Vero's Voice Magazine Issue 141 October 2022

and

Dentistry

Whether you are in search of a new family dentist or need a complete smile makeover, our practice is prepared to serve you with the utmost care and attention.

Every day, we help turn dream smiles into a reality. As one of the most soughtafter Vero Beach cosmetic dentists, Dr. Planes and the team here at Planes Dental Arts have transformed the teeth of countless patients. We know how important a beautiful smile is and enjoy watching our patients gain renewed confidence in their appearance. We also know how important good health is to maintaining a new smile. From fillings and cleanings to implants and straightening, we offer preventive, restorative, and cosmetic solutions to fit the needs of the whole family.

Our team is highly trained and experienced in a wide range of dental services. With years of combined advanced education and an office equipped with stateof-the-art technology, it is easy to see why so many people choose Planes Dental Arts and Dr. Alex Planes as their Vero Beach cosmetic dentist.

Whether you need general dental care or feel embarrassed or unhappy with the appearance of your smile, we are prepared and ready to address your concerns. Contact us today to schedule your consultation and find out how dental care at Planes Dental Arts can meet and exceed your expectations.

Dr. Alex Planes, d.d.s.

4755

Beach, FL 32963

7 Our Stay at the Noble House Inn – Bridgton, Maine

10 Recipes: Scrumptious Make-Ahead Breakfast Dishes

12 A Local Veteran’s Honor Flight Experience

14 Movie Review: Lifemark

16 Travels by Steven: Iceland – The Northern Star

18 Meet Dr. Logan T. Vander Woude, Center for Advanced Eye Care

22 Voices of Vero: What additions would you like to see become a part of our thriving community?

24 Voices of Vero: What was your all-time favorite Halloween costume?

28 Encouraging Words: Get ready to be grateful

YOGI-isms

With October comes the World Series which reminds me of time spent with my grandfather. He took my brother and me to Yankee Stadium in the early 1960s, which I enjoyed because at recess we’d play ball in the playground and were all given Yankees’ names. Mine was Joe Pepitone – and I was thrilled to see him which helped ease my disappointment at not being Mickey Mantle. I remember Yogi Berra, I’m sure because I watched Yogi the Bear. Later in life I came to appreciate this baseball legend's talents and his witty humor.

Always go to other people’s funerals; otherwise they won’t come to yours.

I never said most of the things I said.

You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.

If you don’t catch the ball you catch the bus home.

You can observe a lot just by watching.

The future ain’t what it used to be.

ON THE COVER:

Check out our Voices of Vero and see what your neighbors are saying!

95 Royal Palm Pointe, Vero Beach, Fl 32960

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Barbara Freund 772-538-2718 barb@verosvoice.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sandy Carlile sandy@verosvoice.com

ADVERTISING SALES

Brad Scott 772-643-4522

EDITOR AT LARGE Glenn Swift glenn@owwmedia.com

MAGAZINE DELIVERY

George Pevarnik

It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.

I’d give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

He must have made that before he died.

Half the lies they tell about me aren’t true.

I ain’t in no slump… I just ain’t hitting.

Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.

A nickle ain’t worth a dime anymore!

Pair up in three.

He hits from both sides of the plate. He’s amphibious.

It’s like déjà vu all over again. No one goes there nowadays; it’s too crowded.

I’m not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did.

CHIEF PRODUCTION ENGINEER/ EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

“Mr. B” Paul Bartoszewicz mrb@verosvoice.com

PRODUCTION ENGINEER Noah Woodrow noah@verosvoice.com

PRODUCTION ENGINEER Winston Howell winston@verosvoice.com

PUBLISHER

Rhett Palmer 772-473-7777 rhett@verosvoice.com

The friendly publication where friendly people advertise!

To Advertise Please call Rhett Palmer at 772.473.7777 or email us at advertising@verosvoice. com. Space deadline is the 1st of each month. Camera Ready deadline is the 10th.

Number of copies printed varies with time of year.

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Vero’s Voice Magazine is published monthly. Copyright © Vero’s Voice Magazine 2010 - 2022, all rights reserved. Reproduction of contents in print or electronic transmission in whole or in part in any language or format must be by express written permission of the publisher. All articles, descriptions and suggestions in this magazine are merely expression of opinions from contributors and advertisers and do not constitute the opinion of the publisher, editor or staff of Vero’s Voice Magazine, and under no circumstances constitutes assurances or guarantees concerning the quality of any service or product. Vero’s Voice Magazine specifically disclaims any liability related to these expressions and opinions. The advertiser agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the publishers from all liability.

Facial

The vampire facial (also known as a vampire facelift, a platelet-rich plasma facial, or PRP facial) involves taking a sample of your own blood, extracting the plasma (the liquid part of your blood), and applying it after RF microneedling.

WHAT IS PLASMA?

It’s rich in platelets, growth factors, and other nutrients that stimulate the growth of collagen, allowing the area to tighten and regain healthy skin cells.

The platelets, in particular, contain pockets called alpha granules, which secrete high levels of growth factors — They’ve been shown to be effective for wound healing, as well as improving skin elasticity, volume, and texture.

WHAT IS IT USED FOR:

To treat acne, acne scarring, reduce pigment and melasma, surgical scars, reduce stretch marks and treats wrinkles and fine lines.

Best

if done

series of three to

My Faith in Bed & Breakfasts Has Been Revived!

By Rhett Palmer & Barbara Freund

NOBLE HOUSE INN – BRIDGTON, MAINE

Lynn and Matt Williams are the lovely, gracious owners and hosts of this former senator’s retreat. You can feel the rich history in this lovingly restored 1903 home and carriage house in Bridgton, Maine, a quaint town in the state’s mountain and lakes region – an area that has been quietly discovered but not inundat ed. I love the quiet.

The Noble House Inn sits across the street from the popular High land Lake on one of the roads that circle these peaceful clean cool waters. There are parks with picnic tables and just enough visitors to not feel alone, but not every table in use.

The welcoming front porch up on the Noble House hill is sur rounded by five glorious acres of cascading bright green lawns. It was so inviting we spent a good portion of one day just soaking up the serenity – reading books and doing the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle. The first evening there it felt so romantic to sit on the porch, swinging on the porch swing, listening to a loon off in the dis tance, echoing over the still waters of the lake.

Innkeepers Matt & Lynn Williams

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

Lynn’s father had a B&B in coastal Camden, Maine, where she learned the hospitality business growing up and the joy of serving guests. It is in her blood. Matt was an executive in the global retail business and his talents transition easily to the B&B. He enjoys his departure from that frenetic world to now hosting visitors from around the world.

Breakfast is included and Lynn’s cooking is AMAZING. Matt serves the sumptuous comfort creations made with love from Lynn’s hands. We had fresh fruit, juice and coffee, and Brioche Blueberry French Toast Streusel one morning followed by The Perfect Strata the next. Yum!! (We wanted to stay another night just to see what we would be having.)

The inn offers massage en suite, for those who chose one of the suites, and the Noble Bar (located inside the inn) serves cocktails, fine wines and local craft beers. Sit in the bar or grab an Adirondack chair outside on the lawn and soak up the sunshine and peace. The Noble House Inn also provides a beautiful setting for weddings.

There’s plenty to do in the area. Borrow a kayak from the Noble House to explore Highland Lake (which we’ll do our next visit). There’s also golfing, biking and hiking trails, and of course swimming and boating on the area’s

lakes. Nearby Pleasant Mountain has the best snow skiing in Maine for all skill levels.

It has been years since I did the B&B thing, but Lynn and Matt renewed my appetite for more like this in my travels once again. The rooms are decorated creatively with upscale window treatments, luxuriously soft sheets and fluffy towels.

Relax and enjoy zero stress at the Noble House Inn where Lynn and Matt have you well taken care of – by seasoned B&B “nobility.”

Clockwise from top left:

Lynn takes a mid-breakfast break to come out of the kitchen and say hello to the guests at the various tables.

Our suite “Tree House” up on the third floor. Every morning starts with a fabulous breakfast. Recipes page 10.

never

cart.

Centers

Download

to

Main County Landfill

CARTer’s

to see what goes where or visit indianriver.gov.

BILL POSEY DELIVERS FOR FLORIDA

BILL POSEY DELIVERS FOR FLORIDA

BILL POSEY DELIVERS FOR FLORIDA

BILL POSEY DELIVERS FOR FLORIDA

BILL POSEY DELIVERS FOR FLORIDA

Secured Historic Investments To Restore Our Lagoon & Water Supply

Secured Historic Investments To Restore Our Lagoon & Water Supply

Fought To Bring Aerospace Jobs Back To The Space Coast

Secured Historic Investments To Restore Our Lagoon & Water Supply

Fought To Bring Aerospace Jobs Back To The Space Coast

Secured Historic Investments To Restore Our Lagoon & Water Supply

NEVER Took A Pay Raise In Congress

NEVER Took A Pay Raise In Congress

Fought To Bring Aerospace Jobs Back To The Space Coast

Secured Historic Investments To Restore Our Lagoon & Water Supply

Fought To Bring Aerospace Jobs Back To The Space Coast

NEVER Took A Pay Raise In Congress

Fought To Bring Aerospace Jobs Back To The Space Coast

NEVER Took A Pay Raise In Congress

NEVER Took A Pay Raise In Congress

Secured Historic Investments To Restore Our Lagoon & Water Supply Fought To Bring Aerospace Jobs Back To Our Community NEVER Took A Pay Raise in Congress

Paid for by Friends of Bill Posey

Paid for by

Paid for by

by Barbara Freund

Scrumpious Make-ahead Breakfasts

These are Lynn Williams’ recipes for the scrumptious breakfast dishes she served during our stay at the Noble House Inn. Every guest in the room oohed and aahed and tried to eat every last delicious bite of the healthy-sized servings on our plates.

THE PERFECT STRATA

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon oil

3/4 red pepper, diced

1/2 cup leek, diced 12 large eggs 3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon garlic

1/2 teaspoon onion powder pepper to taste

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

1/2 cup shredded Swiss

1 cup chopped ham

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped 12-ounce loaf Italian bread

DIRECTIONS

• In a skillet, heat oil and add the red pepper and leek and cook on medium heat until cooked through.

•

In a large bowl, add the eggs, cream, and spices. Mix well and stir in cheeses, ham, spinach and cooked vegetables.

• Spray a 9x13 baking dish and tear the bread into chunks.

• Pour egg mixture over the bread, folding gently until evenly distributed. Cover and chill overnight.

•

Preheat the oven to 350° and bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and puffy in the center. Insert a knife in the center to make sure that the eggs have set, and if not, bake for another 5 or 10 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes before cutting. Serve hot!

Lynn Williams CO-OWNER & CHEF, NOBLE HOUSE INN

ON THE

Noble House Inn - Bridgton, Maine

BRIOCHE BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST STREUSEL

Warm up any leftovers and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream…yum!

INGREDIENTS

16-ounce loaf of Brioche bread

1 pint of blueberries

8 large eggs

3 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

For the topping:

3/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup pecans

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons Karo corn syrup

DIRECTIONS

• Grease a 9x13 baking dish. In the baking dish, tear one half of the brioche into pieces, being careful to leave them airy and fluffy. Layer half of the blueberries on top of the bread layer. Continue with the second half of the loaf, covering the blueberries. Top that layer with the rest of the blueberries.

•

Make the topping: In a separate bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add oatmeal, pecans, nutmeg, syrup and mix well. Set aside.

• In a separate bowl, mix eggs, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar.

•

Pour egg mixture over bread and blueberries, and top with oatmeal topping. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

• When ready to bake, set oven at 350 degrees. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 15 minutes until puffy and light brown and egg is set in middle. If not, continue baking for another 5 minutes.

Recipes courtesy Lynn Williams, Noble House Inn

The Honor Flight program honors our country’s veter ans with an all-expenses paid trip to the memorials in Wash ington, DC, a trip many of our veterans may not otherwise be able to take. Participation in an Honor Flight trip gives veterans the chance to share this momen tous trip with other veterans, to remember friends and comrades lost, and share their stories and experience with each other. Since many of the honorees are in their 90s, they are accompanied each step of the way by volunteer guardians who take care of each veteran, both on the ground and in the air.

Since its inception in 2005, the Honor Flight Network has made it possible for more than 200,000 veterans from all branches of service, from more than 130 locations across our country, to participate in this program.

Our studio production engineer, Paul Bartoszewicz (Mr. B), partic ipated on September 17. Here is his story, in his own words.

A Local Veteran’s Honor Flight Experience

Our day started at 1:00 am. We had to be to Stuart, 45 minutes from Vero, for the Southeast Honor Flight. My friend Gary Webster, my “guardian” Denise Stam baugh and I boarded a bus bound for Palm Beach International Airport, along with a police escort. We passed three firehouses where all personnel were outside –lights flashing, horns blaring – saluting us. Mind you, this was at 3:50 am. We arrived at the airport at 4:15 am for a plane boarding at 5:40 am and a planned departure to Washington, DC at 6:40 am.

Upon our arrival at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at 9:00 am, we were greeted by a welcoming committee comprised of cheering people – even cheerleaders!

Our veterans and guardians were loaded into buses and proceeded to Arlington National Cemetery where we witnessed the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Mr. B at the Vietnam Memorial Wall

Group shot at the new Air Force Memorial

We departed Arlington for the NEW US Air Force Memorial, where we also had an Arby’s box lunch. The “new” memorials which I had never seen before (since my last trip to Washington was some 45 years ago) were the National World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the Viet nam Memorial Wall. We then departed for Reagan National Airport, had dinner, boarded our aircraft, and departed for Palm Beach Interna tional at approximately 5:00 pm.

But the best was still to come!

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a 2-star general and bagpipes who led us into the long hallway of over 500 to 600 cheering, sign-carrying, hand-shaking men, women and children. I could feel my eyes well up with happy tears! Channel 5 News was there and covered the event on the 11:00 o’clock news.

Some stats from our Honor Flight: WWII, two veterans (97 and 99 years old); Korean War, eleven veterans; and Vietnam, 59 veter ans; 72 guardians and 25 staff attended.

WHAT A GREAT DAY!

voting for voters wanting to pick-up or submit a mail ballot.

VOTE

Election Day

November 8, 2022

7 AM - 7 PM

Due to redistricting some polling locations have changed. Please check your voter information card, call the Elections Office at 772-226-4700 or visit VoteIndianRiver.gov to find your Election Day polling place

You must vote at the precinct in which you reside.

Leslie R. Swan

Indian River County Supervisor of Elections

43rd Avenue, Vero Beach, FL 32967

772-226-4700

Note: Mr. B – Sergeant Paul Bartoszewicz – was stationed in the Military District of Washington with the 1st Battal ion, 3rd US Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard of the Army) from 1972 to 1973.

Changing of the Guard Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

REVIEWS

young man as the film portrayed?

Lifemark

by Penny Cooke

It is estimated that one to two million cou ples in the United States are waiting to adopt a baby which can take anywhere from two to seven years. It is said that for every baby placed in adoption, there are 36 cou ples waiting to adopt.

Imagine how many couples are desperately waiting for a child through the long adoptive process. Imagine the children who are thankful they were given the chance at life.

This is the story of David Colton in Lifemark.

Lifemark released in the theaters September 9, and as I write this, it is number two at the box office, giving Fathom Events its biggest debut of 2022. It is the Kendrick Brothers’ first true story about a baby given up for adoption after the young mother, Melissa (Marisa Hampton), decides to have her baby.

Jimmy (Kirk Cameron) and Susan (Rebecca Rogers Nelson), after losing two children to a genetic disorder, decide to adopt. Out of all the couples’ letters Melissa read who were looking to adopt, she chose Jimmy and Susan because of shared interests; because they would bring the baby up as she would if she were able.

The child, David (Raphael Ruggero), is sub sequently brought up in a loving Christian home. He is a respectable 18-year-old young man about to go off to college when his birth mother contacts him (older Melissa played by Dawn Long). They com

municate back and forth via social media until she eventually asks to see him. David is hesi tant. For years he hid his emotions and avoided telling people he was adopted so he could fit in. But finally he decides to go ahead and meet her. After all, he always wanted to ask her, “Why?”

With his adoptive parents’ blessing, the journey begins. David’s best friend and video enthusiast, Nate, goes along, capturing the whole experience on video and balancing the emotional and sometimes awkward encoun ters with his entertaining personality.

Meantime, his birth father decides he’d like to meet him as well. Might this be more than David set out for?

Lifemark is a beautiful true story full of love, so much so that it may make you wonder if Da vid and his adoptive parents were really that nice to each other in real life. Did they not have conflict? Was he ever rebellious? Is he as nice a

I went to the original film made in 2018 to find out.

I Lived on Parker Avenue is a documentary that fol lowed David’s story and was the inspiration for Lifemark. You can find the 30-minute film which captured David and Melissa’s reunion in real time at ilivedonparkerave.com. I think you’ll agree, David is truly a remarkable young man.

Lifemark is a tender story of the beauty and blessing of adoption. It is not an anti-abortion story, but it does have a rich adoption mes sage, especially in our post Roe v. Wade cli mate, which hadn’t happened yet when the Kendricks were making this film.

There isn’t much worth seeing these days, on the TV screen or the big screen. In this magazine, we try to focus our reviews on movies that are worth your time to view and money to support.

Here’s one to definitely put on your watch list: Lifemark. And of course, you may need a few tissues for those feel-good tears.

LIFEMARK:

UPDATE: As I send this review in for publication, Lifemark has been extended beyond its original oneweek showing, and additional theaters have been added. When will Hollywood get the message that America loves wholesome movies with positive messages and valuable lessons? Look for streaming soon!

ADOPTION RESOURCES: National Council for Adoption, www.AdoptionCouncil.org; Brave Love, BraveLove.org; Heartbeat International, www.HeartbeatInternational.org; The Adoption Network, www.AdoptionNetwork.com

Penny Cooke is an award-winning writer and author of Pursuing Prayer – Being Effective in a Busy World. Penny cohosts the podcast, Seeds of Hope, with Del Bates right here on Vero’s Voice. Learn more at pennycookeauthor.com.

Rated PG13

Executive Producers: Kirk Cameron and the Kendrick Brothers

Penny Cooke

By Leonard Gershe

Don Baker, a blind young man, moves into his own apartment against the wishes of his overprotective mother. Jill Tanner, the freethinking young woman next door, takes a liking to him and his meticulously kept apartment. As they begin a closer relation ship, Don’s mother, Mrs. Baker, enters to “help” her son navigate his new life. Butterflies are Free is a funny, touching and emotional play about the risks that go with loving someone.

BY STEVEN TRAVELS

by Steven Eidelberg

THE NORTHERN STAR

Most people think Iceland would be an in teresting place to go, but it never made the top of the bucket list. That all changed with the pandemic when Iceland became one of the first countries to open to tourism and cruising, and a flood of people with a pent-up demand to travel ventured to this wonderful country.

I had the opportunity to stop here prior to em barking on a cruise, and it is the perfect place to spend a weekend going to or from a European va cation. Icelandair makes this easy by offering a stopover at no cost when flying to/from Europe. With non-stops leaving Orlando this makes it easy for those of us in Vero Beach to think about a trip for a few days, or simply to spend an entire 7-10 night vacation sailing into their spectacular fjords with a major cruise line like Viking, NCL or Celebrity, or exploring by land.

I arrived at the airport early in the morning, and rather than waiting in Reykjavik for my hotel

room to be ready, I took a tour of the “Golden Circle”. These are three of the major natural sites to see in southern Iceland that are a must for any first-time visitor. It will take about six hours, and by the end it was the perfect time for me to check in. You can rent your own car, get on a tour, or do what I did – just get a taxi from the airport. While more expensive, it is private, and most taxi drivers are able to give a nice tour in addition to doing the driving.

The first stop is their famous Great Geyser Geothermal Park. This is Iceland’s version of “Old Faithful”, where you can cross terrain that looks like the moon and wait for a geyser to blow which happens almost every 5-10 minutes. On the way there, you could even stop at an old cra ter with a lake at the bottom.

Next stop is the awe-inspiring Gullfoss Wa terfall. You can hike to the edge and feel the power of the water, or if you are feeling very fit,

hike to the top of a large hill and view it from above. It has several tiers before a deep dropoff into a gorge…simply spectacular.

The final stop is Thingvellir National Park This park is cool not only because it is where two continental plates meet, but also because it is the site of Iceland’s original parliament in 930AD! It is a mound of land where Viking tribes, slaves and others from Scandinavia could come and speak freely. It is marked by a flag and surrounded by a long gorge where you can hike and view the lake with the most clear and clean water in the world. So clear that people come here to scuba dive and see Iceland’s wonders from the water in dry suits to keep warm in this very cold lake.

You end in Reykjavik where you have a va riety of hotels from the luxury Reykjavik EDI TION to the midscale Canopy by Hilton where I stayed in a corner room with a great view of the rooftops (at only 5 stories tall, it is one of the tall

Gullfoss Waterfall

est buildings downtown except for the super modern Lutheran Church, the Hallgrimskirkja, which towers over the city. If you can, catch tickets for a concert (modern or classical) at Harpa, a very modern and wonderful con cert hall not to be missed.

Take another day trip out to the Blue Lagoon where you will spend the day luxuriating in the hot springs, even in the middle of winter. This famous geothermal lagoon has health restorative hot mineral water for you to soak in, plus there is a hotel and other amenities around to make a day of it.

Speaking of the middle of winter, you’ll see the famous Northern Lights starting in October but guaranteed in February since it is dark for 16 hours of the day. If you don’t like the cold, plan a trip in the summer when you will need good blinds to sleep, but unfortunately won’t be able to see the Northern Lights.

For a great and affordable getaway somewhere you never thought you would go, I highly recommend spending some time in Iceland…even if you just spend a few days like I did with an onward cruise to Europe. You will truly enjoy this Northern Star!

Steve Eidelberg is the owner of Cousu Main Travel, an affiliate of Cruise Brothers Travel, 401-369-8477, seidelberg@cruisebrothers.com, cousumaintravel@gmail.com

Steven Eidelberg

Harpa Concert Hall

Hallgrimskirkja Lutheran Church

Thingvellir National Park is where two continental plates meet and the site of Iceland’s original parliament in 930AD

Q A& Meet

Logan T. Vander Woude, DO, MPH

Center for Advanced Eye Care

RHETT PALMER:

We’re talking to a brand new doctor at Center for Advanced Eye Care, Dr. Logan Vander Woude. What do you focus in on at Center for Advanced Eye Care, Doctor?

DR. LOGAN VANDER WOUDE:

I mainly do cornea and glaucoma, and then I also do cataract surgery. We’re building a LASIK suite as well. I kind of do the full gamut of the anterior seg ment, as we call it, in the eye.

This is very exciting, too, because Center for Advanced Eye Care is expanding into the Fort Pierce area. Would you tell us about that, Doctor? I’m actually at our new Fort Pierce office. We have a temporary office right behind Lawnwood Hospital, and then we’re building a brand new building just across the street on 25th Street.

So are you married with children? We got married in April so no kids yet. We just had our honeymoon. There’s a lot to talk about today. First of all, I want to know why you decided to become a doctor. Was your father or mother a doctor before you? My dad was an ear, nose and throat doctor, and he came from a smaller community just like this. I think one of my favorite things was when we’d go out to eat and everyone in the community would come up and just thank him for all the things that he did. And it was just really amazing to see from a young age how much of an impact you can make in a small community.

When I was a security guard at Albany Medical Center I saw all the students doing the all-nighters, as they are called, which I’m sure you’re familiar with? Lots of all-nighters.

So what happens after you graduate? You do an intern year, and then depending on your specialty, with ophthalmology you do three years of residency, where you have even more all-nighters than you had in med school.

After residency you have the option to do a fellowship if you want to do further training, and I did mine in cornea and glaucoma with Dr. Aarup Kubal and Dr. Anup Kubal down in the Plantation Jupiter area.

Why did you decide to do that? I really wanted to add more. When you come out of residency, you’re very good with certain procedures, but I wanted to learn a whole lot more. So in fellowship I learned how to do cornea transplants, partial thickness transplants. I wanted to learn how to do LASIK and refractive surgery, glaucoma surgery, minimal ly-invasive glaucoma surgery. So the amount of surgery I felt comfort able with coming out of residency I could count on a hand or two, and now I feel comfortable with pretty much anything in the front part of the eye.

Well, I’m very impressed. I’d asked Dr. Mallon this years ago. Considering the fact that I’m just dust of the earth perceiving you on the screen, you’re perceiving me, the miracle of sight, does it still amaze you even though you do these very intricate surgeries? Absolutely. And I think one of the best things is how much people care about their sight. You know, as people come in, they have cataracts, and then one of my favorite days is post op one, the day after cataract surgery, and the patients can’t believe what they haven’t been able to see for all these years. They’ve been having these cataracts get worse and worse slowly over time, and we take them out, put in these brand new lenses, and they see great and absolutely love it. So it’s fun to be a part of that.

Let’s talk about cataracts. I’m 68 years of age; I still have my cataracts. I remember my grandmother, when she was about 60 or 61, she had cataract surgeries. Why the accelerated growth of this covering with some people’s eyes and not with others? Well, everybody’s very different. It depends on your cataracts, you can have different types that affect your vision more so than others, and then everybody’s tolerance for their quality of vision.

So my dad’s 82. I can tell he’s buying bigger and bigger TVs and sitting closer and closer in football games, but he’s happy with that, his cataracts don’t really bother him. What we tell people is when it’s starting to bother you, it is the right time for surgery. And that can be having glare when you’re driving at night…I always tell patients cataract surgery is a lot safer than driving around without being able to see at night. Trouble reading in dim light. There are a couple of early warning signs. But usually you’ll know when it’s time, when you start losing the ability to do things.

What exactly is a cataract? A cataract is like a clouding of your lens. It just naturally occurs over time. They can happen in different areas. You can have ones that affect in the middle that come in kind of like spokes, or ones that grow on the back of your eye. And there are different risk factors for each one. But basically it’s an opacifica tion, meaning the light isn’t getting in as clearly as it was, or it’s being scattered by the cataract, and you just can’t focus it on your retina so you’re not able to see as well.

Top: Dr. Aarup Kubal, Dr. Logan Vander Woude, and Project Coordinator Felisa de Kler visit Iguaza Falls, located on the border of Brazil and Argentina

Right: Dr. Logan Vander Woude organizes the instruments needed for an upcoming procedure with the surgical tech, while Dr. Aarup Kubal looks on.

Below: Checking into the Fort Lauderdale airport with their necessary supplies

STYLIST

Clockwise From Upper Left:

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NYLITEPLUS LEATHER SUEDE LACE-UP CASUAL FASHION SNEAKERS CLASSIC STYLE

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POLINA COGNAC

LOW BRAIDED CLOG

LOEFFLER RANDAL | $350 LOEFFLERRANDAL.COM

LARGE HAIR BOW CLIP2 PCS. HIZITI | $7.99 AMAZON.COM

Marianne Howell is a wardrobe consultant & personal stylist based on the Treasure Coast. She is drawn to simplicity and believes that less is more. Her goal is to help clients love their wardrobes and achieve an effortlessly stylish look that suits them best. You can see more of her current fashion finds at treasurecoaststylist.com. Find her online: www.treasurecoaststylist.com; instagram, facebook, pinterest @treasurecoaststylist

by Marianne Howell

Is it true that mostly everybody will eventually have to get cataract surgery? I usually tell people if they’ve been lucky enough to live long enough, they’re going to have cataracts.

Once I have the surgery, will I need it again or is that it? The cataracts don’t grow back. Sometimes you can have a film that grows behind the lens. Probably about 25% to 50% of people get that, but we fix it with a laser; it takes about a minute, painless.

Now, when I was talking to Dr. Mallon about his invention, GlobeChek, I under stand that in some foreign countries people actually have cataracts that are so thick that they’re, in fact, blind, and some doctors will travel and help these people; is that true? Actually I just did one of those trips in May.

We flew down to Paraguay for a week, Dr. Kubal and I, and we did 15 cornea transplants and probably 100 cataracts in that week. And we had people that couldn’t even see where the table was to lie down for surgery, they were absolutely completely blind in both eyes…

And what is the reaction the next day? Oh, it’s great, it’s unbelievable. It’s great to be a part of. That’s kind of one of the wonderful parts of going down there and doing it.

I can’t imagine what that’s like. They’re kind of just stunned, to be honest. They’re almost speechless.

Do you do this pro bono or how does this all work? There are different non-profit orga nizations that helped us get the tickets to go down there. But we spent the time arranging to get all the cornea grafts and doing the surgery and bringing down instruments. We basically just borrowed them from our surgery center and carried them with us on the plane. So I had about a half of a carry-on full of clothes, the other half was full of surgery instruments, and then my personal item was a box of donated corneas from the Tampa Eye Bank.

Now let’s talk about cornea transplant. What precisely is the cornea? The cornea is the front clear part of your eye that you look through.

Why would you need a transplant for that? So there are different reasons. Sometimes people get ulcers or trauma that causes scarring of the cornea, and if that cornea isn’t nice and clear, if the light can’t get through your cornea, you’re not going to be able to see anything. It doesn’t matter if you have a healthy retina or lens, the light has to be able to get through all parts of the eye in order to work well. So if you have something blocking that light like a scar or trauma or an infection, sometimes we need to remove that scarred part of the cornea and transplant it with a healthy cornea from a donor.

Now, what is LASIK? With LASIK surgery, we’re changing what’s called the refraction of your eye. Basically, what you need to do is have the light go through your eye and focus on the retina. Now you can do that in different ways; you can do it with glasses or contacts, or you can surgically ma nipulate the eye in order so that light settles on the retina. That’s what LASIK is doing.

So basically what you’re doing is you’re creating a flap of tissue and you’re going to lift it in LASIK, and then you take what is called an excimer laser that changes the shape of your cornea, and that changes your refraction in your eye. And then you lay down that flap and it heals very nicely, and then you can see just as if you would if you had glasses or contacts.

Wow, because I have about 15 pairs of these Wal-Mart glasses, cheaters they call them, and I’m up to number 3. So you bring up cheaters. LASIK works better when you’re younger because you can still accommodate. So like when you were 20, 30, you didn’t need any cheater glasses because your lens can still change shape and focus the light itself.

What LASIK does is it gets you really good distance vision, but you still need to be able to accommodate to see. So some people will notice even after they got LASIK in their 20s or their 30s, they’ll still need reading glasses when they get around 44, 45, 46 because it doesn’t fix that problem. So it helps us to see really

clear without glasses at distance or at near sometimes, but it won’t do both, unfortunately.

Now let’s talk about glaucoma, how pernicious is glaucoma and what is glaucoma?

So glaucoma is damaging of the optic nerve in your eye. There are a lot of different theories as to why it happens; we don’t know exactly. But the main thing that we can control in the eye is the pressure, so that’s what we focus on treating in glaucoma. So your family member may get it, it runs in families. You might come in with glaucoma and we give you medicines or lasers or even recommend surgeries; they’re all designed to decrease the pressure in the eye. It’s kind of, the lower the pressure, the less likely the nerve is to be damaged.

The issue is that once the nerve starts being damaged, it’s irreversible, so you really have to be on top of glaucoma. It’s a lot more of screening and preventive and continuous care than it is like if you do a cataract sur gery where you might see the patient for the surgery and then a few times afterward, and then they’re usually doing well and you maybe see them once a year. Glaucoma you see them much more frequently, trying to keep control of the disease.

Now, I hear it is minimally invasive? Sure, that’s the newer surgical techniques. So the old school of thought was just give drops and drops and drops until either the drops are so toxic that the cornea can’t take it anymore, or the patient is bothered by them, or that they can’t afford them, or that they’re having issues with them.

Now we have newer treatments that allow us to control the pressure with fewer and fewer drops, so more often we’re recommending laser treatment at first, the minimally-invasive glaucoma surgeries. If you’re getting cataract surgery, I will almost always recommend one of those at the same time if you have glaucoma.

And now finally Medicare is wising up and they’re letting us do these procedures, what we call stand-alone, meaning that we can do them at any time, whether you have a cataract or not. And those are all designed to increase the outflow and lower the pressure in the eye.

It’s been great getting to know you via this Zoom interview and hope we get to meet face-to-face soon. Welcome to Vero Beach. Thank you.

Dr. Logan Vander Woude places drops in the eyes of a woman who had a successful cataract surgery. She was blind from the cataracts before surgery.

Vero Beach is growing every day.

Would love to see a Trader Joe’s. My wife and I travel to Orlando and Palm Beach to shop there.

Ted Jackson, REALTOR, COLDWELL BANKER PARADISE.

I would love to see a greater variety of shopping on the mainland and a new indoor sports complex. Jill Hanson, CAUSE ENTREPRENEUR, ONEHOPE WINE

A Dairy Queen! On a second thought maybe not, as it would cause me to gain weight.

Vero needs an indoor venue for hosting children’s parties and events. Danielle Casiello

I would love to see an Organic Market offering meats, chicken, pasta, and produce.

Chef Anthony Damiano, COUNTER CULTURE

OF VERO VOICES by Steve Glaser

Karen Clabaugh, VERO FITNESS

What additions would you like to see become a part of our thriving community?

I would Love to see a Kroger’s Supermarket in Vero. They are a great company that was founded 140 years ago.

Julie Inglehart, CHRISTIAN FM BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & PUBLIC RELATIONS

A Bahama Breeze restaurant. My wife and I had dinner at Bahama Breeze in Daytona Beach over the weekend and the service and food that we had was great. Wilfred Hart COMMUNITY LIAISON SPECIALIST, SDIRC

It would be great to see the Disney Resort remodeled to include additional fun activities for all ages.

Cameron Coppoletta, ACT COMPUTERS

Vero really needs an event venue capable of hosting large events.

Kim Brady, STAYBRIDGE SUITES DIRECTOR OF SALES

It would be great to have a large fitness center focusing on people with disabilities.

Patti W. McIntyre, MARY KAY INDEPENDENT BEAUTY CONSULTANT

My wife would love to see a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. I would like to see a Brightline stop in Vero Beach since it passes through anyway. Bill Marshall, REALTOR, KELLER WILLIAMS

Love to see an ice skating rink in Vero. Hannah Staker, CITY MASTERS RESTORATION

We desperately need affordable housing!

Becky Moon, MY L’OCCITANE NATURAL BEAUTY PRODUCTS

WORDS

by Beth Walsh Stewart

Get Ready to Be Grateful

It’s a month early, I know. Mother Nature doesn’t change her outfit to include the golden shades of fall foliage until next month. We’ve got another month of mini bags of our favorite candy and costumes to get through before we consider the Thanksgiving menu. Give us a break. We’ll be grateful in November.

I understand your lament but bear with me. This might make sense. What if gratitude isn’t seasonal? What if we lived our lives as if each and every good gift was a blessing purposefully placed at our feet so that we would eventually trip over the goodness in the world?

Did you ever play Legos? With Legos we create unconventional cities with peculiar structures that we challenge to tumble over. With Legos the viability of the whole construction depends upon the foundation established before any piece is put in place. Life can be like Legos.

Among all the communal struggles we’ve faced in the past two years hides an indiscriminate untruth onto which we have been building. Because of this faulty foundation, many of us have lost hope and have ceased to mourn when one of our beloved structures topples over. We’ve come to expect ruin. What is the foundational error that is rob bing us of our confidence?

We have forgotten that God is good. He isn’t against us; He is for us. He didn’t abandon us. He is here. He is seen every morning as the sun rises on our beautiful beaches. He is palpable when a treasured child breaks into a grin and a mad dash forward at the sight of us. God is heard in the song of the early bird and the steady accompanying beat kept by the red-headed woodpecker. He is tasted in the seasonal flavors of pumpkin pies and stone crab claws. You can smell His sweet goodness in the flowering ginger plant or the earthy aroma of a storm moving across Indian River County.

When we get conscious of all He provides, we can remember to hold on and to trust. With division and fear all around us, let us approach each day with gratitude knowing that He is faithful. Let our base support start there, and whatever we build will automatically hold up. Steadfast is His middle name.

T hank You, God, for the many gifts You’ve given us, including com munity, comfort, hope … and Legos.

“Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

– 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18

Beth Walsh Stewart, MTh, is the visionary behind the WeCovering Project and the Creator of BethWe, the nonprofit that was the impetus for this work. Dedicated to rescuing the stragglers lost in the shadows of the road of life, Beth is best-known for her Good Seed Podcasts, 12-Step seminars, weekly blogs, g.o.d. speaks books, and uplifting workshops. Beth lives by this motto: I have been called to help my brother find his authentic self and his God, and I best accomplish this end by sharing my pursuit of the same.

Beth Walsh Stewart

REV’S VERSES by Pastor Rich Ienuso

It’s Harvest Time

Jesus said: “…the harvest is truly great, but the laborers are few. Pray to the Lord of the harvest that He would send forth laborers into His harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

This season is harvest time in the natural and in the spiritual. It’s time to bring in the corn, wheat, apples, et cetera, but it’s also time to bring in the souls. Remember the song “Bringing in the Sheaves?” That is in reference to bringing in souls to the Lord.

People are listening to the Gospel. It’s time to tell them that Jesus loves them. He died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead.

(1 Corinthians 15:1-3)

Are you a soul that needs Jesus? Let Jesus bring you into His arms and gather you into His Kingdom.

Planting the seed of the Gospel and reaping the harvest – Pastor Rich

The Secret Place

by Pastor Alex Pappas

When we desire God’s hand and protection in our lives, we need to look at some key writings from one of the most remarkable men in the bible who really walked with God. Moses, the writer of Psalm 91, shares, just within the first four verses of this beautiful Psalm, a few powerful points.

Psalm 91 (NKJV)

1He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Personally, I believe that this verse is one of the most crucial keys to a successful walk with God. Moses informs us about the secret place, describing this place as a space that provides protection and shelter. He follows it up by stating what this place has to offer us: strength and even protection.

2I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

3Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.

If we try to decipher where we can find this secret place, we need to acknowledge what Jesus said in the book of Matthew: Matthew 6:6 (NKJV)

6But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

The secret place is, clearly, the place where we go praying and seeking the Lord.

Interestingly enough, not everyone goes to that place, even though it has been made available to all of us. Many individuals only choose to go and pray when they need something, not fully comprehending that their constant protection comes from having a true relationship with God and seeking Him just because they love Him.

4 Under His wings youshall take refuge...

Psalm 91, verse 4 says… 4He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. This statement says that God’s truth will be a buckler and shield to us, and His Truth will be there to protect us. We need to be people that seek the Lord and His truth, and we will experience His comfort and protection in our lives. What an amazing revelation from a true servant of the Lord: Moses. My prayer is that you will not neglect the secret place, and that His word will strengthen and bless you, keeping you safe in times of trouble.

Psalm 91, verse 4

Pastor Rich Ienuso

Pastor Alex Pappas is Senior Pastor at Oceans Unite Christian Center located in the Indian River Mall. Live broadcasts and podcasts are available at oceansunite.com.

Pastor Alex Pappas