By Steven J. Smith

    Boca Raton police will have an extra $200,000 for training and equipment, thanks to the new Boca Raton Police Foundation launched in late February.

    Former Boca Raton Deputy Mayor Peter Baronoff and his wife, Carmel, hosted the launch party for the nonprofit organization at their home.

    Among those in attendance were Marc Bell, chairman of the foundation, Boca Raton Police Chief Dan Alexander, Mayor Susan Haynie, Councilmen Robert Weinroth and Scott Singer and about 100 donors and supporters.

    “Two years ago, Chief Alexander and I sat down and instead of saying what can the police force do for us, I asked what we could do for them,” Bell said. “In a time when payroll and benefits are taking up a big part of the Police Department’s budget, we asked what they need. They need training. They need equipment. They need things they just don’t have the money for now.”

    Bell said the foundation’s goal is to build an endowment that will support the Police Department “in perpetuity.” 

    Alexander said he would like to see the foundation accomplish something consistent with the Police Department’s overall vision — finding the finest people to provide the best police service.

    “In order to go to the next level, we need to do more than what is traditional,” Alexander said. “There are a number of different goals we are trying to achieve: better training, better equipment, a fund for our retired police dogs, community engagement. 

    “But there are also intangibles, such as building this type of support in the community. And we’re excited about that.”

    Alexander said the money would go toward protective vests, training bomb squads and building a Strategic Weapons and Tactics force, among other things.

    “The foundation gives you that agility,” Alexander said. “It gives you flexibility you wouldn’t have within the confines of a traditional budget process.”

    He said the department’s annual budget is about $40 million, a large portion of which goes to personnel costs such as salaries and insurance. 

    “The money for discretionary items like training and specialized equipment has diminished over time,” he said. “So the foundation will help fill that gap. This is not unique to Boca. There is a New York foundation, an L.A. foundation. The town of Palm Beach has a foundation. It’s fairly common throughout the country.”

    Alexander hoped the Boca Raton Police Foundation would find more individuals and corporations to join in the effort to help sustain it.

    “Part of what I hope happens out of this is that it raises awareness about public safety and about the Police Department and the things we’re trying to accomplish,” he said. “Ultimately it’s all about partnerships. As the foundation expands and grows, hopefully we’ll have community events and draw people in. We want to engage the community and be effective as a police department.”

    Baronoff was pleased with the inaugural event and expressed great hope that the foundation would use it as a springboard for additional events, perhaps several per year.

    “Carmel and I wanted to make this a special night,” he said. “It’s an opportunity not only for us to say thanks to our Police Department and all it does. We also want them to know we hear them and want to help.”

     Baronoff said events like this one offer an opportunity for the public to meet members of the police force and get to know them as “regular people.”

    “They just want to do their jobs, protecting the citizens and their way of life,” he said.

By Jane Smith

    The Kanner & Pintaluga law firm finally has a new Florida home in downtown Boca Raton after a multiyear search from Boynton Beach south to Fort Lauderdale.

    The personal injury firm is renovating 45,000 square feet of space in the Wells Fargo Plaza at the northwest corner of Federal Highway and Camino Real, with plans to move in June. It has an option for another 5,000 square feet.

    The 10-year lease is valued at $13 million, said its broker, Jim Knight of the Knight Group in Delray Beach. He negotiated a deal in which the tenant pays to customize the space, expected to cost at least $2 million in exchange for free rent. 

    Jay Whelchel, whose firm Whelchel Partners was the building broker at the time, confirmed those amounts. “A 45,000-square-foot tenant who wants a 10-year lease is a big deal,” he said.

    At the Wells Fargo Plaza, that amount of space ranked the deal third in new leases signed last year for the Boca Raton office market and likely in the county, according to CBRE Research in Boca Raton.

    Kanner & Pintaluga, a litigating law firm, wanted a mock courtroom, which is very specialized, Whelchel said. But the owner, a German syndicate fund, was at the end of its holding period for the 12-year-old building and decided to exchange free rent for the custom work. The improvements had to be designed by an architect and then put out for bid to contractors to determine the final cost.

    The asking rent for the Class A building is $24 triple net, meaning the tenant pays for its share of real estate taxes and common area maintenance charges. Knight was able to negotiate a lower rate for the law firm, Whelchel said. He added that the building is now under contract and his firm no longer represents it. His firm does leasing but not sales. Cushman & Wakefield is now the building’s broker. He did say that Wells Fargo Plaza was able to command a higher price because it is nearly fully leased and not just 50 percent occupied.

    Howard Kanner, name partner in the personal injury law firm, praised Knight as being “relentless in showing us properties.”

    The terms of the Boca Raton deal looked good, he said. His employees “like the downtown lifestyle they had in Delray Beach where they could walk to lunch.” He expects that the Boca Raton location will offer that convenience as well.

    Another plus is the nearby Boca Raton Airport. “We have attorneys who fly all over the state each day,” he said. The firm has its own plane at that airport.

    The firm employs about 35 trial lawyers in its Delray Beach and Boynton Beach locations. The move would allow the firm to double that number, Kanner said. It also employs support staff, making the total number moving about 150.

    The relationship between Knight and the law firm goes back about nine years. He helped the firm buy a building in July 2006 on Seacrest Boulevard in Boynton Beach. That building has 2,999 square feet of office space.

    Kanner & Pintaluga owns a 10,261-square-foot office condo in Delray Beach’s trendy Pineapple Grove area. Knight was involved in that 2011 sale when the firm paid $3 million for the space. The law firm subleases an additional 3,500 square feet from the owner upstairs, Kanner said.  

    Knight said he has the exclusive listings on the two buildings. 

Road to Boca
went through Boynton

    In August 2012, Kanner & Pintaluga tried to buy the Arts Garage space, about 10,000 square feet in the first floor of a Delray Beach garage. 

    “The property was on the market, submitted a full-price offer, but there was a lot of push-back from the community, even had a march to City Hall,” Knight said. “It was a political decision; they wanted to keep it a cultural place.” The firm offered $2.5 million for that space.

    The next year, while that deal was fizzling in Delray Beach, Knight approached Boynton Beach’s Community Redevelopment Agency about constructing an office building there. 

    The firm eyed a 3-acre site owned by Davis Camalier of One Boynton LLC. He paid $9 million for the North Federal Highway site in 2005.

    But at the end of 2013, Camalier turned down the deal that would have sold his property to the agency for $2.5 million, two historic homes valued at $435,000 and $1.3 million in cash. The agency then would give the land to the law firm, which also asked for 400 structured parking spaces. The parking garage would have cost the city $8.6 million.

    This year, the agency is negotiating with Camalier’s broker to allow it to lease a slice of that parcel to create free parking spaces for marina tenants.

    Kanner & Pintaluga’s search for new office space spanned more than two years in three south county cities:

    Delray Beach: Offered $2.5 million for first floor of Arts Garage. The city turned it down in April 2013 and decided to let the Arts Garage stay. The cultural organization has 30 months to come up with the money.

    Boynton Beach: Willing to invest $15 million to construct a 60,000 square-foot office building on land owned by One Boynton LLC. The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency would do a complicated swap with One Boynton for its land and offer it free to Kanner & Pintaluga. The owner did not agree in December 2013.

    Boca Raton: Spending $2 million to build out the space at the Wells Fargo Plaza in exchange for free rent.

Loggerhead sea turtle Betty White peeks over the edge of her enclosure during Sea Turtle Day

at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton.

Madeline Gray/The Coastal Star

RELATED STORY: Gumbo Limbo 30 years old, and still growing

By Tao Woolfe

    Children clambered onto rain-slicked turtle sculptures and ate ice cream, oblivious to the wind rattling the sea grapes and the crack of thunder.

    It was, after all, Sea Turtle Day at Gumbo Limbo, so why care about anything but turtles and the sea?

    This sense of watery adventure pervaded all the events of the 10th annual Sea Turtle Day Festival, which also marked the 30th anniversary of the nature preserve. In the morning, at the official opening of festivities, Boca Raton Deputy Mayor Constance Scott proclaimed Feb. 28, 2015, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center Day.

    Yellow buses shuttled hundreds of families and tourists from the larger parking area of nearby Spanish River Park throughout the day. At least 2,000 enthusiasts braved the blustery weather to see rescued baby turtles, take tours, and learn how to be environmental stewards. 

    “Last year we had 3,800 people come out for Sea Turtle Day,” said Kristen Child, environmental program coordinator for the nature center. “We had a pretty good turnout this year, too, considering. We probably would have had over 4,000 if the weather had been better.”

    Children were given passports and sent on a mission to collect stamps as they visited exhibits. They watched feedings, heard lectures, and learned about leatherbacks, loggerheads, green turtles and other coastal creatures.

    “The kids ran us around like crazy collecting stamps,” said Marta Wojtysiak, of Boca Raton, who accompanied friends and their children. “The rain didn’t bother them — or us — at all.”

    Kids also collected beads to make bracelets that spelled out I love Gumbo Limbo, had their faces painted, and watched fish and animal feedings. 

    Craft and food vendors set up stations in the nature center’s small parking areas shaded by signature gumbo limbo trees. A vintage Good Humor ice cream truck was a popular attraction.

    And even those who already support conservation came away with a new appreciation for Gumbo Limbo’s work and the difficulties of being a turtle.

    “I really liked seeing the turtle rehab center,” said Kassie Rodriguez, 16, of Pompano Beach. “I didn’t realize that each turtle has a different story and background. I think what they’re doing is really great.”

    Gumbo Limbo was made possible by Boca Raton naturalists and visionaries who saw the hardwood hammocks and coastal dunes of South Florida bulldozed and replaced by hotels and condo towers. 

    Alarmed by the vision of an unbroken concrete canyon along the beach in Boca, the naturalists and city officials put together a bond issue preserving a five-mile tract of land that would become Red Reef Park and the 19-acre Gumbo Limbo coastal hammock preserve.

    The center is operated cooperatively by the city of Boca Raton; the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, Florida Atlantic University and Friends of Gumbo Limbo, who offer financial support and volunteer hours.

    An estimated 100,000 local and tourist visitors come to the park each year to learn about sea turtles and other endangered plants and animals, and to walk the nature trails to catch a glimpse of woodpeckers, screech owls, foxes and rare plants.

    Gumbo Limbo rescues injured turtles, helps them recover and returns them to the ocean. The preserve also finds and protects nesting turtles, and raises awareness through ongoing classes, field trips and research.

Besides Sea Turtle Day, there are many other events and activities at the nature center throughout the year. Visit www.gumbolimbo.org to see the schedule.

By Sallie James

    Keeping the waterways free of navigation-clogging silt so boats can pass freely is a pricey proposition. 

    To help cover the cost of a huge dredging project to clear the silt from the Hillsboro Canal, Boca Raton officials are hoping to receive grant money from the Florida Inland Navigation District Waterways Assistance Program. The project is estimated to cost $550,000 and the city’s share will depend on the size of the grant.

    The city is anticipating a cost-sharing reimbursement from FIND ranging anywhere from $275,000 to $412,000. And Deerfield Beach is expected to contribute approximately $137,500 toward the project, according to a memo from Jennifer Bistyga, of Boca municipal services.

    Preparation for the dredging got underway more than a year ago and cost $100,000. The city entered an agreement with FIND for an array of preparatory services to measure sea depth, sea grass and organisms living in the bottom of the water, the submittal of agency permit applications, and the preparation of project bid documents, project bidding and the award of a construction contract, according to Boca Raton Deputy City Manager Mike Woika.

    Under a cost-sharing arrangement for Phase I, the cities of Boca Raton and Deerfield Beach each contributed $25,000; two commercial marinas jointly contributed $25,000; and a consortium of boat owners from the Royal Palm Yacht and Racquet Club contributed $25,000, Woika said.

    Phase II, the dredging, will involve the removal of 13,400 cubic yards of silt that has accumulated along the proposed length, posing a hindrance to boating navigation, Woika said.

    Expected to start within a year, the dredging begins just west of Dixie Highway and continues east to just west of Deerfield Island Park, he said.

    According to a city memo, Boca entered into an agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers in 1976 to maintain the navigability of the Hillsboro Canal between the Intracoastal Waterway and Dixie Highway. The Hillsboro Canal was subsequently dredged in 1976 and 1996.

The projected view of the project at the southwest corner of Ocean and Federal.

Rendering provided

By Jane Smith

    Boynton Beach finally has a project to jump-start its mostly vacant downtown.

    The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency board unanimously approved in February to give the 500 Ocean owners about $4.4 million over 10 years to help cover costs. 

    “The developer had asked for a 15-year agreement and $3 million upfront,” said Vivian Brooks, agency executive director, when explaining why the board should approve the deal. She emphasized there will be no money upfront and the deal cannot be passed along to the next owner. 

    The deal had languished for months and held back any improvements to the southwest corner of Federal Highway and Ocean Avenue.

    “Our faith in Boynton Beach has not waivered,” said Tom Hayden, development director at LeCesse Development Corp., a real estate company involved in the project. “There’s been bumps in the road, but we believe in the location and we believe in Boynton Beach and looking forward to getting started.”

    His team planned to submit plans for the site and the garage in February, plans for the six-story apartment building in March and then start construction in April, Hayden said, ticking off an ideal schedule.

    Only one person spoke during the public comment period. Dan Spotts, a frequent meeting speaker who owns the Miami Aqua-culture business in downtown Boynton Beach, directed his questions to Hayden about the location. 

    “Do you realize that the FEC will run 30 freight trains, and if All Aboard Florida gets its way, another 32 trains a day? Are you prepared to warn your tenants that the entrance may be blocked about 60 times a day?” he asked.

    Vice Mayor Joe Casello responded, “Boynton Beach can’t stop this train from coming, but this gentleman here is proposing 341 apartments of residents in the downtown. Hopefully those people will bring commerce to fill up those empty storefronts. You need people. … Give us credit, work with us.”

    The development also includes 6,600 square feet of Class A office space, 13,300 square feet of retail space and a seven-story parking garage.

    Agency board members agreed to the deal by a 7-0 vote.

    The money will come from tax revenue created when the development is constructed on 4.7 vacant acres. The $4.4 million will be front-loaded giving more money to the developer in the early years. The agency estimates that its share will be $4.7 million over 10 years.

    The day after the deal was approved, Ocean Ridge resident Gary Kosinski sent an email blast to town commissioners alerting them to the “massive over-development of Boynton Beach.”

    “Assuming 2.5 renters per unit and two workers per 100 square feet of commercial, that is almost 1,000 new residents on a 4-acre lot,” he wrote. “This is over 60 percent of the entire population of all of Ocean Ridge in a single block.”

    He asked town commissioners “to minimize the ever increasing nonresident vehicular and pedestrian traffic today.”

    Kosinski could not be reached for comment. 

    Ocean Ridge Town Manager Ken Schenck said the town already bans on-street parking, but he adds that the town can’t tell Boynton Beach what to do. “There is a concern that more people will be using the beaches,” he said.  

    In other business, agency staff updated the board members of the marina parking situation. 

    The association that owns the Marina Village Garage will start charging $5 per day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays through Sundays. The fee started Feb. 13 and will end on June 14.  

    Agency staff gave each of its marina tenants one parking pass each for the garage while they continue to negotiate for parking spaces with One Boynton LLC, which owns the empty property at 114 N. Federal Highway. The agency will clean up and stripe the lot and offer about 200 free parking spaces to marina tenants.

Frank Cardinale and Lauri Saunders at Eye Catchers Optique in Boca Raton.

Photo by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Scott Simmons

    Two decades ago, Lauri Saunders and Frank Cardinale had a vision.

    They would build a business and their customers would become friends.

    In 1996, they followed that vision and opened Eye Catchers Optique in Boca Raton.

    “A lot of optical shops are extensions of doctors’ offices and we wanted more of a retail place, where (customers) can be comfortable,” Saunders said.

    It clearly worked.

    “It’s not been a thriving area but we’ve hung on because of those relationships,” she said.

    Two decades ago, Mizner Park was comparatively new, and Royal Palm Place had not been updated.

    Now, since the end of the recession, the area is booming.

    Two blocks north, Mizner Park is crowded, and a block south, Royal Palm Place is a thriving mix of retail, residential and restaurants.

    The nine-story, 900-foot-long Palmetto Promenade project looms large across the street from Eye Catchers. Up the street from the shop, tall buildings line East Palmetto Park Road.

    “We have concerns just like the neighbors. The size is a little overwhelming,” Saunders said of the 378-unit apartment building. “On the business level, it can’t do anything but help us.”

    The residential construction in downtown Boca Raton is sure to bring additional business to Eye Catchers, which draws customers from all over the city.

    “The majority of our clients are in the usual 7-mile radius sort of a thing. We have clients who come from all over and even clients from up North who wait to give us their business,” Saunders said. “We have customers who come from the western country club communities, and that’s not an easy trip anymore.”

    So what are they buying?

    “We see more color. People are looking to get away from the tortoise and the black, and even the men, with blues and deep greens and those kinds of colors. The men are getting a little more adventurous with the idea of a little bit of color,” she said.

    Saunders sports specs of her own, wearing iGreen Eyewear.

    “Frank has two pairs of those, too. They are super lightweight and they’re practical. It’s not our most expensive frame and I love the idea of the colors,” she said.

    For a company that caters to some of the most affluent people in the country, Eye Catchers tries to have a modest price point, with its most expensive frames topping out at just under $500.

    “We have all different price points,” Saunders said. “We have the wealthy 1 percenters and regular people like we are.”

    She and Cardinale have worked together since 1981; each is married to other people.

    “Frank’s more the technical person, and I’m a little more the front of the house,” Saunders said.

     It’s a relationship that has served them well in their 1,100-square-foot space.

    That store suits their notion of old-fashioned customer service.

    “We’re one of the few little historic buildings that are left over here. Our little building is from the ’30s.”

     And good customer service? That’s timeless.

Eye Catchers Optique is at 318 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; 338-0081 or eyecatchersboca.com.

The Palm Beach Rare Fruit Council Tropical Fruit Tree and Plant Sale at the South Florida Fair Agriplex

in West Palm Beach features hard to find plants, fruit samples, speakers and expert advice

all in a 51,000-square-foot exhibit space.

Photos provided

 By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley

    Pomegranates, jaboticaba, grumichama, non doc mai mangoes, Barbados cherries and ackee. Whether you want to plant a rare fruit tree or an exotic orchard, you’ll want to shop the Tropical Fruit Tree and Plant Sale on March 28 in West Palm Beach.

    This biannual sale is a fundraiser for the Palm Beach Chapter of The Rare Fruit Council International, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to the introduction and growing of rare tropical fruits.

    “People come to this sale year after year; they look forward to it,” says Susan Lerner, chairwoman/manager of the plant sale and immediate past president of the Palm Beach RFC.

    The Palm Beach Chapter has been hosting this event for over 30 years. 

    Once held at Mounts Botanical Garden and then Dreher Park, it was moved to the South Florida Fair Agriplex building in 2003. 

    Today the five-hour sale welcomes about 1,300 attendees to the 51,000-square-foot exhibit space.  

    “The sale is unique,” says Douglas Drummond, who, with his wife, Aiva, has been attending for the past seven years. “You get to see unusual things you’ve only heard about,” he adds. 

    This year he’s in search of a cecropia tree that grows a foot a year and, he says, produces fruit that look like long Gummy Bears. He wants to add it to the 60 tropical fruit trees already planted on his two acres in Loxahatchee.

    When you enter the fair, you’ll pass a fresh fruit display. As you wander the aisles, volunteers offer samples of some of those items such as mangoes, mamey sapote and jackfruit. “It all depends on what’s in season and being harvested now,” says Lerner. 

    Pick up a map and you’ll discover what makes this sale special.

    Instead of vendors having individual booths, the plants are displayed in alphabetical order — from abiu to white sapote — by type of tree. And one area is devoted to more than 60 varieties of mangoes. 

    When you decide which type fruit trees you wish to purchase, you can see all the available specimens in one place — no need to go from booth to booth comparing plants and prices. “That makes shopping easy,”   says Lerner. 

    For identification, each plant is tagged with the grower’s name. 

    And in case you have questions about your plant’s requirements for sun, fertilizer and water, the growers as well as knowledgeable people from the RFC are available to give advice. 

    “People think you can just plop a fruit tree in the ground and it will grow. But it’s like having a pet, you have to tend to its needs,” says Drummond.

    To further ensure your success, all the plants on offer have been carefully inspected just before the sale to be sure they are well rooted and pest free.

    Gary Gomes, owner of GMG Tropical Fruits in Loxahatchee, plans to bring about 300 plants from his 5½-acre nursery. He began selecting and prepping these a year ago.  

    “I want to offer good looking trees that have been nurtured and fertilized carefully so when you buy them they are ready to go into the ground,” he says.  

Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley is a certified master gardener who can be reached at debhartz@att.net.

Grass River Garden Club President Holly Breeden (second from right) presents a check for $10,000

to Sandoway House Nature Center. The grant is given to help the Nature Center take their animals

and programs on the road to schools that currently do not have enough money for field trips.

Shown (l-r): Sandoway Executive Director Danica Sanborn, Sandoway Board Co-Presidents Chris Davies

and Ann Heilakka, Breeden and board member Christina Benisch.

Photo provided

Daily Yoga has a dozen workouts, its voice-over instructions are clear

and the poses are demonstrated on video.

Photos provided

Forbes had high praise for Hot5 Fitness,

free for limited use or $2.99 a month for unlimited use.

Snap a photo of your food, and MealLogger

will upload it to a journal for you.

By Linda Haase

    Want to track your calories? There is an app for that. There are others that will guide you through yoga poses, count every step you take or calculate how far you pedaled. And more.

    With smartphones and computers our 24/7 go-to for all things, it’s no surprise that workout tapes have joined 8-track tapes and electric typewriters in the obsolenscence pile. Taking their place: apps of all kinds. 

    These apps — which can be used just about anywhere — can motivate, chide and keep your health and fitness goals on track. 

    And if you’re too revved up to snooze after all those workouts, there are apps that will lull you to sleep.

    “These apps work well for people who need an extra reminder during the day to take a few more steps or eat healthier. They can also help motivate and provide a good snapshot of what you are eating,” says fitness trainer Nicole Molin, owner of the Boynton Beach-based Dynamic Fitness Solutions.  

    However, the 36-year-old says, people need to remember that these technological whizzes aren’t perfect. For example, when tracking calories burned, they don’t take into account a person’s metabolic system or body composition — which both play a part. “It might be more of an estimate,” she explains.

    But, says Molin, who has a master’s in exercise science and a master’s in sports management, apps do have a place — and she recommends several to her clients.

    One is Fooducate, which looks beyond calories and grades foods and beverages on a scale from A to D — adding points for items with fiber, calcium and iron and deducting for excess saturated fat, sodium and sugar (it’s no surprise that Ben & Jerry’s half baked ice cream got a D plus). 

    “This app is particularly helpful in grocery stores because you can scan an item’s barcode for a grade and if it doesn’t get a good one it will show you healthier alternatives,” says Molin, a Boynton Beach resident. 

    Another choice: the free restaurant nutrition app, with nutrition information for more than 250 restaurants, is helpful for people who travel or eat out a lot, she says. “You can check out restaurants and find out what you should — or shouldn’t — eat there. Most restaurants are on there and it’s great for people on the go.”

    Molin also is a fan of MealLogger, another free app: Instead of writing down everything you consume, just snap a picture and upload it to a journal. It’s quick and easy — and she says — a good way to see your portion sizes. “Sometimes when people go back and look at the photo they can’t believe they ate that much,” she says. (Indeed, in a recent study by Mobiquity Inc., 53 percent of those surveyed discovered via these kinds of apps that they were eating more calories than they realized). 

    Apps can also be used to access your health care information or find a doctor, hospital or medical facility. Some insurance companies, including UnitedHealthcare, offer them. 

    Its Health4Me app, which has been downloaded more than 1 million times since it was introduced in 2012, does all that. It also shows prices for more than 755 medical services and gives participants access to a digital ID card, information about their health care plan, including status of their deductible, copay information, and the ability to view and edit their personal health record and download claims. 

    A “guest” version for nonsubscribers is also available which can locate nearby health care providers,  and show market average prices for more than 755 medical services.

    Two other perks: An  “EasyConnect” feature — consumers can skip past phone prompts and being on hold and connect quickly with a customer representative. It also allows them to track their physical activity by wirelessly connecting to a Fitbit device.

    “Health4Me is designed to help people more easily navigate the health system and manage, track and understand their health benefits. By providing both quality and cost information for health care providers and facilities nationwide, people are taking charge of their health and making more informed decisions,” notes Craig Hankins, UnitedHealth care vice president of consumer engagement products. “The recent addition of Fitbit connectivity adds to the app’s value, helping to encourage people to increase and track their daily activities.” 

    Here are some other popular health apps:

    Yoga aficionados have plenty of choices, but — warns a story on livescience.com — there’s nothing like an in-person session, especially for beginners to learn correct alignment, safety and techniques. However, it does laud YOGAmazing ($4.99), which offers nearly 500 episodes, saying “it feels more like a real yoga class” and features an excellent instructor who offers modifications and encouragement. 

    It also commends Simply Yoga (free), which offers 30-, 40- and 60-minute Level 1 sessions (a $3.99 upgrade is available for those who want a more challenging session) and Daily Yoga (free) which has a dozen workouts. “Daily Yoga is one of the better options for beginners because the voice-over instructions are clear and the poses are demonstrated on video,” it notes. 

    Forbes had high praise for Hot5 Fitness (free for limited use or $2.99 per month for unlimited access) saying it “offers high-quality step-by-step workouts led by the top trainers in the industry. Whether you’re looking for a quick five-minute core blasting after a long run or a full 45-minute yoga session in your hotel room, this app offers something for everyone. It is incredibly simple to use.” 

    For those who need — or want — the tough-love approach there’s Carrot Fit. Its goal: “to transform your flabby carcass into a Grade A specimen of the human race. And she’s going to do whatever it takes — including threatening, inspiring, ridiculing, and bribing you — to make this happen.” The reproaches aren’t free: It will cost you $2.99 to whip yourself into shape.  

    And now … for some rest. Sleep Bug (free) offers sounds and music to help you fall asleep. You can doze to soothing sounds including the beach, babbling brooks, classical music, a music box, a river, a zen garden — even campfires.  Users can add — and delete — sounds, including chirping birds, drums, chimes and waves — and even decide which ones should dominate. Those who prefer more boisterous background music can upgrade ($2.49) and zone out to sounds of the airport, city streets and even horror scenes. Sweet dreams.

Linda Haase is a freelance writer on a quest to learn — and share — all she can about how to get and stay healthy. Reach her at lindawrites76@gmail.com.

High ceilings with recessed tray and globe light fixtures

provide volume to the kitchen of this recently built home.

A model sailboat and Adirondack chairs greet visitors to Beth McOwens’ classic 1950s home.

The terrazzo floors have been restored to their original luster.

A still-life painting and elephant leg table provide contrast to the home’s foyer.

Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

INSET BELOW LEFT: Kari Shipley

 INSET BELOW RIGHT: Noreen Payne

By Emily J. Minor

    The 2015 Delray Beach Home Tour — a day to tour beautiful homes and enjoy great food, all in the name of a good cause — will be held March 12. 

    The six homes on this year’s tour are from the coastal neighborhoods of Seagate and the southern beach area, and each home promises some spectacular architecture, breezy views and insights to hidden gems in Delray’s seaside streets, according to co-chairwoman Kari Shipley. 

    For the Delray Beach tour, Shipley and her co-chair, Noreen Payne, provide for trolley service that takes customers from house to house. The trolley will also take ticket holders to the Delray Beach Club for an oceanside lunch. 

    “We always have lunch at an unusual place, and this year’s lunch is really special,” said Shipley. 

    The tour started 12 years ago when board members of the Delray-based Achievement Centers for Children & Families needed an idea for fundraising. 

    How about enlisting residents to share their homes, and invite the public to take a peek? 

    It took off, drawing more than 100 people that first year.  

    This year’s event will probably draw about 600 people and clear $100,000, Shipley said. 

    The Achievement Centers has two campuses in Delray Beach and works with needy families and individuals with programs like summer camps, teen enrichment and family strengthening. The center serves an estimated 700 children and families, and programs begin as early as preschool. 

    “It’s a pretty spectacular event,” Shipley says, “and it all goes to the Achievement Centers.”

Light blue tiles, a Bosch gas range and Miele whole-bean coffee-system

contrast with the all-white cabinets and range hood. The countertops

are a light gray in this Seasage Drive cottage.

A winding staircase leads to the second story

and provides framework to the custom mural

that surrounds the foyer of Bob and Cindy Schneider’s home.

Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

If You Go

The Delray Beach Home Tour will feature six homes in Seagate and southern beach neighborhoods. Trolley service is provided. All proceeds benefit the Achievement Centers for Children & Families.

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

March 12.

Cost: Tickets are $100, and can be bought the day of the event. The price includes lunch. 

Information: 266-0003, or delrayhometour.com 

Win an Arden book!

    Got pet? In celebration of the release of my newest pet books, I am giving away a personalized, autographed copy of Fit Cat and Fit Dog to a couple of readers of The Coastal Star.

    How? Easy. Simply email me (Arden@fourleggedlife.com) and tell me, in 100 words or fewer, how your dog or your cat has made your life better. And, if you like, attach a photo. Deadline to submit is March 18.

    We will pick a cat and a dog winner and share the results in the April issue – no fooling! 

By Arden Moore

    Far too much focus has been placed on the ancestry of our dogs and cats when it comes to deciphering why our pets do what they do. In truth, our modern-day pets share far more similar wants and needs to us two-leggers than they do to wolves and lions who prowled the planet centuries ago when there was no electricity, no highways and certainly no pet-welcoming hotels.

    Chances are high that the canines and felines under your roof are fully vested 21st-century pets enjoying plenty of perks. Admit it: Our pets influence us in what we buy, where we live and how we decorate our homes. 

    The cats in your grandparents’ day likely lived outdoors and slept in barns or trees and existed on a diet of mice. Today’s felines are apt to live exclusively indoors with access to lots of comfy napping spots, fortifying commercial food and regularly scooped litter boxes. 

    The dogs a few generations ago roamed the neighborhoods, rarely saw veterinarians for wellness care and most likely ate table scraps. Dogs in 2015 tend to sport personalized collars, engage in organized sports like agility or dock diving and head to a designated spot on your bed at night. I’m betting you even tolerate your dog’s snoring more than your partner’s!

    As for me, I happily share my home with four rescues, a pair of dogs named Chipper and Cleo, and a tabby duo answering (sometimes) to the names Murphy and Casey. They inspired me to focus my newest pet books (No. 25 and 26, if you’re counting) on catering to today’s pets.

    The books, published by Firefly, were just released and are aptly titled, Fit Cat: Tips & Tricks to Give Your Pet a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life, and Fit Dog (bearing the same subtitle). Think of these books as your customized guide to all things C.A.T. and D.O.G. 

A few feline insights

    Invest in litter box hideaways. Achieve a win-win for you and your cat by furnishing discreet litter boxes tucked inside decorative end tables or other pieces of furniture. Just remember to scoop daily.

    Throw on the towel. Keep yourself safe — and your cat calm — by wrapping him in a thick bath towel when he is injured or sick and needs to be transported to the veterinary clinic. Do not attempt to scruff him by the neck to pick him up to place him in a pet carrier because the action is likely to escalate his anger and he can swat or bite you.

    Save money by recycling everyday items as cat toys. Here’s a fun freebie most felines love: Toss a plastic bottle cap into an empty bathtub and watch your cat go after it like a feline hockey star.

Some dog tips and tricks

    Do be down in the mouth. Check your dog’s gums weekly. Most dogs sport pink gums, a sure sign of health. However, the gums in ailing dogs can turn white, blue or bright red.

    Speak your dog’s “language.” The best way to engage in a meaningful two-way “conversation” with your dog is to speak less and stop, look and listen to what your dog is trying to tell you. If your dog is tilting his head, he may be indicating that he is fully focused on you. But if he tilts excessively or for long durations, he may be suffering from an ear infection.

    Jazz up obedience training sessions. Dogs, just like us, are eager to learn from teachers who make it fun. 

    So, expand from the basics like “sit” and “stay” and teach your dog some cool tricks like turning off the wall light, bringing you the tissue box or even tidying up his toys. I provide step-by-step instructions on how to do these tricks in this book and plenty more.

    As author of these two books, I am honored to be your guide for you and your 21st-century pet. Our pets have us at meow and bark. They delight us. They fascinate us. They love us. And their physical, mental and emotional value is simply priceless. 

Arden Moore, founder of FourLeggedLife.com, is an animal behavior consultant, editor, author, professional speaker and master certified pet first aid instructor. Each week, she hosts the popular Oh Behave! show on PetLifeRadio.com. Learn more by visitingFour LeggedLife.com.

A new faith-based charity in Boca Raton is providing showers and laundry assistance

for the city’s chronically homeless population.

Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

    Every large city, even Boca Raton, has its homeless people. People of faith, committed to loving their neighbors, are compelled to respond.

    The response in downtown Boca Raton has four churches and a synagogue quietly feeding the homeless. A new charity called the Love Boca Outreach Ministry has been created.

    And the most unusual love comes from First United Methodist Church, where the chronically homeless can take a shower and wash their laundry.

    The Rev. Tom Tift estimates that 40 men are served in the congregation’s Showers and Laundry Ministry. Attempts are made to connect the homeless to social service agencies. But these are the chronically homeless, often suffering from mental illness.

    “They are so chronic that they don’t fit the criteria to get help,” Tift said. “But they are just as deserving as the ones we can help off the streets.”

    The men line up for their weekly shower after church services on Sunday morning. A men’s Bible study group at the church, called Men on a Mission, was looking for a mission in January 2013. They chose to help the homeless men with their laundry.

    “Put quarters in a washing machine? I said I could do that,” Skip Poulsen said. The weekly laundry event is their opportunity to minister to lost souls. About 15 homeless men now regularly attend Sunday services at First Methodist.

    Another church member, Anne Cann, told her pastor in late 2013 that she wanted to help the homeless as a social worker. Read more about what became her Love Boca Outreach Ministry at lbom.org. 

    Another charity, Boca Helping Hands, serves lunch to the homeless six days a week. 

    But they can also receive a sandwich after their shower at First Methodist on Sunday, or a bag lunch from B’nai Israel that they eat in a park.

    St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, Connected Life Church and Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church also serve meals to the chronically homeless.  

    Another example where people of different faiths work together for a good purpose in Boca Raton is Shared Care, which provides respite for caregivers of the frail and elderly.

    Volunteers from Temple Beth El, First Presbyterian Church and St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church share their love for five hours every Wednesday at Temple Beth El.

    The respite includes sing-alongs, chair exercises, arts and crafts, birthday celebrations and lunch. Christian and Jewish holidays are celebrated together ever since Rabbi Merle Singer of Temple Beth El and the Rev. Arthur Stephenson of First Presbyterian started Shared Care 31 years ago.

    The love between the volunteers and those who receive their care is the greatest joy, according to Ginny Bond, a volunteer since the beginning. “We all really care about each other,” she said.

    The Joe-Paddy Festival on March 19 is a rare opportunity to mingle with the enthusiastic Catholic seminarians at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary.

    The live music is a mix of Irish and Italian with the bands Echoes of Erin and the Rat Pack Now. Seminarians and one of their professors also will perform. The Tierne Green Dancers from St. Vincent Ferrer Church will provide Irish dancing.

    The annual event, now in its sixth year, celebrates the feasts of St. Joseph and St. Patrick.

    But the 6-9 p.m. event also gives the public a glimpse inside the thriving Boynton Beach seminary. The 92 men in study to become Catholic priests are the largest enrollment since the seminary opened in 1963, requiring a $11.5 million expansion.

    The seminary receives a little income from the silent and live auction at the Joe-Paddy Festival, but the $50 ticket price only covers the price of the bands.

    “It’s a casual outdoor event under a big tent that’s more of a friend-raiser than a fundraiser,” seminary spokeswoman Daniella Coy said. 

    Call 732-4424 or see svdp.edu for tickets.

    Raising money for good causes can be fun, as demonstrated by the Methodists in Boca Raton who raised $4,800 in 48 hours to buy mattresses and mosquito nets for 48 orphans in Haiti last month.

    The public was invited to pancake breakfasts first at the west campus of First United Methodist Church on a Saturday morning and then at the east campus on Sunday.

    Families enjoyed a festival with live music and games for children on Saturday afternoon before church members camped overnight on the east campus near Mizner Park.

    The national Methodist church works to prevent malaria in both Haiti and Africa.

Grace Hood

    The new director of Children and Family ministries at First Presbyterian in Delray Beach is the minister’s wife.

    Grace Hood, whose husband, Douglas, became senior pastor in 2012, has extensive experience in Christian education. She also was a missionary in the Congo and Brazil. 

    “I have seen how important the children of our faith family are everywhere I have lived,” she said, pledging to work closely with First Presbyterian parents “to bring all of our children to a greater understanding of a loving God.”

Tim Pallesen writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Email him at tcpallesen@aol.com.

Gulf Stream’s Kevin Anderson easily dispatched his first competitor

in the Delray Beach Open, and then faltered against Y. Lu.

Anderson signs a South African flag for some of his fans after competing in Delray Beach.

Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Steve Pike  

    Less than one week after fighting his way out of a Memphis snowstorm, Kevin Anderson hit the road again. This time the Gulf Stream resident headed for much warmer weather — in Acapulco — for the ATP World Tour stop. Anderson finished second in the Memphis event and had a good showing in the Acapulco tournament, making it to the semi-finals before losing in three sets to top-seed Kei Nishikori. 

    In between Memphis and Acapulco, however, Anderson hit a bit of an unexpected speed bump. 

    The 6-foot, 8-inch native South African, who has lived in the Delray Beach/Gulf Stream area since 2012, was upset by Y. Lu of Taiwan in the second round of the Delray Beach Open on Feb. 18. Anderson, who won the event in 2012, was the tournament’s top seed and a clear favorite to return to the finals at the Delray Beach Tennis Center. 

    “It is never ideal to start a tournament without a few practice sessions on the court surface you will be competing against, so in that respect I think the cards were definitely not in my favor,’’ Anderson said. “A day off between first and second round might have helped, but it is impossible to say. 

    “I love playing at home, so I am disappointed, but having come off a final the week before I’m still very happy with my results this year.’’ 

    Anderson wasn’t making excuses, understand, just explaining the frustrating circumstances — not only on the loss but also in the loss of practice time. Aside from being known for a blistering serve and powerful baseline game, Anderson has earned the respect of fellow tennis professionals for his strong work ethic that his father, Michael, instilled in him (and his brother Gregory) from an early age. 

    “I usually have one long practice session every day, coupled with strength and or agility training,’’ said Anderson, who plays out of ProWorld Tennis in Delray Beach. “I seek physical treatment to make sure my body is in peak condition for competition. I also try to include one rest day a week, since physical health is incredibly important.’’ 

    All of that work has paid off. Anderson, 28, has won more than $4 million in prize money over the past seven-plus years on the ATP Tour, including $228,000 this year. His current world ranking of No. 15 is the highest of  his career. Anderson lost a fourth-round match to world No. 3 Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open this past January. 

    “Part of the progression,’’ said Anderson, who met his wife, Kelsey, while each attended the University of Illinois. “The biggest thing is just to remain confident in my ability to compete at the highest level. I have put a tremendous amount of effort into improving my game in the off-season, and now I need to trust it and believe in myself.  

    “Obviously there are always little things to work on in practice, I focus a lot on my serve and next ball as well as my returns, but my biggest key to success is feeling comfortable and confident with my game. Most of my practices will be designed to achieve that level of confidence.’’ 

    Kevin and Kelsey Anderson (a native of West Palm Beach) each are regular fixtures in Delray Beach tennis events charities to   promote the sport locally. 

    “We do everything we can to get our friends in the community out to participate with tennis,’’ said Kevin, who will become a U.S. citizen this summer. “Our neighbors have always been tremendously supportive, especially during the Delray Beach Open, when they all buy tickets to come watch my matches. 

     “I train locally, and often hit with junior players in the area, so I hope that even in some small way I can inspire the next generation and help them to improve along the way. I also have participated in local tennis exhibitions so people can see world-class tennis up close and personal at their local clubs.  

    “My wife and I would love at some point in the future to organize a local charity event, such as one I hosted in Chicago, consisting of a tennis exhibition as well as a kids’ clinic.’’

A spinner shark twirls above the surface in shallow water off Palm Beach. 

Willie Howard/The Coastal Star

    One of the greatest nature shows of the year occurs during late February and March when sharks by the thousands move along Palm Beach County’s beaches.

    The sharks — mostly blacktips with a few spinner sharks mixed in — are following schools of small fish that move north in  shallow water as the water warms.

    Capt. Tony Coulter of the dive boat Diversity, which runs out of Boca Raton Inlet, said the annual spring shark migration usually begins in late February and continues through the first half of March.  

    Migrating sharks often cruise the shallows about the same time many winter visitors are enjoying a respite from the snowy North by swimming at our beaches.

    The relatively small sharks don’t pose a major hazard to swimmers. 

    Although blacktip sharks have been known to bite humans, most of the bites occur in murky water, where a shark is more likely to mistake a hand or a foot for a fish, said Stephen Kajiura, an associate professor of biological sciences at Florida Atlantic University, who has been studying the shark migration since 2011. 

    Houston Park, a lifeguard at Phipps Ocean Park in Palm Beach, offered that “when it’s nice clear water, it’s very rare to get bitten by a shark.” Nonetheless, lifeguards usually close the beaches to swimmers (look for the double red flags) when sharks are moving along the beaches in big numbers.

    “There are times when they are migrating through, and we seem to be closing beaches multiple times during the day or week,” said Phil Wotton, a captain with Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue.

    “The winter bait run causes more concern because the sharks are feeding on bait fish,” Wotton said.

    The migrating blacktips tend to mill around, moving north and south, during February, Kajiura said. As the water warms in March, they move north.

    It’s not clear what the migrating sharks are feeding on, Kajiura said. FAU is planning to study their diets. But he said the sharks seem to be feeding on finger mullet and other small fish in shallow water near the beach. 

    FAU researchers have counted more than 12,000 sharks during a 30-minute flight from Boca Raton to Jupiter, but Kajiura said the actual number is much larger because the aerial survey covers only a narrow band of water from the beach to about 200 yards offshore.

    “We know that’s a gross underestimate as we can see additional sharks on the seaward side of the plane, which are not counted,” Kajiura said. “The actual number at any given time is easily double the number we count close to shore.”

    Even if observers don’t look closely enough to see the many dark splotches moving a foot or two below the surface (polarized sunglasses help), beachgoers can’t miss leaping spinner sharks.

     As their name implies, spinner sharks leap from the water and twirl like Olympic divers before landing with a splash, a behavior that helps them feed. 

     When pursuing fish such as mackerel and herring, which they swallow whole, spinner sharks charge from below and twirl, often going airborne.

     “It’s pretty cool,” said Park, the Palm Beach lifeguard. “It’s definitely a sight to watch this time of year.”

    Palm Beach Boat Show set for March 26-29: The Palm Beach International Boat Show will be March 26-29 along the waterfront in downtown West Palm Beach.

    The 30th annual show will feature more than $1 billion worth of yachts and boats along with fishing and diving gear, marine electronics and nautical clothing.

    Free instruction at the boat show includes the IGFA School of Sportfishing seminars for adults, and kids fishing clinics presented by Hook the Future.

    For divers, The Blue Wild will feature seminars on scuba diving, free diving, lobstering and dive safety. Paddle enthusiasts will want to head to The AquaZone, featuring live paddleboard, kayak and stand-up-paddle yoga demonstrations.

    Boat show hours are noon to 7 p.m. March 26; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 27-28; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 29.

    Admission is $20 for adults or $10 for youths 6-15 at the gate. Tickets purchased online cost $2 less. Children under 6 will be admitted free.

    For more information, including parking and transportation maps, go to showmanagement.com or call (954) 764-7642.

    Tip of the month: Fish offshore for blackfin tuna and amberjacks, and try casting from the beach for large bluefish. 

    “I’ve always loved March,” said Capt. Bruce Cyr of the Lady K drift boat based in Lantana. “It’s a month of mingling species, some heading north and others going south, so every day of fishing can bring a surprise.”

    Try fishing with dead sardines for blackfin tuna from one of the three walk-on drift fishing boats that reach the ocean through Boynton Inlet. Amberjack tend to hold over wrecks such as the many artificial reefs accessible from Boynton and Boca Raton inlets.

    For bluefish, try walking the beaches (or fish from the Lake Worth pier) with a stout spinning rod and a heavy casting spoon to reach blues that could be cruising the shallows.

    When fishing from the beach, be sure to bring a backpack with water, pliers for removing hooks, a measuring device and spare lures and leader material along with a saltwater fishing license. Don’t fish around swimmers or in guarded swimming areas.

Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.

Surfers and friends from all over South Florida attended the opening of the Palm Beach County Surfing History Project

at its new museum in Delray Beach. Showing their pleasure are Dr. John McCranels with son Scott McCranels,

chairman of the Palm Beach County Surfing History Project.

Kim Neilsen, in front of a photo of himself surfing in the Palm Beaches.

Travis Suit (black T-shirt) discusses his paddleboard Gulf Stream crossing.

Photos provided by keepsakesbykarl.net

Grandparents and other ‘special friends’ are invited each year to spend the morning in the classrooms

and in musical presentations at Gulf Stream School. Nanci Moore’s fourth-grade class had a typical mix

of grandparents and kids in a question-and-answer event.

Grandfather Iain Calder watches Caroline Calder give her grandmother, Jane, a kiss and hug.

Third- and fourth-graders snap, clap and sway while singing

Stevie Wonder’s 'Sir Duke,' a tribute to Duke Ellington. 

Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Participants prepare for some fun on the water

during a previous Boating and Beach Bash at Spanish River Park.

Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine 

    If you have a physical or intellectual disability — or if you love and care for someone who does — tie up your tennis shoes and slather on the sunscreen! The seventh annual Boca Raton Boating and Beach Bash takes place on March 21 at Spanish River Park and it’s just for you. 

    The Bash is the nation’s biggest, most ambitious free event for kids and adults who have physical and/or intellectual disabilities, “seen and unseen,” founder and executive director Jay Van Vechten said.

    It’s also a labor of love for Van Vechten. In 2001, the successful PR executive was researching what it was like to live with a disability for Johnson & Johnson when he slipped and fell in a hotel bathroom, shattering several vertebra, and badly damaging his hips and knees. 

    He can walk with a cane now, and suffers chronic pain, but Van Vechten, 70, and his event are thriving. Attendance peaked in 2013 when the Bash’s 500 volunteers entertained 5,500 guests. Van Vechten is expecting 6,000 this year. 

    Children and adult guests and their caregivers will enjoy food, live music, games, arts and crafts and best of all, boat rides on one of the flotilla of more than 30 private yachts donated for the day by members of Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club in Boca Raton. 

    Another highlight: interacting with therapeutic animals, including miniature therapy ponies and service dogs, with an affinity for people with challenges.

    The Bash started in 2009, and was sponsored by the city of Boca Raton until 2012, when the city backed off (it still waives park admission) and Van Vechten took over, founding the American Disabilities Foundation Inc., the parent nonprofit of the Bash. 

    “We receive no financial support from the city, county or state, and there are no Fortune 500 companies writing us big checks — although there should be,” Van Vechten said. 

    The Bash pays no salaries and has no overhead. Everyone working on the event volunteers their time, and that include dozens of local high school students who “do the heavy lifting,” as well as members of the Miami Dolphins. Gary Susser, an attorney and disability advocate, runs the food service. His team, assisted by chefs from Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, will plate more than 6,000 meals in about four hours. 

    “This is a grassroots, hands-on event,” Van Vechten said, “and it addresses a need that has never been addressed before. We talk about research and cures, but we don’t talk about fun. Some guests are severely disabled people, people you’ll never see at the mall or the movies. This is a day of fun just for them and their caregivers.”

    Experts estimate that one in five Americans has a disability, but in Palm Beach County, that number is estimated at one in four. Some of them have “unseen” disabilities, including heart disease, cystic fibrosis, seizure disorders, mental illness, even cancer. 

    And the pool of disabled is still expanding. In 2012, the Bash connected with the Wounded Warriors in Action, and they were able to invite 400 Purple Heart recipients living in the Greater South Florida area. Most of the guests come from South Florida, from the Treasure Coast to Miami-Dade, but some guests travel from Naples and Orlando for this one-of-a-kind event. 

    “Lowell, my wife and life partner, recently told me, ‘Working with you on this event has filled my heart in ways I never imagined, and I’m so grateful.’  I almost drove the car off the road!” Van Vechten laughs.
“I just love what it brings into our lives,” Lowell Van Vechten said. “Everything else seems inconsequential in comparison.” 

    Her husband agrees. “It surprises me every year how everyone comes together. I believe God is shining on
us.”

If You Go

What: The Boating and Beach Bash for People with Disabilities, a day of boat rides, food, music, games, arts and crafts

When: 10 am-3 pm March 21

Where: Spanish River Park, 3100 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. 

Cost: Free

Info: 715-2622; boatingbeachbash.com.

Bobby Julien, CEO of the Kolter Group, is a driving force behind fundraising efforts

for the Achievement Centers in Delray Beach.

Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

    For Bobby Julien, what started out as casual dinner conversation with a friend has evolved into a passion-filled commitment that is making a positive impact on the lives of thousands of area children and their families.
    Julien, chief executive officer of the Kolter Group — a diversified real estate development and investment firm based in West Palm Beach — was with his friend Tom Murphy, who mentioned his involvement with the Achievement Centers for Children and Families in Delray Beach.
    Julien, Murphy suggested, should consider getting involved.
    “He brought the idea up at dinner and sold it hard,” said Julien, who lived in the Delray Beach area for several years and now lives in Gulf Stream with his wife and three children. “He arranged a tour, and when I went there and saw what they did, that was it. I was hooked.”
    What Julien saw was a great program he knew instantly he wanted to be a part of.
    The Achievement Centers serves more than 1,000 children and their families, providing affordable childcare as well as effective after-school and summer programs.
    The new 2015 president of the operational board of directors, Julien, 47, worked his way up in the organization’s volunteer leadership structure, first joining the board of the Achievement Centers Foundation in 2009. He served three years as board president of the foundation — the nonprofit wing of the organization — and last year joined the operational board.
    “When we got established in this area, I wanted to get involved with an organization that helps children,” he said. “There’s such a need and I thought there has to be a way to make an impact.”
    Julien’s business background and expertise proved valuable to the organization as it went through a leadership transition in 2013 following the retirement of longtime director Nancy Hurd and the hiring of Stephanie Seibel, who had been executive director of the foundation, as the new CEO.
    During his time as foundation board president, Julien worked closely with the foundation’s new executive director, Abigail Goodwin, with a focus on helping expand the organization’s visibility.
    “Our goal was to raise awareness of the Achievement Centers to help expand the base of donors,” he said. “We worked super hard on raising awareness through events and through being more visible in the community.”
    As part of the effort, the foundation board agreed to expand the team’s staff to four members.
    With his team at Kolter — which develops residential and commercial properties, including hotels — Julien has been a driving force behind one of the most successful fundraisers for the centers, the Havana Nights event.
    This high-end poker tournament, held in the Cathedral Room at the Boca Raton Resort and Club, raised $300,000 in its inaugural year of 2012, and last year raised $570,000 — with all of the proceeds going to the Achievement Centers and seven other nonprofits.
    The Kolter team obtains most of the sponsorships — which range from $5,000 to $25,000 — largely from its vendors, and underwrites all the costs associated with the tournament, Julien said.
    “Under Bobby’s direction and commitment, Havana Nights has made a name for itself as one of the most successful charitable poker tournaments in the state, benefiting eight charities,” said Seibel, the Achievement Centers’ CEO.
    In his new role as president of the operational board, Julien is now focused on helping the Achievement Centers continue to expand the services it provides to the community. The organization is also exploring ways to provide programs for children beyond the age groups it currently serves.
    “Bobby has a genuine interest in creating opportunities that lead young people to improve their futures,” Seibel said. “Moving to the operational board as the new president, his strong leadership will continue to guide the board’s vision for the future of the agency.”
    For Julien, the Achievement Centers for Children and Families has become a focus of his efforts to support the community.
    “I’m very fortunate I’m successful and I can help others,” he said.

If You Go
What: The Achievement Centers for Children and Families 14th annual Delray Beach Home Tour in the southern beach area of Delray Beach. Guests will enjoy a leisurely day of exploring unique residents, a catered luncheon and trolley service between homes.
When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 12
Tickets: $100 (a portion is tax deductible.) Information:  266-0003, Ext. 16

    Your editorial and article on waste plastics in the ocean and on the beaches were very interesting and do not reflect well on our stewardship of the beaches and the oceans.
    Many people would argue that these materials will last “forever,” however long that might be. But before condemning all plastics, remember that there are human hands responsible for each piece of plastic in the ocean.
    Also note there is another side to the picture, and that is the engineered version of many of the same materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, polyester, et al., used to prevent leachate from municipal solid wastes (that we all generate and discard) contaminating groundwater, that preserve and prevent the contamination of potable water in reservoirs and canals, that allow the construction of space-saving vertical walls at highway intersections and that prevent the erosion of our beaches (not locally as yet). 
    These are known as geosynthetics, which, in civil engineering and geotechnical (soils) engineering projects, enable cost-effective performance that cannot be obtained by conventional engineering materials. These products function as fluid barriers, soil separators, filters, soil reinforcement, drainage and erosion control.
    Interestingly, many of the same people who say ocean waste plastics last “forever” claim that these specially engineered highly durable products have a short lifetime.
    Plastics do have their good sides, just as some people responsibly recycle them and others discard them clearly without responsible thought.
Ian D. Peggs, Ph.D.
President, I-Corp International Inc.
Ocean Ridge

    The December issue of The Coastal Star told a terrible tale about the acrid racial segregation that ruled in Florida throughout the 1950s. A lot of us are old enough to remember how vicious the hold of bigotry was in those years. We certainly do.
    So it is with profound disappointment that we read Terry Brown’s letter asserting that current discussions about the Ocean Ridge beaches are equivalent to the segregationist madness that gripped our country in the 1950s. There is neither appropriate comparison nor equivalence between the two, and Brown’s assertion is deeply offensive to those of us who abhor racism.
    The fact is many of us who live in Ocean Ridge are deeply and genuinely concerned about the impact on our town of large-scale development in the community of Boynton Beach.  We wonder whether sufficient planning has been done to protect the quality of life in this terrific little place.
    Ocean Ridge already provides beach access through public areas like the Boynton Beach Park, as well as through non-private accesses up and down the Old Ocean Boulevard. None of the discussion about pressures on beach access during the recent past has reflected any form of racism or bigotry relative to the use of the beach, and Brown has ill served the town by provocatively suggesting such a connection. 
    Furthermore, The Coastal Star did not advance or illuminate any rational discussion by printing his letter. Quite the opposite: The playing of the race card diminishes the opportunity for a realistic opinion exchange over just how much the town of Ocean Ridge must bend to the winds of property development, and developer enrichment, in the town of Boynton Beach.
Peter Hoe Burling
and Martin L. Gross
Ocean Ridge