EXPO time Volume 30 Issue 4
page 14
myseniorlife.com
September 2026
Volunteers help create miracles
Sept. 11, 2001
The day America changed forever BY ERNIE DORLING SENIOR LIFE Jill Blue
Karen Garrett-Kraus gives Blondie a well-deserved hug at Harmony Farms. BY LINDA JUMP
For decades, Karen Garrett-Kraus of Viera has volunteered to care for the therapeutic horses at Harmony Farms. “The thing that keeps bringing me back are the many miracles I see,” she said. Garrett-Kraus volunteers at the Cocoa nonprofit that provides 60 riders of all ages with horseback rides to treat their physical, cognitive and emotional conditions. Those with depression, anxiety, PTSD and trauma have improved movement, muscle tone and strength, flexibility and balance. For some riders, it’s the first time
VOLUNTEERS Continued on page 3
On the clear, crisp morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Americans began their day expecting nothing more than ordinary routines. Within hours, the nation would witness the deadliest terrorist attack in its history. At 8:46 a.m., a hijacked commercial airliner slammed into the North Tower of New York City’s World Trade Center. Seventeen minutes later, a second aircraft struck the South Tower, confirming the country was under attack. A third plane then crashed into the Pentagon near Washington, D.C. A fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed into a Pennsylvania field. Passengers, in an act of collective defiance and preemptive sacrifice acted quickly after hearing Todd Beamer yell, “Let’s roll!” The passengers fought back against the
hijackers, preventing another likely strike on the nation’s capital. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives that day, including office workers, airline passengers, police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel who rushed into danger to save others. The attacks transformed the United States in ways still felt today. Airport security was dramatically strengthened, leading to the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The nation launched the War on Terror, sending American troops into Afghanistan and later Iraq. Intelligence agencies expanded cooperation, and homeland security became a permanent priority.
REMEMBERING 9/11
Continued on page 6
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
FROM THE
September 2026 4 10 - 12 16, 26 15 12, 24 20 22 25 27
‘Never Forget’ the horrific terror attacks 25 years ago
HOBBIES & PASSIONS STRIPES/VETERANS COLUMNISTS HEALTH & WELLNESS PUZZLES TIME TO TRAVEL CALENDAR THIS OLD CHURCH CLASSIC RIDES
COUPONS & DISCOUNTS Truman Scarborough Rhodes Law Peter Indorf Jewelry Same Day Grab Bars Palm Shores Bistro
pg. 3 Alura Senior Living pg. 9 William A. Johnson pg. 12 Mr. Delicious Pizza pg. 18 Viola Antiques pg. 20 Artistic Closets
Volume 30, Issue 4
©Senior Life of Florida 7350 Shoppes Drive, Suite 102 Viera, FL 32940 321-242-1235 myseniorlife.com Jill@bluewatercreativegroup.com
©2026 Bluewater Creative Group, Inc. All rights reserved Outdoor fun in the sun Volume 30 Issue 3
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Office Manager Sylvia Montes Copy Editors Hillard Grossman Jeff Navin Design/Photography Jorjann Blake Feature Writers Ed Baranowski Chris Bonanno Ernie Dorling Mike Gaffey Randal C. Hill Linda Jump Lillian Nguyen Flora Reigada
HURRICANE HUB
page 20
R. Norman Moody norm@myseniorlife.com
August 2026
Crown endures
Publisher Jill Blue Editor R. Norman Moody
pg. 21 pg. 25 pg. 27 pg. 27 pg. 28
SENIOR LIFE Red Hat Studio
Brevard County Fire Rescue firefighters provide valuable information on how to connect with emergency services.
HURRICANE READY
SENIOR LIFE Red Hat Studio
offers storm tips through November
Mrs. Viera, Ciara Candle, left, Elaine Terranova, Ms. Florida Senior 2008, and Colleen Jamieson, Mrs. Brevard County Florida, met July 17 during the Viera Voice/Senior Life Hurricane Prep Rally in Viera.
Using the platform for good
myseniorlife.com BY LILLIAN NGUYEN
Mrs. Brevard County Florida, Colleen Jamieson of Palm Bay, and Mrs. Viera, Ciara Candle, used their appearance at the Viera Voice/Senior Life Hurricane Prep Rally to champion social issues. Jamieson is using her platform to bring awareness to pediatric illness. “I work with a lot of children who are battling cancer,” said Jamieson, who was crowned the first Mrs. Brevard County by the Brevard Regional Pageant. “Out of the federal funding, there’s only 4% that goes to pediatric cancer.”
BY CHRIS BONANNO
Jamieson and Candle represented the Brevard Regional Pageant at the Hurricane Prep Rally & Senior Fair on July 17. The two promoted service, leadership and meaningful community impact. Candle handed out hurricane preparedness checklists to the more than 1,000 seniors at the Hurricane Prep Rally. “There were a lot of people— I was so surprised!” Jamieson said. After meeting with local leaders and community members, Jamieson and Candle also met Elaine Terranova, who in 2008 was crowned Ms. Florida Senior. SL
information that could be found at the event came from Health First, which was the presenting sponsor of the event. There, representatives from the company informed residents about how they could take care of medication needs. “When the governor issues a state of emergency, the fact that they can refill their prescriptions early,” said Jose Hernandez, the pharmacy manager with Health First, “All the restrictions are lifted so they can get their
The Viera Voice/Senior Life Hurricane Prep Rally brought out hundreds of area residents to St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community eager to prepare for storms. The second annual Hurricane Prep Rally held July 17 included a host of community partners and exhibitors who shared valuable information on important storm-related topics such as emergency responses, poststorm planning, what to do with pets and shelters among many other topics. An example of the important
Contact Senior Life through email or mail by the 10th of the month regarding upcoming community-oriented events . HURRICANE READY
20 th
Anniversary issue Stay Active Stay Curious Go Anywhere
Valuable
2026 EDITION • N0. 20
Explore more
Walk Hike Roam
RESOURCES Sports & Activities
Veterans Resources Hotlines & Helplines Clubs & Meetings Support Groups Senior Living
Life’s more fun after
50 Navigating the deep blue
The free 2026 Boomer Guide
Find everything you need to live your WAY on the Space Coast, from clubs to activities, to health care and recreation, the best places to live, play and thrive. For a pick-up location near you, call 321-242-1235.
Continued on page 15
Medicare Patients Welcome
Abe Hardoon, M.D. Board Certified Internal Medicine
(321) 259-9500
Book your appointment online
suntreeinternalmedicine.com
Scott Hardoon, M.D. Board Certified Internal Medicine
Shannon Spreitzer Nikka Cohan APRN APRN, DNP
MELBOURNE
Angela Armellini Amber Jack APRN APRN
6619 North Wickham Rd. Weekdays 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
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Ami A. Bhatt, M.D. Board Certified Family Medicine
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We Accept Most Insurance Evening & Weekend Office Hours Specializing in Adult Medicine
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Pinnacle Eye Center A Leader In Patient-Focused Eye Care
2026 EDITION • N0. 20
CATARACT SURGERY
20 th
Anniversary issue
Explore more
Walk Hike Roam
Stay Active Stay Curious Go Anywhere
Valuable
RESOURCES Sports & Activities
Life’s more fun after
Veterans Resources Hotlines & Helplines Clubs & Meetings Support Groups
50
Senior Living
The Boomer Guide is an outstanding resource for Brevard. Grab yours today.
Senior Life of Florida is published on the first of each month. The entire contents of this newspaper are copyrighted by Senior Life of Florida with all rights reserved. Senior Life of Florida is not liable for errors or omissions in editorial, advertorial or advertising materials. Distribution of this newspaper does not constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. Reproduction or use, without permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited.
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SPACE COAST RESOURCE MAGAZINE
State-of-the-art Medical Facility • Everything under one roof conveniently located on Wickham Road in Suntree
Navigating the deep blue
Senior Life
Six months ago, we set out to remind readers of the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 that changed the United States forever. As a result of the attacks, the U.S. created the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and overhauled aviation security. In reminding readers of those ramifications, we brought you the stories of the people who were there, who responded and made great sacrifices as they served in grueling rescues and recovery. In this edition of Senior Life, we bring you the final stories of the series as the nation remembers that horrific day. These are the stories of people who will always remember the moment, the hours and the long days of the aftermath. Most Americans will remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard of the initial attack on the World Trade Center in New York. We also want to remind you to stay alert and be prepared for hurricane season. Until this year’s hurricane season ends, we will bring you stories about storms and tips on how to cope, including how to avoid scams that often proliferate after a storm. Look for those articles in editions this month, in October and in November. Weekly, we hear the rumble of rockets shooting toward space. If you are close enough, by the time you walk outside to see it, often it is too late or it is too far away to get a good look. This is Florida, so you will likely have friends and family to visit, and while here, want to see a launch. There are so many places along the Space Coast. We thought we would tell you about some of the best places to view a launch. Check out the story in this edition. If you follow the space program closely, you know some of these, but newer residents might not. I always say that we must keep moving, exercise at whatever age you are. Can you get up easily without help if you sit down low or on the floor? In this edition of Senior Life, we explore what you can do to strengthen your legs and lower body, which is an especially important part of staying healthy and fit. We will continue looking for these stories and keep producing articles that we believe not only inform you, but benefit readers in some way. SL
SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
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Hard work of Harmony Farms volunteers helps riders thrive VOLUNTEERS Continued from page 1
they’ve spoken or interacted socially. Director Jeanine Allen said the Harmony Farms database lists more than 250 volunteers. “There are about 50 who contribute regularly,” Allen said. Volunteers must be at least 13 years old and don’t need horse-care skills. “Volunteers are the heart and soul of Harmony Farms. They make you feel welcome with a smile and become your cheerleaders,” she said. Some have volunteered since the program began in 1992, caring for and grooming horses, shoveling manure, cleaning stables and guiding horses with riders. Particularly needed now are volunteers to cut grass, trim trees and repair fences. Volunteers find the work rewarding. Garrett-Kraus said a 10-year-old traumatized girl she guided on a horse hadn’t spoken in years. After several rides, she kept looking around and behind her. “I asked her if she was looking for something. She said, ‘Cat. It’s a cat.’ Her guardian was sobbing,” GarrettKraus said. Another young girl who experienced seizures was being led around the arena. The horse stopped calmly and refused to continue, despite prodding from Kraus. “Horses have a sixth sense and are very intuitive. The horse stopped because it sensed she would have a seizure. They know when extra patience and quiet is needed.” Garrett-Kraus said when her daughter was in high school, she
SENIOR LIFE Jill Blue
Mary Adams enjoys working with Lurch, a horse at Harmony Farms. Lurch is one of the tallest horses in the program. needed volunteer hours to earn a Bright Futures scholarship. She worked at Harmony Farms and convinced her still-working mother to join her. “Up to recent retirement, I worked weekends bringing the horses in, feeding them and sweeping stalls. Now that I am retired, I work four days a week and love it,” she said. Mary Adams of Viera read an article seven years ago about the
program and, encouraged by a neighbor, volunteered. “I’m a lifetime horse lover and retired registered nurse so it was a great volunteer opportunity,” the Jacksonville native said. She’s up early Tuesdays and Fridays to supervise volunteers and coordinate the cleaning of the barn.
“I get my horse fix at Harmony Farms, but some volunteers don’t love horses. There’s a chalkboard in the barn with chores listed and there are other jobs like fixing fences. My neighbors donate cases of bottled water for the volunteers,” Adams said. “It’s not glamorous to shovel manure, but it’s needed.” SL
MARTIN ANDERSEN SENIOR CENTER
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SENIOR LIFE Jill Blue
Dana Wilson, Mary Adams and Lana Angel enjoy working at Harmony Farms.
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CRAFT VENDORS
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Martin Andersen Senior Center 1025 S. Florida Ave., Rockledge
321-631-7549 Contact: newslettermasc@masc1025.org
SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
3
HOBBIES & PASSIONS THE 25TH FEATURE IN A SERIES ON HOBBIES & PASSIONS
Birdwatching combines passion for the great outdoors, nature BY LINDA JUMP
SENIOR LIFE Linda Jump
Rob Lane, a guide who works at Sam’s House on Pine Island, looks for birds after a guided public bird walk.
Whether watching ibises from a lanai or joining a Saturday tour with a naturalist from Sam’s House on Pine Island, birdwatching is popular on the Space Coast, which harbors 500 species of native and migrating birds. “You can enjoy the outdoors in nature, and there’s no right or wrong way to birdwatch. You can just view them or learn about each species and meet people who are also birders,” said Rob Lane, a tour guide at Sam’s House. Lane’s interest in birds began while he studied to become a biologist. He listened to the songs and calls of the birds around him, and soon recognized birds by ear. Now, he’s active in the Space Coast Audubon Society. That group offers monthly meetings with speakers and field trips, primarily from October to May. Lane and other naturalists offer tours at
9 a.m. Saturdays leaving from Sam’s House. Annually, the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Association sponsors a festival that attracts birders internationally. The 2027 Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival will be held from Jan. 20 to 24 at the Radisson Resort at Cape Canaveral. Martha Pessaro, 73, of Merritt Island “keeps an eye on the sky” to find birds. “Birding gives you a restoration and a foothold on joy. Hearing birds’ songs and watching them fly, you realize they have a freedom we’ll never have,” she said. She visited Florida from New England decades ago, mainly to see the vast variety of bird species. “I had to stay in Florida to see them all. We have seashore, natural areas and wetlands to attract them.” Naturalist Shannon Steele grew up in rural Pennsylvania
near a wildlife refuge. As a young child, her parents gave her an Audubon guide, and shortly after, a hummingbird flew into her bedroom window. She was hooked and recently made a trip to Alaska to view birds that nest on cliffs. “Now I use the Merlin app instead of carrying around a big guidebook,” she said. Steele suggested using “e-bird hot spots” to discover the best birding sites in Brevard County each month. Locally, the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge ranked highest, followed by Canaveral National Seashore, Viera Wetlands/Ritch Grissom Memorial Park, Parrish Park at the Max Brewer Causeway in Titusville, Helen and Allen Cruickshank Sanctuary in Rockledge, and the north side of Sebastian Inlet State Park. Brevard also includes several sites along the Florida Birding Trail. A unique bird to that area is the Florida scrub jay, Steele said. SL
Do you have a passion or hobby that is extraordinary? Let us know. Call Senior Life at 321-242-1235
Senior Living Call today to experience the comforts of our resident-first community!
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SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
myseniorlife.com
G EVENT 4 DAY BUYING EVENT
March 2 y, March 3 March 4 arch 5
10am to 3pm 10am to 3pm 10am to 3pm 10am to 3pm
Fairfield Inn Viera
Tuesday, Sept. 1 Wednesday, Sept. 2 Thursday, Sept. 3 Friday, Sept. 4
10 am to 3 pm 10 am to 3 pm 10 am to 3 pm 10 am to 3 pm
ash, Clean, or Polish!
Antiques of all Kinds: Do Not Wash, Clean or Polish!
old movie posters, cartoon art & more. Art work: old oil paintings, old watercolors, old etchings, lithographs, old movie posters, cartoon art & more. rcelain old bronze, carved old JapaneseStatues: toys, robots, old banks & oldjade, dolls wood, marble, alabaster, pottery, porcelain Old Toys: old toys, trains, old comics + baseball cards (prior to 1960) old Japanese toys, robots, old banks & old dolls lass + porcelains Oriental items: jade, statues, figurines, netsuke, old swords, oriental glass + porcelains etc), old photos, politicalitems: pins + letters, ribbons,autographs old Historical (movie stars, presidents, political etc), old photos, political pins + ribbons, old fountain ems, American, Japanese, German medals, pens, old pocket knives, swords, military items, American, Japanese, German medals, advertising items, old stamps and old e, military) badges (police, fire, military).
Gold, Silver & Platinum Jewelry We buy all types of gold jewelry, new, old and broken. Rings, (class rings, mothers rings, wedding sets, etc.). Bracelets, (charm bracelets, tennis bracelets, bangles, etc.). Earrings do not need to be a matching pair. Chains and pendants, broken is okay.
d to be
ALL THINGS GOLD!
We even buy old yellow gold teeth and crowns. Brooches, company year pins. We buy diamonds, emeralds and rubies.
ear
Sterling & Silver Items
dishes, s, Broken
Any item made out of sterling silver. Silverware, forks, spoons, bowls, dishes, trays, tea sets, statues, sterling and .999 bars, sterling and .999 rounds, frames, candle sticks, trophies, salt and pepper shakers and jewelry. Broken and smashed is okay.
OldPins, or New Jewelry • BrokenBars Jewelry • Antique Jewelry • Costume Jewelry • Engagement Rings • Charms, Pins, Chains • Gold/Silver Bars • Sterling Silverware • Rings • Charms, Chains • Gold/Silver • Sterling All •Things Belt Buckles • Old Depression Glass ChinaGold/Silver • Waterford•Crystal • Crystal ItemsClocks • Glassware • Cut Glass • Depression Glass • China • Waterford Crystal • Crystal Items • Collectibles Figurines •
Hummels • Royal Doultons • Oriental Rugs • Russian Enameled Items • Cartoon Art • Old Banks • Old Crocks • Old Door Stops • Old Pottery Items • Oriental Pot-
d Items • Cartoon Art • Old Banks • Old Crocks • Old Door tery • Oriental Glass • Old Advertising Items • Old Carousel Figures • Buck Roger Items • Roy Rogers Items • Old Disney Items • Cigar Store Indians • Slot Machines Old Carousel Figures • Buck Roger Items • Roy Rogers Items • Old Coin• Operated & Ives Prints • Old Prints • Paintings • Collector Prints • Old Fire Dept Items • Flash Gordon Items • Whirligigs • Wood • Currier & Ives Prints Old Prints Machines • Paintings••Currier Collector Carvings Antique OldBird Dolls • Old Teddy Bears • Old Bird Decoys • War Memorabilia • War Medals • War Pictures • War Weaponry • Old Knives • Old ue Lamps • Old Dolls ••Old Teddy Lamps Bears ••Old Decoys words • Old Stamps • Autographs • Old Letters • Old•&Old NewLetters • Old & New Tools • Automobiles • Entire Estates • Icons • Old Ink Stands • Leaded Windows • Old Beer Steins • Swords • Old Stamps • Autographs er Steins • OldOld Judaica • Tiffany Items • Lone Ranger Items Items • Judaica • Tiffany Items • Lone Ranger • Old Maps • Old Globes • Old Paperweights • Old Napkin Rings • Old Nautical Items • Old Political Items • Histord Political Items • Historical Items • Old Pictures Old Powder ical Items • Old Pictures Old Powder Horns • Old Quilts • Old Railroad Items • Franklin Mint Items • Old Fountain Pens • Old Weather Vanes • Old Perfume Bottles Weather Vanes • Old Perfume Bottles • Lalique Items • Lladro • Lalique ItemsPaper • Lladro Statues • Vintage Native American Items/Artifacts • Swarovski • World’s Fair Items • Vintage Foreign Paper Money Fair Items • Vintage Foreign Money
House Calls available Monday thru Friday day thru Friday Entire Estates — all antiques & collectibles wanted & collectibles wanted Gold & Silver coins, United States Coins, & silver/gold foreign coins
Pennies before 1959, Dimes and Quarters before 1965, Half Dollars before 1970, Dollar Coins before 1936, Bullion (Gold, Silver & Platinum), Foreign Gold/Silver coins, all US Gold coins and Old paper currency
Watches
WIND UP ONLY, Gold, Silver, Gold-filled, Pocket & Wrist, Working or Not.
, & silver/gold foreign coins
ars before 1970, Dollar Coins before 1936, All US Gold coins, Old paper currency
t & Wrist, Working or Not
GOLD BUYERS 3 2 1 -2 5 8- 91 0 9 we will be at the
Fairfield Inn Viera 2400 Town Center Ave., Viera, FL YERS 9109 5
e
————— Payment on the Spot at Your One-Stop Shop for Unwanted and Used. ————
321-242-1235
SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
REMEMBERING 9/11 Continued from page 1
Twenty-five years later, the images of smoke-filled skies, heroic first responders and grieving families remain etched in the nation’s memory. Sept. 11 forever altered America’s sense of security, its foreign policy and the resilience of a people determined never to forget. SENIOR LIFE photo
This 9/11 Memorial Beam was placed at The Avenue Viera on May 27 2017. The beam was part of the World Trade Center.
Memories that Remain F
CHRIS MARSHALL
or Chris Marshall, a contractor and painter, remembering Sept. 11, 2001, became a personal mission. Marshall was living in Bedford, New York when he became friends with City of New York Fire Department (FDNY) firefighter Thomas Kuveikis of Squad 252. Kuveikis died at the World Trade Center. “I felt that I had to do something to honor my friend and those who died on 9/11,” Marshall said. A longtime muscle-car enthusiast, he transformed a 1989 Honda
Prelude into a rolling tribute, painting it in the stars and stripes and adding NYPD and FDNY markings to the side mirrors. Marshall began taking the car to car shows and parades, where people could sign it in exchange for a donation. All proceeds go to the Squad 252 Fallen Fighter’s Fund. Marshall moved to Suntree in 2024 and hopes to bring the car to Brevard County soon, continuing a tribute that began more than two decades ago to those who gave their lives on 9/11. [
T
ony D’Angelo, a retired lieutenant with the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), reported for duty on Sept. 11, 2001 at 7:30 a.m. at Engine 331 in Howard Beach, Queens. After hearing reports of a plane striking one of the World Trade Center towers, he climbed to the firehouse roof. “I could see the Manhattan skyline in the distance. Both towers were already billowing thick smoke into the clear sky,” D’Angelo said. Sensing the magnitude of the situation, D’Angelo immediately prepared his crew. “I ordered additional SCBA bottles, search ropes and extra tools loaded onto trucks,” he said. The fire company made its way through Brooklyn and into Manhattan, where the reality of the unfolding disaster came fully into view — both towers engulfed in flames.
“We were headed to the WTC but were reassigned,” D’Angelo said. “We became one of the few companies still responding to calls across Manhattan.” Though they handled several runs during that 24hour tour, he recalls an eerie quiet hanging over the city. Days later, he was deployed to the ruins of the World Trade Center, working on bucket brigades, hose lines and recovery efforts. He described the scene as “a giant pile of sticks,” with smoke and steam rising endlessly. In the years since, D’Angelo said the experience
R
ROBERT VAN RIPER
6
obert Van Riper, an insurance agent and a volunteer firefighter from Riverdale, New Jersey, still vividly remembers the chaos and uncertainty of Sept. 11, 2001. “I was working out at the gym when I saw the news on the television about the attack,” he said. “I went immediately to my firehouse to await instructions.” Van Riper’s engine
SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
STORIES BY ERNIE DORLING
SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of 911memorial.org
On the anniversary of 9/11, the families of victims will gather for a ceremony on the 9/11 Memorial plaza to read aloud the names of the 2,983 men, women and children killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and Feb. 26, 1993 bombing.
TONY D’ANGELO
reshaped him — both as a leader and as a person — leaving lasting emotional scars that continue to evolve. “I find I’ve become more of a loner/introvert,” D’Angelo said. “I still like to be around people. But I don’t openly talk much about my experience at the World Trade Center. I have moments of anger and moments of deep depression that still weigh heavily on me.” [
company was quickly dispatched to the George Washington Bridge to assist with emergency operations following the terrorist attacks that morning. With New York City under lockdown, firefighters and emergency personnel worked tirelessly to coordinate the movement of rescue vehicles in and out of Manhattan as smoke from the fallen towers filled the skyline. “The atmosphere was tense,
SENIOR LIFE Jill Blue
The World Trade Center Memorial at Ground Zero has two water features set within the footprints of the Twin Towers. It is surrounded by the etched names of those who died on Sept. 11. emotional and unlike anything I had ever experienced,” Van Riper said. As the crisis unfolded, several schools across New Jersey received bomb threats, adding to the panic already gripping the region. Van Riper was later sent to assist with evacuation efforts at one of the schools. “I remember the parents,” Van Riper recalled. “They were scared, emotional and desperate to get their children
safely home.” Van Riper also had several clients killed that day, including a close friend of his. “I had to get his toothbrush for DNA so the life insurance company could pay the claim since only fragments of his body were found,” he said. More than two decades later, the memories of that tragic day remain deeply etched in his mind. [
myseniorlife.com
W
SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Marvin Lynchard, DOD
The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial features 184 cantilevered benches engraved with a victim’s name in honor of every individual lost during the Sept. 11, 2001 attack.
hen terrorists attacked the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Jim Mooney was working in his consulting office about 35 miles north of New York City. He was the president of an engineering consulting firm specializing in nuclear power projects. Like millions of Americans, he watched the tragedy unfold in disbelief. “I remember hearing about the attacks and then learning that 7 World Trade Center, a 50-story building adjacent to the Twin Towers, had caught fire and later collapsed,” Mooney recalled. “Many people don’t realize that Con Edison had a major electrical substation in the lower floors of that building. It supplied power to much of Lower Manhattan.” Months later, Mooney found himself playing a small but meaningful role in New York City’s recovery. He was assigned as the project engineer responsible for rebuilding Con Edison’s electrical substation at
JIM MOONEY
the World Trade Center site. “While I certainly wasn’t a first responder, I had the privilege of working alongside thousands of dedicated professionals,” he said. “There were engineers, construction workers, truck drivers, crane operators and utility crews, all working together with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to restore critical infrastructure.” Mooney noted that Con Edison began restoring electrical service almost immediately after the attacks.
O
SENIOR LIFE Jill Blue
Flight 93 National Memorial features a living musical sculpture called the Tower of Voices. The tower holds 40 wind chimes, one for each passenger and crew member who lost their life on Flight 93.
F
BOB SMITH
For nearly six months, this author has had the privilege of writing about some of the residents of Brevard County whose lives were forever changed by Sept. 11. As a writer, I quickly discovered that these were not simply stories about tragedy.
321-242-1235
or Bob Smith, a Vietnam veteran and former business consultant for the McDonald’s Corporation, the memories of Sept. 11, 2001 remain as vivid today as they were 25 years ago. On the morning of the terrorist attacks, Smith was working on a project at Co-op City in the Bronx, overseeing restaurant operations in the New York metropolitan area. “I could see the smoke coming from the Towers,” Smith recalled. “It was
n the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Linda Dorling was doing what she had done countless times as a federal investigator — conducting interviews aboard a U.S. Navy submarine at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton, Connecticut. After the attacks on Sept. 11, the submarine had initiated a communications blackout, cutting it off from the outside world. Deep inside the vessel, Dorling and most of the crew had no idea that history was unfolding just 130 miles away. Hours later, after concluding her work and stepping back onto the pier, she sensed something was terribly wrong. The normally orderly naval base had transformed into an armed fortress. Sailors stood guard with rifles at the ready.
Security checkpoints had multiplied, and the urgency on every face told her this was no ordinary day. Only then did Dorling learn that terrorists had attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing,” she recalled. “It was like walking into another world.” Her thoughts immediately
something I’ll never forget.” In the days and weeks that followed, Smith found another way to serve. Each morning, he boarded a train from his home in North Branford, Connecticut, traveled into New York City and walked approximately 15 blocks to the World Trade Center site. There, he joined countless volunteers helping feed first responders, recovery crews, construction workers and others working around the clock at Ground Zero. “McDonald’s feeds people
in good times and bad times,” Smith said. “I like to believe we serve those who serve others.” The meals were simple — a hamburger, French fries and a can of Coca-Cola — but to exhausted workers spending long days amid smoke, dust and debris, they represented something more. “It was comfort food,” Smith said. “People were tired, emotionally drained and working under horrible conditions.” While the devastation
LINDA DORLING
Honored to share their stories
They were stories of courage, sacrifice, resilience and hope. History lives in the quiet emotion that fills a room when someone recalls the last conversation with a friend, the desperate search for a loved one or the courage of strangers helping strangers as everything
around them fell apart. There were times I found it difficult to put my notebook down. Listening to these stories, I wasn’t just recording facts — I was preserving memories that might otherwise be lost. The constant theme that
I heard from everyone I interviewed was the hope that people “would never forget” what happened on that day. If these stories help even one reader better understand the human cost of that terrible day — or inspire someone to thank a veteran, first responder
“More than 2,000 Con Edison employees installed over 36 miles of temporary electrical cable to restore power to Lower Manhattan,” he said. “It was an incredible effort that often goes unrecognized.” Today, Mooney remains humbled by the experience. “I’ll never forget the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of the first responders,” he said. “At the same time, I remember the thousands of people who worked long hours clearing the site and rebuilding it. Everyone came together during one of our nation’s darkest moments. I’m proud of the very small part I played.” Mooney and his wife, Tiffanie, moved to Viera in January 2022 to be closer to family. Looking back 25 years later, he says the experience remains one of the defining chapters of his life — one that demonstrated resilience, determination and the remarkable ability of people to unite in a time of crisis. [ turned to the daughter of a close friend from Germany who was scheduled to arrive at her home that day to begin a dental internship. With uncertainty surrounding the nation’s airports and transportation system, Dorling raced home, hoping her friend had landed safely before American airspace was shut down. “The drive was surreal. Military installations were on heightened alert, aircraft had disappeared from the skies, and radio reports painted an unimaginable picture of a nation under attack,” she recalled. Nearly 25 years later, Dorling still remembers the eerie silence, the armed service members and the realization that life in America had changed forever. [
left an indelible impression, Smith said he also witnessed something extraordinary. “What I remember most wasn’t just the destruction,” he said. “It was watching people from every background come together to help their fellow man. Everyone was there for the same reason — to do whatever they could.” For Smith, that spirit of service remains one of the enduring legacies of one of America’s darkest days. [
or survivor — then every interview, every note and every word has been worthwhile. Their stories are now part of our community’s story, and they should never be forgotten. It has been an honor to tell them. SL — Ernie Dorling
SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
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Orchestra’s goal is to broaden music access with free concerts BY LINDA JUMP PHOTOS: JILL BLUE
Eight free concerts are scheduled for Melbourne Community Orchestra’s 37th season called “Getting to Know Us,” — beginning with “Hello” on Sept. 2 and 3. Walter Oyola, 89, of Palm Bay has performed bass with the orchestra for a decade, and said the group’s repertoire has improved and become more complex. The self-taught New York City musician loves Latin jazz, but is also challenged by practicing and performing show tunes, symphonic pieces, Christmas carols and cinematic songs. “When we get it all together, it’s wonderful. We’re diverse, and getting better and better,” he said. Director Mark P. Nelson agreed. “This group is a real community, with 70 to 80 members from 14 to 89 who are high school and college students, retirees, and professionals,” he said. Nelson earned his doctorate from Boston University and has been a conductor, clinician and educator for more than 40 years. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and is co-founder of the Community Band of Brevard and a community musical theatre program for Brevard Schools. He directed the Satellite High School band for 30 years. Ivonne Vega is a violin concert master with the orchestra. The group practices Thursday evenings at Eau Gallie High School’s
Walter Oyola
Nancy Anderson
Dean Morrison
Jaclynn Lindblom-Cooke
band room. Performances are held at the City of Melbourne Auditorium at 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. The orchestra is recruiting strings, percussion and oboes. Several orchestra members, including Nancy Anderson of Melbourne Beach, praised the group for its feeling of family. She began playing the oboe as a child in
Michigan and now enjoys any pieces with the English horn. “We’re all one big family and I’ve never felt that in any other musical group,” she said. Dean Morrison of Viera just joined the group after giving up a career as a Harris engineer. “I shifted my life around to get back to being able to play trumpet. I played in high school and kept it up
by playing in church,” he said. Jaclynn Lindblom-Cooke, 20, of Melbourne enjoys playing percussion with the orchestra. “I can play a large variety of different instruments,” she said, from her favorite marimba to tympany. “I feel very welcome. We’re all ages with different skill levels and I love that our concerts are free and no money is involved. We do it because we just enjoy playing the music.” The orchestra relies on individual and corporate donors. All the shows except one are held at the City of Melbourne Auditorium at 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. at 7 p.m. with a pre-show at 6:15. Here’s the lineup for the season: • “Getting to Know Us,” a concerto concert, on Sept. 2 and 3 • “After Dark,” a Halloweeninspired concert, on Oct. 14 and 15 • “Music Makers of Tomorrow,” a kid-friendly interactive experience with classics and with iconic cartoons on the large screen, Nov. 14 at Premiere Theaters-Oaks 10 at 1800 W. Hibiscus Blvd. • “Home for the Holidays,” on Dec. 16 and 17 • “Lights, Camera, Symphony: A Tribute to John Williams,” with cinema iconic pieces from “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter,” “Jaws,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and others on Feb. 3 and 4 • “March Mysteries: A Symphonic Whodunit,” on March 24 and 25 • “Conductor’s Choice,” on May 5 and 6 • “Mucho Gusto,” Latin music, on June 9 and 10 SL
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July 17, 10 a.m. Join Us! Are All Your Ducks in aWednesday, Row? and Medicaid Planning — Get Your Plan May 21 - 10 a.m. Join us Thursday, May 8 • 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Estate Movie Matinee July 11, 2 - 4 p.m. RSVP Required Movie Matinee One Senior Place RSVP required. 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Estate Planning • Wills • Spyglass One Senior Place, 8085 Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771
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Brevard Veterans News
eTMS Melbourne offers free wellness service for veterans, others
Combat veterans and first responders suffering from posttraumatic stress and mental health issues oftentimes don’t find the right help they need. Many are now finding relief through EEG-guided Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or eTMS, for depression, anxiety, insomnia, substance abuse, mental health issues, traumatic brain injuries and sexual trauma. The brain stimulation therapy, recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, is free to not only veterans, but to police officers and other first responders thanks to a state grant that allows for treatment of up to $8,000 per person. “This program is so good it brought me out of retirement,” said
Dr. Scott Fairchild, a Melbourne psychologist, who manages the program’s Melbourne office. Fairchild served 21 years in the Army and retired as a lieutenant colonel, then spent many years treating veterans and others. Fairchild has been making presentations to groups of veterans and first responders to let them know about the availability of the free
treatment. The Melbourne location is one of seven (four more to be added) around the state that are sharing an $8.5 million state grant for the treatments. The Melbourne location is treating 10 people per day. Other eTMS offices include Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville and Maitland. The treatment starts with an electroencephalogram, or EEG, and an EKG test, which is analyzed by a team of specialists. Then, a treatment of 20 sessions is approved by a medical panel for specific parts of the brain. This is a simple explanation of the process. Magnets are placed on the head of the person being treated. Fairchild said the treatments are
safe and painless. He said patients are seeing dramatic results, many of them saying they feel a sense of normalcy. There are many more details that just do not fit into one column or article, so I encourage those who might need help or are interested in learning more to visit etmsflorida. com I think that for someone suffering from any of these issues, it is worth a try. After all, it is painless, free and takes only about 30 minutes a day for 20 days. The eTMS Florida program funded by the state is operated by JLC Services, Inc. For more information about eTMS Melbourne, call 321-463-7459 or visit etmsflorida.com. SL
Army veteran’s life of service continues through faith BY ERNIE DORLING When Roy Johnstone, who grew up in New Jersey, looks back over his life, he doesn’t see a series of jobs. He sees a lifetime of service that did not end when he took off his Army uniform. Instead, it evolved into a career supporting national security, followed by a retirement devoted to sharing his faith and helping others understand the Bible. That service began on Nov. 1, 1965, the year The Impressions released their hit record, “Amen.” “I was living in Alexandria, Virginia when I was drafted into the U.S. Army,” Johnstone said. “It was during the Vietnam War, and I considered it my duty to serve.” Assigned to the Data Processing Center at First Army headquarters at Fort Meade, Maryland, Johnstone became a computer specialist at a time when computers occupied entire rooms and were transforming the way the military managed information. His leadership abilities quickly earned him the responsibility of supervising the section as the non-
commissioned officer in charge. By the time he was honorably discharged in October 1967, he had attained the rank of sergeant. After leaving the Army, Johnstone returned home to New Jersey, went to work and attended college at night, finishing his bachelor’s degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1975. His Army experience and education opened the door to a career supporting America’s intelligence community. Johnstone went to work for the Department of Justice and was subsequently recruited by the CIA, assisting intelligence analysts during the Cold War. After his government service, he accepted a position with Harris Corporation in Melbourne. He retired in 2009, but retirement proved to be the beginning of another chapter rather than the end of one. Today, Johnstone dedicates his time to teaching the Gospel. His desire to better understand one of the Bible’s most challenging subjects eventually inspired him to write his first book, “God’s Unveiling of the End Time: The Mysteries of the Comprehensive Range of Treatments
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SENIOR LIFE Lillian Nguyen
Former Army and CIA veteran Roy Johnstone displays his new book examining religion, faith and its place in today’s world.
Tribulation Era.” “I wanted to understand what the Tribulation era was really all about,” Johnstone said. “The Bible talks about God’s wrath being poured down from heaven. The Book of Revelation covers the good, the bad
and the ugly.” Johnstone hopes readers will come away with a clearer understanding of biblical prophecy while also finding reassurance. “I want Christians to understand they have nothing to fear,” he said. Authoring the book was a labor of faith that required months of studying what the writers of both the Old and New Testaments had to say about the end of time. “It was a wonderful, but sometimes exhausting experience,” Johnstone said. “It was a rewarding year of recording what I learned.” Johnstone dedicated the book to his late wife of 51 years, Jeannie, who passed away nine years ago. Her memory, he says, continues to inspire both his faith and his work. Whether wearing the uniform of a U.S. Army sergeant, supporting the nation’s intelligence community, or sharing his faith with others, Johnstone has lived a life defined by commitment, purpose and service. And, every day, he is repeating the words of The Impressions: “Amen.” Johnstone’s book is available on Amazon. SL
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Purple Heart recipients honored in moving ceremony BY CHRIS BONANNO As it has for the past nine years, the Military Order of the Purple Heart Space Coast Chapter 453 once again honored another 10 Purple Heart recipients. The ceremony, at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center on Merritt Island, was held Sunday, Aug. 9 in conjunction with the commemoration of National Purple Heart Day, which was Aug. 7. “This day is where we gather as Purple Heart recipients to honor other Purple Heart recipients,” said Keith VanBuren, the Chapter commander. “To share just a tiny snippet of what they went through, what they’re doing currently — really just to elevate them and celebrate the achievements that they’ve made even through all the adversity that they’ve faced in their time in military service.” Amid the backdrop of the Veterans Memorial Museum and its diverse military displays, a spokesperson shared the stories of each of the honorees. Each honoree (or the representative of those who are deceased) was presented a quilt from Quilts of Valor, a Purple Heart challenge coin, an engraved brick to be placed in the walkway of the Veterans Memorial Plaza and a certificate that was presented by State Sen. Debbie Mayfield. Those honored included: Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joseph Holly Holly sustained a broken leg, arm and back when the Humvee he was
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SENIOR LIFE Chris Bonanno
U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Mark Duwel, who was injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, was one of 10 honored at the 10th annual Purple Heart Recognition Day on Aug. 9. riding in rolled over an improvised explosive device in Iraq in 2003. He returned to his unit in February 2004 with an arm in a cast. He was injured again while seeking cover going over a wall when his unit was attacked. Army Sgt. Earl Fugleberg Fugleberg, born in 1927 and died at the age of 97 in 2024, served as a mounted cavalry trooper during the post-World War II occupation of Germany in 1945. After being honorably discharged in 1947, he returned to active duty at the beginning of the Korean War in 1950.
On Jan. 5, 1951, he sustained wounds from a mortar explosion but returned to his unit after a two-to-three week hospital stay. Army Pvt. Erwin Hayward Hayward was awarded four Purple Hearts for his service in Vietnam. His first two came when he was struck in the head by a ricochet bullet and later struck with shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade in 1967. His third came when the machine gun he was operating during battle in 1968 exploded, causing third degree burns to his right arm
and upper chest. He continued to battle until a bullet hit him in his leg, prompting him to be evacuated to a hospital, accounting for his fourth Purple Heart. Army Sgt. John Juliano Juliano was severely wounded by shrapnel while on patrol in Vietnam. Following his injury, Juliano served in Korea for a year before becoming an instructor at Fort Polk, where he instructed classes on hand grenade technique. Army Spc. Willie Stephenson Stephenson’s family relocated to Satellite Beach when he was 3 years old because his father worked at Patrick Air Force Base. While serving in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993, he responded to a report of locals ransacking temporary housing. He was hit on the side of his head with a razor wire post, which caused a gash on his head and a mild brain trauma. Stephenson is in his 18th year with the Cocoa Police Department, where he is a sergeant. “I’m really humbled about it,” Stephenson said about being honored during the ceremony. “It was a great experience to see all the veterans.” Army Sgt. Cody Queen Queen was injured in 2012 in Afghanistan when a suicide bomber struck his Forward Operating Base, causing him to be medically evacuated. A month later, Queen sustained a traumatic brain injury when the vehicle he was riding in
PURPLE HEART Continued on page 12
SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
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PURPLE HEART Continued from page 11
was destroyed by a 300-pound IED (Improvised Explosive Device). Army Sgt. Maj. Mark Duwel Duwel was placed on Army Reserves and recalled at least five dangerous times during his career. Duwel also served in Special
Forces and was injured twice. The first incident came in Baghdad, Iraq in 2004 when a nearby home was hit by a rocket. Duwel, who was driving an SUV, had a portion of his finger taken off by a piece of shrapnel. On another mission in Afghanistan, Duwel suffered a concussive traumatic brain injury after an IED exploded while he was
SHAPESHIFTER SUDOKU SENIOR LIFE Chris Bonanno
U.S. Army Sgt. Cody Queen, who was injured twice in Afghanistan, receives a quilt from Quilts of Valor at the 10th annual Purple Heart Recognition Day on Aug. 9.
“I feel for a lot of people and I feel their pain more than my own.” — Army Sgt. Maj. Mark Duwel
HOW TO SOLVE: Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9, each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and each set of 3 by 3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solution on page 26
SPECIAL EVENT
completing an inspection. to duty in 1950 for the Korean War, Duwel said he was moved by the where shrapnel from an exploding ceremony honoring him and the others. grenade caused eye and jaw injuries. “The Purple Heart means a whole Huckabee spent more than a year in a lot more to me and so does Memorial hospital. The injuries led to issues for Day than it would the average person,” the remainder of his life. Huckabee Duwel said. “Mostly what I see is, I died at the age of 90 on June 27, 2017. feel for a lot of people and I feel their Marine Corps Cpl. Basil “Tony” pain more than my own.” Hodge Army Spc-5 Tom Fiegel Hodge was born in Seychelles and Fiegel was wounded in Vietnam in his family moved to Merritt Island in 1970 while on a troop insertion mission. 1966. Hodge was awarded a Purple Fiegel was struck by a bullet and also Heart after being wounded in combat had helicopter fragments embedded in in Vietnam on May 14, 1967. Hodges him, though he felt lucky because the also was awarded two Gold Stars after use of a vest may have saved his life. being wounded in 1967 and 1968. Army Sgt. Jim Huckabee For more information about the Huckabee served his country in Military Order of the Purple Heart, World War II and was called back visit purpleheart.org. SL
Patriot Day events
Sept. 5 • 7:30 a.m. Melbourne Fire Dept. 9/11 Memorial 5K Eau Gallie Square, 1453 Highland Ave. Sept. 10 • 9 to 10 a.m. City of Rockledge 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony 1600 Huntington Lane Musical tributes, speakers and a wreath-laying ceremony For information, call 321-221-7540.
Sept. 11 • The Avenue Viera: Remember Sept. 11th 9:50 a.m. — Ceremony featured guest speaker retired Rear Admiral Jim Underwood 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Flowers and flags will be available for guests to leave at the site or take with them in memory of the fallen. 9/11 Memorial, across from the
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Sept. 11 • 5 - 6:30 p.m. 25th annual Commemoration of the attacks on America Brevard Veterans Memorial Center Park Amphitheater 400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway Merritt Island Sept. 11 • 8 p.m. (Sept. 12 through Oct. 18) “Come From Away” The Tony Award-winning musical about passengers who found themselves stranded in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland on Sept. 11, 2001. Titusville Playhouse, 301 Julia St. For information, call 321-268-1125.
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Let’s do launch: The best Space Coast spots to watch rockets BY MIKE GAFFEY With more than 100 rocket launches a year from the Space Coast, locals and visitors have a good chance of catching a spectacular liftoff nearly every week. SpaceX uses pad 39A to launch Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets, and is expanding the site to accommodate Starship launches. Space Launch Complex 39B sent Apollo rockets and space shuttles into orbit and currently is used for NASA’s Artemis program. Space Launch Complex 40 has hosted more than 325 Falcon 9 launches and is the site of a new landing pad for returning Falcon boosters. And United Launch Alliance Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur rockets lift off from Space Launch Complex 41. So where are the best places in Brevard County to witness a launch? Start with the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, close to the launch pads, where many rockets start their journey into orbit. At the Main Visitor Complex at Space Commerce Way on Merritt Island, a viewing area with live launch commentary and minimal viewing obstructions is next to the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit at the North Atlantis Lawn. Ticketed visitors can see rockets blasting off from six to seven miles away. At the Banana Creek Launch Viewing Area adjacent to the visitor complex’s Apollo/Saturn V Center, ticketed guests who pay an additional charge can sit in outdoor bleachers
and see and hear rockets thundering skyward from pads four to six miles away. The experience includes a digital photo, launch audio, a video feed and live commentary. Available in addition to daily admission, The Gantry at LC-39 is about three miles from pads 40 and 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Guests can watch from the Gantry observation desk, bleacher seating or an open lawn area. The site doesn’t offer views of launches from pads 39A or 39B due to safety restrictions. For a standard day pass of $15, visitors to Jetty Park at Port Canaveral can get within eight to 15 miles of launches. The Port is the closest to Space Launch Complex 36, which serves as Blue Origin’s pad for its New Glenn rocket. However, the pad is undergoing extensive repairs after a rocket explosion during a static fire test May 28. Jetty Park and the Port are also prime spots to see SpaceX and Blue Origin boosters returning to the Port. For free viewing spots, launch watchers like Playalinda Beach in Canaveral National Seashore. Visitors can walk along the beach to within five miles of the closest pad. In Titusville, launch watchers park along U.S. 1 or visit Space View Park at 10 Broad St., which offers clear, direct views of pads 39A, 39B, 40, and 41 from across the Indian River. “Space View Park is nine miles away from Kennedy Space Center, and it’s the best place to see the Artemis pad,” said Mark Marquette,
SENIOR LIFE Mike Gaffey
Spectators gather along the Indian River in Titusville as Artemis II lifts off from Kennedy Space Center’s Space Launch Complex 39B in April.
the director of the American Space Museum & Walk of Fame at 308 Pine St., three blocks from the park. “You
see all of the four active pads right in front of you.” Many prefer to watch from the A. Max Brewer Bridge for free, elevated views above the Indian River and across from the four pads. Several Space Coast hotels provide rooftop views of launches. Located across the Indian River about seven miles from Kennedy Space Center, the space-themed, fivestory Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Center at 6245 Riverfront Center Blvd., gives guests priority access to watch launches from its rooftop restaurant-lounge, The Space Bar. At Hyatt Place Cape Canaveral at 9119 Astronaut Blvd., visitors can watch launches from the seven-story hotel’s rooftop Altitude 360 Sky Bar & Observation Deck. Whether the rooftop bar is open to the public for launches or is limited to hotel guests depends on how busy the hotel is that day and whether it’s an important launch, Hyatt Place Assistant Manager Nancy Martinez said. “Usually people call the day of the launch and find out whether we’re open to the public or not,” Martinez said. Space Coast visitors unable to watch from those spots can always head to the beach from Port Canaveral south to Melbourne Beach for great launch views, Marquette said. “Anywhere on the beach is good, because the Cape juts out to the east,” he said. SL
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
Watch your step — maintain leg strength with exercises BY LILLIAN NGUYEN A few simple, daily exercises could be standing between you and a nasty fall. Maintaining lower body strength is a key to independence, mobility and fall prevention in older adults. By building leg strength, seniors can confidently manage everyday routines with ease, such as rising from a chair, climbing stairs and walking. Erica Andrews, Florentina Chua and Patrick Brown from Rockledge Health & Rehabilitation Center and Viera Health & Rehabilitation Center explained how strength, mobility and other factors can decrease the risk of falling. “If you can safely get on the ground, I would practice that every day,” Brown said. “Don’t lose that because once you lose that ability to get on the ground, it’s hard to regain that.” The three of them gave a
SENIOR LIFE Jorjann Blake
Michelle Jefferson, a certified fitness instructor, demonstrates a bridge, an important exercise to help strengthen the legs and lower body. demonstration titled “Keep Moving “Your body is designed to move, creating energy. with Confidence: Fall Prevention So, it’s best to focus on continuous movement.” Beyond Balance” on Aug. 12 at One
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Senior Place at 8085 Spyglass Hill Road in Melbourne. Seniors learned a few of the best practical exercises that can be done at home: Exercise 1 — Knee marching Knee marching builds muscle strength in the ankles, hips and legs. Start by standing, facing forward, with your feet together and arms at your sides. Raise one knee as high as comfortable then lower it. As you bring the knee up, shift your weight onto your other leg. Switch legs and repeat, as if you were marching. Exercise 2 — Bridges Start by lying down on your back on a flat surface, such as a bed or the floor. Brown explains that your feet should be slid up under your knees, before raising your hips; “You’re
just lifting your bottom up and that stabilizes all the muscles in the hip.” Exercise 3 — Side leg raise Stand behind a chair or something similar that you can hold onto with your feet slightly apart. Slowly lift your left leg to the side. Your toes should be facing forward and your back should remain straight as you face straight forward. Hold your leg up for 10 seconds before slowly lowering it to the floor. Repeat with the other leg. With these exercises, the ultimate goal is to strengthen the lower body. “Your body is designed to move, creating energy. So, it’s best to focus on continuous movement,” said Michelle Jefferson, a fitness instructor at Pro Health and Fitness in Viera. SL
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Behind the
By Randal C. Hill
At one time, silly novelty songs were commonplace on the radio. The 1950s brought us “The Purple People Eater” (Sheb Wooley) and “The Chipmunk Song” (the Chipmunks). The next decade offered “Alley Oop” (the Hollywood Argyles) and “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh” (Alan Sherman). But when shots unexpectedly rang out in Dallas on a bright, sunny Friday in November 1963, nothing on the radio seemed funny anymore. Flash forward to the fall of 1976. Rick Dees (born Rigdon Osmond Dees III in 1950) was a fun-loving Memphis radio disc jockey who had earned a reputation for creating preposterous promotions such as the world’s largest fruitcake (3,000 pounds), the world’s largest jelly doughnut (300 pounds), the world’s largest lollipop (150 pounds), and the world’s largest T-shirt (9 feet by 14 feet). In the mid-1970s, disco reigned as a dominant musical force, and disco is what DJ Dees hyped as a part-time hustle at a local club, where he spun records and cracked jokes. Sensing that the time was right for a disco
Beat
‘Disco Duck’ — Rick Dees parody, and recalling a 1966 dance hit called “The Duck” by singer Jackie Lee, Dees came up with “Disco Duck” after hearing a fellow named Ken Pruitt making silly duck noises at a gym where the two worked out. See if you can spot the error in Dees’ lyrics: Went to a party the other night All the ladies were treatin’ me right Movin’ my feet to the disco beat How in the world could I keep my seat?
SENIOR LIFE photo
As part of a joke, Rick Dees wrote “Disco Duck.”
All of a sudden I began to change I was on the dance floor actin’ strange Flappin’ my arms, I began to cluck Look at me, I’m the disco duck Dees found a minor-league Memphis recording home —
Freetone Records — for “Disco Duck.” Before long, Dees’ yukproducing novelty began earning radio airplay throughout the South and eventually appearing poised to go nationwide. As a result, Freetone, for $3,500, leased the recording master to the powerful RSO label, an outfit that was keeping the charts afire with one peppy Bee Gees hit after another.
RSO mogul Al Coury admitted later, “I didn’t even want to hear it.” He didn’t mind doing a bit of research, though. “I don’t generally use my kids as a barometer, but I’ve got to admit they made me think about the universal appeal this thing might have.” There’s little doubt that everyone involved (including Dees) watched in slack-jawed astonishment as the wacky tune rocketed to the peak of the Billboard charts and eventually sold a reported six million copies. RSO rushed out an LP called “The Original Disco Duck,” which struggled to No. 157 on the album sales lists. The next single pulled from that record was “Dis-Gorilla,” a romp describing the joys of a discodancing gorilla. But it never hit, and follow-up 45s tanked. Apparently, the record-buying public had had enough of such foolishness. Did you spot the lyrical faux pas? Ducks don’t cluck. They quack. Chickens cluck. But then, how hip would something called “Disco Chicken” have sounded? SL
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321-751-6771 OneSeniorPlace.com
SENIO L E N R JO Friday, October 23 A P E B& C R 10AM - 1PM U Healthy Living Day! VO O Friday S LU E One Senior Place Friday, October 23 N R October 1 8085 Spyglass Hill Rd, Viera, FL 32905 N10AM -10AM-12PM 1PM at
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Mental Health Body Mass Index Sugar Glucose Testing Learn You Young Demo Lunch & Oxygen No experience SpO2% necessary! Sugar Glucose Testing Pulse Testing Tony Ingram Learn Presented by: Presented by: Instruction by: SpO2%You’ll Oxygenbe able to speak Viera Lead Social Work Pulse Testing Mikeby:Peterson with local organizations Chef Cox Presented Instruction by: ArthurPresented VA Healthcare System Otoscope Ear Checks by:Mike Martinez, seeking capable seniors Mike Peterson Chef Arthur Cox Mike Martinez, MA, LMHC Otoscope Ear Checks Lisa Peake Eye Exam MA, LMHC lookingMini for various One Senior Place Mini Eye Exam Sponsored by: opportunities. Care Management Professional Shoe Sizing Sponsored by: ClinCloud Professional Shoe Sizing ClinCloud Colorectal Cancer*
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HE ! Y ALT A D HY LIVING RSVP to 321-751-6771 or OneSeniorPlace.com
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SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
17
urricane Ready H
In each issue through November
NEWS, TIPS & RESOURCES
Residents should be wary of storm-related scams BY CHRIS BONANNO
There can be a lot of stress brought on by the threat from and the aftermath of a tropical cyclone. Unfortunately, that angst can be exacerbated by scammers. State attorney Will Scheiner, of the 18th Judicial Circuit that includes Brevard and Seminole counties, offered tips to help residents stay one step ahead. He first pointed to three red flags that people should watch out for. The first of those red flags is dealing with contractors who are not licensed or insured. “The second is, they’re going to tell you that ‘We need a substantial down payment for work to be done, often upwards of 50%,’ ” Scheiner said. “The third thing that we would look out for — the other roofer that came to you that is licensed and insured in Florida and tells you that the roof is going to cost $20,000, $30,000. And this guy that pulls up in his pickup truck or his car, tells you it’s going to be only $10,000, 12,000 but you’ve got to give me $6,000 up front. That should be a big red flag for people. If the pricing appears to be too good to be true, it probably is.” There has also been a rise in scams related to Artificial Intelligence, Scheiner noted. “They’re really easy to do for people,” Scheiner said. “People can
do them from their home. They never have to come out to do them.” Scammers are stealing people’s voices, voices of loved ones and they’re calling or they’re sending messages that appear to be from a relative or friend. They can send pictures and those pictures are fake but might look legitimate. Scheiner said that there have been less scamming activities in general in recent times in Florida because of good, strong laws. “When (hurricane) Milton came through, the sheriffs in both counties, myself and others, let people know and put warnings out there that if you come here and you try to take advantage, we’re going to enhance your crime (for) contracting without a license,”
he said. “Today, without a state of emergency, it can be a first-degree misdemeanor depending on the value of the contract but if you do that during a hurricane, it’s going to be a felony and it’s going to be a felony that could result in someone going to prison for five years and paying significant fines.” Scheiner added that those who are suspicious of fraudulent activity should contact their local law enforcement agency. “The worst that can happen is that you weren’t scammed or it’s just a bad civil contract and they’ll tell you that,” Scheiner said. “But you’re better off reporting it so you have that report in hand, so God forbid if any of your money is taken, we can start that process of getting it back.” SL
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18 SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
Imposter Scams
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff will never ask for bank information, Social Security number or charge fees for applications for home inspections. • Similarly, utility companies such as Florida Power & Light will never demand instant payment up front.
Help! I’ve been scammed!
NOW LEASING 55+ active community. Go to riseviera.com or call 321-421-0028 for current specials
Motorized Screens for Lanais Bahamas, Accordions, Colonials and more.
• Always verify contractor credentials by using MyFloridaLicense.com. • Ask for proof of liability insurance. • Dishonest contractors might demand large deposits upfront, then disappear without doing any work.
• Research nonprofits using the online Check-A-Charity tool at csapp.fdacs.gov/CSPublicApp/CheckACharity/ CheckACharity.aspx. Fake charities often spring up after a disaster.
NMLS #341166
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Unlicensed Contractor Fraud
Charity Scams
Leslie Guerry, Senior Loan Officer
Call 321-749-7663
Scams to watch out for during hurricane season
• If you have been scammed or suspect someone of being a scammer, call your local police department or the Brevard County Sheriff ’s Office non-emergency line at 321-264-5100. • Unlicensed contractors can be reported to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Unlicensed Activity Hotline at 1-866-5321440. You can file a report through MyFloridaLegal. com or by calling 1-866966-7226 to alert state investigators of criminal activity.
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NORTH BREVARD
News for Titusville, Mims & Port St. John
Titusville awards recognize organizations’ environmental stewardship BY FLORA REIGADA
The Titusville Garden Club and other groups were recently recognized for their environmental stewardship. The Club was honored at Titusville’s second Sustainability Leadership Awards, held at the Vine and Olive Restaurant. “The award recognizes the efforts of those advancing the city’s Sustainability Action Plan to balance economic growth, environmental protection and social equity,” said Lily Galleo, the Sustainability Program coordinator for the City of Titusville. “It is citizen-nominated and citizen-awarded. Anyone in the City can nominate a group, business or citizen action.” First place was awarded to the Titusville Garden Club for its environmental stewardship and conservation efforts, and for providing more than 200 native plants to cultivate after the winter freeze. The group’s plants have taken root throughout town, in yards, in front of businesses, schools and organizations such as the Disabled American Veterans on North Singleton Avenue, the Titusville Garden Club on Sisson Road and Oak Park Elementary School on Dairy Road.
321-242-1235
Second place went to NuVision Builders, which advances low-impact construction. Third place went to Tide and Tare,
“Our members do a tremendous amount of work and it’s gratifying to know it’s appreciated.”
— Ellen Malloy, president of the Titusville Garden Club a mobile refill and eco-shop. Nominees were also recognized. They are Bruce Chastain, Yellow Door Bakery, UBreakiFix and Miracle City Mountain Biking. The award presenters were Titusville Mayor Andrew Connors and City Council members. “We are excited about receiving the award,” said Ellen Malloy, the president of the Titusville Garden Club. “Our members do a tremendous amount of work and it’s gratifying to know it’s appreciated. We were awarded a beautiful magnolia tree that will grace our grounds.” Members share their vast knowledge of plants, those that thrive
SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of City of Titusville
Winners of the Titusville’s Sustainability Leadership Awards display their certificates. Titusville Mayor Andrew Connors, left, poses with representatives of the winning organizations: The Titusville Garden Club, Jenny Morris; NuVision Builders, Mark Ledford; Tide and Tare, Hale Lawson; and City Council members Jo Lynn Nelson, Dr. Sarah Stoeckel and Megan Moscoso. in Florida and those that do not. Tree by tree, bush by bush, flower by flower, they are making Titusville a more beautiful, eco-friendly place. The Titusville Garden Club Tree Farm is at 1230½ Thoreau St. in Titusville. The Titusville Garden Club Event Center and Gardens is located at 5275 Sisson Road. Meetings are
held at 9:30 a.m. the first Wednesday of the month and are open to the community. For more information, visit them on facebook.com/profile. php?id=100063489101690. Find out more about the Titusville Sustainability Action Plan, check out the website titusville.com/3081/ Sustainability-Action-Plan. SL
SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
19
TIME TO TRAVEL
Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum
SENIOR LIFE R. Norman Moody
Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum displays a collection of Spanish artifacts recovered from the Atocha, a Spanish galleon that remained sunken for nearly 370 years. The Atocha was part ot the 1715 fleet consisting of 11 Spanish galleons and one French ship.
Mel Fisher museum — treasure, history just a short drive away BY R. NORMAN MOODY
Matt Bosse had driven by Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum on U.S. 1 in Sebastian, unaware of the treasures inside. The museum displays some of the treasures of the Atocha, a Spanish galleon that remained sunken for nearly 370 years, until it was discovered by Mel Fisher and his crew. They salvaged the motherlode in 1985 after a 16-year search. The crew also uncovered the Henrietta Marie, an English merchant slave ship. “The museum is very interesting,” said Bosse, a Palm Bay resident, after he and his wife, Sabrina, visited. “I had never been here before.” The museum, at 1322 U.S.1 in Sebastian, is less than an hour’s drive from almost anywhere in Brevard County. From Melbourne or Palm Bay it is a straight drive south on U.S.1. It takes about two hours to visit the museum.
Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum, which is open daily, is located on U.S. 1 in Sebastian. In addition to treasures from the Atocha, the museum also displays a collection of Spanish artifacts from the Santa Margarita and the 1715 fleet. The fleet, 11 Spanish galleons and one French ship, had set sail from Cuba and went down in a storm off the coast of Sebastian. “There is a lot more than expected,”
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Sabrina Bosse said of the treasures displayed in the museum. As visitors enter the museum, it is suggested to start in the theater, where visitors can watch a film about the search and the discovery of the treasure. Visitors can take a leisurely stroll through the museum admiring the jewelry, artifacts, silver and coins. It offers interactive screens. Visitors can purchase coins, jewelry and many other items in the museum’s gift shop. James Milucky of Palm Bay stopped to take in the museum as he introduced his friend, Reba Bland, to some Central Florida attractions. Bland was visiting from Oxford, Mississippi. “I love it here,” Milucky said. “I am taking her to all the wonderful places. I’ve been to the museum in Key West.” The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West holds more of the treasure that Fisher and his crew salvaged. Children, 6 to 12 years old, entering the museum are given a questionnaire and pencil to fill-in the blanks in an interactive treasure hunt game. Admission to Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum in Sebastian is $8 for general admission, $6 for seniors and military, and $4 for children 5 to 12 years old. There is a coupon (available at the museum) for $5 off the admission for groups of two or more.
SENIOR LIFE R. Norman Moody
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. There are several restaurants near the museum for lunch after a visit. Just next door is the Mo-Bay Grill. Just down the road is Blackfins at Capt. Hiram Resort. For more information about the museum, visit melfisher.com/ sebastian.html or call 772-589-0435. SL
SENIOR LIFE R. Norman Moody
James Milucky of Palm Bay invited his friend, Reba Bland, who was visiting from Oxford, Mississippi, to Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum.
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Your New Home Awaits — But Not for Long
With only 3 Assisted Living apartments still available, now is the time to schedule your tour and secure your place.
Call to Schedule a Tour INDEPENDENT LIVING ASSISTED LIVING MEMORY CARE
The only local community rated for a Category 4 hurricane.
In Gratitude for Your Service: Veteran Discounts Available Stay connected! Follow us on Facebook to stay updated on all of our exciting and engaging events — you won’t want to miss out! Assisted Living License AL #13616
777 Roy Wall Blvd., Rockledge
321-549-3980
ALURASENIORLIVING.COM 321-242-1235
SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
21
September
BATTLE OF THE HORNS Featuring: Dan Wilborn & Friends
2 - 4 p.m. • Sunday, Sept. 13
Brevard Veterans Memorial Center Gray Hall, 400 S. Sykes Creek Pkwy. Merritt Island
Admission — $30 members $35 guests, students free
spacecoastjazzsociety.org
SUNDAY
MONDAY
PATRIOT
Day
EVENTS See page 12
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TUESDAY National Forgiveness Day
Paint it Purple: A Night for Alzheimer's 4 - 6 p.m. Create a vase to benefit the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771 Gold, Silverand Antique Buying Event Sept. 1, 2, 3 and 4 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Fairfield Inn Viera 2400 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-258-9109
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WEDNESDAY
2
National V-J Day
Who Will Speak For You? 10 - 11 a.m. Estate Planning Seminar. Health First Center for Caregivers 3661 S. Babcock St. Melbourne 321-434-7625
3
THURSDAY
Hello! A Concerto Concert Sept. 2 and 3 7 p.m. Melbourne Community Orchestra. Melbourne Auditorium 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. Melbourne 321-285-6724
Senior Billiards Indoor Walking 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. 8 - 9:30 a.m. Sandrift Community DRS Community Center Center 1089 S. Patrick Drive 585 N. Singleton Ave. Satellite Beach Titusville, 321-264-5037 321-777-8764
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FRIDAY
National National Bartender Newspaper Day Carrier Day Lakeside Social Viera Grand Opening Sept. 4 to Sept. 7 11 a.m. Four day event featuring live music, DJs, food, drinks vendors and kids area. Lakeside Social 2431 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-777-7575 S.H.I.N.E. Counseling 1 - 4 p.m. Cocoa Library 308 Forrest Ave. Cocoa, 321-633-1792
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SATURDAY SATURDAY
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National Hummingbird Day
Melbourne 9/11 Memorial 5K 7:30 a.m. Run or walk. Eau Gallie Square 1453 Highland Ave. Melbourne 321-837-3919 Melbourne Train Show 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. 100 vendor tables and several running layouts. AZAN Shriners Center 1591 W. Eau Gallie Blvd. Melbourne, 321-381-9465
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National Read a Star Trek Day Labor Day Book Day Ranger Led Tour Scottish Country Boomer Fit 3 H’s Exercise Class Dancing 9 a.m. 9 - 9:45 a.m. 10 - 11 a.m. Veterans Memorial The Happy, Healthy Each tour will be led by 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Heart program covers Center a Park Ranger and will Springs of Suntree Holiday Springs all the elements to keep 400 S. Sykes Creek focus on common plants 8300 Road Parkway you strong, energetic and animals found in the Suntree, 321-427-3587 Merritt Island and flexible. sanctuary. 321-506-2231 DRS Community Center Turkey Creek Sanctuary Senior Beats 1089 S. Patrick Drive 1518 Port Malabar Blvd. 11 a.m. Satellite Beach Intro to Pickleball NE Cardio drumming 321-773-6458 Instruction Palm Bay, 321-676-6690 Cocoa Beach Senior Noon - 2 p.m. Center Learn, drill and play. 5000 Tom Warriner Blvd. Cocoa Beach Gym Cocoa Beach 321 Ramp Road 321-783-9505 Cocoa Beach, 321-868-3274
9-11 National Chocolate Remembrance Day Milkshake Day Legal Happy Hour Q & A Michael Jackson Third annual Adult SpellPanel: Are All Your Ducks in Tribute ebration a Row? 7 - 9 p.m. 5:30 - 9 p.m. 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Multimedia journey Titusville Rotary Wine and cheese. Bring through MJ’s career. your questions to ask the Melbourne Auditorium fundraiser. Titusville Garden Club attorneys. 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. 5275 Sisson Road One Senior Place Melbourne, 8085 Spyglass Hill Road fabproductionsllc.com Titusville, 321-604-6697
National Grandparents Day A Fall Concert Live Fall Concert 3 - 4 p.m. 3 p.m. Singer, Guitarist: Joshua Presented by the Keels. Community Band of Cocoa Beach Library Brevard. 550 N. Brevard Ave. Merritt Island High Cocoa Beach School 321-868-1104 100 Mustang Way Merritt Island Brevard Genealogical 321-338-6210 Society 9:30 - 11 a.m. Cocoa Library 308 Forrest Ave. Cocoa, 615-504-2041
Mayflower National Online Day Learning Day On The Job: The Special Needs Trust Rhythm of the Daily Seminar Grind Concert 10 a.m. Presented by elder law September 16 and 17 7 p.m. attorney William A. Presented by the Johnson. Melbourne Municipal One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Band. Melbourne Auditorium Viera, 321-751-6771 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. Melbourne 321-724-0555
Conwtitutional and Air Force Citizenship Day Birthday Grow with us: A Hands- Planet Hairspray on Gardening Workshop Benefit Concert 6 - 10 p.m. 2 p.m. Learn plant propagation, Benefit for Matthew’s Hope. proper tool care and Hope simple techniques to help Matthew’s 825 Forrest Ave. your garden thrive. RSVP Cocoa, 407-905-9500 required. One Senior Place Senior Bingo 8085 Spyglass Hill Road 2:15 - 3 p.m. Eau Gallie Library Viera, 321-751-6771 1521 Pineapple Ave. Melbourne 321-631-2749
Pepperoni National Pecan Pizza Day Cookie Day Ranger Led Tour History Lecture: “The Amazing Airlift: How 10 - 11 a.m. Each tour will be led by Harry Truman Saved a Park Ranger and will West Berlin” - 4 p.m. focus on common plants 3 Mieczkowski and animals found in the Professor discusses details sanctuary. concerning the Amazing Turkey Creek Sanctuary Airlift which saved West 1518 Port Malabar Blvd. Berlin during WWll . NE Cocoa Beach Library Palm Bay, 321-676-6690 550 N. Brevard Ave. Cocoa Beach 321-868-1104
National National National Cherries National Pancake Daaughter's Day Centenarian's Day Day Jubilee Day Walk to End alzheimer’s Lunch and Learn Bingo Vintage Vibes Concert Music at the Manor 8 a.m. - registration. Noon - 1 p.m. 11:30 a.m. Series 7 - 9 p.m. One mile walk to City speaker series: Palm Bay Senior Center 3 - 4 p.m. Live music performed benefit the Alzheimer’s Contracting for your 1275 Culver Drive, NE New Horizons Jazz band by local bands. Bring Association. act.alz.org home. Palm Bay, 321-724-1338 in concert. a chair, blanket and Cocoa Riverfront Park Satellite Beach Civic Satellite Beach Civic snacks. 401 Riveredge Blvd. Jazzercise Lo Center Center Field Manor Cocoa, 386-748-8527 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. 565 Cassia Blvd. 565 Cassia Blvd. 750 Field Manor Drive Low impact. Satellite Beach Satellite Beach Merritt Island Health Fair Wickham Park Senior 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. 321-773-4407 321-773-6458 321-848-0365 Center Palm Bay Senior Center 2785 Leisure Way 1275 Culver Drive N.E. Melbourne Palm Bay, 321-724-1338 Pre sen tin g Spo ns 321-255-4494 or
National Good Gold Star Mother's Neighbor Day and Family Day Running Wild Trail 5K Isaac Campbell Seniors 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 7:30 a.m. Social, recreational and Fundraiser for the Florida Wildlife Hospital. educational activities.. Isaac Campbell Park Wickham Park 701 South Street 2500 Parkway Drive Titusville, 321-264-5040 Melbourne 321-254-8843 Shuffleboard 9 - 11 a.m. Open place. Wickham Park Senior Center 2785 Leisure Way Melbourne 321-255-4494
National Coffee Day Watercolors Made Easy 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Both beginners and intermediates are welcome. Nancy Higgs Community Center 500 Old Florida Trail Melbourne Beach 321-952-3210
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Learn Conversational Spanish with Marioli 10 - 11 a.m. This is a beginner class. Cocoa Beach Library 550 N. Brevard Ave. Cocoa Beach 321-868-1104 Indoor Walking 8 - 9:30 a.m. DRS Community Center 1089 S. Patrick Drive Satellite Beach 321-777-8764
Viera, 321-751-6771
CPR Training 6 - 8 p.m. Titusville Fire Department 550 S. Washington Ave. Titusville, 321-567-3804
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Bingo 10 a.m. Wickham Park Senior Center 2785 Leisure Way Melbourne
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Turtle Krawl 5K Race 7:30 a.m. Nance Park 201 N. Miramar Ave. Indialantic runsignup.com
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Talk Like a Pirate Day Gilbert & Sullivan Unbuttoned 7 p.m. Space Coast Symphony Orchestra. Scott Center 5625 Holy Trinity Drive Suntree, 855-252-7276 Meet & Greet New Artists 7 - 10 p.m. Wine, desserts and hors d'oeuvres will be served. Galleria of Art 7720 N. Wickham Road #107, Suntree 321-338-9787
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H S A B R E M BOO FEST SENIOR
ntree 7, Rockledge/Su ect • Enjoy Location: Route nn el • Protect • Co • Live • Play • Trav
Y, NOV. 6 A ID R F . .M P 1 . 9 A.M
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David Weekley Homeowners Lori Rust & Kevin Jordan
COMING SOON:
RESTORE AT VIERA Inspired living from Encore by David Weekley Homes is on its way to Restore at Viera, a 55+ lifestyle community located within the master-planned community of Viera in Melbourne, FL! Here, you’ll soon delight in the ideal balance of livability and outstanding design, where you can gather with family and friends, unwind and relax in your Owner’s Retreat, and enjoy a vibrant community with your neighbors.
Join our VIP List and be among the first to receive exclusive updates on Restore at Viera by contacting 407-984-4050
Explore Your Future in Viera Encore by David Weekley Homes communities are age-restricted. See a David Weekley Homes Sales Consultant for a copy of the restrictions and other details. Prices, plans, dimensions, features, specifications, materials, and availability of homes or communities are subject to change without notice or obligation. Illustrations are artist’s depictions only and may differ from completed improvements. Copyright © 2026 David Weekley Homes - All Rights Reserved. CBC1256705 Weekley Homes, LLC. Orlando, FL (ORL-26-005332)
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SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
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CROSSWORD 13. In a bit 14. Style 15. Roll of bills 16. Literally, “I forbid” 17. Manage 18. Deli need 20. All ___ 22. Brusque 23. Lucky emblem 27. Blackens by fire 29. Substantially 30. Order’s partner 31. Habit 32. It might be sticky 33. Sit in the sun 34. Brew 35. Place for recyclables 36. Miss America quality 37. Transcendental thinker 39. Negligible 40. Food is often tossed in it 41. Classic theater name 44. Yearn 47. “Paradise Lost,” e.g. 49. Doze 50. It may be about a foot? 51. Regatta 52. Moniker 53. Stated 54. Made tracks 55. Like some grins © Lovatts Puzzles
ACROSS 1. ___ de guerre 4. Toupees
24 SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
8. Halted ship, ___ to 12. Role in Haydn’s “The Creation”
DOWN 1. Part of CNN 2. Elliptical 3. Gives pills to 4. Hesitates 5. Not moving 6. Landed 7. Abominable ___ 8. Tests by lifting 9. Corrida call 10. It often has sliding doors 11. Cut off 19. Pickle 21. Musical ability 24. Insurance payout applicants 25. Thousand ___, Calif. 26. Affectedly quaint 27. Pull an all-nighter 28. Sacred 29. Kicks 32. Squabbles 33. Seethe 35. Life story, in brief 36. Put 38. Like some jackets 39. Zip 42. Barbecue nugget 43. Wired 44. Beast of burden 45. Chinese brew 46. ___ polloi 48. Drivel
Solution on page 26 myseniorlife.com
THE 14TH FEATURE IN A SERIES ON 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY CHURCHES
First Baptist of Titusville continuing century-long traditions BY CHRIS BONANNO
The First Baptist Church of Titusville has been an institution in northern Brevard for more than a century. “The church dates back to 1889 when Titusville was first being established,” said Bob Granath, a deacon at the church who has been a member since 1984. The original church building near where the current one is located at 303 Main St. began serving in 1892, Granath said. Later, a building program under the direction of the Rev. Bennett F. Hall, who served at the church from 1944 to 1950, held a groundbreaking ceremony on March 6, 1949. William S. Harden became pastor in 1950 and helped lead the completion of the sanctuary in 1952. On Jan 31, 1954, “payment of all indebtedness by fifth Sunday love offerings had been made and the church was dedicated to the glory of God.” According to Danny Burnham, the lead pastor, an adjacent building on campus was also completed in 1958. “There is a significance to it,” said Burnham, of the church’s history. “I do realize that we carry a responsibility for the legacy of the church and I tell the congregation all the time, I certainly don’t want to be the last pastor of the church. I really want to be just another pastor in a line of pastors. If we do what we’re called to do, then this church outlasts all of us.” The evolution of the space program has also been a driving force behind the church’s momentum throughout the years, Granath noted. “The church was impacted by people very early on in the space program,” Granath said. “We had some people who came down very early in the early days out in the Cape, and as the membership rose with the buildup of the Apollo program during the 1960s, the membership grew to the point where we had to have multiple services on Sunday to get everybody in during the late 1960s, during the peak of the buildup towards Apollo.” Granath added that Peter Lord, who was pastor during the late 1960s, decided that the church needed to build a sister church because it had gotten so big. It became Park Avenue Baptist Church at 2600 Park Ave. in Titusville. Granath added that membership ebbed as the Apollo program wound down in the 1970s. “Then, about 1980, the Rev. Ray Johnson came here as pastor and it started ramping up again with the space shuttle program,” Granath said. “And we saw it dip a little bit when the space shuttle program ended.” Granath added that the multi-use nature at the Kennedy Space Center could preclude such ebbs moving
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SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of First Baptist Church of Titusville
The original First Baptist building once stood near the current sanctuary. forward. “As all that began building up in the last few years, so has our membership,” he said. Today, the church appears to be thriving, with Burnham indicating a community with a membership that is “probably in the 300 range.” Despite First Baptist Church of Titusville having a building that is an “iconic Baptist facility,” as Burnham put it, the church has a more informal feel.
“One of the things that I love about the congregation is that there’s really nobody in this congregation that would consider themselves better than anybody,” Burnham said. The church, located at 303 Main St., offers a small group Bible study at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday and worship services at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. “Personality-wise, I think this is the best match that I’ve had in my ministerial career,” said Burnham,
SENIOR LIFE Chris Bonanno
The First Baptist Church of Titusville is located at 303 Main St. who has been a pastor for about 25 years at several churches. The campus also hosts Iglesia Bautista Manantial de Amor, which holds Sunday school at 11 a.m. and a Spanish church service at 12:15 p.m. every Sunday. SL
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BCOA NEWS Brevard Commission on Aging
BCOA meetings are open to the public and are held the second Thursday of each month at the Government Center in Viera. For information, contact Cindy Short at 321-633-2076, FAX 321-633-2170 or email cindy. short@brevardfl.gov. BCOA is located at 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, B-106, Viera, FL 32940.
The effects of polypharmacy is a growing concern for seniors September is recognized as Healthy Aging Month, a time to encourage older adults to focus on wellness, preventive care and maintaining independence. One important topic that deserves attention is polypharmacy, which refers to the use of multiple medications at the same time. While medications can play a vital role in managing chronic conditions, taking too many medications can increase the risk of side effects, drug interactions, confusion and even hospitalization. As people age, they are more likely to develop multiple health
conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis and osteoporosis. Each condition may require one or more medications, resulting in a complex medication regimen. It is not uncommon for seniors to take five, 10, or even more prescriptions and over-the-counter medications daily. Unfortunately, the more medications a person takes, the greater the risk of adverse drug events. One of the most challenging times for medication management occurs when a senior is discharged from the hospital and returns home. During a hospital stay, medications are often
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started, stopped or adjusted based on the patient’s immediate health needs. When the patient is discharged, they may receive a lengthy medication list that differs significantly from what they were taking before admission. This transition can leave seniors and caregivers asking an important question: “Which medications am I actually supposed to take?” Confusion may arise when previous medications are still sitting in the medicine cabinet while new prescriptions have been added. Some discharge instructions can be difficult to understand, especially when multiple specialists are involved in a patient’s care. As a result, patients may accidentally continue discontinued medications, skip important new medications or take duplicate therapies. Medication-related confusion after hospitalization can lead to serious consequences, including falls, adverse drug reactions, emergency room visits, and preventable hospital readmissions. For this reason,
medication reconciliation is critical. Seniors should review their medications with their primary care provider, pharmacist or care coordinator as soon as possible after discharge. Bringing all prescription bottles, over-the-counter products, vitamins and supplements to appointments can help identify discrepancies and ensure an accurate medication list. Healthy Aging Month serves as a valuable reminder that medication safety is an essential part of aging well. Seniors and caregivers should feel empowered to ask questions, request clarification and regularly review medications with healthcare professionals. By simplifying medication regimens when appropriate and ensuring clear communication during care transitions, older adults can reduce the risks associated with polypharmacy and maintain a healthier, safer quality of life. SL — Deidra Shubert MS, BCBA, CPD, CADDCT
SUDOKU
Available in many formats, readers still turn to the printed Bible
CROSSWORD
Puzzle, page 12
Puzzle, page 24
26 SENIOR LIFE • SEPTEMBER 2026
New books continue to roll off the press even with the availability of multiple digital resources. Have you read a good book lately? Did you like to turn the paper pages? Have you read the most printed book and the most read book? For centuries before Gutenberg in 1462 started mass-producing the Bible, people were reading hand-printed editions. Wealthy people were able to get copies along with the clergy. We heard the readings as part of our church rituals and sermons. Reading the Bible was awkward and complicated. For instance, in Chapter 3 of Genesis: “The serpent said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of the tree in the midst of the garden? She replied: God hath said Ye shall not eat of it.” We know the rest of the story. Through the years, new translations and modern language versions have been published. The Bible is often difficult to read cover-to-cover. Several Daily Walk Bibles have been published that help you read the Bible in 365 days. Father Mike Schmitz has an Apple podcast that covers the Bible in a year. My son, Mike, recently received a contemporary Bible for his 65th birthday. He started reading. When I checked on his progress, he replied: “I’m at the point where this woman gives a guy an apple to eat, and they both got into trouble with God.” Well, that’s a start. Interestingly enough, many seniors begin soul searching and have concerns about their spirituality after retirement. Reading the Bible
Challenges of Living to Age 100 Ed Baranowski often becomes a daily routine. The collection of incredible stories, prose, parables, poetry, mystery and guidance is often hard to navigate alone. Faith groups of most religions host Bible Study and religious discussion sessions. Catholic churches offer study groups, the Knights of Columbus cor (Latin for heart) study plan, and Live4More Discipleship programs. Protestant churches have many programs. Alpha USA is popular with study workbooks, guides and video support. Jewish congregations offer various age-level programs focusing on the Old Testament. Some may ask: Why bother? Stories about the hereafter and eternity, however, seem to resonate more during our senior life. Reading the Bible may or may not prepare you for entrance through the pearly gates, but you never know if there will be a snap quiz. I just checked the last Bible Book Revelation. SL Ed Baranowski is an award-winning writer, artist, speaker and seminar leader. He lives in Melbourne and can be contacted at fast75sr@gmail.com.
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1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door wagon
Owner: Fred Firsching
This Bel Air wagon has an ATK 383 engine and a 204 automatic transmission. Fred Firsching has owned the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air for more than five years. When he bought the vehicle, it was partly restored. Firsching drives it several times a week.
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