Boca Club News
Boca Junior League Names Honorary Chair, Co-Chairs
For 38th Annual Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon
Victoria Matthews, President of the Junior League of Boca Raton and a member of St. Andrews country club, has announced the naming of Carrie Rubin as honorary chair and Namrata Israni and Racheal Petullo as event co-chairs of the organization’s 38th Annual Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon to be held on Friday, November 21st at The Boca Raton at 10 a.m.
The Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon celebrates outstanding women in the community nominated by nonprofit organizations throughout Palm Beach County and Northern Broward County for their dedication and expertise as volunteers, as well as the work they do to further the
Plan Your Fall Season with City’s New “Recreator” Activities Guide
The City of Boca Raton’s Recreation Services Department has announced the release of its latest issue of The Recreator, the official recreation programming guide. The new edition features a comprehensive array of recreational activities and events being offered for all ages from September 1st through December 31st. This guide serves as an essential resource for residents and visitors seeking to make the most of Boca Raton’s vibrant community life.
The Recreator features information about popular seasonal program series, including Boo-ca Boo Days, Boca Jolly Days and Fall and Winter Camps. Residents and visitors can also look forward to embarking on an Intracoastal Adventure at Gumbo Limbo Nature
Broken Sound Chef Maybury’s New Hydroponics Initiative
Continues Club’s Worldwide Environmental Leadership
Since the early 2000s, in a series of strategies that began with an environmental waste management program, evolved into water recycling and includes a network of regularly serviced beehives still actively cared for on both the 18-hole Club and legendary Old Courses—the latter program considered by scientists worldwide as a practice critical to preserving the pollinating species we humans depend upon for our food supply—Broken Sound Club has earned awards and an international reputation for its leadership in environmental sustainability.
Now, in an innovative step that merges wellness, sustainability and cuttingedge culinary practices, Broken Sound’s new Director of Culinary, Chef Gordon Maybury, continues that tradition with the introduction of hydroponically grown herbs and microgreens. This forwardthinking initiative supports members and guests seeking cleaner, allergen-reduced dining options while embracing a method of cultivation that is both environmentally responsible and nutritionally rich.
Grown in a soil-free, controlled hydroponic system, these microgreens are nurtured without pesticides, harsh chemicals or exposure to common allergens such as airborne pollen. This initiative is part of the Club’s broader commitment to health, inclusivity and sustainability.
Downtown Boca Rotary Club’s 10th Annual Mayors Ball Set for November 1st
In keeping with the city’s Centennial celebration, Downtown Boca Raton’s Rotary Club has set a theme, “Party of the Century,” for its November 1st Mayors Ball at The Boca Raton with hundreds of business leaders, elected officials and philanthropists celebrating one hundred years of Boca Raton and a decade of Mayors Ball fundraisers.
The black-tie gala, co-presented by the Terra and Frisbie Group, will live up to its enviable reputation as “a don’t miss event of the season” with drinking, dining and dancing.
Emcees will be Glenn Glazer, WPBF-TV, Channel 25 Meteorologist and Rotarian Michelle McLean, who served as Miss Universe 1992. They will announce the winners of four prestigious awards named in honor of three former Mayors and the legendary Addison Mizner:
Boca Raton Junior League on page 3
Racheal Petullo, Victoria Matthews, Carrie Rubin, Namrata Israni
Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer
Boca Raton Junior League from page 1
missions of the organizations they serve. Proceeds benefit the Junior League of Boca Raton.
The much-anticipated event includes a runway fashion show by The Boca Raton, the iconic resort and private club. “We are so grateful to Carrie for serving as the honorary chair and to Racheal and Namrata for their leadership,” said Victoria Matthews. “We are delighted that The Boca Raton will once again produce a spectacular fashion show.”
Honorary Chair Carrie Rubin is a member of the Junior League of Boca Raton and co-chaired the organization’s Thrift Shop event, as well as the Tree Lighting event. She sat on the Boards of Fuller Center, The Boca Raton Museum of Art and the Boca Raton Police Foundation. She helped start Impact 100 PBC and served on the inaugural Board of Directors. She is currently the longest-serving board member besides the founding President. Since 2016 she has chaired the Fall Kick-Off Membership Event and will Co-Chair the Grand Awards in 2026. She will become CoPresident of Impact 100 PBC in 2026-27.
In addition, Carrie serves as an active Board Member
10th Annual Mayors Ball Set from page 1
• The George Long Award (Large Business Category) pays homage to the city’s first Mayor and is bestowed upon the Town Center at Boca Raton, a Simon Property shopping center. In business since 1980, the Town Center houses over 200 businesses, including the top five most desirable department stores in the country while supporting thousands of local jobs.
General Manager Sal Saldaña will accept the honor.
• The J.C. Mitchell Award (Small Business Category) honors the city’s longest serving Mayor during its most turbulent time (The Great Depression and World War II.) The award recognizes The Addison, founded in 1925 as Addison Mizner’s home base as he built what is now The Boca Raton. In 2025 The Addison serves as an exquisite venue for hundreds of weddings, special events and fundraisers each year. Accepting the award will be The Addison’s Vice President, Zoe Lanham.
• The Susan Whelchel Award (Best Nonprofit) is named after Boca’s most beloved Mayor who served six years and
of the Boca Raton Regional Hospital and Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation and serves on several of the Foundation’s committees. She was the Co-Chair of the Hospital Ball in 2018 and 2019 and Chaired Go-Pink for The Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation for the 2023 and 2024 Go Pink luncheons, raising over $4.8 million dollars for breast cancer initiatives at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Carrie is also the Managing Director of the Rubin Family Foundation, which focuses on healthcare and child advocacy and welfare.
For tickets to the Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon visit wvoy25.givesmart.com or call (561) 620-2553. Sponsorships are available and tables and tickets will go on sale September 1st. Platinum tables are $4,000, Gold Tables are $3,000, Silver Tables are $2,000 and Silver General Seating is $200 per ticket.
The Presenting Sponsor of the Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon is the Junior League of Boca Raton’s 1971 Society. The Award Presentation Sponsor is The Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute and Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation. The Boca Raton is the Fashion Sponsor. The Media Sponsor is Boca Magazine.
added much to the city in terms of education, art and economic development. The recipient is the George Snow Scholarship Fund. Since 1982 the Fund has awarded over $36 million in scholarships and support services to 3,692 local students. Tim Snow, President of the Scholarship Fund, will accept the honor.
• The Addison Mizner Award (Individual) reflects the enriching and enthusiastic spirit of our most iconic resident from a century ago who lives on with his name adorning many public places. It is being presented to longtime citizen Gary Peters, who started a family foundation in 2004 which has awarded millions in grants. He is also the driving force behind Boca Helping Hands which feeds hundreds daily. And an amazing, little-known fact: Gary is a two-time national champion of the popular board game, MONOPOLY.
Each honoree will receive a stunning, glass-cut award on stage, preceded by a brief video highlighting their accomplishments. The awards will be presented by Rotary Fund Board Co-Chairs, Jonathan Whitney and Ingrid Fulmer.
“Since its inception in 2015 Mayors Ball has generated millions in proceeds, touching thousands of local lives through
Assistant Chairs are Jennifer Jochum Selman, Kali Williams and Brittany Wright. Committee members include Donna Doscher, Ann Starovoitov, Karen Wadowicz, Betsy Owen, Brandi Hyatt, Caroline Steffen, Chase Papoy, Dede Dalbey, Fabiola Hooker, Francine Lang, Joni Goldberg, Clarissa Gleichenhaus, Kara Matuszewski, Kathy Adkins, Linda Gunn Paton, Michele Ribovich, Renata Sans De Negri, Sarah Caro, Sonia Wegweiser, Brittanny Ferguson, Brittany Bailey, Gena Pineda, Sara-Antonia Tkalec and Veronica Kraft.
About the Junior League of Boca Raton. Throughout the year League members contribute more than 35,000 volunteer hours and donate more than $250,000 to support the organization’s mission of advancing women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration and training. The Junior League currently focuses on two community issues: Child Welfare and NonProfit Support.
To learn more about the Boca Raton Junior League contact its office at (561) 620-2553 or visit www.JLBR.org.Connect on Facebook or Instagram.
our Club’s Service Above Self grants,” said Whitney. Added Fulmer, “Given our high number of secured sponsorships and strong interest in advance ticket sales we are optimistic this year’s gala will net significant funds, all benefiting our community.”
Also being honored are George Brown, who served Boca Raton for nearly 50 years, the last two as City Manager, and Jon Kaye, a founding member of Downtown Rotary, who conceived Mayors Ball in 2015 during his Club presidency and continued to produce it into one of the region’s most popular and successful galas, aiding the community’s health and wellness needs.
A special guest will be Barry Rassin, past International President of Rotary who led 1.4 million Rotarians across 200 countries. “What an honor for Barry to join us at Mayors Ball,” said Allen Konis, President of Rotary Downtown Boca. “He is the founder of a multi-decade, $2.3 billion initiative to bring potable water and sanitation to the people of Haiti. Barry epitomizes inspirational leadership.”
Dr. Rosenbusch has been practicing
for 38 years and has extensive
The program will feature a live auction of high-end vacations and other exclusive experiences conducted by Rotarian Bill Riddick of Saffer and Company. Presenting sponsor Terra and Frisbie Group is in a Public-Private Partnership with Boca Raton that intends to revitalize the city’s 30-acre government campus downtown.
Sponsorships are still available, individual tickets at $495 start selling September 1st. To have a “Ball” at the Ball contact Mayors Ball Producer Bob Tucker at (561) 289-0436.
About Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton. Founded in 2012 with 60-plus members, The Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton is a leader among its District of other Florida Clubs. Its mission is health and wellness and aligns with Rotary International to provide service to others, promote integrity and advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through fellowship of business, professional and community leaders. There are 46,000 Rotary Clubs in nearly every country connecting 1.4 million Rotarians worldwide. Members meet Fridays at noon at Farmers Table on Military Trail. For more information visit: www. rotarydowntownbocaraton.org or contact Bob Tucker @ (561) 289-0436 or 522btucker@gmail.com.
The Viners and the Cohens
Blanca Freelander and Marcia Mithun
Tracy and Mike Caruso Dancing
Peter and Maria Sachs, Christine Lynn and Marc Wigder
Symphonia Orchestra, Boca Museum of Art to Co-Host
“Venetian Refractions: A Night of Art, Music, Italian Indulgence” September 26th
The Symphonia, South Florida’s premier chamber orchestra, and the Boca Raton Museum of Art will co-host “Venetian Refractions: A Night of Art, Music, and Italian Indulgence” on Friday, September 26th at the Boca Raton Museum of Art in Mizner Park.
Set against the backdrop of the Museum’s Glasstress Boca Raton 2025 exhibit and featuring Italian music played by Symphonia musicians, the evening will begin with cocktails in the Museum’s Sculpture Garden followed by an exclusive, music accompanied after-hours visit to the exhibit and a gourmet four-course Italian dinner. Each course will be expertly paired with fine Italian wines and music. Presentations by the chef, sommelier, Symphonia Director and Museum Curator will enhance the experience, connecting flavors, music and visuals.
Glasstress is a project in Venice, Italy, that brings international artists together to experiment with glass artistry, with an aim to increase the prestige of glass as fine art. Glasstress Boca Raton 2025 showcases more than 20 extraordinary works by such global icons as Sean Scully, Thomas Schütte, María Magdalena Campos-Pons and Jose Alvarez, among others.
“This is a celebration of artistic innovation and cultural collaboration,” said Annabel Russell, Executive Director of The Symphonia. “It’s a rare opportunity to experience such an immersive event encompassing so many aspects of Italian artistry with music, visual art, wine and cuisine. Venite con noi!”
Center, where they can learn to canoe or kayak across the tranquil Intracoastal waters.
Children and their families can explore the amazing Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math exhibits and programs offered across the Recreation Department by completing their “STEAM through September” passport. Enjoy a stunning performance at the Willow Theatre, attend one of the themed Night Markets, introduce little ones to the fundamentals of sports, and more!
For more details and to access the digital edition of The Recreator, visit: www.myboca.us/Recreator. Follow the program on social media (@BocaRecreation) or visit www.bocarecreation.org for updates on these programs or events.
About the Recreation Services Department: The Recreation Services Department enhances the community’s quality of life by managing a diverse range of facilities and services, including 49 parks, three community centers, two aquatic facilities, two golf courses, the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, two libraries, three tennis centers, a field house, numerous satellite courts and fields, a cemetery, community events, landscaped roadways, three beach parks, an amphitheater, a Park Rangers unit, Ocean Rescue lifeguards and the Public Art Boca program. Together, these services reflect the city’s commitment to creating a vibrant, active and connected community.
Broken Sound Chef Maybury’s New Hydroponics Initiative from page 1
Hydroponic farming uses significantly less water and space than traditional agriculture while offering members the very best in quality and care. Featured varieties include sunflower, radish and arugula microgreens, chives, basil, thyme, mint and dill.
To help members
connect more personally with the initiative, Chef Maybury will be featuring these hydroponically grown microgreens and herbs during special events, wine dinners and other gourmet dinners. During these occasions he will be available to answer questions, share insights and offer tasting notes on how these fresh ingredients are being thoughtfully incorporated into elevated menus.
Whether members and guests are curious about the benefits of hydroponic growing or simply excited to experience something fresh and innovative, they will be able to connect directly with the Chef.
Tickets are $125 per person and are available for purchase at thesymphonia.org.
About The Symphonia Recognized as the region’s premier chamber orchestra, it provides high-quality classical music for the enjoyment and benefit of the South Florida community. Founded in 2004, the group’s performances and educational outreach programs feature nationally and internationally acclaimed conductors and soloists, enhancing the cultural lives of area residents with special emphasis on its younger citizens. Follow on Instagram @TheSymphonia and on Facebook @SymphoniaBoca.
About The Boca Raton Museum of Art. Founded by artists in 1950 as the Art Guild of Boca Raton, the Boca Raton Museum of Art has evolved into a vital cultural resource. The Museum’s original building on Palmetto Park Road now serves as the Museum’s Art School nestled within a three-acre sculpture park.
In 2001 the Museum received land in Mizner Park. Designed by Donald Singer, the current Museum facility, with its bold volumes and emblematic design, reflects the spirit of Addison Mizner’s Mediterranean Revival architecture of the 1920s that provided an indelible mark on Boca Raton. The Museum attracts visitors from a wide range of regions, with nearly 50% of them cultural tourists from drive markets or out-of-state, underscoring the appeal of its reputation, quality of programs and supporting the Museum’s mission to be a vital cultural resource dedicated to the creative life. Learn more at bocamuseum.org.
Are You Creative Enough for Your Words to Become Famous? Join the “Ode to Boca” Centennial Initiative
Your words can help create a lasting legacy. An Ode is a simple five-line poem based on your zip code. (For example, if the first two numbers in your postal zip code are 34, the first line of your poem would consist of three words and the second line of four words.)
Join the city’s Ode to Boca poetry initiative, write a five-line poem that shares what you love about our community, and your poem may be one of those selected for a new Centennial themed
mural on the Mizner Park Amphitheater stage doors, or for future public art installations and creative projects across our city. The Ode to Boca initiative turns local voices into lasting expressions of place and pride. See already completed and upcoming projects by visiting: www.myboca.us/PublicArt
Submit your Ode to Boca today, it’s easy. Five lines, using the number of words based on your zip code. Submit online at www.myboca.us/OdeToBoca.
Plan Your Fall Season from page 1
THE BATTAGLIA GROUP
I have cash buyers that are currently looking for the following. Call me now if you are thinking of selling in the near future.
Buyer 1. Courtyard style home up to 3.6 million depending on condition
Buyer 2. Single family home up to 2 million. They will renovate if needed.
Buyer 3. Home with 2 bedroom plus a den. 800k-1.5 million. They will renovate.
Buyer 4. Home in Whisper Trace, Laurel Point or Timber Mill with primary suite on the ground floor
Frederick Herpel Donates Historic Architectural Collection in Honor of Boca Raton Centennial
The Boca Raton Historical Society has announced the generous donation of artifacts from the Frederick Herpel Collection by Frederick Herpel, third-generation leader of Herpel, Inc.
The donation includes rare architectural elements, pottery and artisan tilework from Mizner Industries, famed architect Addison Mizner’s series of workshops that provided furnishings and architectural elements for designers working in the popular “Mediterranean Revival” style in the 1920s and 1930s. Mizner’s “Boca Raton” development project put the little farm town on the national map in 1925 and Mizner Industries artifacts were employed in his local landmarks such as The Addison, The Boca Raton resort and houses in Old Floresta. Because of this, Mizner Industries artifacts are amongst the Boca Raton Historical Society’s most treasured collections.
The Frederick Herpel Collection was established by Frederick H. Herpel, president of Herpel Inc., a cast stone and column company based in West Palm Beach and founded by Herpel’s father, Henry Ketchin Herpel (1922-2012), during the late 1940s at its present Georgia Avenue site. Herpel’s access to original Mizner products, tile, pottery and cast stone began during the 1970s from having professional relationships with property owners, architects and builders of significant Mizner-designed mansions and buildings built predominately on Palm Beach during the 1920s and 1930s. By the late 1920s, West Palm Beach was known for its Artcraft industry. Herpel’s collection represents a significant chapter of that era’s industrial production.
The Herpel Tile Collection contains approximately 2,275 historical and vintage tiles of various sizes. The 19-piece Pottery Collection ranges from a pair of Mizner-blue Ali Baba jars to unglazed historical fragments of Mizner-produced clay fern bowls. The Cast Stone Collection offers 275 artifacts representing a full range of Mizner structural and decorative architectural building artifacts. Mr. Herpel has generously donated 114 of these items, including 42 examples of cast stone architectural elements and 72 Las Manos Pottery pieces and decorative
tiles recently featured in the Historical Society’s “19252025, Addison Mizner’s Legacy” exhibition. These items will serve as a study collection for researchers of Mizner architecture and style and will be incorporated into many future exhibitions of the Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum.
“We are incredibly grateful to Frederick Herpel and the Herpel family for this remarkable and generous donation,” said Mary Csar, Executive Director of the Boca Raton Historical Society. “The Frederick Herpel Collection offers an extraordinary glimpse into the craftsmanship and materials that shaped Addison Mizner’s architectural vision. It was a highlight of our most recent major Centennial exhibition, and we’re proud to preserve and share this important part of our region’s cultural heritage.”
About the Boca Raton Historical Society/ The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum. Founded in 1972, the Boca Raton Historical Society is dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich history of Boca Raton. Through exhibitions, educational programming and preservation efforts the Society fosters a deeper understanding of the people, architecture and cultural moments that helped shape the city.
American Cancer Society’s Livestrong Recovery Program Offered Free at Boca Raton “Y”
By Joseph B. Ludwig
The dreaded “C” word. I have had cancer three times and each time it scared the heck out of me. In this respect I probably am not much different than most other folks who have been diagnosed with the feared disease. For my last bout with cancer I was treated at Massachusetts General Hospital. The treatment was first-rate but one very important element was missing: dealing with the psychological and emotional consequences of the disease. I was pretty much left to deal with those aspects on my own.
Prior to my last cancer diagnosis I had a total knee replacement, for which I had physical therapy at a YMCA in Foxboro, MA. After my cancer treatment had been completed my physical therapist suggested that I investigate Livestrong classes at the Y.
Livestrong (livestrong.org) is a global program that has changed the way the world talks about cancer survivorship while supporting over 10 million survivors since 1997. The program helps those living with, through or beyond cancer to get back on their feet and connect with other survivors. Participants enjoy exercise regimens tailored to their individual needs. Sessions are led by certified fitness instructors at YMCA locations across the country. Instructors are trained in cancer survivorship, postrehabilitation exercise and supportive cancer care.
Livestrong worked with researchers from Yale University and Dana Farber Cancer Institute to conduct a research study on the impact of the program on participants and cancer-related outcomes. They found that as participants experienced significant increases in physical activity their
Editor Nils A. Shapiro
overall quality of life and fitness performance increased and cancer-related fatigue decreased. The 12-week program includes two 75- to 90-minute sessions per week and is free to participants.
The Hockomock YMCAs partnered with Livestrong in 2008 and had been running the programs since then. I enrolled at the Livestrong program at the Foxboro Y and began attending in September 2021. The group was led by Jackie Robison, a veteran instructor who had been running the Livestrong program there for more than ten years.
My group consisted of approximately 15 members: 12 women and three men. Their ages ranged from about 30 to about 80. At 79 I was one of the oldest, if not the oldest, participant. All were quite nervous and did not know what to expect. The first session began with each person sharing
the details of their cancer journey. This creates an instant connection among the group. Seventy to 80% of the women were in various stages of breast cancer. They immediately began chatting among themselves about their treatments, medication side effects and sharing knowledge that they had gained in their journey.
The next part of the session dealt with different exercise methods and how they might be modified to meet individual needs. The last portion is group exercise led by the instructor followed by a meditation session. Livestrong is concerned with healing the whole person: mind, body and soul. If you or anyone you know needs this type of help, the Livestrong program is run at the YMCAs of South Palm Beach County with locations in Boca Raton and Boynton Beach.
Boca Happenings
Boca Downtown Library Art Exhibit, “Impressionistic, Pop
and Contemporary Imagination” Now on Display
The Boca Raton Public Library’s Downtown branch is currently presenting a new art exhibit, “The Impressionistic, Pop, and Contemporary Imagination” by Dmitri Ivnitski that will be on view through September 19th. Mr. Ivnitski is an artist and scientist, combining both subjects throughout his life to create unique, bright paintings that focus on the variety and life in landscapes and other aspects of the natural world. Mr. Ivnitski painted throughout his life, though he returned to painting on a more regular basis ten years ago, after retiring from his career as a scientist.
Mr. Ivnitski notes that, “Colors play a major role in my life. The subject matter is nature, whether it is a traditional landscape,
people or a bird and flower painting.” He uses a variety of styles, including contemporary, impressionistic and realistic styles, and primarily uses oil and acrylic paint on canvas to create his works. He also notes that his style has fluctuated over the years, from realistic styles to the more abstract, such as “accidental paintings” like acrylic pouring paintings. In this way, Mr. Ivnitski notes that, “I try to paint with a level of instinct rather than only making calculated decisions.”
“The Impressionistic, Pop and Contemporary Imagination”
Happenings Outside Boca
a free exhibit open during regular
15th Annual “Cocktails for JARC” Fundraiser Set For August 19th at Delray’s Good
Get ready to “Shake Your Groove Thing” for a great cause.
JARC Florida, a nonprofit organization based in Boca Raton that provides programs and services to educate and empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities including autism, will host its 15th Annual Cocktails for JARC on Tuesday, August 19th, from 6 to 8 p.m. This year’s retrothemed celebration will take place for the first time at Good Night John Boy, the new 1970s-inspired nightclub and restaurant in Downtown Delray Beach.
The event is presented by The Sibling Society, a group within JARC that offers support and community for siblings of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Proceeds from the event will support JARC’s Community Works Program, which provides vocational training and employment
Night John Boy
opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. State funding for the program was cut by nearly 75% in Florida’s newly released 2025-2026 Fiscal Year budget.
“As a sibling of someone with special needs and proud member of The Sibling Society, to host Cocktails for JARC this year is incredibly meaningful to me,” said Jordyn Gechter. “It’s more than a fundraiser; it’s a celebration of inclusion, independence and the amazing community that JARC has built. I’m proud to support an organization that gives individuals like my sister the chance to live full, empowered lives.”
The ticket cost—$40 in advance, $45 at the door—includes two drink tickets and bites. Tickets are available at: https://jarcfl. org/event/cocktails-for-jarc-2/. Sponsorships are available. For more information, contact Vanessa Freer at VanessaF@jarcfl.org.
About JARC Florida. JARC Florida, a non-sectarian organization based in Boca Raton, provides programs and services to educate and empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities including autism. The organization’s vision is to remove barriers to independence allowing persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities including autism to reach a person’s potential. JARC currently operates ten group homes in the Boca Raton and Delray Beach area for adults with developmental disabilities. JARC offers apartment living for those who do not require 24-hour supervision as well as vocational training in the Mel & Elaine Stein Living and Learning Center. The organization was created in the mid-1980s in response to the needs of families with adult children with developmental disabilities.
is
library hours. The Downtown Library is located at 400 NW 2nd Avenue.
August Highlights at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
Pulse-pounding drums, an elegant dinner under the stars and fun for children to make their own “animal keychains”—plus the timeless year-round beauty of Morikami’s gorgeous gardens. There is always a reason to keep Morikami in mind for a special day or evening out.
Saturday, August 16th and Sunday, August 17th. Obon Weekend. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Guests are invited to take a contemplative stroll through the gardens, fill out paper slips in memory of lost loved ones, enjoy live taiko drumming performances in the spirit of Obon, and pay respects to George Morikami at the Bon altar.
Also on Saturday and Sunday, step into the circle of tradition with a Bon Odori workshop led by Fushu Daiko on the museum’s scenic lakefront terrace. This joyful and symbolic Japanese folk dance is performed in unison to honor the spirits of departed loved ones. Participants in the workshop are invited to join the live Bon dance performance afterward, dancing alongside taiko drummers in a moving tribute. Bon dance workshop starts at 3:30 p.m. Live Bon dance performance starts at 3:50 p.m. Free with museum admission.
Saturday, August 16th Family Fun: Gachapon Keychains. 12 Noon - 3 p.m. Gachapon are capsules filled with toys and other goodies that are popular with children in Japan. Make your own little toy of Japanese animals to keep in your own capsule. Free for members or with paid museum admission. No Reservation Required.
Sunday, August 17th Launch the Lantern Dinner. 6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Cost: $225 per person. Celebrate Obon
Government
beneath the stars. This unforgettable evening includes a gourmet, sit-down dinner paired with sake tastings. Guests will also have the opportunity to personalize and decorate their own Obon lanterns. The evening features live taiko drumming and a special floating lantern presentation over the tranquil waters of Lake Morikami. Proceeds from the event support the museum’s 4Es: Exhibitions, Education, Emotional Wellness programs and Expansion. Purchase tickets at morikami.org/event/launch-the-lantern-dinner.
Sunday, August 24th The Way of Taiko: The Heartbeat of Japan—Youth. (3rd –12th Grade). 11 a.m - 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: $70 Advance Registration Required. *Children under 14 must be accompanied by their parent/guardian in the workshop. The parent/guardian is
welcome to enroll in the workshop alongside their child. This workshop introduces participants to the history and practice of taiko drumming. Participants are taught how to understand sounds and movements—i.e., how to connect nature and the meaning of body movement. They will become familiar with the way of taiko and its drumming techniques. Top performers from South Florida’s Fushu Daiko will conduct the workshop. The group is recognized by Seiichi Tanaka, the master of San Francisco Taiko Dojo, who brought taiko to the United States and who trained senior members of the Fushu Daiko group. For more information or to register, visit morikami.org.
Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is located at 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach. For more information, call (561) 495-0233 or visit morikami.org.
About Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens has been a center for Japanese art and culture in South Florida since opening in 1977. Morikami invites guests to discover its South Florida history, connection with Japan, and explore a series of six diverse gardens, each inspired by a different historical period and style of Japanese gardening. Visitors experience traditional and contemporary Japanese culture through engaging exhibits, varied educational programs and seasonal events, a world-class bonsai display, Pan-Asian cuisine, and a distinctive museum store. The Morikami Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
Mayor’s Update: Setting the Record Straight on Our Downtown Campus Opportunity
Scott Singer is the 35th Mayor of Boca Raton and was re-elected in 2023. A South Florida native, attorney and small business owner, Scott and his wife Bella live in Broken Sound with their two children.
As we work toward planning, designing and delivering a project that will mark the beginning of Boca Raton’s next century it is important that residents receive the facts on the generational impacts an opportunity like this brings for our future.
Anyone who has traveled to our vintage City Hall and community center knows that they have outlived their useful life, including roof leaks last year that caused further damage. We could simply replace them without upgrading recreational areas that are also in need of upgrades. We could continue to have a disjointed campus that is underutilized and far from the great amenity for all residents it could be.
Instead, we have chosen to pursue what has become a best practice nationwide: a public/private partnership to create a destination for our residents that provides financial security along with much-needed upgrades. Not only would this provide more than $3 billion of revenue streams to the city and avoid potential tax hikes or a bond for the City Hall campus, it would also create an integrated site, mixing office, retail and hospitality options to serve residents as they use a much-expanded community center and new green spaces.
By creating a thriving district in partnership with Terra & Frisbie Group we will generate revenue that will keep your taxes low. We will not only create a sense of place where people want to spend time, but we increase safety with more neighbors and eyes on the street.
I have heard claims about losing recreation, which are false. The project enhances public open space and recreation by more than 40 percent. It features pocket parks, a state-of-theart playground and recreational uses. While the plans involve relocating some existing facilities, our current ones are beyond their useful lives and our residents deserve better. We are investing in new softball fields and facilities near our baseball complex to make it easier for parents who have children involved in both sports. We are adding new tennis courts and a new skate park in existing parks where residents can enjoy a multitude of activities in one place.
Some feel the change threatens Memorial Park, which is where our downtown recreation is located. They have gone as far as to claim that park is historic. Extensive research conducted by the Boca Raton Historical Society has found that the name “Memorial Park” is not linked to a specific historical event, dedication or individual. The park was named in April 1947 in reference to the U.S. Army Air Corps radar training base, which occupied the surrounding area during WWII. The little-
used name reflects an era in Boca Raton’s history, not a specific commemorative designation. Following WWII the U.S. Army Air Corps radar training base area has since become part of the Florida Atlantic University Campus, the city’s Utility Services, the Boca Raton airport, residential properties and businesses.
The community park we know today was not developed until much later. In 1959 we began an initiative to expand public recreation opportunities. Renovations to the area park included the addition of baseball and softball fields, a basketball court and a playground.
In 1963 the city also broke ground on a new City Hall and Community Center at this location. In 1980 the City Hall and Community Center were renovated and expanded to their current configuration.
This site is old and not historic. What was planned for the Boca Raton of the 1960s is not reflective of the needs of today nor our future.
I fear misinformation is driving some to sign onto an effort that aims to stop the project entirely. A small group of residents is circulating two citizen petitions that appear to be related to our Downtown Campus proposal but really apply city-wide to all land owned by the city that the city leases.
The proposals would require the city to get direct voter approval before selling or leasing any city-owned land of more than half an acre. This could jeopardize needed community services with longstanding nonprofit partners, including our Historical Society, Boca Raton Museum of Art, Junior League, Tri-County Animal Rescue and countless others. This is a financial burden that would detract from the services residents receive that nonprofits provide.
If the ordinance were to go into effect the city’s costs to hold a special election each time a nonprofit lease was to be renewed or was sought would be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars–a financial burden future councils may not want to incur.
Please be wary about signing a petition as there may be substantial unintended consequences. Instead, get the facts.
We are still finalizing details, so that means you have more opportunities to provide input and feedback. For more information please visit https://myboca.us/1431/GovernmentCampus. As always, you can share any thoughts you have at ssinger@myboca.com, and stay connected on Facebook, X, and Instagram at @scottsingerusa.
By Boca Raton City Councilman & CRA Chair Marc Wigder. Councilman
Wigder, a 20+ year resident of Florida, is a business attorney, investor and Adjunct Professor of Business Law at Florida Atlantic University. His law office and innovative startup, Greenhouse Offices, are headquartered in east Boca Raton for the past 15 years and concentrate on infusing sustainability into small business commercial real estate. He is the Chair of the Boca Raton Community Development Agency, Board member of the Palm Beach County League of Cities, past Chair of the Boca Raton Affordable Housing Committee, Chair of the Boca Raton Audit Committee, past Vice Chair of the Boca Raton Community Advisory Panel and past Vice-Chair of the Citizens’ Pedestrian and Bikeway Advisory Board. He lives in Woodfield Country Club with his wife Fran and three children who are in high school and college. He is always out walking neighborhoods, so please call to schedule a walk in yours!
As Boca Raton enters its second century a great many things are happening here, and there is always more to do. Our city has grown to 100,000+ strong but it hasn’t happened
overnight. In fact, it’s come about by careful planning and responsible growth, averaging 1.5% per year for the past 10 years – a growth rate far under many nearby cities that have grown by double digits for years.
And that’s OK! Listening to constituents and walking our neighborhoods I see Boca Raton filled with a mix of established neighborhoods, a vibrant downtown and a corporate core anchored by many companies and great universities. As a city we grow responsibly, carefully and methodically to make sure we can continue to deliver and pay for world-class municipal services, a variety of public recreation in nearly 50 parks, a robust infrastructure that requires continuous maintenance and investment and awardwinning public safety services that our people deserve; without massive increases in tax bills every year. Boca Raton’s stable millage rate is a testament to the hard work and planning of our City Council, city management, finance team and every department which plans and implements an effective budget each and every year. It is also a testament to the businesses that move and invest here as they help increase our tax base, which reduces burdens on homeowners.
Council Corner from page 8
As we know, the work of the city continues day in day out, and in order for us to keep these services at a world-class level we continuously focus on strategic investments in infrastructure which include but are not limited to: our iSIP program to redo our city’s water and sewer pipes one section at a time with coordinated road resurfacing, transit and mobility projects which make roads safer and reduce traffic, new vehicles and sanitation services to pick up the trash, clean our parks, maintain our beaches (and so much more it’s too long to list) and implement AI into these functions where we can to streamline efforts to deliver high-quality services. These critical services are provided by the city’s amazing municipal workforce of about 1,700 people, and we are thankful for their hard work and dedication.
In addition to re-imagining our downtown civic area to create a transit-oriented district adjacent to the Brightline in a public-private partnership with Terra and Frisbee Group, the city is strategically planning to move its police
headquarters and municipal administrative functions to more central locations in the city, which is logical given our city’s boundaries have expanded over the past 50 years, and what was once the center of town is now, in fact, our Downtown.
In so doing we are making strategic investments and planning for our services to be more centralized for the benefit of all our people and workforce. Also, by moving our administrative functions to an existing building rather than building new we are saving taxpayers tens of millions of dollars which can be better utilized for other strategic investments such as increased public safety and new and enhanced parks in multiple locations throughout the city, including Downtown as part of the redevelopment area.
The choices we make as a city in certain ways still reflect the careful planning that started 100 years ago by such historic pioneers as famed architect Addison Mizner, who chose this location for its great climate and proximity to then “new” nearby cities like Miami, but who did not want to be in the big city … just close by.
Boca Raton, 100 years later, retains that great quality of respecting its history, its proximity to nearby large cities, but itself being 100 thousand strong on its own in so many ways; and we like it that way. There is still more to do and it’s exciting as we work on these great plans together.
To learn more about all the great planning efforts and management of our great city please go to myboca.us on your computer or get the My Boca app on your cell phone. You can quickly see information from each city department, links to the city’s annual budget and financial information, important projects that the city is working on, including our downtown government campus/TOD, links to the video of previous city council meetings, as well as links to important current events and notices. You can also sign up for alerts so they will come to your phone or email automatically.
As always, I am available and interested to hear your ideas to make Boca Raton even better than it already is. Please contact me at mwigder@myboca.us or call at (561) 334-9709.
From the Desk of Commissioner Marci Woodward:
A Message from Marci
Commissioner Woodward, a 20-year resident of Boca Raton, was elected in November 2022 as Palm Beach County District 4 Commissioner. She serves on the following board of directors as a representative of the county commission: Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency; South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (TriRail); Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council; CareerSource Palm Beach County; Palm Beach Cultural Council, and Value Adjustment Board. Ms. Woodward graduated from the University of South CarolinaAiken with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. Whether you’re a daily commuter or just trying to get to the beach, transportation affects us all. That’s why I’ve been closely involved in shaping the Countywide Transportation Master Plan. This plan is designed to tackle the traffic headaches we all know too well and to plan ahead for smarter, smoother travel across Palm Beach County.
I recently attended the Public Kickoff Meeting at the Vista Center and, wow, what a turnout! It was great to see so many residents, community leaders, municipal partners and county staff all in one room, ready to talk about the future of getting around Palm Beach County.
The project team from WSP USA, Inc. gave a detailed presentation outlining the plan’s goals, followed by a Q&A when attendees got to speak up, ask questions and share ideas. Many residents mentioned traffic signal synchronization, which was music to my ears!
After the meeting I sat down with the WSP team to share some of my top transportation priorities, especially the traffic congestion we all experience in District 4 and across the county. I emphasized the need to engage all municipalities so we’re working together as one region, not in silos.
I also pushed for expanding the use of smart traffic signal technology to help ease delays and improve flow. Lastly, I stressed the importance of collaborating with the School District to improve safety and reduce traffic near schools, making commutes smoother for students, families and nearby neighborhoods.
Let’s face it: transportation doesn’t stop at a city limit sign. We’re all connected, and it’s going to take real collaboration between cities, the county and the School District to create solutions that actually work. We all want smoother commutes, safer roads and better connections and this plan is our roadmap to get there. But we need your voice, too. Resident feedback will help shape a transportation future that works for everyone.
I’ll continue to keep you in the loop as this important work moves forward. In the meantime, thank you for being part of the conversation and for sharing the road!
State Budget Changes Put Tri-Rail at Risk. As Chair of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) I want to share an urgent update on funding changes impacting Tri-Rail.
Recent state budget revisions have eliminated $27.1 million in Tri-Rail operating funds previously provided by the
From the Desk of Commissioner Marci Woodward on page 10
From the Desk of Commissioner
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), threatening service continuity in the coming years. This funding had supported operations, maintenance and dispatch services along the South Florida Rail Corridor since 2009.
The loss of documentary stamp tax revenues and Florida Rail Enterprise funds has created a serious budget shortfall that could lead to insolvency if not addressed. SFRTA is working closely with FDOT, local leaders and the Florida Legislature to find sustainable solutions.
Tri-Rail is a national leader in ridership recovery, reaching 100% of pre-pandemic ridership by February 2024, well ahead of the national average of 85%. This reflects strong regional demand and the essential role Tri-Rail plays in connecting people to jobs, schools, healthcare and more. Our consistent ridership growth is clear evidence that public transit is essential to everyday life and the economic mobility in South Florida.
Your continued support and ridership strengthen our voice and demonstrate that public transit is not just a line item, it is a critical service. Despite financial challenges SFRTA remains committed to providing safe, reliable and efficient transportation for South Florida.
State Budget Update. Governor DeSantis approved Florida’s FY 2025–26 budget at $113.8 billion—$2.7 billion less than last year after $1.35 billion in vetoes. We’re glad to share that all of Palm Beach County’s requested projects were included, with many retaining full funding. Palm Beach County Projects that Remain Funded:
• West Palm Beach Downtown Signalization Phase II: $3,000,000.
• Lake Worth Lagoon Initiative: $897,000.
• Peanut Island Historic Restoration: $500,000.
• RESTORE Reentry Program: $500,000.
• Loxahatchee River Preservation Initiative: $486,426.
Total Funded: $5,383,426.
Palm Beach County Projects that Were Vetoed:
• Housing Units for the Homeless: $1,000,000.
• Australian Avenue Road & Drainage Improvements: $742,614.
• Morikami Museum “Bridge to Heaven” Design: $500,000.
• Fire Rescue Water Vessels for Hazard Mitigation: $200,000.
• Palm Tran Patriot Passes Pilot: $150,000.
Total Vetoed: $2,592,614.
Other District 4 Funded Projects:
District 4 saw significant support for education, infrastructure, public safety and workforce development. Funded items include:
• Florida Atlantic University Lab Schools – Center for Educational Strategy and Innovation: $2,000,000.
• FAU – Max Planck Florida Scientific Fellows Program: $1,110,899.
• FAU – College of Medicine Continued Enrollment Expansion: $450,000.
• Boca Raton Achievement Center--Building Occupational Opportunities and Skills Training: $70,000.
• Lantana – West Pine Street Water Main Improvements (Phase II): $1,300,000.
• Lantana – Lift Station Rehabilitation (No. 3, 4, 8, 9): $500,000.
• Boca Raton – Golden Harbor Drinking Water & Distribution Improvements: $750,000.
• Boynton Beach – Sanitary Sewer Collection System Improvements: $500,000.
• Boynton Beach – Water Distribution System Improvements: $375,000.
• Boca Raton – Spanish River Blvd. Grade Separation at El Rio Trail: $1,000,000.
• Delray Beach – Citywide Crime Prevention Enhancements (Phase 2): $525,000.
Thank you to our state representatives and senators for championing these important investments in Palm Beach County. Your support helps move our communities forward.
Nonprofit Spotlight
The Golden Bell Education Foundation is a local nonprofit committed to enhancing public education through targeted support and innovative programs.
Established in 1991 by the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, the foundation collaborates with local schools to administer grants that foster business skills and workforce readiness among students. Each year it awards grants to K–12 educators for programs that promote career exploration and entrepreneurial development.
Additionally, the foundation hosts a chapter of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!), which guides middle and high school students in creating and launching their own businesses. Since its inception Golden Bell has awarded over $2 million in grants, benefiting more than 1,200 classrooms and serving over 900,000 students. For more information, visit goldenbelleducationfoundation.org. If you require assistance, please contact our office at (561) 355-2204 or email Mwoodward@pbcgov.org.
Memo from County Tax Collector Anne M. Gannon: Why Our Reservations Policy Serves You Better!
By Anne M. Gannon, Constitutional Tax Collector serving Palm Beach County. You can reach her office by Email: ClientAdvocate@ taxcollectorpbc.com. Phone: (561) 355-4271.
Sometimes when I am out in the community, a resident will ask me why my office continues to require a reservation for in-person service at one of our service centers. There is a very good reason, and it simply is to make more efficient use of your time in our service centers. Prior to requiring reservations in our offices, you could experience upwards of an hour waiting to be called to a service window. With our current reservation system we are seeing wait times of fewer than 20 minutes; that is time we can give back to you! But this does require some planning on your part as reservations do fill up; however, you can make your reservation months in advance. In fact, you can renew your driver license 18 months before the expiration date and your vehicle registration can be renewed up to three months prior to expiration. So you see, there is plenty of time to make a reservation to visit one of our service centers. It just takes some planning.
New Requirement for First-Time Teen Drivers. If you have a first-time teen driver getting ready to come in for their learner’s permit there is a new requirement in place. Beginning August 1st, Senate Bill 994 requires all teens ages 15 – 17 to complete a six-hour, state-approved Driver Education Traffic Safety course (DETS). This will eliminate the four-hour Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) that has been a requirement over the years. However, if your teen driver completed the TLSAE course prior to August 1st he/she will be grandfathered in and allowed to use their TLSAE course completion certificate for one year after the completion date. First-time drivers 18 years of age or older will still be required to complete the TLSAE course.
For more information please visit www.flhsmv.gov/driverlicenses-id-cards/education-courses.
We Got Our Steps In, Did You? This August, as we celebrate National Wellness Month we are excited to highlight
our organization’s Journey to Good Health program, designed to support employee well-being.
In partnership with CareATC this program encourages healthier lifestyles through two main components. First, employees undergo a health screening. If results are within recommended guidelines they receive a prorated insurance rebate. If results fall outside the healthy range employees enroll in the Journey to Good Health program, receiving year-long support from a dedicated nutritionist and a reassessment to track progress.
The second component is our 10,000 daily steps challenge. Throughout the month, employees averaging 10,000 steps per day are rewarded with incentives. Last year our organization walked a combined 173,088 miles. That is the equivalent of walking around the Earth at the equator approximately seven times! Now that is a lot of steps!
We encourage you to join us in celebrating National
Wellness Month by finding ways to incorporate more movement into your own day.
HOV Decal Notice. If you drive a hybrid or other lowemission vehicle and you have been using a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) decal, you will no longer need the HOV decal. Effective this past July 1st, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles will no longer be issuing, renewing or replacing HOV decals due to the Florida legislature passing SB 1662, repealing Section 316.0741 of the Florida Statutes, which eliminates designated HOV lanes, most of which have been converted to pay-as-you-use express lanes.
We want to advise vehicle owners who have received this decal in the past with their vehicle registration that you will no longer receive it, as it is no longer required. If you have any questions about the passage of this law please reach out to your state legislator(s) by visiting www.flhouse.gov and www.flsenate.gov/senators/find.
Marci Woodward from page 9
From The Professionals’ Desks
Healthy Answers… A Guide to Healthy Living: “Stretch for Life!”
By Dale Brown, B.S., M.A., C.E.C.
Dale is a motivational speaker who has spent many years as a Certified Life Coach and has written numerous articles and e-books relating to selfimprovement and ways to build a high-performance team. She is the author of the book, “Small Steps... Big Changes: The Personal Stories of a Life Coach.” Her education and years of experience in physical fitness and training of elite athletes has enabled her to sharpen her knowledge in many health-related areas. The following introduces a new approach to Ms. Brown’s series of columns devoted to many topics that deal with the mind/body connection and the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. Dale, a Bocaire resident, can be reached at dalebrown@lovingmondays.com.
When you wake up in the morning does it take you a while, not only to open your eyes but also to straighten up? Those first few movements of sitting up, getting out of bed and taking the walk to the bathroom can make you feel like you’ve aged 10 years during the night. Your joints stiffen up and it takes some stretching and moving to get you going again.
When I hear people say they jump out of bed early in the morning, throw on their clothes and hit the golf course to play 18 holes, I’m not surprised they suffer with back problems. I recently joined some of the guys for lunch after their golf game and the topic of conversation was all about their aches and pains. One was wearing a back brace, another is taking heavy pain meds, and yet another said his back locked up and he could barely finish the last hole. There are lots of reasons why people have back pain as they get older. Could be arthritis, or worn and torn cartilage, or a lifetime of playing sports or high-impact activities that have taken their toll. Regardless of the cause, the important thing is to build in a daily warm-up and stretch routine to help guard against those nagging injuries. My husband
swears by the daily morning routine recommended by a muscle therapist that he practices religiously. It takes him about 20 minutes to do it all. He looks a little like he’s about to take flight with his arms flapping, and holding up the wall doing his hamstring stretch. But it gets him up and going, his blood circulating, and helps him start his day with more energy. What could be better than that?
Too often we take our physical abilities for granted until we do something that reminds us our bodies are not as young as they used to be. Suddenly you realize you can’t easily get up off the floor, or get your shoes on or clip a toenail. As we age our flexibility decreases because collagen, the protein found in connective tissue, begins to change. Collagen fibers in skin, muscle sheath, bone, tendons, ligaments and cartilage begin to stick together, making them less elastic. The less active you are the more your joints stiffen up.
Flexibility exercises also keep your body limber by stretching the muscles and tissues that hold your body’s structure in place. Being more limber helps your equilibrium and gives you the variety of motion you need to live independently. Stretching also deepens and slows down your breathing, allowing more oxygen to flow through your veins and to your brain. There is a peacefulness that results from slow, static stretching, which helps us be less uptight and more relaxed.
Above all the other benefits, stretching makes you feel good, improves your posture and makes you more aware of your whole body. A stretching discipline, such as yoga, helps to relieve stress and anxiety and may even lower your blood pressure and breathing rate.
Stretching for Best Results. Stretching doesn’t have to involve a huge time commitment, but can end up giving you huge results. If you’re ready to add a stretch program to your daily or weekly schedule here are a few tips to keep in mind.
• Best Time – When your muscles are warm. This can be done following a workout or after easy walking and arm pumping. The key is to lengthen individual muscle fibers,
increase circulation, remove waste products (lactic acid) and reduce muscle soreness. If workouts are not for you, take a hot shower to warm your muscles before you stretch.
• How Long – Stretch a minimum of every third day for 10-20 minutes to keep your muscles supple. Work up to include stretching once a day. Begin with gentle stretches, especially parts of the body that are particularly tight, then stretch more often and for longer periods of time when it becomes routine.
• Static Stretching – This type of stretching is slow with no bouncing. Once you have stretched as far as you can without pain, hold the position for fifteen to thirty seconds. Concentrate on the part of the body being stretched and breathe into it.
• Dynamic Stretching – This type of stretching means your body is continuously moving, even while stretching, as well as increasing your muscles’ temperature. It will prepare your body for different types of movement that will be needed in whatever game you’re playing.
• Relax – It’s important for you to relax your entire body and focus on the muscles being stretched. Keep your body in alignment and don’t push to the point that you feel it in your lower back or neck. Take it slow and steady. Stretching should bring you peace, both physically and mentally. Quiet your mind, breathe deeply and relax.
Maintaining flexibility throughout your lifetime is probably one of the most important factors affecting the quality of life as you age. Consider joining a yoga or Tai Chi class if you prefer instruction and the benefits of a group dynamic. I can tell you from experience that learning the correct way to stretch with proper breathing techniques will help you get the results you desire.
Who knows, you might not win another game of Twister but you may find your toes are still within your reach. Happy stretching!
Legal: New Condominium Law Approved by the Governor
By Michael J Posner, Esq., a partner in Lippes Mathias LLP, a national real estate and business-oriented law firm with sixteen locations nationwide. Michael specializes in real estate and association law. He can be reached at (561) 594-1452 or at mjposner@lippes.com.
The Governor of Florida, Ron Desantis, signed House Bill 913 on June 13th, passing the popular bill into law. The bill had bipartisan support, passing the House by a 113 to 2 vote and the Senate by a 37 to 0 vote. The Governor stated, “Today in Clearwater, I signed legislation to deliver much-needed relief to condo owners across Florida. We’ve heard the concerns of condo owners throughout Florida and we are delivering reforms that will provide financial relief and flexibility, strengthen oversight for condo associations and empower unit owners.”
One of the biggest issues confronting condominium owners was the need for a milestone inspection report and the funds needed to address the issues raised in the report. Many Florida condominium owners are facing huge special assessments to cover the costs of repairs identified in these reports, making some units virtually worthless as the cost of assessments is more than the value of the unit.
Prior to the new law all buildings must have completed a Structural Integrity Reserves Study by last December. Many buildings have put off that study, either due to issues of application as to three-story buildings (which has now been clarified to mean any building with three habitable floors must have the structural study) or due to fear of the issues that might be uncovered and the cost to correct same.
The new law extends the deadline to December 21st, 2025. In addition, in order to alleviate the burden of immediate funding of the special assessment arising from the Structural Integrity Reserves Study the new law (i) increases the obligation to maintain a reserve for any capital item that has a deferred maintenance or replacement cost of more than $25,000 which is an increase of $15,000 over the prior law’s requirement; and (ii) allows the cost of the assessment arising from the study to be funded from regular assessments, special assessments, lines of credit or loans. A special assessment, a line of credit or a loan could be used if approved by a
majority vote of the total voting interests of the condominium association. This allows for the spreading out of the costs of any required assessment over several years.
To further alleviate the expense of the mandatory reserve funding, if the condominium association has completed a milestone inspection within the last two calendar years the Board of Directors may temporarily pause reserve fund contributions or reduce the amount of reserve funding for the purpose of funding repairs recommended by the milestone inspection if approved by a majority of total voting interests of the condominium association.
The new law expands the ability of condominium associations to have pooled accounts, instead of separate accounts for required reserves. However, reserve funding for Structural Integrity Reserve components can only be pooled with each other.
The new law also allows for adoption of electronic voting if at least twenty-five percent of the owners petition the Board to adopt electronic voting. Upon receipt of such petition the Board must meet within 21 days after receipt of the petition to adopt such resolution if the petition is received within 180 days after the date of the last scheduled annual meeting.
The new law also adopted a variety of other changes that affect condominiums, including:
• New rules regarding licensed community association managers, including attending at least one Association meeting per year; provide to the members of the Association and post on the Association’s website (if otherwise required) the manager’s name and contact information; and to provide to any member upon request a copy of the contract between the Association and the manager.
• Disclosure in contracts for the sale of residential condominium units regarding milestone inspections and structural integrity reserve studies and extending the review period of these and other condominium financial documents from three to seven days.
• Annual meetings and Board meetings in a condominium may be conducted by video conference. All such video conference meetings must be recorded and maintained as an official record of the Association, but there must still be a physical location where unit owners can also attend the meeting in person.
• On or before October 1st, 2025, all condominiums
and cooperatives in Florida will be required to maintain an online account with the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (the Division). The Division may implement additional rules and request additional information.
A Free Opportunity
For Animal Lovers ...
Now Feed 6 Shelter Dogs and Cats Every Day at No Cost to You ... in Less Than a Minute ... with just a “Click”
Want to feel really good about yourself? If, like most of us, those TV announcements bring tears to your eyes with photos of sad shelter dogs and cats in small cages, hoping somehow to be brought into loving homes – when you wish over and over again that you could somehow bring joy into their lives, here is an act of loving kindness that will cost you absolutely nothing ... and take less than a minute a day. Visit the website: www.theanimalrescuesite.com and click on the words “Click here to feed a dog or cat.” A “button” will appear on your screen, and all you have to do is click on it once. Each time a person clicks on that button, the website’s sponsors provide bowls of food, free, to feed 6 dogs and cats.
That’s all there is to it. In only seconds each day, you can see to it that 6 animals are fed. The folks who run the website never bother you with tons of promotional e-mails. You can, if you wish, click on a link that sends a daily reminder to you. I did that; the reminder is e-mailed, and that is it. No hard-sell follow-ups. And if you realize how good it will make you feel to be able to do at least something for these poor, loving creatures who are there through no fault of their own (some have been rescued from abusive owners), imagine how even bowls of food will help make the animals feel better.
Please take just seconds a day to lift 6 animals’ spirits ... and your own. Thanks.
The Good Life: Dining, Drinks, Destinations
Dining Out: Hungry Al’s Roadmap to His All-Time Faves So Far!
By
Alan Serinsky of Bocaire Country Club. Hungry Al’s love for food started very young.
Never satisfied with his Mom’s dishes, he started to cook his way through her “Betty Crocker Cookbook.” During the years to follow he spent many hours working in restaurants, both as server and cook, attending cooking classes and traveling the world in an effort to expand his palette. As a professional writer, Hungry Al offers his perspective on current food trends and guides you through your local restaurant options.
Pull out the GPS! Fill the tank! Start your engines! Hungry Al has decided to spill-the-beans on what he considers his all-time favorite dining spots for 2024-2025.
Leaving The Gate: It seems wherever I go there is always someone who’s going to ask me the $64,000 question: “What’re your favorite restaurants?” As a food writer that inquiry is hard to answer. I have lots of preferred dining stops, but this job keeps me changing gears all the time. To satisfy all my Hungry Al fans, I’m going to let you in on my Top 5 List that I feel warrant this confession. To make our journey more interesting, let us drop the convertible top, put on the shades, and cruise to the BEST EATING SPOTS in our neighborhood!
First Stop – Southeast Asia : Le Colonial. 601 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. This 7,000-square-foot space décor is intended to create a colonial-era atmosphere with its high ceiling in the main dining room, cream-colored woodwork, plantation shutters, rattan furniture and lush tropical greenery. Le Colonial also features a swanky bar with plush seating where you can sip on its signature lychee martini or spicy pineapple margarita.
Vietnamese cuisine is about bold flavors, and finding a balance between sweet, sour, spice, salt and heat. Don’t hesitate to try their huge stuffed Cha Gio Crispy Shrimp & Pork Roll or the Suon Nuong, aka baby back ribs. The signature entree here at Le Colonial is the Chien Saigon ($95 for 2), which is very sharable for even three, but I assure you any dish you get will satisfy your desire for Asian food.
Sometimes you need a break from Sushi. If your jaws have been longing for something different then I highly recommend you listen to this hungry Buddha and drive, boat or Uber to Le Colonial.
Second Stop – Italian: Casalina Ristorante . 16950 Jog Road, Delray Beach. Over the course of ten years many Italian restaurants have come and gone. This cuisine is probably my favorite and choosing the best is a monumental task. If you used to live in my neighborhood, you probably remember Angelo Elia Pizza, an Italian restaurant, and after many years of serving great food it picked up and left.
Welcome to Boca’s restaurants’ revolving doors! Now with much success is an even better version called Casalina. And it was smart of these restaurateurs to keep some of the favorites of Angelo Elia Pizza. Remember those delicious chicken meatballs bathing in a wellseasoned broth? Well, it doesn’t have to be a distant memory because they resurrected it to even a better version of itself. Hungry Al’s favorite is their Scaloppini Marsala ($37). The veal plated here is very tender and could be easily sliced even with a butter knife! But for me the secret is the sauce. And Casalina’s version is a veal stock demiglace that blends well with the mushrooms.
You might also like to give the Spaghetti Carbonara ($24) a try. Here the chef excelled with perfect al dente cooked pasta, the proper rendered use of guanciale, a blend of egg yolk and a sufficient dose of Pecorino cheese to help give it that silky cream sauce.
Third Stop – Spanish: La Terraza Tapas. 21770 St. Andrews Blvd., Boca Raton. It’s great to see a familyowned business working hard to make a “go” in a very demanding dining environment like Boca Raton. With just two brothers in the kitchen overseeing every dish that goes out (without a chain restaurant mentality) they do their best to keep happy patrons coming back. As in their name, “tapas” is the main attraction and who doesn’t like sharing? Tapas is defined as snacks or appetizers and easily promotes drinking and conversation. If you were in Spain you would find yourselves standing at a bar or tabletop devouring these small plate Spanish delicacies with locals.
My recommendations at La Terraza are the Empanadas de Carne, Camaronnes Ajillo, Lamb Chops and their signature Paella. Of course, you can finish off your meal with a fantastic and traditional flan dessert. If you want to
save yourself a trip to Spain this is a perfect way to enjoy some authentic Spanish food. So, like the running of the bulls, both Hungry D and I will be returning soon.
Fourth Stop – India Fusion: Stage Kitchen & Bar. 5377 Town Center Road in Restaurant Row.
I confess, I’m not a diehard Indian food eater. Until now! And since we can’t find a good Indian restaurant in all of Palm Beach County you should highly consider Stage for a perfect alternative.
This restaurant is simply beautiful. The décor doesn’t define anything that’s Indian but leans into a more South Beach chic and contemporary environment. A huge bar runs the length of the floor plan with an open kitchen spanning the back side.
For starters go with the Sushi Tuna Bombs or the house-made smoked Fish Dip. As for entrees I would highly recommend the Red Snapper, Grilled Pork Chop or the best Butter Chicken Masala I’ve eaten East of the Ganges River!
If Indian food is on your radar I recommend you zone in on Stage. And if you aren’t fond of Indian food don’t worry; every other international dish they offer will still surpass many of the dishes offered in the town’s various restaurants.
Fifth Stop – Japanese Sushi: Sushi Rock Boca. 174 NW 51st St., Boca Raton. It seems every corner in Palm Beach County now has a sushi restaurant and the difference
between them is hard to decipher. When it comes to dining on sushi, most of us have become complacent in our own individual experiences and taste. It seems everyone states their sushi restaurant is the best. I had a favorite, too, for years. Won’t mention its name but if you need a sushi fix and are in the proximity of Congress and Yamato...keep driving.
Luckily, I have discovered a new hidden sushi secret! It took a bit of research and a few trials of tasting to have it pass the high bar of my sushi requirements. It’s in a small strip center called Tecca Plaza behind a Mobil gas station. I would bet you have never turned into this mall. But Sushi Rock Boca is a family-owned business that has been here for years and has a strong sushi following.
I’m usually a pick-up type of sushi diner but if sit-down is your flavor then Sushi Rock has a small footprint for indoor dining only. So if you wish to upgrade your sushi palate without a trip to Japan I recommend this off-thebeaten-location to help satisfy your sushi addiction.
Sixth Stop – Closing the Garage Door. Well, now you have it. Hungry Al has delivered his all-time favorites. So the next time you stop me in the streets and request my best I’m going to hand you this review. I guarantee that these four or more Golden Spatula winners will become your drive-to-dine favorites too!
Grape Expectations: The Other Whites!
By Ed Wolfarth, who moved to South Florida after retiring with his wife, Vicki, as Professor of Sports Sciences & Physical Education at both Queens College and Hofstra University. He is a nationally ranked senior tennis player and long-time USPTA Elite Teaching Professional. Ed has written many educational and tennis articles in the past. Over the past few years, Ed has turned his hobby of wine collecting into a way of continuing his passion for writing, and has written on the subject for publications. As a self-proclaimed “wine snob,” he has collaborated on many wine lists for private clubs and a few restaurants. Ed can be reached at wolfarthe@msn.com.
While most of us have tried the zippy Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand and Pinot Grigio from Italy, please allow me to suggest and fill you in on the “other” white wines with which you may not be as familiar.
Spanish White Wines. My two favorites, readily found in your local wine shops, are Verdejos and Albarinos. These two indigenous grapes of Spain produce some wonderfully refreshing summer whites. The Albarino wines of Rias Baixas fill the bill as a quintessential summer wine. Rias Baixas is north of Portugal along the Atlantic Coast in Spain. The cool ocean breezes make for a crisp wine with fine acidity, perfect with fish and salads. Albarinos (pronounce the “n” as in onion) are fruity and floral and can be fleshy in their mouth-feel. Martin Codax is a reliable producer and offers a wonderful example at an affordable price. It should be easily found in your local wine shops. For an outstanding version of Albarino seek out Pazos De Luzco. This bodega consistently produces the finest examples of Albarino made in Spain.
The Verdejo grape is mostly grown in an area called Rueda, in central Spain. The DO, or Denomination of Origin, is a wine-producing area. There are over 80 such DOs in Spain. The Verdejo grape is usually characterized by a fruity sweetness and a slightly bitter aftertaste. My favorite producer of 100% Verdejo is Naia. This bodega consistently produces excellent Verdejos at fair prices. While their Naia and Las Brisas can be found with a bit of research their top cuvee, Naiades, generally considered to be Spain’s finest white wine, is rarely found here in the States. Much to my delight, on one of my trips to Spain I found Naiades on the wine list at Lagos, one of the best restaurants in southern Spain. For 35 Euros at the time it did not disappoint!
Other than Albarino and Verdejo I would try any wine made from the Godello grape. Its high glycerol level and acidity makes for some distinctive white wines with higher alcohol content than most summer whites.
Australian Dry Riesling. Yes, I said Riesling! And I did say dry. Not
all Riesling is sweet. You may have been familiar with Blue Nun or Liebfraumilsch. Those introductory German Rieslings came along at a time when “sweet” was in. While I do enjoy the Kabinett level wines of Germany (they are the least sweet), the Rieslings of the Clare and Eden Valleys offer wines of zesty acidity and intense fruit flavors. It is the ability of the winemaker to balance the acidity and fruity sweetness that makes these wines so appealing. These wines are delicious and have a small cult following. If you find one you like buy it by the case! Look particularly for wines from Grosset. While the Polish Hill is a bit pricey ($40), the Pewsey Vale is under $20 and an exceptional example of a dry Riesling.
Greek White Wines. Assyrtikos and Moschofilero. I can’t pronounce them either! Assyrtikos is pretty much limited to the island of Santorini. These wines are filled with mineral and citrus flavors with a touch of brininess at the finish. Assyrtiko is the perfect complement to fish dishes, much like Australian Riesling. A sidebar here: I like to bring an Italian wine to an Italian restaurant. When in Rome, etc. (or Athens), Greek wines are made to go with Greek food. Moschofilero (you try to say it) is Greece’s answer to Chardonnay. Tastes and smells of green apple, pear, grapefruit with ample acidity. These wines should be readily found in most wine shops. Boutari is a reputable producer, as is Nasiaskos. Again, your wine merchant should be able to recommend an affordable and agreeable Greek wine. Muscadet. Since we’ve mentioned wines that go with seafood we cannot dismiss the classic Muscadet. Made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape in the Loire Valley, near the Atlantic Ocean, these wines are light and fresh with hints of lemon and sea breezes. At its best Muscadet can be richer and more age-worthy, but I prefer to drink it young. Look for the words Sur Lie on the label. This ensures that the wine has had sufficient contact with the lees, and gives it more flavor. Muscadet can easily be found for under $15 a bottle.
There are many other white wines that we failed to mention. Torrontes from Argentina, Italian whites such as Vermentino, Vernacchia and others can each also fill the bill as a “summer white.”
Summer is not over. Hot weather still cries out for lighter, more refreshing wines with ample acidity and less alcohol. A wine to sip at poolside, or at a picnic or beach. A wine to be served chilled, but not too cold to lose all the flavors and nuances. The above-mentioned surely fill the bill. Till next time, drink ... enjoy!
Book Review: “Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols & Other Typographical Marks”
By Nils A. Shapiro. Nils began his career as Marketing Director for a major book publisher. He has since edited the authors’ manuscripts’ for more than 20 published books, written more than 200 book reviews, served as Publisher of several million-plus circulation national magazines, created the official Yearbooks for teams in Major League Baseball, the National Football League, National Basketball Association and National Hockey League, and “retired” as President of a successful telecommunications company before being appointed Editor of Boca Club News when the newspaper was launched in January 2007.
chief typographer who was the first to add the mark to printing equipment in the U.S. was a big fan of the Olympic hero of the time, Jim Thorpe, and named it after him.
There are 11 different punctuation marks and symbols discussed in these pages, among them the “@” sign that has become indispensable with the introduction of email, as well as the familiar asterisk and quotation marks. But not all have such happy endings.
Of course, with my background as described in the above paragraph I absolutely loved this book. And a review by the Institute of Professional Editors was positively glowing. But you need not have printer’s ink flowing in your veins to enjoy the subject of this month’s review column because it is all about a cast of characters with whom you are already very familiar – although in some cases not by the names you would recognize. Does Pilcrow sound familiar? Manicule? Octothorpe? How about Interrobang?
The first three are punctuation marks, or symbols, you come across very often and will instantly recognize. But chances are you haven’t known their actual names, nor anything about who created them, or when or where they came from. That mystery is exactly what motivated this book’s author, Keith Houston, to track down the answers. The result is a marvelously informative, interesting and offbeat history that anyone who appreciates a delightful read will enjoy. Many illustrations throughout are very helpful as well. It’s important to know that when the alphabet was first invented in the Second Half of the Eighth Century B.C., all words were written one after the other with no spaces between them. That’s one of the reasons archeologists have had such a difficult time trying to decipher ancient writings. Not until centuries later in the Roman Empire were “dots” placed between words to make the reading and speaking aloud of the texts more clear. And it was the Pilcrow (the reverse, or backward, P shape so familiar to us today) that was eventually placed at the beginning of a line to mark a new thought, a mark pretty much replaced when we began to instead indent the first line of a new paragraph…although the Pilcrow is still used today in many legal and other documents.
The Octothorpe is another example of a punctuation mark with a fascinating history and unusually wide range of current uses. You will recognize it as a “pound sign,” “hash tag,” or “number sign,” but this companion to the number 3 on your computer keyboard has additional meanings as well elsewhere in the world. A mark conceived in ancient Greece, adopted by the new Christianity, popular in the reign of Charlemagne and into medieval Europe, its name claims two origins. The first is that “Octo comes from the eight points of the cross hatches which surround an open field as in a small village, and the word for village in Old England was ‘thorpe.’” The second explanation for the derivation of the name includes the same reason for Octo, but that the
One frustrating example is that of the Interrobang, a clever and potentially very useful modern punctuation mark conceived of in 1962 by American advertising executive Martin K. Speckter as a way for writers to express a statement that reflects “a combination of surprise and doubt.” A kind of skepticism¸ or sarcasm. The mark combined a question mark (?) with an exclamation point (!) in a single symbol, where until then many writers would type both marks one after the other in an attempt to express themselves.
Essays on Life: Mr. Lakin’s
Sonia Ravech is a native of Massachusetts and a resident of Broken Sound for more than 30 years. She is the mother of four, grandmother of seven, and great grandmother of six. She is the facilitator of two Writing Workshops at Broken Sound.
Alas, as Mr. Speckter soon learned—and passed away without success in his cause—the effort and cost that would be involved in converting today’s entrenched computer and mobile phone keyboards to accommodate his new Interrobang mark has been sufficiently prohibitive to prevent you, dear reader, from the opportunity to use his clever mark, or even having heard that word before now.
As for such other wonderful histories as the one about the Manicule, I will hand you a hint: and invite you to take it from there by obtaining your own copy of “Shady Characters.”
Candy Store
When the bell rang signaling the end of classes for the day at the Robert Treat Paine elementary school, my friends and I dashed out the door, ran down the steps and crossed busy Blue Hill Avenue to hastily walk to Mr. Lakin’s candy store, a favorite destination for kids to gather after school.
Mr. Lakin had a long beard and always wore a skull cap. He dressed in a black suit, which he protected by donning a white linen apron. He resembled a rabbi more than a merchant.
Pennies clutched in our fists, we contemplated the variety of enticing sweets that filled the glass showcase.
There were waxed paper strips of multi-colored candy dots, molasses mary janes, tootsie rolls, chocolate snow caps, fruit flavored suckers and double bubble gum wrapped in its own comic strip.
Two large jars sat on the counter, one filled with black licorice whips and the other with crystal rock candy that Mr. Lakin broke into bite-size pieces with a small wooden mallet. If we were lucky enough to have a nickel we could buy two small scoops of sherbet served in a soft paper cup which we squeezed from the bottom. My favorite was chocolate.
Occasionally I have taken my great-grandchildren to similar shops where they can select from a variety of choices, but the penny candy now costs three for a dollar. There is still a sense of excitement as their eyes traverse the showcase, and I wonder if they will recall these visits with the same nostalgia as I remember my trips to Mr. Lakin’s candy store, where my memories are as sweet as the candy that melted in my mouth.
Pilcrow The at sign Octothorpe Ampersand Interrobang
Film Review: “On the Basis of Sex”
By Nils A. Shapiro
I must admit that, although I had great admiration and respect for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg during her time as an Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court from 1993 until her death September 18th, 2020, I knew very little about her personal background and the accomplishments that led her to being nominated for this honor by President Bill Clinton.
So I was more than a little surprised when the loss of an individual in a position of government one might consider distant from the general population was met instead with a groundswell of both women and men across the nation who referred lovingly to the late jurist as “Notorious RBG” and wore caps, tee-shirts and other paraphernalia with that general theme to indicate the powerful impact Justice Ginsburg had made on their lives.
This month’s film was produced and released in 2018, two years before Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death at the age of 87 and while she continued as an active Justice of the Supreme Court despite an almost constant battle against the ravages of cancer that were to eventually take her life…and which had taken the life of her beloved husband, Martin, ten years earlier.
If I had seen this film when it was first released instead of just now, in its current Netflix streaming, the reason for Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s deserved reputation as a cultural icon among a wide swath of Americans would have been obvious. For this dramatic presentation of her early life and career is an excellent production that makes clear the social and legal climate of the times, the difficulties she
faced, her motivation and determination to correct the wrongs she saw, and the brilliance of her mind in framing arguments to convincingly break down every barrier facing her—every step of the way to her eventual success. And there were many.
Felicity Jones is superb in the leading role and is one reason why the actors and film were nominated for awards in several categories at film festivals worldwide, winning first prize five times. Her portrayal is of a woman born into sadness—her older sister dies at the age of six—who then must face gender discrimination at every turn.
After graduating from Cornell University at the top of her class she applies to Harvard University’s Law School— one of nine women among 500 men—only to have the Dean, Erwin Griswold (played by Sam Waterston), ask these young women, “Why do you want to take up class space that could go to men?” Such was the attitude toward women in the profession of law in those days.
Two years later—when her husband Martin Ginsburg (played by Armie Hammer), a fellow Cornell student whom she had married shortly after they graduated and now an attorney, receives a job offer in New York—Ruth decides to transfer to Columbia University, to the chagrin of Dean Griswold because she is scholastically at the top of her class!
Of course, no matter her qualifications upon graduation, job offers for women with law degrees are rare from important law firms that consider their profession a male domain.
And that is when this film, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life, takes its most significant turn. Martin brings an opportunity for her to represent the plaintiff in the case of a poor, aging and physically weak man named Melvin Wulf in Denver who must devote full time to caring for his elderly, very ill mother. He is totally dependent on federal funding but has now been informed that such funding is not available to him because the law states that such funds are only for women. The reasoning is based on the long
accepted social view that men are the “breadwinners” expected to find work and bring home the money, and that women are the caregivers in the home, and the laws are written accordingly.
Recognizing instantly the unfairness of this gender discrimination, Ruth meets with Wulf and offers to represent him pro bono. She then calls on the head of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), pointing out the potential this case offers for righting many other gender discrimination legal issues.
That is the beginning of a history-making court battle for this nation and a life-changing one for Ruth Bader Ginsburg. On one side the defendant U.S. Department of Justice presents it as a dangerous path threatening an upheaval of the entire legal system; on the bench a three-judge panel disinclined to upset many decades of legal precedent based on male-domination theory, and effectively standing alone a young female attorney who believes in the equality of the sexes.
When one of the judges, almost sneeringly, reminds Ruth Bader Ginsburg that the United States Constitution does not mention the word “sex,” she quietly replies, “Neither does it mention the word ‘Freedom’.”
At that point I wanted to jump out of my chair and scream my cheers for this courageous and wonderful young attorney. We soon learn from the film’s end credits the judges’ decision in this historic case and its effect on Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s illustrious career that led to her appointment as only the second female Justice to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.
It also inspired me to find out more about her other life accomplishments and charitable work, which included her receiving in 2019 the $1 million Berggressen Prize for Philosophy and Culture, and donating the entire amount to the causes to which she always related. The more I learned the more I understood the nationwide emotional response over the loss of such a woman.
By Dr. Auroa Arevalo, DVM, Calusa Veterinary Center, 6900 Congress Avenue, Boca Raton, Florida 33487, 561-999-3000, www.CVCBoca.com
There are many obvious dangers your pet could be susceptible to, both within the home and when out and about. We do our best to protect them from harm, but are we thinking over
everything when it comes to potential threats? Sometimes we overlook things that can cause the most damage because we are so used to seeing them around the home—i.e., the electrical cord.
But wait, it can’t really be that bad, can it? A little sting that makes them jump a little; maybe their fur stands on end for a bit, but nothing serious, right? Unfortunately, an electric shock from your typical household wall outlet can result in serious injury or even death. The type and severity of the injury can vary depending on the body part that comes in contact with the
electrical source, the type of electrical current and the intensity of the current. However, the more common clinical effects can be summarized as local and systemic effects.
Local effects are the superficial injuries that occur at the site of electrical contact, most commonly at the corners of the mouth, the edge of the gums and across the roof of the mouth or tongue. Thermal burns are most commonly reported since they’re often noticeable at the time of injury; however, these are often just the tip of the iceberg. The true extent of tissue damage typically spans beyond the margins of the visible injury. The resulting wounds may develop days after the incident and can be intensely painful. In severe cases pets are too painful to be able to eat and must have a temporary feeding tube placed until their mouth heals enough for them to eat on their own again.
Systemic effects of electric shock are the injuries and complications that occur within the body, resulting in dysfunction of the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal or central nervous system. Unlike a patch of singed fur, symptoms of organ injury and dysfunction are not always immediately apparent and thus are easy to overlook and forget. Always keep in mind that electrical shock can cause extensive internal damage that poses significant threat to life, especially when not promptly addressed. It is best to err on the side of caution when it comes to our furry companions and treat all incidents involving electrical shock as a medical emergency.
Body System Clinical Effects
Heart: Fatal Arrhythmias: ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, asystole. Cardiac Arrest.
Lungs: Respiratory Distress, Upper Airway Edema and Obstruction, Non-Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema, Diaphragmatic Tetany, Respiratory Arrest.
Central Nervous System: Loss of Consciousness, Muscle Tremors, Seizures, Tetanic Limb Contraction.
Intestines: Impaired Motility (ileus), Constipation and Bloating, Abdominal Discomfort/Pain.
Mouth: Thermal Burns, Deep Ulcerations, Dental Fractures, Oronasal Fistulas, Severe Pain and Inability/ Unwillingness to Eat.
Eyes: Cataracts (develop months after initial insult).
