December 2025 LIV VERO Magazine by LIV VERO Magazine

M BAKERI NOËL: FASHION IN FULL FLAVOR

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Dawning of 2026

Seascape Vero Beach

Photograph by Victoriya Knapp

Celebrating 100 Years of Vero Beach –and a new beginning together.

CaldwellTrustCompanyisproudtoopenourdoorsina morecommunitywheretraditionandprogressthrivesidebyside.For independence.than30years,we’vebuiltlegaciesrootedintrustand Now,we’rehonoredtoplantnewrootsina Veroplacecelebratingitsownremarkablecentury.Stopbyournew centennialBeachofﬁce,sayhello,andtakehomeaspecial gift—ourwayofsayingthankyou.Here’stoyour Happyhistoryandoursharedfuture.

Holidays,

TIMELESS ELEGANCE

PREMIER BUILDERS IN VERO BEACH

Welcome to KMK Builders, where we combine refined craftsmanship with unparalleled dedication to transform your vision into a masterpiece. Located in Vero Beach, we specialize in bespoke home construction, renovation, and additions, delivering results that resonate with sophistication and excellence. With our meticulous approach, we turn dreams into stunning realities.

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At KMK Builders, we believe the journey to your dream home should be as exceptional as the final result. Our process is built around a clientfocused approach that ensures each detail is carefully managed, from initial consultation to completion. Every step is designed to reflect your unique vision while upholding the highest standards of craftsmanship.

M Bakeri. Photographs by William Ferchichi

HOLIDAYS

46 M Bakeri Reborn

Where beauty is baked into every detail and community drives everything.

HOLIDAYS

48 Iconic Fruitcakes

A sweet history, a holiday heirloom: few desserts inspire as much debate or nostalgia!

HOLIDAYS

52 Vero Wine Bar

The

Dr.

Maria Dante and David Zisman offer beautiful wines and warm ambiance at their European-style café.

HOLIDAYS

56 Steadying the Ship

Why rituals matter in young people’s lives.

FASHION

62 The Perfect Black DressA Holiday Essential

The black dress remains one of fashion’s most enduring icons.

FASHION

68 Refined Menswear for Fall

Modern minimalism blends with coastal classics.

ARTIST TO ARTIST

74 Leslie Stokes and Abstract Art

Bypassing thought to reach the heart.

SURFACES

78 Concrete and Epoxy

Artistic Floors

The maker’s world of Crystal Ploszay.

TRAVEL

84 Daunara Safari Camp

Magical experiences in the vast wilderness of Botswana.

BEAUTIFUL IS A WAY OF LIFE

Elevated interiors with timeless elegance and vibrant character. Full-service design for homes and condos — from Vero Beach to Nantucket and beyond.

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Vero Beach, FL 32963

Monday through Friday 9am – 5pm (772) 231-3746

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Staging by Ti ani Buckley Home Instagram: @tiﬀanibuckleyhome Website: tiﬀanibuckleyhome.com

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

98 COVID-19 Six Years Out Growing concerns about the vaccine technology.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

104 Finding a Proceduralist

Securing the best physician to perform interventions.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

108 Urology in Vero Beach

The management of prostate cancer: an interview with Jamil Syed, MD.

ART

116 LIV VERO Gallery 1 Artist Leslie Stokes.

NATURE

122 Holiday in the Hive A winter story of bees.

CONSERVATION

126 Stormwater Runoff Pollution Indian River County treatment facilities improve health of the lagoon.

SURF SCENE

136 Where the River Meets the Sea The story of the Fort Pierce Inlet.

146 Mark Your Calendar

152 Finito

Livvero.com @livveromagazine

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Be heard: We want to know what you think and how we can serve you better.

Send comments to Jim Field at jim@livvero.com.

Daunara Safari Camp, Botswana. Photograph courtesy of Daunara Safari Camp.

Vero Beach Choral Society. Photograph by Christina Klingler Photography.

EDITORS’ LETTER

“THE BUSINESS OF AMERICA IS BUSINESS.” – CALVIN COOLIDGE

A lifestyle magazine is one that focuses on topics related to everyday living— home, design, travel, fashion, art, food, entertaining, wellness, culture, and personal interests. Published content should be curated; showcase new ideas, trends, products; tell engaging stories; and appeal to a defined readership.

By this definition, LIV VERO Magazine is a full-fledged lifestyle publication. We have been very pleased with the recent expansion of our editorial breadth, to include Health & Wellness, Travel, and Sport. In 2026, we will more fully develop our coverage of Food and Design. Home—with all its subcomponents—e.g., renovation, cabinetry, appliances, landscaping—will always be an editorial centerpiece.

New Dedicated Reporting—Business

We are moving forward with a new editorial section dedicated to business in Indian River County (IRC). Business and commerce

make the world go round, and we want to immerse ourselves in the local economy.

Founding and growing LIV VERO Magazine, I am well versed in a fair number of local businesses. That said, I use the term “fair” to honestly convey that I have only scratched the surface of the total denominator—Vero Beach and IRC are blessed to host a large number of vibrant businesses—long established, midstream, startups.

In addition, we have published articles on a number of these businesses, profiling products, services, and key people. Given my academic background in business, I love writing these pieces.

Our larger focus on business reporting will mean two things. First, we will invest to routinely publish well-researched, well-written articles. And second, within this body of reporting, we will elevate the art of writing smart, engaging profiles of

individual businesses. We are extremely excited by the opportunities ahead.

New Director of Sales

We are pleased and honored to announce our newest colleague, Veronica Olofsson, Director of Sales. Veronica brings a wealth of experience and seasoned insight to her role, drawing on a diverse background across multiple sales positions and decades of work in Los Angeles and Hollywood. After visiting friends in Vero Beach several times in recent years, Veronica quickly fell in love with the community and ultimately chose to make it her home. Like so many who discover Vero Beach’s charm, she found its appeal irresistible. Please join us in welcoming Veronica to LIV VERO Magazine and Vero Beach.

Joshua McMiller.

Chris Foster.

Our Circulation and Reach

On Five Levels

MAIL

Magazines mailed to EVERY residence in Indian River County (all 8 zip codes) with incomes equal to or greater than $200,000.

DIGITAL

Electronic Edition sent to curated, expanding list of over 3,200 email addresses.

IN PERSON

Hand delivery of 1,500 copies to advertising partners, other businesses, organizations, individuals—including hotels, airport, restaurants, real estate ofﬁces, physician ofﬁces, country clubs, drop points.

WEBSITE

Electronic Edition, in full, is accessible to all on our website livvero.com.

SUBSCRIPTION

Building list of subscribers locally and across country to primary/secondary residences. Subscribe at livvero.com.

LIV VERO® Magazine is a registered trademark of Orchid Island Publishing Group LLC.

CO-PUBLISHER | CO-EDITOR

Jim Field jim@livvero.com

Diane Field diane@livvero.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Chris Foster

ASSISTANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Joshua McMiller

EDITORIAL

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Renee Morad, Amanda Blumberg, Diane Field, Chris Foster, Joshua McMiller, Jim Field

ART

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Yuri Semenyuk, New York Victoriya Knapp: realestatephotographybyvictoriya.com

ADVERTISING AND EVENTS

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ORCHID ISLAND PUBLISHING GROUP LLC Vero Beach, FL 32963 President | Jim Field

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LIV VERO MAGAZINE: File No.: 440381.1 Serial No.: 98525418 (ISSN# pending) is published ten times per year by Orchid Island Publishing Group, 32963.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Free of charge to qualified residents of Vero Beach. Publisher reserves the right to determine qualifications. Annual subscriptions: U.S. and possessions $45, all other countries $125 U.S. funds (via air mail). Single copies: U.S. and possessions $5. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher does not warrant, either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy of any advertisements, articles or descriptions here in, nor does the publisher warrant the validity of any views or opinions offered by the authors of said articles or descriptions. The opinions expressed are those of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Orchid Island Publishing Group. Orchid Island Publishing Group makes no representation or warranties regarding the accuracy or appropriateness of the advice or any advertisements contained in this magazine.

SUBMISSIONS: We welcome submissions. Unless otherwise negotiated in writing by the editors, by sending us your submission, you grant Orchid Island Publishing Group permission by an irrevocable license (with the right to license to third parties) to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish, and adapt your submission in any medium on multiple occasions. Submissions will not be returned.

•

Allow us to reintroduce

LYNN GRADY

Lynn Grady is a proud luxury real estate advisor with over 15 years of experience on Florida’s Treasure Coast. Helping clients buy and sell exceptional properties comes naturally to her. Her motto, “Live Where You Love,” is more than a phrase — it guides every relationship she builds. Lynn is committed to personalized service, seamless transactions, and delivering an experience that reflects each client’s unique lifestyle.

Outside of real estate, she loves to travel, explore new cultures, spend time on the water boating, and connect with people from all walks of life. A devoted foodie, she’s equally at home enjoying fine dining, discovering local favorites, or baking her signature homemade biscotti — because she believes food brings people together.

Above all, Lynn is dedicated to her family, friends, and community. Her blend of expertise, global perspective, and genuine care has been key to her success as a top producer. She is honored to be part of Engel & Völkers Vero Beach and looks forward to helping you “get your toes in the sand” and fall in love with your next home.

Contact me today: +1 (772) 584-9628 lynn.grady@evrealestate.com

Engel & Völkers Vero Beach 821A Beachland Boulevard Vero Beach, FL 32963

EAMES LOUNGE CHAIR AND OTTOMAN

The World’s Most Famous Chair?

by Diane Field

There will always be differences of opinion in the design world about what chair constitutes the pinnacle of aesthetics and functionality. There are Western and Eastern cultures to consider, and recorded time spans a lot of history at this point.

Still, many factors point to the iconic Eames lounge chair with ottoman. Originally released in 1956, it remains hot-hot-hot today—I am constantly seeing it in design magazines, in film, on TV. Our November issue had an article on MidCentury Modern Architecture, and both interior photographs featured Eames dining chairs (albeit not the lounge chair per se).

Charles and Ray Eames

Meet the “first couple of design,” as they were known, a husband and wife team whose work significantly shaped American design in the 20th century. Charles Eames (1907–1978) was trained as an architect. Ray Eames (1912–1988) was trained as a painter and designer.

Wedded in 1941, they were inseparable collaborators—so much so that their output is referred to simply as “Eames Design.”

Together, they held strong beliefs: design should serve a purpose; that beauty comes from function; that good design should improve everyday life. They valued experimentation and accessibility, dedicating themselves to developing furniture that could be mass-produced and affordable. Importantly, they pioneered the use of new materials—plywood, fiberglass, stainless steel—challenging conventional ideas about furniture materials. Their studio in Los Angeles functioned like a creative laboratory—mixing art, science, technology, craftsmanship, and fun.

Eames lounge chair and ottoman.

Lounge Chair and Ottoman This is such an interesting story. The lounge chair stands as a timeless symbol of modern luxury, craftsmanship, and comfort. As designers of dozens of different chair styles, this was their first attempt at targeting the high-end furniture market, blending modern industrial production with traditional hand craftsmanship. Inspired by the traditional English club chair, Charles’ vision was to achieve “the warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman’s mitt.”

The lounge chair is composed of three curved plywood shells—headrest, backrest, seat—molded under pressure. The veneer was originally Brazilian rosewood, later substituted with walnut, cherry, and ash for sustainability. Upholstery is thick, soft leather cushions filled with down and foam. The base of the lounge chair is a die-cast aluminum five-star swivel with same fourstar swivel on the ottoman.

Each piece is separate, designed for easy maintenance or replacement. Assembled, the curves and materials give the chair an instantly recognizable, signature profile. Functionally, the chair and ottoman support the body in an ergonomic, reclined posture without mechanisms or adjustments.

The cultural impact of the Eames lounge chair and ottoman has been profound. They are part of the permanent collection of New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Nearly 70 years after their debut, they remain in continuous production, made to the same specifications, by Herman Miller. Current list price tops out at $8,236. There is a Herman Miller showroom in West Palm Beach; Hive Home, Gift & Garden, also in West Palm Beach, is a Herman Miller distributor.

Remarkably, the first lounge chair and ottoman were a birthday gift for friend Billy Wilder, the Academy Award winning film director. The pieces made their public debut on Arlene Francis’ Home show (19541957), which later became the Today show.

Molded Plywood Chairs

Released in 1946, they were described by Time magazine as “the best design of the 20th century.” The Eames developed a heat/pressure process for molding plywood in three dimensions, bending layers of wood veneer into complex curves. Each chair was comprised of a separate seat and backrest connected by a rubber shock mount, allowing for flexibility and movement. Molded plywood was covered with a natural wood veneer finish such as walnut, ash, birch, cherry, black ash. Exhibited in the MoMA in New York. Manufactured today by Herman Miller.

Molded Plastic Side Chair and Armchair

Designed in 1950, these were the first mass-produced plastic chairs— revolutionary at the time. They experimented with aircraft-grade fiberglass-reinforced polyester resin to produce a lightweight, comfortable, one-piece, molded sculptural seat that naturally fit the contours of the body. They created versions with and without armrests; also a choice of base types: wire, dowel, four leg. Colors expressing optimism and modernity were used: parchment, sea foam green, elephant hide gray, lemon yellow. Exhibited in the MoMA in New York. Manufactured today by Herman Miller.

Portrait of Charles and Ray Eames in their studio November 1974. Taken as part of a shoot for Fortune magazine. Photo by Arnold Newman Properties/Getty Images.

Eames plastic side chair.

Eames molded plywood chair.

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CASE STUDY HOUSE PROGRAM

Arts & Architecture Magazine Seeds Modern Residential Architecture

by Jim Field

In our November issue, this column profiled Mid-Century Modern architecture, positioning it as a uniquely American adaptation of the International Style of modern architecture, which originated in Europe in the 1920s and launched the modernist movement on a global scale.

In conversation, at least a dozen LIV VERO readers shared how much they adore the Mid-Century Modern style—everything about it. Scale of the spaces, natural light, use of natural woods, the furniture (of course!), and use of both bright and warm colors.

This article takes a step back to uncover the creative roots of Mid-Century Modern style—how it came to be. As with almost every

phenomenon, there is an incipient force or event to kick it off—whether an avalanche, tsunami, political movement, or a war. Here, we’re narrowing ourselves to the inception of modern residential architecture.

Arts & Architecture Magazine

In 1945, John Entenza, publisher and editor of Los Angeles-based Arts & Architecture magazine, established a goal to reinvent the American home.

World War II had just ended, there was a severe housing shortage, the wartime industrial base had developed all kinds of new materials and construction techniques—and John saw in this an opportunity to do something ambitious and groundbreaking.

Specifically, he would merge modernist design with industrial innovation “To create a program demonstrating to the public the possibilities of modern architecture and modern living.” Remarkably, looking back on what he actually accomplished, he is credited with founding a visionary social project that would redefine how Americans envisioned “home.”

Case Study House Program, 1945-1966 His idea was to commission leading architects to design and construct prototype homes using new technologies, materials, and design principles. The projects would be labeled “case studies” and assigned numbers to catalogue and organize them for publishing.

Case Study Houses were meant to be: affordable, functional, easily constructed, adaptable to various family lifestyles, and complementary with climate and nature. Many of the invited architects were based in Southern California, which, by way of offering a climate conducive to indoor/outdoor living, became the natural laboratory for the program. Well represented neighborhoods included Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills, La Jolla, and San Rafael.

The design principles introduced, executed, and refined in Case Study Houses became the defining features of what we now know as Mid-Century Modern architecture:

• Materials and methods. Industrial materials, glass walls, plywood panels, prefabrication.

• Open planning. Flexible floor plans, open and social spaces.

• Indoor/outdoor. Patios and sliding doors, rooms open to gardens, design for light, ventilation, and views.

• Human connection. Sense of warmth and livability, proportion, simplicity.

Impressively, each project was published in Arts & Architecture magazine. Each feature included architectural drawings and plans, construction photographs, descriptions of materials, costs, and conceptual underpinnings. Some residences offered open houses to allow visitors to experience the designs firsthand.

Winding down in 1966, the project produced these results: 36 Case Study Houses published, numbered 1-28, with a few “A,” “B,” and unnumbered special projects; about 25 structures actually constructed; roughly 20 houses remain standing, maintained as historic landmarks or private residences. Over time, this body of work produced by Arts & Architecture magazine attracted a national—even global—audience, serving

Case Study House #8—Eames House

Eames birds.

as an intellectual repository of modernist architectural examples and possibilities, influencing generations of architects and builders. Average citizens were educated on forward-looking residential design— shaping in turn their tastes for the type of home they dreamed of owning. John Entenza’s undertaking effectively created a single language for the modernist design movement. Select Case Study Houses were immortalized in photographs by famous photographers of the time—e.g., Julius Shulman—establishing them as symbols of glamor, sophistication, and celebrity.

Notable Case Study House architects include: Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Neutra, Pierre Koenig, Craig Ellwood, Eero Saarinen, A. Quincy Jones, Raphael Soriano, Rodney Walker.

Case Study House #8—Eames House

Location

Structure sits within a eucalyptus grove on Chautauqua Drive in Pacific Palisades, CA. Striking contrast between industrial materials and natural surroundings. Not dominating the landscape, the house appears like a glass-and-steel lantern tucked into nature.

Structure/Exterior

Consists of rectilinear lightweight steel frame using standard industrial members, constructed from off-the-shelf components.

• Exposed structural steel is visible both inside and out; painted black to create a well-defined graphic frame.

• Floor-to-ceiling glass panels blur the boundary between interior and outdoors.

• Transparent, translucent, and opaque glass modulate privacy and light.

• Infill panels are made of painted fiberboard, plywood, and metal panels. Colors—white, black, blue, red, gold— produce Mondrian-like composition.

• Some opaque wall sections use industrial corrugated metal, emphasizing factory-produced aesthetic.

Interior

Filled with books, folk art, textiles, bespoke furniture, prototypes, creating warm feel in contrast to industrial exterior.

• Double-height living space feels airy and expansive.

• Intimate mezzanine-level sleeping areas.

• Plywood was favored material for cabinetry, partitions, shelving, furniture.

• Inexpensive Masonite was preferred for interior paneling and surfaces, evoking utilitarian look.

• Simple concrete slab flooring on lower level; linoleum and rugs introduce warmth and texture.

Special Note: The home survived the Palisades Wildfire in January 2025, but suffered significant smoke damage. A major cleanup was required, wiping the structure by hand to remove soot and restore fragile surfaces. After five months of restoration the house reopened for tours.

Original Eames storage unit in living room. Lafayette Park Townhouse, Detroit, U.S. Architect: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 1959.

Designer Charles Eames sits with wife Ray in the living room of their home, November 1974. Photo taken as part of a shoot for Fortune magazine, Photo by Arnold Newman Properties/Getty Images.

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HOLIDAYS

A TASTE OF HOLIDAY JOY AT M BAKERI

JOY IN THE AIR

The Joy of Giving, The Joy of Receiving

by Chris Foster photographs courtesy of Chris Foster

There is a special magic that settles over the world in December—an unmistakable shift in the air. You can feel it during a quiet early morning walk, in the sparkle of lights weaving through storefronts, and in how people soften, just a little, as the holidays draw near. Christmas tends to fill the atmosphere with happiness that feels both nostalgic and fresh every year.

But perhaps the greatest joy of the season comes from giving. Nothing beats the warmth that rises in your chest when you find the perfect gift—the one that says I thought of you, I see you, I love you. Holiday

giving is an act of generosity, but it is also an act of connection. And in a world that moves so fast, the holidays gently remind us to slow down and make room for those moments.

One of my favorite traditions is exploring Christmas markets—those festive little worlds where artisans and makers gather to share their craft. These markets feel like stepping inside a snow globe: music drifting through the air, the scent of pine and mulled spices, twinkling lights, and row after row of creativity on display.

Among all the markets I’ve visited over the years, the Christmas markets of New York City are some of the most memorable. The Union Square Holiday Market, in particular, buzzes with energy—thousands of people browse aisles filled with handmade treasures from around the world. It’s the kind of place where you can find gifts that aren’t just beautiful but also meaningful.

This year, one artisan caught my eye: a small company called Folding Baskets Their craft is captivating—delicate, intricate baskets made entirely from bamboo chopsticks. Each piece folds open like a blooming flower, transforming into a functional work of art. It’s the kind of gift

that feels special because you can sense the hands, patience, and soul that went into creating it. These are the stories and makers I love discovering—the ones who turn simple materials into something unforgettable.

As we enjoy this beautiful season, let us cherish the spirit that makes it so special. The joy of giving. The joy of receiving. The joy of simply being present—with each other, with our families, and in our communities.

May your holidays be filled with warmth, wonder, and the magic that only December can bring.

HOLIDAYS JOY IN THE AIR

TOP 10 CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN THE WORLD

For the ultimate holiday wanderlust:

1. Vienna, Austria – Viennese Dream Christmas Market

Renowned for its imperial architecture, choir performances, and artisan ornaments.

2. Strasbourg, France –Christkindelsmärik

One of Europe’s oldest markets, filled with Alsatian charm, handcrafted gifts, and glowing timber stalls.

3. Nuremberg, Germany –Christkindlesmarkt

Famous for its traditional gingerbread, mulled wine, and the iconic Christkind opening ceremony.

4. Copenhagen, Denmark – Tivoli Gardens Christmas Market

A fairytale setting with sparkling lights, rides, and Nordic treats inside the historic amusement park.

5. New York City, USA – Union Square Holiday Market

A global treasure of artisans, designers, and food makers—vibrant, eclectic, and full of discovery.

6. Prague, Czech Republic – Old Town Square Market

A stunning medieval backdrop with traditional Czech pastries, glasswork, and nightly performances.

7. Montreal, Canada – Le Grand Marché de Noël

A warm, festive experience with local artists, Quebec delicacies, and charming French-Canadian flair.

8. Tokyo, Japan – Roppongi Hills Christmas Market

German-style stalls, handcrafted ornaments, and a dazzling modern-citymeets-holiday glow.

9. Edinburgh, Scotland – East Princes Street Gardens Market

A magical blend of rides, mulled cider, Scottish crafts, and dramatic views of Edinburgh Castle.

10. Zurich, Switzerland –Christkindlimarkt

Home to the famous Swarovski crystal Christmas tree, with luxury gifts and Swiss holiday traditions.

VERO BEACH CHORAL SOCIETY

Bringing Exceptional Choral Art Music to the Treasure Coast

Interview with Dr. Jacob Craig, Artistic Director & Conductor

Conducted by Jim Field photography by Christina Klingler Photography

This is the first article in a two part series. Our January issue will interview Ms. Bobbee Larsson, Member, Board of Directors, and Mrs. Sonya Yassi, soprano singer.

LIV VERO Magazine is honored and privileged to bring our readers a profile on the Vero Beach Choral Society (VBCS), which has been making beautiful choral music and thrilling audiences since its formation in 1984.

The VBCS is an auditioned communitybased and inter-generational ensemble that performs choral art music from the Renaissance through the 21st century. Its core mission is to provide the highest quality performances of choral music to the Treasure Coast community while developing singers in the choral arts through self-sponsored concerts offered twice each season.

For the VBCS, community impact is equal in importance to performing. Its yearly merit-based scholarship program to support gifted young singers is a keystone initiative to creating a legacy of “music with a purpose.” The music itself

“enhances our senses and imagination, bringing joy to our overall environment. Through the centuries, music has helped capture the spirit and essence of great moments. Encouraging the future generation of musical talent is essential to preserving this tradition.”

As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, the VBCS relies upon community support to maintain its scholarship program and produce its musical performances. Importantly, the organization embraces three key pillars to foster excellence and growth:

• Artistry. Aspire to the highest standards of choral music excellence.

• Stewardship. Build and sustain organizational and financial practices that enable long-term choral excellence.

• Community. Forge and foster connections among our membership and the diverse communities of Indian River County, the Treasure Coast, and beyond.

In a beautiful statement of what the VBCS stands for and believes in, it holds these values:

• Commitment. Dedication to and respect for the music, the organization, our fellow singers and the enhancement of the quality of life in our community.

• Professionalism. The constant drive to maintain high standards of competency, honesty, accountability, knowledge and integrity which enhance the performance experience for the musicians and the patrons.

• Camaraderie. The unparalleled satisfaction and uplifting human connection that comes from the shared experience of an outstanding performance and honors the broad range of talents and abilities that we all bring.

• Artistry. The creative spirit and passionate force that summon us constantly to seek new, different, and better ways to infuse the joy of music into the lives of our audience.

• Joy. The exhilarating sensation that moves us toward amusement, gratitude, serenity, and pride in our relationships with the music, our community, and each other.

• Education. Supporting our local young musicians with scholarship opportunities for performance and private instruction.

Interview with Dr. Jacob Craig

JF: Dr. Craig, let’s start by telling us about your background and how you came to your position with the choral society.

JC: I came to Vero Beach by way of a collegial reference. I was completing a three-year stint teaching high school in Memphis, Tennessee. I was ready for a break—the high school was a Title 1 inner-city school, bringing benefits and challenges. My career plan was to enter a doctoral program and then teach at the university level. I actually got hired by a cruise line to be a jazz orchestra director for a year. I was in the middle of doing that and having a good time—going from Bayon, NJ to Bermuda weekly—when I received a voicemail from a previous colleague, Ryan Kasten, who currently is Director of Music at St. John of the Cross here in town.

He shared that he had been asked to serve as a consultant on the search committee for a Music Director position at First Presbyterian Church in Vero Beach, and

he had thought about me, but didn’t know if I had ever considered a church-based job. In truth, I had not considered this, but I interviewed anyway—why not? I felt really good about how the conversations went. I was offered the role and accepted. That was 13 years ago.

JF: Wonderful. And what instruments do you play?

JC: My main instrument is piano—I’m a pianist by training. I did my undergrad in piano performance and music education, and my master’s and doctorate degrees are in conducting.

JF: If you are a conductor and music director at a church, do you have to be that denomination?

JC: Every denomination is different. First Presbyterian Church hired me because I was a skilled professional musician. Since then, I’ve become a member because I really enjoy the church and community.

In full disclosure, I actually intended to use my new role as a career stepping stone—a bit of a resume builder—to go from a church role into a doctoral program, then to the university. But as things turned out, everything they have offered me at the church has kept me here and very happy for 13 years now. I cannot say enough good things about First Presbyterian Church and church roles in general.

Dr. Jacob Craig.

HOLIDAYS

VERO BEACH CHORAL SOCIETY

I had a number of former colleagues who went the university academic route, and some left good university positions for church roles because of the artistic flexibility, the creative freedom, the level of support that you receive. They are phenomenal jobs to have.

JF: Alright, so you found your way to Vero Beach and the First Presbyterian Church, the next question is how did you learn about the Vero Beach Choral Society?

JC: One of the things that’s a bit unique and very remarkable about the First Presbyterian Church is that they want to be a cultural center for the community. And so they are happy to open their doors to all kinds of artistic community programs that I had in mind. Over time I established relationships with all sorts of wonderful organizations in Vero Beach, and in turn these organizations— especially in a small town—learned about me. And so as other groups were looking for new directors, new conductors, my name kept coming up and I kept interviewing for different things. Providentially, the VBCS was one of these.

JF: And when did you start with them?

JC: I began after COVID—and we had to start everything over again from scratch. The Choral Society had a great tradition, but when COVID hit they had to disband—literally—for roughly a year. I was approached by a few members who said they wanted to revive the Choral Society—would you be our new Director? I accepted, and we got to work. I called people I knew who might be interested, and they called people they thought might be interested, and we pulled together a small group to start. Since then we’ve worked hard to increase our quality, attract more and more people, and perform interesting music. To the point where just this past year I undertook a serious audition process. So currently, even though our numbers are smaller than they were last year, it’s because everybody had to pass a rigorous audition.

In sum, Step 1 for reestablishing ourselves was to get our finances in order, and Step 2 is to elevate our musical quality.

JF: As a non-profit, I assume that one of your chief skills is to make big things happen with very few resources. How do you do it?

JC: Collaboration is the key to everything we do. And this works very well in a gifted and generous community like Vero Beach. The whole point of a choral society is to experiment and educate. We pursue different genres, different styles, also encourage young musicians—and in doing this I try to collaborate with the high schools in town and invite them to participate with us, both in rehearsals and performances, so they can gain exposure to fantastic music.

As part of our performances, we may include high school choristers, other community choral groups—both church and lay—and an orchestra composed of professional musicians—although for the string section, I have used a youth string orchestra, which I conduct.

JF: That is so great. Now, with a few years under your belt with the VBCS, tell me about it, your impressions of working with an amateur group like this. What is your goal for these choristers and the overall group?

JC: You’ve got younger people, high school age. You’ve got older people. And now we’ve raised the bar on our talent level. I think the appropriate goal for any director with any community group is to push them as far as they can go. Going back a few

steps, I direct other choral groups in Vero Beach—non-auditioned groups—and the purpose of these choirs is to edify life, keep busy, make friends and socialize, stay involved in music—it can be a sort of therapy, really. And these groups can be large, in which a few dozen can sing pretty well. In directing these groups, I’m trying to push them as far as they can go, but perhaps they can’t necessarily go too far. But they have to still be pushed so that they feel that their efforts are genuine and meaningful.

In contrast, the VBCS is dedicated to the study of the choral arts, which means there’s an expectation that you have a certain level of education and talent coming into that group. Participants range from high-level amateur to semiprofessional, and then depending upon your location—for example, if you’re in a town that has a couple of really great conservatories or universities—you can pull in some genuine talent and really push them quite far.

Accordingly, our recent re-auditioning was my push towards entering the semiprofessional space in terms of every chorister is being asked to carry their individual part completely on their own.

A lot of times choirs will find comfort in sections—where choristers aren’t exposed individually and solos are few. But in the VBCS now, everyone is expected to carry their part entirely on their own. And that is quite a change.

My goal for the next year is to push them to where their limit might be individually. And then once we find that limit, this is where programming choices come in. I can’t just program music I like, because it might be either below or beyond the group’s capability. There’s a secret sauce to making this work: making sure that in a semester’s time, the group can tackle a piece and two weeks before the concert really believe that they’re going to do a good job, but halfway through the semester wondering if they’re going to pull it off.

That’s the kind of excitement we’re garnering—there’s a timing element to it—you have to learn a piece that’s going to demand a lot of effort and attention—but

ultimately I’ll make sure they are successful. And once I find the limit of what they’re capable of doing, then I’m able to program according to what they can do. And as we gain more and more members of this caliber or higher, then you have options. One is to re-audition into an even higher level, recalibrating to a new baseline for the level of excellence we want this choral society to be. Potentially the group grows larger—for example, we have a 60-80 person choir, and then out of that 60-80, we have another secondary audition into a small chamber choir of 16-20, and those are very high-level people that do different music.

For the type of person we want as a member of the VBCS, I’ll use the analogy of sprinting. Let’s say you’ve never worked out a day in your life, but you decide you want to be a track and field sprinter. Well, that first year, you’re going from zero to however far you can improve, right? But for people who have achieved a very high level of performance, they spend hours and

hours for years trying to shave off tenths of a second. And it’s the same thing for music, where the further your ability level increases, you’re spending greater amounts of time working on the tiniest minutia to develop nuance and polish that really make a difference—where you can be a superb, outstanding professional-quality musician. That, in a nutshell, is our goal.

JF: And what is the timing of this?

JC: The re-audition occurred this past summer. So we will have six months to prepare for the holiday event on December 14, 2025. And then another three months to prepare for our more challenging masterwork in the spring of 2026.

The masterwork is special. It has a lot of solo opportunities, and I have a couple of professionals that I’m inviting for certain parts. And there’s the excitement of being a choir member and singing with a full orchestra—a very satisfying experience not a whole lot of people get to have. That’s one

of our main thrusts as an organization: making sure we do masterworks fairly regularly. I mean, that’s the big event— when you have the orchestra and choir together. It’s a beautiful thing.

Currently, our size is about 30 who auditioned and passed—we were about 55. We rehearse September through April, and May through August we’re off. Members still have to be here in September—which means they are making a real commitment, not going back and forth in the fall to other places. I’m a little bit flexible—a lot of these people are wonderful professionals in other walks of life—to the fact that they might need to be gone for something. I would say 99% of the group has missed only one or two rehearsals ever. So they are that committed.

JF: How does Vero Beach stack up in terms of interest for the small community that we are?

JC: Amongst us professional musicians, we have a bit of a running line, which is that Vero Beach is a small city with big city expectations. People come to Vero from major cities and they want that same level of quality and excitement—and they’re willing to pay for it. They’re willing to support the arts. It’s amazing here: you can go to dinner and a concert or play, and it’s high level, fantastic caliber. And you get to park 100 yards from where the performance is taking place. It’s awesome.

JF: And finally, tell me about the choral arts in Vero Beach at the grass roots level—what’s the interest among younger people, in schools and churches?

JC: There’s a huge amount of interest. Vero Beach High school has been very active, as well as the Charter High School and St. Edward’s School. Groups can number 60 or higher. And then you have the other churches. So effectively there is a network and hierarchy of organizations and groups that feed the system, like baseball. And as this network becomes strong and knitted together, this is when we can do some amazing performances, bringing groups together, everyone contributing and participating.

Almost all of the music directors in town are involved in the VBCS, which is a

really nice thing, as singers or assisting in some capacity. And every single one of the music directors plays nicely together. We collaborate with each other, we share people. I will volunteer time and expertise and they will do the same for me—it’s a really nice environment. It doesn’t have to be this way. But this is Vero Beach, and the way people are here. This is just another way that our community is unique.

Upcoming Event

The Vero Beach Choral Society presents Rejoice!—an inspiring concert that blends reverence and joy, showcasing the ensemble’s expressive power and celebrating the timeless beauty of choral music.

CONCERT HIGHLIGHTS

Benjamin Britten: “Rejoice in the Lamb” - a whimsical piece that captures the essence of joy.

Giuseppe Verdi: “Ave Maria” - a beautiful and serene choral work.

Camille Saint-Saëns: “Oratorio de Noël” - an elegant composition that brings forth the spirit of the season.

TIME & LOCATION

Dec 14, 2025, 4:00-5:00 p.m. 7550 26th St, Vero Beach, FL 32966

Admission is free; donations are greatly appreciated to support the Vero Beach Choral Society’s ongoing programs and community outreach.

Website: verobeachchoralsociety.org

Instagram: @vbchoralsociety

Crystal Lemley SENIOR DESIGNER

Gregory Ness-Vasko PRINCIPAL DESIGNER

M BAKERI REBORN

Where Beauty Is Baked Into Every Detail

Chris Foster, Founder of M Bakeri photographs courtesy of Chris Foster

There is a moment—just before crossing the threshold—when you feel it. A quiet pause, a pull, an invitation. Then you step inside M Bakeri, and the world softens into something intentional, refined, and full of light.

As the founder of M Bakeri, opening our first official location at 2060 6th Avenue is a dream come true—one born from vision, discipline, and the exceptional partnership with David Monn, the renowned New York designer who now joins me as a business partner. Together, we envisioned not just a café, but an experience where design and gastronomy pulse as one.

M Bakeri first started inside an Airstream on A1A, tucked beneath the tellers of Hazel House (now Bungalow Home Outdoor Living)—a design showroom inside a beautifully preserved historic bank. It was there, amid architecture and artistry, that we built our following. Guests visited for the elevated coffee experience, the Frenchinspired pastries, and the sense of style that made the Airstream feel like a destination.

Now that our flagship location is open, that identity has been fully realized.

David infused the space with his unmistakable touch—intentional, emotional, and layered with meaning. Every surface reflects purpose. Every detail tells a story. Light moves across the room as if choreographed. The wallpaper, a breathtaking work of art, feels alive; the birds seem ready to take flight. The space doesn’t just welcome you—it transports you into a world where beauty speaks a language.

Our pastries are crafted with the same dedication to aesthetics. French technique meets sculptural artistry: 100-layer cubes, croissants that shatter just right, elegant cruffins, seasonal tarts, and savory creations that are as visually stunning as they are delicious. At M Bakeri, every bite must please the eyes before it touches the palate.

The coffee program reflects that commitment to excellence. Our baristas— trained in New York City—approach each pour with purpose, discipline, and passion. Whether it is a simple espresso or a carefully crafted latte, every sip is meant to inspire.

But the true soul of M Bakeri is our community. From the early mornings at the Airstream to the excitement surrounding our new home, the people of Vero Beach have welcomed us with love and loyalty. Their support is woven into everything we do.

Opening this café is more than a milestone—it is our way of showing gratitude. A promise to keep creating beauty, light, and intention in every experience.

M Bakeri

772-617-0184

2060 6th Avenue

Vero Beach, FL 32960

Instagram: mbakeri670

ICONIC FRUITCAKES

A Sweet History, A Holiday Heirloom

Chris Foster photographs courtesy of Chris Foster

From Ancient Traditions to French Masterpiece—And Why America Fell in Love (and Laughed) Instead

Few desserts inspire as much debate or nostalgia as fruitcake. For some, it is the dense, jeweled centerpiece of a holiday table; for others, it is the punchline of a Christmas joke. But long before it became the most misunderstood treat in America, fruitcake was a highly coveted delicacy with a history that spans centuries, cultures, and continents.

A Dessert Born in Antiquity

Fruitcake has its roots in ancient Rome, where cooks combined barley mash with pomegranate seeds, nuts, raisins, and honey. It was portable, nutrient-rich, and meant to last—ideal for winter and long trips.

As trade routes expanded, so did the recipe. Spices, candied citrus, preserved fruits, and rich spirits turned fruitcake into a festive food across Europe. What stayed the same was the purpose: to preserve the harvest and celebrate the season.

The

French Version: Elegant, Fruity, and Fragrant

In France, fruitcake evolved into the revered gâteau aux fruits or the ultra-luxurious bûche aux fruits confits. Unlike the heavier American versions, the French style tends to be:

• Lighter in crumb.

• Filled with high-quality candied fruits (often from Provence).

• Soaked subtly in liqueurs such as Grand Marnier, rum, or Armagnac.

• Baked in smaller, gift-sized loaves.

• Finished with glaze for shine and preservation.

The French approach is all about balance, bright fruit, warm spices, and a tender, buttery cake. It is meant to be savored slice by slice, like a fine pastry.

The American Version: Bold, Dense, and Generous

When fruitcake crossed the Atlantic, it adapted to American abundance:

• Bigger loaves meant to feed families.

• Heavier textures due to molasses, brown sugar, and sometimes shortening.

• Mixed-fruit blends in bright reds and greens.

• Generous portions of nuts.

• Often aged in bourbon or rum.

By the 20th century, mass-produced fruitcakes took over the holiday market. Shelf-stable, very sweet, and extremely dense, they changed the traditional idea of what fruitcake should be, and strengthened its “love it or hate it” reputation.

Yet for many families, the American fruitcake is still cherished: a symbol of heritage, tradition, and the holiday spirit.

The Holiday Connection

Fruitcake endures because it represents everything the holidays embody:

• Generosity — a cake meant to be shared.

• Preservation — fruits of the season carried through winter.

• Celebration — a once-a-year indulgence.

• Ritual — baking weeks or months in advance.

A beautifully crafted fruitcake feels like a moment in time—patient, intentional, and filled with memory.

How to Keep Your Fruitcake Moist (Not Dry!)

A great fruitcake should never be dry. Here are expert-level tips:

1. Soak the fruit properly

Dry fruit steals moisture from the cake. Soak overnight in rum, brandy, bourbon, or orange juice.

2. Use brown sugar or honey

They hold moisture better than white sugar and deepen flavor.

3. Low and slow baking

Fruitcake should bake at a low temperature for a long time.

High heat = dryness.

4. “Feed” the cake

Once baked and cooled, brush or drizzle with rum, bourbon, cognac, or simple syrup. Wrap tightly and repeat weekly.

5. Wrap and rest

Fruitcake improves with age.

Wrap in parchment, then foil, then airtight storage.

Let it mature at least 1–2 weeks; a month or more is even better.

6. Add moisture-retaining ingredients

A splash of applesauce, crushed pineapple, or jam (a French secret) keeps the crumb tender.

HOLIDAYS

ICONIC FRUITCAKES

TWO ICONIC FRUITCAKES

French Elegance vs. American Tradition

French Fruitcake (Gâteau aux Fruits Confits)

A light, fragrant loaf inspired by Provence’s candied fruits.

Ingredients

• 1 cup candied fruits (orange peel, citron, cherries)

• ¼ cup golden raisins

• 3 tbsp Grand Marnier or rum

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• Pinch of sea salt

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla or orange blossom extract

• Zest of 1 orange

• 2 tbsp milk

• Optional glaze: apricot jam warmed + splash of water

Directions

1. Soak the fruit: Combine fruits, raisins, and Grand Marnier. Let sit 1 hour (or overnight).

2. Prepare batter: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla and orange zest.

3. Combine: Add dry mixture to wet. Stir in milk. Fold in the soaked fruits with any remaining liquid.

4. Bake: Pour into a parchment-lined loaf pan. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 55–65 minutes or until golden.

5. Finish: Brush warm cake with apricot glaze for shine.

6. Rest: Wrap and rest at least 24–48 hours for flavor to develop.

7. Taste: Light crumb, citrusy, elegant, beautifully moist.

Classic American Holiday Fruitcake Dense, generous, bourbon-kissed, and deeply nostalgic.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups mixed dried fruits (raisins, dates, cherries, cranberries)

• ½ cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

• ½ cup bourbon or dark rum

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• ¼ cup molasses or honey

• 1 tsp vanilla

• To “feed” the cake: additional bourbon or simple syrup

Directions

1. Soak: Combine fruit and bourbon. Let sit at least 4 hours or overnight.

2. Mix: Whisk flour, spices, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, molasses, and vanilla.

3. Combine: Add dry mixture to wet. Fold in soaked fruit and nuts.

4. Bake: Spread into a greased 8-inch round or loaf pan. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 1½–2 hours, low and slow.

5. Feed: Cool completely. Brush with bourbon or simple syrup.

6. Cure: Wrap tightly and let rest 1–3 weeks, “feeding” weekly for maximum moisture.

TASTE: RICH, BOLD, SPICED, DENSE IN THE BEST WAY— HOLIDAY COMFORT IN A SLICE.

VERO WINE BAR

Beautiful Wines and Warm Ambiance in a European-Style Café

by Jim Field photography by Victoriya Knapp

Maria Dante and David Zisman are living their dream. They have settled in Florida for good—which had always been a long-term goal. In December they celebrated their oneyear anniversary as owners of the Vero Wine Bar and Painted Frog next door. Married for 35 years, they are still going strong.

Maria and David bring an optimistic outlook to life—and why not? After decades of moving around the country for their careers, and traveling extensively for enjoyment, happiness can be defined by when you can finally declare “we’re home.” Responding to a question I posed about lessons learned from their first year as wine bar owners, Maria quickly responded: “I wish we had started this business 20 years ago. Because we love it so much, there’s so much to learn, so much we can do, and our patrons and the community have been so wonderful to us.”

Hearing their story, I felt so grateful to be a listener, and for the opportunity to welcome Maria and David onto the pages of LIV VERO Magazine

Early Lives

Maria and David met while students at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Mutual friends brought them together, and the magical venue was an art history lecture. Maria recalls, “We hit it off and David was a great student, very responsible, really nice guy. I decided ‘What good company.’” They both graduated with art degrees. They married and started their lives together.

David grew up in Rhode Island. As a New England native, he did a lot of sailing as a youngster.

Maria grew up in Puerto Rico, the family originally from Cuba. “I grew up Cuban,” Maria points out. Growing up, she wanted to go to art school and become an interior architect. Getting into RISD was a milestone event. “I loved being there. It was one of those places where you feel at home with all the creative types. And back then, creatives were really creative.”

David went on to earn an industrial engineering degree, embarking on a multi-faceted career in manufacturing, fabrication, aviation, electronics, and gaming. The corporate world moved them around the country, which they both enjoyed, even though Maria would have to be flexible with her aspirations.

“My career has really been about reinventing myself along the way,” Maria explains. “With my BFA, BIA in Interior Architecture and master’s in art education, I’ve had an opportunity to work at many different things, which has proven to be highly beneficial in light of where I am today. I practiced interior design as an ASID member—I started my own company, Maria Dante Studio. I am an abstract painter— mostly acrylic and oil—and had my work exhibited in galleries and shows, receiving honorable mentions.” At points in both of their careers, they teamed up to run a franchise and start businesses together.

Still, a highlight of her past life was raising their children. “I decided that was really important for me. My mother was a professional and she was never home. So I thought, you know what, I’m going to do that for my kids. And it was so enriching—I just loved it. We did so many

Owners Maria Dante and David Zisman.

VERO WINE BAR

creative things together—they thrived on everything—and you can bet they kept me very, very busy.”

Vero Wine Bar Vision

Coming to Florida to start a new chapter, they knew that they wanted a brick-andmortar space where they could start something creative. They began the process of researching businesses—and lo and behold, came across the predecessor venture to the wine bar (which concentrated on beer).

David recalls, “The property came with two components, the Painted Frog and a bar. And we thought: why not a bar? We don’t get intimidated easily, we’ve done a lot of things in our time together. And we envisioned what we wanted right away—

we really did. It was exciting to know our direction that quickly.” That was in December of 2024.

What they both envisioned was a place where people could come and enjoy wine, meet friends and make new acquaintances, read a book, enjoy light bites, and simply unwind. Wine would be at the heart of it all because, quite simply, it’s sheer enjoyment—to learn about, drink, share with others, and appreciate it as one of nature’s and man’s finest collaborations.

From their travels, Maria and David knew they wanted the physical space and ambiance to have a relaxed, artsy, European look and vibe. For Maria, “Being Hispanic, with my Cuban heritage, I grew up going to the café. The café was

an integral part of life—having coffee in the morning, a casual lunch, stopping in before going home after work, having that glass of wine and meeting friends.”

Inspired by David’s New England lineage, he framed their shared vision from a slightly different perspective—yet ultimately described the same idea. “It’s like the Cheers bar in Boston, where everybody knows everybody, and people come in and they get greeted and you hang out. And just have fun and hang out with the regulars, and make new friends.”

The Wine!

Maria and David have become passionate about wine. What they offer is a highly curated wine list—curated daily—to order by the glass or bottle—perhaps 25 different selections, 15 different varietals, representing the same number of renowned wine-producing regions around the world.

They work with five distributors. They visit and speak to winemakers globally. They taste—gloriously—all the wines they serve. They are in constant learning mode. Vero Wine Bar isn’t a bargain shop—it’s focused on delivering exceptional value.

Maria and David’s quest is simple: to discover gems—wines that are not commonly found, irresistibly delicious, and sourced from small vineyards across dozens of countries and from diverse soils, climates, and elevations. Maria, certified in Argentinian wines thanks to her intense study, notes with a spark that Chilean wines are entirely different. She is happily consumed by the pursuit.

Integral to their mission, however, is the imperative to simplify wine for those who might be intimidated by its aires and complexities. Their job is to explain wine to patrons in a way that they can understand each selection—its unique qualities—to contextualize and enhance their impressions from exploring its aromas and textures with that first sip. They will talk you through a region, a vineyard, a grape, a process of production, differentiating wines from each other— gently guiding you to a varietal and country you’re bound to enjoy. Think of Maria and David as knowledgeable tour guides, leading you on a journey

through their carefully curated wine list, recommended flights, and broader “cellar.”

There are a few other delights worth mentioning. Light fare is served to complement and enhance your wine— after all, it’s all about the wine! A lively calendar keeps things exciting, with Featured Friday Flights, Sangria Sunday, California and Oregon Wine Tastings, and Wine-Themed Trivia with Nibbles. You can reserve a table—or two—or even the entire wine bar for a private gathering. Just a short hallway away, the Painted Frog offers a unique potterypainting experience, with wine and food also available. It’s an ideal space for memorable meetings, creative workshops, or celebratory events, whether for individuals or business groups.

Vero Wine Bar

772-999-3764

1902 14th Avenue Vero Beach, FL 32960

Instagram: @verowinebar Website: verowinebar.com

STEADYING THE SHIP

Why Rituals Matter in Young People’s Lives

by Carly McAuliffe photography by Joshua McMiller

In a world where the pace of change seems to accelerate daily, traditions offer something quietly powerful: stability. For young people especially, traditions— whether family rituals, school events, or community customs—serve as emotional anchors. They connect the past to the present, remind us who we are, and provide a reliable rhythm in lives that can often feel uncertain or unpredictable.

Children and adolescents today are growing up in an age of constant flux. Technology evolves by the minute, social norms shift rapidly, and even the notion of “home” can change with a family move, a new school, or a major life event. Amid all this movement, traditions create a sense of continuity. They are touchpoints that remind young people that some things—values, connections, and shared experiences—remain steady no matter what else changes.

The Emotional Comfort of Consistency Psychologists have long recognized that routines and rituals foster emotional security. While routines govern the everyday (bedtimes, mealtimes, school schedules), traditions elevate those routines into moments of meaning. Whether it’s a weekly Sunday dinner, baking cookies during holidays, or the annual family trip to the beach, these patterns tell children: You are part of something lasting.

For young people navigating growth, pressure, and self-discovery, that message is invaluable. “Traditions help children feel grounded,” says Dr. Lisa Damour, psychologist and author of Under Pressure “They offer predictability in a world that can otherwise feel chaotic. Even small rituals—like a special goodbye before school—signal safety and belonging.”

When life’s challenges arise—divorce, loss, or transitions—those same traditions can become lifelines. A high schooler dealing with the stress of exams may find calm in an annual family holiday celebration that reminds them of simpler times. A child moving to a new city might draw comfort from recreating a familiar birthday ritual, reaffirming that while the surroundings are new, the family’s love endures.

In a school setting, traditions that span ages, such as our Senior Buddy program, is the gift that keeps giving because our first graders enjoy a second round of bonding when they become seniors and are paired with their own first grader over a decade later.

Building

Identity and Belonging

Traditions also play a critical role in shaping identity. They connect young people not only to their immediate family but to a larger narrative—of heritage, culture, and community. Reading a favorite book every year (The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, anyone?), attending a school’s homecoming parade, or volunteering together each Thanksgiving are not just acts of repetition: they’re acts of storytelling. They remind children where they come from and what values guide their path forward. Even the annual argument over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie counts!

School and community traditions, in particular, provide a collective sense of belonging that extends beyond the home. Pep rallies, theater productions, graduation ceremonies—these rituals mark milestones and foster pride.

They create shared memories that bind individuals into something larger than themselves. For adolescents who may sometimes feel isolated or misunderstood, such connections are vital, especially if the student is not motivated solely by academics.

Traditions can also strengthen intergenerational bonds. When grandparents teach a grandchild how to decorate a holiday table or tell stories about “how we used to do it,” they are passing down more than just customs— they’re passing down identity. Those shared practices reinforce the idea that each generation is part of an ongoing story, giving young people a sense of continuity and purpose.

Adaptation Without Losing Essence

Tradition does not mean rigidity. In fact, the healthiest traditions are those that evolve while keeping their spirit intact. One of our Saint Edward’s families who have extended relatives all over the country hide a tiny toy dog when they visit each other’s homes. For decades, that little dog has traveled the country, and everyone loves to discover it and plan for its next adventure. Families who adapt old rituals to fit new realities teach young people an

essential life lesson: it’s possible to honor the past while embracing change.

This balance is key. Children who see that traditions can grow with them learn flexibility within structure. They understand that stability doesn’t require sameness—it comes from shared intention and connection.

Creating New Traditions

Not all traditions need deep roots. Some of the most meaningful ones begin spontaneously—a funny phrase said before bedtime, a “first day of school” breakfast, a family walk on Sunday evenings. What matters is the repetition and the meaning attached. Even small, consistent gestures can become the traditions that children look back on fondly as adults.

For educators, coaches, and mentors, establishing traditions within schools or teams can have the same grounding effect. Rituals like senior celebrations, buddy programs, or seasonal performances give students a sense of belonging and a clear rhythm to their year. These experiences help young people feel part of something enduring, even after they move on.

The Lasting Gift of Continuity

As children grow into adulthood, they carry the emotional imprint of their early traditions. They may recreate them with their own families or communities, passing along not just the practice but the comfort, connection, and meaning it provided. In this way, traditions are not relics of the past—they’re living expressions of what we value most.

In an ever-changing world, traditions remind young people that while circumstances may shift, love, connection, and belonging endure. They are the steady pulse beneath the noise, the gentle rhythm that helps young hearts find their balance.

And sometimes, that simple act of gathering—lighting the candle, sharing the meal, singing the familiar song—is enough to remind a child, and perhaps all of us, that we are home.

Quick tips to start your own traditions:

During Halloween in our library, “Skelly” makes his annual appearance! He likes to read books and move around the library at night while we sleep. When we come in in the morning, he’s moved positions. He’s a very silly guy, and we’re always sad to see him go back to his haunted house, but we look forward to his appearance every year.

Play your favorite “hype” song in the car on the way to school, especially if your child has a tough day of challenges ahead. One of our teachers uses the time to introduce 90s music to her children.

Pick a favorite celebratory plate that only comes out once a year for the birthday boy or girl.

Plan a family community service outing at the same time every year. The weekend before Valentine’s Day is a great time to “love thy neighbor.”

For the record, Die Hard IS a Christmas movie.

Saint Edward’s School Lower School

Librarian Carly McAuliffe has a Master of Arts in Reading Education. She is a Pirate alumna and loves creating traditions for her students in the Lower School library.

FASHION

Photograph by William Ferchichi

THE PERFECT BLACK DRESS

A Holiday Essential

by Chris Foster photography by William Ferchichi

There’s a reason the black dress remains one of fashion’s most enduring icons. In its quiet simplicity, it embodies strength and elegance, unapologetically timeless, universally flattering, and always suitable.

A truly perfect black dress doesn’t need embellishments; its silhouette tells the story. It moves with purpose, shaping confidence and revealing beauty through restraint rather than excess.

For our December holiday issue, we captured this vision with our model inside M Bakeri, where the warmth of the season, the glow of fresh pastries, and the magic of anticipation created the perfect setting. The dress we chose is, in many ways, a lesson in holiday power dressing: a clean line, perfect length, and a silhouette that celebrates the woman wearing it.

This stunning piece, available at Sassy Boutique in Vero Beach, is the dress every woman should own in her wardrobe. Its low neckline subtly hints at sensuality while maintaining complete sophistication. It easily pairs with nearly any accessory, such as pearls, gold chains, bold cuffs, or a simple heel, making it as versatile as it is captivating.

As the holidays fill our schedules with gatherings, dinners, and celebrations, one constant remains: the perfect black dress. Understated yet unforgettable, it’s the look that never disappoints, the piece that empowers, and the silhouette that makes a statement without saying a word.

But holiday fashion extends far beyond the classic black dress.

This season, sequins make a stunning comeback. We styled a sequin fringe skirt with a luxurious black faux fur coat, finished off with a sparkling sequin clutch purse, creating a look that radiates modern glamour and festive boldness.

Inside the clutch, we tucked the essentials: lipstick and a credit card—a subtle but deliberate nod to effortless elegance and the confidence of a woman who needs nothing more than the basics to stand out. Every piece in this look can be found at Sassy Boutique, bringing high holiday style directly to Vero Beach.

We also embraced the richness of the season with a chocolate-brown sequin skirt and matching top, captured as our model enjoyed one of M Bakeri’s signature chocolate croissants. The deep cocoa tones of the sequins reflected the indulgence of the pastry, creating an irresistible blend of luxury and seasonal warmth.

As the holidays fill our calendars with gatherings, dinners, and celebrations, one constant remains: the transformative power of style. From the understated perfection of the black dress to the bold allure of sequins, these looks encourage women to step into the season with confidence, charm, and undeniable presence.

Whether understated or dazzling, classic or modern, holiday fashion is about feeling your best. And this season, every silhouette, sparkle, and detail tells a story worth celebrating.

Sassy Boutique

772-234-3998

3365 Ocean Drive

Vero Beach, FL 32963

Instagram: @sassyboutiquevb Website: sassyboutique.com

M Bakeri

772-617-0184

2060 6th Avenue

Vero Beach, FL 32960

Instagram: mbakeri670 Website: mbakerillc.com

REFINED MENSWEAR FOR FALL

Modern Minimalism Blends with Coastal Classics

by Chris Foster photography by Yuri Semenyuk

Showcasing COS Men, Theory and, in Vero Beach, J.McLaughlin.

As the season shifts, men’s fashion is adopting polished layers, luxurious textures, and clean, versatile silhouettes that transition seamlessly from daytime errands to evening dinners.

For December, LIV VERO Magazine highlights the essential menswear trends of the season—blending the sleek modern minimalism of COS Men, the tailored sophistication of Theory, and the coastal elegance of J.McLaughlin to create a wardrobe that’s stylish, functional, and ideal for life in Vero Beach.

FALL/WINTER MENSWEAR TRENDS TO KNOW

Relaxed Tailoring. Global designers such as COS Men, Theory, and Brunello Cucinelli showcased soft-shouldered blazers, unstructured sport coats, and tailored trousers that offer sharp style without stiffness.

Layered Neutrals. The season’s palette is rooted in camel, olive, navy, and charcoal, layered with crisp white and cream for a clean, understated seasonal look.

Sculptural Minimalism. COS Men features sleek, minimal silhouettes—from cropped wool-blend coats to architectural mock-neck knits—ideal for men who appreciate modern design.

Tailored Performance. Theory is redefining work-to-evening style with stretch-wool trousers, lightweight blazers, and merino pullovers that blend sophistication and comfort—perfect for travel or polished everyday wear.

Textural Knits. Merino quarter-zips, cashmere crewnecks, and fine-gauge sweaters from Theory, COS Men, and J.McLaughlin offer lightweight warmth with refinement—a must for cool coastal evenings.

Statement Outerwear. This season’s standout pieces include COS Men’s sleek wool overcoats, Theory’s tailored topcoats, and J.McLaughlin’s quilted vests and lightweight field jackets—each providing seasonal polish without added bulk.

Polished Casual Footwear. Sleek leather sneakers, suede loafers, and Chelsea boots, complete the look with a refined yet versatile touch.

Runway Meets Vero Beach

While European collections favored heavier wools and layered outfits, Vero Beach style prefers lighter fabrics, transitional layers, and versatile silhouettes that suit waterfront lunches, business meetings, and candlelit dinners.

By blending COS Men’s architectural minimalism, Theory’s sharp tailored separates, and J.McLaughlin’s coastal classics, men in Vero can create a wardrobe that feels globally inspired, yet perfectly suited to our coastal lifestyle.

What to Shop at J.McLaughlin

• Lightweight quilted vests in navy or olive for layering over polos or buttondown shirts.

• Cashmere-blend crewnecks and quarter-zips in camel, navy, and charcoal.

• Classic sport coats and unstructured blazers that pair well with chinos or dark denim.

• Refined polos and Henleys for a polished casual look.

• Leather belts, suede loafers, and structured weekenders for the perfect finishing touches.

What to Shop at COS Men

• Sleek wool-blend overcoats for modern seasonal layering.

• Sculpted trousers and relaxed tailoring for versatile work-to-dinner outfits.

• Mock-neck sweaters and fine-gauge knits in cream, charcoal, and muted green.

• Tailored shirts and slim dress pants for effortless city-coastal style.

• Polished leather sneakers and Chelsea boots for sleek, understated luxury.

What to Shop at Theory

• Custom-fit performance blazers in stretch-wool for travel-ready style.

• Modern topcoats and lightweight wool jackets for transitional weather.

• Merino wool crewnecks and half-zips that offer structure with softness.

• Slim-fit stretch wool trousers for versatile day-to-night style.

• Lightweight layering staples that effortlessly complement both COS Men and J.McLaughlin pieces.

LIV VERO Styling Capsule for Men

A five-piece capsule makes dressing effortless yet sophisticated:

1. The Outer Layer. A wool-blend topcoat or a J.McLaughlin quilted vest in navy or olive.

2. The Knit. A COS Men mock-neck sweater or a Theory merino crewneck in camel or charcoal for a polished look.

3. The Base. A slim-fit dress shirt or a J.McLaughlin knit polo in crisp ivory or muted blue.

4. The Pant. COS Men tailored trousers or Theory stretch-wool pants for versatile day-to-night wear.

5. The Shoe: Suede loafers or leather Chelsea boots for classic, effortless style.

This capsule guarantees men are prepared for every occasion—from brunch on Ocean Drive to weekend trips or holiday entertaining.

J.McLaughlin

772-231-4887

6210 Jimmy Buffet Mem Hwy Vero Beach, FL 32963

Instagram: @verobeach_fl_jmcl Website: jmclaughlin.com

MBAKERI PÂTISSERIE

M Bakeri is Vero Beach’s boutique espresso bar and bakery, crafting artisanal pastries, specialty coffees, and beautifully designed custom cakes.

LESLIE STOKES AND ABSTRACT ART

Bypassing Thought to Reach the Heart

By Joshua McMiller

photography by Joshua McMiller

There are artists who create with precision and artists who create with instinct. Then there are artists like Leslie Stokes who live between the two. She moves through creativity with equal parts sensitivity and discernment.

Her paintings are not designed to tell a story, they become one. Standing in front of her work feels less like viewing a composition and more like entering a feeling. Shapes may appear or dissolve, but the sensation arrives before thought. The work is layered, intentional, raw, and deeply human.

When she speaks about abstract art, she does so with a soft certainty. Abstract, she believes, reaches the heart before the mind ever has the chance to interfere. It bypasses language and becomes emotion. This idea reflects her life as much as her practice.

A Childhood of Contrast

Leslie was born in Louisville, Kentucky, into a household where two worlds sat comfortably beside one another. Her mother was a creative spirit, a musician and artist who encouraged imagination. Her father worked in the Secret Service and lived by structure, discipline, and precision.

She often jokes that any personality test reveals her as an almost perfect split between the two. Creativity lived in the house naturally. There was no moment of discovering art. It was simply always present.

Her first portrait was a large oil painting of a young cousin in a wash basin. It was not praised because it was cute. It was praised because it was unusually skillful. Yet she did not pursue realism for approval. She did it because it felt possible, and eventually, it felt predictable.

Realism began limiting her. She could master it, but mastery was not meaning. The shift began when she challenged herself to use a color she disliked, a pale French ultramarine.

She mixed it, muted it, pushed it until it became unfamiliar. In that process she realized the most honest work happens when the mind loosens and the body leads. The lesson stayed. When thinking steps aside, truth steps forward.

Life, Detours, and a Practical Path

Art lived in her bones, but life required stability. After college and work in the museum world, she faced a difficult moment when healthcare disappeared after an accident. Survival demanded practicality. She entered banking, a field she once swore she would never choose. Yet she excelled. The work sharpened her analytical side rather than silencing it, and she eventually understood her father’s early advice. The skill was not meant to replace art. It was meant to protect it. She never saw banking as abandonment. She saw it as balance.

Florida: Unexpected Belonging

Florida entered her life through marriage, but the marriage ended long before her connection to the landscape did. The move felt unexpected at first, yet something in her recognized the place at a level deeper than reason.

She does not paint Florida literally. She paints the sensation of it. The weight of humidity. The quiet movement of marsh grasses. The urgency of development pressing against ancient ecosystems. Her upcoming exhibition, Mirage, explores loss and memory through gesture and texture. It reflects a truth many Floridians feel quietly but intensely. Destroying the land is not just removal. It is erasure. Her work does not lecture or protest. It grieves and honors. It remembers.

Art as Meditation and Discipline

For Leslie, abstract work is not chaotic expression. It is listening. It requires patience, restraint, and the courage to stop before the painting becomes forced. When she begins to overthink, she pauses.

If the work starts becoming controlled rather than intuitive, she disrupts it. That disruption may be a mark, a scrape, or a shifted layer. If clarity does not return, she steps away. Waiting is part of the process. Painting is often mentally exhausting. Not because of the work itself but because it demands presence. To create authentically, she must stay out of her own way.

Turning Point

Her true shift into abstraction solidified during a residency at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, FL. The mentorship there was unlike anything she experienced before. Instead of critique focused on technical skill, she received guidance rooted in curiosity, surrender, and trust.

A mentor once told her, as she nearly discarded a painting, to first tell him which dumpster she planned to use because he wanted it. Another time, after completing a piece in record time, he reminded her that sometimes the painting gods decide to be generous. These lessons were simple but transformative. They taught her to release perfection and accept grace.

She does not chase exposure and does not rely on constant visibility. Yet her work continues to find homes with collectors who want art that feels alive rather than decorative. She smiles when she says she flies under the radar by choice. Even in her professional life outside the studio, her identity as an artist has slowly and inevitably drifted into the open.

Leslie once believed she was divided—half logic, half instinct. Now she sees those parts notas opposites but as partners. Structure gives her freedom. Intuition gives her voice. She paints not to speak but to listen. She creates not to control but to surrender. And in that surrender, something true emerges.

ARTIST TO ARTIST LESLIE STOKES AND ABSTRACT ART

Q&A with Leslie Stokes

JM: What makes abstract art emotionally powerful?

LS: Abstract bypasses thought and reaches the heart. It is instinct and color rather than rules or correctness.

JM: How do you avoid overthinking while creating?

LS: When thinking takes over, I stop. Sometimes I disrupt the work to reset instinct. Sometimes I walk away and wait.

JM: Was transitioning from realism to abstraction challenging?

LS. Yes. Realism felt safe. Abstraction required trust and the willingness to let go of perfection.

JM: How has nature influenced your work?

LS: I paint the feeling of nature rather than its literal form. The changing environment of Florida has shaped much of my recent work.

JM: What role did mentorship play in your journey?

LS: The residency at Atlantic Center for the Arts changed everything. It taught me to trust the unexpected.

JM: Do you believe art must have meaning?

LS: Meaning emerges on its own. The viewer brings their own history to the work and connects where language ends.

JM: How do you balance banking with painting?

LS: They support each other. One gives structure. One gives release.

JM: What do you hope people feel when they encounter your work?

LS: Recognition rather than explanation. Something in them should feel seen.

Closing

Leslie Stokes paints like someone who listens before responding, someone who honors the unknown rather than trying to define it. Her work is a quiet reminder that art is not only something we see. It is something we experience when we soften, surrender, and feel.

CONCRETE AND EPOXY ARTISTIC FLOORS

The Maker’s World of Crystal Ploszay

by Joshua McMiller photography by Joshua McMiller

Crystal Ploszay does not just create art. She builds worlds. To step into her studio is to walk into a vision that already existed in her mind long before the first pour of concrete or the first flick of paint. “When I walk into a space, I already see it,” she says. “The floor, the walls, the feeling. It exists before I even touch it. My job is simply to translate it into reality.”

That ability to see what others cannot has shaped her life in Vero Beach, a town she calls home despite her family’s nomadic beginnings. Raised by a creative mother and a father who worked with his hands, Crystal grew up believing that making things was simply what humans do. “We are the makers,” she says. “We build, we envision, we bring thoughts into reality. That’s what it means to be alive.”

The Summer That Changed Everything

When Crystal was nine years old, a summer camp with Youth Guidance altered the course of her life. An elderly artist named Captain Vining Sherman arrived with wood scraps, brushes, and a challenge: make something. While other children built towers and toy cars, Crystal saw something more. She painted a flamingo within the natural grain of a twoby-four, and that vision caught Sherman’s attention immediately. He awarded her a $500 art set and six months of free lessons. That mentorship lasted for more than a decade.

“He taught me how to see,” she recalls. “How to believe what I saw inside myself and translate it so others could see too.” Sherman insisted she work only with vine charcoal for years, focusing on light, shadow, and discipline before allowing color. That foundation became the backbone of her artistic identity.

A Life Built on Resilience Crystal’s journey was never straightforward. After school, she explored welding, sculpture, and art history while considering nuclear medicine as a practical career path. Yet her creative instinct never faded. “I remember sitting at Panera, looking up decorative concrete companies,” she says. “I thought, I can do this. I can build something here.” That realization became the start of Unicorn Epoxy, which she built under her larger company, Unmistakable Concrete Studios, Inc

Her business is more than a surface company. It is a movement that merges art, design, and emotion. “I don’t sell floors,” she says. “I sell a feeling.” Clients come to her describing moments, not materials— morning light in a kitchen, the warmth of a grandmother’s pie cooling on the counter, the memory of home. Before sealing each floor, she writes “power words” into the dust, embedding intention into the foundation itself.

Building Unicorn Epoxy Today, Crystal stands as the CEO and Lead Artisan of Unmistakable Concrete Studios, overseeing two thriving surface companies and leading her team in transforming spaces into works of art. Her work has been featured in Inc. and Entreprenuer magazine and earned her the 7th Business Acceleration Summit Pitch Tank Award and the 2018 Industry Appreciation Architectural Recognition Award.

As a member of the International Decorative Artisans League, Vice President of the National Apprenticeships in the Trades Foundation, and part of the Sherwin-Williams Advisory Board, she continues to expand the boundaries of decorative artistry.

Over the past decade, Crystal has completed more than 500 installation projects, working with over 200 types of materials, redefining the possibilities of concrete and epoxy surfaces. Her innovative techniques have earned her international recognition, positioning her as a thought leader in the concrete coatings industry.

A graduate of CEO Space International, Forbes’ #1 “must-attend” business conference, Crystal has made it her mission to empower other artists to live sustainably through their creative gifts. “We were never meant to starve for our art,” she says. “We were meant to build with it.”

Creativity, Adventure, and the Compass Within

Outside the studio, Crystal’s life is a series of adventures that feed her art. From roller derby to advanced diving to traditional archery, she brings her full energy to everything she does. She’s known to paddle board through mangroves, raise her children on boats, and even once “booped” a shark on the nose during a dive. “You have to poke holes in the envelope of your creativity,” she says. “If you only stay in your bubble, you’ll run out of air.”

She passes that philosophy on to her mentees, telling them to make both a map and a compass. “A map shows where you think you’re going. A compass shows who you are. When you drift, it points you back to yourself.”

Looking Ahead

Though Unicorn Epoxy continues to thrive, Crystal sees it as a bridge rather than a destination. She’s currently exploring microbial technology and continuing to speak, teach, and mentor within the decorative concrete industry. Her long-term vision is to merge the art and trades communities, helping artists build sustainable, fulfilling careers.

Crystal’s story is one of transformation. From wood turned into flamingos, concrete into emotion, to hardship into opportunity. “Our world doesn’t teach us to dream,” she says. “It teaches us to survive. But dreaming, real dreaming, is about knowing what you’re meant for and daring to go after it.”

And Crystal Ploszay dares boldly, fearlessly, and with both feet on the ground she’s built herself. Her world is one made of intention, imagination, and the unmistakable mark of a true maker who never stops creating.

Unicorn Epoxy

772-501-3324

2501 27th Ave. Vero Beach, FL 32960

Instagram: @unicornepoxy Website: unicornepoxy.com

TRAVEL

Photograph courtesy of Daunara Safari Camp

DAUNARA SAFARI CAMP

Magical Experiences in the Vast Wilderness of Botswana

by Matthew Copham, Co-Owner photography courtesy of Daunara Safari Camp

Editor’s Note: I was recently approached by a Vero Beach friend, inquiring if LIV VERO Magazine might be interested in a safari article for our Travel Section. I asked for a bit more background. He replied that a neighbor in England had founded a safari camp in Botswana; they visited and were stunned by its beauty, ambiance, and amenities; he posited that the narrative would probably appeal to the many safari aficionados in Vero Beach.

I contemplated his offer—briefly—and said “yes, definitely, thank you!” My thinking: it is sure to be an amazing tale; I adore Africa and its many layers; readers will learn a lot; and what fun to explore what the safari camp has in store! Establishing such a business must be an intricate undertaking in this day and age. Operating such a business must be equally complex. I find myself drawn to such stories.

For our Travel Section, LIV VERO’s rule is that every published story must have a Vero Beach tie. A native would have to be the traveler/owner/chronicler—some combination of the three. In this case, for example, our Vero Beach friend knows the principals and has visited—so check two boxes.

We at LIV VERO are perfectly fine—indeed honored—to profile chosen subjects once. Better still is the opportunity to publish a series of articles, providing readers with a deeper understanding of protagonists and events over a time period. Such will be the case with Daunara Safari Camp; we want to capture the full, multi-faceted experience for our readers.

Finally, the initial plan was for Matt and me to conduct an interview by phone. I bulleted out questions to guide the discussion. To my surprise, Matt typed out his response in a return email—beautifully written. As an editor, when you are gifted a first-person account of this caliber, you go with it—let the expert on site speak directly to readers. This is what you will read below. In an earlier era, imagine Matt at the camp, pen and stationery, crafting a letter in longhand by lantern.

Owners and Guiding Principles

The owners of Daunara Safari Camp are David and Lisa Lubbock and myself. The concession spans 125,000 hectares and is owned by five villages/communities who serve as the custodians of the land. We pay traversing fees and operating rights

to the community board, which represents and safeguards the interests of these communities.

Our principles are rooted in a deep commitment to conservation and the upliftment of the local community through our foundation, The Daunara Foundation.

Brief Backgrounds Before Africa

David and Lisa Lubbock, originally from the UK, became passionate safari lovers many years ago, travelling frequently to Africa with their family. Their hearts have always been driven by a desire to give back to the communities they engage with, which led them to support various initiatives, including a school in Kenya.

Africa has long held a deep and meaningful place in their lives. This was the perfect combo: David’s business sense, big heart, and boundless energy; Lisa’s eye for detail and her extensive experience running her own interior design company; and my knowledge of Botswana and the environment. Together, we formed the ideal team—one that created the most amazing camp.

I was born in Africa and built my career as a safari guide, primarily in South Africa and Botswana, while also leading journeys throughout the continent. I met David and Lisa 20 years ago and developed a close friendship rooted in our shared love for Africa, safari, and especially Botswana.

Our longstanding connection to the country made the decision effortless when the opportunity arose to build our safari camp in the Okavango Delta. The vision behind the project has always been grounded in conservation and community upliftment.

First Exposure to Botswana

David and Lisa first chose Botswana as their safari destination over 20 years ago when they visited the Okavango Delta. It was during this trip that we met—I was working as a safari guide at one of the Delta camps. The connection was instant. We became close friends, travelling extensively together throughout Botswana—by boat, on dedicated photographic safaris, and sharing countless sunsets, with many more still to come.

My own first exposure to Botswana was in 2001. At the time, I had been guiding in the Greater Kruger National Park but continually heard stories about this extraordinary, untouched wilderness: a place where the floodwaters travel thousands of miles from Angola; where palm trees rise above vast floodplains; where half of Africa’s elephants roam; where great herds and powerful lion prides thrive, including the iconic black-maned lions; where painted wolves find sanctuary, and cheetah populations remain strong.

It was described as a place where you can boat through winding channels, mokoro through crystal-clear lagoons, walk among wildlife, and explore landscapes as wild and unchanged as they were a thousand years ago. Compelled by this vision, I travelled to Botswana for a job interview as a camp manager—and since that day in 2001 I’ve never left.

Seed of Interest in a Camp

After many years of travelling across Africa and visiting countless safari camps, the idea naturally surfaced in conversations—how incredible it would be to one day have a camp of our own. For me—having spent years guiding and managing safari camps throughout Africa, owning a camp was the ultimate aspiration: a place to call home, a place where you leave a legacy, and a place where you can meaningfully give back.

When the opportunity finally presented itself, the decision required no hesitation. It was a shared dream, and the moment it became possible, we embraced it wholeheartedly.

The Deal—Opportunities and Challenges

The opportunity emerged when ancestral land was returned to the custodians of the area. The land had no development, no roads, and had never been formally explored. It was untouched, raw, and true wilderness.

At the same time, this was just after COVID, a period during which many existing camps and lodges across Africa struggled due to global travel bans. As a result, several investment opportunities became available, and we visited a number of these properties. However, we ultimately chose Daunara Safari Camp because of its proximity to the communities and the knowledge that our presence could create meaningful impact. This area had no safari camp whatsoever, and we knew that establishing one here would bring employment, economic stimulation, and long-term community development.

One of our biggest challenges was that no one had ever truly explored this concession where we could build our camp.

Game drives had never been conducted here. No one knew the wildlife densities, the seasonal movements, the accessibility, or the ecological potential. We were entering completely virgin territory, and that presented a unique dilemma.

We tendered the project management to several companies and ultimately chose Fox and Brown, a company with decades of experience building safari camps across Africa. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and deep understanding of remote construction were exceptional.

An invaluable part of this process was having Lisa Lubbock—one of our owners—lend her talent, experience, and meticulous eye for detail to the project. Her involvement with the Fox and Brown team, along with her thoughtful decisionmaking and long-term vision, added an extra layer of refinement to the final concept and overall feel of the camp. In our very first year, the camp won an award—a testament to Fox and Brown’s expertise and the collective care that went into every aspect of the build. Their training of our staff, the ease of working with them, and their deep commitment made them an exceptional partner, and we remain incredibly grateful to have selected them.

We also partnered with Lodge Builders Botswana, widely regarded as the leading construction company in the country

TRAVEL DAUNARA SAFARI CAMP

for remote safari projects. Their team is renowned for their craftsmanship, reliability, and extensive experience building in challenging environments where every piece of material must be transported on difficult roads and through deep water crossings. Their knowledge and skill were instrumental in turning our vision into reality.

Early Impressions

Should the camp be rustic and minimalist? Or something iconic, comfortable, luxurious, and safari-chic? Without understanding how the area behaved during the wet and dry seasons, making these decisions required both intuition and patience.

To begin understanding the land, one of our very first hires was a gentleman named David. His role, every single day, was to drive, explore, observe, and report on everything he encountered—from wildlife sightings to water levels. His presence also helped the animals slowly acclimate to vehicles and people.

Having just come out of a season of exceptionally high floods, the terrain was challenging. With no established roads, we faced deep-water crossings, floodplains, and the enormous task of mapping an area that had never been mapped before.

Every opportunity I had, I would head into the concession to camp, explore, and get a feel for the land firsthand. Drawing on my deep knowledge of Botswana and its established concessions, I would compare what I saw at Daunara to other regions— and I quickly became impressed by the wildlife density, the quality of grazing, the diversity of species, and the abundance of fresh tracks indicating healthy animal populations.

Some of my most meaningful exploration moments were spent sleeping on the roof of the vehicle with my five-year-old daughter. Together, under the Botswana night sky, we would listen for lion calls to estimate how many were in the area, identify hyena whoops, note the rasps of leopards, and simply absorb the rhythm of the night. These experiences were essential in understanding the concession’s nocturnal activity, predator presence, and the overall potential for exceptional game viewing.

In the end, our decision to build here was guided by purpose, possibility, and the belief that this untouched landscape—paired with strong community partnership—could become something extraordinary.

Location and Surroundings

We truly believe we have one of the most extraordinary locations in the Okavango Delta. Daunara Safari Camp sits on the edge of a breathtaking lagoon—home to crocodiles, hippos, and herds of red lechwe that graze and wade through the water daily. From our deck, we often watch these animals move from island to island, drinking, feeding, and simply living out the rhythms of the Delta.

There have been countless moments where we’ve said, “Let’s head out on a game drive,” only to pause and look out at the view in front of us. One afternoon we counted 37 giraffes, 300+ elephants, and herds of zebras, lechwe, hippos, impalas, and kudu all gathered in front of camp. We laughed and said, “Why leave? Everything is right here.”

Behind the camp lies a vast open plain, often filled with big herds of zebra and wildebeest—a contrast to the lush lagoon at the front. It’s a landscape of incredible diversity, and it gives us the privilege of experiencing every type of Delta habitat within a short distance.

We sit between two of the Delta’s major river systems—the Boro River to our west and the Santantadibe River to our east. Every game drive takes guests through a mosaic of ecosystems: open plains, deep water crossings, river channels, mopane forests, palm-dotted islands, ebony forests, and wide, shimmering lagoons. To the north, you’ll find long stretches of wild palm groves and some of the most spectacular sunsets in the entire region.

The wildlife here is exceptional. We have the Daunara Pride of lions, which

currently has new cubs; thriving packs of painted wolves; excellent leopard densities; and large herds of elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebra, and antelope species. It is a truly iconic wildlife area— raw, wild, and deeply alive.

Despite being so wild, the camp is remarkably accessible—just a 10-minute helicopter flight from Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. This eliminates the need for long fixed-wing transfers and gives guests an exhilarating aerial introduction to the wetlands.

Alternatively, the camp can be reached by vehicle for those who prefer a grounded, immersive journey. Our connection to the surrounding communities is equally meaningful. The land is owned by five

villages, and the route into camp takes you through these communities on a scenic two-hour drive from the outskirts of Maun. It’s a chance to see traditional village life before entering the vast, untouched wilderness of the concession.

In every sense, we feel blessed by this location: diverse ecosystems, prolific wildlife, and the perfect balance of wilderness and accessibility.

Camp Described

Daunara Safari Camp is an intimate, bespoke safari camp accommodating a maximum of 10 guests. The camp features three beautifully appointed suites and one spacious family unit that sleeps four, ensuring exclusivity and comfort.

TRAVEL DAUNARA SAFARI CAMP

We offer a fully equipped gym, a spa, and one of the only camps that has air conditioning—in fact, each room has two air conditioning units to maintain perfect comfort during Botswana’s warmest months.

Dining at Daunara is a highlight of the experience. Our wine cellar boasts an exceptional collection of hand-selected South African and French wines, and our chefs craft outstanding menus that consistently receive praise from guests.

Our elevated deck overlooking the lagoon is a favorite place for guests to relax, fish, or simply take in the wildlife that gathers at the water’s edge.

The heart of our camp is undeniably our people. With a team of 44 highly trained staff, we are incredibly proud to be home to some of the most amazing staff in Botswana. The sense of family, professionalism, and warmth is something guests comment on time and time again. When news spread that we were building

Daunara, many talented individuals sought to join our team—a testament to the culture we’ve created.

Our boma is another signature feature: an open-air dining area where guests enjoy wood-fired pizzas, tandoor oven meals during our Indian nights, and cozy winter dinners around the fireplace under the stars.

The camp is 100% solar-powered and entirely self-sufficient, reflecting our commitment to sustainable, responsible tourism.

For activities, we offer Toyota Land Cruiser game vehicles, mokoros for traditional Delta experiences, and a professionally designed boat for exploring the channels when water levels allow.

Daunara Safari Camp is a blend of luxury, community, wilderness, and heart—a place where guests arrive as visitors and leave as family.

Food and Cuisine

We are incredibly proud of our culinary team. Our Executive Chef, K.D., brings world-class experience, having previously worked for the late Paul Allen at his exclusive safari camp in Botswana. His training, creativity, and depth of knowledge set the tone for our entire kitchen.

Letty, another of our exceptional chefs, has been cooking throughout the Okavango Delta for many years, and I’ve personally known and admired her talent for over 25 years. Together, they lead a team that is passionate, meticulous, and deeply committed to delivering some of the finest cuisine in Botswana. Our food is diverse, flavorful, and tailored to each guest’s personal preferences and dietary requirements.

A typical day begins with a gentle wakeup at 5:00 or 6:00 a.m., depending upon the season. As guests make their way to the main area, they’re welcomed with a beautiful selection of fresh health juices and shots, homemade muesli, fruit platters,

warm bacon-and-egg rolls, porridge, pastries, or anything else they may specifically request.

During the morning activity or game drive, we stop for a coffee break on the floodplains—complete with freshly baked muffins, croissants, biscuits, nuts, and a few warm surprises that our chefs prepare daily.

Upon returning to camp, guests are served a family-style brunch featuring fresh vegetables and produce from our community farm in the village. Our menus rotate daily and range from fish dishes and vegetarian creations to locally sourced Botswana beef, homemade soups, vibrant salads, and indulgent desserts. Our approach embraces a strong farmto-table philosophy, guided by what is growing, what is in season, and what inspires our chefs that week.

Before guests arrive, we always discuss their food preferences and tailor the menu accordingly. We cater to all allergies and dietary requirements. We can prepare traditional Botswana dishes, host-themed culinary evenings—such as Indian or Chinese—or craft a full bush barbecue where everything is cooked over open flames for an authentic and incredibly flavorful dining experience.

All of our chefs undergo extensive continuous training. We regularly fly in Michelin-starred chefs from abroad to mentor our team, share techniques, inspire creativity, and help refine our culinary standards. This investment has paid off—our food is consistently one of the most talked-about elements of the guest experience, often described as some of the most delicious and thoughtfully curated cuisine in Botswana.

What Makes Daunara Special

What makes Daunara Safari Camp truly special is the combination of intimacy, location, community impact, and the extraordinary diversity of experiences we offer. We are a small, owner-run camp, designed for a maximum of ten guests, which allows us to curate highly personalized, flexible, and meaningful stays.

Our setting is exceptional—the camp is positioned on a pristine lagoon with remarkable daily wildlife sightings. On many days, guests don’t even need to leave the deck to witness elephants, giraffes, red lechwe, zebra, and other wildlife moving through the floodplains.

But beyond the luxury and location, what truly defines us is our relationship with the local community. The camp is named after the village of Daunara, located just 20 minutes away. This connection is fundamental to who we are.

• 80% of our staff come from the surrounding communities.

• We operate a farm in the village that supplies fresh produce to the camp and employs an additional twelve people.

• We sponsor the local school and lead continuous community projects— drilling boreholes, repairing the buffalo fence to prevent human–wildlife conflict, building bridges, and much more.

• Guests have the rare opportunity to actually visit the village, meet the people whose lives their travel directly supports, and see the tangible impact of responsible tourism. In Africa, one job typically supports around seven family members—so each guest’s stay has a profound ripple effect.

TRAVEL DAUNARA SAFARI CAMP

Our 501(c) registered Daunara Foundation ensures that donor contributions are transparent, accountable, and directly channeled into projects in which guests can witness and participate in.

What also sets us apart is the breadth of experiences available:

• Game drives in a private concession with no time limits, no off-road restrictions, and the ability to follow predators on the hunt.

• Night drives, walking safaris, mokoro excursions, boating (in season), and immersive bush dinners and brunches.

• Visits to the nearby elephant orphanage, a powerful and emotional highlight for guests.

• Helicopter-based excursions to the Makgadikgadi Pans to see meerkats and the zebra migration, to Tsodilo Hills to explore ancient Bushman rock art, or for scenic flights across the Okavango’s rivers and channels.

Many of our guests stay with us for a week because every single day offers a different adventure—something rare in the Delta where many camps are limited to traditional game drives.

Our rooms are designed for exceptional comfort, each with two airconditioners (one in the bedroom and one in the bathroom) to maintain perfect temperature throughout the day. We run a full farm-to-table cycle, using compost generated from the camp to nourish our village farm and the crops that ultimately return to guests’ plates.

We also cater to guests travelling with private guides—we have dedicated, comfortable accommodation for personal guides, pilots, chefs, hosts, or security.

Our service culture is another defining feature. We have top guides, top chefs, an outstanding management team, and staff who have undergone extensive professional training. The warmth and professionalism of our team is consistently praised as one of the most memorable aspects of a stay at Daunara.

Being owner-run gives us the flexibility to elevate a guest’s experience at any moment—whether that’s arranging a private dinner on the floodplains, planning a surprise celebration, or creating bespoke excursions. We also host wellness retreats, bringing in personal trainers, astronomers, and researchers to deliver unique presentations and transformative experiences.

In essence, Daunara Safari Camp offers luxury with purpose: intimate, experiential, community-driven, conservation-minded, and endlessly customizable. The offerings are limitless, but the heart remains the same—authentic connection, exceptional service, and a deep love for Botswana.

Getting There

Traveling to Daunara Safari Camp is seamless and surprisingly easy. There are direct flights from New York and Atlanta into Johannesburg, and from there guests can connect effortlessly onward to Botswana. Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta, is just 2 hours and 15 minutes from Cape Town and 1 hour and 15 minutes from Johannesburg.

Upon landing in Maun, guests clear passport control and are warmly greeted by one of our team members together with a representative from Helicopter Horizons. You’re then escorted to your private helicopter for a breathtaking 10-minute flight over the Okavango Delta directly into Daunara.

This short flight is often described as one of the most magical moments of the journey—guests immediately begin spotting elephants, giraffes, zebras, impalas, hippos, crocodiles, and whatever wildlife happens to be roaming below. It’s the most spectacular way to arrive, setting the tone for the wilderness immersion that awaits.

As the helicopter touches down, guests are welcomed by our team with traditional Botswana song, a beautiful and heartfelt introduction to the warmth of our camp. After settling in, we gather for high tea before heading out on your very first game drive.

Your first evening in Botswana is always unforgettable—watching the sun melt behind palm trees or silhouette a herd of elephants, listening to the ambient sounds of the Delta, and perhaps even hearing the distant roar of a lion as dusk settles. As night falls, we begin a night drive in search of elusive nocturnal species before returning to camp to freshen up and enjoy a beautifully prepared dinner under the African sky.

Day in the Life

Your first day begins and ends with the sounds of Africa. You’ll fall asleep to the low grunts of hippos, distant lion calls, elephants feeding nearby, and the whoops of hyena drifting across the floodplains.

Our rooms are designed to immerse you safely in these nocturnal symphonies. Each suite has full glass sliding doors that can be opened at night, along with a second sliding door made of Ferrari mesh. Guests who wish to hear the night sounds can sleep with the glass open and the mesh closed—safe from uninvited visitors, yet fully connected to the wilderness.

Depending upon the season, your wake-up call is around 6:00 a.m. If you’d like coffee, hot chocolate, or a healthy green juice to start the day, we’ll bring it straight to your room. By 6:30, your guide will collect you— as the camp often has wildlife wandering through in the early morning hours.

We begin with a light breakfast in the main area before grabbing coffees to go and heading out into the bush. On your first morning, we recommend a game drive to explore the concession, track the big cats, and discover the vast herds that roam our plains. A mid-morning coffee stop at a lagoon offers a chance to watch hippos by the hundreds, take in the scenery, and settle into the rhythm of the Delta.

Guests return to camp around 11:00 a.m. to freshen up before enjoying a hearty, farm-to-table lunch. The early afternoon is yours to enjoy—relax at the pool as animals wander by, visit the gym, unwind at the spa, try your hand at fishing, or simply take in the tranquility from your private suite.

At 4:00 p.m., we gather for high tea, complete with homemade sweet and savory treats. Then it’s time for your afternoon game drive, heading out in a new direction or following up on sightings from the morning.

As the sun dips below the horizon, we stop for sundowners—champagne or Okavango gin in hand—watching the sky turn gold. After sunset, you return to camp to freshen up and enjoy a beautifully prepared dinner under the stars.

Your first day sets the tone for the entire safari: unhurried, deeply immersive, and filled with extraordinary moments from dawn to dusk.

Weekly Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival and First Game Drive

Arrive at Daunara Safari Camp and settle into your suite overlooking the lagoon. After a warm welcome and high tea, head out on your first game drive to explore the concession. This introductory

safari gives guests their first glimpse of the area’s diverse habitats, wildlife, and breathtaking scenery, setting the tone for the days ahead.

Day 2 — Tracking Big Game & Exploring the Concession

Wake at sunrise and set out at 6:00 a.m. for a morning game drive. This is the perfect opportunity to begin tracking the elephant herds and buffalo herds that roam the area, explore unknown corners of the concession, and get a sense of the wildlife dynamics.

In the afternoon, embark on a second game drive in a different direction to enjoy new habitats and broaden your understanding of the Daunara landscape.

Day 3 — Letchwe Plains, Water Crossings & Mokoro Sunset

Today’s adventure takes you north to Letchwe Plains, one of the most picturesque and wildlife-rich parts of the concession. The drive includes multiple water crossings, lush open plains, and a

high density of buffalo herds. You may encounter different lion prides and an abundance of plains game.

Return to camp for a rest, then enjoy a short afternoon game drive before transitioning to a tranquil mokoro excursion. Glide silently along the water, ending the journey at a beautifully set sundowner spot overlooking the Delta.

Day 4 — Elephant Orphanage, Village Visit and Community Immersion

After breakfast, visit the nearby elephant orphanage to learn about the stories and rehabilitation of rescued elephants— always a moving highlight.

From there, drive into the local village to meet the community, visit the school and clinic, and see firsthand the development projects Daunara supports.

Enjoy a farm-to-table lunch at our village farm before returning to camp for siesta time and a relaxed afternoon game drive.

TRAVEL DAUNARA SAFARI CAMP

Day 5 — Makgadikgadi Pans: Meerkats, Migration and Baobabs

Take a helicopter to the legendary Makgadikgadi Pans—once the deepest part of an ancient super-lake. Highlights include:

• Spending time with the habituated meerkats

• Witnessing the zebra migration

• Exploring ancient baobab trees thousands of years old

• Meeting the local Bushmen

• Guests also have the option to spend the night on the salt pans — sleeping under a blanket of stars—and helicopter back the following morning. Alternatively, return to camp the same day.

Day 6 — Day Trip to Victoria Falls

Embark on a spectacular day trip to Victoria Falls by fixed-wing aircraft. Swim in the Zambezi River, enjoy lunch on the lip of the falls and, for the adventurous, experience the world-famous Devil’s Pool. Fly back to camp in the late afternoon, with the option of a short game drive to see what the concession reveals at dusk.

Day 7 — Tsodilo Hills and Afternoon Safari

Take a helicopter to the mystical Tsodilo Hills, home to over 4,500 ancient Bushman rock paintings. Enjoy a guided walk, learn about the geology and rich history of the area and have lunch at the base of the hills.

Return to Daunara for an afternoon walking safari, a boat excursion (water permitting), or a targeted game drive to follow up on lion activity, track leopards or cheetahs, or locate large buffalo herds.

Day 8 — Final Morning Game Drive and Departure

Never skip the final game drive—the bush always saves surprises for the last day. Explore an area you may not have visited yet, soaking up the final moments of wilderness.

Return to camp, enjoy breakfast, pack, freshen up, and prepare for your helicopter flight back to Maun or onward to your next safari destination.

Exceptional Excursion

One of the most memorable excursions for our guests begins at first light, heading out on a morning game drive to track our local lion pride. This is often a thrilling experience—the pride may be on the move, hungry and preparing to hunt, or simply interacting socially, offering incredible insights into their behavior. Spending quiet, uninterrupted time observing lions in their natural environment is always a powerful start to the day.

Each excursion captures the very best of Africa. It brings together people, community, conservation, wildlife, wilderness, culture, history, and purpose—offering guests a deeply holistic and emotionally rich understanding of Botswana and the role their visit plays in uplifting the region.

info@daunarasafaricamp.com www.daunarasafaricamp.com

THE WILDLIFE HERE IS EXCEPTIONAL. WE HAVE THE DAUNARA PRIDE OF LIONS, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS NEW CUBS; THRIVING PACKS OF PAINTED WOLVES; EXCELLENT LEOPARD DENSITIES; AND LARGE HERDS OF ELEPHANTS,

BUFFALO, GIRAFFES, ZEBRA, AND ANTELOPE SPECIES.

IT

IS A TRULY ICONIC WILDLIFE AREA— RAW, WILD, AND DEEPLY ALIVE.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

This 3D illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. A novel coronavirus, named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China in

2019. The illness caused by this virus has been named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). CDC/ Alissa Eckert, MSMI; Dan Higgins, MAMS.

New York, New York – USA – April 15, 2020: Times Square in midtown Manhattan is empty due to health concerns to stop the spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 SIX YEARS OUT

Part 1: Setting a Foundation and Growing Concerns About the Vaccine Technology

by Jim Field

A series of articles on health considerations for each of us.

If you are like me, now and again you hear about someone getting COVID-19. These individuals actually purchase a test kit to discover a positive result.

More commonly, I come across someone feeling poorly, suspecting they might have COVID—or maybe not. They don’t take the trouble to test themselves and thus don’t know. The point is that COVID is still out there infecting people. Except now its clinical impact is typically synonymous with a mild common cold.

I picked up medications recently at my local drugstore and was asked if I wanted a flu shot and/or COVID vaccine. I replied “no thank you.” This planted the seed for this article, which will be the first in a series on COVID-19, to include the U.S. government’s response and role in what would become the largest public health crisis in our time.

This first article will highlight important facts and updates to set a foundation for what will follow.

Nomenclature

To speak a common language, these are the official, correct names for the virus and the disease, and what they mean:

COVID-19. The disease caused by the coronavirus, not the virus itself.

Meaning:

CO – corona

VI – virus

D – disease

19 – first identified in 2019

SARS-CoV-2. The virus that causes COVID-19 disease.

Meaning:

SARS – Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

CoV – coronavirus

2 – it is the second known virus of this type (the first was the 2003 SARS-CoV)

Coronavirus. General term denoting a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. “Coronavirus” is not specific to COVID-19.

First U.S. Case

Here is a profile of the first laboratoryconfirmed COVID-19 case in the U.S.— nearly six years ago.

• 35-year-old male. Identity never publicly disclosed.

• Just returned from Wuhan, China. Landed at Seattle–Tacoma Airport (Sea-Tac) on January 15, 2020. Not symptomatic at the time of his flight.

• On January 19, went to urgent care clinic with a 4-day history of cough and what he described as a fever. At the clinic, he wore a mask in the waiting room. Nasal and throat swabs were taken and sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Admitted to Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington. CDC confirmed his infection (PCR test) on January 21, 2020.

• Hospitalized in isolation, treated in a special isolation unit. Discharged February 3, 2020. Continued selfisolation at home for about two weeks.

• Treated using remdesivir, an antiviral drug. “Fully recovered” when released from home isolation. According to the health district, there was no evidence he transmitted the virus to others at that time.

• Case triggered early public-health response: contact tracing, isolation protocols, communication between local health officials and the CDC.

Importantly, subsequent studies of stored blood samples suggest that the virus may have been present in the U.S. weeks earlier—in late December 2019.

Origins

The official origin of SARS-CoV-2 is still under investigation. This is not a good thing for mankind, given lost learning that could be applied to help prevent and prepare for the next lethal virus to emerge. Most infectious disease experts believe major pandemics will occur again—not if, but when—although timing is unknown. Some frame pandemic risk as playing out over decades, thus the chance of seeing at least one major event in 10–30 years is high.

There are two leading SARS-CoV-2 origin hypotheses. First, the natural (zoonotic) spillover, tracing the virus to an animal— specifically, horseshoe bats are considered the leading reservoir candidate. Alternatively, the lab leak hypothesis— specifically, from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). (You decide.)

Virus History

Viruses evolve because they copy themselves, and every time they copy their genetic code, small mistakes (mutations) will occur. Some mutations are nonevents, while others can make a virus more lethal—e.g., causing it to spread more easily, multiply faster, hide more successfully from the immune system. When a mutation empowers a virus— making it more common—it can turn the virus into a new “variant.” This process—a function of natural selection—typically happens very rapidly.

SARS-CoV-2 has produced a select number of major variants, each with unique characteristics.

Alpha. Evolved mutations that made it spread faster. Became dominant in early 2021.

Beta. Developed mutations that helped it evade some immune responses. Spread in locations with high infection levels.

Gamma. Enhanced immune response escape. Common in Brazil.

Delta. Mutations made it much more transmissible. Spread worldwide and caused large waves of infection.

Omicron. Developed many mutations, especially in the spike protein. Spread extremely fast. Introduced many subvariants (BA.1, BA.2, BA.5, XBB, etc.) because it kept developing mutations that improved immune evasion.

Remarkably, as of 2025, the Pango lineage system tracks over 1,300 lineages—a mix of major variants, subvariants, and minor branches. Memorial Sloan Kettering has identified over 1,000 distinct Omicron subvariants.

Traditional Vaccine

A traditional vaccine works by safely exposing an individual’s immune system to a harmless pathogen—a virus or bacterium— “training” one’s body to recognize the vaccine’s contents as “foreign,” triggering an attack on the real pathogen should it invade the body. Importantly, because the vaccine pathogen is weakened, killed, sectioned, and limited in quantity, it cannot cause the actual disease.

Constructing a Traditional Vaccine

One of three approaches:

• Inactivated vaccines. The virus or bacteria is killed, thus unable to replicate. Examples: polio (IPV), hepatitis A, flu shots.

• Live attenuated vaccines. The pathogen is alive but weakened, thus unable to sicken healthy people. Examples: measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), varicella (chickenpox).

COVID-19 SIX YEARS OUT

• Subunit vaccines. Only pieces of the pathogen are used. Examples: hepatitis B, HPV.

Detection. Following vaccination, the immune system recognizes the vaccine contents as foreign, triggering B cells to produce antibodies, T cells to help regulate the response or kill infected cells (for live vaccines).

Memory. Subsequent to the immune system response, it creates memory B cells to rapidly produce antibodies, memory T cells to recognize and kill infected cells. This memory can span years or a lifetime depending upon the vaccine design.

COVID-19 Vaccine

The COVID-19 mRNA vaccine— manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna—is not a traditional vaccine, but rather a gene therapy using a relatively new therapeutic technology. Grossly simplifying its bioengineering, a fragile strand of DNA— referred to as mRNA—is encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles—tiny fat bubbles— and injected into muscle tissue—your arm. (Note: mRNA stands for messenger ribonucleic acid, the molecule that carries genetic instructions from DNA to the cell’s machinery so proteins can be made.)

Billions of these lipid nanoparticles then travel throughout your body to potentially reach every cell, concentrating in certain tissues and organs—e.g., brain, heart, spleen, liver, vasculature, ovaries. The lipid nanoparticle attaches to a given cell, transferring the mRNA into the cell, where a “spike” protein is produced. Migrating to

the surface of the cell, this spike protein is recognized by the immune system as foreign, triggering antibodies to destroy the cell.

Importantly, this spike protein is found on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (think tennis ball with plastic tacks). The spike protein enables the virus to attach to cells and, once attached, fuse with the cell and enter it. The immune system can stop infection by producing antibodies to block the spike protein from attaching to cells. In sum: if the spike protein is blocked, infection is prevented.

Returning to the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, its singular biological objective is to alert and train the body’s immune system to recognize and destroy this spike protein— using the same principles of detection and memory associated with traditional vaccines. Post-vaccination, should the immune system detect the spike protein again—on the surface of an invading SARS-CoV-2 virus—it would immediately block it, preventing severe illness. Finally, because the spike protein is only one component of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine cannot cause COVID-19 disease.

Vaccine Injury

Both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were brought to market using an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), a legal pathway for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make medical products available faster during emergencies—like a pandemic. Technically, an EUA can only be granted if there is strong evidence of “safety and effectiveness.”

Before EUA approval, the vaccines had to complete Phase 1, 2, and 3 clinical trials, report at least two months of monitored safety data to document vaccine-related side effects, and meet manufacturing quality standards. In addition, they were subjected to independent review by the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee and the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

However, subsequent large-scale use of the vaccines in the U.S. and globally surfaced major misrepresentations and harmful—even fatal—clinical side effects. In retrospect, it is curious how these gene therapies could be considered safe and effective when there was little rigorously established knowledge of their benefits and risks. For example, it was established that the vaccines neither prevented

a vaccinated individual from getting COVID-19 nor spreading the disease to others—the twin reasons governments had cited to compel universal—that is, mandatory—vaccination. Further, whereas the public was told that the lipid nanoparticles would remain in muscle tissue at the site of injection, it was established that their reach encompassed the entire human body.

Far worse, since their introduction through today, a million+ reports submitted to vaccine-safety systems for COVID-19 vaccines worldwide have uncovered horrific side effects— everything from myocarditis/pericarditis, vascular clots, aggressive “turbo-cancers,” female infertility—and untimely deaths. Critics of government management of COVID-19 claim that responsible agencies have ignored these reported mortalities and comorbidities in a quest to drive mass vaccination.

The dangers of the vaccines are attributed to the fact that immune systems kill cells presenting spike proteins. If lipid nanoparticles travel to every part of the body, effortlessly cross the blood-brain barrier, concentrate in critical tissues and organs, infuse cells with mRNA to produce spike proteins, triggering rapid cellular death by activated immune systems—to the tune of trillions of spike proteins and billions of cells—it is not difficult to conceive what this might do to harm a human body.

Eventually, negative outcomes associated with the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were collectively referred to as “long COVID.” Formally, the medical definition of long COVID is a condition where new, ongoing, or returning symptoms persist 4–12 weeks after initial COVID-19 infection and cannot be explained by another diagnosis. Symptoms can last weeks, months, or years, even after mild or symptom-free COVID-19. A critical distinction that is not being made within the medical community is the negative effects produced by the COVID-19 disease, and those attributable specifically to the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.

COVID-19

SIX YEARS OUT

Benefit Verus Risk Analyses

Studies performed since the introduction of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccines—the very few that have been published and released to the public with some transparency—Western governments being particularly indifferent to pursuing this seemingly vital research— have zeroed in on the understanding that benefits largely accrue in elderly populations with multiple comorbidities, including compromised immune systems. Conversely, few if any benefits have been found for young and healthy individuals— and indeed, negative net outcomes can result when factoring in the harmful side effects associated with these gene therapies. In recent years, vaccinating healthy babies, young children, teenagers, and young adults has been criticized by a growing legion of medical professionals.

Current CDC Recommendations

To quote from the CDC website (November 19, 2025): “The CDC recommends the 20252026 COVID-19 vaccines for people ages 6 months and older based on individualbased decision-making. This includes people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine, people who have had COVID-19, and people with long COVID.”

Adoption of the phrase “individual-based decision-making” is new. It acknowledges that the benefits of vaccination vary by age and risk factors, encouraging individuals to speak with their healthcare provider about whether the vaccine makes sense, given the person’s unique benefit-risk profile. In short, the “universal compulsory” model of vaccine administration has now been replaced by personal risk evaluation.

Summary

and Personal Commentary

With the discovery and onslaught of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 disease—beginning in January 2020 in the U.S.—our world changed forever. Large numbers of people perished, shutdowns and years-long isolations were imposed on entire economies, and with the rapid launch of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, governments sought the voluntary and forced vaccination of their citizens en masse—managed, unethically, as faceless populations.

Let us simply acknowledge that everything did not turn out well—on many levels— perhaps the understatement of our lifetimes. However, in the wake of what has transpired, there is a lot to learn on the medical front alone—with huge implications for personal health and wellbeing—which this series of articles will address.

We, the public, have not been told the truth about the vaccines and COVID-19 by our government and public health organizations, and those few who have sought transparency and sciencebased discussion have been largely silenced to date—accused of spreading “disinformation.” This series will speak truth as evolving science reveals it.

The next article will fully develop the deleterious side effects of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines that have come to light in a growing number of clinical studies conducted across the globe. The desired outcome of these articles is to assist readers in understanding the true benefits and harms of the vaccines, so as to use this knowledge to shape personal decisions about future vaccine use for themselves and/or loved ones.

A preliminary caution for today for those considering use of a Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, either for the first time or as a booster: consult a healthcare professional first—someone who will state that they have emersed themselves in the ongoing scientistic discourse and debate over the safety and efficacy of these gene therapies.

Dr. Rahman-Garcia specializes in providing personalized, patient-centered care in partnership with patients and families, with a focus on wellness, prevention, diagnostics, primary care, and long-term health.

CONCIERGE PRACTICE

Physician-patient partnership

Same-day or next-day appointments

Extended, comprehensive visits

No waiting room time

Personalized care plans

24/7 direct access

FINDING A PROCEDURALIST

Part 1:

Why You Should Care

by Jim Field

In our September and October issues I wrote a two-part article entitled Finding Primary Care. Its take-home message is that you cannot expect your ideal primary care physician (PCP) to find you, but rather that you must find them.

This is done by assuming the role of a healthcare consumer, whereby—just like in another other sector of our economy—you shop for and evaluate goods and services you intend to purchase. To be clear, you must invest personal time and effort to do this, using a guide sheet for asking the right questions and taking the right steps. In these articles, I laid out just such a guide.

I remember well, going back 15-20 years, when the concept of consumerism was first applied to healthcare. As it turned out, many people were angered and appalled— finding the two wholly incompatible. You see, patients were patients, and the delivery of healthcare services was an elevated, scientific, virtuous undertaking— whereas consumers and their shopping habits were low-brow, applicable to washing machines and mouthwash. It

would take some years for patients as consumers, and healthcare as a product, to become an accepted analogy in the medical establishment.

Visiting a primary care physician to whom you don’t attach, however, is unlikely to place your health at risk. It will prove an inconvenience and a waste of time—but typically not life threatening.

On the other hand, the same cannot be said about a proceduralist—a physician who will operate on you. Any surgery can go very badly, on any given day, for any number of reasons, resulting in a patient’s injury or death. We all understand the difference between taking a blood pressure and removing an organ.

Accordingly, this article will assist readers in the difficult—yet critical—task of finding proceduralists who, by way of personal attributes, will have a higher probability of achieving a superior clinical outcome than peers. Admittedly, this is not an easy task for consumers to accomplish, but even a little new learning, applied to making better decisions, can make a big difference in clinical outcomes for yourself, your loved ones, or a friend. And knowledge brings peace of mind and comfort as well.

Defining a Proceduralist

To be clear on terminology, a proceduralist is any physician whose primary work involves performing diagnostic or therapeutic procedures—i.e., handson interventions rather than medical management.

Examples of proceduralists include: surgeons (e.g., cardiovascular), interventional specialists (e.g., interventional radiologists), gastroenterologists (performing colonoscopy), urologists (performing prostate surgery), anesthesiologists (performing intubations).

In sum, a key distinction is that all surgeons are proceduralists, but not all proceduralists are surgeons.

Outcomes Differ

There are many, many people who know next to nothing about the workings of medicine. This is a value-neutral statement of fact, not meant to be pejorative. Alternatively, few physicians can pilot airliners, drive an 18-wheeler, or teach children. Professionally, we specialize. Yet there are potential downsides of not knowing.

For example: A major misconception about medicine widely shared by lay people— that I observed long ago as a healthcare researcher and writer—is the belief that all physicians and hospitals produce equivalent clinical outcomes—more or less— and that whatever differences exist, they are small and meaningless—more or less.

Evidence of this belief system explains why some patients, for example, will remain in their small town, and receive a complex therapy in their small community hospital, rather than travel 30 minutes by car to a world-renowned center of excellence to receive that same care. The patient/family believes that outcomes are standardized across medicine. Similarly, if

you next reveal to the patient/family that mortality rates for that therapy are 5% locally and 2% 30 minutes away, they will still opt to stay put. The patient/family believes the difference isn’t meaningful.

In reality, of course, neither could be further from the truth.

Bell Curve and Proceduralists

Across every human endeavor, there are some people who will outperform others. Some will stand above the crowd slightly, and others substantially. This phenomenon is captured in a bell curve, a statistical graph shaped like a symmetrical, bell-shaped hill. The bell curve represents how values in natural or

human phenomena—e.g., height, IQ, exam scores, or blood pressure—are distributed.

Specifically, most values cluster near the “peak” of the curve—the top of the bell— which would indicate the average, or typical measurement. To the left of the peak, there is a downward curving “tail,” showing superior values of increasing rarity. And similarly, to the right of the peak, there is a downward curving tail showing inferior values of increasing rarity. In sum, most values cluster together, with fewer values occurring at either extreme.

Now, let’s apply a bell curve to medicine, and proceduralists in particular. If we charted all proceduralists by clinical outcomes achieved—say mortality rate— for a given therapy, which proceduralist would you choose as your physician? The rational answer would be those with the lowest mortality rates, represented at the extreme of the left tail—in fact, you’d select the physician at the very tip of the tail, the first value shown. You would neither want an average proceduralist, nor one in the right-hand tail.

And yet think about this and its many consequences for healthcare consumers:

• For every diagnostic or therapeutic procedure, proceduralist outcomes conform to such a distribution.

• Which patients get to be treated by which proceduralists?

• Who are the fortunate patients treated by a proceduralist in the left tail?

• Conversely, who are less fortunate patients treated by a proceduralist in the right tail?

• Finally, and most importantly, is there any way for us, as consumers, to know where a given proceduralist plots out, for a given procedure, on a bell curve?

Unfortunately, the answer to the last question is “no.” The medical establishment and the business of medicine—physicians, hospitals, insurance companies, government, watchdog groups, etc.—have not undertaken an effort to collect and organize this type of data, despite the era of Big Data, its obvious usefulness in many medical applications (e.g., performance measurement) and, many would point out, a moral and ethical imperative (“do no harm”) to do so for the sake of patient safety.

FINDING A PROCEDURALIST

You might ask: why would this be so? Well, one can point to multiple individual explanations—all adding up to one big “mission impossible.” The cost to collect data is one—who would pay? Another is the underlying complexity of developing methodologies to “normalize” the data to ensure apples-to-apples comparisons across patients—we would not want to penalize a proceduralist who sees sicker and more challenging cases, as opposed to another proceduralist who might cherry pick easy cases. And finally, for those who entertain conspiracy theories, if you were a proceduralist, would you want the public to know this bell curve? Certainly not. Like the rest of us, proceduralists seek to make a living. If the public knew of such bell curves, 95% of proceduralists would lack patients, and 5% would be inundated by patients demanding to be treated by them.

Learning To Come

Not knowing the bell curve for your future proceduralist, there are, nonetheless, other ways to separate wheat from chaff. I will share these in successive articles. Granted, they are imperfect measures, but helpful indeed. Every reader can use them to their benefit.

A Famous Example: Performance/ Outcome Variation

I remember reading this article in the New England Journal of Medicine when it was published originally. I was very impressed, taken by it. One of my areas of interest/ expertise was the field of clinical variation. I was also an expert on the development and early adoption of new clinical technologies.

The study made quite a commotion at the time. Its design was simple yet elegant, using mainstream technology—video recording— to document surgeon performance. Most of all, it laid bare and quantified what every clinician knew, but couldn’t demonstrate using data (that didn’t exist for reasons cited), specifically, that proceduralist performance varied significantly across physicians, impacting outcomes.

Understand, that at the time, this was not a widely discussed topic in organized medicine. Stated more accurately—it was buried. Nothing systematically was done to protect patients from poorly trained and/or poorly skilled proceduralists; there were secret stories lying about everywhere. In technical parlance, there was a major asymmetry of information between provider and patient—to the benefit of providers and detriment of patients. Today, the situation I believe has improved, albeit I don’t have the perspective to say by how much. Thus, buyer beware.

A final few notes. Bariatric surgery is a group of surgical procedures designed to help people with severe obesity lose weight by altering the digestive system. Since the time I wrote actively in healthcare, I presume additional studies of merit have been published to further illuminate the phenomenon of outcomes variation among proceduralists. Finally, robotic surgery is designed to reduce procedural variation—a subject for a forthcoming article.

Here is an overview of the study I’m referring to.

Surgical Skill and Complication Rates after Bariatric Surgery. John D. Birkmeyer et al. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in 2013 (Vol 369, Issue 15, pp 1434-1442).

Design

• 20 bariatric surgeons each submitted a video of themselves performing a laparoscopic gastric-bypass procedure.

• Videos were rated by at least 10 peer surgeons, blind to the identity of the operating surgeon, on domains such as gentleness, instrument handling, tissue exposure, time and motion, and flow of the operation.

Key Findings

• Surgeons in the lowest quartile of peer‐rated technical skill had significantly higher adjusted complication rates (14.5 %) compared to those in the top quartile (5.2 %). Mortality was also higher (0.26 % vs 0.05 %).

• The summary technical skill rating ranged from 2.6 to 4.8 on a 1-5 scale across the 20 surgeons.

Importance

• One of the first empirical demonstrations that differences in intra-operative technical skill, as assessed via peer review of video recordings, were correlated with real patient outcomes.

• Although it was known that outcomes vary by surgeon and hospital, the study offered empirical evidence for technical skill as a measurable factor.

• Suggested that video review might be a viable way to assess and perhaps improve surgical performance.

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UROLOGY IN VERO BEACH

The Management of Prostate Cancer

Interview with Jamil Syed, MD

Conducted by Jim Field photography courtesy of Cleveland Clinic

Editors’ Note: Urology is a medical and surgical specialty that focuses on the urinary tract system of both men and women, and on the male reproductive system.

The urinary tract encompasses the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. The male reproductive system includes the prostate, testes and epididymis, penis, and scrotum and spermatic cord. Urologists frequently collaborate with nephrologists, oncologists, gynecologists, and endocrinologists. Many urologic procedures are now robot-assisted, improving outcomes and recovery.

What follows is a discussion with Dr. Jamil Syed, a urologist at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital. The primary focus of our conversation was his role in diagnosing and treating prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is a malignant growth that begins in the prostate gland—a small, walnut-sized organ in men located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate’s main job is to produce seminal fluid, which nourishes and transports sperm.

As of 2022, an estimated 3,518,978 men in the U.S. had been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point. In that same year, there were approximately 255,395 new cases in the U.S. For U.S. males, the lifetime risk of diagnosis during their lifetime is approximately 1 in 8 (12%).

In 2023, about 33,881 men in the U.S. died of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men after lung cancer. However, it is important to distinguish that many men— especially older men—die with prostate cancer (as established by PSA and/or autopsy), but not because of it. Specifically, prostate cancer is present at the time of death, but it was not the underlying cause of death.

The cancer starts when cells in the prostate begin to grow uncontrollably. It often develops slowly, sometimes taking years to cause symptoms. That said, some types are aggressive and spread quickly. Risk increases with age, especially over age 50, and there is a strong genetic and familial component.

Early prostate cancer often has no symptoms. As it grows or spreads, possible symptoms include: difficulty starting or stopping urination, weak urine stream, frequent urination, blood in urine or semen, painful ejaculation. There are a variety of diagnostic tools—PSA blood testing, digital rectal exam, MRI imaging—and treatment options—surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy.

Interview with Dr. Jamil Syed

JF: Thank you for the opportunity to interview you and introduce you to our readers. Perhaps you can first tell us about yourself and how you found your way to Vero Beach.

JS: My pleasure. I always knew about Vero Beach because my parents would take us to the beach in Vero—it was one of our favorite spots. Our home was in Kissimmee. So I had nice memories of Vero.

I went to the University of Central Florida for undergrad. It was there that I got interested in medicine. I took biology and other prep courses for medical school. I met a few doctors who really impressed me—as it turned out, they were urologists. I liked seeing the surgeries they were doing—they seemed very challenging—and this piqued my interest. I wanted to be part of that.

I attended medical school at the University of Florida. A few of my mentors were urologists, I learned a lot from them, and the work was something I really enjoyed. I was particularly fascinated by

Focused ultrasound energy (blue beam) directed into prostate gland (cancerous tissue in red). Image courtesy of Focal One

Dr. Jamil Syed

the biology of kidney cancer. So knowing what the surgery component was like, and gravitating to the underlying biology, I decided to pursue a career in urology.

After graduation, I did both my internship and residency at Yale New Haven Hospital. I am board certified in urology. After six years away from Florida—Connecticut is cold and crowded—I knew I wanted to return to Florida for the weather and to be close to family. I had never forgotten Vero Beach, and as things turned out, there was an opening in urology at the hospital. That was in 2022, so I have been here almost four years. It’s interesting how things turn out in life the way they do—it just took me 20-odd years to return to Vero as an adult and professional.

JF: Tell us about your practice here in Vero. What is your case mix, things you’re focusing on.

JS: I do a lot of straightforward urology. At large hospitals there is an opportunity as a physician to concentrate on a few diseases, case types. But here in Vero we don’t have the overall volume to support such specialization, positioning us to see every individual and condition coming in the door—kidney stones, urinary tract infections, bladder issues, enlarged prostates—pretty much the full gamut of urological diseases.

That said, over time I’ve slowly started to see my practice shift more towards cancer. For example, patients with an established diagnosis of prostate cancer, people referred to me for suspicion of cancer, or those who want to get screened to ensure they’re attending to their health. So I would say my practice is now about 5060% prostate cancer, 20% other cancers, and then the remainder general urological cases.

JF: Sounds very interesting and challenging—you never know what your day will be like. What other physicians are you practicing and collaborating with?

JS: Well, working at Cleveland Clinic expands your clinical ties to physicians practicing across the system, in both Florida and Ohio. So urologists and related specialists in Vero who are employed by the Clinic, private practice specialists in

Vero—we have very good relationships— physicians at Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital, extending to physicians in Stuart and Weston. For a year, I spent one day per week practicing at Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital, which was a great opportunity for me to meet other urologists, establish referral and professional relationships, and experience what their patient population is like. Finally, I’m in almost weekly contact with urologists in Ohio, collaborating on a variety of issues and cases. I travel to Ohio periodically. The important benefit of all this networking is that if we don’t offer something in Vero, we will reach out to other Cleveland Clinic providers for resources.

JF: Tell me about how prostate cases find their way to you. What are the typical referral pathways.

JS: I would say a good number of people are referred by their primary care physician (PCP) following an elevated PSA test. Following a diagnosis of prostate cancer, other urologists might send cases to me for further evaluation. As a proceduralist, I’m seeing these patients from the perspective of diagnostic and/ or therapeutic options. Also, I see referred patients who have had radiation therapy in the past, but now have a recurrence. So I see a distribution of patients from pre-diagnosis, newly diagnosed, to posttreatment requiring additional therapy. But the majority are PCP referrals for a suspicion of cancer.

(Note: PSA stands for Prostate-Specific Antigen, a protein produced by the prostate gland that is measured with a blood test. An

elevated PSA level suggests that something is causing increased activity or irritation in the prostate gland—but it does not automatically mean cancer.)

JF: Walk me through the process of an individual referred to your practice for an elevated PSA level. What can I expect? JS: First of all, it can be pretty scary when you hear about the possibility of cancer. I don’t want people to automatically jump to any type of conclusion as to what is actually going on with them. So when I first see them I’m gathering information and putting the case in context. How many PSA tests have they had? If multiple, what is the numerical trend? Have the levels always been high, or very low with a recent jump? So understanding their PSA screening history is very important. Another key consideration is family history—if prostate cancer runs in the family, and details on that.

For the record, PSA findings can be tricky to interpret. There can be false elevations. For example, did the patient have COVID at the same time that they gave blood for a PSA test; did they have urinary tract symptoms? For a lot of men as they get older, their urinary stream is weaker, they have to urinate more frequently, they’re getting up at night, all of which can lead to urinary infections. Sometimes, it’s just an enlarged prostate that causes the PSA level to be higher.

One strategy in assessing a newly referred patient is to simply repeat the PSA test—confirming if prior numbers were consistent, or possibly falsely elevated. Following PSA analyses, a common next step is a digital rectal exam, so that I can

(L-R) Urologic oncologists Alberto Pieretti, Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital; Ruben Olivares, Cleveland Clinic in Ohio; and Jamil Syed, Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital. These three physicians worked together to establish protocols for treating prostate cancer using focal therapies.

UROLOGY IN VERO BEACH

feel the prostate, potentially locating a lump or bump. And this can be followed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which gives you 3D visualizations of the prostate, readily revealing suspicious tissue.

JF: Acting on suspicious findings, what are your main biopsy techniques?

JS: There are two main techniques. The first is transrectal biopsy, a minimally invasive procedure using a needle inserted through the rectum. A small ultrasound probe is gently inserted into the rectum, providing real-time images to guide needle placement. A spring-loaded biopsy needle pierces the rectum wall to remove multiple tiny cores of prostate tissue. The procedure takes 10–15 minutes and is done in an outpatient setting.

The second technique is transperineal prostate biopsy. As before, a transrectal ultrasound probe is placed in the rectum for precise imaging guidance. But here, a needle is inserted through the perineum— the skin between the scrotum and the anus—rather than through the rectum. This procedure takes about 20-30 minutes, and is done outpatient as well.

JF: And if pathology confirms cancerous tissue, how will the patient be managed?

JS: Everyone is going to have a unique pathway and set of options. What we’re going to do will depend upon factors such as life expectancy, current state of health,

quality of life considerations, and, of course, the goals of that particular patient.

The pathology report will first confirm the finding of cancerous tissue. It will then determine a Gleason score—a grading system for prostate cancer and important predictor of how aggressive the tumor is. Pathologists set Gleason scores after studying tissue samples under a microscope. Gleason scores range from 6 (low-grade cancer) to 10 (high-grade cancer). Low grade cancer grows more slowly than high-grade cancer and is less likely to spread (metastasize) to nearby tissues, lymph nodes, or distant organs..

So let’s say we have a patient with a small amount of localized cancer and Gleason score of 1—you could make a strong argument that that patient might just watch and wait before proceeding with therapy. Every treatment brings benefits and risks, and monitoring an early, slow growing cancer might be preferred by the patient over invasive therapy.

Alternatively, there are patients who will want to aggressively treat their cancer. A starting consideration in developing options is where the cancer is located, which may advantage radiation therapy over surgery, or vice versa.

In terms of surgery, the most common approach for treating localized prostate cancer is robotic prostatectomy, a minimally invasive surgery to remove the entire prostate gland (and often nearby tissues) using a surgical robot controlled by the surgeon. The goal is to eliminate the cancer while preserving urinary control and sexual function as much as possible. I perform these procedures routinely.

Yet another option is high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), a minimally invasive, heat-based treatment that uses precisely focused ultrasound energy to destroy cancerous tissue inside the prostate. It’s mainly indicated for localized, low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer and sometimes for recurrence after radiation therapy. Think of it like using a magnifying glass to focus sunlight on one point— intense energy at the focus, minimal effect outside it. An ultrasound probe is inserted into the rectum; the device focuses ultrasound energy through the rectal wall

to the targeted prostate tissue. Procedure time is 1–3 hours, typically performed in the outpatient setting.

HIFU is attractive to patients wanting to avoid surgery or radiation side effects. There are no incisions, cutting or major dissections, and there can be a lower risk of incontinence and erectile dysfunction. HIFU is another procedure I concentrate on.

A final thing note is that I will almost always refer patients with confirmed cancer to a radiation oncologist for assessment and patient education. It’s my job to ensure patients are aware of all their options, not just surgery. I want them to understand what radiation means and what its benefits and risks are for their cancer. Ultimately, the choice of therapy is going to be made by the patient once they understand the benefits and risks for each option.

JF: How do you measure success in treating prostate cancer?

JS: Good question. What we’re hoping to do is to have an excellent biochemical response, meaning we’re hoping to see the PSA level that they had prior to treatment come way, way down. And if PSA levels remain undetectable—meaning you don’t have any active cancer—going out five years, then you can characterize the patient as having been cured. Post-surgery, my standard is to get a PSA test every three months, then go to every six months for the first five years, and then yearly after that. Notably, follow-up surveillance for HIFU is different because only part of the prostate has been treated, and you have to make sure that the area remaining is not developing any cancer.

FOCAL THERAPY TARGETS ONLY THE CANCEROUS AREA WITHIN AN ORGAN, RATHER THAN TREATING OR REMOVING THE ENTIRE ORGAN.

Dr. Syed with HIFU machine.

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LIVVERO GALLERY 1

by Joshua McMiller

Introducing: LIV VERO Gallery

LIV VERO Gallery is a curated space within each issue dedicated to celebrating fine art and the artists who inspire us, telling stories that resonate with our community and beyond. Each showcased piece is available for purchase; inquiries please contact jim@livvero.com. Art lives here. Let it live with you.

Leslie Stokes

Artist Statement

My work exists in the space between instinct and intention. I begin each painting without a narrative or predetermined outcome, allowing color, gesture, and texture to guide the process. Over time I have learned that the most honest marks do not come from thinking but from listening. Abstract painting allows me to reach the emotional core of an experience before language forms around it.

Landscape influences my work, but not in a literal way. I paint the weight of humidity, the quiet movement of marsh grasses, and the shifting memory of places touched by change. Florida in particular has become part of my visual vocabulary. Its beauty is layered with fragility, and that tension finds its way into my surfaces through subtle shifts, scraped paint, and unexpected stillness.

Painting for me is an act of surrender. When the work becomes controlled or overthought, I pause. Sometimes I disrupt the surface to return to instinct. Other times, I wait. The process demands presence and patience, and the final piece is often a record of both trust and restraint.

Ultimately, I hope my work invites reflection. Not through explanation, but through recognition, emotion, and quiet connection.

Evaporate, 10 x 10 in., cold wax and oil on cradled panel.

Days Go By, 18 x 18 in., cold wax and oil on cradled panel.

Torino 3, 50 x 40 in., oil on canvas.

Silver Springs, 60 x 48 in., oil, acrylic and charcoal on canvas.

Gris 2, 66 x 59 in., charcoal and acrylic on canvas.

Luxury Living, Redefined

Luxur y Living, Redef ined

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Where elegance, comfort, and convenience come together in one exceptional address.

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Step into soaring ceilings and sunlit elegance. Perfect for everyday serenity and unforgettable gatherings. From the grand foyer, take in the stunning view of your screened lanai, saltwater pool, and spa.

Step into soaring ceilings and sunlit elegance. Per fect for everyday serenity and unforgettable gatherings. From the grand foyer, take in the stunning view of your screened lanai, saltwater pool, and spa.

The chef-inspired kitchen features a 6-burner gas cooktop, double ovens, wine fridge, and a spacious walk-in pantry —ideal for effortless entertaining.

The chef-inspired kitchen features a 6-burner gas cooktop, double ovens, wine fridge, and a spacious walk-in pantry ideal for effor tless enter taining.

ENVIRONMENT

Photograph by Victoriya Knapp

HOLIDAY IN THE HIVE

A Winter Story of Bees

by Joshua McMiller photography by Joshua McMiller

With the holidays approaching and the world shifting into its yearly rhythm of lights, celebration, family gatherings, reflection, and fa-la-la-la’s, most of us look outward toward traditions, movement, and momentum. Nature, especially here in Florida, holds another quieter, softer, and infinitely wiser story.

This article began with a simple question. After a long run I decided to do a cool down and stretch a bit, as this run was much longer and faster than usual since the weather was about 25 to 30 degrees lower than what I typically run in. It was there in my forward fold that I saw quite a few bees pollinating the seaside goldenrod yellow flowers next to me as I continued to stretch.

The sighting brought on a thought: “During times of change like the seasons, what do bees do?”

That question returned to me again and again. We all know bees hibernate and store food for the winter like any other creature preparing for inclement weather. However, as different answers arrived, I wanted to really explore the realities of scarcity, the winter in a humid subtropical climate, the differences between the sea-

sons, and discover which bees are doing what.

There is plenty of nature to see here in Vero Beach, whether you’re in parking lots watching pollinators buzz through bougainvillea blooms, near citrus groves warming in the winter sun, or during those times when a friendly bee flies in your car just seconds after rolling down the window in a drive-through.

The more I watched, the more bees taught me something about survival, structure, and grace in transition. This inspired me, so I decided to grab my camera. I felt like I needed to capture photos of these beautiful yet feared insects during this transitional season. For bees, winter is not a pause—it is a total shift.

The hive in December is a living city preparing for winter. A honeybee colony in late fall resembles the rush of a city preparing for the holidays. There is urgency, but also clarity, as every bee knows exactly what to do. This season initially begins with abundance. The final strong blooms of goldenrod, Brazilian pepper, and asters offer their last pollen before temperatures drop.

For European honeybees (Apis mellifera), which are the dominant managed species in Florida and across the U.S., the colony size at this time of year can reach 50,000 to 60,000 bees, a number that can swell into the hundreds of thousands in unusually robust feral colonies observed around the world. One famously documented wild hive in Alvin, Texas stretched through the walls of a home and was estimated at nearly half a million bees, an outlier for sure, but proof of what happens when a colony has time and space to thrive.

Inside the hive, the atmosphere changes with the season. Work roles shift not randomly, but biologically. Bees are born into their purpose, and no one negotiates their destiny.

A worker begins her life tending the nursery by cleaning cells, feeding larvae with royal jelly, and warming brood with her body. After a week or so, she becomes a builder. After that, a guard. And when her wings are strong enough and her sensory navigation sharpens, she becomes a forager that leaves the hive for nectar, pollen, water, and propolis. Propolis is a resinous substance that honey bees make from plant sap, beeswax, and their own secre-

tions. Bees use it to seal and protect their hives from the elements and invaders. It has a history of use in folk medicine by humans due to its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.

This caste system of queen, workers, and drones is not just hierarchy. It is ancient design. And in winter, the design tightens. Unlike northern bees that huddle immobile beneath snow-covered branches, Florida bees continue working well into winter. Warm-season forage never disappears completely thanks to mild subtropical climate patterns. This is one reason Florida ranks among the top wintering states for commercial beekeeping, with thousands of migratory hives trucked south each year.

The state is home to over 300 species of native bees, from carpenter bees to tiny metallic green sweat bees. Some live solitary lives in sand or stems. Others, especially honeybees and bumblebees, maintain colonies that shift behavior seasonally. But no matter the species, winter brings the universal truth that energy must be conserved. This is when the hive becomes intentional. Brood rearing slows, honey storage becomes rationed, and decisions grow sharper.

The workers, all female, become the economists of survival. And this is also when the drones, the male bees, meet their seasonal reckoning.

The Eviction: Nature’s Hard, Necessary Choice

One cold December morning, something extraordinary happens. The drones are pushed from the hive. Earlier in the year, these large-eyed, stingless, wide-bodied bees lived comfortably and were fed generously by workers despite doing no labor. Their purpose was singular: mate with a queen. A biological investment. Winter changes that math. A drone eats three times the food of a worker bee, and workers, masters of resource strategy, know precisely when the cost outweighs the benefit.

So, as temperatures dip and floral resources thin, drones are escorted to the entrance and denied reentry. Some linger at the hive door confused, some attempt to return repeatedly, some simply fall still. It is brutal, but not malicious. It is the efficiency of survival. And interestingly, only the queen’s pheromones preserve the idea that males have value at all. Without her scent regulating colony unity, bees would splinter into chaos.

Human societies could learn something here. Leadership is not posture or position. We all know when we meet authentic power versus postured power. With bees, there is only authenticity. Bees operate on a calendar far older than ours that is coded into temperature, sun angle, food availability, brood pheromones, and colony population size.

Scientists have observed that bees do not merely react to weather. They anticipate it. When nectar availability drops below threshold levels and day lengths shorten, communication dances inside the hive change tone. Waggle dances, decoded by Nobel laureate Karl von Frisch, shorten in duration and frequency. Foraging routes become conservative.

Even more astonishing, winter bees are physically different. Workers born in late fall develop fatter bodies, more antifreeze proteins, and longevity up to six months compared to the typical summer worker lifespan of four to seven weeks. Evolution shaped these bees to be winter stewards that hold the hive together until spring returns. Their message is clear. Survival is not about strength, but about adaptation and efficiency.

NATURE HOLIDAY IN THE HIVE

How Bees Have Changed in Our Lifetime Fifty years ago, bees worked through this winter ritual with similar choreography, though with fewer threats. In the last several decades wild bee species have declined worldwide, with an estimated one in six threatened with extinction. U.S. managed honeybee colonies have suffered winter losses averaging 30-40% percent annually depending upon the year.

Some wild bumblebee species have lost over 50% of their historic range. Climate change has shifted bloom timing, forcing bees to adapt to mismatched flowering cycles. Studies have documented shorter bee tongue lengths in alpine species, believed to be an evolutionary response to the loss of deep-tubed wildflowers. Yet in some regions of Africa and Asia, where diverse forage remains and pesticide use is lower, honeybee colony numbers have grown. Where biodiversity thrives, bees thrive. Where landscapes simplify, bees disappear.

A hive is more than a place where honey sits in hexagons. It is a system of environmental maintenance. Bees pollinate more than 90 food crops and indirectly support thousands more. They are responsible for one out of every three bites of food eaten globally and help maintain equilibrium in wild ecosystems where plants rely on insects to reproduce. Without bees, the world would grow quieter and emptier.

Yet bees do not hoard their work nor pollinate for praise. They pollinate because the earth asked them to. There is a winter behavior beekeepers sometimes witness. Bees hang leg to leg in long delicate chains. This is called festooning. It resembles beads or garland-like decoration. But it is actually architectural work as bees measure space, produce wax, and form scaffolding for comb building.

Festooning is how bees build in darkness with perfect geometry, with the hexagon being the strongest and most efficient storage design found in nature. Thousands of years before engineers calculated structural optimization, bees practiced it instinctively. Their hive is a cathedral and warehouse, nursery and fortress, democracy and organism all in one.

The Lessons Bees Offer at Year’s End

As the holiday season asks us to reflect and as nature reorganizes itself to survive winter, bees demonstrate truths worth carrying forward. Adapt with the season, not against it. Bees slow reproduction in winter. They do not force growth when conditions are not right. To avoid crisis, bees store during abundant seasons. Honey is more than sweetness, it is strategy. The hive also removes what drains energy, not from cruelty, but necessity. Every job matters. From the smallest nurse bee to the queen, survival depends on unity. One bee alone dies, and together the colony survives winter.

If bees disappear, humans would lose crops that depend on pollination such as almonds, berries, apples, melons, and wildflowers. Over time, ecosystems would unravel. The statement often repeated, “If bees die, we die,” is not poetic exaggeration. It is ecological truth. And yet the reverse is equally powerful. When bees thrive, the world thrives.

Research and conservation work, especially efforts to plant native flowers, reduce pesticides, restore natural habitat, and support responsible beekeeping, have begun making small but notable improve-

ments in some regions. Floridians planting wildflowers like blanketflower, clover, wild sage, and native passionflower have created pathways that help both managed and native pollinators survive year-round. Change does not require grand acts, just intentional ones.

Winter Finally: The Quiet Strength of Togetherness

By December’s final cool evenings, the hive has completed its rearranging. The queen lays sparingly. The winter workers cluster densely around her, rotating positions. Warm bees move outward, cold bees move inward. It is a slow living heartbeat powered only by vibration.

Outside the hive, the world keeps moving. String lights glow, families gather, holiday music plays somewhere in the distance. In the hive, there is only warmth, breath, vibration, memory, and the rhythm of survival. We survive not by dominating the world, but by living in relationship with it. The bees do not fight the season. They respect it, prepare for it, and go through it together. Maybe that is the holiday wisdom nature has been whispering all along. To get through harsh times and scarcity together.

STORMWATER RUNOFF POLLUTION

County Treatment Facilities Improve the Health of the Indian River Lagoon

by Jim Field photography by Victoriya Knapp

Saving the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) is a huge task. In a few generations, clear water, white sand bottoms, vast seagrass beds have given way to opaque water, muck, algae blooms and, in many areas, a total loss of seagrass. As the habitat sickened, thousands of plant and animal species came under enormous pressure, leading to population declines and loss of biodiversity on a large scale.

Efforts by government and private organizations to reverse the decline are decades old—the effort is a multigenerational heavy lift. The path to restoration does not include a single elegant “big fix,” but rather a patchwork of smaller solutions targeting a list of different contributors to the lagoon’s poor health.

This article focuses on one major source of IRL pollution—stormwater runoff—and one major cleanup mechanism operated by Indian River County—regional stormwater treatment facilities. For the most part, these facilities—four separate ones located in the county—are out of sight and little known, although their design/ operation is inherently interesting, they are highly effective at what they do, and

they play a critical role towards improving the lagoon’s water quality.

Critical Assistance

The treatment facilities are managed and operated by the county’s Natural Resources Department. I was privileged to spend time with and learn from two of the department’s leaders: Kylie Yanchula, Ph.D., Director, and Eric Charest, Assistant Director. In addition, Alexis Peralta, Stormwater Educator, served as a guide for photographer Victoriya Knapp during her visit to two treatment parks: Moorhen Marsh and Egret Marsh.

The Indian River Lagoon—Economic Juggernaut

The typical Indian River County (IRC) resident and family want a clean lagoon for obvious reasons. They look at the lagoon all the time, being a central geographical feature in their lives along the coast: they want to see beauty and balance. They want a sparkling playground in which to enjoy boating, kayaking, and swimming. They want a vibrant ecosystem for fishing, birdwatching, and simply immersing themselves in nature.

On an entirely different level, there are larger forces in play working to revitalize the IRL, the central purpose being to maximize the economic benefits that accompany enlightened stewardship of this prized natural resource.

A 2025 impact study credited the IRL with generating $28.3 billion annually in local economic impact. This $28.3 billion generated, in turn, $14 billion in local GDP, $8.3 billion in wages, and 128,400 jobs. This is the “value” ascribed to the lagoon by recreational fishing, shoreline activities, tourism, commercial fishing, boat-building, natural resources management, and rapidly growing industries, both established—e.g., aviation and aerospace—and newly drawn to this region.

In sum, individuals, communities, governments, and businesses all benefit from a healthy lagoon—for now, a goal to achieve in the future.

Water, Water, Everywhere

Florida is known for its rainfall. Very occasionally we enjoy a gentle, soaking rain lasting a few days, so beneficial for plants and creatures alike. More typical, however, is when the sky opens up to unleash a deluge of rain lasting anywhere between 5-10 minutes, tapering off for a longer period of merely heavy rain. This could happen most afternoons during the rainy season (May to October)—with such regularity as to set a timepiece by. Even in the dry season we’ll see stretches of weekly rain come and go.

Watching rain fall to earth, the curious among us (and those worried about flooding) will contemplate where all this water ends up going. Roadways, public parking lots, sidewalks, driveways, patios, temporarily turn into shallow-water reservoirs before channeling the runoff to some other area, which drains, in turn, to yet another area, gravity and terrain determining the flow. Concomitantly, for rain falling on open fields and lawns, much of it seeps into the ground rather than running off, filtering gradually through soil, replenishing the groundwater below as it descends to the water table. In both cases, water seeks paths of least resistance and eventually travels to the lowest area, which ultimately in our area, is the lagoon.

Egret Marsh.

With more and more development in our area, we create more and more impervious surfaces, increasing the amount of runoff. Going back many years, rainwater was left to its own devices, to collect and drain where it would. However, in recent decades, rainwater, groundwater, and runoff have become focal points for active management to prevent flooding and reduce the negative environmental impact that accompanies its environmental benefit.

Environmental Management for Clean Water

In our county, storm water is managed

by two main entities: the Public Works Department, responsible for water conveyance to prevent flooding, and the Natural Resources Department—via its Stormwater Division—responsible for water quality, utilizing stormwater filtering systems, inspections, and regulatory enforcement.

The negative environmental impact of rainfall is that runoff picks up pollution, potentially carrying it into the lagoon. Thus, the goal of the Natural Resources Department is to do everything in its power to capture that pollution before it gets into the IRL. Importantly, the ultimate

goal—the key endpoint—is to allow the seagrasses to recover, promoting a healthy ecosystem for the benefit of flora and fauna, individual citizens, and the region’s economic outlook.

Grossly oversimplifying the regulatory and legal framework for making clean water happen, the key construct is a TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load), which in our county pertains to nitrogen and phosphorus levels. These pollutants mainly come from agricultural runoff, stormwater runoff, landscape fertilizer, septic systems, and air deposition (from vehicle emissions).

Moorhen Marsh. Reoxygenation slab at the end of the water lettuce scrubbers enhances level of dissolved oxygen in the water.

WATCHING RAIN FALL TO EARTH, THE CURIOUS AMONG US (AND THOSE WORRIED ABOUT FLOODING) WILL CONTEMPLATE WHERE ALL THIS WATER ENDS UP GOING

The TMDL establishes the maximum amount of nitrogen and phosphorus that can enter the IRL each year while still meeting water quality standards for parameters such as dissolved oxygen, water clarity, and aquatic life (e.g., underwater grasses and fish). In sum, a TMDL is analogous to a “pollution diet” for a waterway, imposing limits to help the water recover and stay healthy.

The master blueprint (a BMAP, standing for Basin Management Action Plan) for reducing pollution in an impaired water body contains requirements for entities to define a comprehensive set of solutions to achieve pollutant reductions established by a TMDL. Specifically, the BMAP identifies levels of pollutants and responsible entities and timelines for achieving reductions.

Importantly, participating entities may be allocated numerical amounts of pollutants to reduce in a defined timeframe. Other solutions include permit limits on regulated facilities, regional projects, and conservation programs designed to achieve pollutant reductions—initiatives that will reduce pollutant levels over time as a function of what they do, without assigned numerical targets. The BMAP is developed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and relies upon local efforts and commitment for successful implementation.

Stormwater Treatment Facilities

Within our Natural Resources Department, stormwater treatment facilities are one important means for working towards compliance with reduction targets defined in the current BMAP. The county operates four such facilities: the PC (Sandhill) Main Screen, the Egret Marsh Stormwater Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, the Osprey Acres Flowway and Nature Preserve, and the Moorhen Marsh Low Energy Aquatic Plant System.

The facilities are engineered differently to assume different roles in the overall water quality task. There is one crew—one manager and three staff—to operate and maintain all four facilities. In aggregate, the four facilities treat an estimated 75,000,000 gallons of water per day. For the 2024-2025 period, the facilities achieved the following: 130 tons of debris (trash, plants, other debris) removed from waters heading to the lagoon; a 19,912 pound decrease in nitrogen reaching the lagoon; a 4,073 pound decrease in phosphorous reaching the lagoon.

A key point of understanding is that most of the stormwater managed by the Natural Resources Department finds its way, and is actively channeled, into a series of canals, which then lead to the lagoon itself. The treatment facilities draw water from these canals, treats it, and returns it to the canals. Thus, no lagoon water is treated directly by the facilities—rather stormwater that flows to the lagoon.

Moorhen March with blue heron.

What follows is a brief description of the four facilities.

PC Main Screen removes floating freshwater plants (e.g., salt-intolerant water lettuce) and trash from the Main Relief Canal before the canal empties into the lagoon. Ten screens are used to remove floating and submerged pollutants down to the size of a paperclip.

Egret Marsh utilizes algae to remove nutrients from approximately 10 million gallons of canal water every day. Water flows across a concrete slab (almost 5 football fields in size) hosting an algae mat; the algae slow the two-inch deep water flow and absorb pollutants and sentiment. The algae are harvested and not released to the lagoon. The filtered water returns to the canals and flows through the Main Relief Canal, eventually emptying into the lagoon. (A device similar to a snowplow is used to harvest the algae—perhaps the only industrial snowplow in Florida.)

Osprey Acres is a meandering river approach, on the tail end of an algae mat (similar to Egret Marsh), utilizing water lettuce scrub basins to absorb pollutants. The facility draws from the South Relief Canal and also filters Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) reject water (brine) from the R.O. plant. Filtered water returns to the canal to empty into the lagoon. The 80-acre site includes nature trails and is open to the public.

Morehen Marsh gravity flows 4-10 million gallons a day from the North Relief Canal. There are eight basins about three-feet deep containing water lettuce. The water lettuce is retained on the site by a series of baffles that prevent it from discharging back into the canal. “Low energy” refers to the limited use of pumps, chemicals or complex mechanical equipment—most of the treatment is done by plants—water lettuce—and natural processes.

What Citizens Can Do

Stormwater pollution includes fertilizer, pet waste (nutrient and bacteria pollution), chemicals from homes and vehicles, erosion and construction pollution (sediment), cigarette butts, litter, and more. Accordingly, it is important pick up after pets, maintain vehicles to prevent chemical leaks and spills, don’t litter or dispose of cigarette butts on the ground.

In 2013, County Commissioners passed the Fertilizer and Landscape Ordinance restricting the use of fertilizer to prevent excess nutrients from entering the lagoon. The law states that no fertilizer containing phosphorus is to be used; no fertilizer containing nitrogen can be applied during the rainy summer season; and includes other landscape best practices—such as blowing grass clippings back on the lawn.

Moorhen Marsh.

CONSERVATION

STORMWATER RUNOFF

POLLUTION

Egret Marsh. Algae grows on the 5-acre algal turf scrubber filtering stormwater of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus.

Note: The study referenced above: Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, Economic Valuation Study and Socioeconomic Profile Reports, Technical Report 2025-02b, September 2025. Developed by The Balmoral Group. Read complete Economic Value Reports at OneLagoon.org.

Progress Against Goals

Currently, the county is roughly at 35% of achieving its TMDL goals. Total spending to this point is approximately $80 million. The compliance period is 15 years, with five-year milestones. The first milestone was 2025, recording 35% progress; the 2030 milestone raises the bar to 70% and the 2035 milestone to 100%. When this 15-year compliance period is completed, progress against the total pollution burden will be a 54% reduction in nitrogen and a 46% reduction in phosphorus. Indeed, this would stand as a major achievement towards restoring the IRL to health— reducing the total nitrogen/phosphorus pollution burden by half in just 15 years.

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WHERE THE RIVER MEETS THE SEA

The Story of the Fort Pierce Inlet

by Gunther Schwartz photography by Frank Moore and Victoriya Knapp

On Florida’s Treasure Coast, where the Indian River Lagoon meets the Atlantic Ocean, lies a place where history, heroism, and coastal culture converge at Fort Pierce Inlet State Park. Today, it’s known for its half-mile stretch of white sand, peeling waves, and sun-soaked weekends, but beneath its laid-back surface runs a story that shaped both a city and a nation.

During World War II, this shoreline was far from a peaceful retreat. It was a military training ground in preparation for the D-Day invasion of Europe and important Pacific islands. Detonated charges to clear beach obstacles earned the area a name that still carries through generations— ”Dynamite Point.”

In the decades since, this segment of land and water has taken on a new identity. Renamed “the Cove,” it’s a favorite gathering place for boaters who anchor in the shallow waters, grill on the sand, and swim across from the State Park to bask in the sunshine. It’s a transformation that perfectly mirrors Fort Pierce itself—from a site of wartime intensity to a sanctuary of peace and recreation.

The Fort Pierce Inlet, carved in the early 1900s after a storm sealed off the natural waterway a mile north, became the city’s link to the Atlantic and the lifeblood of its future. What began as an ambitious engineering project has evolved into a hub of surf, history, and community. A place

where every sunrise reflects both the past and the enduring spirit of Fort Pierce.

A Vision for Renewal

In 1919, local leaders founded the Fort Pierce Inlet District, and the community voted to issue a bond—a massive sum for the time—to purchase land. This was the birthplace of the modern inlet.

Over the next few years, three additional bond issues would follow. These bonds were proof of how much the townspeople believed in their dream of reopening their gateway to the sea. With financial backing secured and plans approved by the state, dredging began in 1920. It wasn’t easy. Progress slowed as seawalls and jetties

Photographs this page by Frank Moore.

Gunther Schwartz.

WHERE THE RIVER MEETS THE SEA

were constructed, but on April 19, 1921, the dredge Tuscawilla roared back to life, cutting through the sandbar one scoop at a time. Then, in May 1921, history was made.

“The Atlantic and Indian River Are Married!”

That was the jubilant headline in The Fort Pierce News Tribune on May 10, 1921. The ocean had finally met the lagoon once again. The article vividly captured the moment the tide burst through the final barrier of sand:

“The wedding ceremony took place Sunday evening about 8 o’clock when the high tide washed through the small remaining barrier of sand and swept dredge, barge, boats and all before it, cleaning out the sandy beach and practically finishing the inlet.”

Boats paraded through the newly opened waterway. Crowds gathered at Cobb’s Dock downtown to board tours that departed every ten minutes to view the new inlet. The town erupted in celebration with fireworks, flags, and families cheering from the shore.

The Port of Fort Pierce: Citrus, Cargo, and Connection

With the inlet open, a new era began. The creation of the Port of Fort Pierce turned the small coastal town into a hub for trade and shipping.

By the 1930s, the port had become a major center for exporting Indian River citrus, known across the country for its sweetness and quality. The addition of a refrigeration terminal in 1935 expanded its reach, allowing local growers to ship their fruit farther than ever before.

Infrastructure improvements followed quickly. The dredged material from the inlet construction helped form a causeway to Hutchinson Island, and by 1926, a bridge connected the island to the mainland. This bridge was the opening up of new land for development and recreation. Fort Pierce had gone from isolation to innovation almost overnight.

World War II: The Birthplace of the Navy SEALs

Two decades later, the inlet played another

historic role, this time in service to the nation. During World War II, the beaches and waters around Fort Pierce were transformed into a military training ground. The U.S. Navy established the Naval Amphibious Training Base Fort Pierce, where soldiers trained in underwater demolition, explosives handling, and amphibious warfare.

These men, known as the U.S. Navy Frogmen, were the predecessors of today’s Navy SEALs. Their daring work gave birth to legends and to one of the most storied nicknames on the Treasure Coast: Dynamite Point, named after their explosive training exercises.

The inlet’s geography—deep water, tidal currents, and barrier islands—made it the perfect training ground. Many of these brave men later stormed the beaches of Normandy and Pacific islands. Today, visitors can explore this chapter of history at the National Navy SEAL Museum, located just north of the inlet.

The Making of Fort Pierce Inlet State Park: How Locals Saved Paradise

Before it became one of Florida’s most beautiful and beloved coastal preserves, Fort Pierce Inlet State Park was at risk of concrete and condominiums.

In the 1970s, Hutchinson Island—then wild, raw, and relatively untouched—was under

increasing pressure from developers. The now state park was a county park. As coastal land throughout Florida became prime real estate, investors looked toward the north side of Fort Pierce Inlet with dreams of gated communities and private condominiums. What locals saw as sacred ground—a natural playground for surfers, fishermen, and families—was in danger of concrete and condominiums. But Fort Pierce isn’t the kind of town that stands by quietly when its pristine coastline is at stake.

Among those who refused to let development erase their homebreak was Bruce “Spunky” Strunk, the founder of Spunky’s Surf Shop and one of Fort Pierce’s surf pioneers. In interviews featured in the Spunky’s Strunk documentary on YouTube, he’s not just a surfer or business owner, but a motivator and influencer—someone who was part of a grassroots movement to protect a way of life.

Bruce was part of a generation that saw the inlet not as empty land, but as a living ecosystem. That beach was where waves, habitat, wildlife, and people coexisted in their natural way. The inlet wasn’t just geography; it was identity.

From Protest to Preservation

Beachgoers, fishermen, surfers, and families stood shoulder to shoulder, determined to defend their coastline from commercialization and overdevelopment. Word spread through conversations at local surf breaks, bait shops, and front porches. Volunteers hit the pavement going door to door to gather signatures and rally support to protect 340 acres of wild coastal land.

Their persistence paid off. By late 1973, both state and county officials acknowledged the inlet’s immense ecological and cultural value. The state purchased the land from the county, and the area was officially designated Fort Pierce Inlet State Park in 1974. This act safeguarded the beaches, dunes, and mangrove estuaries from private development, ensuring they would remain open and preserved for future generations.

The park’s creation represented far more than an environmental victory—it was a

Photographs this page by Frank Moore.

WHERE THE RIVER MEETS THE SEA

powerful statement of local determination and destiny. It proved that Fort Pierce wasn’t just another coastal town waiting to be built over, but a community united by pride, purpose, and preservation. The people had spoken and, in doing so, they ensured that the heart of their coastline would forever belong to the people.

Serious Surfing

Today, Fort Pierce Inlet State Park stands as a living testament to that legacy. The park’s shoreline, stretching along both the Atlantic Ocean and Indian River Lagoon, is home to nesting sea turtles, migratory birds, and lush mangrove forests.

As time and weather progressed, twin jetties—massive rock arms extending into the Atlantic—were built to stabilize the inlet. Rising above mere physical objects, these structures have become iconic gathering places—simply part of the landsea playground.

On the inlet’s north side, “the Jetty” stretch of beach is home to one of Florida’s most reliable surf breaks, thanks to the inlet’s unique geography. Located above the Bahama Bank, Fort Pierce receives consistent swell from both the south and east. From longboard-friendly rollers to punchy hurricane peaks, the Jetty offers something for every surfer.

On the south side of the inlet, the water and beach are more conducive to wind-driven pursuits. Here, on any given day with a decent breeze, you’re guaranteed to see foil boarders and kitesurfers pursuing their derivative watersport passions. A foil board rig is composed of board, mast, fuselage and front and back wing, while the main equipment of kitesurfing includes board, kite, control bar and lines, and harness. Foil boarders will be observed gliding over the water riding similar to a magic carpet. It is kitesurfers that you will see using the wind to glide, carve, and jump across the surface of the water—sometimes gaining some incredible altitude—to experience a mix of surfing, sailing, and outright flying.

The Soul of the Community Fort Pierce has managed to do what few coastal towns have—keep its soul intact.

The pace is slower, the smiles are genuine, and the lineup feels more like a family gathering than a competition. Locals wave from their boards. There’s a camaraderie here—born from decades of shared saltwater, sunrises, and stories told.

A true Fort Pierce landmark, Spunky’s Surf Shop launched in 1994. For over 30 years, Spunky’s has been more than just a surf shop—it’s a community cornerstone of surf culture on the Treasure Coast. Inside you will find custom boards shaped by shapers; homegrown apparel—Jetty Tees to Jetty Rat Hoodies, badges of local pride; wax, boards and tons more.

But most importantly, you’ll find conversation, mentorship, and the unspoken connection that binds generations of surfers and watermen. Spunky’s embodies what happens when a community invests in itself: the coastline thrives, culture endures, and small businesses flourish in harmony with nature, rather than at its expense.

While surfing may grab the spotlight, the Jetty and Fort Pierce Inlet are vital for much more. They are ecosystems, lifelines, living classrooms, and places to relax and have fun in. The area features local fishermen and charter captains who rely on the inlet’s access to deep waters for their livelihood. Recreational boaters, divers, and kayakers all share this waterway, creating a symphony of activity that defines life in Fort Pierce. Along both ocean and lagoon, there are hotels and restaurants offering a full range of amenities, vibes, and cuisines.

Next time you walk the Jetty, pause and look around. Watch the waves that carried Navy Frogmen into history. Listen to the laughter of surfers, fishermen, and families whose lives are forever tied to this place. Because this, right here, where the river meets the sea—is the heart of historicvibrant Fort Pierce.

Gunther Schwartz is the Manager of Spunky’s Surf Shop, a landmark presence in the surfing community on the Treasure Coast. A Christian, waterman, and writer, he lives with a deep appreciation for faith, the ocean, and the beauty of everyday

life. Through storytelling, community involvement, and an unshakable zest for life, Gunther strives to inspire others to live with purpose, passion, and gratitude.

Frank Moore is a professional surf photographer based on the Treasure Coast of Florida. He is ranked in the top five surf photographers in the state. His mission is to record the history of surf culture on the Treasure Coast for future generations of surfers. He showcases his surf photography with a unique and creative style. A surfer’s style and technique are everything in surfing along with showing the beauty of the wave being ridden. His surf photography is showcased on Instagram @ frankmoore28jupiter.

Spunky’s Surf Shop

772-466-7048

1403 N US Hwy 1 Ft. Pierce, FL 34950

Instagram: @spunkys.surf.shop Website: spunkyssurfshop.com

Photograph by Victoriya Knapp.

The Cove at left. Victoriya Knapp.

Victoriya Knapp.

Fort Pierce Inlet. Victoriya Knapp.

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LIV LOCAL THIS DECEMBER & JANUARY HOLIDAY SEASON

DECEMBER

5th

Gallery Stroll: Vero Beach Art Club: December 5.

Friday, 5 to 8 pm

Join the Vero Beach Art Club this last first Friday of the month for 2025, with participating galleries in our historic downtown art district. The Vero Beach Historic Downtown Art District opens their doors to the public during this event to witness visual art displays. This is a great opportunity for members who have their pieces in the gallery or marketplace to share their art pieces with the community. verobeachartclub.org, 772.231.0303

5th through 21st

A Christmas Carol: The Musical 2 pm and 7:30 pm

Enjoy a musical version of this traditional Christmas tale where Ebenezer Scrooge is taken on a magical journey of redemption through a series of musical numbers. This performance at the Vero Beach Theatre Guild of the beloved Christmas classic, is a perfect weekend evening event for the whole family. Calendar dates for showings are listed on their website. verobeachtheatreguild. com, 772.562.8300

6th

Peterson Groves: First Annual Christmas Market

Saturday, 10 am to 3 pm

Visit local vendors, eat delicious treats and goodies, and shop local products at Peterson Groves’ First Annual Christmas Market. This Christmas themed holiday event is a great opportunity to bring your family outdoors. More information and details will be available soon on their website. petersongroves.com

772.562.6900

6th

Vero Beach Christmas Parade: Ocean Drive

Saturday, 6 pm

The holiday spirit rolls around with this annual Vero Beach community holiday event held Beachside on Ocean Drive. Hosted by the Sunrise Rotary of Vero Beach, local businesses and sponsors display their colorfully decorative floats. Bring your lawn chair, blankets, friends and family, and support local businesses and sponsors and this festively fun event. verobeachchristmasparade.org, Chairman, Kristin Jewell 803.381.8355

7th

Atlantic Classical Orchestra: The Prophecy Show

Sunday, 4 to 7 pm

The Atlantic Classical Orchestra is coming to Vero Beach and invites you this holiday to their 3rd annual Home for the Holidays concert event. Held at St. Edwards School Waxlax Center, enjoy the warmth of live holiday music such as orchestral performances and holiday carols. atlanticclassicalorchestra.com, 772.460.0851

11th through 13th 7th

Annual Winter Bazaar: Walking Tree Brewery Sunday, 12 pm

Walking Tree Brewery’s Annual Winter Bazaar hosts a collection of independent artisans and creatives for all your holiday gift giving necessities. This event offers festive holiday products, food, live music, the Treasure Coast’s largest Christmas Tree, and Santa Claus. More information can be found on their website. walkingtreebrewery.com, 772.217.3502

Ballet Vero Beach: Nutcracker on the Indian River

Thursday Friday and Saturday December 11th and 12th 7:30 pm December 13th 2 pm

View the whimsical performance of the classic holiday tale: The Nutcracker, with a twist, by Ballet Vero Beach. Hosted at Riverside Theatre, join Marie in this Florida themed version of The Nutcracker, on her holiday journey from New York to Florida. Featuring numbers in Fifth Avenue Mansions, Grand Central Station, and characters inspired by the Indian River Lagoon such as manatees, land crabs, florals, river otters, and bougainvillea. This unique performance draws from the classical holiday tale and inspires audiences with themes so familiar to Florida that residents and visitors love and appreciate. balletverobeach.org, 772.269.2065

13th and 14th 11th

Trans-Siberian Orchestra:

The Prophecy Show. December 11

Thursday, 7 to 9 pm

Hosted at the Emerson Center, experience a lively performance tribute to the world renowned Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO). The Prophecy Show brings the excitement and electricity of the TSP’s iconic holiday rock opera to Vero Beach. Featuring classically trained musicians, dazzling costumes, synchronized choreography and colorful stage effects such as lasers and fog, that deliver an immersive experience for audience members throughout this musical journey. theemersoncenter. com, 772.778.5249

12th and 13th

WinterGreen Night Lights: Environmental Learning Center

Friday, 5 to 8:30 pm

Experience a luminescent glow under the mangroves on the river in a guided canoe holiday tour by the ELC. Whether you’re joining as a first-timer or returning this annual tradition, this event is a great opportunity to hear the sounds of nature, be present with our beloved local wildlife, and connect with other nature lovers in your community. You can expect s’mores by the fire, a visit to the aquarium, a canoe tour under the illuminated holiday lights, handson activities and crafts, and a high-power telescope on sight for an amazing stargazing experience. More information is provided on their website. www.discoverelc.org, 772.589.5050

Fishing Line Sorting: Coastal Connections

Saturday, 8 to 10 am

Hosted at Riverside Park, give back to our beautiful lagoon wildlife in picking up and sorting through fishing line debris with Coastal Connections; a nonprofit sea turtle conservation organization that aims to protect wildlife and educate its community. Help them sort through monofilament fishing line from other fishing tackles that are collected in their 47-recycling tubes. Bring some gloves and get ready to give back to the turtles during this hands-on insightful event. coastalconnections.org, 772.226.0133

Holidays at the Museum: Vero Beach Museum of Art

Saturday, 10 am to 3 pm

Celebrate with the whole family at the Vero Beach Museum of Art during this holiday event. Enjoy and participate in art-making activities led by museum instructors and local art teachers, music and dance live performances, food trucks and vendors, and free admission to the museum’s current exhibitions. vbmuseum.org, 772.231.0707

19th 13th 13th

Vero Beach Outlets 2nd Annual Holiday Bazaar

Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday 10 am to 4 pm

Enjoy a selection of 120 booths of festive and holiday themed handcrafted products and art & crafts in the Vero Beach Outlets shopping center. Featuring live music, shopping, adult beverages, and food vendors. verobeachoutlets.com, 772.770.6097

14th

Vero Beach Christmas Boat Parade

Sunday 6 to 7:30 pm

The Vero Beach Christmas Boat Parade returns to the Indian River Lagoon this holiday season. Come together in this event to showcase your beautifully decorated boat float or to connect with other community members in this festively fun event for the family. Suggested viewing spots and more information are provided on their website. www.miatc.org, fpycsocialmedia@gmail.com

Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings

Friday, 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm

Hosted at the Community Church of Vero Beach, this live series comes to town with an absolutely stunning display of an intimately candle-lit stage. With string quartet performances of traditional and popular Christmas carols that your family can enjoy. Tickets and more information are provided on the website below. feverup.com, 772.562.3633

LIV LOCAL THIS DECEMBER & JANUARY HOLIDAY SEASON

2nd through 11th JANUARY

Double Portraits: Vero Beach Museum of Art

Friday, 10 am to 4:30 pm

Visit the Vero Beach Museum of Art during this exhibition featuring 47 photographs by 34 artists, capturing the everevolving American South through the concept of a “double portrait.” Divided into four sections, the exhibition examines the unique ways artists depict human connection, presence, and absence within a shared frame. vbmuseum. org, 772.231.0707

2nd

Picasso and the Progressive Proof: Vero Beach Museum of Art Friday, 10 am to 4:30 pm

With prints curated from a private collection, explore the late-career printmaking of Pablo Picasso that highlight his artistic themes of Spanish heritage, mythology, and European Old Masters. vbmuseum. org, 772.231.0707

3RD and 4TH

Annual Vero Beach Art & Craft Expo: Winter Edition

Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday 10 am to 4 pm

Participate in a 110 handcrafted art exhibition booth event with live music, delicious food, and community fun. This is a combo event with the Vero Beach Home & Remodel Show all held in one place at the Indian River County Fairgrounds. artandcraftexpo.com, 772.492.6105

3rd and 4th

Annual Vero Beach Home and Remodel Show: Winter Edition

Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday 10 am to 4 pm

Homeowners, renovators, and creatives are welcome to join this 200 booth event alongside their sister event, the Art & Craft Expo. Presenting expert speakers, showcases of the latest home design trends, and interactive demonstrations, this event is a great opportunity to gain valuable insight in the world of home renovation and design. patriothomeshows.com, 772.492.6105

3rd

The Yale Spizzwinks Acapella: The Emerson Center

Saturday 2 pm

Presented by the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, the world famous and critically acclaimed Yale Spizzwinks Acapella group returns to Central Florida presenting their program. For the last 113 years, the Spizzwinks have delivered the perfect blend of humor and musicality in their performances. More information can be found on the Space Coast Symphony website. spacecoastsymphony.org, 855.252.7276

6th

The Indian River Lagoon Story: The Emerson Center

Monday 7 to 8:30 pm

The Emerson Center welcomes Heather Stapleton, Community Engagement Coordinator for the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, for her E-Series presentation: The Indian River Lagoon Story. Presenting insight on the ecological emphasis of our beloved lagoon and our community’s role in protecting one of North America’s most diverse estuaries. While also hosting: Lagoon by Brush and Lens, an art exhibition in addition to the lecture event hosted by Art at the Emerson Gallery. theemersoncenter.com, 772.778.5249

9th and 10th

The

Drive-Laser Light Show: Indian River County Fairgrounds

Friday, 5 pm

Bundle up in this laser-light show tailgate event with the family or loved ones and get ready for a weekend of mind-blowing 70s, 80s, and 90s rock music and cuttingedge laser light show displays. Showtimes, tickets, and further event descriptions can be found on the website below. freshtix.com.

9th through February 1st

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder: Riverside Theatre

Saturday 2 pm

Based on a novel by Roy Horniman, and Tony Awarding Winning Musical, this performance displays unforgettable music and endless laughs in a story of the murderous pursuit of wealth and prestige. Join Monty Navarro in his plot to gain the aristocratic title of the Ninth Earl

of Highhurst in his family’s lineage. While navigating his infatuation with Miss Sibella Hallward and murderous schemes, this musical performance offers excitement and humor perfect for date night. Dates and showtimes are available on their website. riversidetheatre.com, 772.231.6990

16th and 17th

All Rodriguez the Trios: Ballet Vero Beach: Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center

Friday 7:30 to 9 pm

Ballet master and Principal dancer Camilo A. Rodriguez brings a program of three contrasting trios that display neoclassical, contemporary, and irreverent performances by Ballet Vero Beach. Featuring: Tunics and Tutus, Sheer Vibration and While There’s Still Music. balletverobeach.org, 772.269.1065

21st

Heritage Bluegrass Concert: Heritage Center

Wednesday 6:30 pm

Southern Express Bluegrass consists of performances by 6 talented musicians that bring years of bluegrass into family entertainment. Including music performances of Bluegrass, Gospel, and country songs ranging from traditional to contemporary sounds. veroheritage. org, 772.770.2263

30th

Downtown Friday Festival Friday, 6 to 9 pm

Join our community on Mainstreet in Downtown Vero Beach for good food, drinks, music, and connection during their monthly Downtown Friday Festival to finish the end of January. Whether it’s to bring the family out or for a night out with friends, this community event offers a variety of fun for everyone.

31st

American Made Painting and Sculpture from the Demell Johnson Collection: Vero Beach Museum of Art

Saturday 10 am to 4:30 pm

This exhibition features over 80 works by renowned American artists. Art spanning 250 years, with an emphasis on the 19th and 20th centuries, the collection traces the evolution of American art, showcasing its unique styles and thought-provoking expressions across generations throughout our country’s history. vbmuseum.org, 772.231.0707