WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE – September 2022 by Wellington The Magazine LLC

SEPTEMBER 2022 Plus Capital Projects Keep Wellington Moving Forward Mario The Baker Continues A Generations-Long Legacy Dr. Paloma Reiter Joins The Glick Skin Institute Binks Forest Elementary’s Principal Michella Levy 2022 WELLINGTON Awards Inaugural Meet All Six 2022 Recipients

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Departmentsonthecover Wellington community activist Marcia Hayden, one of the six winners of the inaugural Our Wellington Awards.

THE SIX RECIPIENTS OF THE INAUGURAL OUR WELLINGTON AWARDS

Back-To-School Bash Held At Wellington Community Center St. David’s Church Hosts Fun Caribbean-Themed Dance Party Wellington’s End-Of-Summer Party At Tiger Shark Cove Park

WELLINGTON REAL ESTATE

The inaugural Our Wellington Awards honor members of the Wellington community who have made an award-winning dif ference to our village. Wellington The Magazine has chosen to establish these awards to pay tribute to the many incredible volunteers that our community is fortunate to have among us. In this inaugural year, these awards are recognizing community leaders who have made significant voluntary contributions in the many areas of public service, such as philanthropy, commu nity welfare, sports, culture, the arts, recreation and education. This year’s recipients are: entrepreneurs and philanthropists Frank and Herta Suess; equestrian leader and Great Charity Challenge Executive Director Anne Caroline Valtin; longtime Wellington High School educator Paul Gaba; Daniel, Sarah and Jonathan Clein, founders of the local nonprofit Bricks Busting Boredom; and community activists Marcia Hayden and Maggie Zeller.They are each profiled in this issue.

DR. PALOMA REITER JOINS THE GLICK SKIN INSTITUTE OFFICE IN WELLINGTON

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CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION

BY DEBORAH WELKY

WELLINGTON SCHOOLS

contents September 2022 Features wellington the magazine | september 2022 9

BY MIKE MAY

Dr. Paloma Reiter has joined the team of skilled dermatology associates that make up the Glick Skin Institute with offices in Wellington and Margate.There she is working with Dr. Brad Glick, founder of the Glick Skin Institute, which specializes in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology. Reiter is a highly skilled dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon who is also an avid, lifelong equestrian eager to serve patients in the Wel lington community.

Wellington is home to some of the rarest and endangered ani mals in the world, serving as educational ambassadors for a foundation with a mission of conservation, preservation, in spiration and education. The Moorcroft Conservation Founda tion, founded by accomplished equestrian and trainer Charlie Moorcroft, and his personal collection of rare animals, intro duces children and adults to important conservation, rescue and rehabilitation issues while inspiring them to make a differ ence.

PHOTO BY ABNER PEDRAZA 161412

WELLINGTON SOCIAL SCENE

Our Wellington Schools series continues with a profile of Binks Forest Elementary School Principal Michella Levy, who has high expectations for students and staff.

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Wellington Real Estate this month visits a Mediterranean-style home located in Village Walk, one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Wellington, presented by Sophie Ghedin of Keller Williams Realty.

INTRODUCING

UPCOMING WELLINGTON CAPITAL PROJECTS WILL KEEP THE VILLAGE MOVING FORWARD

The Village of Wellington is implementing an ambitious Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) designed to keep the village mov ing forward across all facets of the community, from utilities and drainage to recreation and public safety. In a municipality, the CIP outlines the structure, funding and timeline for proj ects that will shape the community for decades to come. Its ultimate goal is improving the quality of life for residents. Wel lington Village Manager Jim Barnes prefers to refer to his CIP as a “Community Investment Program.” With a proposed capi tal project budget of $23.8 million for fiscal year 2023, which gets underway Oct. 1, there are numerous expenditures on the drawing board to be studied, weighed and considered by the Wellington Village Council.

BY DEBORAH WELKY

THE MOORCROFT FOUNDATION INSPIRES

BY JESSICA BRIGHENTI

WELLINGTON TABLE

What started as a father and son’s special connection through the love of cooking authentic Italian dishes has turned into a legacy that has since been shared for generations. Mario The Baker has been dishing out its northeastern style pizza and Italian food since the restaurant opened in 2001 on State Road 7. BY MELANIE KOPACZ

Presented by Sophie Ghedin of Keller Williams Realty, Wellington Home this month visits beautiful property in the desirable Village Walk neighbor hood that offers high-quality, custom, updated amenities throughout. Finally, our Wellington Schools series continues with a profile of Binks Forest El ementary School Principal Michella Levy. Leader of the western Wellington school for the past 13 years, she lives by the school’s motto “Expect the Best” and has high expectations for students and staff. As our warm summer days give way to an ever-so-slight fall breeze, we look forward to our annual Palm Beach Brides issue coming up in October, where we get to share trendy items, beautiful bridal fashion and local wed ding venues. We have a feeling that the upcoming equestrian season is going to be booming for our community again, so our traditional Equestrian Sea son Preview issue in November will no doubt be jam-packed with highlights of what’s to come this season!

In this issue, we are introducing the inaugural Our Wellington Awards. These awards honor members of the community who have made an awardwinning difference to our village. Presented here for the first time, the Our Wellington Awards are a unique and special way to salute members of the community who have gone above and beyond in a voluntary capacity for the betterment of all village residents. In this issue, you will meet the six honorees: entrepreneurs and philanthropists Frank and Herta Suess; eques trian leader and Great Charity Challenge Executive Director Anne Caroline Valtin; longtime Wellington High School educator Paul Gaba; the Clein fam ily, founders of the local nonprofit Bricks Busting Boredom; and community activists Marcia Hayden and Maggie Zeller.

Dawn Rivera Dawn Rivera, Publisher

WELLINGTONTHEMAGAZINE

Bringing You The Best Of Wellington Since 2004

W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 33 Wellington, FL 33414

stops by Mario The Baker restaurant on State Road 7 this month to sample the taste-tempting, authentic Italian cuisine, which has been a South Florida staple for generations. Wellington Health profiles Dr. Paloma Reiter, who recently joined the Glick Skin Institute office in Wel lington, where she works with founder Dr. Brad Glick. The office specializes in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology.

Next, we sat down with Wellington Village Manager Jim Barnes, along with other department heads and key village officials, to discuss upcom ing capital projects throughout the community, learning about how these projects are designed to keep Wellington moving forward by investing in theWellingtoncommunity.Table

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Wellingtonwww.wellingtonthemagazine.com793-1470publishedbyTheMagazine,LLCchairman/ceoBarryS.Manning

This month, we celebrate “Our Wellington” and many of the things that make our community a great place to call home.

from volume 19, number 9 SEPTEMBER 2022 executive editor Joshua I. DawnpublisherManningRivera senior graphic designer Stephanie Rodriguez graphic

publisherthe

accountYolandaNancydesignersPobiakCernickymanagersBettyBuglioEvieEdwardsJoettaPalumbobookkeepingJillKaskelCarolLiebermanphotographyAbnerPedrazacontributorsJessicaBrighentiMeredithBurowErinDavissonDeniseFleischmanMelanieKopaczMikeMayCallieSharkeyDeborahWelky

Wellington The Magazine is published monthly in Wel lington, Florida. Copyright 2022, all rights reserved by Wellington The Magazine, LLC. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. The publisher accepts no responsibility for advertisement errors beyond the cost of the portion of the advertisement occupied by the error within the ad vertisement itself. The publisher accepts no responsibility for submitted materials. All submitted materials subject to editing.12794

Phone: (561) 793-7606 Fax: (561)

WE ARE PROUD TO INTRODUCE THE INAUGURAL OUR WELLINGTON AWARDS

Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Wellington Regional Medical Center. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our website. 22635903-732118 7/22

CareYou Can Count On

To learn more about hospital services, visit wellingtonregional.com or call 561-798-9880 to find a provider. When it comes to your family’s health, you can count on our dedication to deliver compassionate, quality care every time. Wellington Regional is here with award-winning services, including cardiovascular, maternity and Level III NICU, emergency medicine, an Accredited Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation by the American College of Cardiology, an Accredited Comprehensive Stroke Center by DNV, an Accredited Bariatric Center of Excellence by MBSAQIP and much more.

The Village of Wellington held its annual Back-to-School Bash on Saturday, July 30 at the Wellington Community Center. Hundreds of children pre-selected by the village’s Commu nity Services Department received backpacks filled with school essentials, a school uniform and a new pair of shoes. The village was supported in this effort by the Wellington Community Foundation, the Christopher Aguirre Memorial Foundation, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, the Welling ton Rotary Club, the Kiwanis Club of Wellington, the Step by Step Foundation and SoFlo Church.The community services team also delivered additional back-to-school items to local schools in advance of the school year.

(Left to right) Wellington Community Services Director Paulette Edwards with volunteers Treasure Wimberly and Arlexia Previsnord of Palm Beach Central High School; Student ambassadors Melany Cerrato of Wellington High School and Kayla Baptiste of Suncoast High School representing the Safety4Life Foundation; SWAG volunteers Mayline Jeudi and Kiecha Martinez; Scouts from Troop 125 show off some of their fun activities; and Ramon Voils of the Christopher Aguirre Memorial Foundation and Kiwanis of Wellington’s Maribeth Lenz help hand out shoes.

(Left) Vice Mayor Michael Drahos, Mayor Anne Gerwig, Shelly Albright, Marcia Andrews, Councilman Michael Napoleone, Councilman John McGovern, Paulette Edwards and Michelle Garvey with Tom and Regis Wenham.

(Left to right) PBSO deputies Rodriguez and Harper with Charlie, a therapy service dog; Wellington Community Foundation members teamed up with the Rotary Club of Wellington and Village of Wellington staff members to provide much-needed backpacks, school supplies and uniforms for Wellington students; and Lester Jones and Evan Sobel shared information about pediatric dentistry for disabled children.

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(Left to right) Wellington Rotary Club members were out in force to support the event; RoseAnn Voils of the Christopher Aguirre Memorial Foundation (right) hands out new shoes to celebrate the new school year; Tobias Alezie enjoyed meeting special characters Spider-Man and Princess Belle; and Martha and Antonella Diaz with Maggie Zeller.

(Left to right) Dee Aubry with Tom and Regis Wenham; James Smith welcomes summer camper Haylee Halstead; the Jean family came out to enjoy the fun at the back-to-school event; Sarah, Ava and Owen Robbins pass out cold water bottles with Milan Aviles; and Rebecca Korda and Megan Livisay with the National Youth Advocate Program help recruit foster parents.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASH HELD AT WELLINGTON COMMUNITY CENTER social scene PHOTOS BY CALLIE SHARKEY

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14 september 2022 | wellington the magazine ST. DAVID’S CHURCH HOSTS FUN CARIBBEAN-THEMED DANCE PARTY wellington | social scene PHOTOS BY ERIN DAVISSON

(Left to right) Tim Sauerbier, Beatrice Dehommes, Father Steven Thomas, Rose Lewis, Yvonne Wright and Dennis Wright; the evening featured live music by Kool Vibes; and committee members Helena Bresnahan, Howard Barrett, Father Steven Thomas, Erin Thomas, Dexter Beresford, Laurie Cohen, Beatrice Dehommes and Dennis Wright.

(Left to right) Laurie and Eric Cohen with Rev. Kimberly Still; Father Steven Thomas, Erin Thomas and Patricia Burke; and some of the fun auction items to bid on.

St. David’s-in-the-Pines Episcopal Church held a Caribbean-themed dance party on Saturday, Aug. 13 to raise money for church programs. Many of the St. David’s congregants are from the islands, so the evening, held at the St. Rita Catholic Church parish hall, gave many a taste of home. Featuring live music by Kool Vibes, there were also prizes, raffles and more.

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(Left to right) PBSO deputies Bahruth and Gonzalez with therapy dog Charlie; Meredith Ockman-Tache; fire trucks were on site for guests to tour; a banner celebrates the end of summer; and kids enjoyed playing the day away at the Tiger Shark Cove Park playground.

16 september 2022 | wellington the magazine

WELLINGTON’S END-OF-SUMMER PARTY AT TIGER SHARK COVE PARK social scene PHOTOS BY ERIN DAVISSON

On Friday, Aug. 5, the Village of Wellington held an end-of-summer party at Tiger Shark Cove Park in cooperation with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue. Kids were treated to bounce houses, face painting, music, horses and Kona Ice while visiting with PBSO deputies and touring fire-rescue vehicles.

(Left to right) Wellington’s Ed De La Vega, Natalie Stahl, Gloria Kelly, Christian Santa and Event Coordinator Nicole Coates; Mounted Unit deputies Brian Daly and Michael Valenti; and Councilman Michael Napoleone visits with the Myron family.

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2022 WELLINGTON Awards Congratulations To The 2022 Recipients MARCIA HAYDENANNE CAROLINE VALTINFRANK AND HERTA SUESS MAGGIE ZELLERTHE CLEIN FAMILYPAUL GABA 18 september 2022 | wellington the magazine

Our Wellington Awards

Wellington The Magazine decided to estab lish these awards to pay tribute to the many in credible volunteers that our community is fortu nate to have among us. In this inaugural year, the Our Wellington Awards are recognizing com munity leaders who have made significant vol untary contributions in the many areas of public service, such as philanthropy, community wel fare, sports, culture, the arts, recreation and ed ucation.We are acknowledging those who have made unique contributions, very often out of the public eye, although they also may be well known within their communities, where their names are synonymous with “making a differ ence.” Wellington The Magazine is pleased to shine the spotlight on them. We are happy to announce this year’s Our Wellington Award recipients: entrepreneurs and philanthropists Frank and Herta Suess; equestrian leader and Great Charity Challenge Executive Director Anne Caroline Valtin; longtime Welling ton High School educator Paul Gaba; Daniel, Sarah and Jonathan Clein, founders of the local nonprofit Bricks Busting Boredom; and commu nity activists Marcia Hayden and Maggie Zeller. Over the next few pages, you will get to put a face to the names of these community mem bers who make Wellington more than a great hometown, but also a hometown with a heart. Learn about their background, how they be came involved and what motivates them. Learn about the organizations they work with and how they decide to make a difference in the lives of others.We hope you enjoy reading about these dy namic individuals and consider becoming in volved in a worthwhile cause, benefiting and improving the lives of your neighbors as well. This is the inaugural year of this award, and we look forward to receiving many more nomina tions for our upcoming 2023 award season.

The inaugural Our Wellington Awards honor members of the Wellington community who have made an award-winning difference to our village. These awards, presented here for the first time, are a unique and special way to salute members of the community who have gone above and beyond in a voluntary capacity for the betterment of all village residents.

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2022 Our Wellington Awards! WELLINGTON Awards

Introducing The Inaugural

wellington the magazine | september 2022 19

“My wife and I moved to Wellington in 1989 from Long Island, New York,” Frank Suess said. “We had friends here at the time.We now have lots of friends in Wellington, and we enjoy it here. We always want to have a home in Welling ton.”While living in Wellington, they also raised their two sons, Oliver and Mar cus. Both boys are now grown, married, have children of their own, and live in the Asheville, North Carolina, area.

Wellington and its fledgling business community benefit ed a great deal by having entrepreneurs and philanthropists Frank and Herta Suess living in the community.They operate their medical supply companies and several other businesses out of a location on Fairlane Farms Road.

Frank And Herta Suess Are Big Supporters Of Their Adopted Hometown

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Originally from Bavaria in Germany, Frank’s educational background is in industrial engineering. He worked in the engineering industry in New York but became an entrepre neur when the family moved to Wellington, first focusing on respiratory supplies before moving on to diabetes equipment. Their current businesses span a number of different indus tries.When Frank and Herta Suess are not working and support ing those in need, they like to take extended trips. “I’m not a golfer or tennis player,” Frank said.“But we love to travel. We visit our sons and their families in North Caro lina.We return to Europe every year in the fall, and we like to visit Asia.” PEDRAZA

Over the last 30 years, Frank and Herta Suess have operated a number of successful businesses in Wellington, but what has made them leaders in the community was their willingness

to support a wide array of nonprofit or ganizations across a broad spectrum of focus“Overareas.the years, we have support ed the Boys & Girls Clubs with dona tions, and supported Little Smiles as well,” Frank said. “We are still involved with Little Smiles, which provides dayto-day assistance to families whose chil dren are battling cancer. We are also supporting the Wellington Communi ty Foundation, the American Diabetes Association, the American Cancer So ciety, Hospice, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, My Brothers’/ Sisters’ Keeper and Doctors Without Borders.”Herta, meanwhile, is a member of the Wellington Historical Society and has provided hands-on assistance with the Wellington-based nonprofit Back to Basics. Internationally, Frank is also working with an organization in Poland that helps Ukrainian refugees.

FRANK AND HERTA SUESS

2022 WELLINGTON Awards STORY BY MIKE MAY | PHOTO BY ABNER

For longtime Wellington residents Frank and Herta Suess, the Village of Wellington is home, sweet home. It has been that way for more than 30 years for the couple, who were both born and raised in Germany.

Frank was also honored by then Wellington Mayor Tom Wenham with a certificate of appreciation for his work in support of the Village of Wellington. And in the early 2000s, the Wellington Rotary Club also recognized Frank with its coveted Gladney Award for his service to the community.

“We were some of the first members of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce,” recalled Frank, who remains a mem ber of the local chamber, which honored him with its Man of the Year Award in 2003.

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Once a nonprofit has been ap proved, its application is placed in a lot tery bin. By the end of the vetting pro cess, roughly 300 groups will have been approved.Then, just like in lottery draw ings, one approved application after an other is extracted from the lottery bin. An average of 50 applicants will receive funding through the process, which will next be held in January 2023. Soon after the drawing, nonprofits will be assigned to 35 different show jumping teams for the event held in early February. At the GCC, those 35 teams will compete against one another at Wellington International, home of the Winter Equestrian Festival.The better that each team does, the more money its charitable organization will receive. The 15 charities not assigned to a show jumping team will receive funding in the form of grants, but not as much as the 35 chari ties involved in the Great Charity Challenge itself. The riding groups will win $15,000 to $100,000 for their nonprofits.

For information regarding the 2023 Great Charity Chal lenge, visit www.greatcharitychallenge.com.

2022 WELLINGTON Awards STORY BY MIKE MAY | PHOTO BY LOIS SPATZ

The GCC’s grant application process starts each year on Oct. 31. Groups have two weeks to get their paperwork com pleted and submitted.

“Our application process is very fair and simple,” Valtin said.“We know that nonprofit organizations have limited time and resources to dedicate to such a task.”

ANNE CAROLINE VALTIN

Nonprofit organizations in Palm Beach County are better off now than they were 13 years ago thanks to the hard work of Anne Caroline Valtin, executive director of the Wellington-based Great Charity Challenge, sponsored by Fidel ity TheInvestments.big-picture numbers associat ed with the Great Charity Challenge are eye-opening.“In 13 years, the Great Charity Challenge has distributed $17.7 million to 294 charitable organi zations and nonprofit groups,” said Val tin, who is also an accomplished eques trianEveryrider.dollar raised by the Great Charity Challenge is distributed to ap proved Palm Beach County-based char itable organizations, due to the GCC’s support from Eques trian Sport Productions and the Global Equestrian Group covering all event expenses.“We are proud that 100 percent of the funds raised are distributed to approved causes in need,” said Valtin, who has led the Great Charity Challenge since its second year of existence.“We track how the funds are distrib uted and spent, and we generate a report every quarter. We are very transparent with how we distribute the funds and how that money is spent.”

“We have a very thorough vetting process to determine the validity and impact of each group’s mission, thanks to a partnership with Bank of America and the support of GuideStar,” she said.

On the day of the GCC, everybody affiliated with the non profit groups is a show jumping fan.

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Valtin makes sure that the vetting process is performed in a professional manner.

“I am passionate about equestrian sports and philanthropy, but for this special night, I’m truly just a facilitator,”Valtin said.

And thanks to Valtin, the Great Charity Challenge will con tinue operating smoothly, which means that charitable organi zations in Palm Beach County will continue thriving.

Equestrian Anne Caroline Valtin Supports Wellington Through Her Great Charity Challenge Leadership

Hundreds of students attended Wellington’s annual Back-to-School Block Party held at the Wellington Community Center on Saturday, July 30, and preparation for all the items took place during the weeks leading up to event. Thanks to the foundation’s annual sponsors, Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, Tom & Regis Wenham, Wellington Regional Medical Center, Seacoast National Bank, Palm Beach Urology as well as our many generous donors, the foundation was able to purchase much-needed backpacks, school supplies and uniforms to help Wellington students. The Wellington Community Foundation continues to be an integral part of the Wellington community, helping seniors, children, and veterans, while “Building a Stronger Community.” For information about becoming involved, donating, or volunteering, call (561) 333-9843 or visit www.wellingtoncommunityfoundation.org.

Thomas & WenhamRegis Dr. & Mrs. Edward Becker & Mrs. Jim Sackett Dr. & Mrs. Gordon Johnson

Thank You To All Of OurSponsors,Donors & Volunteers

Mr.

BUILDING A STRONGER COMMUNITY” Wellington Community Foundation partnered with the Village of Wellington & Rotary Club of Wellington to help local students be ready for success!

WELLINGTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION HELPS HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS BE SCHOOL READY!

If you’re interested in learning more about coach Gaba’s squad, follow the group on Twitter @RedDawnDebaters and visit the team’s web site www.wellingtondebate.com.

2022 WELLINGTON Awards STORY BY MIKE MAY | PHOTO BY ABNER PEDRAZA

“I’m now starting my 21st year as the speech and debate teacher and coach here at Wellington High School,” said Gaba, 58, a native of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, who also teaches a TV production class and two social media classes at WHS.

The role of teachers and coaches in the lives of students is difficult to fully mea sure, but they certainly can positively influence students in a way that will impact them for their entire lives. And when a coach gets to teach what he coaches, then the impact can be pow erful and profound.

communication as members of any of the athletic teams at Wellington High School, those same skills and more are taught by Gaba to the members of his speech and debate team.

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Aside from his work at Wellington High School, Gaba is an active member of Wellington’s Temple Beth Torah, where he is a board member of the Temple Beth Torah Brotherhood, a service group that raises money for charitable causes.

“As the speech and debate coach, my focus is bettering each student’s fu ture,” added Gaba, who has personally taught and coached more than 3,500 students since he has been teaching here in Gaba’sWellington.speech and debate squad competes on a local, regional, state and national level — and the Red Dawn De baters have achieved success at every level.Gaba has been leading the debate program since 2002. He is also chair of the Florida Oceanfront National Speech & Debate Association District, vice president of the Palm Beach Catholic Forensic League, and statewide tournament coordinator for the Flori da Civics & Debate Initiative. He was named Florida’s debate coach of the year in 2011-12.

With Gaba’s teaching and coaching, the Red Dawn Debat ers are sure to achieve success this year, which is the ultimate goal. And don’t be surprised if they add to Wellington High School’s impressive collection of speech and debate trophies.

Gaba realizes that when students register for his speech and debate class and join the team, they will learn more than just how to speak in public.

“With each student, I focus more on success than win ning a speech or debate tournament,” explained Gaba, whose speech and debate team is nicknamed the Red Dawn Debat ers. “For me, success takes place when a student achieves more than they thought was possible, such as a student being afraid of public speaking and then actually doing it. Success can be measured when a student discovers a new talent and passion. I’ve had students who couldn’t talk their way out of a paper bag, and then they actually master public speaking. That’sWhilesuccess.”many students learn about teamwork, sacrifice and PAUL GABA Educator

Paul Gaba Has Led Wellington High School’s Highly Regarded Debate Program For Two Decades

Paul Gaba, a teacher at Wellington High School, is one of those educa tors who coaches what he teaches. He teaches speech and debate at WHS and also coaches the school’s highly regard ed speech and debate team.

Sarah decided that, along with their donations, Bricks Busting Boredom would start throwing “Lego parties.”

Daniel, soon joined by his sister Sarah, saw that there were very few creative outlets for children undergoing treatment. While fighting for their health, children are stuck in the hos pital, sometimes for months.While hospital staffers work hard to entertain the children, they need assistance.

After Sarah graduated from high school in 2021, the young est Clein child, Jonathan, became the new head of Bricks Busting Boredom. Nowadays, Jonathan conducts events at the Quantum House in West Palm Beach, the Kids Cancer Foun dation in Royal Palm Beach, and JAFCO, an emergency shelter in Broward County.

THE

For more information, visit www.bricksbustingboredom. org, e-mail bricksbustingboredom@gmail.com or call (954) 682-3816.

In 2017, when Daniel graduated, he passed the mantel as head of the organization to Sarah. She also loved meeting the children who were the recipients of the donated Lego sets.

“Since 2015, we have collected and delivered more than two tons of Legos,” Deborah said. “We collect new and used boxes from those who contact us. Each donation makes a huge difference in the lives of children. So, if anyone has new or used Legos that they want to donate, they should definitely contact us.”

Since this unique, Wellington-based nonprofit was found ed, the impact that the Clein family has had on the lives of lo cal children has been significant.

The Cleins realized a colorful and creative channel for these children: Lego bricks. They just needed to find a way to get them into local hospitals. So, they founded Bricks Bust ing Boredom, a nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting new and used Lego bricks to give to the children.

“We hosted the parties for children, brought the used Legos for them to play with, and left new Lego boxes for each child to take with them,” recalled mom Deborah Clein. CLEIN FAMILY Bricks Busting Boredom: Clein Family Brings Smiles Through Lego Bricks

Creativity is essential to enrich ing young minds. To help build this creativity, Wellington sib lings Daniel, Sarah and Jonathan Clein collect Lego bricks and distribute them to children in need.Their nonprofit Bricks Bust ing Boredom has grown rapid ly since Daniel started the pro gram in 2015 after visiting his cousin in the hospital and learn ing of how useful Lego sets can be for young patients.

Daniel ran the organization while he was in high school. While serving as head of the organization, he expanded the donation sites to include homeless shelters and foster homes.

Clearly, Bricks Busting Boredom has grown into a great family proj ect. Deborah and her husband Kenneth have supported their children as they each contributed their own ideas to expand ing this family-run organization.

2022 WELLINGTON Awards STORY BY MIKE MAY | PHOTO BY ABNER PEDRAZA

“Along with food and games, BBB’s Lego parties give the parents of these children time to take a break and watch their children sim ply be kids, playing with Legos and having fun,” Deborah said.

At these parties, the Clein family piles the Lego bricks on tables and then encourages the children to be creative with them and have fun. Af ter hours of playing, they each get to leave with their own Lego box.

26 september 2022 | wellington the magazine

When Hayden speaks to the students, she tells them of her immigrant roots and reminds them how fortunate they are to be living in the U.S., where opportunities abound. “I encour age students to find their passion and follow their dreams,” Hayden said.

Marcia Hayden Has Dedicated 20 Years To Her Community Service In Wellington her Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority mem bers helped distribute free food to needy families who lined up at the Mall at Wellington Green. They also helped stock the pantry at Wellington Regional Medical Center with free food, snacks and drinks for hospital workers who were working extra-long hours as they tended to the needs of patients.

2022 WELLINGTON Awards STORY BY MIKE MAY | PHOTO BY ABNER PEDRAZA

With all that she does, it’s not a surprise that her husband is amazed at her commitment to Wellington. “My husband says my volunteerism is like a full-time job,” Hayden said.

In addition, Hayden and a number of other college-educat ed women recently started a local chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. “Our purpose is to be of service to man kind and to give back to the community,” Hayden said of the organization, which is also known as the Crowned Pearls of Wellington.Duringthe early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she and MARCIA HAYDEN

In addition to being mentors to the students, Hayden and her SWAG colleagues have mobilized students to help with hurricane preparation in Wellington and provide internship opportunities for the students during the summer months.

Another one of Hayden’s causes is Students Working to Achieve Greatness (SWAG), a public-private partnership between the Village of Wellington, local schools and local businesses.“We work with students from both high schools in Wellington,” she said. “It’s a mentor ing program where we help prep stu dents for life.”

One of the reasons why Wellington is such a great place to live is because of people like Marcia Hayden. Every com munity needs to have more residents like Hayden, who has done more in 20 years for Wellington than most people will do in their lifetimes. Hayden’s commitment to Welling ton started in 2001 when she and her husband Frank relocated to the com munity.“We moved to Wellington from De troit, Michigan, when my husband took a job with the South Florida Water Man agement District,” Hayden recalled.“We chose Wellington because we want ed to live in a community with great schools.”Withher youngest son attending high school and her hus band busy working, Hayden started volunteering with the School Advisory Committee beginning in 2002.

28 september 2022 | wellington the magazine

Hayden is also the secretary for the Florida division of the American Civil Liberties Union.With the ALCU, one of her key initiatives is voter registration. As an immigrant, she really ap preciates the power of voting. “Many people have lost their rights and don’t know that they have been restored,” she said.

“I’ve been involved with SAC for nearly 20 years, and I was president for a number of years,” Hayden said. Her commitment to local schools also extends to her vol unteer work on Wellington’s Education Committee, which works to support and improve local schools through keeping open lines of communication and also providing direct grants to the schools.

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Today, Zeller is a board member of the Wellington Rotary Club, the Wellington Community Foundation and Back to Ba sics. One great thing about volunteering in Wellington is that organizations often work together.

“It’s my Zeller,passion.”70,isan independent health insurance agent. Also known as “Medi care Maggie,” she works to make sure that seniors have the right Medicare coverage.“Iwant to make sure that seniors make the right decision on their Medi care policy,” Zeller said.“I’m passionate about our seniors. I’m one of them.”

“Growing up in Westchester County, New York, my mother was president of the Junior League,” Zeller recalled. “I remember attending meetings with her. As an adult, the first nonprofit I joined was the Junior League.”

The Angel Program is a holiday pro gram through Back to Basics for under privileged children. “We give children in need a care package that includes new socks, sneakers, underwear and school uniforms,” Zeller said. “The Ro tary and the Wellington Community Foundation support this holiday pro gram by volunteering to purchase and wrapThegifts.”Rotary recently started a new program, Pay It Forward, which pro vides groceries for a number of fami lies whose children attend the local Boys & Girls Club. “We helped more than 200 families with bags of grocer ies that contained rice, sugar, macaroni and cheese, pasta, sauce, canned goods and vouchers for food at Chick-fil-A,” Zeller said.

For Zeller, being a volunteer in Wellington is like being a part of a winning team. “I cannot do what I do without the support of the dedicated volunteers with both the Wellington Rotary and the Wellington Community Foundation,” she said.

If community activist Maggie Zeller didn’t have a job, she’d spend even more time providing a helping hand.“I love giving back to the community and volunteering in Wellington,” Zeller said.

When not working for local seniors or the local commu nity, Zeller enjoys spending time at the beach. “You can find me on the beach Sunday mornings, where I sit in my beach chair, read my book, and watch my two grand children ride the waves and play in the sand,” Zeller said.

“We all work together as we help children and seniors,” Zeller said.“My role with the Wellington Rotary is to organize and coordinate all the community projects that Rotary does.”

When Zeller is not at work, she’s busy providing assistance to those in need.

“With the Dictionary Project, we go to every public ele mentary school in Wellington and provide a free dictionary for every third-grade student,” Zeller said. “Every year, we dis tribute more than 2,500 dictionaries.”

Community Service And Helping Others Is A Way Of Life For Maggie Zeller

Three of the projects that the Rotary supports and Zeller helps coordinate are the Dictionary Project, the Angel Pro gram and the Pay It Forward program.

Recently, Zeller participated in the Village of Wellington’s Back-to-School event. Backpacks and school supplies were provided by the Wellington Rotary and the Wellington Com munity Foundation. School uniforms were purchased by the foundation through Back to Basics. Zeller coordinated volun teers to make sure that the children who attended received what they needed for school.

MAGGIE ZELLER

30 september 2022 | wellington the magazine

2022 WELLINGTON Awards STORY BY MIKE MAY

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(Left to right) Treatment Plant Superintendent Karla Berroteran; Deputy Village Manager Tanya Quickel; Assistant Director of Planning, Zoning & Building Michael O’Dell (seated); Assistant Village Manager Eduardo De La Vega; Village Engineer Jonathan Reinsvold (seated); Village Manager Jim Barnes; and Utilities Director Anjuli Panse.

32 september 2022 | wellington the magazine

Water

In all, over the next year, Wellington will spend $9,985,000 on improve ments to its water and wastewater utili ties; $9,365,024 on one-time projects that include recreation and public safe ty; and $4,460,000 to sustain ongoing programs, like streetscapes, technology upgrades and existing parks.

Utility & ImprovementsDrainage

Here, we are looking at just a few of the key capital projects residents can expect in 2023 and beyond.

“Since Wellington was incorporated, we have been investing and re-investing in the community,” Barnes explained. “That is what increases our property values, what increases the satisfaction rating of our residents, and what keeps us a great place for people to live and raise a Withfamily.”aproposed capital project bud get of $23.8 million for fiscal year 2023, which gets underway Oct. 1, there are numerous expenditures on the drawing board to be studied, weighed and con sidered by the Wellington Village Coun cil. Many have been on the books and approved for years. Some are newer sug gestions. Some projects are crucial im provements to critical services, while some are forward-thinking enhance ments that many communities can only dream about.

Wellington Village Manager Jim Barnes prefers to refer to his CIP as a “Community Investment Program.”

wellington the magazine | september 2022 33

Before Wellington was incorporated in 1995, it was governed by the Acme Improvement District, which main tained the community’s drainage sys tem, utilities, roads and parks. Those re main core functions for Wellington’s government today. Now, with a population of more than 65,000 and a reputation as the “equestri an capital of the world” that attracts still more people during the winter months, the stresses and strains put on the drain age and utility systems are many and varied. A large part of the village’s cap ital budget is that unseen money that makes sure those services remain seam less for residents, businesses and visitors alike.A $4 million expansion of Welling ton’s water treatment facility and a group of projects at the water recla mation facility totaling $3.5 million are nearing completion, keeping Welling ton’s municipal water supply pure and its residents safe.

Upcoming Wellington Capital Projects Will Keep The Village Moving Forward INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY

BY DEBORAH WELKY

This is an area that has been a workin-progress since 2008. “In that time frame, we started the work here at the Town Center, and what was here before was the old Wellington East Club building, the pool and some tennis courts. There was a lot of vacant property around it for years,” Barnes said. “But even in 2008, when times were tough, the village started investing and reinvesting in the community with the new Village Hall, and we haven’t looked back since.We used a grant from Palm Beach County to construct the am phitheater and the Williamson family’s generous donation for the Scott’s Place barrier-free playground. The relocation of the tennis center to Lyons Road and the reconstruction of the new Welling ton Community Center has made this area the place to gather and govern.”

34 september 2022 | wellington the magazine

Improvements at Town Center

Phase Three is comprised of the aquat ics center and the Palm Beach Coun ty Sheriff’s Office substation. Together with the Lake Wellington Professional Centre, we will monitor how those site plans affect Town Center and present a comprehensive plan to the council for their consideration,” Barnes said.

A new aquatics facility is high on the village’s priority list. But officials want it done right, and that takes research and time.“The current aquatics facility was one of the original facilities we’ve had since nearly the village’s incorporation, and except for the 2009 renovations, it’s largely still the same hole in the ground it was when it was part of the Welling ton East Club,” Barnes said. Many improvements are slated for the Town Center area. Shown (left) is the current Wellington Aquatics Complex and (right) the Wellington Community Center.

In early May, the council approved a contract with Urban Design Studios to move forward with Phase Three of the Wellington Town Center project. “We have already completed the boardwalk along Lake Wellington, and we are working on Phase Two — the ex pansion of the Wellington Amphitheater.

The Future of the Aquatics Center

Due to the sub-tropical climate of the area, there’s water, water ev erywhere and no-one wants to drive through it. Surface drainage is always a consideration, particularly this time of year, which is the height of hurricane season.“We’re continuing our neighborhood pipelining project that was started sev eral years ago,” Barnes said.“We’re stick ing to the reinvesting in our infrastruc ture with improved flood protection and resource protection.That is how we control the quantity and the quality of stormwater.”Thisproject, with $510,000 budget ed next year, is focused on the older ar eas of the community.

“We’re starting to go into our oldest neighborhoods that are 40 to 45 years old, the ones that were part of the origi nal development, and renewing, replac ing or both to extend the life of these pipes for 30 to 50 years or longer,” Barnes said. “Some of the systems have stopped functioning as they were in tended to, and we want them to func tion well. The evidence of our efforts is that now our neighborhoods recover from storms quickly.We have also made improvements and added efficiencies to our pump stations that handle the sur face water before it moves into the re gional water system.”

With an increased population comes the need for a central municipal area where residents can access information, speak to village representatives, gather for community functions and more. In Wellington, that “more” is so much more.

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Keeping Wellington safe means mak ing sure that the PBSO has a state-ofthe-art facility as its local headquarters. There is $3.9 million earmarked for this, of which $3 million is in the 2023 bud get.“Ever since our incorporation as a village, we have worked with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to keep our residents safe,” Barnes said. “As part of our contract, we provide the space for them to operate, to support their work at the village. They used to be in a leased space at the original Wellington Mall. Then they moved into the old vil lage administration building on Green briarThisBlvd.”latest effort aims to make the PBSO substation more centrally located. “In our efforts to have a central area in which to ‘gather and govern,’ we have a desire to have them located at the Town Center site,” Barnes said. “We want a public safety complex to house everybody from the PBSO at one lo cation, whether it’s adjacent to Village Hall or elsewhere on the Town Center property. We are working on planning, design and site selection, and the coun cil is very committed to that, which speaks to their commitment to public safety.”

“The big decision that the council still has to make is the site, since we do have options and the opportunity to build a new one,” Barnes said. “What I think is important is that we don’t take the existing facility out of service dur ing the construction. It’s critical that we look at that. Construction would probably take one and a half years, and we don’t want to shut down programs that may never get their participants back.”The village plans to use sales surtax funds to offset the estimated $4.9 mil lion cost, $3.4 million of which is in 2023 budget, and hiring the right con sultant to help choose the site is key.

Some money for the project, which is not yet fully approved, is in the 2023 budget.“That project, privately funded by a group named Wellington Athletics, would come in at between $33 to 36 million,” Barnes said.“The village would have to prepare the site, at a value of ap proximately $1.5 million, as part of the public-private partnership.”

AthleticsFacilityTraining

“We would require the consultant to look at all existing potential areas with in the village,” Assistant Planning, Zon ing & Building Director Michael O’Dell said. “Village Park has some additional property near the 120th Avenue South entrance, Greenbriar has some vacant areas, and the School District of Palm Beach County has allowed us to consid er a site on their property near Welling ton High School. We want to look at all possible considerations.”

Although not at the top of the list, a proposed training facility for up-andcoming local athletes is garnering a lot of enthusiastic attention. At the site of what used to be the old Wellington Boys & Girls Club building on South Shore Blvd., there is talk of a 90,000-squarefoot training facility for athletics built through a public-private partnership.

Public Safety Annex

Outside, field space would be im proved and conditioned for softball, baseball and an open sports field per fect for soccer, football and other sports.

(Left) Wellington takes great pride in its state-of-the-art utility system. (Right) The old Wellington Community Park could become a new athletics training facility.

The location of the new facility re mains the key question to be answered.

36 september 2022 | wellington the magazine

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Wellington is known for its renowned equestrians, close proximity to beach es and beautiful weather. But it is also home to some of the rarest and endan gered animals in the world, serving as educational ambassadors for a founda tion with a mission of conservation, preservation, inspiration and educa tion.The Moorcroft Conservation Foun dation, founded by accomplished equestrian and trainer Charlie Moor croft, and his personal collection of rare animals, introduces children and adults to important conservation, res cue and rehabilitation issues while in spiring them to make a difference. The foundation raises funds to support col laborative organizations around the country while also bringing awareness to the local community and beyond.

STORY BY JESSICA BRIGHENTI | PHOTO BY GEORGIE HAMMOND

The Moorcroft Foundation Inspires Conservation And Preservation In Wellington And Beyond EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION

Born and raised in Connecticut, Moorcroft spent much of his time out doors riding horses, fishing and spend ing time in nature. Growing up in a large family with a schoolteacher as his mother, Moorcroft learned early on the importance of giving back, communi cating and Throughouteducating.hislife, Moorcroft tried his hand at many different careers, but was always drawn back to what was intertwined in his DNA — equestrian sports, nature and being around ani mals.He made the move down to Welling ton about 17 years ago for the horses and to continue his passion for educat ing the sport’s youth.

wellington the magazine | september 2022 39

Charlie Moorcroft teaching at his home base farm in Wellington.

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preciation for horses and teaching the younger generation, Moorcroft heads up an even bigger passion project, the Moorcroft Conservation Foundation. Following his involvement in the United States Hunter Jumper Associa tion Foundation, he was inspired to do something more than just house spe cial pets. He wanted to tell an educa tional story. In November 2020, the Moorcroft Conservation Foundation was“Weborn.started the foundation just as a way to bring awareness and real-life experiences to people within and be yond our niche community,” Moorcroft said.“Our goal is really to bridge the gap between kids and education, and also bring funds to other organizations that we trust, so that they can also provide opportunities for kids to be involved at a local, national and global level.”

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On the foundation, Moorcroft is as sisted by notable equestrian Geoff Teall

Moorcroft is renowned for his ex ceptional ability to teach children not only how to ride and care for an ani mal, but how to be confident, indepen dent and communicative in life outside of the arena. “I tell my students, there’s always someone more experienced than you, and there’s always someone who needs to look up to you or wants to look up to you,” Moorcroft explained.“I try to impress that upon my students. We inspire kids to help kids. I want kids to know that they are role models, and they are inspiring the next group. I want the kids coming up to know that we were once them.” Riding lessons with Moorcroft are far from conventional. He brings stu dents out to a track around a 15-acre body of water, where riders get to learn about and see everything from alliga tors, to fish and birds, butterflies, turtles and snakes. “I use that as a real teach ing opportunity to talk about life and nature,” Moorcroft said. “The journey it takes these riders on is fascinating to me. It leads to a lot of great conversa tion.”Besides his genuine passion and ap

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To learn more about the Moorcroft Conservation Foundation, or to get in volved, visit them on the web at org.moorcroftconservationfoundation.www.

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CRESTWOOD GLEN: as executive director, and a board of di rectors that includes Louise Serio, Hol ly Caristo, Abby Blakenship and Susan Gordon. They look forward to continu ing to share the foundation’s passion and initiatives while inspiring others in the Wellington community and beyond.

wellington the magazine | september 2022 41

“The Moorcroft Conservation Foun dation has been instrumental in intro ducing many people from the Welling ton area, both young and old, to the importance of conservation issues,” Teall said. “This has included members of the equestrian community, as well as many year-round Wellington residents.” Gordon said that the foundation offers an amazing experience to the groups of school children who visit. “Having this hands-on learning op portunity with endangered animals right here in Wellington is surely an ex perience they remember for years to come,” Gordon said. “What a great way to inspire the next generation of con versationBlankenshipambassadors!”hasbeen impressed by Moorcroft’s ability to reach students on topics as varied as equestrian training and“Everyoneconservation.inthe horse communi ty knows about Charlie’s amazing gift of teaching children to ride,” she said. “With the foundation, the opportu nity is available for people outside of the horse world to also experience his gift and his knowledge of conservation. Charlie’s charismatic method of teach ing inspires people to want to learn more and do more. Wellington is fortu nate to have a place like the Moorcroft Conservation Foundation. It’s a big mu seum education in a quaint and person al setting.”Moorcroft also feels strongly about raising money for smaller, lesserknown, organizations, and he carefully vets and researches the ones his foun dation gives to. “I have a lot of crazy friends and a lot of crazy access to amazing ‘mom and pop’ sanctuaries and rescues that do re habilitation, and a lot of organizations all over the country and the world that give back to animals in need on a real conservation and preservation level,” he Moorcroft’sexplained. own personal collection of animals is just a small piece of the puzzle to help drive the conversation about these unique species and the im portance of conservation and preserva tion. “The animals and the foundation are very separate to me,” Moorcroft ex plained. “The animals themselves are owned, supported [and] taken care of by Althoughme.” not a public facility, Moor croft encourages people to come and visit, talk about and meet the animals, and understand conservation and the importance of helping these animals.

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“I really enjoy merging my worlds by having some of my dear friends and even equestrian acquaintances come over to learn more,” Moorcroft said. “We do accept donations for the foun dation and other organizations that we work closely with, but whenever pos sible, we love having people over to meet the animals and create conversa tion.”Since its inception, the Moorcroft Conservation Foundation has support ed organizations such as Feline Conser vation, the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilita tion & Education Center, the Turtle & Tortoise Preservation Group and Mc Carthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary, to name a few.“I am excited to see what the future holds and what we can do for organi zations around the world,” Moorcroft said.

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Mario The Baker has been dishing out its northeastern style pizza and Italian food since the restaurant opened in 2001 on State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach. It has since become a staple in the com munity. It all goes back to the late Ma rio Scinicariello. “My father-in-law’s rec ipe for success was very easy,” General Manager Kevin Puebla said.“Keep things fresh and serve things you would only serve to your family.”

The motto at Mario The Baker is “Ev erything’s Fresh” — whether it’s pick ing up a hot pizza chock full of toppings like homemade Italian sausage, or sitting down to a piece of smooth and creamy lasagna. The longtime staff strives to greet customers with a familial flair, serv ing up hearty favorites that have made this a spot where many regulars spend time with friends and family.

wellington the magazine | september 2022 43 wellington | table

(Clockwise from top left) Tender chicken parmesan topped with sauce from Italian tomatoes for a touch of sweetness; a specialty pie including half with homemade Italian sausage and half with “Our Favorite Pizza” featuring sliced tomatoes, fresh garlic and basil; hot garlic rolls lightly baked and airy, dripping with olive oil and fresh chopped garlic; the lasagna is made with Sopraffina ricotta for a smooth and creamy taste; pizza topped with homemade Italian sausage; and a side of spaghetti with the fresh-made family recipe sauce. BY MELANIE KOPACZ FAMILY RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

STORY AND PHOTOS

What started as a father and son’s special connection through the love of cook ing authentic Italian dishes together has turned into a legacy of recipes that have since been shared for generations across southeast Florida.

Mario The Baker Restaurant In RPB Continues A

Generations-Long Legacy In Fresh Italian Cooking

“We simmer our tomato sauce for five hours every day,” Puebla said. “It’s still the same old-school recipes that he had when he opened his first restaurant.” That sauce is key to the recipes. A touch of sweetness comes from Italian tomatoes along with layers of flavor.

“Mario started in Miami in 1969. His first restaurant was actually in Con necticut when he was 18 years old,” ex plained Puebla, who also got his start at the same age while working at the Royal Palm Beach restaurant as a teen. That is where he met and later mar ried Mario’s daughter, Palmina. The two have been running the family business ever“Mostsince.of our recipes, like our tomato sauce and our marinara, are recipes that were his mother’s and father’s,” Puebla said. “They were also restaurateurs in Connecticut. When they first came over from Italy, his father was a baker by trade, hence the name, Mario The Baker.” Both the baking and the sauce pro cess start early every morning.

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44 september 2022 | wellington the magazine “The flavor profile — we use pork bones and sauté those with onions and garlic and add our tomatoes. A little bit of seasoning, and the flavor as it simmers for five hours — you get the flavor of the bones.There’s no meat in the sauce, but The large open dining room has a traditional pizzeria feel with nostalgic ceiling tiles and artwork. we use it as a flavoring, like you’d use a stock. It’s different from basic marinara sauce,” Puebla said. While the sauce is simmering, the dough is rising. Balls of dough are draped on trays across the counters, ready to be turned into a feast. “On a Friday night, we can push out between 350 to 400 pizzas,” he said.“Our pizza sauce is really simple.We use fresh, Italian tomatoes. We grind them with a small amount of seasoning.” Cheese and pepperoni may be the most popular toppings, but the Italian sausage is a specialty.“We make it home made as well,” Puebla said.“We use fresh ly ground pork butt with our seasoning. That’s it. No fillers, no nothing.”

7pm | Saturday:

Also popular is “Our Favorite Pizza,” made with sliced tomatoes, garlic and basil.Before any entrée, come the musthave hot garlic rolls. They’re baked to perfection with just enough crisp on the outside and a light, airy inside, with freshly chopped garlic on top. “On a good weekend day, between our catering and dining business, we go through four or five thousand garlic rolls in a day,” Puebla said. - 12pm - 6pm

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wellington Along with the rolls, comes a side of spaghetti with dishes like the chicken parmesan — one of the biggest sellers.

“Our veal parmesan is also huge. It’s a top-round butcher cut. Most people wouldn’t think coming into a little place like ours, that you’d get something like that, but we use a really good product.” There are a number of pasta choices in addition to some newer favorites — including the chicken francese. “It’s very light, made with a lemon, white wine and butter sauce. We added a few things to the menu, along with a porcini mushroom tortellini with a shii take parmesan cream sauce,” Puebla said. From salads to soups and subs, kids’ meals and desserts, there’s something for everyone who loves Italian, along with a selection of beer and wine.

the magazine | september 2022 45 wellington | table

“It’s a local favorite. We do a tremen dous amount of catering from 40 people to 1,500, and I’d have to say the major ity have chicken parmesan in their cater ing,” Puebla said. “All our chicken is free range. No hormones, no antibiotics. It’s very clean. You can definitely taste the quality.”Quality is key when it comes to pick ing tomatoes, too. “We’re constantly on top of trying to be sure we have the right product and good quality. Throughout the year, we’ll buy tomatoes from different packers and farms in Italy, because different times of the year, different harvests could be rip er, or a better product,” Puebla said.“The California tomatoes have a little tang to them, and Italian tomatoes tend to be a littleThesweeter.”sauce is a big factor in the lasa gna, too.The ground beef is layered with Sopraffina ricotta. “In Italian, ‘sopraffina’ means super fine. So, it’s really creamy, not lumpy. And the meat, we mix with some of our sauce. It’s delicious,” Puebla said.

Longtime customer, Carolyn Reyn olds, dines with friends and family regu larly, as if it were her home.“I come here two to three times a week. We’re like family,” Reynolds said. The large and casual open space can hold 150 people with another 30 in the outdoor dining area. A brown tiled ceil ing and vintage stained-glass lighting are reminiscent of a traditional pizzeria. Family keepsakes line the walls. “I’ve watched a lot of families grow up here, including my own,” Puebla said. “It’s a family environment, and one of us is always here. It’s really important to us that one of us is always here to greet the customers.”So,while namesake Mario Scinicari ello may have passed away in 2016, his love of food, community and gathering lives on. Mario The Baker is at 1007 State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach. For more info., call (561) 798-4030 or visit www. theoriginalmariothebaker.com.

46 september 2022 | wellington the magazine www.pbaquatics.com For The Best Possible Fit Achette’n offers a wide range of medical-grade breast forms, mastectomy bras, compression garments, and lingerie, measured to fit your body. With help from our compassionate expert fitters, you can look and feel like yourself during and after recovery. For patients planning for or recovering from surgery or reconstruction, we offer: • Measure-to-fit unmentionables • Breast forms and custom breast forms • Bras • Lingerie • Shapewear • Compression wear Specialty Mastectomy Bras & Prostheses We are HQAA and BOC accredited and have 30 years of experience in healthcare. Most insurances accepted. Ask us about your coverage. Call to schedule an appointment with one of our certified mastectomy fitters www.achetten.comLantana,114561-557-7978today.EOceanAvenueFlorida33462

The Glick Skin Institute Office In Wellington Dr. Paloma Reiter has joined the team of skilled dermatology associates that make up the Glick Skin Institute with offices in Wellington and Margate. “Dr. Reiter is a kind and compassion ate physician who will bring to our dermatology practice extensive train ing in dermatologic oncology and the management of complex medical skin diseases,” said Dr. Brad Glick, founder of the Glick Skin Institute, which special izes in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology. “We are thrilled to have her on Reiterboard!”isahighly skilled dermatolo gist and dermatologic surgeon who is also an avid, lifelong equestrian eager to serve patients in the Wellington com munity.Anative Floridian from Plantation, Reiter graduated with a bachelor’s de gree in biology from the Harriet L. Wil kes Honors College at Florida Atlantic University. She completed her medical degree at the renowned Nova South eastern University College of Osteo pathicReiterMedicine.thencompleted a family med icine internship at the Larkin Commu nity Hospital Palm Springs Campus and her dermatology residency at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rocka way, New York. In accomplishing one of her goals of helping patients detect skin cancers early, Reiter has also com pleted a pigmented lesion fellowship, where she developed a mastery in der moscopy.Reiter enjoys seeing patients of all ages. With her diverse training, she recognizes that the skin can be a win dow to internal diseases, how we per ceive ourselves, and how others see us. Whether she is dealing with condi tions such as acne, psoriasis, hair loss, skin cancer, autoimmune diseases or aging, Reiter is committed to optimiz ing her patient’s health and self-confi dence.

Dr. Paloma Reiter Joins

NEEDSKINYOURALLCARES

PHOTO BY ABNER PEDRAZA

FOR

wellington the magazine | september 2022 47

wellington | health

Dr. Brad Glick and Dr. ReiterPalomaattheGlickSkinInstituteinWellington.

The Glick Skin Institute is located at 1447 Medical Park Blvd., Suite 107, on the campus of Wellington Regional Medical Center. For additional infor mation, call (561) 798-3494 or visit www.glickskin.com.

Glick is a board-certified dermatol ogist and dermatologic surgeon who specializes in medical, surgical and cos metic dermatology, as well as in clinical research. He is the director of clinical re search for GSI Clinical Research in Mar gate and has been in practice for more than 27 Glickyears.isadiplomate of the American Osteopathic Board of Dermatology, the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners and is a fellow of the Amer ican Academy of Dermatology. He has authored numerous publications, jour nal articles and textbook chapters, and has served as a speaker, consultant and advisor to the pharmaceutical industry for more than 25 years.

48 september 2022 | wellington the magazine wellington | health

A past president for the Florida Acad emy of Dermatology, Glick is a compas sionate and dedicated physician who constantly strives to go above and be yond for his patients by providing the most comprehensive dermatologic care available.

With her multi-ethnic background, Reiter has unique insights into the treat ment of different skin types, including those of color, and can communicate with her patients in both English and Spanish. Reiter has also received ad vanced surgical and cosmetic training, which allows her to provide patients with exceptional cosmetic outcomes. She exemplifies compassionate patient care and is an inductee of the Gold Hu manism Honor Society. Reiter is passionate about provid ing her patients with the best care by continuing to stay up to date with the latest research and treatment options. In addition, she believes in the impor tance of contributing to the field of der matology and continues to educate resi dents in the art of dermoscopy. She has been published in several prestigious academic journals, including the British Journal of Dermatology and the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. Reiter is also an active member of the American Acad emy of Dermatology, the American Os teopathic College of Dermatology, the Women in Dermatology Society and the Skin of Color Society, among others.

Aside from being an avid, lifelong equestrian, Reiter’s other non-work pur suits include spending time with her family and dog, hiking, practicing vin yasa yoga, traveling and trying new res taurants.Reiter joins Dr. Brad Glick at the Glick Skin Institute, which is part of a growing, leading edge, patient-focused dermatology group practice known as SPC Dermatology Partners.The practice performs a balance of dermatologic, sur gical and cosmetic procedures and pro vides full-service dermatologic care in the areas of skin cancer, dermatologic surgery, Mohs surgery, hair and nail dis eases, pediatric dermatology, fillers, Bo tox and laser surgery.

“Dr. Reiter is a kind and compassionate physician who will bring to our dermatology practice extensive training in dermatologic oncology.” — Dr. Brad Glick

PHOTOS BY ABNER PEDRAZA

wellington the magazine | september 2022 49 Lou LoFranco Financial Advisor who happens to be your neighbor Call us to start your plan today. 561.798.4106 lou.lofranco@edwardjones.com 12020 South Shore Blvd., Suite 100 Wellington, FL 33414 Member SIPC

This Private, Mediterranean-Style Home Is Located In One Of The Most Desirable Neighborhoods In Wellington

PHOTOS COURTESY SOPHIE GHEDIN/KELLER WILLIAMS

REALTY Pool: Walk outside to this screened backyard oasis, where you can relax and cool off in the private oval pool.

Kitchen: This chef’s kitchen is tastefully done with high-end fixtures, cabinetry and case goods with extra closet space for kitchen storage.

This beautiful home on desirable Xanthus Street in Wellington’s Village Walk neighborhood offers high-quality, custom, updated amenities throughout. A bright foyer beckons as you enter the living area with a modern design, custom window treatments and automatic shades. The updated chef’s kitchen is tastefully done with high-end fixtures, cabinetry and case goods with extra built-in closet space for kitchen storage. The interior entertainment area flows to a screened-in outdoor room for lounging and eating, backdropped by an oval pool and well-maintained gardens and lake.

VILLAGEHOMEBEAUTIFULINWALK

Master Bedroom: The master bedroom is backdropped by an oval pool and well-maintained gardens and lake.

50 september 2022 | wellington the magazine

Guest Bedroom: The fresh, calm effect of white showcases soothing tropical details and custom window treatments.

Entranceway: A bright foyer welcomes visitors to this maintenance-free, Mediterranean-style three-bedroom home featuring a two-car garage with a spacious brick-tiled driveway.

Above: Enjoy outdoor dining and relax in the beautiful, screened patio, which features a private, heated in-ground pool. Left: The elegantly designed living room showcases modern pendant lighting and custom built-in shelving.

wellington | real estate

wellington the magazine | september 2022 51

Ghedin has a proven track record of offering her clients tailor-made, superior service, and prides herself on her communication skills, accessibility and responsiveness throughout the home buying and selling process. As a skilled negotiator with in-depth knowledge of Palm Beach County’s unique real estate market, she’s open to her clients’ expectations and maintains a continuous dialogue during the process.

Ghedin is fluent in English, French and Spanish, and as a lifelong rider, her expertise in the equestrian community is a value add for any client looking to find, buy, rent or sell a residential or equestrian property — not only in Wellington, her home since 2001, but throughout Palm Beach County.

“As a Realtor, my first priority is to make my client happy,” Ghedin said. “I strive to ensure that the home buying, renting or selling process is fun, easy and stress-free by carefully listening to my clients’ needs and desires, to gain their respect and trust in order to achieve the best outcome.”

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Ghedin’s enthusiasm to meet her clients’ demands is infectious and works both ways. Whether you want to buy, rent or sell a single-family home, an oceanfront condominium, an equestrian property or an estate home in a country club, she’s your unique Realtor.

52 september 2022 | wellington the magazine wellington | real estate Meet Sophie Ghedin Village Walk Property Presented By Sophie Ghedin Sophie Ghedin sophieghedin@kw.comRealtor(561)236-1977 Learn more about Sophie Ghedin at www.gh-keyadvantage.com12008 South Shore Blvd., Suite 201 Wellington, FL 33414

Sophie Ghedin is one of the founding partners at Ghedin and Herz Key Advantage. She’s a premier, awardwinning real estate professional, consistently placing among the top five percent of her peers at Keller Williams Wellington. Ghedin holds a Florida real estate license and is an active member of the National Association of Realtors, with more than a decade of experience in the residential and equestrian real estate business.

By calling this number, you agree to speak with an independent health insurance agent about Medicare Advantage products. Medicare has neither reviewed nor endorsed this information. This is an advertisement. Let’s talk about it! Maggie Zeller Office (561) 517-8048 (TTY: 711) Mobile (561) medicaremaggie@gmail.com715-9262 If you’ve got questions, I’ve got answers. “Your healthcare is a potentially overwhelming, complex decision. I can help you navigate through your available options!” Medicare Maggie Health Insurance Solutions 12794 Forest Hill Blvd. • Suite 18E Wellington, FL 33414 By Appointment Only Facebook.com/Medicaremaggie Becoming eligible for Medicare at age 65 can be overwhelming and confusing, but it doesn’t have to be! I can help explain all of your available options. Medicare Advantage Plans vs. Medicare Supplement? Medicare Solutions Made Simple I can help, call me today!

54 september 2022 | wellington the magazine (561) 798-140013005 Southern Blvd., Suite 133 (Located on the Palms West Medical Campus) Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery Surgical Training: Stanford University Medical Center Stanford, CA Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Limited Scar Facelift, Necklift Eyelid Rejuvenation • Nasal Reshaping Botox® • Dysport™ • Sculptra™ Juvéderm® • Restylane®, Perlane® Ultrasonic Liposuction & Body Contouring Breast Enlargement, Lift & Reduction Abdominal Tuck Laser Wrinkle Removal In Office Local Anesthesia Liposuction Voted “Best Plastic Sur geon” by r eaders of Palm Beach Post & Palm Beach Illustrated Call for a complimentary cosmetic consultation The patient and any other person responsible for payment has the right to refuse to pay, cancel payment or to be reimbursed for payment for any other ser vice, examination or treatment which is per formed as a result of and within 72 hours of responding to the adver tisement for the free, discounted or reduced fee ser vice, examination or treatment. Photo on ad not an ac tual patient Dr. Wisnicki has practiced in Palm Beach County Since 1986 Jeffrey L. Wisnicki, M.D., F.A.C.S. Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Come visit us at www.drwisnicki.com to see testimonials, detailed list of services and our before and after photo gallery! AccountingAudit IRS BusinessRepresentationProfitCoaching Tax Services: Domestic & International Cost Segregation Studies for Commercial & Residential Real Estate 12008 South Shore Blvd., Suite 210 Wellington, Florida (561) www.froehlichcpa.com795-9500 Se Habla Español John F. Froehlich For over 20 years Froehlich and De La Rua have proudly served businesses and residents in the western communities. We’ll work with you to reassure you that your financial records are in order... that you receive the maximum benefit available. Betty De La Rua

nity where education did not seem to be a priority.

“I didn’t get the education that I needed, and I had no family support,” Levy said. “I went from kindergarten through 12th grade with the same group of kids. I was on a work/study program where I learned only basic reading, basic math, and went to work for the rest of the of day. There were 103 in my graduating class. I have a great work ethic, but school was not a great experience. And that’s why I’m a teacher and a principal now — to make a

Binks Forest Elementary’s Principal Michella Levy Lives By The School’s Motto ‘Expect The Best’

Binks Forest Elementary School opened in February 2000 as the third elemen tary school in Wellington, serving the community’s growing western areas. For the past 13 years, the school has been led by Principal Michella Levy. Levy is living proof that success can be achieved no matter what life throws at you. Raised in a small central Florida town, she recalled struggled all through her school years, in a commu

Oncedifference.”Levystarted reading in ear nest, she read everything she could. Al though it took her eight years to earn her bachelor’s degree, she completed a typically three-year master’s degree program in just one year — all while teaching full time.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR ANDSTUDENTSSTAFF

wellington | schools wellington the magazine | september 2022 55

STORY BY DEBORAH WELKY | PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN

Michella Levy has been the principal at Binks Forest Elementary School for 13 years.

Principal Michella Levy at her desk at Binks Forest Elementary School.

For the past two years, being a prin cipal meant dealing with many more social and emotional challenges — for staff, as well as students. “You had to be there for everybody,” Levy said.“Even though we were deliv ering laptops and desks, kids were rais ing themselves in front of screens, my own included. I was too busy to ‘enjoy’ theYetpandemic.”Levydoesn’t consider the pan demic to be her biggest challenge as a principal. Instead, it’s something much simpler.“Our motto at Binks is to ‘expect the best.’ I expect the best, and I’m a pro-active person. So, I find it hard to run a school when I don’t have com plete control over everything. For ex ample, maintenance and furniture. I know what I need, and it’s difficult, with maintenance budget cuts, to get the resources. Getting a toilet fixed can take a while, but, if a bathroom isn’t fixed, a child loses seven minutes of class time going to another bath room further away. Maintenance is im portant.”Levyhas tried to offset the prob lem by doing some fundraising on her own, but she always works to put her focus on the students.

I’ll move a kid out of a particular class in a minute if that’s what they need.” Levy gives special thanks to for mer Area Superintendent Dr. Matthew Shoemaker for his support during her early years as a principal. “His guidance was amazing — with love and patience. The people who you love, you do things for out of love. The people you fear, you only do it out of fear. So, I lead with love,” Levy said. “I greet them at the door, hug them, want to know what kind of morning they had. I tell them, ‘We’re a family. We don’t bicker.We don’t gossip.We’re family. We love each other.’” When Levy took over as principal, Binks Forest was already an A-rated school, in part because it was a gifted center, home to high-performing stu dents from across Wellington. Today, most elementary schools keep their high-performing students, so Binks Forest is no longer classified as a gifted center, but it’s still an A-rated school. “We’re a perfectly rounded school,” Levy said. “One-third of our students are functioning below grade level, one third are at grade level and one third are above grade level. We have more of our students than ever on the free and reduced-price lunch program, and people don’t realize that. It’s not the same ‘clientele,’ but we’re still scoring high on the state tests.”

“We pride ourselves on extremely high expectations for kids, but we also want to make learning fun. We’ve planned 11 field trips for our fourth graders because I believe they will remember experiences over workbooks.”

56 september 2022 | wellington the magazine wellington | schools

— Michella Levy

By age 27, she was teaching elemen tary school at an inner-city school in Orlando. She went on to teach fourth and fifth grade in Palm Springs here in Palm Beach County, while also work ing as a reading coach, showing teach ers how to successfully teach reading. She knew firsthand just how impor tant that was. This was followed by six years at Hidden Oaks Elementary School in suburban Lake Worth. “I wanted to become a school coun selor, but the principal at Hidden Oaks said, ‘No, I want you as my assistant principal,’” remembered Levy, who earned her master’s degree in educa tional leadership from Nova Southeast ern University and took the job.

Thirteen years ago, Levy was pro moted to principal at Binks Forest here in Wellington. “I’m very grateful and very humbled to be here. I truly do get to make a dif ference for 1,200 kids every day,” she said. “Every decision I make, I ask my self, ‘Am I doing the best for the child?’ If there’s a problem, I call the kid in, read their soul and see what they need.

This year, the Wellington Community Foundation has been delivering a $1,000 grant to each of the 11 schools in Wellington to specifically support the arts program. For more information on this project, visit www.wellingtoncommunityfoundation.org.

$24/yearONLY Get 12 issues of Wellington The Magazine mailed directly to your home or office for just $24 and keep up with all that our unique community has to offer. (Please Print Neatly)

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wellington the magazine | september 2022 57

a check for $24 made payable to Wellington The Magazine, fill out your credit card information below, or visit our subscription section online at wellingtonthemagazine.com

Card Type:  Visa  Master Card  Disc  American Express Card CVVExpirationNumber:Date:Code: Mail this form to: Wellington The Magazine 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 33 Wellington, FL 33414 or visit us online www.wellingtonthemagazine.comat: “We pride ourselves on extremely high expectations for kids, but we also want to make learning fun,” she said. “We’ve planned 11 field trips for our fourth graders because I believe they will remember experiences over work books. We turn science, social studies and English into a farming experience. We plant things; we shuck corn. We dress up for a ‘Coming to America’ his tory lesson. They may not remember a book, but they will remember ‘Coming to America’ in second grade.” What Levy looks for when hiring teachers goes beyond academics. “My staff and my teachers have to have heart,” she said. “I can teach teachers how to teach, but I can’t teach ‘heart,’ so that’s what I look for.” At the start of the school year, Levy also takes the time to make sure that each student is placed with the cor rect“Iteacher.havetheir background on cards, and I look at every single kid individ ually,” Levy said. “It takes me about 60 hours to place every kid with the per fect teacher, but my goal is to educate the whole child — to make sure each child has a great year. Even then, I nev er let academics go — if a child needs individualized instruction in one area, that’s what they will get.” Levy once had set her sights set on becoming a high school principal or even a superintendent but, upon re flection, decided to stay put. “I’ll make more of a difference here,” she said. “I love what I’ve built at Binks Forest — the culture and environment. Because I’m so grateful to all the people who mentored me, I participate in a ‘My Mentor and Me’ program, as do many of the teachers here. It’s a good program for any student who needs a little extra love and attention. I mentor six children because I know what it’s like. Nothing has been handed to me.”

Binks Forest Elementary School is the ninth recipient of the “Our Schools” Arts Program Grant 2022, a new Wellington Community Foundation initiative. Shown below is Binks Forest Elementary School Principal Michella Levy with the big check for her school.

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*Program is available for a limited time for active workers and is subject to change without notice. Restrictions apply, see a Minto New Homes Sales Professional for details. Base price of the home does not include homesite premium or options and upgrades. ©Minto Communities, LLC 2022. Not an offer where prohibited by state statutes. All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced, copied, altered, distributed, stored or transferred in any form or by any means without express written permission. Artist’s renderings, dimensions, specifications, prices and features are approximate and subject to change without notice. Minto, the Minto logo, Westlake and the Westlake logo are trademarks of Minto Communities, LLC and/or its affiliates. 2022.

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Ask about our Welcome Heroes Program – a special discount on Minto homes for civil servants such as healthcare workers, first responders, teachers and more!* For location, hours of operation and further details about our award-winning communities, visit MintoUSA.com. (561)475-2659 | WestlakeFL.com | 16610 Town Center Parkway North | City of Westlake, FL 33470 *Program is available for a limited time for active workers and is subject to change without notice. Restrictions apply, see a Minto New Homes Sales Professional for details. Base price of the home does not include homesite premium or options and upgrades. ©Minto Communities, LLC 2022. Not an offer where prohibited by state statutes. All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced, copied, altered, distributed, stored or transferred in any form or by any means without express written permission. Artist’s renderings, dimensions, specifications, prices and features are approximate and subject to change without notice. Minto, the Minto logo, Westlake and the Westlake logo are trademarks of Minto Communities, LLC and/or its affiliates. 2022.

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