Space Coast LIVING - March 2021

SPACE COAST 21 THINGS TO DO IN 2021 > PAGE 9 • SPACECOASTLIVING.COM MARCH 2021

MARCH 2021

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER s we swing into Spring, I am hopeful and more resolute than ever to continue showcasing the diversity of life, style and community that we all enjoy so much on the Space Coast.

This month represents a limited and new format for our magazine, which typically presents as a flip book with two covers on opposite sides. You will also find engaging business content in this issue after our story on efforts to clean up the Indian River Lagoon (see page 27).

We are also continuing our efforts to provide resources and raise awareness about mental health, a subject now being discussed at every level of news, policy and medicine. To varying degrees of happiness or sadness, it’s something we all share in common, and something we all must remain attuned to and compassionate about in order to help raise each other through these trying times. This month we shine a light on Counselors for Change, a local nonprofit working to increase awareness and access to mental health services (see page 12).

Also, thanks to COVID-19, we decided this year not to feature our Cover Model campaign, since we did not deem it safe to host the highly popular “reveal party” that is an integral part of the campain. We will again get that party started when it is safe to do so.

March 2021

IMHO our last issue was our best yet, but not without its faults. In our cover story about Torchbearers and Trailblazers, we mistakenly reported the former leader of (then) Brevard Community College as the “late Dr. Maxwell King.” A correction is in order and an apology is offered. Dr. King celebrated his 93rd birthday in January, and we wish him many more. Community response to this and past issues tells us we are on the right track of community coverage. We look forward to presenting ideas and stories about what’s happening here, now, and welcome your input on story suggestions or new coverage areas.

Shawna

LET’S TALK SEND AN EMAIL

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TABLE OF CONTENTS SPACE COAST LIVING

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21 Things to Do in 2021 Organic Girly Grows Charity Spotlight: Habitat for Humanity

SPACE COAST BUSINESS > PAGE 9 • SPACECOASTLIVING.COM SPACE COAST 21 THINGS TO DO IN 2021 MARCH 2021

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Trade Up Port Canaveral Kid’s Alright, Marzano Siblings Up Close: FIT President

spacecoastliving

CHANGE OF ADDRESS If you are moving or changing the mailing address for your subscription, send your complete old address (where the magazine is currently being mailed), your complete new address, including zip code, to info@spacecoastmagazines.com

MARCH 2021 SpaceCoastLIVING.com Eric Wright, President EDITORIAL Shawna Lucas, Publisher

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Evelyn Sutton,

Creative Director

BACK ISSUES $10.00 each. To purchase call (321) 622-5986 or email info@spacecoastmagazines.com REPRINTS For reprints and commemorative plaques, please email info@spacecoastmagazines.com.

CONTRIBUTE Send press releases, article submissions, announcements and images to editorial@ spacecoastmagazines.com. Please provide 2-3 months advance notice for requests for event announcements and/or coverage.

“MAKING THE SCENE” SUBMISSIONS Please submit electronic hi-resolution images and captions along with a brief description of your event (who, what, where and when) to editorial@spacecoastmagazines.com.

Tracy McCaffrey,

PHOTOGRAPHY

Harmony Lynn Goodson, Jason Hook Photography, Fred Mays

Robyn Hattaway Brooke Deratany Goldfarb, Darcy Maeda Manning, Fred Mays, Maria Sonnenberg

ADVERTISING & SALES Sarah de la Hoz, Sales Manager sarahd@spaceocastmagazines.com

ADMINISTRATION Dania Tillman, Operations Manager dania@spacecoastmagazines.com

MARKETING

Tasha Macri, Director of Digital Marketing Tasha@spacecoastmagazines.com

OWNERS Joseph Duda, Eric Wright

SPACE COAST LIVING® 1900 S. Harbor City Blvd., Suite 328, 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. ©2021 All rights reserved. Any reproduction, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

4-6 weeks for subscription to start.

Space Coast LIVING® 1900 S. Harbor City Blvd. Suite 328, Melbourne, FL 32901 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. ©2021 All rights reserved. Any reproduction, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

BROOKE DERATANY GOLDFARB Brooke is a mother, wife, mediator, wellness advocate, yoga instructor and instantly good friend to almost everyone she meets. peacebeachbrooke@yahoo.com DARCY MAEDA MANNING Darcy Maeda Manning is a 20-year public relations executive turned professional makeup artist who moonlights as a freelance writer. Darcy loves helping Brevard’s movers and shakers look and feel their best through the power of makeup, and equally enjoys writing about them. FB: Makeup by Darcy, IG: @makeupbydarcymm

MARIA SONNENBERG Maria is a prolific writer and most excellent proofer for various Space Coast publications and an adjunct professor at Florida Institute of Technology’s Nathan M. Bisk College of Business. msonnenb32904@yahoo.com SPACE COAST BUSINESS ROBYN HATTAWAY Robyn Hattaway is Commissioner and Secretary/Treasurer of the Canaveral Port Authority. She is also a partner with the law firm of Lacey Lyons Rezanka in Melbourne where she focuses on civil litigation and business transactions. Ms. Hattaway earned her law degree from Emory University School of Law, and her undergraduate degree in Government and Sociology from the University of Texas. Reach her at rhattaway@portcanaveral.com

OUR COVER

For general inquiries call (321) 622-5986 TO SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe online at SpaceCoastLIVING.com or mail $29.95 for a one year subscription to: Space Coast LIVING, 1900 S. Harbor City Blvd., Melbourne, FL 32901. Please include name, mailing address, city, state, zip code, phone number and email. Please allow

SPACE COAST LIVING

FRED MAYS Fred is a freelance writer and photographer who resides in Satellite Beach. He is a retired television journalist, and active on media issues with the Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition. www.floridaunplugged.net.

Art Director

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Space Coast Magazines Contributing Writers

SPACE COAST 21 THINGS TO DO IN 2021 > PAGE 9 • SPACECOASTLIVING.COM MARCH 2021

This month, we chose our cover shot from Steve Vaughn, an Orlando-based artist and photographer who specializes in images of Florida and the tropics.

Vaughn grew up in Cocoa and was an editor at the Orlando Sentinel for 25 years. His second career spanned 28 years in mostly outdoor art festivals in and around Florida, and he was a frequent exhibitor at the Melbourne and Cocoa Beach shows. "High Tide" was made outside a condo in Cocoa Beach.

Find more at www.stevevaughn.com.

MARCH 2021

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BEST

of SPACE the COAST

space oast

Every year, we turn to the Space Coast community to vote for their favorite businesses to be named the ‘Best of the Space Coast’. A record more than 26,000 votes were cast in 2020 and we are happy to feature a few of the winners who earned the “Best” in their categories.

A special thank you to Infiniti of Melbourne & Kelly Ford for being our title sponsor for the 2nd year in a row and to all our sponsors for your continued support.

To learn more about this and other promotions, email Tasha@SpaceCoastMagazines.com

Traditionals Cuts, Shaves & Brews

Stephanie Snavely, Maronda Homes

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Animal Medical Clinic

Miller & Hurt Wealth Advisors

Amy Van Fossen Team

The Nail Professionals

Bob Steele Chevorlet

MARCH 2021

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BESTofthe SPACE COAST space oast

Joe Raley State Farm

Bearded Chef

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Pearl Pediatric Dental

BESTofthe SPACE COAST space oast

Bliss Fitness Studio

Cocoa Chiropracic

Space Coast Ultrasound

MARCH 2021

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BESTofthe SPACE COAST space oast

The Refinery Medspa & Wellness

Tracy’s Lounge

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|SPACECOASTLIVING.COM SPACECOASTLIVING.COM

Lifestyle Homes

SPACE COAST EDITION

21

THINGSinTO DO

2021

With the help of Meagan Happel of the Space Coast Office of Tourism, we are sharing a list of 21 adventurous activities with our readers. We agree that it’s about time to shake off the shade of 2020, and carefully consider (with social distancing guidelines in place) these awesome activities that can be done at various points around the Space Coast.

MARCH MARCH2021 2021 99

NEW AND EXCITING

ENJOY NATURE

CREW-2 AND CREW-3 – SpaceX Crew Dragon is set to have two launches in 2021.

Crew-2 is currently set for March 30 and Crew-3 in the Fall. We hope weather will work out to have the splashdowns off our coast this time.

BIKE TRAILS – Did you know Titusville is one of the few Trail Towns in Florida? Three major trails converge here! Don’t forget to check out the Brevard Zoo Linear Trail, too.

BOEING STARLINER – A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket will launch Boeing’s CST100 Starliner on a second unpiloted test flight to the International Space Station. This launch is currently set for March 29. ULA and Boeing are shooting for June for their Crew Test Flight.

BREVARD ZOO’S NEW TRAIN – Brevard Zoo upgraded their Cape to Cairo Express recently with a new electric train. Animals in Expedition Africa are being acclimated to its presence.

TRY ROCK SHRIMP – Rock Shrimp has a very special origin story on the Space Coast. No one knew how to prepare them until Laurilee Thompson, the daughter of Dixie Crossroads’ original owner, figured out how in her parents’ kitchen. Now they’re a huge hit! Dixie Crossroads even became a must-do location for many astronauts.

GO FISHING AT HEADWATERS – Local fishers are well aware of the great spots across the county for both fresh and saltwater fishing. Headwaters just opened up for motorboats this past year and is known to be one of the state’s great bass fisheries.

SURF IN THE WATERS OF THE EAST COAST SURF CAPITAL – As hometown to Kelly Slater, CJ and Damien Hobgood, and Caroline Marks, the Space Coast is known a great place to get started in the sport, from picturesque Sebastian Inlet to world famous Cocoa Beach. Why not take a surf lesson this year?

PLANET PLAY AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITOR COMPLEX – This new play area for kids ages 2 to 12 will teach technologies used in space exploration and the planets in a fun, playful environment CARNIVAL MARDI GRAS – The newest ship in Carnival’s line will call Port Canaveral home beginning in 2021. This ship even has a first-of-its-kind roller coaster on it!

MSC CRUISES – The cruise liner will homeport two of their ships, the Seaside and Divina, at Port Canaveral starting in March 2021.

MARELLA CRUISES – The UK brand will come to Port Canaveral for their first homeported ship in the US, slated for May 2021.

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BIOLUMINESCENCE KAYAKING – In the Summer months, the Indian River Lagoon is aglow! Microscopic dinoflagellate is activated like a blue glowstick when a kayak paddles through the water. If you’re lucky, you’ll even be able to make out fish and dolphins bathed in this magical light.

SEA TURTLE WALKS – Approximately 90% of sea turtle eggs in the US are laid in Florida. Space Coast beaches and the Indian River Lagoon provide prime nesting and foraging sites for loggerhead, green, and leatherback sea turtles. The Sea Turtle Preservation Society and other groups host sea turtle night walks in the summer months.

DID YOU KNOW? Approximately

90%s in the

of sea tur tle egg US are laid in Florida.

THINGS TO DO SPACE COAST

SIGHTSEE AND PLAY SMASH GOLF AND FOOTGOLF AT DURAN – Looking for a unique way to get active? Why not try Smash Golf, a tennis-golf hybrid and Footgolf, a soccer-golf hybrid? At Duran Golf Club, you can try both!

CAPE CANAVERAL LIGHTHOUSE – In the mid 1800’s, dangerous shoals off the coast at Cape Canaveral were a constant threat to mariners, so Cape Canaveral Lighthouse was built.

Take a tour to learn about early Space Coast history and how this lighthouse was the first domino towards choosing Brevard as the home of NASA. AIRSHOWS – In 2021, Space Coast rockets will share the skies with two airshows! In April, the US Air Force Thunderbirds will kick off their 2021 season at the Cocoa Beach Air Show alongside the GEICO Skytypers, Lucas Oil stunt pilot Michael Wiskus, and more. Then in May, the US Navy Blue Angels will headline The Great Florida Air Show after a 6-year absence.

The pilots will fly new F/A-18E Super Hornets to mark the team’s 75th anniversary season.

BIPLANE AND HELICOPTER TOURS – Soar over the beaches and Kennedy Space Center with biplane and helicopter tours from Florida Air Tours, Beachside Helicopters, and Cocoa Beach Helicopters.

MURAL WALKS – The Historic Downtowns across the county are dressed up with beautiful murals, many from local artists. Check them out in Titusville, Cocoa Beach, Eau Gallie Arts District, and Downtown Melbourne.

HISTORIC HOMES OF BREVARD – Did you know that the Space Coast has multiple beautiful Victorian homes? Come see what Brevard County was like in the late 1800s and 1900s with tours of these homes through out the year. In the winter, they’re even decked out in vintage and historically accurate Christmas décor.

MUSEUMS OF BREVARD AND SPACE VIEW PARK – The Museums of Brevard show off early Brevard history, historic military planes, space program artifacts, and so much more.

Check out the Space Walk of Fame and Space View Park in Titusville next launch time.

JET SKI AND BOAT RENTALS – Take to the water with these fun rentals found at various locations around the Space Coast. Fishing fans can also consider chartering tours along the Indian River Lagoon.

MARCH 2021

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Advocating

FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Student Poster Contest Encourages Creativity and Awareness

By Brooke Deratany Goldfarb, Community Editor ven in the best of times, being a teenager is hard. Add in a pandemic, plus recent political polarization and unrest, and life seems especially difficult for all ages. And these days feel especially difficult. A very recent New England Journal of Medicine article titled “Mental Health and the Covid-19 Pandemic,” explains that Americans are not only living with widespread emotional distress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, substance use, domestic violence, and suicidal thoughts during this extraordinary time, but also that many parents are underestimating the level of distress their children are experiencing and should encourage them to discuss their reactions and concerns.

One way to start a mental health conversation with your teen might be to ask if they are interested in entering the third annual Counselors for Change mental health awareness poster contest, Posters for Change, open to area 6-12th grade students.

Four middle school (6th-8th grade) and four high school (9th-12th grade) student posters submitted online

by March 26th will win $100 prizes.

(Complete information and rules are available at counselorsforchange.org/ posters-for-change.)

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Counselors for Change, (C4C), is the brainchild of former elementary school teacher and current licensed marriage and family therapist Stephanie Byrd, who has worked with children and families since 1998.

C4C is a shared passion to fulfill the wishes most often uttered from the therapist’s couch: “I wish I knew this then and I wish I had done this sooner.” Byrd confesses she once uttered those wishes herself as a therapy client and later heard them from countless clients over her 15 years as a therapist.

“These experiences highlight glaring inequities in access to quality care, information, and support, making mental health care on one hand a luxury, and on the other hand a stigma,” she said.

C4C’s mission is to recognize that mental health is at the center of individual and collective wellbeing and that lasting change takes a community effort, albeit one that starts with each of us. Byrd believes that all people have the power to heal, grow, impact positive change, and advocate for the well-being of others through words and actions.

Examples of poster sub

In addition to Posters for Change, C4C’s initiatives include Conversations for Change, panel discussions for schools and organizations seeking to increase mental health awareness and change the conversations to end stigma. Another initiative is Movies for Change, screenings of documentaries focused on mental health education and awareness, each accompanied by a panel of mental health professionals and community volunteers who provide information and resources.

missions for Posters

for Change

ABOUT C4C: COUNSELORS FOR CHANGE Counselors for Change is a collaboration of licensed marriage & family therapists, mental health counselors, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists along with educators, parents, students, community leaders, and activists committed to volunteering to communities and schools through initiatives that increase mental health awareness, education, outreach, and advocacy. For information, 321-821-4410 or www.counselorsforchange.org.

In fact, anyone—regardless of gender, age, or background—can be an agent of change and even a counselor for change. Encourage your favorite Brevard teenager to submit their creation to the Posters for Change contest by March 26th.

MARCH 2021

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Suntree Elementary Novel Classroom Solutions take

STUDENTS

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By Fred Mays, Contributing Writer Photography by Jason Hook Photography

he great outdoors…during this pandemic time, it’s a place we all yearn for, a place we can feel relatively safe without a mask. Dining al fresco is almost mandatory anymore and CDC recommendations contain a list of solo outdoor activities as the best way to get or keep - moving.

For students at Suntree Elementary in Melbourne, the great outdoors is also a place to learn.

Thanks to an ambitious group of volunteer parents, students at the school are matriculating in outdoor spaces where classes are held part of each school day.

According to Principal Shari Tressler, teachers use the outdoor classrooms to give students “a mask break” during the day.

The classrooms are laid out on the ground in rectangles, outlined with landscape timbers, filled with mulch and occupied by metal desks and an umbrella.

The work building the classrooms was completed by volunteer parents last summer and paid for by a Go Fund Me campaign that raised over $13,000, covering the entire project cost.

AN OLD IDEA FOR NEW TIMES The original idea was proposed ten years ago by a kindergarten teacher, but nothing was done until the pandemic hit. “This summer was the first opportunity to make it happen,” said Dr. Tressler, as the school looked for alternatives to traditional in-classroom instruction.

The volunteer effort was headed by Tessa Cleveland and Aran Hissam and other parents. They cleared the ground, lined the area with landscape timbers, poured the mulch and assembled the desks. The project involved a lot of trips to the big box store for mulch, landscape timbers and other supplies. “Home Depot knows us by name,” said Cleveland.

The work had to be done quickly over the summer because of the pandemic. “Once school started, we couldn’t have volunteers on campus,” said Tressler.

When classes resumed on August 24, all was ready.

According to Tressler, teachers take about half their classroom outdoors at a time. “Kids love them, and teachers use them as a reward.”

The initial work resulted in six outdoor classrooms, with four tables for primary (K-2nd grade), and six larger tables for intermediate (3-6th grade) students.

Social distancing is observed, and students are not required to wear masks when outdoors.

Other schools in the area have taken note and await parent volunteers to make it happen.

And there might yet be more outdoor learning spaces at Suntree. We want more of them,” Tressler said.

“We will add more if they can raise more money.”

The work building the classrooms was completed by volunteer parents last summer and paid for by a Go Fund Me campaign that raised over

$13,000, covering the entire project cost.

Tessa Cleveland and Aran Hissam

MARCH 2021

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Organic Girly TO LOCAL FAVORITE

By Shawna Lucas, Publisher | Photography by Jason Hook Photography t all started In December 2019 with a cooler full of elderberry syrup at a local farmers market.

“We sold out of 24 bottles in about an hour,” said Dina Caballero, who, after much encouragement from family and friends, had decided to set up shop at the market.

As word got out, Dina began to expand the OG offerings. She added tonics and lemonades, fresh pressed juices, Fire Cider and Kefir Water.

In August 2020, a little less than a year later and in the middle of a pandemic that was forcing business closures left and right, Dina and her family crew opened a storefront selling OG products in Palm Bay. In January 2021, they began busting through walls at that facility to add the OG Café, anticipated to open end of March or early April.

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FAMILY AFFAIR The explosion of business came years after Dina first began crafting her beverages for family and friends.

“I wanted to focus on a healthier way of living and create foods that are good for your body and that taste good,” she said.

A former Air Force EMT nurse, Dina said she switched to pre-med studies from pre-law studies after learning a bit about food policy, and especially, GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and engineered foods.

With an expanding family (there are four now, ranging in ages from 2 to 19), she knew she wanted to offer better options than what she was finding on the shelves at local grocery stores, so she went to work in the kitchen - engaging

her children in the process - and learned about food safety, bottling, and flavoring. All OG products are organic and come from local farms where Dina is on a first name basis with the owners.

Dina’s products all taste good, but some of them have special wellness properties like the Fire Cider, designed to be added to salads as a dressing or taken daily as a shot. The drink contains the mother of the cider - purported to contain beneficial minerals and probiotics - and is fermented with horseradish to help regulate blood sugar and ward off food cravings.

Local raw honey is added for a hint of sweetness. Though it sounds counterintuitive, Dina said a daily dose of the cider - which is also anti-viral and contains probiotics -

can help with reflux and has helped her come off medication for the disorder.

bimonthly in Palm Bay and weekly at Wickham Park at the county’s farmer’s market.

Water Kefir is another healthful tonic made at the OG. According to Dina, the drink is packed with probiotics and beneficial bacteria, likened to a probiotic soda. The drink is made in a variety of low-sugar options using local organic produce and also made for kids as Propsicles.

CAFÉ OG

The drink reportedly helps relieve constipation and helps with gut restoration and is helpful to the body’s immune system.

Since opening her store front in August, Dina said she’s seeing a steady stream of regulars as well as an increasing number of new clients who have learned about her by word of mouth or through visits to the farmers markets she attends monthly in Grant,

She’s especially excited about the next phase, the OG Café, which will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner in a cozy atmosphere emphasizing local, farm fresh and seasonal offerings.

“We’ll have a flexible, changing menu that depends on what we can get fresh from local farmers,” she said.

There’s also plans for a raw juice bar and shelves filled with organic produce, local honey, raw milk and more.

Organic Girly is located at 3200 Dixie Highway in Palm Bay, across from the Honda dealership on US1. For more information, 321-210-2030, www.organicgirly.com and on Facebook @organicgirly.

MARCH 2021

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SPACE COAST

Wine Diners

By Maria Sonnenberg, Contributing Writer

A wine dinner is like a Swedish massage. Once you have experienced it, you are hooked for life. ypically a benefit of living in a large metropolitan area, wine dinners are fortunately well-represented along our more sparsely populated Space Coast, where several restaurants have served up these bacchanalian feasts for decades.

Foodies can choose from a variety of venues and price points in Brevard and Indian River Counties, from Lizzie’s Euro Kafe in Cape Canaveral to Trend Kitchen in Indian Harbour Beach to Cobalt Restaurant at Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel and Spa.

Café Margaux keeps guests happy by experimenting with flavors. Photos by Stephanie Spoly of Cosmic Capture.

Café Margaux in Cocoa Village and the Grapevine Café at Indian Harbour Beach’s Green Turtle Market hold the record for incorporating these special events into their yearly schedules.

In 1990, Café Margaux owner Alex Litras introduced wine dinners as a proving ground for experimenting with flavors. Green Turtle market owner and sommelier Tim Dwight joined the trend 20 years ago.

“I believe our current count is around 250 dinner over that time,” said Dwight.

Café Margaux arranges its wine dinner season from April to January, but this year will add a March 10 spirits event that pairs Dalmore Highland Scotch with a six-course dinner that concludes with bespoke Vosges Haut-Chocolat.

Photo by Jason Hook Photography

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Green Turtle averages a wine dinner every four to six weeks.

While a good wine dinner seems an effortless affair, the reality involves extensive orchestration.

PLANNING FOR PERFECT “We try to plan these menus a year in advance.

The pairings are customized by tapping the combined bank of knowledge from myself and all the players in the kitchen. In the dining room, it requires a lot of attention to details; the staff in the dining room should flow like dancers, a corps de ballet.”

“The combination of flavors and results for the food are limitless, but the wines will not vary,” said Litras. “…the food has to complement the wine. Rather than taking the most prominent element it the wine and creating a dish heavy in that flavor, we look for all the subtle complexities of the wine, so later the food ingredients can draw those subtleties out. When we use the more understated flavors in the pairing, you’re not quite sure why the pairing works, just that it does.”

Images supplied by Green Turtle Market and Café.

“We love to be surprised and sometimes our chefs will come up with pairings that sound unlikely on paper but work wonderfully on the plate,” Green Turtle Market and Café owner and sommelier Tim Dwight 22

SPACE COAST LIVING | SPACECOASTLIVING.COM

At Green Turtle, Dwight and executive chef Dennis Lott always feature a range of wines rather than just, for example, all French Bordeaux or California cabernets.

“That allows our kitchen to create a broad range of culinary treats and our success is always in matching appropriate foods and wines,” said Dwight.

“We love to be surprised and sometimes our chefs

will come up with pairings that sound unlikely on paper but work wonderfully on the plate.”

The definition of pairings in a wine dinner may not be familiar to the uninitiated.

“A perfect pairing is not an exact match of flavors,” explained Litras. Instead, “Flavors and aromas need to be subtle or the pairing will not be elegant.”

“It’s a real balancing act.”

A STUDY IN FLAVORS AND MORE Wine dinners don’t just enhance your taste buds, they also add to your knowledge of enology, thanks to the insight of master sommeliers, representatives from wineries and industry insiders who often are a part of these events.

“Most of our popular dinners, and happily, most of them sell out, have been hosted by winemakers or winery owners from California or Italy,” said Dwight.

The taste, the pampering, the service and the opportunity to up wine knowledge attract regulars such as Jay and Sandra Ohland.

The Viera couple have been penciling in every Café Margaux wine dinner for close to a decade.

“The wines are always so good, and the chef always prepares something unique,” said Jay Ohland.

“The service is absolutely superb, and the wine representative is there to answer your questions.”

For more information: www.margaux.com and www. greenturtlemarket.com

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Photo credit: At the Female Veterans Village in Cocoa.

Charity Spotlight

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF BREVARD COUNTY

By Shawna Lucas, Publisher Images supplied by Habitat for Humanity of Brevard County his year, Habitat for Humanity of Brevard is celebrating 35 years of service in our community. The affiliate strives to raise funds and awareness to build decent, affordable housing for Space Coast families of modest income.

Established in 1985, Habitat for Humanity of Brevard County has assisted more than 500 families in building and purchasing homes through a vetted process that includes sweat equity helping build Habitat homes, classes in financial literacy, and community engagement. The process can take from 18 to 36 months for qualified applicants.

“There are so many people in the community who need our services, we have to work harder to get the word out,” said Chris Meyers, chair of development for Brevard’s Habitat for Humanity, the local arm of the global nonprofit organization with a mission of seeking to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope.

TO LEARN MORE OR DONATE: WWW.BREVARDHABITAT.COM 24

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Through this challenged past year, Habitat’s ReStore in Palm Bay has been able to remain open with limited hours. The ReStore continues to take donated home and construction merchandise. Through the generosity of the community the ReStore, a critical component in Brevard Habitat’s success story, continues to take donated home and construction merchandise.

The organization was able to continue construction efforts without the assistance of volunteers in an attempt to keep construction crews healthy. Anna Terry, Executive Director said “we are excited that we had a double wall raising for two families in Melbourne and were able

to move another family into their home in time for the holidays. Other programs continue to function including essential home repairs and revitalizing neighborhoods for families, veterans and the elderly.”

Meyers said she and Carey Gleason, Habitat’s vice president of development, are thinking of ways to further assist those who are housed through the program to ensure continuity of lifestyle, security and community.

Also last year, two female veterans took up residence in the Female Veterans Village in Cocoa. The first of its kind in the nation, the village was established in 2017 through a number of community partnerships and corporate donations, which fully funded the construction of six homes.

There are four remaining future home available and Habitat Brevard is actively seeking female veterans.

“We are actively recruiting mentors for our homeowners to address other services they may need, to include things like educational (tutoring support) for children, ongoing financial literacy guidance, how to maintain their homes and yards, among others,” she said.

“We want to offer them support beyond the homeownership - it’s smart for us to do for them and good for the community,” she said.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS In 2020, the following community members joined the Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors: Chris Myers of Center State Bank David Wilkison with City of Melbourne Don DiFrisco of Hell ‘n Blazes Brewery Jeannette Jarnes of Northboro Builders Father Bradley Beaupreux These five new members join current members: Marcus Ingeldsen (Chair) Darcia Jones Francey (Vice Chair) Suzy Leonard (Secretary) Karen Jacobs Richard Mercadante Ruth Prather Tracy Stoller

Anna Terry

WINTER MARCH2020 2021

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SALES TAX FUNDS LAGOON CLEANUP

Story and photos by Fred Mays, Contributing Writer

Where the Money Flows

Ballard Park pier at sunrise on the Indian River Lagoon

n 2016, voters passed a special half-cent sales tax to fund the cleanup of the Indian River Lagoon, the precious waterway that joins the Mosquito, Banana River and Indian River Lagoons through 156 miles of Atlantic Coast waterways that is home to more than 4,300 species of flora and fauna.

So far, that tax has generated $176 million for cleanup projects, with more than $400 million expected over the life of the tax. Because that money is used together with matching grants, the effective cash flow into the lagoon is estimated to be close to $1 billion dollars over the life of the program.

MARCH MARCH2021 2021 27 27

So where are our tax dollars going?

Lagoon Projects The Brevard County Natural Resources Management Department is responsible for coordinating the work, reporting nearly 40 completed projects, with dozens more underway or about to launch, including: SEPTIC HOOKUP: There are 53,178 septic systems in the lagoon basin, and 5,584 of them have been identified as major problems, contributing 31% of the total nitrogen overload to the lagoon, the largest single source of nitrogen pollution. So far only 255 septic systems have been converted to sewer lines. For the most part, hookups to sewer lines are being done at little or no cost to the property owners.

STORMWATER: Another significant source of pollutants is stormwater runoff. Nothing is going to stop the runoff during major rain events, but work is being done to better control it.

Six baffle boxes have been installed around the lagoon so far. The runoff is diverted through the baffle boxes, which

remove debris and nutrients that would otherwise end up in the lagoon.

MUCK REMOVAL: Over time, as much as six feet of black muck, a result of excess pollution, has accumulated at the bottom of the lagoon. Muck releases nitrates into the water, causing algae blooms and fish kills. To date, four muck dredging projects have been completed and two more started. In areas where the muck has been removed, rapid improvement in water quality has occurred.

OYSTERS AND CLAMS: Administered by the Brevard Zoo Restore Our Shores program, more than four million oysters have been deposited in the lagoon to help with filtration. A single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. It is estimated that every single oyster in the lagoon can filter up to 50 gallons of water daily. The 10-year goal is to create 20 miles of new oyster reefs. So far, about two miles have been restored. Super clams, which filter water the same way but at a smaller scale, also are being added to the lagoon cleanup efforts.

Oyster bags being used to build a reef in Indian River Lagoon.

Supplied by Brevard Zoo

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Lagoon Future Virginia Barker, director of the Natural Resources Management Department, remains optimistic about the future of the lagoon. “We are in our stride now and well positioned to implement projects and demonstrate performance and cost effectiveness for the life of the tax.”

There is some concern, however, that the county program may not be robust enough.

One of the strongest indicators of lagoon wellness is seagrass health. There are seven varieties of seagrass in the lagoon, and according to Leesa Souto, who leads the Marine Resources Council in Palm Bay, all of them are dying.

Sea grasses need light, and algae blooms block sunlight from reaching the bottom on the lagoon.

Sewer line construction - Supplied by Brevard County

“We are on the verge of a tipping point… this is a long-term project. It took a long time to get here, and it will take a long time to get out of it,” said said Leesa Souto of the Marine Resources Council.

Policy change and regulation are also being considered.

Muck dredging barge at Grand Canal, Indian River Lagoon

“We can’t buy our way out of this mess,” says Vince Lamb, president of the Indian River Lagoon Coalition, the leading independent advocacy organization for the lagoon. Since the cleanup started in earnest, he said, “we have had more pollution going into the lagoon than we have cleaned up.”

Tougher environmental controls are needed at both the local and state government level, and Lamb believes policy changes is necessary.

MARCH 2021

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MARKETPL ACE

If you’d like to participate in our Annual Directory Listing Plan, please email Sarah de la Hoz, Sales Manager, sarahd@spacecoastmagazines.com.

Gatto’s Tires & Auto Service 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.

www.gattos.com

Burke Consignment & Gallery 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.

327 N. Babcock St., Melbourne - 321-917-2815

Organic Girly Kitchen. Market Store.

Q’s Cabinetry, Inc.

OG partners with local orgaic farms and small businesses, specializing in immune system support products such as organic elderberry syrup, water kefir, Fire Cider & more.

WIth 12+ years of experience, OG ensures herbal guidelines are followed and practiced, and offers a storefront and farmer’s market experience.

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.

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A Mark Above, LLC

Home Inspection Services

Sara Hawks Houston State Farm Agency

Mark has worked in the home and A Mark Above, LLC construction industries for more than two decades. With his recent home inspection certification, he has obtained the most current knowledge in the home inspection industry as a Florida licensed home inspector (HI12199) and certified wind mitigation inspector.

Mark is a knowledgeable and trustworthy professional available to help both existing homeowners and potential buyers!

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!

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Dental Choice of Melbourne 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.

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If you’d like to promote your business with us, please call our sales manager, Sarah de la Hoz, at 727-685-7696. space coast

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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 rotates 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.

Hemingway’s Tavern is an epicurean adventure inspired by author Ernest Hemingway, with local favorites including Papa’s Cuban Sandwich, Snapper Hemingway, Key West Bowl, and Bison Burger.

Guests can also dive into weekly specials, award-winning cocktails, and the popular conch-thirty happy hour inside or on the outdoor patio, along with quick-service options at the all-new Cafecito walk-up window.

Q’s Crackin Crab and Seafood Kitchen is a soulful seafood restaurant with a homestyle flair. Beautifully nestled in Cocoa Beach, between the world famous Cocoa Beach Pier and Ron John surf shop, it has quickly become a destination for tourist and locals alike. Once a dream to owner/ operator Quinisha Bredwood, Q’s is now fulfilling the cravings of foodies near and far.

Come on in and Crack into some Q’s.

Hours

Tavern Hours

Hours

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday* Saturday* Sunday

11AM–9PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–11PM 11AM–1AM 11AM–1AM 11AM–9PM

*Kitchen closes at 11PM

Mon-Thurs 10:30AM–10PM Friday 10:30AM–11PM Saturday 10AM–11PM Sunday 10AM–10PM Cafecito Walk-Up Hours Mon-Thurs Friday Saturday Sunday

321.821.4052

7AM–8PM 7AM–9PM 9AM–9PM 9AM–8PM

321.802-9648

Wednesday Thursday Friday-Saturday Sunday Monday-Tuesday

12PM–8PM 12PM–8PM 11AM–9PM 1PM–6PM Closed

qscrackincrab.com 321.613-4044

Location

Location

Location

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

1800 W. Hibiscus Blvd, Ste 115 Melbourne, FL

5240 N. Atlantic Ave, Unit 100 Cocoa Beach, FL 32931

34 SPACE SPACECOAST COASTLIVING LIVING| |SPACECOASTLIVING.COM SPACECOASTLIVING.COM 70

JAN/FEB MARCH 2021

35

Q &A

Keenun Barley, EGAD Main Street’s New Executive Director

By Darcy Maeda Manning, Contributing Writer; Images supplied by Keenun Barley

T

he eclectic, vibrant Eau Gallie Arts District (EGAD) recently welcomed Keenun Barley as its new executive director of EGAD Main Street. The Southern Virginia native relocated her family to the Space Coast in 2014 and immediately immersed herself in the local art, music, and plant-based food scene. Last year, amidst the pandemic, Keenun and business partner Kali Bernardo opened their own indie shop in EGAD called Co/Create, a highly curated collection of home goods, art, and more from 32 Florida artisans.

Keenun is also the co-organizer of FLEAGAD Market and Space Coast Music Festival, as well as Space Coast Fresh Fest, a vegan festival. Keenun is the founder of Plant-Based Brevard and on the Board of Directors for Warriors 4 Kids.

Keenun admits that sleep is low on her list of priorities, starting every day at 4:30 am without an alarm clock and winding into the late hours of the evening, pouring her heart and soul into every item on her long lists of tasks. Right now, she is focusing on her new leadership role.

I was able to slot into her busy schedule at Co/Create where we discussed her plans for EGAD Main Street over a refreshing cup of local booch (aka kombucha) served on tap by Farm Boy Kombucha.

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Q

Where did your interest in EGAD come from?

Q

What do you love most about EGAD?

A: Our youngest [daughter] is an artist and she needed art supplies, so I googled it and Ralph’s Art Supply came up in my search. It was my first time [visiting] EGAD. We had a great conversation with Ralph, got to play with his cat and her kittens, and then took a walk through the neighborhood. EGAD won me over right off the bat. This is where I’m supposed to be.

A: The people, without a doubt. It’s hard to

explain how amazing it feels to be surrounded by people who support your ideas and never accuse you of thinking “too big.” It’s so fun and freeing! EGAD is filled with people working together to bring everyone else’s visions to fruition. It’s such a cool community.

Q

How has the pandemic impacted EGAD businesses?

A: EGAD lost one business because of

COVID-19. Personally, I paid rent starting in January expecting to be open in three months, but actually opened on October 1, 2020. I had to eat that cost. Many of the businesses did a great job of adapting to the circumstances.

Intracoastal Brewing Company produced their own hand sanitizer and created a drive-through for food and beer. FM Pizza added lunch shifts to make up for the limited occupancy at dinner. The Standard Collective closed for a few weeks and started producing custom masks. The EGAD Main Street pro-

gram was able to secure some funds and used it to create maps of all businesses, storefront window signs that read “shop small” and provided masks to all businesses.

Q

What are your short-term and long-term goals as the new executive director?

A: After reading several years’ worth of

the minutes from EGAD Main Street and city council meetings, and researching similar main streets, I think we have to start from scratch and go back to fully focusing on the four pillars of the main street organization. We need to come together.

We need to do the work. I plan to be more one-on-one with each merchant. We need a working board, not just board members with titles. I want to work on building our

membership and we need to do lots of fundraising. I definitely want a stronger social media presence and I’m ready to get started on all of this. One immediate goal would be to landscape Highland and Eau Gallie so that it looks fresh, safe, and inviting. I’d like to increase activity at the square and I’d like to see more events happening in the area. We currently have the Space Coast Music Fest, FLEAGAD, Space Coast Pride Fest, Rocky Water Brew Fest, and Whiskey in the District. I’d like to add some official holiday events and I want event planners to know that we’re open to having events here.

Q

Tell me about Co/Create.

Q

Anything else you’d like us to know?

A: Co/Create has 32 local “makers” – mostly from Brevard, one from Orlando and [one from] Miami. It’s a launch pad for local businesses. Fun workshops are held here: candle making, smudge sticks, bath scrubs, makeup class, wine tasting. We will start offering plant-based grab ‘n go, soups, and fresh juices, hopefully by March/April.

A: EGAD Main Street is a nonprofit and we

need paying members, active members, and donations. I want to leave this community more connected and community oriented.

Communication is key in all relationships.

MARCH MARCH 2021 2021

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Trades, Skilled Labor + Manufacturing

TRADE UP

®

Opening Windows of Opportunity TRADE UP at Port Canaveral

By Robyn Hattaway, Guest Contributor

Space Coast Magazines is committed to helping address employment gaps in our community and will launch a tradesspecific magazine this summer called TRADE UP®. This magazine will explore non-college tracks available here, including the traditional building trades as well as non-traditional programs such as digital, medical and design, among others. To learn more about this publication and advertising options, Eric@spacecoastmagazines.com.

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T

eens can only imagine the life, the opportunities, the potential that they glimpse at through some window, but even the slightest glimpse of possibility can change a young person’s entire perspective.

One recruiter can offer a vision of an esteemed military career and purpose, serving their country. One apprenticeship can pave the road for a career in a skilled trade.

Remarkably, only a small fraction of Brevard’s teens has ever been to Port Canaveral, one of the largest economic engines in the region.

Port Canaveral serves multiple sectors of Central Florida’s economy and supports thousands of jobs directly at the port and indirectly throughout the area, bringing fuel to our cars and food to our tables. Port Canaveral welcomes millions of travelers from around the world, while also rescuing sea turtles who have travelled from oceans and seas far from here.

Thousands of individuals make up the dayto-day safe operations of our seaport. Some of the more well-known seaport occupations at Port Canaveral include harbor master, lock master, harbor pilots, United States Coast Guard, United States Navy, and our logistics workers such as stevedores. Each of these requires unique and dedicated training. Each also enjoys precious moments on Florida’s waterways and occasionally watching history being made on Florida’s Space Coast.

apprenticeship opportunities. Students learn maritime skills including knot tying, rope handling, navigation, maritime rules and laws, and port operations. Students are also given the opportunity to take the Maritime Transportation Associate exam.

The HELM program is one path to a career at the port, but there are others. Port Canaveral has paths for students in any number of the Brevard Schools certifications or skills, such as HVAC, Refrigeration and Heating Technology; Building Construction Technologies, Emergency Medical Responder, and Hospitality and Tourism, to name a few.

Port Canaveral’s Junior Port Ambassador programs seeks to change that. While Port Canaveral has had an Ambassador program

for many years seeking to connect with the community, this is the first program of its kind seeking to connect high school students and their peers with the Port.

Port Canaveral is currently taking applications from high school students to participate in this one-year program. The program is designed to introduce Space Coast high school students to the different sectors of Port Canaveral. The students then work together to create a collaborative multi-media presentation that is shared back with their classmates.

The ambassador meet four to six times per academic year at the Port, where they connect with leaders from the maritime industry, space, commercial fishing, construction, the US Coast Guard and the Brevard County Sheriff’s department, to name a few.

In its first year, students went on to enter the US Navy, the US Army, and local welding programs. At least one student also applied for a commercial fishing license.

Applications can be found at www.portcanaveral.com/careeers/Junior-Port-Ambassador-Program in the Spring of 2021. The next class will begin in the Fall of 2021.

Port Canaveral is known worldwide as one of the world’s busiest cruise ports. However, not everyone knows that Port Canaveral is also a key partner in the space industry, commercial fishing, and the United States military. Each one of these areas is growing and will need skilled labor.

Nationally, US seaports recognize that their workforce is aging. More and more seaports are working with local high schools to develop programs and scholarships to reach high school students and recruit them.

Locally, the Propeller Club of Port Canaveral raises money all year to support the HELM program at Rockledge High. HELM, or “Helping Educate Leaders in Maritime” offers studies in Maritime Technology and MARCH 2021 MARCH 2021

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THE ETHICAL CAPITALIST

BY ERIC WRIGHT, PRESIDENT

ZIG ZAGGING Forward

B

oth my father and brother were avid sailors. Dad kept it local, cruising the mild waters of the Banana and Indian Rivers. My brother, on the other hand, set his sights a little higher and was able to complete two circumnavigations of the globe.

The sailing bug never bit me, but because of proximity I learned the basics of seamanship. It was like growing up in a home filled with college football enthusiasts — whether or not you share in the almost-sacred devotion, you cannot help but be aware of how the season is going and what the outlook is for the next season.

One aspect of sailing that always intrigued me, and is also a great analogy for life and culture, is how a sailboat is able to move upwind. When going “off the wind” in the direction the wind is blowing, you can unfurl the balloon like spinnaker and speed along.

Moving into the wind, however, requires a maneuver called “tacking.” When tacking, one sails up wind at a 45-degree angle, moving back and forth. Which, over time, gets you to your desired destination. This is where power boat enthusiasts check out, as they can hit the throttles and go right into the wind. But as my father would say, “If I wanted to get there fast, I could drive in my car.”

As I said, this sort of back-and-forth pattern to get to a desired destination is one I have experienced over and over again in life. For instance, as a Christian, I was confronted with the certainty that there was a spiritual reality and a physical or natural reality coexisting together. However, if my sole focus was on that spiritual reality and I didn’t thoughtfully and diligently mind the opportunities, responsibilities and relationships in the physical realm, I could quickly find myself off course or, worse, shipwrecked. Similarly, thinking

the physical world is all that exists is akin to thinking Newtonian physics is as good an explanation as we will ever hear.

I have found life is full of this sort of “tacky” (pardon the pun) balance.

When tacking, the challenge is when you “come about,” or begin moving in the opposite direction up wind. To do this, the boat must reach a maximum speed and then turn back directly into the wind. The momentum, when executed correctly, will take the boat far enough around for the wind to then catch the sail and off you go at a 90-degree angle from the direction you were going.

If you are not prepared for this maneuver or if you are experiencing it for the first time, it can be unnerving. As you make the turn, the sails begin to flap in the breeze like a large flag on a windy day, all momentum seems to be lost and then the boom — which holds the sail perpendicular to the mast — comes whipping across the deck and can easily knock someone overboard or unconscious.

Leaders have to be visionary risk takers, but they also have to be practical and process oriented. Managing people, like raising children, is based on motivation and direction that comes in the form of both patience and understanding, along with a demand for performance and goal attainment. It is not either/or. It is both/and.

This is especially helpful to me in understanding our political processes. Totalitarian regimes prefer the efficiency of rule without opposition, which soon becomes rule without consent. Our system, on the other hand, is designed to tack back and forth, avoiding extremes, but making steady progress, even if it isn’t in a straight line.

MARCH MARCH2021 2021

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EXECUTIVE PROFILE

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“Our clients know that when they call us they don’t have to worry about the job getting done.”

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MARCH MARCH2021 2021 43 43

THIS KID’S ALRIGHT YOUTH

TO WATCH

2021

SPOTLIGHT ON

JESSICA AND LUKE MARZANO & the Global Sustainability Group Story by Shawna L. Lucas, Publisher

“Managing Global Sustainability Group has not only provided me with leadership and organizational skills but also shown me the extent of interconnection between humans and their environment.” - Luke Marzano

or many teenage siblings, affinity and interest in each other’s lives waxes and wanes similarly to the moon’s pull on ocean tides. For Jessica and Luke Marzano, both students at West Shore Junior/Senior High School in Melbourne, it is - perhaps - those very tides that keep them connected.

In 2018, the two launched Global Sustainability Group (www.globalsustainabilitygroup.com), a nonprofit aimed at raising awareness about the sustainability of the planet.

The idea to create the charitable organization started after Jess and Luke started to see disturbing trends at local outdoor recreation areas.

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“We love it here,” said Jess, noting that the two spend countless hours at local beaches and on local waterways. When they started to see increasing amounts of pollution and litter in these spaces, they felt a need to start a movement.

Jess and Luke’s parents got involved by helping them establish the nonprofit and develop the website. The rest has been managed by the siblings, who’ve coordinated multiple beach clean-ups, planted numerous trees and worked with 81 student and community volunteers for a total of 501 hours to cleanup more than 200 pounds of trash from area beaches and community access areas.

“It has been exciting for me and my husband Peter to watch Luke and Jess work together on a common goal and to take pride in their achievements.

They have learned so much about ecology, stewardship, marketing, communication, public speaking, managing a group of volunteers, and hopefully have made the world a slightly better place in the process” said mom Linda Marzano.

Luke and Jess both have dreams to become medical professionals but also plan to continue running the organization as they work their way through college with the help of their parents.

Both have received recognition from the Town Council of Melbourne Beach and the Melbourne Beach Advisory Board for their environmental efforts.

For Jess, a sophomore who serves on student government and plays volleyball and lacrosse for the Lady Wildcats,

it’s about “getting the community involved in reducing waste and thinking about our environment more.”

She spearheads these wishes with activism and activities aimed at solving the problem.

For Luke, who’s a senior and a tennis player who loves surfing, hiking and fishing, it goes a little deeper. “Managing Global Sustainability Group has not only provided me with leadership and organizational skills but also shown me the extent of interconnection between humans and their environment. At the end of the day, humans are just animals that make things; we still are still governed by the same environmental principles that govern nature.”

These kids are alright.

submit your youth nominee: THIS KID’S ALRIGHT will be a regular feature about under 25 youth in Brevard County who impress us with their foresight, problem solving skills, business acumen and other leadership skills. If you know of someone we should consider, please email shawna@spacecoastmagazines.com with a brief description of the candidate, age, and why you think they should be considered. Candidates will be considered on a case-by-case basis and presented as space allows.

20200732

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“More than anything else, we (Florida Tech) are a source of talent that is providing much of the strength to the technology-based firms that are flourishing in this area and we have been doing that for some time.”

46

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UP CLOSE WITH

DR. T. DWAYNE MCCAY Story by Eric Wright, President | Image supplied by Florida Tech

Prior to stepping into the role as president of Florida Institute of Technology, Dr. T. Dwayne McCay had a prestigious career as a leading research scientist with over 18 patents – nearly a third of which have been commercialized.

At one point, he served as vice president at the University of Tennessee, where he was responsible in obtaining more directed funding. From 2003 to 2016, he was provost and chief academic officer at Florida Tech before taking the helm as president in 2016. Under his leadership, the university’s international reputation for producing some of the most sought-after and highly-paid graduates in the nation has soared, along with its focus on cutting-edge research.

EW: Florida Tech was initially shaped by the environment it was formed in, the Space Coast in the late 50’s and 60’s. Now, how do you see Florida Tech shaping and influencing that same environment?

DM: More than anything else, we are a source of talent that is providing much of the strength to the technology-based firms that are flourishing in this area and we have been doing that for some time. When you talk to CEO’s and HR executives in the 25 plus companies in close proximity to us, they love to hire our graduates, which translates to those graduates being some of the highest paid in the Southeast. The only complaint I hear

from them is that we don’t graduate enough talent, but we’re working on that. The research we do here on satellites, or the Indian River Lagoon is all remarkable, but it is overshadowed by the qualified, career-ready talent we are producing.

EW: It has been observed that research universities are always an economic driver and that Silicon Valley would not exist without Stanford. How do you see Florida Tech in that sense?

DW: That is a scenario that has been playing out for some time, thankfully. I have visited 113 countries and I posed the question, “If you were going to choose a place to put an aerospace-oriented university, where would it be?” Without exception they say, “The Space Coast of Florida.” That was part of Dr. Keuper’s foresight when he founded Florida Tech, that the future of the area would be driven by highly educated talent.

EW: One observation I have heard in this regard is that we don’t have enough engineers and Florida Tech attracts the cream of foreign students, but they can’t matriculate into careers here because of the defense orientation of our local companies?

DW: It is true, they would like to hire them, but federal controls prevent them from doing so.

However, graduates who move into the private sector outside the defense industry have risen to become chief scientist or chief technical officer.

EW: One of your goals when you became president, which reflected your background and passion, was to elevate Florida Tech as a leading research insti-

tution. How is the school doing in that regard?

DW: It has been more challenging than I initially thought. Our history was as a great teaching institution and to mold us into a research-oriented university is like turning a big ship…inertia is an amazing thing. One initiative that I pushed as provost without success, but with success as president, is tenure. By advertising for a position that is a tenure track, I get five times as many highly-qualified applicants. Tom Folliard, one of our famous graduates who helped build CarMax, whose brother is a tenured professor at the University of Texas, wanted to come here, but we didn’t offer tenure [at that time].

Without a tenured system, we were swimming upstream. Now, it is getting easier and easier to recruit. We have 20 faculty members who are recognized around the world as being leaders in their field, out of some 350. That is a huge number and most of that progress has been made in the last 15 years.

EW: It must be an extremely competitive environment?

DM: We had one of the world’s leading experts in cybersecurity, who left and became the chief technology officer at Microsoft.

How do we compete with that compensation package? But now we have the Harris Institute for Assured Information, along with other industry leaders, and we have taken cybersecurity from being a sideline to being one of our core strengths that continues to grow.

EW: Biological sciences, including marine sciences, also is emerging as a strong field at the university.

DM: It is always about people and talent. Most of the community

doesn’t know that we bring in close to 100 pre-med students a year. Of the ones who graduate in that track, an astonishing 82 percent get into medical school.

This track record is leading to the location of a medical school on our campus in 2024. It is a program that has grown out of our biology department and the efforts of Julia Grimwade, who leads that program.

EW: How have you been able to manage the pandemic?

DM: There are only two private schools in the country that didn’t suffer declining enrollments through the pandemic, ours and a school up in Pennsylvania.

We made decisions very early, we developed a strategic plan and we stuck to it. We communicated with parents, got their support and our enrollment actually grew. This spring we had the largest undergraduate enrollment in our history. There were many tough decisions, like canceling our public commencement exercises, [which] you know isn’t popular. But we did it and within a few weeks [and eventually] 70 percent of the colleges in Florida went to virtual graduations. These decisions, I think, go back to my background in launching missiles.

You do everything to make sure everything is ready and then you push the button.

EW: What do you think Florida Tech will look like in 10 years?

DM: I call it “Back to the Future.”

We will look like we did 30 years ago, where we were producing leading-edge graduates that industry competes for and research that was second to none, only we will be doing it better and on a larger scale.

WINTER MARCH2020 2021

47

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