Town-Crier Newspaper May 9, 2008

CHAMPAGNE AND COUTURE

The Wellington Women’s Club marked its 31st anniversary on Sunday, May 4 at the Mayacoo Lakes Country Club. The event, titled “Champagne and Couture,” featured a brunch, fashion show and silent auction. Some proceeds went to representatives of the YWCA Harmony House, a shelter for abused women and their children. Pictured above are (seated, L-R) YWCA of Palm Beach County President Nancy Marshall and Roberta Drey with (standing) Wellington Women’s Club President Terri Priore and YWCA Executive Director Suzanne Turner. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 19

More Office Space At Proposed SR 7 Plaza

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

Wellington Council Wants To See Plan For PBCC Campus

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

Wellington Village Council members agreed at a workshop Thursday to draw up a conceptual plan for a Palm Beach Community College campus at the village’s K-Park site on State Road 7.

The plan will be drawn up through meetings between village staff and PBCC officials, returning to the council next month.

Some council members bemoaned missing the opportunity of attracting a four-year college, while others raised concerns about moving away from K-Park’s intended purpose of providing athletic fields to meet the recreation service levels required in the village’s comprehensive plan.

But they all agreed to Village Manager Paul Schofield’s recommendation, written up during the course of the workshop, which included defining the need for educational facilities in the western communities, the possible inclusion of an amphitheater on the site and four-year college options.

“We have dreamed of this for some time,” said Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto, who has long urged the establishment of a college campus in the village. “I’m for higher education from the get-go.”

Beach Community College is because of our age, we have some resources,” he said. “We have been very judicious in how we spend our resources. We have managed our resources and that makes us a strong contender.”

Mayor Darell Bowen asked about the possibility of a program for equestrian studies, as the horse industry is the village’s largest. “It would be a shame not to have a full-fledged program,” he said. “I think that will be an important part of it.”

PBCC Board of Trustees

Chair Carolyn Williams said she favors coming up with “signature programs” that would address community needs as well as attract underwriting by members of the community. “When we talk about visioning and collaborate, we can come up with priorities,” she said.

Councilman Matt Willhite asked if any PBCC campuses feature specialized areas of study, and Kirby said the Eissey campus in Palm Beach Gardens has a science-oriented studies program because of its proximity to the Scripps Research Institute, and the Belle Glade campus has a sugar institute tailored to students working in that industry.

Village approval of the site plan would require the developer to build no more than 182,952 square feet of commercial and office uses, at least 45,738 square feet of general office uses, a maximum of 137,214 square feet of commercial/retail uses and at least three acres of

Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board approved a site plan last week to develop the land along State Road 7 between the Mall at Wellington Green and the village’s “K-Park” property. The 16-acre site at the corner of Pierson Road on the west side of SR 7 is set to become a mixed-use development called the Village Green Center containing both office and commercial uses, including retail and a restaurant.

open space. Village Planner Olga Prieto told board members at their May 1 meeting that the developer is proposing two phases, with a maximum 27,000 square feet of office and a maximum 75,000 square feet of commercial in the first phase. The second phase would involve 18,738 additional square feet of office space and 62,214 square feet of commercial space See PZA BOARD, page 7

RELAY FOR LIFE IN THE ACREAGE

track for the following 17 hours. Shown here are the “Loxahatchee Roaring ’20s,” featuring teachers from Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School. STORY & PHOTOS, PAGE 9

Before council members met with PBCC officials to discuss the proposal for a Wellington campus, Schofield presented some answers to questions they had raised at their April 22 meeting, garnered in discussions with PBCC staff.

He said initially about 1,200 students would locate to the Wellington campus. The campus would reach capacity in about 25 years, with about 6,000 students.

Councilman Bob Margolis asked about meeting the village’s level of service for recreation and open space.

Schofield said the village’s open space requirement of 10 acres per 1,000 people can be met with the inclusion of the Section 24 wetland, but the requirement for facilities and athletic fields would fall short without K-Park’s original plans.

Benacquisto asked staff to provide a list of needs for fields and other recreation deficits.

Meeting with PBCC officials, Benacquisto asked if the community college would be able to offer something that would include a four-year program for students who need to remain close to home.

PBCC President Dr. Dennis Gallon said programs within the community college system can provide four-year degrees.

PBCC Board of Trustees Vice Chair Kenneth Kirby told the council that four-year public universities statewide are not only laying off staff, but also reducing the number of students. He said enrollment at community colleges is inversely proportional to economic conditions.

“One of the virtues of Palm

Willhite further asked how the college determined the suitability of the K-Park site, and Gallon said when the state approved a fifth location for PBCC four years ago, a study placed the ideal location about a block north of K-Park. Willhite then asked about land ownership at the other campuses.

College officials said the Lake Worth campus occupies land donated by the county, the Eissey campus land was donated by the MacArthur Foundation, and the Belle Glade and Boca Raton campuses are on dollar-ayear leases.

Bowen said one of the carrots held out by college officials is the possibility of a cultural center. “This community has some folks who are passionate about that,” he said. “They are on the ropes right now. That will be important to make this work.” Bowen said there are some concerns among members of the Cultural Trust of the Palm Beaches that a campus performing arts center or amphitheater would not meet their expectations. “Would you be willing to work with a committee or willing to consult with them?” he asked.

Gallon said he had no problem seeing a fifth campus that would allow students to enroll in courses that have a direct impact on their future as well as space for a library, counselors and a facility for large group activities as well as space for outside activities.

“It would be a joy for a provost to come to this community, set up in a trailer and start building a campus,” Gallon said. “We need to discuss with this community what our priorities are and see if we can work out what we want. Every inch that we talk See PBCC, page 7

Reuse Plan Could Provide Cheap Water For RPB Course

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

ing or crops that will be peeled or boiled before consumption. The pipeline for reuse water will run along Okeechobee Blvd. Farber told the council he expects the discussions with the county will produce results by the end of June. On Wednesday, Assistant Village Manager Ray Liggins told the Town-Crier that the power plant, which at full capacity will use about 20 million gallons of water per day to cool down its steam turbines, will allow Royal Palm Beach to tap into the line when it is not at capacity. “Their biggest months are in the summer season,” Liggins said. “Since that’s our rainy season, we won’t need water from the line. For the rest of the year, we

can use their water to save money.”

Liggins said that while reuse water is often used if it is readily available, some communities avoid using it because of the expense of laying pipes to carry it. “Here in Florida, where we have canals, we’ve gotten water from them at very little cost,” he said. “But as the canals dry up, it is good to have this water as a secondary system.”

Liggins stressed that the pipeline would be a secondary system. “It will be good to have, will save us money, but we can only use it when the water is available,” he said.

Liggins said he is pleased by the proposal. “We’re going to have the pipeline running down the south side of Okeechobee Blvd.,” he said. “All we would

have to pay for is hooking it up and running a line to the golf course.”

Councilwoman Martha Webster applauded the proposal.

“Most people have never heard about using this water,” she said.

“Utilities Director Bevin Beaudet told David [Farber] and Ray [Liggins] about the pipeline which goes from the West Palm Beach Treatment Center out to 20-Mile Bend and they asked to be allowed to use it. Of course, we would only be able to use it on their down times, because they need so much water for the plant.”

Webster also noted that the village might not spend very much money to connect to the pipeline. “Beaudet told us that the South Florida Water Management District has grants

available that might pay for most or all of the work,” she said. “All we would have to do if we got the grant is provide an outflow into canals right next to the course and use that.” Webster said the idea is a winner for the village, the residents and the environment.

“With the drought, having a good water supply, particularly one that uses reusable water, becomes very important for the success of a golf course,” she said. “And we are looking to put this into place before we even begin on Phase I of the whole park, the infrastructure. We are saving money for the taxpayers, we are helping the environment by not using potable water and we’re helping to ensure the success of the golf course at the park.”

PHOTO BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Officials Aim To Satisfy Water Needs In Lox Groves, ITID

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

With officials in The Acreage and Loxahatchee Groves worried about their ability to fight fires and keep residential and nursery well fields fueled, there is a move on to work together on a comprehensive water plan that will keep enough water in canals to meet local needs.

A major concern is safety. Firefighters depend on water from canals to put out fires in most parts of The Acreage and Loxahatchee Groves because of a scarcity of hydrants.

Loxahatchee Groves Councilman Dennis Lipp said the state requires the Town of Loxahatchee Groves to come up with a plan to show how it will supply its residents with sufficient water. With Lake Okeechobee at record low levels, South Florida Water Management District officials have made it clear that local governments cannot rely on the lake as a backup water source.

Lipp met last week with County Commissioner Jeff Koons and Indian Trail Improvement District President Mike Erickson about getting together to map out a strategy for self-sufficiency.

“The county adopted its 20year water supply plan, which included looking into better conservation,” Lipp told the Town-

Crier Wednesday. “We have to adopt the same 10- or 20-year plan submitted to the state in a timely fashion. It’s supposed to be submitted in August, but we’re not going to make that [deadline].”

The town has been granted a few more months to prepare the report, Lipp said. “We’re not under the gun, but we do have to supply a report on how to supply water to our community,” he said.

The Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District manages surface water for the Town of Loxahatchee Groves. District Administrator Clete Saunier, also the district’s engineer, said Loxahatchee Groves is higher in elevation than surrounding areas, and the biggest challenge is keeping the water level in its canals at 15.5 feet, an average of three feet above surrounding areas and five feet above the C51 Canal along Southern Blvd. Lipp said the issue will require coordination with other entities, including ITID and Callery-Judge Grove’s Seminole Improvement District, as the elevation leads to water loss through seepage. “We lose millions of gallons of water a day,” Lipp said. “It leaks out of Loxahatchee Groves and everything runs south.”

Several years ago, the

See WATER, page 20

Groves Council OKs Two Churches, One Retail Center

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council approved a development order amendment and two site plans for development projects Tuesday, all proposals exempted from the town’s one-year development application moratorium enacted late last year.

The projects, two church buildings and a retail center, are exempt from the moratorium because they had already begun the Palm Beach County review process before the town incorporated. As such, they must adhere to county standards, although the town council must also certify the town’s approval of the projects.

The council first approved a reworking of a development order amendment for the First Holiness Church of the Living God at 13000 Okeechobee Blvd.

Whitney Carroll of Whitney Carroll Land Planning and Design told the council that church representatives are requesting a revision to the site plan so they can go forward with construction of the church within a reasonable timeframe and a reasonable budget. The request was to reconfigure the site plan and to delete landscape conditions of approval for a house of worship.

According to the staff report, the Palm Beach County Commission approved the five-acre site plan in 2003, calling for a 15,000-square-foot building to seat 585, with 195 parking spaces, but the development order was never utilized. The revision would append a 3,000-squarefoot addition to an existing 1,980-square-foot one-story residence, for a building totaling 4,980 square feet and seating 250.

The site plan also shows a 2,617-square-foot porch and 73 grassed and 12 paved parking spaces. Carroll said access to the site will remain from a single point on Okeechobee Blvd.

Carroll said the applicant had used the Rural Vista guidelines, and worked with staff of both the county and the town, so the proposal would fit within the community’s rural character. The design of the project would include wraparound porches, low roof heights, preservation of existing vegetation, buffering, multi-paned windows and other rural-looking features. The proposed site plan also would maintain 74 percent open space.

“We have significantly reduced the impacts of this project,” Carroll said. “This approval would allow the church to go forward so they can get their site plan approval and they can build out their project. If they need further changes, they

will be back. We ask you to approve this development order amendment so we can go through with our final site plan certification, which will also bring us back to you for your final approval.”

After some questions, Councilman Dave Autrey made a motion for approval, which was seconded by Vice Mayor Marge Herzog, and it passed 4-0 with Councilman Dr. Bill Louda absent. A resolution will be transmitted to Palm Beach County indicating the certification of the development order, but the applicant must return to the council for final site plan approval.

The second application by a house of worship and the first of two site plans reviewed by the council was a reconfigured site plan for a new building for the Acts 2 Worship Center on Okeechobee Blvd.

Carroll, representing the church, told the council that issues such as traffic, landscaping and buffering were incorporated into discussions between the town and the county so the church’s plans would fit in with the town’s rural character.

“The traffic would continue to be accessed through the existing traffic points, but it will be modified slightly,” Carroll said.

“It will provide the church additional area for stacking of cars for peak times and hours of operation. The left-turn lane as you are heading eastbound will continue to be more than adequate for traffic. The landscaping will continue to use the existing vegetation with the palm trees either being relocated delicately or protected for inclusion in the construction. Any new vegetation will be incorporated to provide natural buffering as well as along Okeechobee Blvd. We were able to maintain 50 percent of the open space to keep the project within the Rural Vista guidelines.”

Carroll also said architect Bob Kuoppola faced some challenges with the drawings for the building to complement the existing building on the property built in 1987. The design plans show multi-paned windows and high-pitched roofs on the new building, she said. She also said mechanical equipment and dumpsters on the property would be screened from view. Herzog expressed concerns about enough buffering at the rear of the property to screen it from nearby residents, and said the buffer incorporated into the project looked like 15 feet rather than 50. Herzog also asked what would happen with the Buena Fe Day Labor Center operating on the premises. Councilman Dave Autrey ex-

See COUNCIL, page 20

A SPECIAL HOMECOMING PARTY FOR MARINE KLETUS STUBBLEFIELD

A homecoming party was held last Saturday at Village Park on Pierson Road in Wellington for 27-year-old Marine Lance Corporal Kletus Stubblefield, a Wellington resident who recently returned from service in Iraq. The party was hosted by Stubblefield’s proud parents Kristine and Thomas Coates, and other family members. Stubblefield’s friends and teachers from Wellington High School also took part in the celebration. Stubblefield is scheduled for deployment to Afghanistan on Aug. 9.

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

(Above) Kletus Stubblefield (center) with family members. (Below) Elvira Rigolo and Kristine Coates. (Right) Coates serves cake.

Kletus Stubblefield with his mom Kristine Coates and WHS teacher Geoffrey Shank.

The Best Way To Fight Crime Is Through Prevention Efforts

Recent statistics from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have some western communities residents worried about a possible a surge in crime. A story published last month in the Town-Crier included the FDLE’s 2007 figures for Royal Palm Beach, which, among other things, shows the village’s Total Crime Index has risen 43.5 percent from 2006. And in a story printed in last week’s Town-Crier, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office District 3 Commander Capt. Chris Calloway visited the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association to dispel rumors of a crime surge based on recent statistics. In both cases, the figures are best understood in their proper context.

The boost in crime in Royal Palm Beach — from a TCI of 935 in 2006 to 1,342 in 2007 — is nothing to balk at. But when compared to the village’s nine-year average of 1,298, the 2007 figure is far less astounding. According to PBSO District 9 Captain Tony Araujo, who commands the PBSO substation in RPB, it’s less than a four-percent increase over the nine-year average, or one more incident every eight days.

To further add context to the crime rate, Royal Palm Beach — and Wellington — have both seen a sharp increase in the number of retail stores, many of which are located near

Drivers Should Not Speed On Dirt Roads

When we are under severe drought conditions as we now are, not to mention being inundated with heavy smoke in the air, I think there needs to be more enforcement of the speed limits on the dirt roads. A little consideration would go a long way. Most of these roads aren’t that long — you’re not saving any measurable time by flying down the dirt roads. All you are doing is contributing to the foul air and abusing your own vehicles. When you have access to paved roads such as 60th Street North, for example, on the south side of the M Canal, just use it. Especially the school buses; there are plenty of paved roads to use! It’s not safe to be a pedestrian in a cloud of dust and haze, and some of us do like to get out of our homes and walk to get a paper or walk the dog. Maybe we need some large speed bumps installed on dirt roads, too. Use a stop watch — going 50 mph on a dirt road that is only a mile long with a stop sign at the end gains you no extra time. It spoils the environment that we all moved out here to enjoy and is dangerous to anyone trying to walk along or ride their horse or bicycle in peace. Not to mention wasting gasoline. Have a little heart for your neighbors and vehicles, that’s all I’m saying.

Deborah Behary The Acreage

Louda: Kudos To RPB Council

I wish to take this opportunity to openly thank the Village of Royal Palm Beach Council for dropping their objection(s) to removing E-Road/140th Avenue North from the county’s thoroughfare identification map. It now falls to all affected parties — the Village of Royal Palm Beach, The Acreage (as the Indian Trail Improvement District) and the Town of Loxahatchee Groves — to collectively work for the identified solution to the majority of traffic woes, of

which Royal Palm Beach bears the brunt.

That solution is the extension and completion of State Road 7 to Northlake Blvd. and the linkage of Roebuck Road to SR 7. Done properly, these links can be built in an environmentally friendly manner and even taken to a scenic route status. Further, I would suggest that commensurate with the design and construction of these roads would be an overlay that would forbid in perpetuity any future construction/development along those routes. In doing so, the county could ensure that they adhere to county policy 1.4-A, which states that new thoroughfares are to go to the periphery of existing communities. Coincidentally, policy 1.4-G, stating that care be given to a community’s quality of life, would be upheld.

As Loxahatchee Groves develops, we must realize that Southern Blvd. will increase in intensity and that measures to help in that case are underway. The Groves needs to plan its activities on Southern in a way that does not either compound traffic there or deleteriously affect our community. Large-scale traffic should be directed to the edges of communities with internal control residing with the community.

Again, thank you, neighbors. Dr. Bill Louda, Councilman Loxahatchee Groves

Support PBCC In Wellington

For most of us not born with a silver spoon in our mouths, education has become more necessary, yet, also far more expensive, counting commuting and fuel.

More often than not, the county, state and federal governments control the funds. Our “No Child Left Behind” law came from up above, went unfunded, making it as useless as saltwater fishing gear in Arizona. Recently we found out that our mandated (by popular consent) smaller class sizes will be drawn out longer and may never come to fruition (more tax cuts) and our “Bright Futures” program has failed to educate those tar-

or on the State Road 7 corridor. Much of the crime is committed there, not in residential neighborhoods. And a lot of the crimes that occur in the residential neighborhoods are crimes of opportunity. Anyone who regularly reads our crime news reports can tell you that a large number of vehicle and residential burglaries are due to unlocked doors. This was an issue Calloway stressed to the LGLA — that many crimes are easily preventable. There may be plenty of rural areas in the western communities, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the same “big-city” problems as the more urban areas.

It may be tempting to remember the “good ol’ days” when you could leave your house unlocked without the fear of a stranger stealing your television. And it may be convenient to think, “it won’t happen to me,” as you leave your car windows down and valuables on the seat. But it can happen, and it does every day. Right now, the school year is about to end and, whether we like it or not, the prospect of increased juvenile crime is a very real one. There will always be crime in any community, regardless of how much law enforcement is present. What’s important is understanding where and how crime happens… and how to prevent it from happening in the first place.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

geted. A state voucher program which siphoned money to private (religious) schools was declared unconstitutional, yet will receive even more funds under another “try to bypass the state constitution ploy” by our state government.

Our nation is approximately 36th in the industrialized world in education and our state is near the bottom of our country in test scores and costs per pupil. Please think about how that bodes for our economy and us as a nation!

On April 22, 2008, our village was presented with a great opportunity to get a local university for local citizens and our graduating seniors. Programs in higher learning, job skills, a seniors program, a possible cultural facility and more ballfields for our youth are all on the table, only waiting for the perusal and negotiations by our council. I say to the council: “do your best for us and we shall support your efforts.”

Kathy Foster, our past mayor, has once again come through for us, and for that we owe her our respect and thanks. To those who state, “I don’t want to live in a university town,” I say openly, “wake up,” education is the equalizer; it is what makes dreams come true, it is all that we have for our youth and adults to compete. If we are a “fat” society, it is not due to our lack of diets, workout centers or lack of recreation. It is due to laziness and a sedentary life. Let us not allow our brains to join our bodies. Local education is just one key. Let us Wellingtonians give our youth this tool, and perhaps we will be able to set an example: good elementary, middle and high schools and now a good local university.

George Unger Wellington

Acreage Lacks

Community Support

LT’s Sports Shop has been around one year now and the time has come to say enough. My wife is literally being forced to close the doors due to lack of

community support. Everyone who came into the store would state that this store is long overdue in the community and everyone thought it would do well, but what they and my wife and I didn’t know was that it was doomed from the start.

What went wrong? My wife Lori opened the business with a partner (mistake number one); she backed out after the lease was signed. An account was established with Sporting Goods Wholesalers and the store was ready for its grand opening. She suddenly became aware that Lori was the owner of a small silkscreen business, one she has owned and operated for 11 years, and now the disgruntled partner wanted some ownership in that business as well (states she was unaware of Lori’s ownership in the business, Lord help). She refused to settle, hired a friend/relative as an attorney who was not licensed in the State of Florida and that story goes on to read like a soap opera.

Lori had a local coach (elementary school teacher) walk in, look around a while and tell her she wouldn’t make it; he has connections to a team dealer in West Palm Beach and sits on the Acreage Athletic League board (mistake number two). We were not aware that people on the AAL board were selling products to the league for a profit, as a public records request has shown. One would think that our local coaches from the league and schools would want to support a local store in their

community; a store that employs people from the community and gives back to the community in the way of team sponsorships and charitable donations. This was not the case. The president of the AAL girls flag football league stated in a monthly meeting she did not want to get a bid from LT’s and that she was happy with the supplier she had been using. She was not alone; some of the coaches at the high school across the street order uniforms and supplies from as far away as Fort Lauderdale for the same products that LT’s has (mistake number three, expecting support).

OK, I can understand if you’re happy with your old contacts, but in a time of real need, are you going to get in your car and drive to Fort Lauderdale for a replacement uniform, mouth guard or cleats? Is your Internet contact that you are buying uniforms from going to give you sponsorship money for your team (you know, the one working out of a barn in the hills of Tennessee)? The economy is tough, and with the high cost of

rent, lack of support and intentional undermining of others, neither LT’s nor any other business will ever survive in a community without hope. The hope is that things will change, not because of the numerous churches on church row (Okeechobee Blvd.), but that the people of the community see, we must do it better, to see a new way — where a friend is a friend and your neighbor is your neighbor and you would drop whatever you are doing to help them. That is what makes a communi-

See LETTERS, page 20

For The Record

The article “140th/E Road Connection Deleted from County Map” published last week contained an incorrect date for the Palm Beach County Commission transmittal hearing that was the focus of the story. The correct date was Monday, April 28. The Town-Crier regrets any confusion this might have caused.

SEND IN YOUR LETTERS

The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words). Submit letters, with contact name, address, and telephone number (anonymous letters will not be published), to The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414; fax them to (561) 793-6090; or you can e-mail them to letters@goTownCrier.com

Both Area Relays For Life Were Awe-Inspiring Experiences

The American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life, one of the area’s largest annual charity events, is in the history books for 2008 in the western communities with superlatives all around for organizers, volunteers and contributors. Nationally, the Relay for Life is the ACS’s largest fundraiser with tens of millions of dollars raised each year for cancer research and assistance for survivors and their families. In our area, Royal Palm Beach and Wellington teamed up at Palm Beach Central High School on April 25 and The Acreage and Loxahatchee Groves held their relay on May 2 at Acreage Community Park. Event chairs Peter Wein of Wellington and Michelle Damone of The Acreage declared their respective events huge successes. I showed up at both relays, and I completely agree with their assessments. Both Mr. Wein and his core group and Ms. Damone and her organizing team worked tirelessly for months to assure success. While it is difficult to get an accurate count of those who attended, it was easily well into the thousands. If you’re keeping score, that would make the relays the largest charity events in the western communities. The relays raised a combined early estimate of $75,000 — not a bad achievement considering the difficult local economy.

The efforts of this column’s readers who joined Don’s Team paid off handsomely with more than $1,200 raised for both relays. Readers were asked to send in $10, but many responded with much more.

By Don Brown

Another bright note was the all-out participation of area students. They contributed immeasurably to the success of the relays. Their energy was contagious, even among old-timers like me. Judging from these young volunteers, our nation is in good hands. Participants ran through a huge range of emotions — from tears to laughter — throughout the night. My personal favorite moment each evening was when cancer survivors took the first walk around the relay track to the cheers and applause of those standing on the sidelines. Survivors were easy to spot because they wore sashes declaring their status. Their main caregivers also wore sashes to make them recognizable. While the relays are festive events, those sashes serve as a somber reminder of the purpose at hand.

I was particularly honored when both relays asked me to tell a bit about my story of survival from AML leukemia after literally being declared “dead man walking” by an oncologist a little over a year ago. Today I am in complete

remission despite survival odds of between 10 and 20 percent. There were many, many other stories on the grounds, including an Acreage father and husband suffering from leukemia I visited a couple of times recently at Palms West Hospital to offer encouragement. I saw him last Friday night, and he too had been declared to be in remission. Unfortunately, there is no way for those who didn’t survive to tell their stories. However, they were told over and over again during the night in quiet, intimate conversations. And they were remembered with luminaries completely surrounding the relay track, lighting the way through the night for those walking. Cancer takes a heavy toll, certainly for those suffering from the disease, but for their families, friends and loved ones as well. It is good that they are all recognized at the Relay for Life.

The relay in The Acreage was a festive occasion for me. Both of my sons and daughters-inlaw and seven of my eight grandchildren came from Wichita and New Orleans to help me celebrate my survival. We pitched a tent and stayed all night taking turns walking around the track. My friend Jim Sheehan, operator of Everglades Adventure at the Pahokee Marina, provided a cabin on Lake Okeechobee for one of my sons and his family of six children. They loved it, of course. My son, who home-schools his oldest children, was able to give them nature lessons every day.

The Acreage/Loxahatchee Groves relay was particularly rewarding because most of the local elected officials showed up, not to be seen but to work. Indian Trail Improvement District Supervisor Damone recruited all of her fellow board members, who all had work assignments at the event. Many ITID employees were also on the job. The Town of Loxahatchee Groves and the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District were also represented. Wellington Mayor Darell Bowen gave opening remarks at Palm Beach Central. Unfortunately, he was the only elected official to show up. Too bad. The others would have enjoyed it. In fact, given the size and community participation of the relay events, Royal Palm Beach and Wellington should have been much more involved than they were. One of the reasons given by both community officials, relay insiders told me, was budget constraints. That is a flimsy excuse, in my view. My sources told me that Royal Palm Beach flatly declined to get involved and Wellington Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto reached into her own pocket to defray the village’s $500 stage rental fee after her council turned down a request to waive it. I say that next year we give both villages’ officials a strong push to get fully engaged in the event. Just because they’re not managing it doesn’t mean it isn’t worthwhile for the communities. My advice to Loxahatchee Groves and The Acreage: copy this year’s event next year.

SFWMD Opens Up Stormwater Treatment Area For Recreation

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

Anglers, outdoor enthusiasts and tourists will now have access to the 6,562-acre Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) 1 East in Wellington’s western-most reaches.

South Florida Water Management District representatives, local officials, representatives of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the South Florida Anglers for Everglades Restoration and other agencies and partners gathered on Wednesday, May 7 for an opening ceremony at STA 1East, whose entrance is located on Southern Blvd. near Lion Country Safari.

The SFWMD’s Terrie Bates, assistant deputy executive director of water resource staff, said STA 1-E would continue to clean water for the Everglades and double as a recreational opportunity for residents.

“This project represents a commitment to both our restoration projects and for making our public lands available for recreation use,” Bates said. “You see all these cars speeding back and forth who have no idea what’s going over here. It’s nice to have an access point for members of the public to see what we are doing as far as restoration in the Everglades. This is a

6,000-acre stormwater-treatment area, and it has been in operation for four years. It’s doing its job to clean up the water before it discharges it to the Everglades.”

Bates said she remembers when experts groused at the idea of using the stormwater treatment area for recreation. But a similar area, STA-5 in Hendry County, had been opened for duck hunting, and the hunters became good stewards.

“I can tell you there was a lot of angst,” Bates said. “They felt these were scientific experiments. They were not designed as recreational areas. They are experiments with the Everglades nutrient removal project and then when we went into full-scale production of the STA, there was a lot of concern.”

SFWMD Governing Board Member Patrick Rooney said the STA would serve as an important educational tool for members of the public to learn about environmental conservation and wildlife. “Typically Everglades projects are pretty remote,” Rooney said. “They are far removed from urban areas. This one is next to State Road 80. The stormwater treatment areas are an important part of cleanup and treatment of America’s Everglades. Today,

Florida has invested $1.8 billion to improve water quality.”

Collectively, 52,000 acres of land south of Lake Okeechobee have been converted to STAs, yielding 45,000 acres of effective treatment marsh, Rooney said. Combined with farming and best management practices, more than 2,600 metric tons of phosphorus have been prevented from entering the Everglades.

“Opening this area allows members of the public to observe these practices at work,” he said. “You see different types of vegetation, and they all play an important role. You also see the various structures around the area, some of which are collecting scientific data and some are water flow structures. This site is the first to allow bank fishing, with catch and release practices.”

Wellington’s Ivy Rosenberg said these types of projects represent the continuing commitment of SFWMD with the village.

“Having grown up through the parks and recreation system, I can see how important the recreation element is to communities and the environment,” she said. “Not only does parks and recreation provide an active component such as character building and team building and sports, it also unites families and

provides families with opportunities to learn about environmental sustainability.”

Rosenberg said she is also pleased with the development of Section 24, a 23-acre wetland preserve park being developed by the Village of Wellington, which will have its dedication and naming ceremony on Saturday, May 31 at 9 a.m. at the Wetlands Park entrance located at 11700 Pierson Road.

Barron Mooney of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said he and other members of the agency had long waited for such an opportunity such as this one.

“We have long wanted and worked with the district to achieve this,” Mooney said. “We can open this area up for fishing. Hopefully, we can continue to get other areas available.”

Rick Perssan, vice president of the South Florida Anglers, said he and his fellow fishing enthusiasts would honor the trust that the SFWMD and other agencies had placed in them.

“This is a great day for the South Florida Anglers,” Perssan said. “This is a step in the right direction with opening up the STAs and reservoirs for fishermen. The fisherman will create a positive impact for this area.”

A display chart showing Florida’s freshwater fishes.

Ivy Rosenberg of Wellington Parks and Recreation.

Terrie Bates of the South Florida Water Management District.

Rick Perssan of the South Florida Anglers.

Barron Mooney of Florida Fish & Wildlife.

SFWMD Governing Board Member Patrick Rooney.

Home Burglary Suspect Arrested In Wellington

By Mark Lioi Town-Crier Staff Report

APRIL 27 — Sheriff’s deputies arrested a burglary suspect in Wellington in the early morning hours of Sunday, April 27. According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, a PBSO deputy arrived at a house on Guadaloupe Drive shortly after 2 a.m. to find a man inside the home’s screen enclosure. The man, 41-year-old Ronald Wolkoff, told the deputy he was visiting a friend at the house, but could not name the owner of the house. The victim told the deputy she had been at home when Wolkoff came by uninvited and was inside the enclosure rattling the sliding glass door and trying to gain entry. The victim said she told Wolkoff to leave, at which point he became more aggressive, and fearing for her life, she fled to a neighbor’s house, according to the report. Wolkoff was arrested and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail.

APRIL 28 — A West Palm Beach man was arrested for shoplifting groceries at the WalMart Supercenter in Royal Palm Beach on the afternoon of Monday, April 28. According to a PBSO report, a store security employee observed a male suspect, later identified as 56-yearold Fidel Fragoso, select various items from store shelves, such as steak, lobster tail and detergent, and place them in WalMart shopping bags he pulled from his trouser pockets. Fragoso then left the store, making no attempt to pay. The employee caught up to the suspect and escorted him back to the store’s security office. After his arrest, Fragoso reportedly admitted taking the items, which were priced at a total of $304. He was taken to the county jail.

APRIL 29 — A Royal Palm Beach man was arrested on drug charges following a traffic stop on Tuesday, April 29. According to a PBSO report, a deputy pulled over a gray 2006 Scion

coupe at approximately 1:30 p.m. after it failed to stop at a stop sign while turning from Queens Lane onto Kings Way. After making contact with the driver, 20-year-old Donald Leiva, the deputy reportedly noticed the smell of marijuana inside the car. The driver reportedly directed the deputy to look under the rear seat of the car, and there the deputy recovered a plastic bag containing approximately 95 grams of the herb. According to the report, after Leiva was arrested and read his rights, he admitted having bought the marijuana from a friend in South Carolina with the intent to resell it. Leiva was charged with possession of marijuana over 20 grams, possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia. His car and $130 cash were seized for forfeiture.

APRIL 29 — A vehicle in Wellington’s Lakefield subdivision was burglarized on Tuesday, April 29. According to a PBSO report, a South Club Drive resident told PBSO investigators that his 2006 Chrysler Town & Country van was parked outside the residence between noon and 2:30 p.m. when someone entered the unlocked vehicle and stole several items, including five golf clubs and a Tom-Tom GPS system.

APRIL 29 — A Wellington man was arrested on drug charges in Royal Palm Beach on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 29. According to a PBSO report, a deputy was dispatched to the 7Eleven convenience store on Okeechobee Blvd. in reference to an intoxicated person stumbling in the parking lot. On arrival, the deputy found 24-yearold Robert Rao sitting in his vehicle, a red 2001 Chevrolet Blazer. Contacting Rao to see if he was intoxicated, the deputy reportedly spotted a glass pipe containing marijuana residue in the vehicle. Incident to Rao’s arrest for drug paraphernalia, the

No Injuries Following Fire At Elbridge Gale Elementary

APRIL 25 — Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue personnel responded on Friday, April 25 to Elbridge Gale Elementary School in Wellington regarding reports of a fire. According to a PBCFR report, fire-rescue personnel were dispatched to the school after an alarm went off at 5:53 p.m.

When they arrived, the building was evacuated and there was smoke coming from the kitchen door.

According to the report, the fire had been confined to the kitchen as a result of the automatic sprinklers being activated. There were no reported injuries.

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives: • Marivel Cuevas is a white female, 5’5” tall and weighing 170 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes. Her date of birth is 10/18/84. Cuevas is wanted for grand theft and fraudulent use of a credit card. Her occupation is unknown. Her last known addresses were Minerva Drive in Lake Worth and Jennings Avenue in Greenacres. Cuevas is wanted as of 05/08/08. • Eduardo Lorenzana is a white male, 5’8” tall and weighing 185 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 07/09/63. Lorenzana is wanted for conspiracy to traffic in cannabis. His occupation is unknown. His last known address was North Crestwood Drive in Royal Palm Beach. Lorenzana is wanted as of 05/08/08. Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestopperspbc. com.

Marivel Cuevas

Eduardo Lorenzana

PHOTO COURTESY PBCFR

Stopping The Fire — Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue personnel on the scene at Elbridge Gale Elementary School, where a fire broke out April 25. See BLOTTER, page 20

Modest Proposals Designed To Keep ITID Assessment Rate Low

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

With an eye to the budgeting process for fiscal year 2008-09, Indian Trail Improvement District staff described modest plans for projects to members of the ITID Board of Supervisors at their workshop Wednesday. Before the start of the workshop, District Administrator Chris King told the Town-Crier the number of new projects in the district would be limited in order to keep resident assessments low. “As we begin planning the budget for next year, we are working on the basis of keeping assessment rates essentially at the same level,” he said.

ITID residents are assessed on a per-acre basis rather than on property value, with rates set according to the amount spent on services within each of the district’s development units. Residents of one unit might see an increase because of improvements made during the year, while residents in other units are not affected.

During the workshop, ITID Operations & Maintenance Director Terry Narrow said most projects he is planning are for building sidewalks and roadpaving projects near schools and parks, a prime focus of the supervisors. “We are also working with the county to improve the roads and build sidewalks near Seminole Ridge High School,” Narrow said. “We have no major improvements planned on the roads, just making them safer.”

Narrow also presented the supervisors with estimates for the berms they requested to improve safety at several points.

“The estimated cost of the berm at 91st Street North and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road is $25,000,” he said, “and that will improve safety greatly at that spot.”

Narrow also provided an estimate of costs for blocking access from Seminole Pratt Whitney Road to 60th Street North, in response to a request last month from ITID President Mike Erickson. “The cars coming from both sides of these roads have helped create the traffic jams we see every morning,” Narrow said. “It would only cost $15,000 for the two berms.”

Parks Director Tim Wojnar told the supervisors he wants to budget for major improvements to local football fields in the coming fiscal year. “A lot of this falls into the category of general maintenance,” he said, “but it needs to be done.” Wojnar said he also expects

to do more clearing of the southern end of Acreage Community Park as part of its expansion, among other projects. “We will repair and upgrade the tennis courts at Temple Park,” he said, “and, of course, we will be working with the Parks and Trailways Committee on major improvements at Hamlin Equestrian Park.”

Also Wednesday, the board heard a presentation from Bob Bentz of Land Design South about a requested land-use change to allow development on a 35-acre property at the southwest corner of Northlake and Coconut boulevards. Bentz said half the property would be turned into a preserve/park area and the remainder developed

into a commercial property.

“The total square footage allowed is 134,000 square feet,” Bentz said. “The largest building allowed is about 60 to 65,000 square feet, which is the size of a Publix. Also, fast-food restaurants with drive-throughs are not allowed, although a sitdown restaurant is acceptable.”

Bentz said the Palm Beach County Planning Commission will review the request on June 6. “If it goes well, the amendment will go before the Board of County Commissioners on July 11,” he said. “Even then, it would have to be approved again at the end of the year to be valid.”

Bentz’s clients, owners of large parcels along Northlake

Blvd., are seeking to create their own overall design standards for the Northlake Blvd. corridor and he said they are eager to discuss the plan with area residents.

Supervisor Michelle Damone suggested that a planned gathering in June to discuss the elements of the plan should include all residents of the district, rather than just those living close to Northlake.

Bentz stressed that much of the land along Northlake would be either park preserves or water retention areas. “The only property we are asking to have a land-use change for is the one at Coconut,” he said. “We want to change it from agriculturalresidential to commercial.”

Another property between

140th Avenue North and Avo-

cado Blvd. would remain in the civic/institutional/residential land use category, Bentz said. “We see this as an area for civic uses,” he said. “The density allowed for residential is either for 10 acres or 20.”

Bentz said residents would be asked for their opinions on building design and signage, as well as landscaping. “We will discuss whether or not buildings should be brought closer to Northlake Blvd., separated by grass and trees with parking behind the buildings,” he said. “That’s the look that has proved so popular in Palm Beach Gardens.”

Bentz also said his clients are See INDIAN TRAIL, page 11

Seminole Ridge Names Valedictorian, Salutatorian

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

Seminole Ridge High School

Valedictorian Rachel Thome and Salutatorian Crystal Wilsnack are no strangers. Both are 17 years old with birthdays only four days apart. They have known each another since they were students at Western Pines Middle School. Before that, Thome went to H.L. Johnson Elementary School, while Wilsnack attended Acreage Pines Elementary School.

“We’ve known each other for six years,” Thome said. “We’ve taken all the same classes. We went to Western Pines together, and we were both in the gifted program.”

The two girls were nominated for Pathfinder awards — Wilsnack in Foreign Language and Thome for Academic Excellence. They also share similar career interests, with both hoping to study medicine. Wilsnack plans to be a dermatologist,

while Thome hopes to become a pediatric oncologist.

Thome said her mother Becky, a nurse, attended the University of Florida, so it’s almost a tradition for other family members to go there.

“My mom went to UF,” she said. “That’s why I want to go. Shands Hospital also offers some really amazing medical programs. I want to be a pediatric oncologist, and that would be a great place to do it.”

Wilsnack attends SRHS with her twin sister Candace, also a top student at the school. They will soon be following their older brothers off to college.

“My two older brothers are in college,” she said. “Dedrick attended Palm Beach Gardens High School and went to the University of Florida. David went to Royal Palm Beach High School and is at the University of Central Florida.”

Asked about their days after high school, both said the col-

lege environment will be completely different than what they are used to at the small, friendly SRHS campus. Both girls have visited the UF campus. It’s huge, but they are ready for the new challenges it will offer.

“We’re very ambitious,” Thome said. “We will overcome whatever challenges are in front of us. We have long aspired to be valedictorians since we were in sixth grade. No matter what we aspire to do, we hope we will accomplish it.”

While the school district has been considering the elimination of the valedictorian and salutatorian honors, Thome and Wilsnack hope it will be retained as part of the graduation ritual.

“It’s an honor to be at the top of your class,” Thome said. “It’s only ten minutes at graduation. Kids who work that hard deserve it. It’s a lot of work. We were taking four AP classes, and both of us have part-time jobs.”

Top Of Their Class — Seminole Ridge High School Valedictorian Rachel Thome and Salutatorian Crystal Wilsnack.

PHOTO BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

PZA Board Goes To Council

May 27

continued from page 1 if a requested Constrained Roadway at a Lower Level of Service or CRALLS designation is approved for that portion of State Road 7.

Developer’s agent Brian Cheguis of Cotleur & Hearing described the various components of the project as a mix of general office, commercial retail, restaurant uses and open space. He said the amount of office space had been increased on the recommendation of village staff, with an eye to plans for a corridor master plan to guide future development along SR 7.

Cheguis said the designers had emphasized interconnectivity among the elements of the site, including paths and walkways. A great deal of landscaping, courtyards and greenways would be included, as well as components such as fountains, widened sidewalks, artwork and pedestrian-scale lighting. The project would be similar in its design to the high-end mixeduse projects PGA Commons, Midtown and Donald Ross Village, he said, which have a way of engaging visitors long after they had eaten in the restaurants or shopped in the stores.

Cheguis also said the project would have connectivity with other destinations in the vicinity. “Interconnectivity is very important to the workings of this project,” he said. “Along with that, we are proposing a significant transit stop, which will be tied into the Mall at Wellington Green transit hub and close to the future major office component. Our main transit connection is between the Mall at Wellington Green, all the way down to Royale Blvd., and down into our site, and potentially if it occurs in the village, possibly Palm Beach Community College or whatever uses end up being implemented on the village’s KPark site. We want to keep transit and traffic off of SR 7.”

PZA Board Chairman Alan Johnson and Vice Chair Steve Delai praised the components of the project, but said they were concerned about the project’s

compatibility with the SR 7 corridor plan. Prieto said the study had not yet been formally adopted, but she and planning staff felt it fit within the mission of the study.

Johnson said that while he was impressed by the project, he was dismayed that development along SR 7 continues before a master plan can be finalized. “The sense of the council was that we encourage more job creation as opposed to retail stripmall developments,” he said. “I imagine you factored this in with the master plan. It’s unfortunate that the best-laid plans to coordinate the corridor have not worked. It is being attacked piecemeal. There has been no plan that has actually been developed other than conceptual. We will get 15 acres here, and 40 acres here, and a lot of it is mixed-use. When you get into the whole of State Road 7, it’s a hodgepodge. It’s a concern of this committee, and I think it’s a concern of the council. You have addressed it. You have reduced your amount of commercial and retail, and increased the amount of office, which is more job-center-oriented.”

Board Member Eugene DiFonte said he liked the way the project was designed as well, but was concerned about the threedeck parking structure planned as part of the second phase, which would be located toward the rear of the property near a residential area.

Cheguis said the parking lot would be constructed similar in its framework and design to a two-story building, and with landscaping and design, people would not even know it was there. “We could make it fit in there, and the folks would not know there was a parking garage there,” he said. Johnson and Delai also asked if the project was a LEED-certified project, that is, whether it had been certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. Cheguis said his firm is registered with LEED, and they would look into that as a possible option. Johnson suggested that Cheguis and his firm also check into the Romano law office, an environmentally friendly building constructed in downtown Lake Worth. Delai asked about the

project’s chances of securing access points from the Mall at Wellington Green, and whether the project would work without them. Cheguis said the project would work whether they had one or two access points, or none at all, and it was not contingent upon connectivity with the mall. It would just work in a different way. He, however, was hopeful that the mall would work with them on the project to get those connections. Village staff is also working to make that happen, he said.

After some further questions, DiFonte made a motion to approve the master plan, which was seconded by Board Member Carmine Priore III. It passed unanimously. DiFonte also recommended that the project seek LEED certification. That motion was seconded by Delai, and it passed unanimously.

The village council is scheduled to review the master plan at its May 27 meeting.

At the end of the PZA Board meeting, Johnson raised the question of the reconstitution of the board for its June meeting, and whether the same board members would be present, as the composition of the council, which appoints the members, has changed.

Village Attorney Jeff Kurtz said there is a possibility that the board might have different members, as some current board members had not submitted applications for consideration.

“We are anticipating that there will be a newly appointed board as of the June meeting,” Kurtz said. “The appointments from council are set to be approved on the May 12 pre-agenda review or at the May 13 meeting. They have two meetings to make the appointments. In June, you will have a newly constituted board, which may include some, but not all of you.”

Johnson said serving with his fellow board members had been a pleasure, and that he had applied to serve again.

“With the political changes on the council, I know personally some of the board members have not applied,” he said. “I have put my name in to come back. My comment is I’ve had the privilege of serving with the six of you. I don’t know a finer bunch of people I’ve had the pleasure of doing business with and serving with.”

PBCC Plan For Campus Needed

continued from page 1 about will take up some space, but we can begin looking.”

PBCC is a comprehensive institution, Gallon said. “We can build programs on and on and on,” he said. “There is no need to build unnecessary duplication. I have been on a college campus where there was an amphitheater. I think an amphitheater could be a benefit for groups such as student government.”

Gallon said an amphitheater would get use from students, and selling naming rights would have additional revenue potential.

Bowen asked about the economic impact of the campus for the community. Richard Becker, PBCC’s Vice President of Administration and Business Services, said studies of the effect of the institution on Palm Beach County measured it at $265 million annually, but they did not have studies about specific communities.

Gallon said a college campus carries strong business implications. He pointed out that he is a member of the Business Development Board and one of his responsibilities is to go out and talk to business people and ask

about their needs and what would entice businesses to move to the area.

Benacquisto said it will be paramount for the college to determine its needs at build-out and added that she would like to envision what the campus would look like. She said she has heard criticism that the village would be “giving the land away,” and she wanted to be able to justify in specific terms what the village would receive in return.

“I want to make the case why a community college is the best fit,” she said. “Have we addressed the best mix of uses, the best partnerships?”

Margolis said one of the concerns from residents is that they see it as a western communities college campus and ask what percentage of students from the community would actually go to the campus and how many would come from outside.

Gallon said many students actually drive farther to another campus because it fulfills some need, but he directed council members to a pie chart that indicates 2,401 PBCC students from Wellington, or 53 percent, attend the Lake Worth campus and 1,129 (26 percent) attend the Palm Beach Gardens campus.

Bowen said attracting students from outside the community could be a good thing because they would be spending money at local businesses. Vice Mayor Dr. Carmine Priore added that the value of undeveloped

land in that area would be greatly enhanced by a college campus.

Willhite asked PBCC officials if they were impressed by any alternative sites, such as the adjacent Lanier property. Kirby said when they did the location study four years ago, they identified a target area. The consultants at the time identified 14 sites that had sufficient acreage.

“This was one of the sites identified four years ago,” he said. “There are other sites, but we haven’t done any negotiating. The college has no money to buy land. Unless someone is willing to come forward and offer the land, there is no opportunity for the college.”

By consensus, council members directed staff to meet with college officials to establish a planning schedule for development, specifically planning timeframes; impacts including traffic, utilities and drainage; and compatibility with the surrounding area and buffering. Discussion will include possible co-location of other public facilities, such as recreational elements, a performing arts center and/or an elementary school or other post-secondary opportunity. They will also discuss other possible funding sources and timing for funding to become available.

The conceptual plan would be presented to both the council and the PBCC Board of Trustees no later than June 25.

PBCC Workshop — Palm Beach Community College Board of Trustees Chair Carolyn Williams, President Dr. Dennis Gallon and Manager of Planning and Facilities Kirk Stetson at Thursday’s workshop in Wellington. PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER

A Night Of Family Fun Marks Acreage/Loxahatchee Relay For Life

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

The hundreds of participants in the American Cancer Society’s Acreage/ Loxahatchee Groves Relay for Life last Friday evening were applauded by friends and family as they began the trek that would keep one member of each team walking around the purpleedged track for the following 17 hours.

To keep spirits up, the participants were entertained through the night and into Saturday morning by local groups including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, school bands, the Chili Chicks and local dance academies.

The Relay for Life is a major event, not only for the money it raises to fight cancer but for raising awareness. And the participants — almost all residents of The Acreage and Loxahatchee Groves — were enthusiastic about the event.

Organizer Michelle Damone, a member of the Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors, said the event brought in more than $35,000 to fight cancer. “We ran this as a somewhat smaller event this year,” she said. “People told me they like the less-formal atmosphere we have now because it made them feel more like a family.” Damone said she was satisfied to raise so much money despite a reluc-

tance on the part of businesses in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach to contribute.

“A lot of stores and corporations don’t even know how much we buy from them and did not provide hopedfor support,” she said. “But we did have a lot of friends there, and that’s what is really important.”

Cancer survivors at the event were pleased by the turnout. Acreage resident Susan Dion, currently battling cancer, was happy to mingle with those who can appreciate her struggle. “Meeting other people who are fighting cancer, as well as those who are survivors, is so important in encouraging us in the fight,” she said. “Something like this is thrilling.”

Survivor Gary Lauer sat with his wife Jean in the survivor’s pavilion and said he was proud of his progress.

“By staying alive, I’ve been able to watch my daughter grow up from being a little girl to a beautiful 17year-old,” he said.

Town-Crier columnist Don Brown, who recently fought a battle with leukemia, described his ordeal to participants. “I am new at being a survivor,” he said. “I was diagnosed a year ago with AML leukemia and was given two months to live. I was told there was a ten-percent chance of survival. One

doctor told me I was a dead man walking.”

Brown said support from his two sons made the difference. “Brook and Mike came here today with their families,” he said. “They piled their kids into their cars and drove here from Kansas and Louisiana. Mike was my chief caregiver; he didn’t leave my bedside for a month. He and Brook kidnapped me and took me to Kansas City where I had a team of 20 to 25 different doctors working on me.”

Brown also credited his friends in the western communities for their support. “Many people here today got daily email reports from Mike about my condition,” he said. “A lot of you told me today that you were fans of my ‘bloodcount e-mails.’”

He also noted that the experience had been beneficial in a way. “My only advice is that miracles do happen,” Brown said. “Sometimes when I am alone I feel blessed to have had leukemia because it has taught me how precious life is and how precious my friends and family are. I’m now leukemia-free. My oncologist told me that my case made him believe in miracles. There was no medical reason for my cure. It has been a long, slow process of recovery, but I’m free of leukemia, and all my friends will attest I’m as mean as ever.”

PHOTOS BY LEONARD WECHSLER/TOWN-CRIER

The Loxahatchee Groves CERT group early in the relay.

The Seminole Ridge High School percussion group performs.

Survivor Gary Lauer with his wife Jean.

Collin and Darlene Crawford with Yvonne Czernowski.

Organizer Michelle Damone with Susan Dion, who is currently battling colon cancer.

The team from Frontier Elementary School.

Town-Crier columnist Don Brown with his family members.

JCC Specialty Camp At Good Earth

Farm

Children in kindergarten through fifth grade who love animals and want to learn how to care for and train them are encouraged to sign up for Camp Sunshine.

The Wellington branch of the Jewish Community Center of the Greater Palm Beaches will hold the camp at the Good Earth Farm in Loxahatchee Groves in two sessions during July and August. Session 1 will be held on weekdays July 7-18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Session 2 will take place on weekdays July 21 through Aug. 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The camp offers children the unique experience of interacting with horses, ponies, sheep, goats, pigs, ducks, geese, parrots, llamas and more at this animal sanctuary. Besides learning animal care and training, campers also will also be given horseback riding and kayaking lessons several days a week, and also enjoy arts and crafts, horticulture, cooking lessons (including candy making) and karate instruction at Good Earth Farm’s 15-acre campus.

The activities classroom is airconditioned. All activities are chaperoned, and portable bathroom facilities are available throughout camp. The cost is $580 per two-week session. There is a 10-percent sibling discount. A deposit of $250 is required at the time of registration, with the balance due by June 2; aftercare is available until 5 p.m. at an additional cost. To register, or for more information, call the Wellington branch of the Jewish Community Center of the Palm Beaches at (561) 2536030. The Good Earth Farm is a non-profit organization located at 2141 B Road. For more information, call Nancy FriedTobin at (561) 792-2666.

Christian Rock Concert May 24

Palms West Alliance Church will present a Rock Fest featuring the Christian rock group Fireflight on Saturday, May 24. Free food and fun begins at 5 p.m. with the concert at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5. The church is located at 16401 Southern Blvd. in Loxahatchee Groves. For info., call (561) 333-5352 or visit www.palmswest.org.

Help Stamp Out Hunger

Letter carriers in 10,000 communities across the country are preparing to collect an estimated 70 million pounds of food this Saturday, May 10.

It has been 16 years since the United States Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers launched their annual drive to stock the nation’s food banks and pantries. In that time, letter carriers have collected more than three-quarters of a billion pounds of food from generous Americans. It has become the world’s largest, single-day charitable food event.

To take part in the drive, first contact your local post office to verify its participation in the food drive. Then, simply place bags filled with non-perishable food items next to your mailbox. Your letter carrier will pick them up and deliver them to local food banks. This year’s drive is especially critical. The rising cost of living — especially increases in food prices — has created an economic squeeze for 30 million Americans (including 12 million children) at risk of hunger. The drive has two national corporate supporters, the Camp-

Indian Trail Workshop Meeting

continued from page 8

willing to build an extensive trail system in the parks and preserves for pedestrians and bikers, as well as an equestrian trail along Hamlin Blvd. for the length of the project, although he said there would be problems at Pierce Hammock Elementary School because that land is owned by the Palm Beach County School District.

In other business:

• The board agreed to meet only once a month, on the second Wednesday, generally at 6:30 p.m. and to cut back on regular workshops since the public is not able to comment on proposals there and because the discussions at the workshops often left little to be decided at regular meetings. The June regular meeting will be held June 4 to avoid conflict with a convention of the Florida Association of

bell Soup Company and Valpak/ Cox Target Media, along with America’s Second Harvest, United Way affiliates and the AFL-CIO Community Services Network. In addition to donating one million cans of soup for nationwide distribution, Campbell is joining the postal service to mail 124 million postcards about the drive. Valpak has been promoting the event for the past two months with 44 million directmail advertising envelopes featuring the drive. And Publix donated more than eight million grocery bags to be distributed in Florida to promote the food drive. For more information, visit www.helpstampouthunger.com.

Astronomy Day At Science Museum

The South Florida Science Museum will celebrate National Astronomy Day on Saturday, May 10 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visitors have the chance to hear expert lectures, see special planetarium shows and enjoy solar and celestial viewing day and night.

Astronomical Society of the Palm Beaches President Jay Albert will speak about “Getting Started in Astronomy” at 10:30 a.m. The special children’s show “The Friendly Stars” begins the planetarium shows at noon, followed by the Kate Mulgrewnarrated “The Planets” at 1 p.m.

A keynote speaker will discuss the significance of Astronomy Day at 1:30 p.m. Special evening laser light shows include Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon at 7 p.m. followed by The Wall at 8:30 p.m. Popcorn will be provided. The museum is located at 4801 Dreher Trail North, West Palm Beach in the north end of Dreher Park. Admission is $9 for adults, $7.50 for seniors and $6 for children.

Evening laser light shows cost $8, and matinee shows are $5. Admission to the planetarium is $4 for adults and $2 for children ages three to 12. For more information on the South Florida Science Museum, call (561) 832-1988 or visit www.sfsm.org.

Free Car Inspections Offered In May

Free car inspections that can help prevent pollution and improve gas mileage have been extended through the month of May. The Palm Beach County Health Department, the Pollution Prevention Coalition and Lincoln Technical University have extended the program started in April so more people can take advantage of the program.

Thursdays throughout the month, Lincoln Technical is offering a free fuel efficiency check up and emission inventory at its campus (1126 53rd Court N. in West Palm Beach).

Technicians will look over vehicles and make expert recommendations that will save money and reduce air pollution by making maintenance adjustments.

Air pollution personnel from the health department have found that a properly tuned engine improves fuel economy four to 40 percent and that other simple car care items like changing air filters, proper tire inflation, replacing air filters and tightening a gas cap improve fuel economy up to 10 percent.

More information on car care month can be obtained by calling the health department at (561) 355-3070 or by visiting www.pbchd.com.

Special Districts and will also begin earlier, at 6 p.m. because it will be preceded by a formal budget workshop.

• The board agreed to contract with I.T. Solutions of South Florida for a complete computer management system that will cover the district’s two servers and all its desktops. Employee Samantha Curry told the board that although it will cost more than current service, it will provide far faster service and better protection against viruses. Almost all work will be done on a remote basis and will be included at no extra cost under the plan, she said.

• The board decided to accept a legal fee rate increase from its law firm Caldwell & Pacetti effective at the start of the current fiscal year, but to not honor another that went into effect last May. “We need to have contracts with rates built in at the start of each budget year so we can tie expenses to our budget process,” Erickson said.

In observance of Earth Day, students at Panther Run Elementary School in Wellington did their part to promote recycling on Tuesday, April 22. The Bryant/Buzek team of second- and third-grade recyclers, wearing their Earth Day vests (brown paper bags they designed), collected empty plastic bottles and aluminum cans from all grade levels of students lunching in the school cafeteria. They also educated their fellow students with facts about the benefits of recycling. Everyone’s excitement over the project has already had some important effects. More recycling will be done at Panther Run to make every day Earth Day. Shown above are students dressed in their Earth Day vests.

Latin Book Day At TKA

The King’s Academy elementary and secondary foreign language departments celebrated El Día de los Niños/El Día de los Libros (Children’s Day/Book Day) with a campus-wide event held at the school grounds in West Palm Beach.

Sponsored by the ParentTeacher Fellowship and Friends of the Library, many students, faculty and volunteers worked tirelessly to put together a program that included a sampling of Latin-American food, Latin dancing by tenth-grade student Risselle Portuondo, and a dra-

ma of The Story of Ferdinand performed in Spanish by high school Spanish students and narrated by author Robert Elmer. This was a celebration of children, families and reading emphasizing the importance of advocating literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Guest speaker Diane Pacheco, director of development for the Palm Beach County Literacy Association, talked to the children about the power of literacy and encouraged them to read.

Poinciana Celebrates Earth Day, Cinco De Mayo

On Earth Day, April 22, Poinciana Day School students in grades five through eight showed that they are truly good neighbors. The students picked up litter and debris throughout Centre Park, the small office park where Poinciana Day School is located, to beautify their environment. The students were gloved and briefed about safety before starting their cleanup excursions. Poinciana Day School Student Council Advisor Tricia Couch led the students during their cleanup tasks as they filled boxes with trash and debris. Some of the more unusual items that they found were a camouflage military jacket and a bag of diapers in the area’s pond.

“I’m sure that the alligator and birds around the pond appreciate a cleaner habitat,” eighthgrade student Nathaniel Harr of Royal Palm Beach and North Palm Beach said.

Back on the school campus, the student council continued their recycling project from the past several years. Bins have been placed in each classroom, the office and hallways to collect paper — something that is generated in large quantities at a school. The playground and hallways also have bins for the collection of plastic and aluminum from lunches, snacks and water bottles from sports classes. Student Council members are responsible for collecting and dumping each of the small containers into the larger collection containers that are picked up by the Solid Waste Authority on a weekly basis.

Earlier this semester, a representative from the SWA spoke

RPBHS Project

Graduation

Meeting May 12

The Class of 2009 Royal Palm Beach High School Project Graduation Committee is now actively meeting and would like to invite all parents, guardians and adult family members to attend the next meeting. It will be held Monday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at the high school. The committee will discuss upcoming fundraising. For more information, call Cheryl at (561) 723-8298 or Karen at (561) 371-8377.

Polo Park Students Get Artistic

The Polo Park Middle School Art Show will be held Friday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mad House Café in Royal Palm Beach. Young artists from different grades will put their outstanding talents on display. There will be a performance by Polo Park student Meghan Wheeler. She will sing her long list of popular and original songs. Donations to the art department will be accepted at the door. The Mad House Café is located next to Publix in Crestwood Square on Southern Blvd. For more information, call (561) 791-9011.

Polo Park Presents ‘Aladdin, Jr.’

The Polo Park Middle School Musical Theater Club and Chorus Department will continue its performances of Aladdin, Jr. Monday, May 12 and Tuesday, May 13. The show starts at 7

to the students about recycling and what happens to the products after they are collected. Students were shocked to learn that Styrofoam is not biodegradable. Since a number of student lunch items are delivered in Styrofoam containers, students have started a campaign to contact vendors to ask them to replace their Styrofoam containers with more earth-friendly products.

“I am glad to see that the students are proactive about taking care of Planet Earth,” middle school science teacher Judi Hildebrandt said. “It’s important for them to be good caretakers of our environment.”

In other school news, Poinciana students in kindergarten through eighth grade have been leaning about Hispanic countries and cultures within their Spanish classes. Students learned that Cinco de Mayo is not the commemoration of Mexico’s independence as is popularly thought. The significance of Cinco de Mayo was that the Puebla people of Mexico pulled together as a nation to repel the French army. Teamwork allowed the Puebla people to be strong — the true importance of Cinco de Mayo.

The students made Mexican flags, learning about the significance of the colors and symbols of the flag, maps of Mexico and other Hispanic countries, and learned about various ethnic foods. The younger students learned about chili peppers, rice, beans and burritos, and made books about the different foods.

As a final celebration, several of the classes had fiestas to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, enjoying Mexican foods and music.

p.m. both nights inside the school’s cafetorium. Tickets cost $5 in advance and are available in the main office or Room 4108 (the chorus room). Tickets cost $7 at the door. For more information, call the school at (561) 333-5500.

RPBHS Students Will Compete At HOSA Nationals

Students from Royal Palm Beach High School recently competed in the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) leadership conference in Orlando.

HOSA is a student organization with the mission to promote career opportunities in health care and to enhance the delivery of quality care to all people.

RPBHS is pleased to announce the list of students who will be competing this summer at the national competition to be held in Dallas, Texas. The winners are: Amrita Gopaldas, second place, Researched Persuasive Speaking; Davyn Hunter, second place, Extemporaneous Speaking; Meagan Starr, fourth place, Interviewing Skills; and Karla Clarke, fourth place, Place Job Seeking Skills.

Participate In Financial Challenge

Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink has encouraged Florida high school students and teachers to participate in the 2008 National Financial Literacy Challenge (NFLC), available online until May 16. The President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy prompted the U.S. Department of Treasury to encourage financial literacy ed-

“It is important for our students to be introduced to various countries, cultures and languages, so that they have a better understanding of our world, and can be better global citizens in the future,” Principal Nixie Swift said.

Poinciana Day School is a small independent private school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade where “every student is an honored student.” For more information about Poinciana Day School, or to schedule a personal tour, call (561) 655-7323 or visit www. poincianadayschool.org.

ucation among students by enacting the NFLC competition. “Financial literacy education is essential for our high school students to be prepared with the necessary knowledge to be successful in life,” Sink said. “I encourage Florida’s high school teachers to register their students for this exciting and important national challenge.”

Florida high school students at least 13 years of age are eligible to participate in a 35-question financial literacy test, as part of a national challenge aimed at raising awareness about financial literacy education. Participants scoring in the top 25th percentile will receive national recognition from the federal

government, and the top scores will win the NFLC challenge award. The test is available at no cost online at http://FLC.treas.gov/ teacher. High school teachers must first register their class at the above link before their students are eligible to participate. For more information on the CFO’s financial literacy efforts or the Financial Literacy Council, visit www.MyFloridaCFO. com.

Send school news items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 7936090. E-mail: news@goTown Crier.com.

WILDCAT WALK-ATHON

It was walk-athon time again at Wellington Elementary School last Friday. Once a year WES has a walk-athon to raise money for such things as computer equipment, sports equipment and books. The walk-athon is one of the most important school events of the year. Every student gets to join in the walk for team spirit and health. The theme of this year’s event was “Caution: Wildcats Under Construction!” since the school is undergoing remodeling. Pictured above, staff member Lisa Goldman, one of the many walk-athon organizers, leads a group of

around the

A Day Of Latin Fun — Tenth-grade student Risselle Portuondo performs a Latin dance for the students.

Students Isabelle Pampanelli and Annie Baumgartner enjoy Cinco de Mayo festivities.

Fifth and sixth graders get ready for the cleanup.

Spanish students with guest author/narrator Robert Elmer.

Wildcats

field.

Students at Binks Forest Elementary School have been earning points by passing quizzes as part of the Reading Counts program. Teacher James Crickenberger gives prizes for every 25 points his students earn. Students who earn more than 250 points are allowed to “pie” the teacher. Daniella Chavez (shown above with Crickenberger) set a new record by earning 313 points. During this school year, Daniella read two Harry Potter books as part of her reading and set a goal for herself to reach 400 points before the end of the school year. Daniella will also receive a special pirate shirt for setting the new class record.

POSTER CONTEST WINNER

Amanda McConnell, a third grader from Acreage Pines Elementary School, was the third-place winner in the Elementary School Poster category in the 2008 Fair Housing Student Poster Contest. She was honored by the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches and the Palm Beach County Office of Equal Opportunity at their annual Fair Housing Reception on Wednesday, April 30. Amanda was cheered by her parents, family, friends and her art teacher Ray White as she received her award.

RPB Elementary Celebrates Earth Day

Royal Palm Beach Elementary School spend much time preparing for Earth Day 2008, which was celebrated on Tuesday, April 22. Each class developed creative bulletin boards and projects, putting into practice the ecological concepts learned in school. The projects were entered into a school-wide Earth Day contest.

The school’s SMILE Garden Club, sponsored by Diane Wells, planted trees purchased from the National Arbor Day Foundation after Mrs. Wells became a member of the organization. She also received a Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful grant she used to purchase garden tools, an arbor for the SMILE garden and three benchstorage boxes, in addition to flowers, plants and trees.

The art department, headed by Iris Norris, emphasized the use of recycled items in art. The media department, headed by Wendy Neubauer, shared Earthfriendly books and research with students. The music department, headed by Gregory Spence, arranged an Earth Day performance by the RPBES chorus. The student council, under the sponsorship of Ann Gormley, had a paper recycling program and planted trees with the garden club. Dorothy Thomas documented the school’s efforts with a video collage. The PTO sold Smencils (recycled fragranced pencils).

The Earth Day Assembly be-

gan with an introduction by Earth Day coordinator Theresa Wolfe. Principal Suzanne Watson and Assistant Principal Stacey Quinones addressed the student body, as well as Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board representatives Sylvia Shapiro and Elaine Guelli. Royal Palm Beach Councilman Matty Mattioli presented the school with an Earth Day flag, Earth Day proclamation and trees. Spence directed the RPBES chorus in their performance of the song “We Are All Earthlings.” Education Advisory Board Chair Carmen Ann Campbell presented the school with the book The Lorax while Christopher Hill of the Pine Jog Environmental Education Center showed a PowerPoint presentation about spending time in nature and the Everglades Youth Camp Summer Program. Theresa Wolfe announced the classroom contest winners and presented them with certificates.

Robert Miller of the Art of Palms Nursery and Gardens donated plants to beautify the front of Royal Palm Beach Elementary School. The Friedrich family of Excelsa Gardens donated plants for each child in the classes who were awarded honorable mention in the Earth Day contest. The Village of Royal Palm Beach will be presenting monetary awards to the three winning classes.

Diane Wells and the SMILE Garden Club during their cleanup of the campus and ball fields.

A display of some of the projects entered in the schoolwide Earth Day contest.

Councilman Matty Mattioli presents the Earth Day proclamation to Principal Suzanne Watson.SMILE Garden Club members plant a tree.

Seminole Ridge TV Production Students Shine At District Festival

Seminole Ridge High School

TV production students, under the direction of teacher Earle Wright, nearly had a clean sweep of the awards at the district level of the Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME) Student Media Festival. SRHS students won first place in seven of the eight categories and had two second- and one third-place winners. All of the first-place video entries have advanced to regional competition, to be judged this week in Naples. The winners and their work are:

• “Good Food” by Doug Jury: first place, Animation;

• “Global Warming” by Michael Tigeleiro: first place, Documentary;

• “Sid” by Eric Bobinchuck, Josh Hardin, Anthony Plesca and Joseph Rivera: first place, Drama;

• “Relinquish” by Anthony Plesca and Sam Santiago: second place, Drama;

• “Epilepsy: What to Do” by Melanie Hilles and Kyla Kott: first place, Instructional;

• “Guitar” by Kycian Rochester and Andrew Suarez: first place, Music Video;

• WSRH News, directed by Brad Gardner: first place, News;

• “Every Student Has a Story” by Andrew Suarez and Kelsie Wirick: second place, News;

• “Mitosis? Ask a Librarian” by Julie Bollinger: first place,

Public Service Announcement (PSA);

• “Be the One” by Brandy Johnson and Lacey McCoy: second place, PSA;

• “Life’s Tough: Get a Helmet” by Justin Kelsey, Hailey Mears, Shelby Obermeier and Nicole Waldron: third place, PSA. Drop It, Build It, Fly It, Launch It — SECME (Science, Engineering, Communications and Math Excellence) students Marlon Alfonso, Ed Bachelor, Kyle Cuthbert and Rob Ponga joined Hawks Kaitlin Griffin, Ryan Kaufmann and Kelli Kress for this year’s “Drop It, Build It, Fly It, Launch It” competition at the South Florida Science Museum.

Prizes ranged from $200 for first place to $100 for third. More than 150 students from Palm Beach County competed in four competitions:

• Drop It: design a package to protect a raw egg from cracking after a three-story freefall;

• Build It: design an “unbreakable” bridge out of balsa wood;

• Fly It: design the ultimate paper airplane;

• Launch It: blast off a twoliter bottle rocket lofted by compressed air.

The winners of the rocket contest were those whose designs created the most ‘hang time’; the paper airplane winners were those who flew the furthest; the balsa wood bridge winners were those who sup-

ported the most weight before breaking; the egg drop winners were those who devised the lightest containers to cradle an uncracked egg after the fall.

The SRHS SECME club is sponsored by teachers Erich Landstrom and Alison Baird.

SRHS County Champs in Blood Donation — National Honor Society sponsor Shawna Ahmad congratulates everyone at SRHS who donated blood this school year to help save lives.

The participants’ efforts — enough blood donations to save nearly 1,000 lives — have earned Seminole Ridge the Florida Blood Center’s “Best in County” award. According to Ahmad, the honor couldn’t have been accomplished without staff and student commitment, and support of the cause. “This is one more feather to put in our cap,” she said. In addition to this award, Florida Blood Centers will present scholarships to three Seminole Ridge seniors. The winners will be announced at the Class of 2008 awards night on Wednesday, May 14. Hilliker Named Coach of the Year — The Sun-Sentinel has named coach Justin Hilliker the Palm Beach County Boys Weightlifting Coach of the Year. Under Hilliker’s coaching, four Seminole Ridge lifters — Colton Coss, Curtis Griswold, Josh Hawks and Sean Rochefort — have also been recognized as Sun-Sentinel All County.

FOOD, RIDES AND GAMES AT PANTHER RUN’S ANNUAL SCHOOL CARNIVAL

Panther Run Elementary School’s

on

were

(561) 642-6262.

was

Rachel Berman gets her face painted by James Estebez.

Rachel Berman and Hannah McGaunn.

Randy Berman and Gregg Levi.

Paul Rooney on one of the rides.

Jamie Jerchower and her dad Avi.

Turner and Marlin Hollingsworth. Kids enjoy the super slide.

Wellington Rotary To Dedicate Park On International Peace Day

The dedication of the newly constructed boardwalk and gazebo at Wellington Rotary Peace Park will be held at 6 p.m. on United Nations International Day of Peace, which is recognized on Sept. 21.

Veteran and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office color guards and scout troops will begin the ceremony. The Rotary Club will present the Wellington Rotary Peace Award to an individual and organization that has done the most to promote world peace, intercultural understanding and/or conflict management within Wellington. Winners of a poster contest will be announced and winning poems and essays will be read. As part of the program, eight community members representing the eight languages on the Rotary Peace Pole will read “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in their native languages. Local school groups will sing peace songs. The Rotary Club will present Boy Scout and Girl Scout peace merit badges and present conflict-resolution awards to high school students in the School Ambassador program. Thirty peace doves will be

released at the end of the International Peace Day ceremony. In the spirit of promoting world peace, the Wellington Village Council gave the Wellington Rotary Club 18 acres of wetlands in the village two years ago and $140,000 toward the construction of a peace park to include a 100-yard, 10-foot wide boardwalk, a 40-foot diameter gazebo and a paved parking lot.

The gazebo will exhibit flags from the United States, the United Nations, Florida, Wellington and Rotary International. It will also house the eight-sided wooden Peace Pole and a commemorative marble monument and plaque.

The Wellington Rotary Club is implementing a number of projects to raise world peace consciousness in the community and foster interest in the International Day of Peace and the Wellington Rotary Peace Park dedication by sponsoring a number of cash award contests in Wellington schools, including “May Peace Prevail on Earth” poster contests in the elementary schools, “Peace Will Come” poetry contests in the middle schools and a photography con-

test on intercultural understanding that will be held at the high schools, as well as essay contests with the theme, “peace cannot be kept by force, it can only be achieved by understanding.”

Clergy of all religions are being asked to present sermons on world peace or intercultural understanding the week before the International Day of Peace.

These projects and the UN International Day of Peace ceremony are totally non-racial, non-religious and non-political.

High school Rotary Interact

clubs will have peace activities at their schools on that day. The Palm Beach Central School Interact Club has planted a peace pole at its school and will hold a community awareness drive to motivate local school, scout and church groups to adopt the peace pole project and plant a peace pole at their location or in the Wellington Rotary Peace Park.

Wellington Rotary Peace Park is at the corner of Royal Fern and Birkdale drives near the Wellington library.

JUNIOR GIRL SCOUTS EARN AWARDS BY HELPING ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE

Junior Girl Scout Troop 1623 held its Bronze Award Event on Saturday, May 3 at the Wellington library. The girls were helping Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League by collecting donations of needed items. They gave out goody bags with information about the center, foster care information, homemade pet treats, people snacks and made crafts.

Committee members (L-R) Karen Hardin, Debbie Sanacore, Susan Odell, Laura Jaffe, Judy Tannenhill and Rudy Schoenbein. The inner roof of the park’s gazebo.

The entrance to the boardwalk.

Scout Therese Hair offers Deena Doll information about fostering pets.

Scout Hayley McMillon, Frieda Powers and daughter Emily Powers donating items.

(L-R) Joy Kite, Brooke Basore, David Kite, Emma Hair, Erin Roberts, Stephanie Nicholson and Rachael Barnes make pet origami.

Scout Breanna Flecha offers pet treats to Joy Kite.

Scout Naomi Cohen gives out people treats to Joy and David Kite.

Wellington Animal Massage Therapist Releases New Book

Wellington-based massage therapist and author Jean-Pierre Hourdebaigt’s newest book was released this month. The book guides readers on how to identify and treat early symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) and related dental problems in their horses. While the book’s title is a mouthful — Equine Massage Therapy for the Equine Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome (ETDS) — it is packed with valuable information that horse owners and horse care professionals can really sink their teeth into. While equine TMJ has been identified as an increasingly common problem for horses, Hourdebaigt’s book is the first of its kind devoted to the topic.

The book presents an in-depth explanation of the structures involved in the horse’s TMJ as well as the mechanics of mastication. Then it gives step-bystep instructions on massage techniques, hydrotherapy and stretching exercises used to relieve the symptoms shown at all stages of TMJ, from acute to chronic. These techniques are extensively illustrated. Hourdebaigt is a licensed massage therapist with over 25 years of experience. He is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the area of animal massage therapy and considered to be one of the foremost experts in the field. By learning the basics in Hourdebaigt’s new book, owners and trainers can practice preventative measures, which can directly affect the well-being of their horses. The information in the book can be used to enhance treatments administered by veterinarians, equine dentists, equine chiropractors and equine acupuncturists.

Hourdebaigt explains that many horses have dental problems owners and trainers may not be aware of. An array of problems often occur before an owner purchases a horse. These can range from complications during foaling, poor or nonexistent dental care during the horse’s life, even being kicked or poorly ridden can result in equine TMJ. Equine TMJ is a more common problem than most horsemen realize. “That is what inspired me to write this book — knowing these techniques can help horse owners to substantially affect the recovery of the horse and save money and heartache,” Hourdebaigt said.

Hourdebaigt writes in a simple, easy-to-understand style, and the book is filled with illustrations that demonstrate the techniques. “What readers can learn in this book will change the way they relate to their horses forever,” he said. “Knowing how to recognize the specific signs and symptoms of TMJ will help you detect it early in its manifestation.”

Hourdebaigt’s credentials and experience are complemented by his energetic approach to teaching. Horsemen can benefit from his years of experience by reading his latest book. For more information, visit www. massageawareness.com.

JCC Young Adults To Visit Child Cancer Patients

Bring a smile to the faces of children who have cancer by joining the Jewish Community Center of the Greater Palm Beaches’ Young Adult Singles for a visit with child cancer patients at Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee Groves.

The visit is set for 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 18. The program is open to adults ages 21 through 44. Feel free to bring

Cichewicz

Completes Navy

Basic Training

Navy Reserve Seaman Apprentice Adrian M. Cichewicz, son of Janine and James Cichewicz of Loxahatchee, recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. During the eight-week program, Cichewicz completed a variety of training, which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness.

The capstone event of boot camp is “Battle Stations,” an exercise designed to galvanize the basic warrior attributes of sacrifice, dedication, teamwork and endurance in each recruit through the practical

toys, games or special talents that may brighten the day for these children. Meet Young Adult Singles (YAS) Coordinator Tami Lustig at the hospital’s emergency room entrance at 2 p.m. and stay for as short or long as you like. Palms West Hospital is located at 13001 Southern Blvd. For more info., contact Lustig at tamaral@jcconline.com.

application of basic Navy skills. Cichewicz is a 2006 graduate of Wellington High School.

Ness Receives Promotion

Navy Seaman Apprentice

Douglas B. Ness Jr., son of Douglas B. Ness Sr. of Loxahatchee, was recently promoted to his current rank upon graduation from recruit training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. Ness received the early promotion for outstanding performance during all phases of the training cycle, which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, shipboard and aircraft safety and physical fitness. Ness is a 2005 graduate of Rockledge High School in Rockledge, Fla.

WHO’S NEW !

Kevin Alberto Munoz son of Odalys and Yariel Munoz of Loxahatchee was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on April 4.

Malaya Alexis Neptune DeGroff — daughter of Michelle Neptune and Karl-Marc DeGroff of Royal Palm Beach was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on April 9.

Dylan McBain Slegers son of Heather and Stefan Slegers of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on April 10.

Vanessa Davis — daughter of Angellia Watson and Van Davis of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on April 10.

Katarina Margurite Jones — daughter of Gina Marie and Jeremy Stanley Jones of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on April 15.

Corey Michael Kish — son of Donna Kish of Royal Palm Beach was born at Wellington

Regional Medical Center on April 15.

Reese Addison Hammack — daughter of Nicole and Mark Hammack of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on April 17. Ricardo Adrian Villegas son of Maritza Soledad and Ricardo Alberto Villegas of Loxahatchee was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on April 17.

Addison Kathleen Simmers — daughter of Jennifer and Steve Simmers of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on April 16. Ahmad Jacob Trevor Lawrence — son of Latoya James and Vane Lawrence of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on April 18.

Aiden William Sperring son of Jennifer and Matthew Sperring of Royal Palm Beach was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on April 18.

Equine massage expert Jean-Pierre Hourdebaigt. PHOTO BY SUSAN LERNER/WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE

Crop Walk 2008 In Wellington A Success

Crop Walk 2008: Western Communities Hunger Walk took place Saturday, April 26 in Wellington. Fifty participants walked in solidarity with people from around the world who have to walk daily for food, water, shelter and safety.

The confirmation class from St. Peter’s United Methodist Church was well represented; taking part in the three-mile walk is one of the requirements for confirmation.

The Crop Walk raised money to help alleviate hunger at home and around the world. More than $3,670 has been brought in so far, and 25 percent of the funds will stay in Wellington to provide scholarships for food through the SHARE food distribution program.

The top walkers were Mallory Stone, Samantha Davisson and Tyler Kuhlman. They received gift certificates for shoes. Winn-Dixie in the Mar-

ketplace at Wycliffe provided water for the water stops. A special thank-you goes out to an anonymous donor who, upon seeing the walkers com-

ing in, stopped by the registration table and donated $100 to the event.

St. Peter’s United Methodist Church is located at 12200 W.

Forest Hill Blvd. For more info., call (561) 793-5712 or visit www.stpeters-umc.org. For more about SHARE, call (561) 793-5712.

and St.

Young Podcaster Makes Waves On The Web

Wellington-based Internet “pod-igy” Piper Reese is one of the youngest video podcasters on the web. Piper may only be in second grade, but she doesn’t hold back when there’s a microphone in front of her. Now she’s putting the talk to work on her own show, located at www. piperspicks.tv. At only seven years old, Piper already has her own weekly show and a growing audience. It’s no surprise — there aren’t many kids talking to kids about the stuff that matters to them. You know, the important

things… theme parks, toys, food, videogames, etc.

Kids can find Piper’s Picks on her web site and at the Apple iTunes store (just search for “PipersPicks.tv”). Each episode discusses Piper’s “pick” for the week. With a bit of facts and a bunch of personality, Piper “dishes the cheese” (the first episode covers kid-fave Domino’s Pizza) in a way that kids like to hear it — from one of their own. “Sometimes they put on too much sauce,” Piper said in her critique of Domino’s.

Piper’s production team TeamPiper explained her method: “she picks the ‘pick’ for the week, but if something’s not perfect, she lets her viewers know. Piper calls it as she sees it.”

It’s a good thing Disney’s “Expedition Everest” ride didn’t fail to deliver! Piper’s analysis of the ride is witty, informative and funny. If you stick around for the outtakes, you’ll even see Piper “dance with the Yeti!” She’s a tough cookie! It’ll take more than a Yeti to slow her down.

“Pod-igy” — Wellington second grader Piper Reese offers her own podcast on her web site www.piperspicks.tv.

Samantha Davisson, Mallory Stone and Tyler Kuhlman. PHOTOS

Thing Challenge Palm Beach Chairman Bill Bone with Gale Howden, County Commissioner Jess Santamaria and Gaston Cantens.

Becky Fiorello

Peter’s Youth Pastor Ryan McDermott at the registration table.Walkers

WELLINGTON WOMEN’S CLUB CELEBRATES 31 YEARS

Wellington Women’s Club marked its 31st anniversary on Sunday, May 4 at the Mayacoo Lakes Country Club. The event, titled “Champagne and Couture,” featured a brunch, fashion show and silent auction. Entertainment was provided by violinist Nicholas Priore, who performed prior to the fashion show. Fashions were provided by Bacio Bacio Bridal Salon and JuJu Designs, with jewelry courtesy Premier Designs. Commentator for the fashion show was Denise O’Sullivan. Proceeds from the event went to representatives of the YWCA Harmony House, a shelter for abused women and their children, as well as college scholarships for high school seniors.

PBC DEMS HOLD FUNDRAISER AT FAR EAST RESTAURANT

The Democratic Party of Palm Beach County held a fundraiser on Wednesday, April 30 at the Far East restaurant in Lake Worth. Present at the event were several candidates for public office, including Wellington Councilman Bob Margolis, who is running for the position of Supervisor of Elections. For more information about the Democratic Party of Palm Beach County, call (561) 433-1112 or visit www.pbcdemocraticparty.org.

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Tracey Pafford and her husband Mark, who is running for the State House of Representatives in District 88.

Linda and Bob Margolis.

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Model Marissa Priore.

Model Angela Priore enters the room.

The audience enjoys the fashion show.

Marilyn Willoughby, Maureen Gross and Marge Hartig-Specht.

Linda Heeraman and Laura Tindall.

Sophia Nelson and Annmarie Sorrell of the YWCA’s Harmony House, one of the club’s charities.Nicholas Priore entertains with violin music.

Cindy Yurecka, Mary Roberts and Karen Roberts.

Marilyn Willoughby, Marge Hartig-Specht and M.J. Newkirk.

Jane Bloom, Joan Scherer, Sally Koons and Veronica Tarlton.

POLITICAL CANDIDATES SPEAK AT MONTHLY VOTERS COALITION MEETING

At the monthly meeting of the Voters Coalition of Palm Beach County at the South County Civic Center in Delray Beach, incumbents and challengers for seats on the county commission seats spoke. The speakers included incumbent District 5 County Commissioner Burt Aaronson and opponent Charlotte Beasley, incumbent District 7 County Commissioner Addie Green and opponent Liz Wade, incumbent District 1 Commissioner Karen Marcus and opponent John Jamason, and District 3 challengers Carl McKoy and Cliff Montross. Incumbents and candidates for other elected positions were on hand as well. The meeting was run by Voters Coalition Chairman Bob Newmark.

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Wellington Wetlands Park

Dedication

The Village of Wellington invites the community to join in the dedication of its newest wetlands park. The dedication and naming ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 31 at 9 a.m.

The dedication will take place at the wetlands park entrance located at the southwest corner of Village Park (11700 Pierson Road). As part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, there are plans for a bird release and boardwalk tour highlighting the park’s design and habitat. For more information on the dedication ceremony, or if you are interested in future activities or partnership opportunities, call Dwayne Hetherington at (561) 791-4773.

‘Dion II’ To Headline FSO Benefit

DionTheWanderer.com will present a benefit concert for Forgotten Soldiers Outreach on Sunday, May 18 at 3 p.m. at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach.

Blotter

continued from page 6 deputy searched the vehicle and reportedly uncovered a tenth of a gram of marijuana in the glove compartment and two cut plastic straws containing a residue that tested positive as oxycodone. Rao was charged with a second count of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana less than 20 grams and possession of a controlled substance, and taken to the county jail.

MAY 1 — An employee of the Circuit City electronics store near the Mall at Wellington Green was arrested on Thursday, May 1 on the charge of larceny. According to a PBSO report, investigators arrested 18-year-old Joseph S. Karl of Wellington after store management reported he had stolen $2,500 worth of store merchandise sometime between April 27 and May 1. Karl was taken to the county jail.

Water Buy More Rock Pits?

continued from page 2

SFWMD purchased open pits at Palm Beach Aggregates, the socalled “rock pits” left from quarry operations, for use as water storage sites. Lipp said Koons told him another rock pit may soon be available, and he is looking for the county to buy it.

“When we need to get rid of water in Loxahatchee Groves, instead of pumping it into the C51, [we could] pump it north, and then in coordination with Indian Trail and the Seminole Improvement District, pump that water west,” Lipp said. “When there are drought con-

Council Three Approvals

continued from page 2 pressed concerns about the parking. “You have the bare minimum required,” he said. “I understand that the reverend does a nice service and it’s popular. I would like to hear what the plans are for overflow parking.”

Carroll assured Herzog and other members of the council that the proposed fence and landscaping would properly screen the project from resi-

Incumbent County Commissioner Karen Marcus and opponent John Jamason.

The concert will feature Dion II (Dion Ambrogio), along with well known local entertainers such as the Fabulons, Midnight Rodeo and the Boathouse Blues Band. The event is being sponsored by A-1 Air Conditioning and Appliance Services Inc. of Royal Palm Beach. Ambrogio, owner of A-1, was touched when he read that funds collected for the Forgotten Soldiers group were stolen from the Palm Beach County Tax Collector’s Office. He came up with this idea to help not only make up for the loss of money, but hopefully help the charity make even more to help continue sending care packages to troops serving overseas. “We are thrilled to be the beneficiary of a concert like this, especially at a time when we need funds to continue our important work,” FSO Executive Director Lynelle Chauncey-Zelnar said. “This certainly shows the compassion in the community and the country for our troops, and we hope that we sell so many tickets another show has to be scheduled to accommodate those who wish to attend this benefit concert. Obviously, the money couldn’t come at a better time, when more and more soldiers, many now on their fourth and fifth deployments, are actually registering

MAY 1 — A Wellington woman was arrested for shoplifting at the Macy’s department store at the Mall at Wellington Green on Thursday, May 1. According to a PBSO report, store loss-prevention staff witnessed 20-year-old Brittney Owens take $172 worth of clothing from the store without paying for it. Owens was taken to the county jail.

MAY 5 — A West Palm Beach woman was arrested for shoplifting at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Royal Palm Beach on Monday morning. According to a PBSO report, a store lossprevention associate monitoring surveillance cameras inside the store at approximately 10:45 a.m. witnessed four subjects acting suspiciously, three males and a female. He watched the female suspect take a box containing a car stereo valued at $85 from a store shelf, remove the stereo from the box and place it inside her purse, and then remove oth-

ditions, we can rely on our own water sources as opposed to the C-51, which is exactly what the South Florida Water Management District told all the communities in Palm Beach County.”

Saunier told the Town-Crier he had not been advised of Koons’ plan to ask the county to buy a pit, but said keeping the water level up in Loxahatchee Groves could be an expensive proposition.

“You have to put things in perspective,” Saunier said. “You have to look at the water in the canal. You know there’s water underground. Actually, the water in the canal is within a foot of where the groundwater is. Think about the volume of water over an area. To raise it one

dents. She also told Autrey additional green spaces along the west and north sides of the property could accommodate any overflow parking. Buena Fe move into the existing building while the new facility is constructed, she said. After some further questions, Herzog made a motion for approval, which was seconded by Councilman Dennis Lipp. It passed 4-0.

The council also gave final site plan approval for the Loxahatchee Retail Center, a development with a one-story, 11,400-square-foot retail com-

themselves to become recipients of our program.”

Chauncey-Zelnar said funds have been at a shortfall because of the economy but reminds everyone that if it was not for our men and women putting their lives on the line for all of us, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the everyday luxuries we are so accustomed to. “It is so awesome to see entertainers join efforts to pull the community together to assure that our troops are not forgotten,” she said. Tickets are now on sale at the Kravis Center box office. For more information on Dion II, visit www.dionthewanderer. com.

Forgotten Soldiers has sent care packages to more than 25,000 U.S. troops who are serving on active duty. For more information, call (561) 3692933 or e-mail info@forgotten soldiers.org.

Wellington Memorial Day Ceremony

The Village of Wellington will honor all veterans at its annual Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 26. The day will begin with a parade at 8:45 a.m. starting at the Wellington Community Center

er accessories from the box and conceal them in her clothing. The suspect then reportedly walked past the registers and out the front entrance of the store. The Wal-Mart employee apprehended the suspect, identified as 20-year-old Kelsey Hainline, recovered the merchandise and contacted the PBSO. Hainline was charged with shoplifting and issued a notice to appear in court.

MAY 5 — A vehicle was burglarized outside a condominium in central Wellington sometime Monday night or Tuesday morning. According to a PBSO report, the victim told investigators he parked his 2001 Acura Integra outside his condominium on Cabot Lane at approximately 5 p.m. on May 5 and discovered at 5 a.m. the following morning that someone had broken into it. Among the items reported missing were a custom center console cover valued at $250,

inch, you’re talking millions of gallons,” he said.

To raise the water level in the 8,000-acre district one inch would require 220 million gallons of water, which Saunier equated to a 45-acre reservoir 15 feet deep.

“You’ve got to look at things in terms of cost and benefit and efficiency, and reach that cost benefit for efficient use of funds,” he said, including consideration of the frequency of droughts and how long each will last.

“The solutions I’ve heard to date are extremely expensive.”

Since Loxahatchee Groves is three feet higher on the average than its neighbors, the water level drops rapidly during the dry season, Saunier said. At the Fol-

mercial building west of D Road on the north side of Southern Blvd., represented by Bradley Miller of Miller Land Planning. Miller said he and the developer had worked hard to incorporated the community’s Rural Vista guidelines into the design, landscaping, buffering and other aspects of the project. There also would be some interconnectivity for any future projects that might be considered. Architect Kuoppola concurred, noting that rural elements had been incorporated

(12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) and ending at the Wellington Veterans’ Memorial located at the corner of Forest Hill and South Shore boulevards.

The Memorial Day ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. If you would like to have a veteran’s name and service branch listed in the village’s Memorial Day program and announced directly following the ceremony and listed on Channel 18, call (561) 791-4773 or e-mail dhetherington@ci.wellington. fl.us.

JCC To Hold

‘Camp Rising Stars’ In August

Do your children dance on the coffee table? Do they sing along to all those Disney musicals on TV using a serving spoon or spatula for a microphone? Do they have visions of winning a starring role on Broadway one day? Are they between the ages of seven and 12? If so, the Wellington branch of the Jewish Community Center of the Greater Palm Beaches has just what your child is looking for — Camp Rising Stars.

The two-week camp will run Aug. 4-15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and will be held at Temple Beth Torah

a chrome shift knob valued at $250, a Kenwood amplifier valued at $900, a Kenwood radio valued at $700 and leather front and rear seats valued at $1,500. Investigators determined that the thief or thieves had slipped a door lock to gain entry to the vehicle. Attempts to gather fingerprint evidence were unsuccessful.

MAY 5 — A Wellington man was arrested for resisting arrest and assault on a law enforcement officer at the Palm Beach Polo & Country Club on Monday evening. According to a PBSO report, a deputy approached 25-year-old Onessimo Perez on suspicion that Perez was involved in the burglary of a construction site. The deputy reported that when he attempted to place Perez in handcuffs, the suspect pulled away and at one point grabbed the deputy’s legs in an attempt to take him off his feet. Perez was taken to the county jail.

som Road Canal and Collecting Canal Road boundaries, there is a three-foot drop in those water levels within 50 feet, he said.

“The seepage is a huge loss during periods of drought,” he said. We’re kind of elevated. I would surmise that 80 years ago Loxahatchee Groves was chosen because it is higher ground and was easier to use for growing.”

Saunier said he has heard several ideas for water conservation and has not yet found any to be plausible, but is still anxious to listen.

“A joint partnership might be the key to all concerned,” he said, adding that currently the C51 Canal west of State Road 7 redirects runoff west to the stormwater treatment areas and

such as the design of the roof, windows, porches and other elements. Autrey said he was concerned about residents looking at the back of the property, and asked whether proper screening and buffering would be provided. Kuoppola said there would. Autrey, an avid equestrian, also asked if there could be consideration to widen the proposed horse trail to 10 to 12 feet instead of the five feet proposed.

Both Autrey and Lipp asked that a wood-based sign be used instead of a brick one because it

(900 Big Blue Trace, Wellington).

The acting segments will be taught by a Juilliard School graduate David Case. Singer Kate Gurney, who has 20 years performing experience, will teach vocals, and popular local dance instructor Rocky Duvall will teach dance. Children will be on stage each day, and camp will culminate with a performance.

The cost is $400 per child. There is a 10 percent sibling discount. A $150 deposit is due at time of registration with the balance due by July 1. For more information, call Sharon at (561) 253-6030.

The Jewish Community Center of the Greater Palm Beaches strengthens and enriches Jewish families, individuals, and the community at large through excellent cultural, health, educational, and social programs and services that emphasize Jewish values, build Jewish identity, and create deeper connections with the community, enhancing the quality of life for all. For more information, visit www. jcconline.com.

FSO To Host Memorial Day Service

Forgotten Soldiers Outreach and Palm Beach Memorial Park invite the public to attend the third annual memorial day service “A Day to Remember,” honoring veterans past and present on Monday, May 26. The service will take place from 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This year the organizers are honored to have keynote speak-

Letters

continued from page 4 ty. People of this community need to wake up and start helping one another. We have people who are losing their homes (not to mention businesses) because you use tradesmen or companies from out of our community.

I know a man, as many of you do, who had a business that has dropped off to nothing, leaving him to work at a local restaurant, thus taking away a summer job your son or daughter would have had. He made signs for a living. Look around, there is no shortage of signs — everyone

has connection to the L-8 Tieback Canal, which runs past the rock pits.

Erickson said he met several weeks ago with Koons, County Water Utilities Director Bevin Beaudet, County Resources Manager Ken Todd and ITID Engineer Jay Foy about working together to find a solution for water resources. “With Loxahatchee Groves adjoining Indian Trail Improvement District, there are options to be looked at,” he said.

er Lt. JG Harold Shugar (USN Retired), WWII veteran and veteran of Israel’s war of independence, give the Memorial Day address. The master of ceremonies will be Bob Nichols, a 33year veteran broadcaster, auctioneer, commercial talent, respected motivational speaker and chairman of the board of Forgotten Soldiers Outreach. Our program will also include other honorary guest speakers, including an FSO recipient who recently returned back to the States, as well as the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard, West Palm Beach Fire Department Honor Guard, Boy Scout Troop 160 from Wellington, Boy Scouts Pack 241 from Lantana and more.

There will also be wreath presentations by local organizations and individuals, as well as a special presentation of the Wreath of Honor, a dove release and patriotic music by Lou Galterio. Complimentary food and beverages will be offered following the service.

“We welcome the public, local dignitaries and honorary guest speakers and applaud Palm Beach Memorial Park for partnering with Forgotten Soldiers Outreach again for such an important event to acknowledge our veterans past and present, especially at such a time as this,” Forgotten Soldiers Outreach executive director and founder Lynelle Chauncey-Zelnar said. Palm Beach Memorial Park is located at 3691 Seacrest Blvd. in Lantana. For more information about Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, a charitable organization registered with the state, visit www.forgottensoldiers.org or call (561) 369-2933.

has one. What do you do for a living, and how long before you are like the employees who worked for my wife or the man making signs?

It’s too late for LT’s Sports Shop, but my wife and I want to thank all our old friends who stood behind Lori and did not abandon her in her time of need, and thanks to all of you we have met. We hope that we have blessed your lives as much as you have ours. We may be down for now, but we will trust in God, for we are not out.

Roy Morgan The Acreage

“One discussion is to increase capacity of our storage and possibly supply to utilities that would otherwise go to tide,” Erickson said, adding that it would require rethinking Indian Trail’s mindset toward drainage, rather than retention.

“It takes very little to treat it and turn it into potable water,” he said. “We absolutely want to work with our neighbors. These are different times. Maybe there are other solutions that are more cost-effective.”

With Indian Trail seeking to address drainage issues and less concerned than Loxahatchee Groves about water retention, Erickson said a possible option might be to store stormwater from The Acreage at the rock pits and retrieve it during drought. The existing pits hold about 15 billion gallons, he said. The Acreage also has its own 770-acre water impoundment, which is about three-quarters the capacity of the existing rock pits.

might be a better rural fit. Autrey complimented Miller and Kuoppola on the design and plans for the building and said he thought it would be a good fit for the community.

Herzog suggested that there be porch coverings on all the doorways for the building, and that the porch coverings should include the front three doorways. After some further questions, Herzog made a motion for approval, which was seconded by Autrey. It passed 4-0.

In other business, the council approved an ordinance allowing a density of one unit per five

acres in areas of the town that have until now been designated at one unit per ten acres. Town Attorney David Tolces and Town Clerk Matt Lippman noted that a representative of Callery-Judge Grove had submitted a letter objecting to the change. Council members expressed support for the amendment, but asked that the objection be incorporated into the public record. There would be an appeal process for the proposed amendment, Mayor David Browning said, but once the appeal period expires, the amendment would be adopted.

Supervisor of Elections

Dr. Arthur Anderson addresses the crowd.

Environmental activist Rosa Durando asks questions of the candidates.

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LITTLE SMILES HOSTS VIP RECEPTION AND AUCTION AT THE PLAYERS CLUB

In anticipation of the Chili’s Charity Golf Classic at Bear Lakes Country Club held earlier this week, Little Smiles hosted a VIP reception and auction on Saturday, May 3 at the Players Club restaurant in Wellington. Little Smiles is a non-profit charitable organization that strives to fulfill the needs for children in local hospitals, hospices and shelters with toys, games, videos, computers and more. For more info., visit www.littlesmiles.org.

Jeff Dever, Mark Plaxen, Lani Dever and Michael Nadeau.

Laura and Lou Penta, Bernie Madsen, and Michela Perillo-Green.

Janixx Parisi with Michela Perillo-Green and Laura Jaffe.

Little Smiles volunteers gather for a group photo.

Laura Sims and Beth Burke.

Scott Anderson and Paul Donahue of Little Smiles with scholarship winners Keith Acquino and Katy Haddon.

Bob and Karen Cavanagh with Debbie and Mark Plaxen.

Chip Donahue and Little Smiles President Scott Anderson.

Amber Schneider, Kathy Gerardo and Steve Grandizo.

Players Club owner Neil Hirsch with Bruce Sutka and Samson.

(Above) The Binks Forest Elementary chorus directed by Karen LeFrance. (Left) Darlene Curti and Maxine Russell of Bank United.

Landscapers Eve Bucwinski and Marc Cots.

Celeste and Amy Dale.

Lauren Myerson has

Stevens of Poinciana Day School with Zoe Stephens.

Carolyn Silbey buys 100-year-old Russian silver napkin rings from Ina Gordon.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Louise Linck from The Acreage with jewelry for sale.

Mary Lou Plant of the Fine Lion with a chalk drawing by M.A. Post.

While The World Isn’t Flat, The Best Parts Of My World Are

Maybe I’ve been reading too many home-improvement books, or too many self-improvement books or maybe I simply ate a bad raisin before bedtime, but I woke up this morning pondering heavily what I value in life and the answer “surfaces” came up.

Relax, Mark, I still love you. And kids, you’re still in the will. I will also continue to baby-sit the granddog — he’s nice, too. But just stop and think for a moment what we’d do without a foyer table to throw our keys onto, a kitchen counter ready to accept a glass of milk when the phone rings or a soft downy sofa upon which to plop.

Deborah Welky is The Sonic BOOMER

Until I thought about it, I was taking these things for granted! Now, I’m ready to write a poem about them. I look around me and all my most important stuff is sitting on a surface, beginning with my own derriere. All my crucial work is spread out before me on the desk, my upcoming assignments on a nearby fold-up table and hopeful (but distant) craft projects on a drafting table in front of the window. Outgoing mail is in a wire bin on top of the file cabinet, and my fax and printer each have their own little stands on which to perch. In the kitchen, conveniently tall cabinets are topped with a broad counter that supports the coffeemaker, the toaster, the salt and pepper shakers — all while providing a spacious work surface in case I get the urge to roll out a pie crust. A bar of soap, a tube of toothpaste and a little

jar of cotton balls repose on bathroom vanity tops. That’s not stuff you want lying around on the floor.

When I think about it further, I realize that’s the real drag about moving. The lifting of heavy objects is a strain, of course, but that would be bearable if you didn’t have to open 12 boxes to find the coffeemaker. It’s sitting on the tile with a Styrofoam cup of 7-Eleven coffee that makes it so irritating.

And take a look at your kids’ rooms. All that stuff on the floor! Those blankets should be on the bed! That homework should be on the desk! Those toys should be on the shelves!

Ahhhhh, shelves — the repository for everything we want to see or have others see. All our coolest stuff is proudly displayed up there — trophies, family photos, travel souvenirs. Need a book to read? Take a gander. Good ol’ shelves show you what you’ve already read as well as what’s in store. Taking things a bit further, just

imagine the library without shelves! Now there’s a scary thought. (“You want something about gardening, sir? The G pile is over there on the left, just past F. There might be some Hs mixed in, though. People get careless when they ‘reshelve.’”) Next time you’re at Lowe’s, imagine it without shelves. Now imagine trying to find a half-inch screw in there. Or go to a shelfless Office Depot and start searching for thumbtacks. Ouch! Have some time to relax? Well, then, where’s your TV remote? Stuffed between the couch cushions? On the end table? On top the TV itself? It’s probably not on the floor, that’s all I’m saying. And floors — glorious floors — the most unsung surface of all! Just try to find your gardening books or your thumbtacks with grass growing up through the piles! It’s a horrifying thought! OK, that’s it. I think you understand where I’m coming from. And I’ve learned an important lesson, too — no more raisins before bed.

‘Iron Man’ An Entertaining Start To The Summer Movie Season

The summer “big movie” season has finally arrived with Iron Man. Of course, all of us recognize how well our moviemakers follow the traditions of early religious cults that see nothing of much value growing until the warmth of late spring brings out the bloom of the movies. Iron Man, which opened this past weekend, is the first of the big movies. For those who are not comic book fans, the character came out of Marvel Comics during its 1960s golden era. The lead character does not have special powers like Spider-Man, the leading man among Marvel heroes, therefore making him more realistic.

The filmmakers made the film really work by casting Robert Downey Jr. to play Tony Stark, the man who becomes Iron Man. Downey can play quirky and smart while being a wise guy. Downey is one of our best actors, more than a bit nuts but extraordinarily talented.

‘I’ On

CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler

movies any more are American businessmen. Why can’t the bad guy who wants to rule the world be a college professor or a journalist?

untoward happens, but they think about it. That alone makes it different from most of what we now have to watch.

Having undergone an appropriate epiphany, Stark decides he wants to stop making weapons of war, which brings forward the real villain of the piece, his second-in-command Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges). This aspect of the film becomes a bit of a bore. The only supervillains around in

In Iron Man Downey does it all. He’s a wild character, a mix of Howard Hughes, Daddy Warbucks and Hugh Hefner, who is captured by terrorists in Afghanistan and told he must build a super-missile for them. Instead, he builds the prototype of the iron suit and uses it to escape his captors.

The climax of Iron Man, unfortunately, resembles a not-quite-as-good version of last year’s Transformers as Stark and Stane suit up in iron and fight. The problem is that you know who is going to win; the special effects are not all that special, and the only real question is how will the good guy win? The movie took in over $100 million in its first weekend and rumors of a sequel have been confirmed.

But the movie is still fun, a nice diversion. Bridges is appropriately evil, Terrence Howard is wasted and Gwyneth Paltrow gets a few good lines. Since all of them, as well as Downey, have been at least nominated for Oscars, they do well in parts that hardly challenge them. Paltrow, looking prettier than I’ve ever seen her, plays Stark’s long-suffering secretary Pepper Potts. I liked the flirting scenes she did with Downey. Nothing

Superhero movies are popular because audiences enjoy the idea that good wins out in the end. In a world with a lot of shades of gray, the good-beating-evil pattern is always popular for entertainment purposes. Iron Man, as well as a lot of the new comic book superheroes, is subtler than the older models. Stark’s company does make weaponry, and he does go through a change. However, the film also shows the care the U.S. military takes about acting tough when it might be criticized.

So they are not really bad guys. Now if we could only put down those evil capitalists. Of course, countries that did that soon learned the pleasures of almost universal deprivation, except for those in power, who live like kings. And some of my readers really think I’m not subtle…

These Days I’m Wondering How Much Worse Things Can Get

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by “only” a quarter of one percent last week. It was the seventh rate cut by the Fed in the last eight months. For some strange reason the government thinks these cuts will help stimulate the economy and encourage folks to start spending their hard-earned money. To some degree they may be correct. But in a lot of cases they are dead wrong.

Most seniors in this country, especially those living in Florida, depend on the interest from their bank accounts to help make ends meet. The current two percent interest on their life savings just isn’t going to cut it for these folks. Most seniors live on fixed incomes. So when prices go up on items they need to survive, such as food and medicine, they must make some very important decisions as to what to buy. Every day more seniors are being forced to make these decisions. Have you noticed some of our seniors in the dog food aisle of the supermarket?

Wondering & Wandering

By Ernie Zimmerman

Gas at $4 a gallon is just around the corner.

Many of us were hoping we would never see the day. If things keep going the way they are, five or six bucks is what we may be paying by Christmas. Some of our so-called leaders in the federal government want to suspend the federal gas tax for the summer. Some state leaders want to do the same. It is very strange I don’t hear one word from our county leaders. Six of the 12 cents per gallon

we pay the county goes to support Tri Rail, which very few western residents use. How come local leaders aren’t listening to the federal and state governments? If all three levels of government suspend their gas taxes for the summer, it could put a couple hundred dollars in each driver’s pocket. It may even lower some food prices at the same time.

Our senior citizens are very nervous. Some of them can recall the Great Depression that occurred during their youth. And for those who don’t remember, they had their parents to remind them throughout their life. Times were very hard then, and times are getting very hard now.

Every day there are more empty stores in shopping centers, restaurants aren’t as crowded as they usually are, people are not paying their car insurance payments on time (that is why you see so many unregistered cars driving around) and a lot of folks are very far behind in their car payments.

Every day my mailbox is full of ads from mer-

chants just begging us to set foot in their stores. Some big-name chains have already announced they are going out of business, and there are rumors of more to follow. Other chains are closing some stores and laying off workers, and others are lowering prices and putting off opening new stores. Air and cruise lines are either raising their prices or putting a gas charge in their ticket prices. Some airlines didn’t bother to do that, and decided to go out of business. We look to our leaders in Washington to get us out of this mess, but they keep saying, “what mess?” Well, by the time 2009 rolls around we will get some new blood in the White House. In all my years I have never seen things this bad. I don’t think it can get much worse. Trust me, it will get better — I think we are just about at the bottom of the barrel now. The big question is, which person running for the White House will lead us out?

and

The Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club held its annual

Madison Green. This year’s event was

County Fire-Rescue, who was the

rant in March. Vazquez’s wife Michele,

check.

Get ‘Locked Up’ For Muscular Dystrophy Research

On Thursday, May 22, Buca di Beppo restaurant and the Muscular Dystrophy Association will hold its annual “Behind Bars for Good” lockup, between the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Community leaders, business owners and executives will be escorted to Buca di Beppo’s Wellington restaurant,

where they will have their mugshots taken and will be “thrown in jail.” The volunteer “jailbirds” will call their friends, family and associates to raise their “bail money” that will benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The event is part of the MDA’s yearlong fundraising efforts that culminates with the

nationally televised Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon. The Muscular Dystrophy Association provides assistance with the purchase and repair of wheelchairs and leg braces, provides MDA clinic services at no charge, support groups, a week-long summer camp for the children ages six to 21, and gives hope for tomorrow

through MDA-funded research.

Buca di Beppo is located at 2025 Wellington Green Drive, just off Forest Hill Blvd. near the Mall at Wellington Green. For more information about the Muscular Dystrophy Association, call (561) 742-3748 or visit the MDA web site at www.mda.org.

Scott

Mike Armand get ready to golf.

Rotarian Catherine Engel with Michele Vazquez and Jeff Leed of sponsor Al Packer Ford West.

Catherine Engel of RPB Rotary, Geoff Mills of Republic Service, Royal Palm Beach Councilman David Swift and David Unversaw of Republic Services.

Golf tourney second-place winners Terri Wescott, Kip Pelham, Barry Davis and Tom Schlechter.

Golf tourney first-place winners Marlon Gisi, Scott Armand, Shaun Day and Glenn Wescott.

Links at Madison Green General Manager Richard LeConche, Catherine Engel and putting contest winner Mark Molsbee.

PBCFR Battalion Chief Nigel Baker with Michele Vazquez.

• CASPEREY STABLES HORSE CAMP — Casperey Stables is a small, funfilled day camp for children ages seven to 14. With four riding opportunities each day, arts & crafts and outdoor games, our campers find little time to be bored. Our low counselor/child ratio ensures your child will receive individual attention. There are camp sessions for spring and winter school breaks, and during the summer, each two-week session has a theme, such as Indian Days, Circus Days and Medieval Days. We have a weekly swim party and end each session with a horse show and family barbecue. Call soon — this small, quality program fills quickly! To learn more about our camp, located at 2330 D Road in Loxahatchee Groves, call us at (561) 7924990 or visit www.caspereystables.com.

• RAVENWOOD RIDING ACADEMY — Ravenwood Riding Academy has been located in Wellington for 20 years. Proprietor and instructor Judie Jenner has been professionally involved with horses for over 30 years. Learn to ride at Camp Giddy-Up! Meet new friends and have fun all summer long learning about horses. The summer program consists of weekly sessions from June through August for children six years and up, with a focus on fun, and an emphasis on safety. Lessons daily, groups are limited to 10 to 12 campers per week and grouped by skill level. All riding equipment and safety stirrups are provided. The program features demonstrations with veterinarians, blacksmiths and equine dentists. Call (561) 793-4109 to register today. Hurry, sessions fill up quickly.

• VILLARI’S SUMMER CAMP — For the first time in 25 years, Villari’s of Wellington is pleased to announce a full-day, nine-week summer camp. After years of research and preparation, we have decided it is time to offer a camp tailored to developing the mental as well as physical skills of your child. Through stretching, strengthening and balancing the bodies and minds of our children, we open a world less intimidating, more interesting and less confusing to them. Let your child experience a summer full of fun, fitness and friends. Call (561) 792-1100 for more info.

• THE LEARNING FOUNDATION OF FLORIDA — The Learning Foundation is a private school, including elementary, middle and high school. We pride ourselves on the personal commitment and attention offered to every child. Our students’ individual educational needs are first — “one to one can make the difference.” McKay and Pride scholarships are accepted. Grade forgiveness and/or acceleration is available for grades nine through 12. Join us for elementary and middle school summer academic camp beginning June 17 for elementary grades and July 8 for high school grades. For more information, call director Debra Thornby at (561) 795-6886.

• DREAM BELIEVER STABLES — Enjoy a summer filled with horses at Dream Believer Stables! Learn how to groom, tack and of course ride. Each day has a lesson for campers to learn safety and control of horses. After lunch, we have a fun ride with games or bareback. Space is limited; only 12 campers per week starting May 26 through August; homeschoolers welcome. Camp is for ages five through 16. Call Andrea at (561) 289-8515 for more info.

• OKEEHEELEE / PARK RIDGE / JOHN PRINCE SUMMER GOLF CAMPS

— Learn the basics of the golf swing and beyond: putting, chipping, pitching and more; personal swing tendencies and swing drills for improvement; on course laying etiquette and strategies; and sound etiquette and knowledge of the basic rules of golf. Okeeheelee camp dates: June 10-13, June 17-20, June 24-27, July 8-11, July 15-18, July 22-25 and Aug. 5-8. Park Ridge camp dates: June 17-20, July 8-11, July 22-25, July 29-Aug. 1, and Aug. 5-8. John Prince Park camp dates: June 10-13, June 24-27, June 30-July 3, July 1518 and July 29-Aug. 1. For complete information, call Michele Berger at (561) 964-4653, ext. 107.

• XTREME TAE KWON DO SUMMER CAMP Join us again for a funfilled summer camp for children ages four to 14. We offer physical and mental fitness and ways to improve your child’s balance and coordination while learning self defense. We also enjoy arts and crafts, and field trips to movies and gymnastics. Come and experience the best summer camp in the west. Two sessions will be offered: Session I from June 9 to June 20 and Session II from July 7 to July 18. Register before the end of April and receive an Xtreme T-shirt. Space is limited; register today. Instructor is child CPR and heartsaver AED certified. Located at 12799 W.Forest Hill Blvd. inside Ultima Fitness. Call (561) 795-2823 for more information.

• FUTURE STARS BASKETBALL CAMP Held in the Palm Beach Central High School gymnasium, Future Stars is a fun and instructional basketball camp for boys and girls ages six to 17 of all ability levels featuring basketball drills, competitions and games. Campers are grouped by age and ability. All campers will receive a camp T-shirt. Awards will be presented the last afternoon of camp for team winners, competition winners and special recognition. The instructional staff is comprised of high school coaches who are teachers. Lunch may be bought or brought. There will be three weekly session available running from June 16 through July 3. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.Call (561) 400-3397 for camp information and registration.

• ARMORY ART CENTER GET CREATIVE SUMMER ART CAMP Jump Start for ages five to seven; Adventures in Art for ages eight to 11; and Studio Art Shops for teens (middle and high school students). An adventure in the visual arts for your young artist! Six sessions starting June 9. The center is located at 1700 Parker Ave., West Palm Beach. For more info., call (561) 832-1776 or visit www.armoryart.org.

• TUTORING CLUB OF WELLINGTON Tutoring Club of Wellington can make a difference! Tutoring Club helps students become more knowledgeable and successful in school. Our educational programs help students raise test scores, grades and attitudes toward education. We offer a well-rounded process that is proven to work well not only with students, but also with parents, teachers and the community. Helping students take a triumphant step in their educational future is our number-one goal. Summer camp registration is June 2 and June 12. For more information, call directors Gale Nelson and Jeff Santoloci at Tutoring Club of Wellington at (561) 784-4434.

• IBIS FARM Now located in Little Ranches, Wellington Summer Camp at Ibis Farm starts July 7 for ages six and up. Instructors and owners Lauren Briggs, Monique Loehrer and Melody Shapiro have over 30 years in the industry and are on the “A” Circuit. Its a great way for kids to get involved with animals and meet new friends! Daily riding, horsemanship, arts & crafts, games and a horse show every Friday afternoon. Camps run from Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring lunch and plenty of drinks. Call (561) 616-7246 for more information.

TOWN-CRIER SPORTS & RECREATION

Wolverines End Baseball Season With 2-0 Loss To Park Vista

By Paul Gaba Town-Crier Staff Report

The Wellington High School boys varsity baseball team had the home-field advantage and the knowledge of having handed Park Vista its only loss on the diamond this year. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, these intangibles were not enough as Park Vista scratched together a pair of fourth-inning runs to end Wellington’s playoff run last Friday in the regional semifinals. The Cobras’ 2-0 victory propelled Park Vista (281) into the best-of-three Class 6A regional final this Friday against Pembroke Pines-Flanagan.

“It was the type of game most expected — low scoring, very strong pitching and defense both ways,” Wellington Coach Scott Riddle said after the season-ending defeat. “It was not a disappointing loss, because I feel we played about as well as we were capable. It came down to two clutch Park Vista hits and none for us. We had opportunities, but didn’t get it done.” Wellington (23-7) had defeated Park Vista 6-0 in the

second game of the season. But Cobras starter Eric Rice kept the Wolverine bats in check throughout the evening last Friday, and Park Vista manufactured just enough offense to back his effort.

All the scoring took place in the fourth inning. Kamm Washington singled, stole second and scored on a double by Chris Matulis, just beating the tag by catcher Davey Cheatham. Matulis later scored on an Alex Saikal single.

Wellington’s biggest chance came in the bottom of the sixth, when Rice walked Wellington’s 3-4 hitters Lee Reumann and Evan Stermer with two outs. But Rice struck out Nick Ferraresi on a 3-2 curveball to end the opportunity.

“Next year it looks like we’ll be very competitive in our district again, although we need to replace five senior pitchers who kept us in every game this year,” Riddle said. “January is a long way off, and the kids are off to play their summer ball, so they’ll be bigger and better when we get them back. Only 250 days until tryouts.”

a young team. The Wolverines involved in the playoffs were (L-R) freshman Ben Aqua (normally number six but stepped in to play at the number-one position when Corey Wagshol was injured), junior Stephen Bender (regional champion, number two), freshman Travis

three), Coach Israel, freshman Ben Montoya (number four) and junior Sean Dargan (number five).

The “Our Kids World” show took place at the Americraft Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27. Children participated in hands-on educational activities, were entertained at two stages, met their favorite sports mascots and television characters (such as the Palm Beach Cardinals mascot Robbie the Redbird and Smokey Bear), and bounced in the Fun Zone inflatables. Visit www.adayforkids.com for more info.

Wellington’s Lee Reumann takes a swing.

Wellington coaches Scott Riddle (9) and Keith Lay (16) watch pitcher John Brebbia on the mound.

Park Vista’s Kamm Washington scores the first run, narrowly beating the tag by WHS catcher Davey Cheatham.

Wellington’s Brandon King successfully avoids being picked off while Park Vista’s Chris Matulis awaits the throw.

Wellington’s Brandon King lays down a bunt.

The Wellington High School boys tennis team finished its season with a 13-5 record. After defeating District 7 champions Eau Gallie in the regional semifinals, the Wolverines advanced to the regional championship, where they lost to Jupiter. Coach Bruce Israel said it was the best year he’s seen in his nine years coaching at Wellington — quite an accomplishment for such

Michaud (number

Florida Watermelon Queen 2008 Kaley Harper with Isabella Isaacson and her mom Briann.

Jennifer Ross of 97.9 WRMF reads a Strawberry Shortcake story to the kids.

Caitlin Whitenton, Rickie Moore and Christopher Whitenton of Wellington with a goat from the petting zoo.

Kenny Berziel with Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Lt. Dan Seager.

Palm Beach Zoo education specialist Kelly Miller with Maria the porcupine.

Hallie Keyser gets a pony ride on Dallas with help from Robin Dietrich.

Cookie-stacking contest winner Cody Hull receives his prize from Albertsons manager Bob Cassano.

Robbie the Redbird with Brandon Reyes of RPB.

Dora and Diego with Stephanie and Millie Acosta.

Smokey Bear draws a crowd of young admirers.

Jennifer Lambert and Cody Hull compete in the cookie stack-off.

ACREAGE BASEBALL

ENJOYS

Acreage Baseball recently held its Florida Marlins Family Fun Day. A total of 161 people attended a fun-filled day of baseball, barbecue and prizes. Kyle Burton was the big prize winner, winning four tickets to a future Marlins game and batting practice with the players. Acreage Baseball will hold its final division games this Saturday. The Bash Tournament will begin Monday, May 12. The league is currently registering for the fall baseball season and the inaugural Baseball Summer Camp hosted by Seminole Ridge High School coach Trent Pendergast. For more information, call (561) 784-0270.

Wave Soccer Boys Win In Sarasota

The Wellington Wave U-18 boys soccer premier team advanced into the Florida State Cup Final Four round by winning two games in the Round of 16 in Sarasota April 26-27. The U-18 boys defeated the Kendall Soccer Coalition on Saturday, April 26 by a score of 2-1 in double overtime.

After falling behind 1-0 early in the game, Alvaro Romo tied the game with a penalty kick late in the first half. Through the remaining part of the first half, all of the second half and throughout the two ten-minute overtime sessions, the U-18 boys team pressed for the winning goal. With 30 seconds remaining in the second overtime, Patrick Biggs scored the game winner with a low hard shot into the lower left corner of the goal, eluding the Kendall goalie.

In the Elite Eight game on Sunday, April 27, the U-18 boys defeated First Coast Kyx 2-1 in double overtime. The boys were trailing 1-0 after giving up a goal early in the second half. The

team continued to mount offensive pressure, and with 14 minutes remaining in regulation time, Ryan Contreras scored the equalizer with a shot to the lower left corner of the goal.

Both teams pressed for the winning goal, but regulation time ended. In the fourth minute of the first overtime session, Richard Dixon scored the eventual game winner, getting past the Kyx goalie with a low shot into the right corner of the goal, sending the boys to Pensacola for the Final Four Championship round the weekend of May 17.

The U-18 boys team is coached by Carlos Menendez and managed by Pete Lillo. Team members include Contreras, Dixon, Biggs, Romo, Nico DeArmas, Marcus Dilallo, Thomas Ferguson, Ryan German, Jake Hirst, Houston Lillo, Aaron Macri, Fred Menor, Justin Noe, Richard Sasiain, Andy Simcox, Nirvan Mahabir and Sean Wotring. The team is fundraising to help offset expenses for the upcoming trip to Pensacola and is looking for sponsors. For more information, call Pete Lillo at (561) 452-7436 or e-mail Pete at lillop@bellsouth.net.

MARLINS FAMILY FUN DAY

AYSO Fall Registration

June 7

The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) Region 345, a non-competitive recreational youth soccer league, invites girls and boys between the ages of four and 18 (by July 31) to sign up to play soccer in the fall 2008 season, which runs Aug. 18 through Nov. 15. Both new and experienced players are welcome. The registration fee is $85 per child. The cost includes a basic uniform (shirt, shorts, socks), a trophy at the end of the season, insurance and a subscription to Playsoccer magazine. Players must bring a birth certificate and be accompanied by a parent to be registered. Registration will be held Saturday, June 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the AYSO activity building at the Okeeheelee Park soccer fields (7715 Forest Hill Blvd). For more information, call (561) 642-5449, e-mail region 345@aol.com or visit www. ayso345.com.

The AYSO is also looking

for volunteer referees and coaches for the fall season. A coaching clinic will be held Saturday, May 10 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no cost to attend the clinic, and it’s a great way to earn community service hours. For more information, call Rolf Born at (561) 714-4005 or e-mail rolf@jamrenterprises.com. A regional referee clinic will take place Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, contact Frank Petrone at (561) 967-8251 or fplsoccer @aol.com.

“As an all-volunteer organization, we are proud to be able to help children learn good sportsmanship, have fun and be a part of something special,” Region 345 Commissioner Rose Arsenault said. “Our league has enacted an AYSO kids zone, which enable us to have a safe, fun and fair non-competitive youth soccer league. We expect to have over 120 teams this year, so it is best to register early because teams will fill up fast. New coaches are being trained now, and we will be limiting the amount of children to register in regard to how many coaches we have.”

JAFCO Hosting Round Robin Tournament In Wellington

The Wellington Chapter of Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options (JAFCO) will host its Second Annual Women’s Doubles Round Robin on Thursday, May 15 at the Wellington Tennis Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Sign-in and warm-up starts at 9 a.m. with the first round beginning at 10 a.m. Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $50 per person and includes two hours of tennis and lunch. Space is limited to 40 players. For more information, call Caryn Jacquish (561) 472-

4012 or Missy Wortman (561) 512-3599.

JAFCO is a nonprofit child welfare agency currently serving 350 abused and neglected children in South Florida. JAFCO programs include Family Preservation, Foster Care and Adoptive Services and the JAFCO Children’s Village, which provides shelter for 50 children with a 24-hour emergency shelter and six residential group homes for children from Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. For more info., visit www.jafco.org.

Young ATV Riders Must Take Course

Florida Agriculture & Consumer Services Commissioner

Charles Bronson recently announced that a new state law taking effect July 1 requires anyone under age 16 who operates an off-highway vehicle (OHV) on public lands to complete an approved OHV safety course in Florida or another jurisdiction, and have the certificate in their possession.

“This is a very important piece of legislation and is geared for the protection of our young people,” Bronson said. “The popularity of riding ATVs and off-highway motorcycles has steadily grown among our youth in Florida, and hopefully this law will reduce the number of accidents and fatalities that occur each year.”

A study conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Com-

mission reported that in 2006, there were 555 fatalities in the United States from ATV riding alone. The number of fatalities of children under the age of 16 was 111 (20 percent).

The law was passed by the Florida Legislature in 2007, but it gave young riders a year to get into compliance with the training requirement. The state has adopted two nationwide programs, the ATV Safety Institute and the Dirt Bike School, as the premier training curriculum for youth under the age of 16 to take in order to legally ride on public lands, Bronson said. For more information, visit www.floridaohv.org. At this site citizens can find updated information on where to legally ride in Florida and how youths can register to take the required OHV training.

T-ball coaches Clint Berryhill and Bryan Robbins.

Acreage ball players wait for the air-conditioned bus.

Jacob Lojewski and J. Carnicella in the outfield.

Tom Burton, Anthony Schutzer, Kolby Ward, Joe Arcuri, Giana Schutzer and Joe Prieto enjoy the tailgate party.

COMMUNIT Y CALENDAR

Saturday, May 10

• The Race for the Arts Celebration of Young Artists will be held Saturday, May 10 at the Meyer Amphitheater in downtown West Palm Beach. This event is designed to showcase the fine arts opportunities for students in Palm Beach County and help support the programs. Registration starts at 6 a.m. with wheelchairs off at 7:40 a.m. and runners, racewalkers and walkers off at 7:45 a.m. For more info., call (561) 968-8031 or (561) 329-9455, or visit www.raceforthearts.

org.

• A Spring Cleaning Garage

Sale will be held at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.) on Saturday, May 10 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Individuals will offer garage sale items, toys, clothing, furniture, books, videos and music. Spaces are available for $60 to $80. Admission is $2. For more info., call (561) 7930333.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “Mothers Are Special” on Saturday, May 10 at 10:30 a.m. Children ages five and up can get together to read a book and make a special gift just for mom. To pre-register, call (561) 790-6030.

• The Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) and the Village of Royal Palm Beach will present Cultural Diversity Day on Saturday, May 10 from noon to 7 p.m. at Veterans Park in RPB (corner of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. and Sparrow Drive). For more information, or to register for a display booth, call Elet Cyris at (561) 791-9087 or Sheryl Sawyer at (561) 7905149.

• Israel is celebrating its 60th birthday, and as part of the celebration, Temple Beth Zion (129 Sparrow Drive in Royal Palm Beach) is hosting its popular Synaplex Sabbath observance on Saturday, May 10. Activities will start at 9:30 a.m. and continue through the early afternoon. For more info., call Dianne at (561) 798-8888 or visit the temple’s web site at www.templebethzion.net.

Monday, May 12

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Baby Story Time” on Mondays, May 12 and 19 at 10:15 a.m. for newborns through eight months and 11:15 a.m. for ages nine to 12 months. Baby will love the rhymes, finger plays, songs, books and toys. To pre-register, call (561) 790-6070.

Tuesday, May 13

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Detailing Dragons” on Tuesday, May 13 at 3:30 p.m. Children ages nine through 12 will let their imaginations soar by drawing dragons. To pre-register, call (561) 790-6070.

• The Wellington Art Society will hold its annual dinner Tuesday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Grill and Pub at Madison Green (2001 Crestwood Blvd. North, Royal Palm Beach). For more info., contact Adrianne Hetherington at tilemaker@aol.com or (561) 784-7561, or Karen Knight at artforum9@aol.com, (561) 798-3240 or (561) 352-4075.

• The Royal Playhouse will hold auditions for its summer children’s show on Tuesday, May 13 at 7 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way). Auditions are for age 10 and up, including adults. For more information, call (561) 3015404.

Wednesday, May 14

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “Power of a Positive Attitude” for adults Wednesday, May 14 at 2 p.m. Kim Daughtry of Hospice of Palm Beach County will present a seminar that will help participants learn how to adjust their attitude and take charge of their life. To pre-register, call (561) 790-6030.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host Socrates Café: A Nationwide Dialogue on Wednesday, May 14 at 6 p.m. for adults. Marji Chapman of the Society for Philosophical Inquiry will lead a thoughtful discussion on a variety of subjects. To preregister, call (561) 790-6070. Thursday, May 15

• The Wellington branch of the Jewish Community Center of the Palm Beaches (13889 Wellington Trace, Suite A-15) will offer Adult/Child Red Cross CPR Certification by Red Cross instructors on Thursday, May 15 from 6 to 10 p.m. The cost is $60. For more info., call Sharon at (561) 2536030.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will

host an evening of “Great and Terrible Beauty” on Thursday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m. Teens will discuss the Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle trilogy, make some beauty products and learn how to create temporary Mehndi body art. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. Friday, May 16

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Choosing the Right Location for Your Business” on Friday, May 16 at 2 p.m. for adults. Realtor Howard Klahr of Florida Atlantic University’s Small Business Development Center will talk about finding the ideal site for a business and give an overview of the leasing process. To pre-register, call (561) 790-6070.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Making Toothpaste” on Friday, May 16 at 2:45 p.m. Children ages seven and older will learn how to make their own toothpaste. To pre-register, call (561) 790-6070.

• Buckler’s Craft Show will be held at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.) Friday through Sunday, May 16-18. Craftspeople from across the nation will be exhibiting and selling a wide variety of items. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults and free for children. For more info., call (561) 793-0333.

Saturday, May 17

• Everyone is invited to help Build-A-Bear Workshop in the Mall at Wellington Green stuff puppies beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 17. The first 150 guests at the workshop store are invited to participate in “Stuffed with Hugs: Your Gift, Your Choice” and make a white fluffy puppy for free that will be donated to one of three causes. For more info., call (561) 790-3367.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “Book Fest!” on Saturday, May 17 at 10:30 a.m. Participants ages four and up will celebrate Children’s Book Week with fun tales and activities. To pre-register, call (561) 790-6030.

• The Shulamit chapter of Hadassah will host its second annual silent auction gala “Shulamit Shining Stars” on Saturday, May 17 at the Players Club restaurant (13410 South Shore Blvd., Wellington). Music, dancing, entertainment, food, schmoozing and bidding will highlight the evening. Proceeds will benefit Hadassah’s pursuit of scientific excellence. For more info., call Sue Friedman at (561) 312-8310.

• The Wellington Parks and Recreation Department welcomes you to check out the soothing jazz music of Sound Affects on Saturday, May 17. The free concert starts at 7 p.m. on the front lawn of the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Food and beverages will be available for purchase. For more info., call Dwayne Hetherington at (561) 791-4773. Sunday, May 18

• The Sisterhood of Congregation B’nai Avraham in Wellington will host a free “Israel at 60” celebration Sunday, May 18 at 10 a.m. in the synagogue (12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 6, in the original Wellington Mall). The celebration is free and open to the community. Coffee will be served before the meeting at 9:30 a.m. For more information, call Ella at (561) 6561916.

• The Wellington Warriors 11-U travel baseball team will host a Golf Tournament at the Links at Madison Green in Royal Palm Beach on Sunday, May 18. The event includes contests for putting, longest drive and closest to the pin. Dinner and an awards ceremony will be held after the tournament. The cost is $100 per golfer or $400 per foursome. The tournament begins at noon with a shotgun start. For more info., call Donna Russo at (954) 614-5437 or Julie Hernandez at (561) 512-2715. Monday, May 19

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Pain Relief with Trigger Point Massage” on Monday, May 19 at 7 p.m. for adults. Chiropractor Sabrina Morgen will guide participants through a natural approach to treating many kinds of stress-related pain. Bring a partner for handson practice. To pre-register, call (561) 790-6070. Send calendar items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. FAX: (561) 7936090. E-mail: news@gotown crier.com.

Wellington’s Viso LASIK Medspa Offers A Lifetime Guarantee

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

Immediately upon entering the Viso LASIK Medspa in Wellington, it is obvious that this is no ordinary doctor’s office.

There is no receptionist desk in the suite in the Plaza at Wellington Green. Instead, soft leather chairs are positioned in the center of the reception room, pointing out to wall sculptures, waterfalls and flat-screen television screens playing nature programming.

Dr. Salvatore M. DeCanio Jr. is an ophthalmologist and the co-owner and medical director of Viso LASIK Medspa, formerly the Palm Beach Laser Eye Institute.

“This is what we like to term a European-inspired spa environment,” he said. “You don’t see a reception area or front desk. Everything is geared to make the patient feel comfortable and relaxed.”

Instead of patients checking in with a receptionist, a concierge greets guests with a warm smile and an offer of refreshment.

Beyond the reception area is a relaxation room with additional easy chairs and video screens where the guests and accompanying parties can relax before and after a procedure.

Although Viso LASIK Medspa offers a wide range of treatment including laser hair and vein removal, microdermabrasion and skin rejuvenation, its central focus is laser eye surgery.

LASIK is an acronym for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, a surgical procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea to reduce a patient’s dependency on corrective lenses.

“LASIK is short for a procedure where a flap of corneal tissue is created,” DeCanio explained. “Step two is where you use a laser to re-sculpt the eye. The first step used to be done with a blade. Now it is done with a laser. It’s much, much more precise and safe.”

The procedure room is literally at the center of the suite, surrounded with glass windows showcasing the two laser instruments used to conduct the procedure.

“These are the premier machines in the world,” DeCanio said. “There are only about 50 of these in the country. It takes a significant financial commitment to have this, but the serious laser centers in the world have this combination of technology, which we call dual laser technology.”

Only about 30 percent of LASIK procedures in the country are done with this combination of technology, DeCanio said. Patients are awake, but they can’t feel anything. Topical eye drops are used.

“It’s all painless and very quick,” he said. “They are in the laser suite for 15 minutes max. The reason we like this system is that it is the fastest system in the world by ten times. The more

rapid you can be with the procedure, the more predictable the results.”

The procedure room is kept at 68 degrees and 40 percent humidity 24 hours a day, DeCanio said. “That’s very important because laser centers should have a dedicated system called the Liebert system that controls air quality, humidity and temperature, not just the standard air conditioner,” he said. “What happens during the procedure can have a direct bearing on the patient.”

About 98 percent of people who wear glasses are candidates for the LASIK procedure, DeCanio said. “People have a misconception that if the have astigmatism they can’t have this done, or if they have reading glasses,” he said. “As long as you have a healthy eye and want to have visual freedom, you are a potential candidate. Less than two percent of the time do we disqualify a patient for one reason or another.”

The key to the medspa concept is comfort, DeCanio said. That comfort includes a complimentary massage prior to the procedure by a licensed massage therapist. “Wherever they are, we want them to feel comfortable,” he said.

The center offers a “LASIK 4 Life” guarantee. “What that means is an unconditional, nocost guarantee that anyone who is treated at Viso LASIK Medspa, if it is deemed necessary for re-treatment at any time during

their lifetime, as long as they have an annual eye exam with a local eye doctor, they will be eligible to be treated at no extra charge. We stand behind the results.”

DeCanio said two more Viso LASIK Medspa locations are set to open this summer, one in San Antonio, Texas and the other in Charlotte, N.C. “The hallmark

for Viso LASIK Medspas is called the VIP Passport program,” he said. “When patients pay for eye surgery they earn credit in the medspa for all procedures that we offer for 50 percent savings up to the cost of the eye surgery. If our procedure is $6,000, you earn those credits on the medspa at a 50 percent discount, so that is why we say your LASIK could cost you nothing.” Viso LASIK Medspa is located in the Plaza at Wellington Green, 2515 State Road 7, Suite 210 and is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call (561) 795-4772 or visit www. visolasikmedspas.com.

The Viso Team — Concierge Melody Du Plooy, clinical aesthetician and massage therapist

Raquel McInnis, clinical aesthetician and ophthalmic technician Tricia Adam, and Viso LASIK Medspa co-owner and medical director Dr. Salvatore M. DeCanio Jr. in the Wellington office.

PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER

Dr. Vincent Dolce: Dentistry With A Focus On The Community

“Exceptional communities bring exceptional people,” said Vincent Dolce, DMD, whose dental practice has an office located at the intersection of State Road 7 and Lake Worth Road.

“An artistic community brings poets, writers, philosophers, artists, actors and creative juices, family communities bring wholesomeness and security, and business communities bring financers, investors and entrepreneurs,” he said. “Wellington is the culmination of all these positive influences.”

Dr. Dolce is defined by his profession, and the admiration

and respect he receives from other dentists throughout Palm Beach County as well as throughout the nation. Professionals who appear in front of audiences in order to maintain their livelihood don’t have to ask each other, “who did your dental work?” because the Dolce smile makes that much of a difference.

Other dentists who come to Dr. Dolce’s lectures not only get their passion for dentistry renewed but learn how to be businessmen. And the average individual is treated fairly and reasonably, with the same attention

a celebrity would receive.

What makes Dr. Dolce tick, he said, is his passion. “It’s not so much just giving someone an exceptional smile — it’s making them realize that their oral health is directly related to their mental, emotional and physical health,” he said.

Dr. Dolce’s sense of humor makes patients feel welcome in his office, and so does the office itself, for that matter. With a fireplace in the reception area and handcrafted woodwork all designed by Dr. Dolce, it’s another example of his artistry. In addition to his in-office

services, Dr. Dolce can be heard every Saturday morning from 9 to 10 a.m. on WBZT 1230 AM, where for the past ten years he has answered questions from listeners; talked with dental professionals, medical physicians and experts; and never runs a commercial. He pointed out that his recently launched interactive training curriculum — which teaches dentists, hygienists, treatment coordinators and receptionists how to be better business people — is being touted in the industry as one

of the best, if not the best educational tools, in the dental profession. But even with this new attention Dr. Dolce receives, a retirement community that asks him to be a speaker at their monthly association meeting can rely on him to enlighten them. These are the type of individuals who make Wellington Wellington Dr. Dolce’s Wellington office is located at 9897 Lake Worth Road, Suite 108. To schedule an appointment, call (561) 966-2000. For more information, visit www.drdolce. com.

Heroes In Medicine Awards Luncheon Benefits The Uninsured

The Palm Beach County Medical Society Services and the Palm Beach County Medical Society Alliance recently held its fifth annual Heroes in Medicine Awards at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. Awards were presented in seven categories among an impressive list of finalists who have made outstanding contributions to health care in Palm Beach County. In addition, the event raised a record $35,000 to benefit Project Access, a Palm Beach County initiative to provide access to health care for the uninsured.

“All of our finalists are heroes,” event co-chair Claudia Kirk Barto said. “It’s always challenging for our committee to narrow the awards down.”

The event was made possible by the presenting sponsor

Rendina Companies. Claudia Kirk Barto and Jean Acevedo co-chaired the luncheon while Dr. and Mrs. Alan B. Pillersdorf and Mr. and Mrs. Don W. Chester served as honorary hosts. Jon Shainman, WPBF Channel 25 news anchor, was master of ceremonies.

The 2008 Heroes in Medicine categories, finalists and award recipients are as follows:

• Advancements in Health Care — Kay Harvey, executive director, Bethesda Hospital Foundation; Debi Gavras, R.N., Health Care District of Palm Beach County; and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine (award recipient)

• Community Outreach The Smart Heart Partnership, Boca Raton Fire-Rescue Services and Boca Raton Community Hospital (award recipi-

ent), and T. Leroy Jefferson

Medical Society

• Volunteer — Jerome Goodman, Ph.D., board member, Mental Health Association of Palm Beach County; Effie Grear, Ed. D., Glades General Hospital and community volunteer activist (award recipient); Roshan Massoumi, volunteer, Palm Beach Rehabilitation Center for Children and Adults; and Roberta Ward, volunteer, Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s Medical Center

• Professional Hero — Paula Alderson, CEO, Hospice by the Sea; Joshua Estrin, CEO, Lupus Foundation; Gina Melby, CEO, JFK Medical Center; Stella Monchick-West, founder, Hospice of Palm Beach County (award recipient)

• Physician Hero — Barbara Krantz, D.O., Hanley

Center (co-award recipient); Daniel Lichtstein, M.D., University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; Mark Moser, M.D., Columbia Hospital (coaward recipient); Melissa Singer, M.D., Palms West Hospital; and Elise Zahn, D.O., Columbia Hospital

• Non-Physician Healthcare Provider Hero — Terri Bushway, R.N., St. Mary’s Medical Center Trauma Department; Pediatric Oncology Support Team of the Child Life Institute; Marnie Ritchie Poncy, R.N., Esq., Palm Beach County Legal Aid Society (award recipient); and Charles J. Simon, D.D.S., volunteer dentist, Caridad Clinic

• Student — Anne L. Chen, Suncoast High School, community volunteer; Sara Counes, Florida Atlantic University, community volunteer;

Higher Wealth Linked To Lower Stroke Risk For Ages 50

Higher wealth is linked with a lower risk of stroke in Americans between the ages of 50 and 64, but does not predict strokes in those over age 65, researchers reported recently in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

“We confirmed that lower wealth, education and income are associated with increased stroke up to age 65, and wealth is the strongest predictor of stroke among the factors we looked at,” said Mauricio Avendano, Ph.D., co-author of the study. “After age 65, the associ-

ation of education, income and wealth with stroke are very weak, and wealth did not clearly predict stroke.”

This is the first study assessing the age patterns of wealth, income and education disparities in stroke incidence in a national sample of older Americans. It’s also the first study reporting that wealth status predicts stroke incidence independently of income and education, said Avendano, a research fellow in public health at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

New and recurrent strokes strike about 780,000 U.S. residents annually; about 27 percent of strokes occur before age 65, according to American Heart Association statistics.

While previous studies have associated lower socioeconomic status with higher stroke risk, little data exists on the link between socioeconomic status and stroke risk in the elderly. Previous research also relied on incomplete information about financial resources.

In this study, Avendano and co-author M. Maria Glymour

differentiated between income (the annual earnings of all household members) and wealth (the total of all financial and housing assets — such as inherited money — minus the liabilities).

“Wealth more comprehensively reflects both lifelong earnings and intergenerational transfers, and increases access to medical care, other material and psychosocial resources,” Avendano said.

The researchers analyzed data from 19,445 participants in the ongoing University of

Michigan Health and Retirement Study, which surveys Americans age 50 and older every two years. The participants were stroke-free when they entered the study in 1992, 1993 or 1998. During an average of 8.5 years, 1,542 people in the study suffered a stroke.

Researchers divided all participants’ wealth levels into six categories, and compared them to those in the 75th to 89th percentile. The 75th to 89th percentile group represents those in the highest wealth or income

To 64

groups but excludes possible outliers among the very rich or the ultra-rich. Researchers found that the 10 percent with the lowest wealth had three times the stroke risk at age 50 to 64, compared with those in the 75 to 89th percentile. However, at age 65 and older, stroke risk was not significantly different between the two wealth groups for men or women. For more information on stroke, visit the American Stroke Association’s web site at www.strokeassociation.org.

Awards Luncheon — (L-R) Co-chair Jean Acevedo, honorary co-chairs Sally and Don Chester, honorary co-chairs Rhona and Dr. Alan B. Pillersdorf, and co-chair Claudia Kirk Barto.

Melissa Dwyer, Florida Atlantic University, volunteer, Caridad Medical Center; David Faal, Suncoast High School, volunteer, Quantum House;

For Darfur, students from St. Andrews High School; and the Cardinal Newman Key Club (all students were award recipients).

Dr. Vincent Dolce

The Carlisle Offers Resort-Style Retirement Living In Lantana

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

The Carlisle is a luxury rental retirement community in Lantana, right across the street from the beach.

Executive Director Frank White said the community’s main goal is promoting independent living for its residents, in what he calls “resortstyle retirement living.”

“We want people here to live and do as they want,” White said. “Our dining room has open dining for 12 hours a day. People eat what they want and can sit with their friends. The same thing goes for our activities. We have events going on every day. Some people really want to take part in them; others want to do whatever they want. And we let them do it.”

The Carlisle offers both independent and assisted living. “We have 250 residents in our independent-living apartments,” White said. “They bring their own furniture here, have full kitchens, and can live as they did before they decided to move here. Every apartment has either a balcony or a patio. This is very nice living.”

The Carlisle also has concierge service, White said. “Give the concierge a shopping list, and we will get your groceries for you,” he said. “Everyone here wants you to live well and be independent.”

The Carlisle also has 60 assisted-living residents. The director of assisted living is Marcia Beckford, a licensed registered nurse. “We have two dozen staff members and aroundthe-clock service,” she said. “And most of our residents take part in activities as much as those in the independent-living section. They sometimes just need a bit of assistance to be able to take part.”

White said the Carlisle’s emphasis on encouraging independence is evident in its transportation services. “Our residents travel to events all over the county,” he said. “We regularly go to the Kravis Center and to other theatrical events. Many residents go on trips to the Sawgrass Mills mall. But the most important feature of our transportation program is that we take residents anywhere in Palm Beach County they want to go as long as we have enough

prior notice to prepare.”

For instance, White said, many residents who no longer drive prefer to keep seeing their regular doctors, so the Carlisle arranges transportation. “We have a resident who lived in Jupiter and he went to the same doctor up there for years,” White said. “So we drive him up. We will take people anywhere in Palm Beach County. We want them to be happy and independent.”

The Carlisle has nursing service around the clock and a physician on staff to assist when a resident’s primary-care physician is not available.

In March, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) awarded the Carlisle a three-year accreditation, the highest level of accreditation possible, White said. He said the Carlisle received the recognition because of “a dedicated and knowledgeable staff, superior amenities, an extensive activity schedule and a comprehensive emergency-preparedness plan.”

The Carlisle’s restaurant serves a wide variety of foods.

“We serve as many as a dozen different entrees at a time,” White said. “We have everything from heart-friendly foods to comfort foods. We have simple items like grilled chicken and sirloin steak every day, as well as gourmet food. Our desserts are great. We have more ice cream flavors than Baskin-Robbins.”

The Carlisle has its own cinema, a billiards room, card room, arts and crafts room, gym, swimming pool, putting green, whirlpool and hot tub. It runs regular classes and has its own Internet lounge.

Former Philadelphia teacher Florence Kieff said she is happy living at the Carlisle. “I’ve been here for nine years,” the 94-year-old said. “I saw the place going up, and it looked good. My children wanted me to live in a more protected environment. I’ve found this a wonderful place, and I’ve met so many caring and loving people. I spent most of my time in independent living, but I became ill not long ago and had to spend six months in the hospital.”

After her hospital stay, Kieff moved to the assisted living sec-

tion of the Carlisle. “I still take part in all my activities,” she said while on the way to her exercise class at the swimming pool. “Every kind of need that I want to be fulfilled is taken care of. I feel Frank and Marcia are my friends and protectors.”

Resident Jack Pear said those who prefer their independence can thrive at the Carlisle. “Until a year and a half ago, I was a 92-year-old man who traveled 150,000 miles a year. I worked hard and stayed up late,” he said. “But I broke my hip a year ago and had a heart attack while I was undergoing surgery.”

Pear said he would continue working if he were able. “If I could walk, I wouldn’t be here,” he said. “But I ride my cart and go out as much as I can. I go out to dinner a lot and over to the Kravis. A lot of people here go to bed early, but I like to get out and go out.”

White said Pear wasn’t exaggerating. “Jack goes out for lobsters and prime steaks,” he said. “He also likes good sushi. So he’s off to restaurants in the area. A lot of the time he takes a date.”

White said Kieff and Pear are not atypical of Carlisle residents.

“We have a lot of people who really care about others,” he said. “They give back so much to everyone else, and they make this a great place to live.”

The Carlisle, operated by SRG Senior Living, is located at 450 E. Ocean Avenue in Lantana. For info., call (561) 5339440 or visit www.srgsenior living.com/commpalmbeach.

May 12 Is National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

Are you exhausted? Do you have pain all over but can’t figure out what’s wrong? If so, you may be suffering from fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes exhaustion, sleep disturbances and diffuse pain in your muscles, tendons and ligaments. To raise awareness about the condition, Monday, May 12 has been designated Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. Fibromyalgia patients experience a range of symptoms of varying intensities that increase and decrease over time and often resemble other conditions. For years, because of their complex nature and a lack of re-

search on the condition, many doctors misdiagnosed fibromyalgia symptoms or dismissed them as being in the patient’s head. Even today, it is estimated to take an average of five years for a fibromyalgia patient to get an accurate diagnosis. There is no laboratory test available to diagnose fibromyalgia. Doctors must rely on patient histories, self-reported symptoms, a physical examination and an accurate manual tender-point examination.

To receive a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, a patient must experience widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body for a

minimum duration of three months and experience tenderness or pain in at least 11 of the 18 specified tender points when pressure is applied. Although the cause of fibromyalgia is currently unknown, many researchers hypothesize that the symptoms result from “central sensitization.” There are several risk factors for fibromyalgia:

• Age — The condition usually occurs in people between the ages of 20 to 60 years, although cases have been reported in children and the elderly.

• Family history — Studies have shown that having a rela-

tive with fibromyalgia may put you at higher risk for developing the disorder.

• Other rheumatic diseases — A person who has other rheumatic diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and lupus may be more likely to develop fibromyalgia than those who do not have a rheumatic disease.

• Stress — Although controversial, certain studies suggest that people who have had difficult or stressful past experiences may be at risk of developing fibromyalgia.

For more information, visit www.nfra.net or www.fmaware. org.

Luxury Senior Living — Registered nurse Marcia Beckford, residents Jack Pear and Florence Kieff, and Carlisle Executive Director Frank White.

PHOTO BY LEONARD WECHSLER/TOWN-CRIER

Bruce Parsons, John Peters Round Out Palm Healthcare Team

With the new Palm Healthcare Pavilion close to opening, the Palm Healthcare Foundation (PHF) recently announced it has strengthened its staff with the addition of Bruce Parsons and John Peters.

Parsons, a Wellington resident, is overseeing the construction and programming of the new Palm Healthcare Pavilion, a first of-its-kind Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified outpatient facility designed to improve the health and quality of life for children with special healthcare needs while providing innovative training and support services for their families.

Parsons, who has consulted with PHF since the early planning stages of the pavilion, has joined the staff full time as director of special projects. Prior to joining PHF, Parsons worked as a public health director with private doctors, hospitals, local

and state governments, and area non-profits to establish federally qualified health centers. Through these health centers, thousands of low-income, uninsured residents were able to receive primary medical and dental care. Parsons earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Michigan University. He has been married to his wife Patti for 21 years. They have two children, Blithe and Brendon.

Peters, a certified public accountant, joins the PHF team as chief financial officer. With an extensive background in nonprofits and entrepreneurially driven companies, Peters brings a wealth of financial expertise to the foundation. Peters began his career as a CPA with the internationally respected firm Ernst & Young. He then transitioned into the role of CFO with Greg Morris Enterprises before moving on to co-found two suc-

The Palms West Chamber of Commerce joined gourmet burrito restaurant Chipotle Mexican Grill for the grand opening of its Wellington location last Friday. Chipotle burritos and tacos are made with naturally and humanely raised meats from animals that are never given antibiotics or added hormones and are fed a pure vegetarian diet. Chipotle’s Wellington restaurant is located at 1000 State Road 7, Suite 2. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. For those who need to get in and out quickly, Chipotle offers “DSL” (don’t stand in line) ordering directly at www.chipotle.com; customers may also fax in to-go orders at (561) 204-2819. For more information, call (561) 204-2816. Pictured here are Chipotle staff with Palms West Chamber of Commerce ambassadors.

cessful service businesses — one which he negotiated a favorable sale to a Fortune 500 company.

In addition his entrepreneurial interests, Peters has also served the community in other positions. He has provided financial leadership to a number of non-profits and churches, including the Museum of Art in Fort Lauderdale and the Hyde Schools, a nationally renowned, multi-state private school organization. Peters, a member of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, is also an active member of Christ Fellowship Church in Palm Beach Gardens, where he resides.

“We are thrilled to have Bruce and John join our team,” Palm Healthcare Foundation President Suzette Wexner said. “As we grow, it is important to have individuals with an incredible level of commitment, creativity and passion for advancing

healthcare like Bruce and John do. With their help we are able to collectively work together to develop a deep understanding of the greatest challenges our community faces, and bring together the resources to create real change in the lives of the underserved.”

The Palm Healthcare Foundation was chartered in 2001 as an independent community healthcare foundation. Believing that “together we can do more,” the foundation’s mission is to transform healthcare challenges by bringing together the talents and resources of the community to create innovative solutions that deliver high-impact results. The foundation’s funding priorities — access to healthcare, healthcare quality and safety, healthcare technology, healthcare policy and healthcare workforce — are designed to empower

profit healthcare organizations and healthcare professionals to

Verizon Opens ‘Evolution’ Store In Wellington

To meet the surging demand for the latest wireless services in Palm Beach County, Verizon Wireless has opened a new 4,500-square-foot Evolution concept retail store just north of the Mall at Wellington Green. One of only five “Evolution” locations now open in Florida, the new concept store offers consumers a high-tech and hands-on experience with wireless voice, data, music and video services. The new Verizon Wireless design — which will be incorporated in select locations across the country throughout the year

— integrates a number of innovative systems and operational enhancements designed to streamline the sales process and increase customer satisfaction. Among the new store’s features are:

• A bright, open demo bar where customer interaction is guided by product-savvy sales staff, allowing customers to get a sense of the look and feel of a broad range of equipment and services.

• More than 75 working models of handsets, aircards and other devices for customers to handle and test.

• Oversized high-definition plasma screens showcasing the latest wireless multimedia applications such as V CAST and Get It Now, plus the Verizon FiOS TV fiber-optic service (where available).

• A greeter kiosk that allows customers to check in electronically, browse the store and then visit with a representative who already has the customer’s account background and reason for visit keyed up on the customer service computer.

• A bill-payment kiosk that allows customers to pay their bills quickly and easily using

Klein’s Committee Approve Fix For Mortgage Mess

Congressman Ron Klein (DDistrict 22), a member of the House Financial Services Committee, voted last week to support a comprehensive package of legislation to address the mortgage crisis and the broader economic downturn.

“This legislation is the beginning of a real solution for struggling families,” Klein said. “Millions of Americans are concerned about losing their homes, or losing value in

their homes due to the mortgage crisis, something they can ill afford in today’s difficult economy, with the price of gas and other basic items continuing to skyrocket.”

The legislation approved by the Financial Services Committee would combat the unprecedented rise in foreclosures and the associated impact on local communities. The package includes H.R. 5830, which will expand fed-

eral home loan programs to help refinance at-risk borrowers into more affordable mortgages, and H.R. 5818, which will provide loans and grants to states and cities to deal with problems associated with large numbers of foreclosures in local neighborhoods.

“This is the most comprehensive legislative solution on the table,” Klein said. “The bills we approved in committee today toe exactly the right

line. They do not provide a bailout for speculators, but they do assist families who are in over their heads and communities facing the cascading effect of foreclosures.”

The House legislation will help about 1.5 million American homeowners avoid foreclosure, a contrast to the Bush administration’s proposal of a housing mortgage assistance plan that could help about 100,000 homeowners.

Bruce ParsonsJohn Peters

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