic said. “These patients need even more TLC because they can’t get up and walk around the hospital floors.”

So far, the response about nurses’ efforts has been phenomenal.

The mother of a college senior and high school senior, Angelic was asked to serve in this new role, helping to set up the Respiratory Isolation Unit. Normally, Angelic is based at Health First’s Cape Canaveral Hospital as the Nurse Manager in the Intensive Care Unit. She developed education, processes and more for those working in the unit, bringing together a team of critical care nurses, registered nurses, certified nursing assistants and monitor techs from across the Integrated Delivery Network.

While Angelic’s leaders commend her dedication and drive to care for some of the hospital’s sickest patients, she is in awe of associates who jumped right in to help.

She also said the outpouring of community support has kept up the spirits of everyone tending to COVID-19 patients.

“This experience has completely changed me. I appreciate things now that I never knew I needed,” Angelic said. “The team that has come together here has humbled me. I don’t know where it will go in the future — but I can’t wait to see what they all do. This experience has changed all of them in ways that has made us all better in some way. The camaraderie that has developed in this environment is unlike anything I have ever seen.” •

‘HOW WE DIE

MATTERS’ rnest loved living on his own. At 88, he was independent and exercised regularly, with a routine that included 15 pushups every day – something of which he was quite proud.

But in March, Ernest suddenly fell ill and quickly deteriorated, ending up in the Intensive Care Unit at Health First’s Viera Hospital. With no relatives left in the area, his Boston-based family was upset that they couldn’t rush to be at his side.

“In light of this awful climate with the COVID-19 virus, I worried that his life wouldn't be taken seriously by the people treating him,” admitted Joyce, Ernest’s niece. “But it most certainly was.”

Joyce recently sent a letter to Health First, thanking all who cared for her beloved Uncle Ernest, who died April 1. Despite the family’s loss, they expressed gratitude in the compassionate care provided by all who tended to Ernest in his final days – something they feared would be difficult in the midst of a public health crisis. Health First associates were so touched by the heartfelt letter, it was

made into a video tribute you can watch by clicking this link, chronicling the man Ernest was – as well as the nurses, doctors and other associates who were with him until the end.

This video was created to celebrate all associates during Health First Heroes Week, May 11-15.

“The ER doctor called me and was kind and smart and listened to my con-

cerns,” Joyce wrote. “From the minute my uncle was in the ICU, he was treated with dignity. The nurses couldn't have been kinder to either of us and other family, and we never felt like a bother when we called. In fact, the opposite was true.”

Despite Joyce and other relatives being 1,300 miles away, they felt complete confidence in the care Ernest was receiving.

“Nurse Jen, who I dealt with initially, was an angel,” Joyce said. “She

Grateful Niece Commends Health First Associates’ Compassionate Care, Helping Her Beloved Uncle, a Holocaust Survivor, Peacefully Pass

By Health First explained things to me thoroughly in ways that I could understand. She went above and beyond, contacting his clergy and got through to her when I couldn't. She is truly exceptional at what she does.”

With the help of Susan at Hospice of Health First, Ernest was transferred to the William Childs Hospice House in Palm Bay. Susan “listened to my concerns,

took me seriously and helped facilitate a transfer to the Hospice House in Palm Bay,” Joyce wrote.

Ernest was able to say his final goodbyes to loved ones with the help of Health First associates. “They couldn't have been kinder,” Joyce gratefully explained. “Nurse Mia helped us have a beautiful last call with his rabbi and several family members, and did a lot of running around for us without complaint.”

Within 48 hours of arriving at the Hospice House, Ernest died peacefully.

What the care teams didn’t know was that Ernest was a Holocaust survivor. As a young boy, he watched as his parents were taken from him, murdered in a concentration camp in Auschwitz. He fled to France, where he hid in a barn alongside the animals to escape the Nazis. Ernest moved to the United States at age 15, where he went into the armed services and eventually became a social worker.

It seems only fitting that a man who devoted his life to helping people was taken care of at the end of his by people just like him – those who dedicate their lives to the compassionate care of others. “He actually called me from the ICU to tell me that the nurses were so kind, that he was OK, and that he was so appreciative for the care,” Joyce said. “I believe he knew the end was near and knew he was in good hands.”

Ernest’s life mattered. And so did his passing.

“We can't control whether we are going to die or not.

We all do,” Joyce wrote.

“But how we die matters.

I wanted my uncle to have the dignified death he deserved – the one his loving parents did not get. We will be eternally grateful for this kindness. Please, please know how appreciative we all are.” • FALL 2020 57

BREVARD PLASTIC SURGERY & SKIN CANCER Treatment Center

By Shawna L. Lucas, Publisher

fter more than 30 years at the same location on Hibiscus Boulevard in Melbourne, Dr. Roxanne Guy relocated her practice, Brevard Plastic Surgery & Skin Treatment Center, to Palm Bay in 2019 and has continued to serve a steady stream of clientele and attracting new ones in her new office suite.

The lockdown of business due to Covid-19 temporarily shuttered operations, but Dr. Guy is again performing non-invasive cosmetic procedures, helping inspire confidence and treating her clients with the gentle bedside manner she is so well known for.

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Commitment to the Space Coast Dr. Guy arrived in Brevard in 1984 after completing two surgical residencies in Illinois. She has built a solid reputation and an almost cult-like following for her knowledge and credentials, the list of which runs pages long.

Her out-patient practice focuses on facial cosmetic surgery, breast surgery, liposuction and body contouring, laser skin rejuvenation, injectables, fillers and medical grade skin care, a conscious shift away from corrective and reconstructive procedures to focus all her energy on aesthetic treatments.

Most recently, Dr. Guy has continued honing her laser skills, noting that advances and evolutions in both manufacturing and technology make laser procedures more accessible and easier to tolerate.

Trailblazing Surgeon While juggling the demands of a full-time practice and family might seem arduous enough, Dr. Guy - long considered a trailblazer in the fields of plastic and cosmetic surgery - has also authored dozens of peer-reviewed articles about medicine and plastic surgery, and

Safety First participated in research studies to assess the safety, potential health problems and effectiveness of breast implants. She was the first female resident for both general surgery and plastic surgery at her medical school in Springfield, IL, served as past President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and is a Diplomat on the National Board of Medical Examiners, The American Board of Surgery and The American Board of Plastic Surgery. Additionally, she has served on committees, task forces and initiatives that seek to improve patient outcomes or inform on critical health advances.

She is happiest, though, engaging with her clients and working with them to determine the best approach to their aesthetic needs, whether something as simple as a soothing facial or as complicated as a full body makeover.

“People want to look good - and feel good - about themselves,” she said, emphasizing her “beauty for life” holistic approach to overall health, prevention, maintenance and follow up.

That sentiment is echoed lately through the troves of advice on self-care that have emerged through the quarantine.

Although many people were forced to take care of their own cosmetic needs or go without during the shutdown, now clients and customers are beginning to return with confidence.

Safety is the first concern for all patients at Brevard Plastic Surgery & Skin Cancer Treatment Center, she said, noting, “Patients and staff wear masks. All patients are asked about symptoms before they can come to the clinic. Prior to entering the clinic area, temperatures are recorded, and patients are asked to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer. “ Additionally, patient schedules are staggered, and each room is disinfected between visits. Only one person may accompany a patient into the clinic and there is an additional informed consent for the patient to read and sign explaining the symptoms of COVID and the risks. Additionally, all clients must sign a permission form allowing for treatment at this time.

Dr. Guy says the new rules have been met with favor.

“Everyone understands and have all been more than happy to cooperate.” •

Brevard Plastic Surgery and Skin Treatment Center is located at 5200 Babcock Street NE, Palm Bay. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 am until 4:30 pm. For more information, and to see gallery before/after images of actual patients, visit at drguyplasticsurgery.com or call 321-727-1600.

FALL 2020 59

SPONSORED CONTENT

PATIENT-CENTERED CARE + SAFETY + COMPASSION: Dr. James D. Kearney – His Patients Are His Specialty

f Norman Rockwell were alive today, he would have painted a stethoscope-draped Dr. James Kearney, donning a white medical coat and a smile, ready to lean in and chat.

Being readmitted to the hospital is demoralizing, defeating and it’s an emotionally-draining experience; therefore, we focus on prevention. There is definitely a certain cost to home health care; however, that cost is far exceeded by a single hospital stay – home health care is a good investment.”

Internal medicine specialist and medical director for Visiting Nurse Association (VNA), Dr. Kearney emphasizes health care is about seeing the individual and putting the ‘person’ in personable. “If it comes from your heart as much as your head, you’ll succeed in medicine today.” Nothing could be more reassuring than a pallet of expertise blended perfectly with this understanding of the human element.

OUT OF THE COLD

Under Dr. Kearney’s leadership, VNA’s presence is increasing in Brevard County. In addition to private care, more and more area rehabilitation centers, facilities and physicians are currently utilizing the home health care services of VNA.

With a 20-year medical practice and an established VNA partnership in Pennsylvania, Dr. Kearney and his family decided to relocate to the Sunshine State, and specifically Melbourne, Florida.

PREVENTION IS KEY

“We were just tired of the snow, and the cost of living in Florida was appealing. I knew before settling into a new practice that I’d want a home health care partner. I have a passion to belong. I thought, ‘let me call the VNA,’” he explained.

How important is the role of home health care in medicine today? Dr. Kearney shares some important insights: “It’s very significant. Cost is on everyone’s mind, across the United States, within the echoes of congress, cost is an insurmountable problem. The highest cost event [for most people] is hospitalization, so there’s an emphasis on how we prevent that, and, even more so, how we prevent rehospitalization.

“We’re here for our patients, not our bottom line.”

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Think of it as a partnership among patients, families and professionals. It starts with building a relationship and establishing trust. It’s about communication, reliability and a focus on prevention. Proactive measures facilitated with support, such as education and training, have had a significant positive impact: private residences are safer, patients heal and understand how to manage chronic illness and they understand what do to when an emergency occurs.

PARTNERSHIP STARTS WITH A NURSE With home health care, the first point of contact is a nurse, not the ER. It’s this partnership that continues to reassure patients, especially amid COVID-19 circumstances. It may be surprising, but, according to Dr. Kearney, Covid-19 has actually had a positive effect on the medical community. Because there has been a decline in office visits and a decline in home health patients, both doctors and patients are utilizing video conferencing and phone con-

sultations. Of course, the office visit will always be a mainstay. A medical practice is hands-on, requiring physical evaluation. Dr. Kearney believes in bridging the gap; patients are offered good old-fashion phone calls as well as video conferencing appointments. “It’s been a fabulous tool for communication.

My patients can discuss symptoms, medications, side effects, new symptoms and I can answer questions. I feel like I have more opportunity to care for the whole person.”

Being one of VNA’s greatest cheerleaders, Dr. Kearney expounded on the use of telehealth: “Telehealth is different altogether for VNA. Telehealth means patients have equipment in their home to document blood pressure, blood sugar, pulse, weight and oxygen level.

All this information can be transmitted electronically to their nurse. If a patient is nervous about a symptom or condition, they can research it. I really like it because it empowers patients.”

of care indicators working to establish standards.

For example, they are working on defining super high-quality care, defining preventative care and determining how that care will be delivered.

As medical director for VNA, the vision is twofold. “We are focused on growing our presence and staying out in front of our community. Physicians are learning firsthand how VNA is set apart. Because we’re a non-profit, there are no shareholders. If there’s anything left over at the end of the year, it goes directly to patient care, telehealth systems, equipment and additional staff.

“This is a very important distinction, giving the agency the opportunity to focus on what’s most important, the quality of care we offer. We’re here for our patients, not our bottom line.

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

In addition, other confidence measures we offer to our clients are training, mentorship and comprehensive background checks. VNA takes a lot of steps to ensure they hire the highest quality candidates to serve. There’s a trust factor making the VNA home health experience positive and rewarding for patients and families. It’s about the impact we make.

There’s a difference and I’m glad to be part of it.”

On a personal note, Dr. Kearney’s sphere of influence is far reaching. He’s the medical director for ACO (Accountable Care Organization), a group of physicians focused on reducing Medicare costs while increasing quality of care. They share quality

The VNA is committed to providing trusted and quality private and home health care to Brevard County patients from Titusville to Barefoot Bay. For more information about VNA services, call 321-752-7550 or visit vnatc.com. •

By staggering appointments and maintaining very strict policies and procedures for sanitizing, patients are slowly returning to the office and feel more confident keeping home health appointments.

Enjoy every day living

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Promising TREATMENT

FOR THINNING HAIR

By Maria Sonnenberg, Contributing Writer

lizabeth Leapley of Indialantic worried she might have lost her hair from chemo and radiation after a double mastectomy.

She needn’t have, for Leapley’s locks returned as luxurious as ever. “It grew back as I remembered it,” she said.

Leapley, a flight attendant for 25 years, is particularly conscious about her hair, for her job affords her a unique perspective. “I have a bird’s eye view of the top of the passengers’ heads, so I see women with hair so thin you can look through to their scalps,” she said.

Everything was fine for Leapley until about 21 months ago, when she started noticing her hair inexplicably thinning and falling out.

“I used to need a large banana clip to hold up all my hair, but for some reason, a medium to small clip would do the job,” she said.

Thinning hair was not part of the professional picture Leapley wanted to reflect.

“My job as a flight attendant, right after safety and security, is to have a polished, professional appearance that represents my company well,” she said. “My outward appearance to the public is central to my overall self-confidence. I can hide breast cancer behind surgeries or behind my uniform, but unless I wear a wig or extensions, my thinning hair is out there on display for the flying public to see.

“When I’m going through the [pre-flight] safety demo, I wonder if my passengers are focused on my demo or looking at my thinning hair,” she said.

“Every day there was more and more hair on the sink counter, the shower and in my brush.”

Panic began to set in.

“My part was widening, my scalp could be seen fully under certain lighting conditions and my hairline along my temple was noticeably receding,” Elizatbeth said.

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She methodically began to document her hair loss, gathering hair in Dixie cups as evidence, and employed |

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an arsenal of hair products, scalp treatments and minoxidil (branded under Rogaine, this is a vasodilator that can treat certain types of baldness when applied topically). “In the back of my mind, I wondered

if I would run out of hair before I ran out of these products,” she said.

As part of her cancer treatment, Leapley needed estrogen-blocking medication that, unfortunately, includes hair loss and

thinning hair as side effects.

Her hair loss may also have been abetted by genetics.

“I remember my mom had thin hair, especially as she got older, and my sister has very thin hair and so did my father,” she said.

Genetics may indeed dispose her to alopecia, the term given to thinning hair in certain areas of the scalp, and can lead in extreme cases to total hair loss.

Other contributing factors, stress among the most apparent, also probably contributed. “In both my personal and professional life, there is inherent stress as a single mom, cancer survivor, post-menopausal aged woman and as flight attendant constantly on the go, especially in this era of COVID-19,” she said.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HAIR FOLLICLE Humans are blessed with approximately 100 hair follicles per centimeter. The follicles have a rather active lifestyle through anagen, or its growing, phase, which can last from two to eight years and include about 90% of the hair on the head.

In the two- to three-week transition phase known as catagen, hair follicles shrink before heading to the telogen phase, the resting time for hair, which encompasses two to four months and

signals the last chapter in the follicles lifespan before they fall out.

look bald,” said Dr. Emran Imami of Imami Skin & Cosmetic Center.

Everything with hair happens slowly, and because there are so many follicles to begin with, it can take years before significant loss is noticed as hair strands thin more, remain dormant for longer and slow their regrowth until they stop growing altogether.

The trick is to treat thinning hair while the follicles are still around, even in a debilitated state. Once they are gone, they are gone, and the only option is a transplant. “The goal is to maximize the growth phase of the hair cycle and to make the hair on the head last longer, because the net effect is more hair density,” said Dr. Imami.

“You can lose up to 75 of the 100 hair follicles per centimeter and still not

While male pattern baldness receives most of the press, hair loss is not limited to men.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, more than 50% of women will experience noticeable hair loss, and female-pattern hair loss, or FPHL, affects 30 million women in the U.S. The issue is most common after childbirth, and advancing age, stress, surgeries, diet, some medications, genetics and even harsh hair chemicals and hairstyles (such as ponytails) can also all be culprits.

Everyone loses hair at the rate of 50 to 100 single strands per days, but as some hair falls, others grow to balance things out.

When more hair falls out than grows back, that’s when it’s time to take action, as Elizabeth did.

She found an ally against hair loss in Dr. Emran Imami, who also happened to be her breast cancer surgeon. Part of his practice includes Imami Skin & Cosmetic Center, which offers hair restoration services such as PDO threads, often combined with Protein Rich Plasma, or PRP, injections.

Protein Rich Plasma, or PRP, injections treatment at Skin & Cosmetic Center

FALL 2020 65

The procedure involves series of tiny needles, preloaded with the threads, inserted into the scalp to direct the thread beneath the numbed skin, where they remain to work their magic.

It may sound painful, but it is not, according to patients, who say they experience a mild heaviness on their head, but the feeling disappears by the next day. PRP can be done simultaneously with the PDO threads. Several syringes of the “liquid gold” platelet plasma are injected into areas where regrowth is desired.

There is no downtime for either procedure.

Research studies have noted that with PDO, patients experienced a regrowth rate increase from an average of 65 follicles per centimeter to 93. Although women are currently more drawn to PDO threads than men, both can benefit from the treatment.

“Men often have androgenic hair loss, or male pattern baldness, which at advanced stages can only be remedied with hair transplantation, but having said that, anyone with thin hair shafts or decreased hair density would benefit from the PDO scalp treatment,” said Dr. Imami.

PDO, the acronym for Polydioxanone, has been a staple in aesthetics for several years as a non-surgical facelift and wrinkle controller. Thinner in circumference than a strand of hair, PDO threads consist of protein that help to relax tendons and muscles in the area of insertion while simultaneously improving blood flow. By triggering inflammatory response, they encourage new blood vessels to stimulate hair growth. Because the new hair is thicker, it will not break as easily.

Can PDO threads reverse hair loss? Sort of.

“By stimulating the hair follicle and increasing vascularity, PDO threads will reverse the process of hair miniaturization,” he explained. “This in effect will slow down both hair thinning and hair loss.”

The procedure works best when combined with injections of Protein Rich Plasma, he continued.

“PRP treatments help in creating healthier hair follicles by applying concentrated growth factors directly into the scalp.”

“PDO threads help increase vascularity and lead to a healthier hair follicle,” said Dr. Imami. “It should enhance hair growth, hair retention, hair thickness and hair durability.”

“This is a different mechanism of action than the PDO threads that create subtle inflammation and stimulate new blood vessel growth.

Both treatments SKEPTICAL can be used simultaneously for BUT AFTER optimal effect.”

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For an added boost, Dr. Imami recommends a combination therapy that also includes topical

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All photos supplied by Elizabeth Leapley.

medications such as minoxidil, supplements such as biotin, special herbal shampoos, particularly those with red clover extract, and low-level laser therapy.

Results will appear, but over time, given the fact that scalp hair grows slowly and has a dormancy period that can encompass several months.“PRP treatments as well as the PDO treatments usually take four to six months to see improvement,” he said. However, The treatment is also not a one-shot deal “PDO threads take approximately six months before they completely dissolve, and since hair naturally thins with age, I recommend repeating PDO thread placement every six months for optimal effect,” he said.

PRP requires an initial set of three injections spaced a month apart and maintenance treatment as needed.

When new growth appeared in thinning areas of her scalp, Elizabeth said she was overjoyed and committed to continuing with treatment. “I was skeptical at first, but after a while, I was encouraged to see new hair growing...

I have no doubt my hair will continue to increase in volume, coverage, density and appearance, but like anything that truly works, it must be maintained with regular treatments.”

“What do you have to lose, except more hair?” said Leapley.

For more information, call 321-312-4168 or visit imamihair.com. •

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Art District's

Businesses Starting to Rebound When the corona virus lockdown hit in early Spring, merchants in the Eau Gallie Arts District (EGAD) were blindsided.

PHOTOS LEFT PAGE: 1. Jody Carter of Art Expressions Fine Custom Framing & Gifts on Highland Avenue.

2. Joan Flavin, front left, of Joan’s Perfect Pies with her bakery staff.

3. Street-facing sign announcing the reopening of businesses in downtown Eau Gallie.

4. Businesses re-open with health precautions in place.

5. Anthony Soland models a leather mask that he designed in the leather shop that is part of the Standard Collective collection in Eau Gallie Arts District

Becca Polak and her husband were forced to close not one, but two businesses, at the same time.

Their combo business bar & barbershop, Traditionals…Cuts, Shaves & Brews, is located in the heart of the district, with the oldtimey barbershop window fronting the main drag on Eau Gallie Boulevard, and the bar behind it.

In mid-March, both were forced to close in the statewide shutdown.

“We were shocked at first,” said Becca. “We shut everything down, but continued to pay our bartender, even while the bar was closed.”

By mid-May, the barbershop had reopened, with the bar following in early June. According to Becca, the haircutting business has been going strong since reopening.

Thanks to a lot of pent-up demand, appointments are booked a month in advance.

Taking a Hit Without a doubt, small businesses have borne the economic brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic. But small businesses in EGAD have been hit particularly hard, maybe worse than others. These are “Mom and Pop” businesses who rely almost entirely on foot traffic, and either were forced to close, convert to an online business model or operate by appointment only. None of the businesses we spoke with were able to obtain government grant money under the federal CARES program.

Nearly all of EGAD shut down in March, and months later many businesses still were closed. Some may never reopen.

Only a handful, namely Ace Hardware, a vape shop and a pawn shop, were deemed “essential” and allowed to stay open.

By Fred Mays, Contributing Writer FALL 2020 69

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Standard Collective Anthony Soland closed the doors and locked up at Standard Collective in early March, weeks before other businesses in the Eau Gallie Arts District followed suit. “We took it seriously right off the bat”, he said.

His business model is rather versatile: on the corner of the boulevard, his large storefront has a decidedly industrial vibe that houses a clothing boutique, custom T shirt printer and a leather goods section, where custom wallets, bags and belts are made on site. Pre-pandemic, live music was offered on weekends.

3 After closing the shop, weeks of uncertainty turned into months. “We started making custom masks,” something to pass the time and generate a little revenue, Anthony said. As the economy sank deeper, business at his shop was sustained only by special orders, and through traffic generated

by Facebook and from past regular customers. Standard Collective re-opened in early June. According to Anthony, “people are out shopping and supporting local business.”

PHOTOS ABOVE: 1. The welcome sign pointing customers to Joan’s Perfect Pies.

2. Sign of the (pandemic) times.

3. Becca Polak of Traditionals…Cuts, Shaves & Brews.

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Art Expressions

On the intersecting Highland Avenue, Jody Carter, who owns Art Expressions Fine Custom Framing & Gifts, toughed it out through March following social distancing guidelines in her store, but steadily watching traffic decline. At the end of March, Jody closed her doors and turned to a “by appointment only” business model.

The pandemic couldn’t have hit at a worse time.

The winter and early spring months are her busiest time of the year.

She furloughed two employees and shifted Rebecca, her framing employee, to a per-diem basis. “We are doing one-on-one custom framing only”. Her marketing has been via email and social media. She describes business as slow but steady. “This may be the way we have to do business in the future”.

“We only allow one customer in the store at a time,” she continued. There is regular sanitizing of the workplace, employees wear gloves and try to maintain social distancing.

Beginning in June, Jody reopened on a limited basis. Her hours are 11-3, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, with framing by appointment only.

Joan says she’s grateful that “a lot of people try to support local businesses. We never [were forced to] shutdown because we are takeout only.”

Art’s Supplies

Anthony, Standard Collective

“People are out shopping and supporting local business.”

Jody has been paying the rent and utilities by drawing on a nest egg in her business account. “I haven’t had to touch my personal savings...yet.”

At Art’s Supplies, also on Highland Avenue, shop owner Art Sanders compares the downturn to a “bump in the road…kinda like a hurricane”.

He was able to reopen in May, after a month closed. Business is slower, but those customers who come in the store are buying more, as much as four times more at a time, he says. “They’re buying more supplies and less framing.” Ralph has one full time employee and kept her on the payroll even during the shutdown.

Perfect Pies Down the avenue, tucked away off the street and across from the Foosaner Museum, Joan’s Perfect Pies has not only stayed open during the shutdown, but thrived. A sign on the corner says “Baking Now!” And they’re baking a lot.

Owner Joan Flavin, who manages a staff of four employees, says they sell 75 to 100 pies a day. “We are really busy, business is better now”.

5th Avenue Gallery The 5th Avenue Art Gallery just a few steps away reopened in June, after months of closure. Renee Decator, a local acrylic artist, is president of the co-op that houses a collection of mixed media, sculpture, jewelry and fine art. She says the gallery has been “pretty busy” since reopening. They only allow five customers in the gallery at a time and are requiring customers to wear a mask.

New Normal, New Way of Business As Florida progresses with phased re-opening of business and public spaces, the businesses in EGAD will likely settle into a new normal, whatever that may be.

But the impact on shop owners will have lasting effects. Months without customers and cash flow will have a financial and emotional impact; many will be forced to consider new ways to attract customers and market their businesses. Some shops may not survive, but many will, rebounding with the grit and determination typical of this scrappy, historic district that helped shape the Melbourne community at large. •

About the Author: Fred Mays is a freelance writer/photographer from Satellite Beach. You can read his blog at floridaunplugged.com or reach him directly at fredmays44@gmail.com

FALL 2020 71

Zonta

By Brooke Deratany Goldfarb, Community Editor

Women’s Club

n the Space Coast, if you have heard of Zonta at all, it’s probably because at some point since 2004 you have attended the Melbourne club’s annual Chocolate Festival that takes place in March. You might have an inkling that Zonta is a woman’s organization that provides scholarships. Perhaps you glimpsed a billboard declaring “Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women.” However, it’s unlikely you truly understand the scope, reach, and impact of this mighty organization.

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS...

and trustworthy,” qualities members felt essential for female empowerment.

Zonta was founded in Buffalo, NY in 1919. One hundred years later, Zonta is a leading international organization of professionals with 29,000 members in 1,200 clubs in 63 countries around the world. “Zonta” is derived from the language of the Teton Dakota, a large western branch of several groups of the Native American Sioux people.

Zonta translates as “honest

We often think of the Women’s Movement as starting with Rosie the Riveter in World War II. However, women began joining the workforce in earnest during World War I. When that war ended, professional women organized to remove impediments to their independence and ability to support themselves.

Zontians understood women’s rights to be human rights and sought to improve not just their own lives, but the lives of all women everywhere. Believing that women should have the same access to resources and be represented in decision making positions on an equal basis with men, one of the organization’s first goals was to help women gain the right to vote.

HISTORY LESSON: SUFFRAGE

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On June 4, 1919, Congress passed the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution granting women’s suffrage, or the right to vote. Six months later, Zonta was founded, and together with many other important women’s organizations, helped get the 19th Amendment ratified on August 18, 1920.

On July 2, 1928, aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart was returning home from her famous transatlantic voyage when she received word from the Boston Zonta Club that she had been admitted as a member.

Ms. Earhart remained an active member in this and later the New York club, until her untimely disappearance in 1937.

Zonta is dedicated to creating a world in which every woman is empowered, and no woman lives in fear of violence. A non-partisan organization, Zonta values the participation of men. With UNICEF—a Zonta partner since 1972—Zonta recently launched a worldwide campaign to mobilize one billion men to collaborate in the achievement of universal gender equality.

Although her name might not be as recognizable as Amelia Earhart, to members of the various chambers of commerce in Brevard, Sandy Michelson is the ever-present face of Zonta. As a domestic violence survivor, Sandy was attracted to Zonta’s goal of stopping violence against women when she became involved around 1990. Highly motivated, Sandy was named “Zontian of

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the Year” soon after she joined, served as president 1997-1999, and area district director from 2000-2002.

Thirty years later, Sandy believes Zonta builds leaders and provides the friendship and support that helps women reach their full potential. Since 1999, Sandy has spearheaded the Melbourne Club’s holiday ornaments fundraiser. The popular (and regularly sold out) ornaments featuring iconic Space Coast landmarks are sold at Zonta functions and at Meehan’s in Downtown Melbourne for $25. Best-sellers over the years include 2001’s Dragon Point and 2014’s Del’s Freeze.

CHOCOLATE TO THE RESCUE Famous around town for baking fudge brownies to show gratitude for those who lend a hand to Zonta, Sandy’s delectable treats helped inspire one of Brevard’s most anticipated annual events, the Zonta Chocolate Festival.

The Chocolate Festival was the brainchild of Christine Tomasetti who felt that Zonta needed something fresher than the typical fashion show fundraiser.

She came up with the idea while watching the Food Network and believed that since Sandy’s brownies were synonymous with the Melbourne Club, a chocolate-themed festival would be a perfect fit. The festival has grown over the years from a small affair with a few dozen guests in the gardens of a historic home on Pineapple Avenue in Melbourne to a giant event that sells out the Melbourne Auditorium.

LEADERS FROM WITHIN Christine joined Zonta in the early 1990s. She was attracted to the organization because of its focus on professional development, provision of scholarships, and crusade against domestic violence. Christine also appreciated the international aspect of Zonta because, although a Jersey girl, her father’s family immigrated from Italy and her mother was born and raised in France. Christine is a past-president of the Melbourne Club and has been Area Vice-Director on the District level for the past two years. Next year, she will become Area Director for the Southeastern United States, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas and will serve on the District 11 Board.

Immediately after joining the Melbourne club 16 years ago, Claire Ellis attended the Southeast Area Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she witnessed a presentation on Zonta’s first international project to fight human trafficking in Bosnia. Coincidentally, Claire had just returned from a trip to Bosnia, witnessing first-hand the poverty of that war-torn country.

During the presentation, it occurred to Claire that if she had been a girl in Bosnia and someone had promised her a better life and a free trip to the United States, she probably would have been tricked into becoming a victim of human trafficking, too.

Shortly after returning from Puerto Rico, Claire went to a Human Trafficking Conference in Ft. Myers hosted by the Zonta

Club of Sanibel, which was providing trainings to law enforcement and helping victims of trafficking in Southwest Florida. Today, Claire is the co-chair of the Space Coast Human Trafficking Task Force, which is underwritten by the Melbourne club. The task force creates awareness through education and advocates for laws like those that crack down on human trafficking through disreputable massage parlors and require hotel staff to be trained in identifying human trafficking victims. The task force has delivered several trainings in Brevard over the past decade, most recently for Brevard County Sherriff’s personnel, emergency medical staff at Rockledge Medical Center, and Health First doctors.

Before moving to Florida, Doris “Dodie” Larson was President of the Zonta Club of Annapolis, MD, where she had been a member since 1989. Dodie says that if the Melbourne club had not been established in 1983, she would have started a club upon arrival in 2002.

Instead, she immediately set upon growing the Melbourne club’s membership.

Ask Dodie, “Why Zonta?” and she will tell you that she has learned more as a Zontian than from any other activity. She credits Zonta for giving her the courage to start her own business and become a leader in her community.

Zonta understands the importance of education in empowering women around the world. When you empower women, Dodie points out, you strengthen the family and the community.

Dodie loves that wherever in the world she travels, she can always reach out to a Zontian and receive whatever sort of support she needs. Whether the issue is stopping violence against women, providing scholarships to girls, outlawing childhood marriage and female genital mutilation, advocating for the passage of equal rights legislation, or raising human trafficking awareness, you can count on Zonta to zealously work to improve the status of women at the local, state, national, and international levels.

Learn more at Zonta.org & ZontaSpaceCoast.org. •

Brooke Deratany Goldfarb is a mother, wife, mediator, wellness advocate, yoga instructor and instantly-good friend to almost everyone she meets. To reach her directly, email: peacebeachbrooke@yahoo.com

FALL 2020 73

Women’s Center

By Shawna L. Lucas, Publisher Photo by Jason Hook Photography

n the world of social services, meeting clients “where they’re at,” has long been an accepted best practice.

“We need to target areas more impactfully,” so that anyone who needs our services is able to receive them, she said.

To be clear, it means finding the clients where they live and finding ways to get needed services directly to them, rather than requiring travel, or meetings or onerous requirements for clients to access them.

To do this, Stephanie and her staff and team of volunteers are going into the underserved communities where domestic and sexual abuse is widely reported, “meeting people where they are at.”

This is a practice that Stephanie Husted is thoughtfully extending through the services offered by The Women’s Center, where she has served as Executive Director since January 2019.

“It’s grassroots outreach that was critical so many years ago (in the identification and delivery of social services), but not so much anymore as trends moved us into offices,” and off the streets, she said. Establishing a consistent presence is key to establishing trust among a population already severely at odds with the concept of trust.

LEADERSHIP IN NON-PROFIT SECTOR It’s a role she is passionate about, and one her experience serves well. With more than 15 years of nonprofit leadership management, as well as work in operations management and organizational transformations, Stephanie was selected to lead the local nonprofit, which provides trauma informed care to victims of domestic and sexual violence.

Her focus is honed on two pillars at the moment, she said: To continue the progression, growth and visibility of the nonprofit and to expand diversity within the client base.

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ANYONE CAN BE A VICTIM Through a mix of services which includes outreach, counseling, victim advocacy and transitional housing, the Women’s Center annually assists approximately 6,400 local women, men and children on the Space Coast who have been impacted by the trauma of sexual or domestic violence.

Stephanie wants to make sure awareness is raised about the availability of services, including 24SPACECOASTLIVING.COM

hour hotlines for domestic abuse and sexual assault, staffed ‘round the clock by trained employees who can address crisis needs and assist with follow up for appropriate counseling, advocacy and housing needs.

VICTIM SERVICES THROUGH THE PANDEMIC When the pandemic struck in February, Stephanie and her team anticipated a heightened increase in demand for services. Interestingly, she said, that did not happen.

Though it’s unclear whether abuse was actually more pronounced or not during the shutdown, “We think the shelter-in-place orders kept the reporting down,” she said. Now that the shelter in place orders are relaxing a bit, reporting is on the rise.

The organization adopted CDC guidelines and developed online virtual services for victims. It has resonated so well that many now prefer to continue with virtual services, rather than switching back to face-to-face services. “We are glad to have identified and implemented a way to continue our outreach to people in need,” Stephanie said.

MORE TO DO The Women’s Center supplements its funding—the bulk of which comes from local, state and foundation grants, including money from the Federal Victims of Crime Act—with annual fundraisers that bridge the shortfall needed to continue operations and services.

The North Guild hosts two events annually: Superbowl of Trivia, which raised about $80,000 this year, and the Boots and Bandits event, which is on hold. In Melbourne, Bourbon Cars & Cigars is the big annual event, and “unfortunately on hold until further notice,” Stephanie said.

This year, the lag from these fundraisers is about $150,000, which Stephanie hopes will come from direct donations and profits from the two thrift shops they operate in Melbourne and Titusville.

Community support is what keeps the mission alive. “We are here, and fully operational. We are adjusting to this new normal and continue to provide critical, life-saving services to women, men and children suffering [from abuse],” she said.

For more information, or to donate or volunteer, call (321) 242-3110 or visit online at womenscenter.net.

OVER

40 % 20 % 80 % 70 % 20

%

of women in the US have encountered sexual violence

AROUND

of American males have been the victim of sexual violence

MORE THAN

of sexual assaults are committed by an acquaintance

ABOUT

LESS THAN

rape victims in the US are women aged between 12 to 34 years old of rapes are reported annually according to statistics

ABOUT

STEPHANIE HUSTED: Stephanie has held leadership roles with numerous high profile organizations throughout her career. During her most recent role as the Director to the Office of the President at Heart of Florida United Way, a $28 million dollar organization in Orlando, she was selected to lead the charge in the creation of the Orlando United Assistance Center (OUAC), established immediately following the Pulse night club terrorist attack as a crisis and recovery center for families of victims and survivors. A graduate of Brevard Community College (now Eastern Florida State College) and the University of Central Florida, Stephanie is no stranger to developing services of care for underserved communities and victims of trauma. FALL 2020 75

AMAZING EXPLORERS ACADEMY Innovation in Early Childhood Education

By Shawna L. Lucas, Publisher

HOLISTIC APPROACH You will immediately notice the differences in their approach from the minute you enter the modern, well-lit facility, to their certified teachers, to the security cameras you can access throughout the day. There is a certain type of security and care that is palpable and noticeable, the type of care we all want for our young ones who will be our future leaders.

At Amazing Explorers Academy, today’s children are being educated for tomorrow’s world – and they will be equipped for a future that hasn’t even yet been imagined. This is accomplished through the implementation of a proprietary STEAM curriculum that focuses on science, technology, engineering, the art, and mathematics.

This includes hands-on-learning in the Academy’s one-of-a-kind STEAM experience room, which allows children to learn the basics of computer coding, video animation and robotics. Students also get to explore creativity through art, music and educational play throughout the rest of their day.

rowth and preparing our youth for the unforeseen future: that is a challenging and increasingly necessary step in today’s world.

Early childhood education is a vital part of development for each child, as 90% of brain development happens before Kindergarten. This initial time spent in growth, learning, being nurtured, and building relationships are the building blocks that transition children later into successful, imaginative, trusting, and loving adults.

It is natural that parents and guardians seek a caring environment where their child will thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

And that is why it is exciting to know there is a place in line with these philosophies coming to the Viera area, starting in the 2020/21 school year, called Amazing Explorers Academy (AEA).

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PROJECT-BASED LEARNING Amazing Explorers also offers project-based learning, which encourages little minds to collaborate on topics that interest them. This allows them to fail, learn, and eventually grow into confident, enthusiastic scholars.

The school also has age-specific playgrounds, which allow the children to move their bodies at least two times a day; alongside digital motion activities.

To ensure students are thriving emotionally, the Academy employs a full-time early childhood specialist to help train teachers, and to make sure all children are happy and

healthy. To further this emotional growth, AEA includes social-emotional learning that supports children with emotional awareness and identification, while providing validation and exploration of feelings to not only encourage better regulation and impulse management skills, but also to teach about diversity, kindness, mindfulness, and even yoga.

AEA has partnered with Nemours Children’s Hospital to create menus that provide specialized, healthy and nutritious snacks and meals throughout the day. The vision has come to existence through the innovation of Marcello Spinelli, who helped create the concept in 2014 with his partner and has been an advocate of early education ever since.

COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS AND STAFF Marcello, a former wall street executive, left the high pressure financial world to make a lasting impact on the growing and changing world. “I knew I needed to do something different, something that would help change the world for better, which starts with kids,” he said.

The vision led him to research the education system from the bottom up, and to the realization that the learning process begins years before a student ever steps foot into a traditional classroom. “At Amazing Explorers Academy, we want to encourage children to build knowledge and to learn through creativity, exploration and proven methods of engagement”, says Marcello.

And he is investing just as sincerely in the educators and staff as the students.

“Happy employees are happy educators. If we treat our staff and employees well, train them, offer them opportunity for growth and advancement, that will translate to how the children we serve are treated and educated,” he said. This commitment will also spill over into the community. “We align with charitable programs that serve children in need where we have our schools and seek to be a community partner.” Marcello said.

FLEXIBILITY FOR A CHANGING WORLD Marcello and AEA are taking steps to address the community about change and adaptability based on what is happening in the world. For example, concerns about opening during a pandemic are addressed with integrity and transparency. Marcello assures that the school will adhere to all CDC and state requirements, including implementing sanitizing methods using special cleaning products that are safe for young children, as well as temperature scans for kids, and staff and staff testing for Covid-19 as frequently as twice monthly.

Marcello said he is looking forward to inaugurating the first Amazing Explorers Academy on the Space Coast, and excited about the growth and connectivity that the children of tomorrow will have with the wealth of technology experience and innovation that we currently have here today. • FALL 2020 77

Volunteer transplants mangrove along Indian River Lagoon. Photo credit: Brevard Zoo

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LIVING

Shoreline

By Fred Mays, Contributing Writer

here is a new way of thinking about how to protect the shorelines of the Indian River Lagoon.

The old way was to harden the shore by building concrete seawalls and installing piles of large boulders called rip rap, which is evident in the populated areas of Brevard. But seawalls are expensive to build and costly to maintain.

The new approach, called a “living shoreline,” is created by planting mangroves along the shore. Fronting them in the shallows, oyster reefs are planted to absorb the wave action. And in front of those are rocks that form a breakwater. This living shoreline works to diminish wave activity during storm events, resulting in the opposite of erosion, a process called “accretion” that actually adds to the shoreline.

“We’re trying to be sensitive to the environment”, says Dave Susa from the Riveredge Condo complex in Titusville, which is planning to replant the entire 250foot shoreline along their property. They currently have a seawall and rip rap barrier that has been a maintenance problem for years. The first step has been to plant native plants along the shore, to be followed by relocating their rock barrier about 10 yards further out into the lagoon to form a protective breakwater. Later, after a permit is issued from the state, mangroves will be planted.

Photo credit to Nick Reinert

The cost of the project is not cheap: $20,000 by one estimate, but still cheaper than repairing or replacing what is there now. “We see the living shoreline as a permanent and natural thing,” Dave said. “We’re trying to go back more to nature.”

Two local agencies, the Marine Resources Council and the Conservation Program of the Brevard Zoo, are working to save natural shorelines along the lagoon. Their efforts are designed to restore shorelines to their natural state, help improve water quality and combat erosion in the lagoon.

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Both agencies receive grant funding from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and from the Brevard County Save Our Indian River Lagoon Trust Fund. The trust fund comes from money generated by the voter-approved half-cent sales tax to restore the lagoon.

as a buffer against high-water surges. The zoo also has a “Shuck and Share” program that utilizes restaurant-donated oyster shells that are recycled into the lagoon to form oyster reefs along natural shorelines. The reefs block erosion and help clean the lagoon waters through a filtration process.

The Brevard Zoo’s “Restore Our Shores” program plants mangroves along shorelines to serve as a barrier against erosion during storms and act as buffer. The mangroves act

According to Olivia Escandell, Shuck and Share program coordinator, each new oyster potentially filters 30 to 50 gallons of lagoon water daily, helping restore water quality. She calls

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the shells “the liver on the river” for their water filtering ability. The zoo began recycling oyster shells in 2009 and built the first reef in 2015. Nearly four million pounds of oyster shells have been recycled into the lagoon, forming more than a mile of reefed shoreline.

The ambitious effort eventually has a goal of up to 20 miles of reefs, which would be enough oysters to filter the entire lagoon.

The zoo’s biggest shoreline project to date was recently completed on the lagoon side of Melbourne Beach, with the replanting and reefing over 900 feet

of unprotected shoreline in a Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Land (EELS) park. The work consisted of laying down oyster reefs and planting mangroves.

Although the Zoo was closed, the oyster reef building continued during the Covid-19 shutdown, since operations had been funded in advance by state and county grants. Furloughed employees from the zoo were hired for the work, instead of the normal reliance on volunteers. Since many restaurants were closed during the pandemic, there was a drop off in the number of oyster shells available for recycling.

The Marine Resources Council work consists primarily of mangrove restoration along the shores of the Indian River Lagoon.

The MRC even has large nurseries in Palm Bay and Vero Beach which cultivate and grow all three Florida mangrove species…red, white and black.

According the Caity Savoia, Director of Science and Restoration at MRC, the replanting program is a struggle against nature, as only about 50% of replanted mangroves survive and grow to maturity. But when the plants thrive, the experiment works. Instead of shoreline erosion, there is actually shoreline growth, the process known as accretion.

The MRC has over 5,000 mangroves in their nurseries ready for planting. There are more in the backyards of “foster” homes along the lagoon, where homeowners volunteer to plant mangrove seedlings and tend to them until they’re ready to transplant.

This picture shows a property with seawall shoreline butted up to a property with natural shoreline. Photo credit: Fred Mays

The Brevard Zoo’s “Restore Our Shores” program plants mangroves along shorelines to serve as a barrier against erosion during storms.

In the right environment, mangroves can be fast growers, reaching nearly seven-feet in two years. Red mangroves are planted right at the waterline and can propagate quickly by dropping seeds year-round, filling in the shoreline. Black and white mangroves are planted a few feet back from the waterline, and only drop their seeds in the fall.

“This breakwater provides habitat and protects the shoreline,” Caity said.

“They provide a natural refuge for juvenile fish.”

Just offshore from the mangroves is a rocky breakwater, which calms the water before it reaches the shore and protects the mangrove plantings.

The biggest MRC project is happening at their Lagoon House headquarters located on Dixie Highway in Palm Bay. They are planting mangroves and build-

In addition to the mangroves, MRC plants another native plant called Spartina (a grass usually found in coastal salt marshes), which helps stabilize the shoreline and remove invasive species.

ing breakwaters to protect 1,500 feet of shoreline along the lagoon. Several other smaller projects have occurred at Brevard County parks located along the lagoon.

Caity is hopeful of getting more private property owners along the lagoon to get involved in the environmental effort. She is the consultant on the Riveredge project in Titusville and says the Riveredge condo owners are “at the forefront among lagoon homeowners for natural shorelines.” • FALL 2020 81

For more information or to donate, visit the Marine Resources Council online at savetheirl.org or call 321-725-7775 Fred Mays is a freelance writer/photographer from Satellite Beach. You can read his blog at floridaunplugged.com or reach him directly at fredmays44@gmail.com.

Shows oyster reef along shore of Indian River Lagoon. Photo credit: Brevard Zoo

Mangroves being moved to transplant area.

Photo credit: Brevard Zoo

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Outdoor Living he end of summer/start of Fall is a magical time in Florida. With humidity and scorching temperatures easing up a bit in the mornings and evenings, this season is a perfect time to find a place to perch on your patio with a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine) to enjoy the colorful skies and balmy breezes that sunrise and sunset often afford.

Here, we offer up a few ways to perk up your patio or freshen up your yard with accessories and furnishings that could work in outdoor spaces, covered or not.

Get your Mermaid On with the vibrant SUNNYLIFE MERMAID LUXE POOL RING available for $19 at bonanza.com

summer just got hotter.

Anyone can grill but only few can elevate it to an art form. Our FREEDOM TEAM is knowledgeable in design and will help you create the outdoor kitchen of your dreams by selecting the best equipment and custom features to fit your needs for a functional and gorgeous outdoor living space. Whatever your style, Freedom Outdoor Kitchens can help you turn up the heat.

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The colorful DAISHA OUTDOOR BAG LOUNGER from Freeport Park® comes in 8 other tropical solids made from Sunbrella® performance fabric - which is treated to resist dirt, stains, mold, mildew and UV rays. EPS filling conforms to body shape, making it the perfect chill chair for lounging or sunbathing. $300.

For more information, wayfair.com Recalling the old timey beach days on boardwalks, this GIANA DESIGNER UMBRELLA in Indigo from Frontgate features an aluminum frame with a crank handle and easy-tilt function. Available in a selection of base options, including teak or non-rusting aluminum, and covered with sun-tolerant Sunbrella® fabric with 98% UV protection, this funbrella would make a great choice for patio or pool scapes. (Base sold separately).

Starts at $636. For more info, frontgate.com

Turn your grill into a pizza oven with an innovative and affordable PIZZA OVEN from Baker Stone Basics. Featuring a patented 5-sided stone baking chamber, this nifty addition to any patio converts most 2-burner or larger gas grills and 22.5 or larger charcoal kettle grills into a gourmet pizza oven that can also roast veggies and bake cookies and breads.

Starting at $99. For more information shop-usa.bakerstonebox.com To help keep bevies and bottles chill, drop a bag of ice into the TROPICAL PALM POOL DRINK COOLER and top with your favorite sippers. $25 from funboy.com. (Also check out their selection of hilarious and hip pool floats!).

LED STAR SHOWER GARDEN ART is a cute watering can in powder coated steel with twinkling LED lights from Gardner’s Supply Company. It will add whimsy and sparkle to your back or front yard space.

Battery operated on a timer, you can enjoy up to six hours of glowing night lights in a twinkling shower that moves with the balmy breeze. $85. For information, gardeners.com •

NOW ON PINTEREST! Follow us for the latest news, happenings, social events, trends and more on the Space Coast.

pinterest.com/spacecoastliving

LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCED REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL YOU CAN TRUST? Call Floyd White today for help with selling or buying your home.

Broker & Associate Cell: 321.431.1559 Email: fawhite@kw.com FALL 2020 85

KELLY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP hether you choose to shop online or in-person for your next vehicle, a new program at Kelly Automotive is offering a stress free, RISK FREE, option to do so.

THE PROGRAM INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING: 150-point inspection 3 day, 150-mile money back guarantee 30-day, 1,000-mile exchange plan (which allows for swap of equal or greater value).

“This program covers every used car on our lot other than bargain vehicles under $10,000,” said Vice President and group partner Chris Saraceno.

With more than 50 million used cars sold annually, Chris explains that a program like this can help consumers feel confident without feeling overwhelmingly pressured to purchase the vehicle they choose.

Kelly Automotive uses “Live Market” pricing to set vehicle costs. This system aggregates hundreds of car sales website prices to calculate the best price option for a particular vehicle, he said.

The dealership, which offers new and used models of vehicles from Ford and Infinity, is proud of its longstanding history and service on the Space Coast, combining staff experience into 100 years of collective car selling and service experience. In 2019, Kelly Ford was named a top dealer via the President’s Award, which recognizes outstanding customer service.

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Chris said that the ongoing commitment to transparency is part of what sets Kelly Automotive Group apart. Sales staff are on call day and night to address customer concerns and provide personal cell phone number to clients via business cards, guaranteeing access after the sale.

Additionally, sales staff are required to attend ongoing regular and rigorous customer service training, manufacturer’s online training programs, sales class and dealership training orientation so they can effectively represent the brand and products to clients.

When purchasing a pre-owned vehicle, Kelly Automotive Group recommends asking the following questions of any dealer: What is the return policy if I’m not happy with my purchase?

Is there an exchange policy for credit towards another car?

Request vehicle inspection report.

Request mechanics internal repair order(s).

Request vehicle history report.

Request recall report from manufacturer.

Request justification for car price - ask how the dealer arrived at the current price.

“We are known and respected for our commitment to our family of customers and excited to offer customers a no-hassle, stress free way to purchase a vehicle,” he said.

For more information about the Risk Free Used Car Sales program, visit Kelly Ford online at kellyfordsales.com. Kelly Ford showroom is located at 776 Magnolia Ave. Melbourne, or call 855438-1424. Visit Infinity of Melbourne online at infinitiofmelbourne.com.

Infiniti showroom is located at 901 S. Apollo Blvd., Melbourne, or call 321-323-7709. •

Streaming online at wfit.org FALL 2020 87

NAVIGATING A NEW NORMAL: Brevard Public Schools Responds to COVID-19

t the beginning of March, spring break was right around the corner for Brevard Public Schools (BPS), with 5,000 teachers and 66,000 students looking forward to a week of fun and relaxation. The same day school was set to adjourn for the break, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced statewide school closures until March 30 in response to COVID-19. At that time, no one could have predicted weeks would turn into months, resulting in the school year culminating through distance learning.

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By Sara Almond, APR, Division of Government and Community Relations Brevard Public Schools

With only two weeks’ advance notice, it took extraordinary effort to pull together elementary and secondary curriculums and to prepare instructional staff to transition from the classroom to remote teaching. BPS’ Educational Technology team worked feverishly on what remote learning would look like for the 11th largest school district in the state. In under two weeks, more than 15,000 district devices and over 2,000 hotspots (remote WiFi connectivity) were dispersed to students and households that lacked the resources to participate in online learning, in addition to over 1,200 pencil and paper packets distributed for younger grade levels with similar accessibility challenges and students with varying accommodations .

Out of an abundance of caution, BPS transitioned some 1,000 non-instructional employees to remote work and reduced on-site staffing at its facilities to less than 30-percent capacity. More than 600 Food and Nutrition Services workers dispersed to 27 school campuses providing over 225,000 meals

The Class of 2020 weekly to families in need.

At press time, the district received permission to continue food distribution at 15 of sites through June 30. In addition, bus drivers are delivering over 300 meals a day to BPS students-in-transition (homeless students).

The pivot was real: parents became homeschool teachers while juggling full-time jobs remotely, teachers adjusted to assisting students from afar and the community stepped up to bridge the gap to keep students learning and provided for through the end of the 2020 school year.

Graduation celebrations may look different than ever before, but one thing is for sure - this year’s graduating class will not be forgotten.

During the month of May, high schools across Brevard found unique ways to honor graduating seniors. From socially distanced car parades, to celebratory yard signs, the community came out to celebrate the Class of 2020. Community partner, Clear Channel Outdoor, donated space on 16 billboards throughout Brevard the week graduations were originally scheduled to be held in May. Brightly lit messages of well wishes and support were visible from Cocoa to Palm Bay. FALL 2020 89

Superintendent Mark Mullins, Ed.D

Preparing for a ‘New Normal’ In careful preparation and consideration of reopening schools in the fall, district Superintendent Mark Mullins, Ed.D., assembled a 14-person cross-functional task force of academic and operational district leaders and Brevard County Department of Health medical professionals. The team will focus on four key areas to safely reopen schools: student and staff health and safety, educational enrichment, social/emotional wellbeing and operational sustainability, with the health and safety of students and employees at the forefront of all considerations.

“Since traditional graduation ceremonies weren’t able to be executed this year, we wanted to cheer on the Class of 2020. We thank Brevard Public Schools for allowing us to be part of this untraditional, but very important send-off to the BPS seniors, and wish them many successes in the future,” said Clear Channel General Manager, Matt Brandt.

Eyan Easter, a graduating senior from Edgewood Jr./Sr. High School, shared his perspective. “Graduating in the year 2020 was definitely interesting and challenging, but I try to find the good in the challenges we all faced. It was very heartwarming and uplifting to see the efforts the schools and the student body put towards making sure our senior year was the best it could be.” He said.

At the time of press, BPS was planning to hold graduation ceremonies for its 5,000 seniors the week of July 18-25, pending the status of COVID-19 restrictions.

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“It is clear the impacts of COVID-19 are consistently evolving, but we are moving ahead to proactively plan for every likely reopening scenario. We are following the guidance of the Governor and CDC, as well as direction from the Florida Department of Education,” Mullins said.

“Throughout this process, we will continue to operate in a transparent manner and keep our community informed as we reach major milestones.”

BPS’ Re-Opening Task Force is using the capacity of its resource teachers to collect feedback from Pre-K through Grade-12 classroom teachers, in addition to those responsible for Exceptional Education, athletic directors, JROTC, Career & Technical Education, and more. In early June, the task force launched a public feedback web site to gather input from families, employees and the community at-large. Within four days of activating the site, more than 5,000 responses had been received. The district plans to share all of them.

Cleanliness and Safety Measures As the largest employer in Brevard County, BPS maintains 100 buildings, 83 of them school campuses.

Since school closures in March, district custodial staff have dispersed to all sites for cleaning, disinfecting and consistent sanitation efforts. In addition to increasing these measures, BPS began procuring personal protective equipment in preparation to re-open. Many day-to-day activities are being reimagined, such as busing students to and from school, classroom structure, daily meals, hundreds of students navigating campuses and more.

Throughout this historic time, Brevard Public Schools is one of more than 13,500 school districts in the U.S. faced with mapping a new normal for public education. Each district is moving forward with guidance and direction from state and local officials, likely with the same goal in mind – to serve every student with excellence. As BPS moves forward through uncharted territory, it remains committed to preserving the health and safety of students and staff without compromise. • To learn more about Brevard Public Schools, visit brevardschools.org

Photos provided by Brevard Public Schools and Anne Conroy-Baiter

Meet a selection of Space Coast High School Seniors who graduated and are venturing out to save the world!

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HOLY TRINITY GRAD PURSUES BIO-MEDICAL INNOVATION “After reading many articles on artificial organs and tissues, I knew that I wanted to dedicate my life to something not only that has affected my family, but many other families throughout the world.” he long list of awards and accolades that follow the accomplishments of Nicholas Olomu, 17, a recently-graduated Holy Trinity senior headed to Duke University in North Carolina in the Fall, pale in comparison to his humble nature and unwavering mission to combine biomedical engineering with technology to help people with organ disfunction.

From his college entry essay: “My interest in engineering was discovered in a way unlike most other students. When I was around the age of five, my mom became sick with an autoimmune disease and her total 92 SPACE COAST LIVING

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kidney function was reduced to about 25%. Due to this, she had to be put on dialysis, and if you don't know, dialysis can be extremely physically taxing on a person.

When people have any type of kidney problems their options are either to receive dialysis, or if it gets bad enough get a kidney transplant. In my Mom's case she was lucky enough not to need a transplant but the question I always ask myself is what if she hadn't gotten lucky?”

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HECTIC SCHEDULE Nicholas graduated with a weighted 4.5 GPA while juggling a rigorous 2.5 hour daily tennis training schedule at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, weekend travel to tennis matches around the country, volunteering at the Dorcas Outreach Center for Kids in Melbourne and a senior role at his school’s leadership program.

He was accepted to the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (mathematics honor society for high school and two-year college students), National Latin Honor Society and also served as a senior representative to Student Government.

“Time management was an important part of figuring out how to balance everything,” he said with a chuckle. Nicholas has been playing tennis since he was five, competitively with the US Tennis Association since he was 11. He’s been ranked #51 in the nation for doubles, #120 nationally, and among the top 10 in Florida.

Despite the athletic schedule, Nicholas followed his passion for biomedical by keeping up with biomedical engineering and technological advancements through weekly check-ins with research sites to learn about new and exciting projects that he might one day contribute to.

From his college entry essay: “Biomedical engineering, in my opinion, is one of the most important emerging fields of study right now… Although there has been great progress in the mastery of artificial organs, science and medicine have not been able to make manmade organs as effective or [available] as they need to be. The creation of artificial organs will make the dreadful organ donor waitlists obsolete. The large majority of people who end up on these waitlists never receive a transplant, and of those people, many are too sick to wait and end up dying as a result of a lack of donors.”

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE Nicholas chose Duke University after acceptance offers came from Case Western, Columbia, Cornell, UCLA, CalTech, Georgia Tech, and Northwestern University, among many others.

At least four of those offers came with tennis scholarship offers of $25,000 to $40,000 per year, but Nicholas was determined to attend Duke—ranked #10 among colleges and universities by US News and World Report—because of the strength of its biomedical engineering research and curriculum, he said.

And, although clearly motivated and

impacted by his mother’s autoimmune disfunction, Nicholas equally credits his father Francis Olomu with helping spark further motivation for his choices. “My dad came to America from Lagos, Nigeria, with the hope to make a better life.

He worked hard, studied at UCLA to become a radiologist and was successful.”

Now, Francis manages medical facilities in Suntree and Melbourne. Nicholas says watching his father negotiate business deals and interact with clients and tenants has been informative. “He’s very business-savvy and always makes the right decision, even when it’s the harder thing to do,” he said.

Nicholas has adopted his father’s work ethic and recites a life mantra his father repeats often: “Work hard and live today like there’s no tomorrow.”

From his college entry essay: I believe that at the time I will be attending college, and by the time I'm in the workforce, we will have the technology to make artificial organs, both more effectively and more efficiently. Although the technology will be there, we need many bright minds who can utilize that technology and make something the world has never seen before. Due to my circumstances, I am highly driven to pursue a career in biomedical engineering, specifically producing artificial organs.” •

By Shawna L. Lucas, Publisher Photos supplied by Nicholas Olomu FALL 2020 93

HIGHER

EDUCATION Responds to Pandemic Challenges

By Kelly Camirand, Contributing Writer

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Covid-19 - the new reality

he impact of a pandemic-stressed world is evidenced in myriad ways, but not the least in how students, educators and staff at institutions of higher learning would respond and adapt to rapidly-changing guidelines, directives and rules set down by Federal, State and Local governments.

Continue Reading >>

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“The process of transitioning from the traditional in-class setting, to an online format in two weeks was a herculean task, one that I could not be more pleased with our administrators and employees for accomplishing.”

JOHN J. GLISCH, Associate Vice President of Communications for Eastern Florida State College

From Classrooms on Campus to Classrooms at Home

On April 1, colleges and universities across the state were officially forced to shutter learning labs and close down classrooms, moving all learning online to ensure students could complete the Spring term, although some had already made the decision to close. And, though it’s not new for colleges to provide online and virtual course choices, E-learning is a growing alternative and a valued choice that accommodates a considerable portion of a university’s student body.

Interestingly, University of Central Florida ranks 18th in the country for its online learning programs.

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While e-learning courses and programs are a growing educational medium, many college administrators agree the best way to retain the “new” college student is for them to enjoy the traditional on-campus learning experience.

It’s the idea the student will immerse themselves into the everyday life of on-campus activities, clubs and programs, and also allow them to start building personal relationships with |

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administrators, faculty and peers. As COVID continued its stranglehold, colleges would continue to remain closed through the summer, leaving administrators to wonder how students would respond to new class registration with so much uncertainty: Would students who were forced out of traditional class settings take a sabbatical until a vaccine was discovered; would they take time off from school because of financial hardship, or would they continue to attend online courses through the summer? Eventually, the answer became clear as summer enrollment projections caught up to the changing times.

On the Space Coast, Eastern Florida State College reported the highest online class enrollment in its history for the Summer 2020 term. “The spring proved successful for many of our student body, who might not otherwise take an online course this encouraged them to register and pursue the same online format for the summer,” said Glisch.

Time and Reflection Brings Change With so much extra time at home, many contemplated how to prepare for life after being furloughed or the loss of a job. If the future didn’t feel ominous enough, there was crippling evidence to confirm anyone’s concerns.

America’s unemployment rate was reported at 13.3% in May 2020, almost a full 10% higher than May of 2019. For Floridians,

unemployment rates were even higher, up just over 3% to 14.5% in the same time frame.

At another Space Coast educational institution, the pandemic was a catalyst for deep review.

“At Webster, we have been working with career changers for over the 25 years that we have been [operating] in Melbourne.

COVID is just a different impetus for what is causing [people] to look at changing careers,” said Dawn Rodak, Campus Director for Webster’s Melbourne Metropolitan Campus.

Now more than ever, the pursuit of a new degree or different professional experience is attainable with colleges better prepared to handle the onslaught.

Florida Institute of Technology is one institution of higher learning that was initially built for the adult student who works by day and learns by night.

“We have offered fully online programs at our education centers around the country for many years, specifically geared towards this type of student population. It is our heritage, in fact.

We were founded in 1958 to provide education to NASA scientists seeking master’s degrees and technicians seeking associate degrees as they arrive at what would soon become Kennedy Space Center.

It would be fair to say we have been preparing for this [sort of situation] since our very start,” said Brian Ehrlich, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Florida Tech.

Adapting to the New Normal – Fall on Campus In June, Florida Gov. Ron Desantis reopened Florida through a progression of phases, with statewide COVID cases on the increase. Since then, the state Department of Health continues to report record increases of new cases per day, which is definitely weighing heavily on the minds of officials, administrators and students across the state.

By this Fall, the college experience for Florida students will involve a variety of alternative instructional formats to include face-toface, hybrid and online delivery formats to campuses.

University presidents declared almost unanimously, that flexibility would be a major factor in the success of implementing safety protocols for on-campus classes, while keeping people healthy as their guiding priority.

At campuses statewide, the need to safely distance, including wearing a mask, also involves reconfiguring classrooms and labs to protect students and faculty and to comply with important guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.

By comparison, the Space Coast has enjoyed a much lower infection rate than other metropolitan areas in Florida, and that is providing cautious hope for colleges and universities with a presence here. Like other campuses, Florida Tech’s new normal has

included a range of precautions designed for the well-being and safety of each student. “We know that Melbourne has a lower number of infections than other places, so we are helping families understand the accurate context of COVID-19 on the Space Coast and the myriad of strengths this area has to offer,” said Ehrlich.

While many classes are being adapted to the necessary online format, there are still others that require in-person labs and participation. Particularly for health sciences, work force training and public safety courses, campus interface is necessary. To address this, attending students will be required to wear personal protective gear while in the classroom and lab setting.

Many classrooms and auditoriums have also been refigured to accommodate the mandated six feet of social distancing among students attending class and the faculty teaching them, as outlined by the CDC and the Florida Department of Health.

Safety and Security, Number One Priority A newly implemented Orange County executive order for all Orlando residents requires masks be worn by anyone out in the community. Some local officials are predicting Brevard and surrounding counties will follow. This move will certainly assist campus security with ensuring the safety of students attending classes

Covid-19 - the new reality

in person, and because it is a government order, colleges and universities will be required to follow suit, rather than establishing their own protocols.

“Knights are known for many things: our ingenuity, our can-do attitude, and caring for each other. And each of us must take steps to not only protect ourselves but to care for each other,” said Alexander Cartwright, President of the University Central Florida.

The time, talent and expertise invested by health experts, university officials and county executives to address the safety and security of students, facilities and staff should be lauded.

The story of COVID-19 and its influence on our relationships, our families, our careers and our education, although unprecedented and challenging, is clearly not insurmountable. With flexibility and adaptability, all manner of education and enlightenment can be made possible. •

MEET THE AUTHOR: Kelly Collazo Camirand is a public relations, content and media influencer and principal of Executive and HealthCare Promotions, Inc. a boutique public relations and market development agency.

“Your turn-key to the community” Online at executiveandhealthcarepromotions.com

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DIRECTORY Gatto’s Tires & Auto Service www.gattos.com

Gatto’s Tires & Auto Service is Brevard’s go-to for friendly customer service, leading tire brands and ASE-certified technicians. Started by Mike Gatto in 1971, Gatto’s continues to be a locally owned and operated family business with 6 locations across the county. Whether you have a car, truck, RV or a commercial fleet, Gatto’s is dedicated to providing quality work at an honest price.

Burke Consignment & Gallery

327 N. Babcock St., Melbourne, FL - (321) 917-2815

We offer quality collectibles like Waterford and Lladro, as well as costume and fine jewelry, and original art work. With us, you can find brand name furniture like Drexel, Henredon and Tommy Bahama, that is in such good condition that local interior designers purchase from us. We also buy individual items or whole estates with high-end items, which is a great solution for HOA’s that don’t allow estate sales.

“Once You Visit, You’ll Keep Coming Back.” Hours of Operation: Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday close at 3:30 p.m.

SPCA of Brevard Thrift Store & Boutique 790 S. Apollo Blvd. Melbourne, FL - (321) 327-8305

When you shop at or donate to SPCA of Brevard Thrift Store & Boutique, you are helping to save the lives of more than 2,600 animals every year. This location features a high-end boutique, including women’s designer fashion, shoes, and purses. Donations are accepted seven days a week and pick up is available for large items.

Q’s Cabinetry, Inc.

340 Cox Rd. Cocoa, FL - (321) 446-8162 Q’s Cabinetry is, simply put, all about the details required for a flawless cabinet and countertop install. This starts with tweaking your plans from your builder or architect. If you do not have plans, we will draw them up for you. During your first visit to Q’s we will discuss your needs and show you how we can accomplish them.

Sunrise Facial and Oral Surgery

1325 Pine Street, Suite 102, Melbourne - (321) 725-5377

Dr. Rick Schmid has been practicing oral and maxillofacial surgery in Melbourne, Florida since 1983. He is one of only two surgeons in Brevard County that has earned Board Certification as a Diplomate of both the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the National Dental Board of Anesthesiology. Sunrise surgeons, Drs. Schmid, Kim, and Kossak practice a full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery with expertise ranging from corrective jaw surgery, trauma and dental implants to wisdom teeth removal. Website: SunriseOralSurgery.com

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DIRECTORY MI-BOX Space Coast

Melbourne, FL - (321) 500-4344

Locally owned & operated, our goal is to take the stress out of moving. Traditional methods of moving are simply becoming outdated. Don’t cram what should be a few weeks of work into a day. MI-BOX storage containers can be used at home, at the office, during events, at construction sites, during remodeling projects, or anywhere else you need secure, weathertight, convenient storage. MI-BOX portable storage containers come in three convenient sizes so you only rent the space you actually need. We are proud to offer 8’, 16’, and 20’ mobile storage containers. www.getmibox.com

Dental Choice of Melbourne

402 N. Babcock St. Suite 103 Melbourne, FL - (321) 600-4487 At Dental Choice of Melbourne, we will be delighted, if you choose to join our family of happy and satisfied patients. The practice provides full scope of general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. Dr. Julia Bunker, New York University graduated, brings to practice over 20 yrs. of experience in dentistry. Come and Meet our caring, knowledgeable, and friendly team.

Sara Hawks Houston State Farm Agency 1950 Viera Blvd. Suite 104, Viera, FL - (321) 425-5444

68a State Farm”

At Sara Hawks Houston State Farm Agency in Viera you will immediately feel the difference! Our local Agency is known for our strong commitment to our clients and to our community. State Farm is proud to be #1 in Auto and Homeowners Insurance in the Country! At our agency we take the time to get to know you, your individual needs, goals and dreams! We then work with you to remove liability risks, protect your assets and help you achieve your financial goals!

Glamour Lounge

635 S. Wickham Suite 101 West Melbourne, FL - (321) 220-0023 The Glamour Lounge is about more than just creating beautiful hair. Our mission is to help you discover your inner glamour and let it shine through.

Our team specializes in creating custom-tailored top trending cuts and color for our clients. We believe in sustainable hairdressing and are a Green Circle salon.

Hours: Monday 10 am - 3 pm, Tuesday-Thursday 9 am - 8 pm, Friday 9 am - 6 pm and Saturday 9 am - 4 pm.

YOUR LISTING HERE Annual DIRECTORY Listing Plan CALL 321-622-5986 ADVERTISING@SPACECOASTMAGAZINES.COM FALL 2020 99

Hell ‘n Blazes Brewing Company is Brevard County’s finest craft brewery and GastroPub/Restaurant.

HnB brews all beer on premises and there are usually 18 or more different styles to try on any given day. HnB’s beer styles rotate seasonally so there is always something new to try. They maintain a comprehensive wine list as well. Their menu represents local, fresh American-style pub food, made fresh daily. Daily specials round out their menu offerings.

Located waterfront on the beautiful Indian River Lagoon, River Rocks has long been regarded as one of Brevard County’s premier waterfront restaurants. Dinner is served nightly featuring fresh seafood and steaks in the stunning modern dining room with expansive waterfront views. The bar provides a perfect spot for business networking over innovative cocktails or sharing a bottle of wine and appetizers with friends. A delicious ala carte morning brunch menu is served on Saturday and Sundays along with unlimited mimosas and bloody marys. River Rocks specializes in spectacular events of all sizes with multiple private dining options and a personal event coordinator to help plan your occasion.

Hours

Hours

Hours

Hours

Monday 11AM–9PM Tuesday 11AM–10PM Wednesday 11AM–10PM Thursday 11AM–10PM Friday* 11AM–1AM Saturday* 11AM–1AM Sunday 11AM–9PM *Kitchen closes at 11PM

Monday 4PM–9PM Tuesday 4PM–9PM Wednesday 4PM–9PM Thursday 4PM–9PM Friday 4PM–10PM Saturday 4PM–10PM Sunday 4PM–9PM Brunch 8AM-2PM Sat. & Sun.

Monday 11AM–9PM Tuesday 11AM–9PM Wednesday 11AM–9PM Thursday 11AM–9PM Friday 11AM–10PM Saturday 11AM–10PM Sunday 11AM–9PM

Monday 11AM–10PM Tuesday 11AM–10PM Wednesday 11AM–10PM Thursday 11AM–10PM Friday 11AM–11PM Saturday 11AM–11PM Sunday 11AM–10PM

321.821.4052

321.757.7200

772.918.4229

321.757-0142

Location

Location

Location

Location

1002 E New Haven Avenue, Historic Downtown Melbourne, FL 32901

6485 S. US-1 Rockledge, FL

1732 Indian River Drive Sebastian, FL

6485 S. US-1 Rockledge, FL

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Watch the fishing boats pull up and unload the day’s catch while enjoying some of the freshest seafood on the coast. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Captain Butcher’s features a large deck overlooking the marina.

The happy hour specials at the waterfront bar always draw a crowd and are a local favorite. Inside, the inviting dining room is the perfect spot for a relaxing meal and includes private rooms to accommodate events of all sizes. Come join us!

Open daily for lunch and dinner, The Dock Bar and Grill is the more casual outdoor experience at River Rocks. With a perfect water view and dockage if you come by boat, the Dock features a family friendly menu focused on fresh seafood, sandwiches and salads. The 5,000 square foot covered deck is the perfect place to while away the afternoon or sip cocktails while listening to the area’s best live acoustic entertainers. Locals tend to quickly fill the large outdoor bar for great happy hour specials daily. Sit around the fire pit, feed the catfish off the dock, or pull up a stool on the waterfront boardwalk. The Dock welcomes groups of all sizes, come relax in true Florida style!

Space Coast Living Magazine received a roster of students from school officials who deserve a special shout out for their commitment to education and service to student government during their senior year. Here, we ask: What was the most memorable part about your senior year of high school in 2020?

Ashley Copeland Student Body President Edgewood Junior/Senior High School College to attend: University of South Florida

“The most memorable part of my senior year was our pep rally. There was so much excitement and school spirit.”

Bailey Gilmore Student Body President Titusville High School College to attend: University of Central Florida

“The glow in the dark pep rally that we did really sparked all the student involvement for the rest of the year.”

Lena Hatter SGA President West Shore Junior/Senior High School College to attend: Brevard College (in North Carolina)

“Obviously Coronavirus. But also probably finalizing and closing up the relationships I’ve made over the six years I’ve been at West Shore and seeing what all my hard work really did at school.”

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Heather Motro Member of Holy Trinity’s Tiger Leadership program Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy College to attend: Clemson University “The most memorable thing about my senior year was serving as coeditor of the yearbook. The book is a record of Holy Trinity’s steadfastness through trials- including a quarter in quarantine- and to me it’s also a record of a year’s worth of creative teamwork the staff and I put in at all hours, at school and from home, to create a yearbook we’re proud of.”

Quinn Kelchner SGA President Space Coast Junior/Senior High School College to attend: Florida State University

“The most memorable part of senior year was getting elected homecoming queen.”

LeAnna Mize Student Body President

What was the most memorable part about your senior year of high school in 2020?

Bayside High School College to attend: Eastern Florida State College

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“One of the most memorable moments was putting on our fall play production because that was a really fun process to do.”

Josiah Johnson Student Body President Astronaut High School College to attend: University of South Florida

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“The most memorable part was being able to make our student government the most diverse it’s been and bringing in more invovlement than we’ve ever had in the past.”

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Senior Class President Melbourne High School College to attend: The Citadel (Millitary College of South Carolina) “I ran a half marathon with mono in the freezing cold, I played district finals soccer game with mono, I was on homecoming court, I went to regionals for cross country, in the fall I was the vice corps commander for my JROTC and got to march in the staff diamond carrying a Sabre in the Melbourne lights parade, I got to sit in on board meetings with the superintendent for student government, and in the fall, I signed to my dream school for playing soccer.”

Cade Oas

What was the most memorable part about your senior year of high school in 2020?

Jessica Newton

SGA President Eau Gallie High School College to attend: University of Central Florida

“My most memorable event during my senior year would be getting involved in many different clubs and volunteering in the community with my two best friends.”

Brianna Proper SGA President Heritage High School College to attend: University of Pennsylvania

“Even though we’ve been forced apart, we’ve all found ways to come together and share this year with each other anyways, growing as we learn to adapt into a stronger class and growing stronger as the next generation to inherit the world.”

Max Schieman Student Body President Satellite High School College to attend: University of Central Florida

“Other than the whole senior year being cut early thing, all my teachers in my senior year were the best teachers I had throughout my high school career.”

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Matt Sielaff Student Body President Viera High School College to attend: University of Florida

“Every year, Viera High School holds Dance Marathon. This year we were really behind on our goal, but on the last night of the fundraiser we were able to raise $10,000 in one night, surpassing our goal.”

Trinity Stenger Council President Merritt Island High School College to attend: United States Military Academy at West Point

“I would honestly have to say going to the football games and really just enjoying time with the people around me.”

Nina Tran Student Body President Cocoa Beach Junior/Senior High School College to attend: University of Central Florida

“It was really just a blur for me.”

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