Senior Life, June 2020

Former lawyer turns to farming Page 18

VOLUME 23

ISSUE 2

June 2020

OF FLORIDA

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Getting ready for hurricane season

HURRICANE INSERT Pages 16 & 17

Free hurricane kits for seniors Story, page 29

• • • • • •

What to do Emergency Kits Emergency Management 2020 Hurricane Season Hurricane Names FPL – Ready to Respond

BE PREPARED 2020 Season

SENIOR LIFE Adam Palumbo

Peggie LaPointe, left, and Theresa Russell assemble hurricane kits for distribution to seniors in the community.

Safe, scenic hikes, page 3

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FROM THE

E ditor

There’s still plenty to do safely outdoors during the pandemic What do you do during social distancing? Even with most parks, businesses and other facilities opening again, we still are advised to keep our distance.

So, what can you do to not just sit at home? There are things you can do and still keep your distance from others if we follow the experts’ recommended precautions.

Check out some of our stories in this month’s edition of Senior Life that will give you some ideas on activities that you can do and still maintain your distance.

To keep away from the crowds but still be able to get out and get some fresh air and exercise, I have been doing some hiking. I have discovered many neat hiking trails right here in Brevard County.

So, to share some of those trails with you, we included a story on hiking. It will point you to some of the trails we have here on the Space Coast that in addition to allowing you to get out and enjoy the outdoors, also offer good exercise while gyms still are restricted by social distancing.

If hiking is not for you and you still want something outdoors away from crowds that is relaxing, how about fishing? We bring you a story on fishing. And, best of all, seniors will not need a fishing license if you are a Florida resident. Take a look at the information about licenses we provide in the story.

In this edition, you also will find stories about what your neighbors and others are doing to help the community cope with the coronavirus.

As we already were reminded by Arthur, the first tropical storm of the season that came early, hurricane season is upon us. June 1 to November 30 is hurricane season. We have included a lot of information on hurricane preparedness. If you are a longtime resident, refresh your preparedness and get your hurricane kit ready.

If you are new to Florida, make sure you follow instructions and recommendations of the experts to be sure you are well prepared in case a major storm comes our way. SL

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Space Coast offers lots of options to get hooked on fishing

BY GEORGE WHITE Brevard County residents are in proximity to a variety of socialdistance-friendly fishing spots, freshwater, and saltwater, that could represent a healthy new normal hobby.

This could be especially true for seniors older than 65 who are exempt from fishing license requirements.

The St. Johns River and its lakes can hold a variety of freshwater species such as bluegill and bass, but there also are opportunities for channel catfish and mudfish. Local author and fisherman Rodney Smith wrote “Catching Made Easy and Enjoying Life on the Indian River Lagoon Coast.”

“The private lakes are good and surprisingly we have a lot of local waters that have non-native, but exotic species like tilapia which can get relatively large,’’ he said.

Bank fishing, where allowed, is the perfect hobby for social distancing and getting some fresh air, whether or not it turns into a successful trip, he said.

“It’s a good thing to do and it’s fun even if you don’t catch a fish,’’ Smith said.

Just over the Pineda Causeway, a 20-minute drive away, is the Atlantic Ocean where beaches have now reopened to surf fishing. That’s another way to have fun and be safe, according to longtime surf fishing guide and blogger John Detmer.

“With surf fishing, you can maintain your safe distances and it’s not as cumbersome as other (measures to prevent the spread of the virus),’’ he said.

The hobby not only provides fresh saltwater species fish, but it is a way to get a cardio-vascular workout in while walking through sand and handling the gear.

SENIOR LIFE George White

John Detmer enjoys surf fishing.

“Surf fishing with friends or family just makes the day fun. Sometimes you’ll have six poles — two for each fisherman — and you can sit in lawn chairs at least 6 feet apart at one end to see which pole gets a hit. If it’s yours, you have to get out of your chair, run like crazy, set the hook and land the fish. That’s the cardio part,’’ he said.

In freshwater fishing, you are exempt from fishing license requirements if you are a Florida resident 65 years of age or older and you possess proof of age and residency.

That could be a Florida driver’s license or ID, or an optional no-cost Resident 65+ Hunting and Fishing Certificate.

In saltwater fishing, ages 65 and older also are exempt with proof of age and residency, such as a Florida driver’s license or identification card.

For more information on fishing regulations and fees, go to myfwc.com.

SL

Experts say there’s no shortage of hiking trails in Brevard

BY GEORGE WHITE If somebody tells you to take a hike in Brevard County, take them up on it.

There are many, mostly flat, trails along the Space Coast thanks in large part to land purchases by the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) program.

Just ask author Sandra Friend of Titusville, who has written several hiking guides covering this region for SENIOR LIFE George White Floridahikes.com. She wrote “50 Hikes Malabar Scrub Sanctuary Trail is a in Central Florida,” which includes 3.2-mile loop trail. sections on local hikes in the Merritt For longer hikes, she suggests trying Island National Wildlife Refuge and River Lakes Conservation Area near Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, both in the Titusville area, as well as the Maritime the Viera Wetlands, featuring a 7.2 Hammock Sanctuary in Melbourne mile loop of the wide open spaces near Beach and Turkey Creek Sanctuary in the St. Johns River with the trailhead Palm Bay. at the west end of Wickham Road in “Particularly in a time when it’s Melbourne. From Wickham Road, turn important to stay local, it’s a delight right onto Power Line Road for about 50 that Brevard County has so many yards then turn left, and follow the dirt hiking options,” she said. “From the road for 3.6 miles.

St. Sebastian River Preserve State Other longer hikes include the palm Park up to the many miles at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, we’re bookended by big pieces of public land with dozens of smaller properties sprinkled across our county. Much of that is thanks to the Brevard County EEL program,’’ she said.

Closest to Viera, her top trails include: the Brevard Zoo Linear Park, a 2.6 mile boardwalk between the back of the Brevard Zoo and

By Attorney the Pineda Causeway; and in Rockledge, TRUMAN SCARBOROUGH the Helen and 239 Harrison Street, Titusville, FL Allan Cruickshank Sanctuary has a mile For A Complimentary Copy loop hike through Phone 321 267 — 4770 a scrub forest just west of U.S. 1 where Florida scrubjays are common.

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hammocks in Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area on the 4.7 mile Taylor Creek Loop on State Road 520, just west of Lone Cabbage Fish Camp.

David Newkirk of Merritt Island serves as activity leader for the Florida Trail Association covering Brevard and Indian River counties. He chose the Enchanted Forest in Titusville as a perfect place to take up hiking as a hobby.

“It’s really nice because, with all the trail options, you can make your hike as

long or as short as you want. It’s a great place for beginners,’’ he said.

The Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program was established in 1990 to protect the natural habitats of Brevard County by acquiring environmentally sensitive lands for conservation, passive recreation and environmental education. In total, EEL has now preserved more than 16,000 acres in Brevard County. SL Watch a video of Brevard County’s best hikes at youtu.be/G-wMz6wPoE8.

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Volume 23, Issue 2 Senior Life of Florida 7350 Shoppes Drive, Suite 102 Viera, FL 32940 321-242-1235

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Editor R. Norman Moody Office Manager Sylvia Montes Art Director Adam Palumbo Copy Editor Jeff Navin

Feature Writers Ernest Arico Ed Baranowski Chris Bonanno Marcia Booth Brenda Eggert Brader Sammy Haddad Chloe Ho Jennifer H. Monaghan Flora Reigada Cathleen Snow Maria Sonnenberg Henry A. Stephens John Trieste George White

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COVID-19

Helpful Articles & Resources

IMPORTANT CONTACTS: BREVARD COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WEBSITE: brevardfl.gov/emergency-event/status-reports PHONE: 321-637-6670 BREVARD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT WEBSITE: brevard.floridahealth.gov PHONE: 321-454-7111 CDC CORONA VIRUS PAGE: WEBSITE: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus

FLORIDA HEALTH CORONA VIRUS RESOURCES WEBSITE: www.floridahealthcovid19.gov PHONE: 850-245-4111 GOVERNMENT UPDATES WEBSITE: www.whitehouse.gov PHONE: 202-456 -1111 NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE - PHONE: 800-799-7233 WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION - WEBSITE: www.who.int

Churches reach out, connect with community in need

BY FLORA REIGADA With social distancing in place during the coronavirus pandemic, area churches found new and creative ways to connect with their congregations and the community.

Park Avenue Baptist Church members hung out on Instagram to put their fur babies on parade during a Family Pet Night.

Jody Kenna showcased Ollie, her Maltese and Yorkshire terrier mix.

“Ollie’s 7½ pounds are packed with personality. He will stand sentinel on the top of the sofa and watch out the window for squirrels and lizards, which he enjoys chasing.”

A variety of pets were featured. They included other dogs, a spotted lizard and a horse. Some children showed up with their favorite stuffed animals.

A celebrity in his own right, Ollie has

his own Instagram account, allthings_ ollie, with nearly 4,000 followers.

Park Avenue Baptist Church is at 2600 Park Ave. For information, go to parkavenue.org.

With incomes impacted by coronavirus shut-downs, The Grove Church helped fill the gap by serving free meals from its parking lot. Each Friday, meals were brought to recipients in their cars.

“We handed the food through open windows, without contact and prayed with people in each car,” said Barry Russell, the community pastor. “Every week, we served 400 to 800 meals.”

Area restaurants such as Third Culture Kitchen, Moonlight Drive-in and Sonny’s helped by contributing food.

“All we did was cook it and serve it,” Russell said.

The Grove Church is at 1450

Rotarians, churches mobilize to ensure there’s food to share

BY BRENDA EGGERT BRADER The South Brevard Sharing Center food distribution program has been slammed with a tremendous need to feed families. The usual ample flow of food items intended for families has multiplied since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

But, help is on the way.

“We do have a food pantry, and the center turned 50 years old last year,” said Tara Pariso, the executive director of the Sharing Center. “We were open four days a week giving out food.

Drive through is only two days a week now. We used to see between 30 and 50 households and now it is 100, 150 households a day. We are doing satellite locations like Mosaic (Methodist Church) Palm Bay and see 100, 150 families there. And then on Mondays, we have pre-made bags of groceries that go to the Evans Center in Palm Bay, a nonprofit community center. They are delivering the groceries to homebound seniors. Wednesdays, 80 bags of groceries go to Club Esteem, Inc. in Melbourne.”

Where there is a need, others seem to step in to help.

“They (South Brevard Sharing Center) have been a part of what we do for so long it has been a part of our Rotary Club,” said Taryn Rockwell, the president of the Rotary Club of Melbourne Beach. “It seems like we needed to be a part of this epidemic.

I saw a video on people needing food items and it really hit my heart to see what people are going through. It was so

321-242-1235

Harrison St. For information, go to thegrovechurchfl.org.

St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church has upgraded its website to create a virtual at home church with many resources for the body and soul.

People can stay connected in a variety of ways, such as online services, prayer phonecasts and Sunday School class on Zoom.

Rob Goodridge, the church rector, spoke of a food pantry and emergency grocery shopping for the homebound.

“Dozens of members call people, particularly those who are older, to ask how they are doing,” Goodridge said.

“They are people with big hearts.”

St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church is at 414 Pine St. For information, go to stgabriels.church. SL

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Rachael Ledford

During its weekly Friday Family Feast, members of The Grove Church served free food to those in need.

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Volunteer Coordinator Linda Mattly and Community Resource Specialist Melissa Young help to restock the food pantry at South Brevard Sharing Center. sad. That is why I reached out because that is what Rotary does. Our motto is ‘however we can help’ and we try to do that.”

The Rotarians partnered with the Sharing Center in a food drive and the food started pouring in with three onsite drop-off locations and cash donations that can be sent to mysbsc.org.

“Every Thanksgiving, we do a fun run and get people to donate perishables and monetary donations for the Sharing Center,” Rockwell said. “We usually collect $1,500 and over 200 pounds of food.”

“A month ago I would have told you it looked very bleak, but every week the community becomes stronger and every week a church comes in and brings food,” Pariso added. “Everyone has reached out, so I really do think that everything is going to work out and nobody’s hungry.” SL

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Homeless mission adhering to strict guidelines amid COVID-19 per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Brevard County officials, doctors and others appreciate that assessment.

“There were great concerns about the homeless population transmitting the virus, but we found that not to be

BY JENNIFER H. MONAGHAN People who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness — those sleeping outside or in tents — might be at risk for infection when there is a community spread of COVID-19,

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true in our county,” said Buddy Morrow, the executive director of CITA Rescue Mission (CITA).

None of the 52 men in CITA’s residential program as of May 15 had tested positive. CITA’s success in keeping that population safe was due to the strict adherence to guidelines set in accordance with regular meetings with CDC, Infectious Disease Control and State of Homelessness in Washington.

Located in Melbourne, CITA’s “goal is to take in men who are homeless and drug or alcohol addicted, work with them and get them back on their feet,” Morrow said.

Francis Csaszar, a 53-year-old homeless man who has been in CITA’s program since 2017, said, “I have no fear of contracting COVID-19. In here, it’s a stable environment. We are essentially a family with rules in place. Everybody is onboard with it.

Everybody looks out for each other.”

Some of the protocols at CITA residences are washing hands with soap for 20 seconds, sanitizing oftentouched areas every 15 minutes, social distancing and staying in. The staff wears gloves and masks. Essential workers were isolated and permission had to be obtained to leave. Violation of house rules leads to dismissal.

Despite the knowledge that his shelter is safe, Morrow said, “I have great concerns about homeless (people) not in shelter.”

SENIOR LIFE photo

Buddy Morrow is the executive director of CITA Rescue Mission.

Dr. Thomas Garvin, who works for a federally qualified community center in Brevard, shared Morrow’s concern.

“It’s a population that most of us don’t think about,” he said. “The homeless people need to have the same things we have.”

To reduce the risks of widespread coronavirus transmission, CITA, at the request of the CDC, accepted additional homeless people into its program.

Csaszar, whose job at CITA includes the intake of new residents, reported that precautions such as medical checks were taken. There are more than 60 agencies — member organizations of the Brevard Homeless Coalition — serving the homeless community in Brevard.

Brevard County’s total positive COVID-19 cases was 365 as of May 21.

The proportionate number reported for the homeless population is much lower compared to other states. SL

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SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

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Neighbors Local foundation donates gift cards to first responders

BY CHRIS BONANNO The Buena Vida Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Melbourne and affiliated with the Buena Vida Estates assisted living facility, recently showed its appreciation for first responders. It gave gift cards to first responders from the West Melbourne Police Department and Brevard County Fire Rescue stations 82 and 83.

The gift cards, which were each worth $100, were presented to 72 first responders on May 7, according to Teri Brant, the director of marketing with Buena Vida.

Among those in attendance, Brant noted, were Brevard County Fire Rescue Chief Mark Schollmeyer, Brevard County Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Scott Jurgenson, West Melbourne Police Chief Richard Wiley and West Melbourne Mayor Hal J. Rose.

More than 100 residents gave to the foundation as part of the efforts, Brant noted.

“We’ve had more participants with this drive as far as residents than we’ve ever had in the history of

Church honors workers at assisted living facility SPECIAL TO SENIOR LIFE Trinity Wellsprings Church in Satellite Beach is supporting those on the local frontline of the coronavirus during National Healthcare/ Skilled Nursing Week (May 10 to 16) by honoring the health care, administrative and maintenance workers at Zon Assisted Living Facility in Indian Harbour Beach.

“Our desire is to be a church family that overflows with God’s grace and love. During these challenging days, we hope to support and honor the hard-working staff at Zon who continue loving and caring for the beloved senior citizen residents at the facility,” said Rev. Dr. Jason Carter, the senior pastor at Trinity Wellsprings. “We also will be supporting our local businesses, as we will present a local restaurant gift card to each of the employees of Zon Assisted Living Center. (That’s) in appreciation for what all these workers are presently doing to care for the residents.”

In addition, the youth group RIPTIDE has helped assemble 125 baskets and gift bags snacks for when the workers take a break.

Trinity Wellsprings Church hopes to spread a simple message of joy, intergenerational solidarity and cooperative love for the community during these days of social isolation.

SL

321-242-1235

SENIOR LIFE photo

The Buena Vida Foundation gave gift cards to local first responders. the Buena Vida Foundation,” she said.

Brant also indicated that the

foundation will hold another similar event with the rest of the money that the foundation raised at both

Holmes Regional Medical Center and Melbourne Regional Hospital in the near future. SL

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Tech Know Tidbits Like washing hands, electronic devices need sanitizing too disinfecting devices is pretty easy and only requires supplies that you probably already have.

Cell phones and tablets For all devices, it is important that they are turned off and unplugged before starting the sanitizing process. If you have a case for your device, you can remove it from your device and wash it with soap and warm water. Use a cloth to gently rub the case with soap and

BY CHLOE HO Phones, laptops and tablets are all items that we touch many times throughout the day. Just as it is important to wash our hands regularly, it also is important to sanitize these devices regularly. Especially if these devices are shared with other family members or used by friends, it is important that they stay clean. Luckily,

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water, making sure to wash the sides as well. Then, rinse the case and allow it to dry completely before putting it back on the device.

Use a microfiber cloth to wipe away any dirt or dust on your device. Next, slightly dampen a cloth with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol or use a disinfectant wipe to gently rub the surface of the device.

Seth Headley, an information technology consultant in Melbourne, said that using isopropyl alcohol is OK as long as the cloth is just slightly damp.

“You want to just dab a little bit on a cloth,” he said. “You don’t want drips going down the screen.”

Make sure to avoid touching any openings, such as a charging port or headphone jack, with your wipe or cloth. Use a dry microfiber cloth to dry your device and you’re ready to go.

Laptops and computers Start by turning off the machine and unplugging it from any outlets.

Use a microfiber cloth to wipe away

any dirt, dust or smears. Next, rub the surface of the laptop or computer with a disinfectant wipe or a damp cloth with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. Wipe especially gently on the screen. Wipe the device with a dry microfiber cloth or allow the device a few minutes for the disinfectant to dry.

To clean the keyboard, use a dry Q-tip or cotton swab to clean any dirt or crumbs from the crevices. Next, wet a Q-tip with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and rub it between the keys. Lightly wipe each key with the Q-tip, being sure not to rub off the lettering on the keyboard.

Again, Headly emphasized that the cloth should not be too wet when disinfecting the keyboard.

“You don’t want anything dripping in there,” he said. “The thing I would stress is slightly damp.”

To finish, dry the keyboard with a microfiber cloth. Now, the computer has been thoroughly disinfected and is ready for use. SL

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SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

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Senior Living Publix bagger, 87, shows no signs of slowing down

BY ERNEST ARICO At 87 years of age, Sylvia Soucy shows no signs of slowing down.

Even a battle with uterus cancer 25 years ago, and now, the coronavirus pandemic, hasn’t stopped the West Melbourne woman from doing what she loves best. That’s bagging groceries, helping customers and handling shopping carts at the Publix Super Market at the Post Commons Shopping Center on North Wickham Road in Melbourne.

For the past 24 years (eight years at Satellite Beach and the past 16 years at Post Commons), Soucy has traveled religiously to Publix to work her 18 to 20 hours a week to help customers with their groceries and carts.

“I love the friendliness of the customers and the employees,” she said. “These are good people and they are willing to help you all the time.”

Although she has to wear a face mask during this pandemic, Soucy said it doesn’t bother her at all because she is a person of faith and is not worried.

“They can’t see my smile, so that’s why I wear a smiley button on my

apron,” she said.

Brian Williams, the assistant store manager for the past 3½ years, said Soucy is awesome.

“She’s dependable, reliable and always here,” he said. “As long as she wants to work, she’s got a job.”

One of Soucy’s favorite things to do at the store is to dress up for every holiday.

“I wear my flags on Memorial Day and I’m Mrs. Claus at Christmas. The customers love it.”

Besides her regular duties, Soucy also trains new employees how to properly bag groceries at the cash registers.

What’s her secret to being a good bagger? “Don’t crush the bread and handle the eggs easy,” she said.

“Don’t make the bags too heavy and handle the produce and products with care.”

Soucy’s granddaughter, Samantha, 17, and a student at Satellite High School, also works at the Post Commons store.

“It runs in the family,” she said with a smile.

Born in northern Maine, Soucy graduated from Fort Kent High School

SENIOR LIFE Ernest Arico

Sylvia Soucy is a bagger for Publix Super Market. The 87-year-old West Melbourne woman has been working at the grocery store for the past 24 years. in 1950. That same year, she married her husband, Richard. This October, she and her husband will celebrate

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their 70th wedding anniversary. They reside in Sheridan Lakes in West Melbourne.

Soucy and her husband moved from Connecticut to Brevard County 42 years ago.

“I didn’t like the cold weather,” she said. “We had friends who lived in Brevard County and, when we visited them, I immediately fell in love with the area. The weather is nice and the people are so friendly.”

Soucy’s first Brevard job was at the Holiday Inn on State Road A1A. She then moved on to Dictaphone before taking a job at a Publix store in Satellite Beach in 1996. But prior to that, Soucy had her battle with cancer.

“I survived that and I’ve been working ever since,” she said. “I don’t want to change. I love the kids, the old people. It all works for me.”

Soucy is one of the company’s oldest employees. The oldest was Grace Carey, who worked at a Publix in Fort Myers. She died at the age of 98 on Dec. 15, 2014.

“As long as I’m physically capable of working, I’m going to continue,” she concluded. “This is my physical fitness program.” SL

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SeniorLife

STRIP STRI PES

Brevard Veterans News Humble humanitarian Taylor will be missed in community

It is rare to find someone that is totally dedicated to helping others in need, without looking for anything in return.

That rare, humble humanitarian was George Taylor Sr., a man who made it his mission and his passion to eliminate homelessness among military veterans in Central Florida. He would do anything for a fellow veteran.

Always wearing his signature black cowboy hat, jeans and often a westernstyle shirt, he would go into the woods to where he knew he would find homeless veterans, calling out to them as he approached their camps.

He would take them supplies — tents, sleeping bags, clothes and other essential items — ask what else they needed and try to get them into transitional housing. Taylor’s focus was homeless veterans, but I know he would help anyone in need.

About five years ago, I was talking

Veterans’ Advocate R. Norman Moody

with him and he said he would begin slowing down. I don’t think he really ever could slow down from helping fellow veterans in need.

On May 17, George Taylor Sr. died suddenly at the age of 70. He was the founder and president of the National Veterans Homeless Support. The organization provides help to homeless veterans and those at risk of becoming homeless.

Taylor leaves behind a legacy of service to others that is incomparable.

His kindness, compassion and care for others led him to serve so many in our

community and beyond.

His is an example we all should strive to follow. There are so many veterans who are no longer homeless and many more who are much better off because of him.

Taylor never forgot his own struggles. He lived through the darkness of war in Vietnam, where he served with the Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade. Post-traumatic stress soon overwhelmed him on his return home, and he found himself homeless for a short while until he received the help he needed for PTSD. He never forgot that either and soon began helping other veterans.

NVHS’s efforts during the past 10 years have led to the reduction of the number of homeless veterans’ population in Brevard County from an estimated 1,800 to fewer than 216, an 88 percent difference.

Some are in NVHS transitional

housing, where they are offered help in finding jobs and permanent homes.

I have known Taylor for many years during my career as a journalist.

More than three years ago, he invited me to serve as a volunteer member of the NVHS board of directors. It was an honor to be accepted among these selfless servants.

Even if there were just two or three veterans who were still homeless or struggling, I know Taylor’s job would not be done and he would still be going strong finding them help however he could.

Like so many others in our community and beyond, I will miss Taylor. I know that his son, George Taylor Jr., and other family members and supporters will continue carrying out his mission.

I pledge to continue doing whatever I can to help carry out that mission and help to keep his legacy alive. SL

SAFE READY AND

Now open for all your health care needs Our clinics are open, procedures are being scheduled, and our emergency rooms continue to be a safe place to treat ALL emergencies. As we enter this new era together, our hospitals are taking additional measures to ensure patients receive trusted, compassionate care in a safe environment – with confidence and without fear. You can rest assured that we are Safe and Ready to care for you and your family.

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SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum

The C-47, a fixture at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum, flew important missions during World War II.

Normandy survivor TICO Belle still logging air time

BY MARIA SONNENBERG She still turns heads and hearts, even though she is pushing 80. Early this month, Valiant Air Command’s venerable Tico Belle will continue to enjoy the attention she richly deserves as she drops parachutists during a D-Day reenactment in Palatka.

The flagship of the museum’s warbird collection, the Douglas C-47 saw service in some of World War II’s most pivotal moments, from D-Day to Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. She is still going strong.

“This is the real deal, a wonderful airplane to fly,” said Bob Boswell, the executive officer of Valiant Air

Command’s Warbird Museum and one of the Belle’s former pilots at the museum.

Built in 1942, tail number 422100591 was part of the 437th Troop Carrier Group and one of 52 C-47s dispatched during a moonlit night in support of the Normandy landings. She also saw action at the Battle of Arnhem, “the bridge too far” that attempted to secure bridges in the German-occupied Netherlands, and evacuated the wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. When not part of major operations, she spent her days transporting supplies and people.

The eternally lucky Tico Bell prevailed despite all the action.

“She had a lot of battle damage,

but she pulled through,” Boswell said.

After the war, the hardworking C-47 was off to the Berlin Airlift during the Cold War. “There is still coal dust from when she carried coal during the Berlin Airlift,” Boswell said.

By 1950, the Belle was on her way to Norway as part of a lendlease program. Denmark was her next stop when she was assigned to transport the Danish royal family.

She earned her 1982 retirement after logging more than 13,500 hours in the air.

Jumping at the opportunity to connect with such a part of history, the Valiant Air Command ferried her back to her homeland, where, during

the 1980s and 1990s, she evolved a flying museum, telling folks around the country of the legacy of those who had served with her. By then, she was known as Tico Belle, named for the airport where she is based.

In 2001, a landing incident sidelined her with a damaged wing, but the tough Belle prevailed with the assistance of Valiant Air Command volunteers.

Tico Belle continues to fly on mercy missions to help during disasters such as Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, as well as during fun runs that include being part of D-Day reenactments.

“It doesn’t get any better than the Tico Belle,” Boswell said. SL

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Mr. J’s serves up frozen treats for those serving during pandemic

BY MARIA SONNENBERG As it has for many business owners, the pandemic left Gregory Jones in the lurch for weeks. However, Jones, the owner of Mr. J.’s Ice Cream Trucks, did not sit back and mope. Instead, he decided to give his frozen treats to hospital medical staff and members of the police and fire departments.

“Who can use this better than our first responders?” Jones said.

Jones is not your regular ice cream man. For one, he is somewhat of an ice cream truck snob, who launched his company after being so unhappy with the trucks that would seek the business of his grandchildren. He ordered a custom version of his vision of a mobile ice cream shop.

His background also is unique in the frozen treat industry. For decades, Jones served as an air marshal traveling the world to keep airplanes safe in unsafe areas such as the Middle East. As a special agent in the air marshal program, Jones was in his office by the Hudson River when he witnessed the Twin

SENIOR LIFE Adam Palumbo

Mr. J’s Ice Cream Trucks love to donate frozen treats to hospital medical staff and members of the police and fire departments.

Towers collapse Sept. 11, 2001.

He was just 19 when he enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and served there as a combat engineer between 1969 and 1970. He joined the federal law enforcement field after three years of military service. Thirtyfour years later, Jones and his wife, Audrey, relocated to Viera after visiting some work buddies who had moved there. A couple of years on the couch made him realize that sitting on the couch was not for him, so he casted about for a business. His ice cream-

loving grandkids sealed the deal and Jones was off selling Good Humor and Blue Bunny products at playing fields, day care centers, corporate retreats and even a wedding or two. During National Nurses’ Week, Jones makes a point of stopping at 20 nursing homes.

At the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum, Jones concocted 700 root beer floats for a special event.

Business has been sweet, so he added a second truck, which his neighbor navigates when Jones needs an extra hand.

SENIOR LIFE Adam Palumbo

Gregory Jones owns Mr. J’s Ice Cream Trucks.

His trucks carry 30 different specialty frozen treats (Spiderman and Spongebob ice cream are the kids’ favorites), plus eight types of beverages, hot dogs, potato chips, candy, and even “healthy” products such as vegetarian hot dogs.

According to Jones, you can’t beat being the ice cream man.

“Everyone gets excited to see you,” he said.

For more on Mr. J’s Ice Cream Trucks, call 321-626-0044 or go to mrjsicecream.com. SL

Melbourne group fights to stop suicide among veterans

BY CATHLEEN SNOW When military service members return from combat deployments, they are at an elevated risk of suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of traumatic events they might have witnessed or experienced.

The month of June is PTSD Awareness Month, and June 27 is observed as PTSD Awareness Day. A new nonprofit organization based in Melbourne, Warrior Quest USA is taking on the ever-rising veteran suicide rate among service members that results from PTSD symptoms.

Every day, 22 veterans are lost to suicide. Warrior Quest USA would like to see that number at zero.

As reported by the Pentagon’s Defense Suicide Prevention Office, suicide has been deadlier than combat for the military. More than 45,000 veterans and active-duty service members have killed themselves from 2013 to 2018. That is more than 20 deaths a day — in other words, more suicides each year than the total American military deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Warrior Quest USA’s mission is to fund the travel expenses to retreat centers around the country that specialize in helping veterans overcome treatment resistant PTSD. The organization also provides tragedy, transition and education assistance.

Some of the symptoms can occur right after the event, but sometimes might not develop until years later — there is no set timeframe — and in some cases, symptoms might come and go.

It’s an individual who, despite adequate treatment with medications and cognitive behavioral therapy, is

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considered treatment-resistant.

The founders, Lance Supernaw and Dan Murray, both served as Air Force pararescuemen at Patrick Air Force Base. They have experienced treatment-resistant PTSD themselves.

They have gotten help and want to

ensure other veterans, who are suffering, get help when it might seem impossible.

From his hospital bed after suffering complications from a recent surgery, Supernaw went live on Facebook to send a message to

veterans.

“If anyone that’s out there struggling and needs a hand, please reach out to me anytime, day or night.

Reach out to me any time of the day or the night, I’ll always pick up. Take care and God bless. Peace.” SL

Morgan Stanley Joseph Carter and Timothy Hester Named to Century Club at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management New York - Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) today announced that Mr. Joseph Carter, CIMA® and Mr. Timothy Hester, CFP®, CIMA®, CDFA®, CAP®, both Senior Vice Presidents, in its Wealth Management office in Melbourne has been named to the Firm’s prestigious Century Club, an elite group composed of the firm’s top Financial Advisors. The appointment recognizes Joe & Tim’s consistent creativity and excellence in providing a wide range of investment products and wealth management services to his clients.

Joe, who has been with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management since 1998, is a native of Cocoa, Florida. He holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Central Florida in Legal Studies. He also is a Certified Investment Manager Analyst through the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. Joe currently lives in Rockledge with his family.

Tim has been with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management since 1989 and has been a Melbourne resident since 1979. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Metropolitan State University in Investment Finance and also holds degrees in Business Administration and Resource Management which he earned while in the United States Air Force. He received the Certified Investment Manager Analyst designation through the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. Tim lives in Indian Harbour Beach with his wife Cami.

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, a global leader, provides access to a wide range of products and services to individuals, businesses and institutions, including brokerage and investment advisory services, financial and wealth planning, cash management and lending products and services, annuities and insurance, retirement and trust services.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in more than 41 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Century Club members must meet a number of criteria including performance, conduct and compliance standards, revenue, length of experience and assets under supervision.

Century Club membership is no guarantee of future performance. ©2020 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC

SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

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HURRICANE

The 2020 Hurricane Help and Information Guide

BY CHRIS BONANNO

HELP GUIDE

The 5 Steps to Prepare Step 1: Know Your Risk Step 2: Build a Kit

Step 3: Have a Plan Step 4: Stay Informed

Step 5: Get Involved Source: brevardfl.gov/emergencymanagement

What to Do in the Event of a Tropical Cyclone Before

During

After

• Review your five steps on your Pathways to Preparedness • Decide early whether you will evacuate, and where you will go if ordered to leave • Prepare your home

• If you don’t live in an evacuation zone, find a safe room within your home (an interior room, closet or bathroom) • Do not go outside during the storm until the National Weather Service confirms the storm has left the area

• Return home when local officials say it is safe • Check in with family and friends by texting or using social media • Avoid walking or driving through floodwaters

Preparing for an Emergency Kit Basic Disaster Supply Kit We recommend having the following items as part of your basic disaster supply kit: • Water: one gallon of water per person, per day, for at least three days • Food: at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food • Battery-powered or hand crank radio, a weather radio and extra batteries • Flashlight and extra batteries • First aid kit • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties • Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items • Manual can opener for food • Local maps • Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

• Cash • Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies and identification

Additional Supplies Once your basic supply kit has been stocked, additional items to consider include: • • • • • •

Prescription medications and glasses Infant formula and diapers Pet food and extra water for your pet Shot records for pet(s) A carrier for each pet Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person • Complete change of clothing • Matches in a waterproof container • Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils

• Whistle to signal for help • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities • Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children • Paper and pen/pencil

Persons with Disabilities By evaluating your own personal needs and making an emergency plan, you can be better prepared for any situation.

Inventory what you use every day to live independently. Identify the essential items you will need for at least three days.

Stock custom essentials in your kit like: • • • • •

Durable medical equipment Assistive technology List of medications Contact information for doctors Have a method to communicate your impairments and needs

Emergency management officials urge hurricane preparedness with COVID-19 in mind It might be a little difficult for some to consider preparations for the upcoming hurricane season, which officially began June 1, particularly in the midst of such an abnormal situation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, it’s clear that preparedness efforts are essential, especially so given the looming possibility of above-average activity during the Atlantic hurricane season in 2020.

“Our advice with regard to hurricane preparedness during the COVID-19 pandemic: people should consider COVID in every step of their planning,” said Brevard County Emergency Management director Kimberly Prosser in an e-mail.

Prosser detailed steps that residents should take with their preparedness efforts relative to the virus: 1. Know your risks. Now, these risks aren’t just for your home and family situation, but also for the

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transmission of COVID and your vulnerability.

2. Build a kit. Now, ensure that you have masks, hand sanitizer and whatever else you need to keep yourself and your family safe.

3. Have a plan. Reconsider your plans regarding where you will go and what you will do if a storm approaches. If you were planning to stay with a friend or family member, do they have COVID, are they risk-tolerant and are you risk-tolerant? Are you able to socially distance in their home? If you were planning to go to a public shelter, are you comfortable being in a larger group of people, without knowing their COVID status, even if they are all wearing masks?

4. Stay informed. This remains the same: Like “Brevard County Emergency Management” on Facebook, follow @ BrevardEOC on Twitter, or text BREVARDEOC

SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

to 888777 to sign up for text messages. Also, go to brevardfl.gov/ EmergencyManagement/ and register for emailed press releases at sites such as brevardcounty.us/PIRA/ PIRA. “Every year we preach to residents, through messaging and through press releases to know your risk, be prepared, make a kit and stay informed and that’s no less important this year,” said Don Walker, the communications director with Brevard County Emergency Management. “In fact, it’s more important this year because you need to do that as early as you can this year with the pandemic in mind along with the hurricane season.”

Walker also indicated it would be a good idea for residents to check on things they normally would from a supply perspective using batteries for such things as flashlights, non-perishable foods and water as examples of items they should check

to make sure they have. He also advocated for residents to have sheltering and evacuation plans in place.

There’s never any better time than starting today to get ready for hurricane season,” Walker added.

In the event a hurricane does threaten the area, shelters will be open in Brevard, Prosser said.

“More facility spaces will need to be opened to allow for social distancing, and masks will be supplied,” Prosser said.

Having said that, most residents of Viera and Suntree probably won’t need to utilize them.

“In the Viera/Suntree area, for the most part, those homes are well-built, well inland, and not mobile/manufactured homes. So, it is unlikely that they would need to evacuate,” Prosser said.

Prosser added that more pertinent information could be found at the Federal Emergency Management Association’s website, ready.gov.

myseniorlife.com

Look out for a wild 2020 hurricane season Meteorologists are projecting the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season to have above-average activity.

If so, it would be the fifth-consecutive season with above average activity, according to Gerry Bell, lead hurricane season forecaster with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.

On May 21, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its projection for the season. In it, NOAA predicts: • 13 to 19 named storms • 3 to 10 hurricanes • 3 to 6 major hurricanes That forecast was in line with that made by another prominent forecast produced in April by Colorado State University, which forecasted: • 16 named storms • 8 hurricanes

• 4 major hurricanes There are numerous amounts of factors that go into these forecasts, said Kevin Rodriguez, public and winter weather program leader and Spanish language liaison with the National Weather Service in Melbourne in an e-mail.

“Meteorologists and climatologists from NOAA, including the National Hurricane Center and the Climate Prediction Center, look at a variety of atmospheric and oceanic parameters when creating a seasonal forecast,” Rodriguez said. “Forecasters assess the probability of an active, near normal, or below normal season based on recent trends in sea surface temperatures, the location of atmospheric high and low-

pressure systems, and other global weather influences such as El Niño and La Niña.”

“Keep in mind that these forecasts can change as the season goes on, which is why NOAA produces the seasonal outlook in late May, then releases an update in August before peak season.”

On a conference call to discuss the forecast on May 21, Bell cited conditions for this year’s edition that are attributable to that on a larger scale that have been favorable for development in general since 1995.

He also cited warmer water temperatures and weaker trade winds in the Atlantic as reasons, along with weaker vertical wind shear and an enhanced west African monsoon. The likely continuation of a neutral El

Niño Oscillation Cycle, which measures the warming or cooling of equatorial waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, and the possibility of La Niña, a cooling of the Pacific waters which can lead to more active Atlantic Hurricane seasons.

Rodriguez urged preparedness each year no matter the preseason projections.

“Regardless of the forecast, we always urge residents to prepare before the season begins,” Rodriguez added.

“This includes determining your personal risk, creating a written plan, gathering supplies (food, medicine, water, etc.), ensuring your home insurance is up-todate, and strengthening your home by trimming trees and ensuring your shutters are in working order.”

What’s in a name when it comes to hurricanes?

Frances. Jeanne. Fay. Matthew.

Irma. Dorian.

We remember tropical storms and hurricanes that have impacted our area almost rhythmically thanks to their designated monikers.

But just how and why are storms named?

Tropical cyclones, according to Oceanside.noaa.gov, were first named in 1953 in the United States but were only given female names.

In 1978, both male and female names were used for storms in the Pacific basin and that same policy carried over to the Atlantic for the

1979 season.

The names, which are decided upon for tropical cyclones in each of the world’s basins, rotate on six-year intervals and alternate the male and female names, which are designated by the World Meteorological Organization.

Storm names that have extraordinarily negative impacts on populated areas are retired. For instance, the last time the name Andrew was used was in 1992 and the last time the name a tropical cyclone was called Katrina was 2005.

This year’s names for the Atlantic season are as follows:

• • • • • • • • • • •

Arthur (already used) Bertha Cristobal Dolly Edouard Fay Gonzalo Hanna Isaias Josephine Kyle

• Laura • Marco • Nana • Omar • Paulette • Rene • Sally • Teddy • Vicky • Wilfred

Florida Power & Light says its ready for 2020 storms Among the biggest concerns with an approaching tropical cyclone in our area is whether or not residences and businesses will lose power and how long it’ll take for the electricity to come back if they do.

Florida Power and Light officials said that both their preventative and restoration efforts have improved, particularly as the result of work that began following the 2004 and 2005 hurricane season, during which time Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, Wilma and Katrina all impacted the state.

FPL noted the following improvements that will have been completed by 2020 in the Melbourne area since

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2005 in a release from the company including FPL having: • Strengthened 24 main power lines, including those that serve critical services • Reviewed 2,816 miles of power lines, clearing an average of 201 miles of tree branches and vegetation per year • Inspected all 21,972 power poles every eight years • Installed smart grid technology, including 1,889 automated switches on main and neighborhood power lines • Inspected 115 main power lines and equipment using infrared technology The efforts, according to FPL spokesperson Marie

Bertot, paid off during Hurricane Irma, which impacted populations on both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts in 2017.

“We had already restored one million customers before it (Irma) had exited the state of Florida, Bertot said. “…. After one full day of restoration, we had restored two million customers.”

There are some unique circumstances to any potential restoration efforts this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Bertot noted.

During the restoration efforts for Hurricane Irma, crews from 30 states and Canada were called upon to assist in helping get the power back in the 35-county area that

FPL covers.

The virus “may limit our ability to bring in outside resources,” according to Bertot.

“It (restoration) may take longer,” Bertot said. “…. Our commitment doesn’t change though.”

Customers can report outages via phone at 1-800-4-OUTAGE. They can get text alerts by texting “JOIN” to 63975 on their cell phones.

An application for cell phones can also be downloaded through either the AppStore or Google Play, according to FPL’s website.

They can also view outages online at fpl.com/ powertracker.

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Brevard has seen its fair share of tropical cyclones

BY CHRIS BONANNO It might seem hard to believe given that Brevard County has 72 miles of coastline in a state that is seemingly synonymous with hurricanes, but a major hurricane has never made landfall in Brevard since recordings began in the 1850s.

We’ve had some very close calls, most notably last year with Dorian, in 2016 with Matthew and in 1999 with Hurricane Floyd, all of which prompted evacuations and led to some stressful times for residents.

Still, as both relatively new and longtime residents can attest to, Brevard has had its fair share of encounters with tropical cyclones.

Here’s a look at the five that were most impactful along the Space Coast:

Hurricane Frances (2004):

Frances was a large storm that made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane in early September on Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County.

It was a relatively slow-moving system, and with Brevard on the northern side of the storm, Brevard saw some fairly rough weather. The National Weather Service office in Melbourne recorded a peak wind gust of 63 mph and noted receiving 7.95 inches of rain.

Frances produced a 6-foot storm surge in Cocoa Beach and the storm impacted an area that had been fortunate to get off relatively unscathed from the

impacts of Hurricane Charley.

Charley made landfall near Punta Gorda in southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane weeks earlier and its center went over Orlando after landfall as a weaker but still damaging storm.

Frances, unfortunately, was just the first of a one-two punch on the Space Coast in 2004.

Hurricane Irma (2017):

Hurricane Matthew the year before was perhaps a more frightening experience given that the storm came so close to land, but the fact Brevard was on the storm’s west, or weaker side, lessened the impacts.

Although Irma was generally more of a threat to make a first direct landfall in South Florida, Brevard spent a significant amount of time ranging from a Sunday afternoon to a Monday morning on the north and east sides of the storm, which led to issues locally even as the storm’s center made landfall south of Naples and drew no closer than when it was between Tampa and Orlando after landfall.

Ultimately, Irma caused a myriad of issues such as power outages and generally left the area looking, well, as though a storm had come through.

Sustained winds of more than 50 mph were recorded near State Road 528 on Merritt Island, with an 82 mph wind gust having been recorded there as well, according to the National Hurricane Center. Rainfall also was an issue with the storm, as

two recording stations in Palm Bay, for example, each recorded more than 10 inches of rainfall from Irma.

Hurricane David (1979): David slithered up the coastline, paralleling the Space Coast and making a landfall of sorts on the barrier island after it made landfall near West Palm Beach as a Category 2 hurricane, though it registered as a Category 1 as it brushed Brevard.

Melbourne recorded a peak wind gust of 90 mph as the storm passed by and an 86 mph gust was recorded on South Melbourne Beach, according to the National Hurricane Center, as the storm’s center came on through.

The Kennedy Space Center, which recorded a 77 mph wind gust of its own, received nearly 7 inches of rain from David.

Tropical Storm Fay (2008):

Fay is the poster child for residents needing to take heed not just of the threats posed by hurricanes, but also tropical storms.

The storm made its first landfall on the Gulf Coast and a second north of Brevard, but its lasting legacy will be the copious amounts of rainfall it left on the Space Coast as the storm simply refused to budge from its position near Brevard for days before heading west toward the Gulf of Mexico and an eventual third landfall on the panhandle of the state.

Melbourne, according to a report from the National Hurricane Center,

broke a 50-year rainfall record with the event and many locations in Brevard received well over 20 inches of rain from the storm, including Viera, which received 20.75 inches of rain in total from the storm.

Though it caused major problems locally, the name Fay was not retired as is the case with storms that have particularly negative consequences for an area. The name “Fay” is on the list of names for the 2020 Atlantic season.

Hurricane Jeanne (2004):

You can debate whether or not Jeanne truly was the most impactful storm ever to hit Brevard, but it certainly did come at the worst time, impacting our area roughly three weeks after Frances did.

Jeanne incredibly made landfall as a Category 3 storm after performing a loop of sorts off the east coast of Florida and perhaps even more incredibly, made landfall at nearly the exact same spot Frances did on Hutchinson Island It was essentially a slightly more intense version of what Brevard saw earlier in the month, with the NWS Melbourne office recording a sustained wind of 79 mph and rainfall amounts just above 6 inches.

In addition to Frances and Jeanne, the state itself saw Hurricanes Charley and Ivan make landfall as major hurricanes as part of what was truly an unforgettable hurricane season. SL

THE SIXTH IN A SERIES ON BREVARD COUNTY AGRICULTURE

Lawyer turned farmer grows citrus, raises chickens

BY MARIA SONNENBERG A sign tacked at Andrew Graham’s fruit and egg stand in front of his Mullet Hill Farm advises friends, neighbors and customers that during the pandemic they are to “take what you need and pay what you can.”

During the season, the Scottsmoor farmer routinely sells out most of the citrus his 1,200 trees produce. Throughout the year, the wholesome, fresh eggs from his 50-some chickens are always a big hit. Graham knows folks are hurting financially these days, so he is happy to do his part.

“I pick an average of two 90-pound boxes of citrus every single day from October to April.”

– Andrew Graham

The laid-back Graham of now is the polar opposite of the trial attorney Graham was before his retirement to Mullet Hill Farm in 2007.

“I had led a confrontational life, dealing with hostile lawyers and witnesses and lying clients, and I

18

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Jeff Thompson

Andrew Graham and his wife Ludmilla stand in front of their fruit and egg stand at Mullet Hill Farm. didn’t realize how stressful it was on your psyche until I retired,” he said.

While commercial citrus growers have left Brevard County, small farmers such as Graham are thriving and diversifying. He has the time and energy to baby his trees and his chickens, and the results, all grown without the use of chemicals, taste

SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

delicious.

When Graham purchased the 12½ acres after the freeze of 1988, the property was one of the few that had not sustained much damage to its trees, some of them veterans more than 40 years old. Through the years, he kept adding trees and replacing those that did not thrive.

Oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, tangelos and lemons make up the grove.

“I pick an average of two 90-pound boxes of citrus every single day from October to April,” Graham said.

His choice of varieties focused on those resistant to greening, and he fortifies them four times a year with a spray cocktail that includes diatomaceous earth, which is lethal to the belligerent bugs that threaten the grove. The trees seem to appreciate his efforts.

“The trees like the diatomaceous earth and I don’t like to use chemicals,” he said.

When a neighbor became ill, Graham volunteered to take care of his chickens, eventually “adopting” them. Graham’s wife, Ludmilla, designed the hen houses with little spires reminiscent of the architecture in her native Siberia. The birds not only provide eggs and help fertilize the trees, but they also offer the couple the opportunity to engage in the zen of watching them do their chicken thing.

He will never get rich selling oranges and eggs, and tending to groves and flocks is timeconsuming, but for Graham it is time well spent and the rewards are way beyond monetary.

“It’s a beautiful, serene place,” he said. SL

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SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

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For 20 years, we’ve been caring for you. And during this challenging time, we are prepared to continue delivering safe, quality care.

Learn more about the important steps we’ve taken to protect our staff and patients at www.vnatc.com/patientsafety

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There’s a new beginning after the lockdown Countries around the world have started to lift their lockdowns, easing restrictions and allowing non-essential businesses to reopen. Aiming to keep pollution down, there is a common thread in the process — innovate and incentivize green practices.

With studies reporting unprecedented drops in air pollution since air quality monitoring from satellites began in the 1990s, countries want to keep the momentum and establish routines today that will help maintain those low levels.

France will invest about $22 million toward a program that encourages people to reduce driving when commuting or traveling short distances.

That includes reimbursing bike repairs, paying for cycle training and temporary parking spaces. In Paris, separate lanes for bicycles and new cycle routes will be created.

Italy is offering approximately $500 to people living in urban areas toward the purchase of bikes. The city of Milan is reallocating road space for walking and cycling.

According to Bloomberg.com, that also is happening in England. London “wants people to walk and cycle rather than get in their cars.”

The city is adding new bike lanes and widening pavements, while closing whole streets to traffic so commuters and children can safely get to their destinations.

Recently, The New York Times reported that the British government announced a $2.42 billion funding

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SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

BEYOND the CURB Marcia Booth

President & Founder, Recycle Brevard

package for “active travel” such as cycling and walking.

In Belgium, the capital of Brussels will create 25 miles of additional cycle paths to reduce the number of people using public transport.

In Germany, Berlin is widening cycle lanes while Chancellor Angela Merkel is looking to propose a postpandemic stimulus that supports modern technologies and renewable energy such as offering a higher cash incentive for buying electric cars.

In the United States, New York will close 100 miles of streets to cars and open them to cyclists and pedestrians.

Oakland will close 74 miles of its city’s streets to through traffic, and Charlotte will close some low-speed streets to through traffic and designate them as “Shared Streets.”

Many of those measures could have been implemented before the pandemic, but they were not considered a priority. Based on current evidence that emissions from vehicles, power plants and industrial activities as well as everyday individual actions make a real impact, the focus has shifted to efforts to maintain improved air quality levels.

That’s even when all businesses are in full operation.

And how can we do our part in containing the pollution? We can introduce healthy habits and reinforce the practice of sustainable actions.

To assist our community with that and also create an opportunity to measure results, Recycle Brevard is using technology. It is partnering with EcoChallenge.org’s online platform and Litterati’s phone app. Those are both practical ways for you to make a difference.

For EcoChallenge.org, you select your own actions and challenge yourself to fulfill them at your own pace. Our team, 2020 Recycle Brevard, was among 816 teams from around the globe, 19 from Florida, and placed 120th overall and third statewide in the last challenge launched for Earth Day. You are welcome to join us. For information, contact the team captain, Chris Kane, at cdkane@gmail.com.

If you install Litterati on your smart phone, you can join Recycle Brevard and I Pick Up Litter in the Brevard Against Litter 2020 Challenge.

The app records any piece of trash you pick up to properly dispose. All you need is to use the app to take pictures of the trash picked up and the app will track the amount of trash you help remove from the environment. It is that easy.

As a new phase begins for all of us, let’s share with Greenpeace International the same wish: “May we grow back not to what was but, instead, towards what we can become.”

And to all dads out there, happy Father’s Day! SL Email Marcia Booth at Marcia@ RecycleBrevard.org.

myseniorlife.com

Behind the

Beat

By Randal Hill

‘Mama Told Me (Not to Come)’ — Three Dog Night

In 1970, “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” raised many an eyebrow.

The drug scene was relatively new to middle-class American youth and nobody could recall such a tune wafting out of radio speakers before.

The song is told from the point of view of an obviously naive young man, who declares at a social gathering This is the craziest party That could ever be He goes on to explain further That cigarette you’re smokin’ ’Bout to scare me half to death As well as I’m lookin’ at my girlfriend She’s passed out on the floor And concludes with I seen so many things I ain’t never seen before Analyzing his lighthearted reflection on the party-till-you-drop Los Angeles music scene of the late 1960s, composer Randy Newman explained in a Rolling Stone magazine interview: “It’s a guy going to a party, and he’s a little scared. The first line — Will you have whiskey with your water or sugar with your

SENIOR LIFE Shutterstock

Danny Hutton was one of three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night. tea — was a vague connection to acid. I don’t remember being thrown off by that stuff then. If I was that

unsophisticated, which is possible, I wouldn’t admit it.”

Three Dog Night wasn’t the first to release Newman’s clever creation; that honor goes to Animals leader Eric Burdon, who included it on his 1967 solo album “Eric is Here.” P. J. Proby (“Niki Hoeky”) offered his own version later that year.

By that point in time, the Ray Charles-influenced songwriter and singer Newman had yet to release any solo material. By the time he did begin recording on his own in 1968, many of his songs already had been covered by other artists, including Petula Clark, Gene Pitney, the Fleetwoods and Pat Boone.

Other than featuring the nowclassic “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today,” his debut “Randy Newman” album proved to be inconsequential.

But his second LP, “12 Songs,” included his own version of “Mama Told Me (Not to Come),” presented as a rollicking mid-tempo tune that went nowhere in terms of record sales. Newman’s song was released at around the same time as Three Dog Night’s. The latter, a raucous

outing fueled by a melodramatic lyric reading, was the more commercial and consequently became the bigger hit.

How big?

The TDN version climbed to the peak of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became their first of three charttoppers, the others being “Joy to the World” (1971) and “Black and White” (1972).

Newman’s work became the very first No. 1 hit on “Casey Kasem’s American Top 40” syndicated radio program, and the song also appeared later on the soundtracks of “G. I. Jane,” “Boogie Nights” and “The Sweetest Thing.”

Newman, who once dismissed Three Dog Night as teenyboppers, experienced a change of heart when massive royalty checks began to roll in. He called Corey Wells, one of Three Dog Night’s members, who had pressed the others to record Newman’s tune.

“I just want to thank you,” the musician chuckled over the phone, “for putting my kids through college.”

SL

Parents, grandparents and virtual teachers furnished support.

In order to maintain good mental health, people vented by logging on to email sites, podcasts and media outlets. Blue Cross/Blue Shield offered a new emotional support service. The AARP Foundation recognized that social isolation affects nearly one in five older adults in the United States when there is no pandemic. Their Connect2Affect service offers a full range of connections.

Innovative services provided by local agencies, online therapists and help lines are offered without charge and some have a fee schedule. Always connect with licensed local providers.

After endless broadcast messages from government leaders in daily briefings, we found out how vulnerable and pre-disposed we are

to the coronavirus. Turn off the news.

Check out great National Geographic programs, watch a Hallmark movie, pray or meditate. You will begin to feel better in minutes.

Still feeling isolated? Take out a notebook and label it “My Blessings.”

Start writing how you are blessed.

I started a bound notebook labeled “Reflections on the Coronavirus.”

As I look back at entries through the months, I recognize how blessed we are with first responders, medical people and essential services workers.

I still wonder what we are going to do with all the toilet paper. SL Ed Baranowski is president of Topics Unlimited, a Melbourne-based education, seminar and consulting company. He can be contacted at topicsed@aol.com.

Well, the silt and grass clippings cloud the water as it slowly settles to the bottom where it adds to the muck that is a constant contributor of pollution to the lagoon’s waters.

Most of the fertilizer and other chemicals dissolve in the rainwater and further increase the excess nutrients in the lagoon. This helps algae and other nuisance aquatic plants to grow. And, due to the summer heat, they grow quickly.

Yes, what starts as clean rain can become a tool for dirtying up the lagoon.

How can you help?

Don’t fertilize between June 1 and Sept 30, blow grass clipping onto the lawn, pick up pet waste, wash your car at a carwash and don’t over water your yard.

Share with your friends and neighbors how rain can temporarily dirty the lagoon and that we must continue to work to restore it.

Understanding our lagoon better makes us better stewards.

To learn more about how to help the Indian River Lagoon, go to HelpTheLagoon.org. SL

Isolation forces us to adapt in more positive ways

Who would ever think government would direct us to “Stay Safe at Home?”

The change of pace for most seniors added some stress, anxiety, fear and uncertainty. The coronavirus became the scourge and worry each day.

After a few weeks, we found ways to deal with the lack of contact, outside activities and boredom. Most of us accepted the challenge and focused on how to survive. Using our own emotional and psychological warfare, we pushed on. Our message is “We will get through this together!”

Once we realized we were not alone, we looked at new ways of connecting. Looking through address books, seniors sent notes to far-away friends and family. Others dialed up long-forgotten friends and renewed relationships. Technically suave

Challenges of Living to Age 100 Ed Baranowski seniors used Facebook, LinkedIn, Skype, FaceTime and numerous email sites to maintain contacts.

Unable to meet over lunch, the Rotary Club of Indialantic used the Zoom platform to hold weekly meetings. Community groups connected with faces and sounds on conference call devices. Our grandchildren found school doors closed, but distance learning provided new challenges on how to learn.

Rain doesn’t cleanse Indian River Lagoon as commonly thought

If the Indian River Lagoon looks clear, that’s good news, right?

Not entirely — the water can be clear due to drought and rain can change the lagoon’s appearance quickly.

So, you mean rain can “dirty up our lagoon?”

Ironically, yes! The rain can start a process that results in cloudy lagoon water and rapid growth of algal scum.

The accumulation of fertilizer, grass clippings, leaves, silt, pet waste and motor oil can be washed downstream by the rainwater. Some of this dirtied

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Lagoon Straight Talk From the Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition

water drains into neighborhood holding ponds, but much of it flows through a series of storm sewers and empties into the lagoon.

What happens then?

SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

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Stroll through historic Titusville Start your sightseeing in Downtown Titusville by visiting the North Brevard Historical Museum located on the corner of Main Street and U.S. 1.

The museum offers guided tours and there is no charge for admission.

It is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Call 321-269-3658 or go to titusvillemuseum@aol.com for times of guided tours.

Leaving the museum, go east on

Main Street and visit, at no charge, both the U.S. Space Museum and Walk of Fame and the Veterans Memorial of Titusville.

At the Space Museum, they have interactive areas for youngsters, original launch consoles, a great gift shop and one-of-a-kind collectibles.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

It is located at 4 Main St. For information, call 321-264-0434.

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SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

Touring the Town

John Trieste

U.S. 1 and Main Street. Walk slowly south on U.S. 1 and start this portion of the walking tour by observing 36 interesting historic buildings. All the buildings on both sides of the street were built in either the early 20th century or the late 19th century. The story of historic Titusville is told on descriptive panels located along the public walkways on this stroll.

Don’t miss visiting the historic Pritchard House. This beautiful home was built in 1891 and is now completely restored. The Pritchard House is located on the corner of Washington Avenue and Pine Street.

Tours of the house are available by reservation. Call 321-607-0203.

There is a modest fee for the guided tour.

The Pritchard House is located at 424 South Washington Ave. in Titusville. For information, go to

thepritchardhouse.com.

Adjacent to the Pritchard House, visit the new Titusville Welcome Center. The Welcome Center is a timely place to obtain information on a walking tour of the downtown historic area. If you are so inclined and want some exercise, the center has bicycles for rent.

The old and tired Miracle Mall on U.S. 1 was torn down. In its place is the new and attractive modern mall called Titus Landing. I drove through this shopping complex and it has a professional design with pastel-colored buildings housing shops and restaurants. An anchor store is the popular Hobby Lobby facing U.S.1.

Titusville recently was designated a Florida Trail Town. A Florida Trial Town is a community that is close to long-distance, non-motorized recreational trails and welcomes hikers, bicyclists, skaters and joggers, with restaurants, shops and lodging.

Titusville has three exciting multi-use trails in the area. Readers can learn more about these trails by going to titusville.com/blazingtrails and https://titusville.org/ourcommunity-2. SL

Lockdown leads to renewing friendships both old, new It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere.

Yep, at the top of each hour somewhere in the world, it’s 5 o’clock.

It happens at least twice a day at my house lately. Twice on the clock and then as many times as necessary off the clock.

I’ve gotten to know many new friends thanks to this policy and the now two-month lockdown.

So, those who know me know I’m a beer drinker. But, since this all started, I’ve become fed up with corona and I started to wine a lot.

I decided that with all this free time I should answer the lifelong question of which is better — red or white? I got a bottle of each with the goal of getting to the bottom of it.

And, boy did I get to the bottom of it. The problem is when I got there, I forgot the question.

Not only that, things started to look a little fuzzy so I decided to get my glasses. A glass of cognac and a glass of vodka.

I didn’t know if it would help, but it was worth a shot … or two.

Now that was punny but, as you know, alcohol puns are always in pour taste.

Well, I might be getting a little punchy being locked up with all this virus hysteria everywhere in the world.

So, maybe some other world

Funny thing is...

Sammy Haddad

would be better to hang out in for a while. I gathered some friends such as Jim Beam, Jose Cuervo and Jack Daniels. We’ve decided to hit the high seas with a ship run by Captain Morgan.

I honestly can’t remember when I’ve had a better time. Actually, I couldn’t remember this time either.

So, I thought it might be a nice time to get off the high seas and dry out.

You guessed it. A dry martini.

To pass the time a little faster, I called my best friend Johnnie Walker (regards to JW) and we sat down for a rousing game of cards. You guessed it again — we played Gin. Starting to sense a pattern here?

Well, here’s to everything getting back to normal soon. Real soon because I’m starting to think it’s better to be a good liver than to have one.

Seriously though folks, just joking and trying to make you smile because alcohol humor is the best — bar none. SL

myseniorlife.com

CROSSWORD

Crossword solution on page 31

ACROSS

1 Poet’s black 5 Dazzle 8 Hired car 11 Type size 12 Alias ltrs.

13 With, to Henri 15 One with a cause 17 Matador’s foe 18 Library abbr.

19 Slot site 21 At an angle 24 Quiet sound 25 Computer key 26 The “merry month” 27 Dairy bar order 30 Mean person 32 Heifer’s hello 33 Applied henna 37 Chair or bench 38 Wiretap 39 Racehorse parent 40 Debutante’s bow 43 Links org.

44 Pen part 47 Lawyer’s thing 48 Actor — Welles 50 Put down a rug 52 Caustic solution 53 Ship’s bottom 54 Travel stops 59 Fencer’s blade 60 Abby’s sister 61 Sheik colleague 62 NFL scores 63 Jazz instrument, for short 64 Carries

DOWN

1 Clean air org.

2 Razor brand 3 World Series mo.

4 Easily duped 5 Mournful cry 6 Approves 7 Four-footed sentries 8 Broadway musical 9 Keep away from 10 European capital 14 Aloof 16 Commitments 20 Just as I thought!

21 Singer Tori — 22 Prudent 23 Actress — Sedgwick 24 Pigs’ noses 28 Rain gear 29 Bradley and McBain 31 And so on 34 Puppy noises 35 Reasoner’s word 36 College VIP 41 Homepage addr.

42 Cellist — Ma (hyph.)

44 Heat in a microwave 45 Clumsy 46 Reproduce 49 Delight in 51 Sp. cheers 52 Bobcat 55 Miscellany 56 Tall bird 57 Manipulate 58 Almost-grads

Airline travel will never be the same because of coronavirus

BY ERNEST ARICO

Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, domestic and international travel might never be the same.

Social distancing, thorough use of hand sanitizer and the wearing of face masks and latex gloves might have to be an essential part of your plans if you want to travel in the near future.

Although some travel might be essential, like travel to provide medical or home care to others and travel necessary for a job considered an essential service, the CDC says the following travel recommendations provide advice about how to prevent getting and spreading COVID-19 if you must travel. Don’t travel if you are sick or plan to travel with someone who is sick.

If you must travel by air, the CDC says because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes, most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on flights. However, there might be a risk of getting COVID-19 on crowded flights if there are other travelers on board with COVID-19.

Susan Cassone, the co-owner of Footprints Travel, said most of her bookings have been moved from this year to 2021.

“I have never seen anything like this in all of my 40 years of working as a travel agent,” Cassone said. “I think travel is going to be a lot different than what we’re accustomed to.”

While most of her travel bookings have been moved to next year, Cassone said she is booking some travel cruises for late August and the winter months.

“I haven’t had a lot of people making travel plans,” she added. “I think most people are biding their time and seeing what happens.”

321-242-1235

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Orlando International Airport

A social distancing and mask message sign greets travelers as they enter the Orlando International Airport. The airport has taken many precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Cassone said she is monitoring the health and security guidelines from travel suppliers.

“I think what you may see are smaller numbers of travel groups that include multiple buses and a more relaxed spacing,” she said.

Beverly Lancaster, a retired U.S. Army nurse from Viera, said she had shifted her spring travel plans to the fall.

However, she said she’s not sure if she will travel then.

“They (health officials) say it’s only going to get worse so I may put it off until next year,” said the 60-yearold woman who has traveled all over Europe, Scandinavia, South Africa, Panama and many domestic locations.

“If I do travel, I definitely will take precautions like wearing a face mask and social distancing.”

Many travel industry experts report that an increasing number of airlines — and many airports such as Orlando International Airport — are now encouraging passengers to wear a mask or face covering, and some will provide one if necessary.

The CDC revised its

recommendation, now advising everyone, feeling ill or not, to wear a cloth face-covering when you might not be able to stand — or sit — at least 6 feet apart from another individual.

Each airline has different restrictions and requirements.

For example, Delta Air Lines is blocking middle seats and capping flight loads through June 30 for social distancing, allowing only 50 to 60 percent of available seats on a flight to be booked. Other airlines adopting similar controls include Emirates, American Airlines, Japan Airlines, United and more.

Many other airlines are allowing bookings as normal, with one going so far as attempting to have passengers pay to observe social distancing. Last month, Frontier Airlines announced a “More Room Fee” purchasable for flights until Aug. 31. With this fee, a passenger could pay from $39 each way to guarantee that the middle seat stays unoccupied.

For information about Footprints Travel, go to footprintstravel.biz. SL

SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

23

Health & Wellness Senior Life

Blurry vision might mean more than the need for new glasses

BY HENRY A. STEPHENS With 25 million people in America having trouble seeing because of cloudy lenses in their eyes — known as cataracts — local and national ophthalmologists want people to know there’s hope to see better.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology and Prevent Blindness America have declared this month as Cataract Awareness Month so people won’t panic if they get the common symptoms and will know to contact their eye doctors.

“Cataracts are a natural part of aging,” said Viera ophthalmologist Dr. Alex Pappas, with Pinnacle Eye Center.

“It’s like getting gray hair. If you live long enough, you do get them.”

Typically, patients seek help when they notice an increase in glare from the sun or streetlights as they drive, he said. Or things might look really dim.

Reading might require extra-bright lighting.

Maybe a patient already wears glasses or contact lenses. But it seems like the prescription wears out faster than it did in earlier years, requiring

SENIOR LIFE Courtesy of Pinnacle Eye Center

Viera ophthalmologist Dr. Alex Pappas checks the eyes of a patient at the Pinnacle Eye Center. newer glasses or contacts.

That’s because the lenses inside their eyes have become thicker and cloudier, experts say. And because it is often connected to age, cataracts are quite common.

“An ophthalmologist will see anywhere from 200 to 400 cataract patients a year,” Pappas said.

But age isn’t the only factor, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Underlying conditions such as diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure, along with smoking and prolonged sun exposure, can add to the

risks even for a person younger than 50.

“It varies with the individual,” said Dr. Frederick Ho, an ophthalmologist in the Suntree/Viera area.

Both doctors recommend someone see an ophthalmologist if they have such difficulty seeing. The eye doctor will conduct a thorough exam, treating each eye like a separate patient, and come to a diagnosis that it just might be cataracts.

And that finding might not mean surgery yet, Ho said. But when the visual problems interfere with the person’s ability to enjoy his or her

daily activities or perform necessary household chores or the job, surgery might be the answer.

But not to worry, Ho said. Surgeries of decades ago meant hospital time and glasses with “Coke-bottle” lenses to replace the cloudy natural lenses.

But Ho said modern doctors insert an artificial lens right into the eye after extracting the cloudy natural one. It’s done within a day and the patient gets to go home.

Many times, Pappas said, cataract patients don’t even need their old glasses after getting the artificial lenses.

“They come in for their next visit, expecting everything to be blurry, but they get this ‘wow’ factor when everything is clear,” he said.

Ho warned patients, however, not to all expect that amazing clarity in their own cases.

“It all depends on the conditions of the eye itself,” he said. “This is all very individual.”

If surgery is needed, Ho said, it will improve not just the person’s eyes, but his or her life.

“For instance, there is less risk in falling down,” he said. SL

Our aging community is a sacred asset that we should learn from, honor, and support.

\I A ing

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SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

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SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

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myseniorlife.com

Senior Life

News for Titusville, Mims & Port St. John

North Brevard

One man’s vision helps North Brevard families

BY FLORA REIGADA

Whether it is an organization in need of direction, a troubled life needing help, or a 105 year-old house that needs renovating, Joe Robinson doesn’t see obstacles.

“I see great opportunities,” said Robinson, the executive director of the North Brevard Charities Sharing Center.

In 1997, he came out of retirement from the United States Coast Guard to work for the struggling North Brevard Charities. He brought a wealth of experience from his humanitarian efforts in developing countries. He also brought vision.

Thanks to Robinson’s leadership, North Brevard Charities is now on the front lines of assisting the area’s needy.

“Our services include affordable and

SENIOR LIFE Dan Reigada

Joe Robinson is executive director of the North Brevard Charities Sharing Center. transitional housing for low to moderate income families,” Robinson said. “We assist with food, rent, emergency dental care and prescription medications.”

Jonda Erwin, an administrative services worker, recalled Robinson’s compassion for a family in crisis.

“Shortly after a couple with five children came to us for assistance, the husband was killed in a car accident,” Erwin said. “Joe Robinson made sure the wife and children were provided for and today they are doing well.”

Robinson’s vision extends to Titusville’s historic Carter House, which the Carter family had donated to North Brevard Charities. Although renovation was needed, Robinson saw more than an old home. He saw it renovated and serving underprivileged children as a Boys and Girls Club.

“I told the family we would do our best to make it of service to the community,” he said.

Area businesses and individuals caught the vision, donating their resources and labor. The opening of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida,

at 126 Grannis Ave., is tentatively scheduled for autumn.

When he is not serving humanity, Robinson enjoys life with his family. He and his wife, Janette, have four children and nine grandchildren.

The North Brevard Charities Sharing Center is at 4475 S. Hopkins Ave. in Titusville.

Due to the coronavirus, the organization’s thrift store has been temporarily closed. This has impacted funds, since the store is a source of income.

“Food and financial donations are needed,” Robinson said.

For information, call 321-2696555, e-mail nbcsc@cfl.rr.com or go to northbrevardcharities.org. SL

Super volunteers step up in clutch for Meals on Wheels

BY JILL BLUE

As Meals on Wheels struggles to fill its rank of delivery volunteers amid the coronavirus pandemic, there are those few super volunteers who have stepped up to fill in.

Titusville’s Bob Mohr always is ready to respond in clutch situations.

“Bob is truly one of our superheroes,” said Craig EdmondsonWood, the director of the Brevard Senior Nutrition Program. “Although his normal day is Friday, Bob is one of these rare folks who will show up whenever we need him.”

During the coronavirus pandemic, some of the older volunteers, who might be more susceptible to getting sick, have understandably opted to stay at home. The program has had to find other volunteers to take their place. While volunteers still are needed, they have been able to fill the need so far.

“I have one client who always asks me ‘do you get paid?’ I say I do get paid. I get paid right here.’”

– Bob Mohr, putting his hand over his heart.

Mohr, who has been delivering meals and interacting with the people he serves for many years, has increased his volunteer schedule to help fill the temporary need.

“I’ve been doing it for about 17 years,” he said. “I got started through friends at church. I do it whenever I can.”

Mohr said he needed to have someone to stay with his wife, so his daughter moved to Florida from West Virginia. She is at home with his wife while he volunteers.

Mohr said he gets great satisfaction in volunteering to help others.

321-242-1235

Craig Edmondson-Wood is the director of the Brevard Senior Nutrition Program.

SENIOR LIFE Jill Blue

Bob Mohr has increased his volunteer time with Meals on Wheels.

Marty Mercado is the director of Development for Aging Matters.

Marty Mercado

Volunteers Kelly and Margaret Wiggins are an effective husband and wife delivery team in Titusville.

“I have one client who always asks me, ‘do you get paid?’ I say I do get paid. I do get paid right here,’’ he said, tapping his right hand over his heart.

He said he does not mind answering the same question for the same client because she forgets that she asked the same thing, just days earlier.

“There are really nice people that I deliver to, and they are always happy to get their lunch,” Mohr said.

Pat Grange and her husband introduced Mohr to volunteering with Meals on Wheels.

Grange also is a longtime volunteer.

“I love doing it,” she said. “It’s a great experience. It’s something I can do to help others.” SL

Volunteer Ken Stacy is a driver for Meals on Wheels.

Pat Grange is a volunteer for Meals on Wheels.

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Patriotic 21-day flag display slated

BY GEORGE WHITE

Organizers of Brevard County’s most patriotic display viewable from your car are confident that coronavirus or not — 2020 will again have Satellite Beach’s 21-day Flag Salute June 14 through July 4.

It was founded back in 1987 by the late Scotty Culp.

Last year, it expanded from 50 to 60 flags. The salute requires about a dozen volunteers twice daily.

They place and put up the flags that encircle the pond in front of the Satellite Beach Municipal Complex that now bears Culp’s name. Culp, who was inducted into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame, passed away in 2013 at age 91.

The private effort also places the flags on Presidents Day in February;

Peace Officers Memorial Day, May 15 (canceled this year due to the virus); Patriots’ Day, Sept. 11; Veterans Day, Nov. 11; and Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7.

“Our plans (are) to have it happen again this year for Flag Day through July 4, but we’re still waiting to see how the restrictions change. This virus is affecting our largest group of volunteers, which are seniors over 65 who are at the greatest risk. I’ve had some decline, but others that said they will be there with masks on,’’ said Ron Culp, who for the past three years has carried on his mother’s tradition.

Culp said before the virus he had discussed getting high school volunteers from the Satellite High School football team. Other volunteer shortages have on

occasion been filled by Satellite Beach firefighters and police officers, he said.

Culp said the flag salutes are always well received by the community as a beautiful visual, even if they don’t remember exactly which date the flags are flying to represent.

This year’s 21-day flag salute, starting June 14, will have special meaning as community members battle the virus through quarantines and safety measures.

“The feedback I get is that it is always beautiful to see the flags flying. This year, I think it will represent the strength of America,’’ Culp said.

If you would like to volunteer or donate, contact Culp at curlyv22@ yahoo.com. SL

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, cindy.short@brevardfl.gov, brevardf l.gov/HumanServices/CommissionOnAging or at 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, B-106, Viera, FL 32940.

Step aside COVID, hurricane season is here!

BY MARIA SONNENBERG For more than a decade, Space Coast area organizations would host a festival for seniors in conjunction with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in June. COVID-19 put the kibosh on any large gathering this year, but that didn’t stop TRIAD for Brevard Seniors, the Florida Department of Children and Families, Brevard Commission on Aging and the Brevard Alzheimer’s Foundation, plus sponsors that include Senior Life, to come up with a drive-through event.

It won’t be a party this year, but it will be a way to obtain some valuable information and gadgets to help seniors during the next threat du jour, hurricane season. Volunteers from these organizations will be at four strategic locations from 8 a.m. to noon on Friday, June 12 to distribute Hurricane Preparedness Kits to seniors who drive up to pick these up.

“Volunteers wearing masks will bring the kits to the seniors, who stay in the safety of their cars, so there will be minimum exposure,” said Theresa Russell, a senior human services program specialist with the Department of Children and Families’ Adult Protective Services.

The useful kits include an information booklet from Brevard County Emergency Management, a DOEA Disaster Preparedness guide, Senior Life’s 2020 Boomer Guide, a handy keychain with a builtin can opener and whistle, and a flashlight, among

321-242-1235

PICK UP DATE AND TIME Friday, June 12 from 8 a.m. - Noon LOCATIONS • Brevard Alzheimer’s Foundation 4676 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne • Palm Bay Police Dept., 130 Malabar Road. SE • Hospice of St. Francis, 1250 Grumman Place, Titusville • Ascension Lutheran Church parking lot 1053 Pinetree Drive, Indian Harbour Beach

other goodies helpful during emergencies.

“We want them to be prepared for any emergency, and these items can be used for a lot of things beyond a hurricane,” Russell said.

The kit also includes pens, reusable bags for groceries, waterproof bags to hold important documents, bandaids, a small first aid kit and a bag for medications.

“The insulated cooler is perfect to keep medicines at the right temperature,” Russell said.

Vial of Life, a small container that allows individuals to have complete medical information ready for emergency personnel, also is included, as is the unique Scent Evidence K9 Scent Preservation Kit, designed to collect and store the scent of loved ones so police department bloodhounds can track them should they go missing.

“At the sites, you will also be able to register for special needs hurricane shelters and arrange for transport to the shelter if needed,” Russell said. SL

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www.quiltsandlace.com • beth@quiltsandlace.com

Thrift Store

M,W,Th,F: 10am - 5pm, Tue: 12N - 7pm, Sat: 10am - 2pm, Sun: CLOSED

Phone: (321) 622-8602, Fax: www.quiltsandlace beth@quiltsandlac

Come See Us at Our Sharing Center Boutique!

Monday - Saturdays:10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Closed Sunday

Store next to Toyo

Interlachen Rd

Walgreens

N Wickham Rd Suntree

20% isOAffd

With th Sharing Center of Central Brevard Publix

Solution on page 31

30

SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

7720 N. Wickham Rd., #103, Melbourne

Sharingcenter.org

321-425-3334

myseniorlife.com

BoomerSenior

Sudoku Solution Puzzle on page 30

Sentiments

What lifestyle changes you made because of the coronavirus pandemic will remain with you after social distancing is no longer needed?

Photos by Ernest Arico

Jean Lewandowski

“I am not going anywhere for the next month or so. I am going to stay safe and out of the way.”

Judy Vaughn

“I have a lot of hobbies and one of my favorites is photography. But with what has happened, I plan on doing a lot of my outdoor and nature photography using my long, zoom lens.”

Al Lewandowski

“I’m definitely going to be using a lot more hand sanitizer.”

Janie Caudill

“I’ll probably keep practicing my social distancing and be mindful of all that has happened.”

time machine In June...

June 11, 1991

Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines erupts, spewing ash into the air, which is visible for more than 60 miles. The surrounding areas are covered with ash and mud created by rainstorms. Nearby U.S. military bases also are damaged.

June 18, 1983

June 28, 1919

Almost half a century after the proclamation of the German Empire in the Hall of Mirrors, French President Georges Clémenceau savors his revenge when the defeated German delegates sign the Treaty of Versailles at the Hall of Mirrors to end World War II.

June 27, 1859

American musician Mildred J. Hill (1859-1916) is born in Louisville, Kentucky. She composes the melody for what is now the world’s most often sung song, “Happy Birthday to You.”

Sally Ride, a 32-year-old physicist and pilot, becomes the first American woman in space, beginning a six-day mission aboard the space shuttle Challenger. It is launched from Cape Canaveral.

321-242-1235

Crossword Solution Crossword on page 23

June 30, 1971

The 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is enacted, granting the right to vote in all federal, state and local elections to American citizens 18 years or older. The U.S. thus gains an additional 11 million voters.

SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2020

31

THE 2 GRAN COUPE

THE 2

GRAN COUPE

THE BMW X4 THE BMW X4

THE BMW X5

THE BMW X5

Your Neighborhood BMW Dealership 1432 S. Harbor City Blvd. | Melbourne, FL 32901 WWW.BMWINMELBOURNE.COM â&#x20AC;¢ (321)727- 3788