By Antigone Barton

Gulf Stream — When thieves took a boy’s wheelchair, the story made the news.
Louise Mallory’s response didn’t make the news, but the child got a new wheelchair.
That was the way Mrs. Mallory wanted it, Frank Giacalone, her husband of 33 years, said.
Whether supporting major medical institutions, or replacing a child’s stolen wheelchair, Louise Mallory found happiness in giving, he added.
The philanthropist and Gulf Stream resident died March 28 at Bethesda Memorial Hospital. She was 100 years old.
The daughter of Frank and Edna Sobotka, Mrs. Mallory was born June 17, 1909, in Washington, D.C. With a father in the diplomatic corps, she got in the habit of traveling at a young age, and continued to love travel through her life — taking five world cruises, Mr. Giacalone said. He could not think of country she hadn’t visited.
She married Philip Rogers Mallory, a founder of Duracell International Battery Co., and upon his death in 1975 she continued to give to the nonprofit Mystic Seaport Museum, an educational institution with which the late Mr. Mallory was involved, Mr. Giacalone said.
She also donated to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, he said.
“She was just a very generous, kind, loving person,” Mr. Giacalone said. “A lot of times she gave without any name recognition.”
Mrs. Mallory’s remains were cremated and taken to sea. A service at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Delray Beach was officiated by Rev. Chip Stokes on April 9.
Memorial donations may be made to Mystic Seaport Museum, at 75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic, CN 06355.

By Emily J. Minor

Gulf Stream — Shirley Bennett, a Gulf Stream resident who was loved for her easy smile, sense of humor and outstanding Key lime pie, died March 31 in the hospice unit at Bethesda Memorial Hospital after a very recent series of strokes. She was 80.

A native of Minnesota, Mrs. Bennett was the daughter of a school administrator whose job took the family to suburban Chicago in 1940.

Mrs. Bennett attended Northwestern University and graduated in 1951 with a degree in art. She worked as an interior decorator for a Michigan Avenue design firm. Through the years, she mentored many young designers.

In 1953, Mrs. Bennett married Gail Kirk Bennett, whose father had founded Bennett Brothers Inc. — today a top business-incentive program that is still run by the family. In 1965, they built a family home in Northbrook, Ill., and, through the years, Mrs. Bennett had a flair and a love for decorating the family homes both here and in Illinois, said her son, Kirk Bennett.

The family began coming to the area in the 1950s and frequently stayed at the Gulfstream Shores Hotel. They bought several units there in the mid-1980s when the hotel was turned into condos.

But their major residence in Florida was the large, lovely home on Banyan Road that Gail Bennett’s father had built when the polo grounds were developed into residential, said Kirk Bennett.

“She really enjoyed Florida much more than she did her home in Northbrook,” he said. The back yard was full of fruit trees and she loved making smoothies for all the grandkids. She also made “the best Key lime pie in South Florida.”

Kirk Bennett said his mother appreciated many friendships in the local social scene, loved a fun party and frequented Delray Beach’s artsy Atlantic Avenue when she could. She also never forgot the Chicago-based charities that she’d always loved.

Beside her son Kirk, she is survived by another son, George, and two daughters, Barbara and Karen. Mrs. Bennett also leaves seven grandchildren.

Her husband, Gail Kirk Bennett, died in 2007.

Briny Breezes — L.J. “Jay” Beardslee passed away on March 25 at his residence in Palm Bay with his wife of 64 years, Grace, at his side.

Mr. Beardslee spent many happy years in Briny, first as a visitor to Grace’s parents (George and Florence Coir and in later years as a seasonal then
full-time resident. He was active on the board as both a member and president.
Among his passions were the many Briny social pursuits — he shuffled, golfed
and was a Chisler.

which Mr. Beardslee so much enjoyed.

Condolences may be sent to: Grace Beardslee and family, Glenbrooke, Apt. 135, 815 Briar Creek NE, Palm Bay, FL 42905.

— Obituary submitted by family

By Emily J. Minor
DELRAY BEACH — Ret. Air Force Col. George Robert Brendle, 92, died in his home at Seagate Towers
Condominiums on April 6 surrounded by his family, including his wife of 67
years. His son said he had been in failing health for some time.
Col. Brendle was born in Edwardsville, Ill., on March 8, 1918, and stayed in that
area until he was drafted into the U.S. Army shortly before World War II. As a
young Army private, he had a chance to test for pilot training in the Air Force
— a move that led to a long, distinguished military career, said his son,
Stephen Brendle.
“He came from very humble beginnings but managed to work himself up so that he was
a highly regarded serviceman,” his son said. “Dad never went to college.”
But his military career was stellar.
In 1943, Col. Brendle married the former Mary Ellen Rowekamp, also from
Edwardsville, in Sweetwater, Texas.
That same year, Col. Brendle was chosen for Officer Candidate School and was later
commissioned as a second lieutenant, flying nearly 70 missions over Europe.
Before that duty ended, he had been promoted to captain and was awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal, his son said.
After the war, his military career took a particularly interesting twist. He attended
the Royal Air Force Staff College in England and joined the Strategic Air
Command, becoming squadron commander and flying B-47 jet bombers. After being
promoted to colonel, he was assigned early on as a staff officer for the
Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile program.
Assigned to the Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, he became the wing commander of the 351st Strategic Missile Wing.
“He had a lot of people who thought very highly of him, even after he left the
service,” said his son.
Indeed, during his career — he retired in 1972 — Col. Brendle had an effect on many
great men, including U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. After his father’s
death, Col. Brendle’s wife received a personal letter from Gates, who worked
with Col. Brendle briefly in the mid 1960s.
Col. Brendle was at Whiteman and needed a Russian interpreter, and a young
lieutenant named Robert Gates was his man.
While the two men’s paths crossed briefly, they stayed loosely in touch through the
years.
“I was a brand new second lieutenant in 1967 and your husband always treated me
kindly, and with patience and dignity,” Gates wrote in an April 12 letter to
Mary Ellen Brendle.
Stephen Brendle said having Gates recognize his father was a great joy to the family.
Besides his wife and son, Col. Brendle is survived by a daughter, Andrea; two
grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Meet Your Neighbor — Christian Leighton

Coastal Delray Beach!
“Three years ago, I was at Tramonti’s restaurant in town. It was hot and humid, but
there was a breeze. I found it charming. It might have been the time in my life
when I was ready for a change.
“I said, after lunch and two glasses of wine, ‘I like this. I want to stay.’
“It was the kind of thing you flip and re-say, but, in fact, I did stay.
“Delray Beach is the combination of the best of everything, in my mind. There’s lots to
do and I love the people. Delray Beach is like a hometown.”
In a way, it was sort of a natural progression, if you think about it. Although he
grew up in Manhattan, where he “was dragged” to museums and galleries, he spent
time with family on Jupiter Island and vacationed on Fire Island.
He loves surfing, biking, walking. Nature is actually part of his palette. “I
built beach resorts and I am a beach person,” he explains.
With offices in Rochester[, N.Y.,] and Delray Beach and working on projects up and
down the Atlantic Coast, he and his staff still travel. “There’s a lot of back
and forth,” he said. But it’s different. Before, with Club Med, the travel was
nonstop. “That was one of the reasons I left,” he explains. “Now, it’s easy
travel.”
The Delray Beach environment is a nice reflection of his design taste, too, in a
way.
“All of my projects have a relaxed, organic feel to them. I don’t create a lot of
formal environments. Clients don’t come to me for that. They are aware of what
it is that I do and the particular style that I have.
“No one ever asks me for a traditional Georgian house. What I create is tropical,
but all have casual elegance, relaxed feeling. ‘Minimally organic’ is the way I
classify my design.”
That can easily be seen in his newly finished project in Delray Beach, the Seagate
Hotel & Spa. The color palette includes shades from the beach and water and
natural vegetation motifs are integrated into the décor as well.
“When I created the wallpaper, I thought about the morning sky here. It’s kind of
like a water color and incorporates the reflection of light,” he said.
He interpreted nautical and sea forms, too — like the custom, laser-cut light
fixtures in the restaurant that feature a coral pattern, and wave patterns that
repeat in mosaics in the spa and carved panels behind the reception desk.
“When people think modern, they think stark, chrome and shiny. I love modern forms,
but I tend to use organic material to interpret them, and that comes from my
personal preference, I think.”

— Christine Davis

10 Questions

Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced
you?
A.
I grew up in Manhattan until I was a teenager, and studied architecture at
Boston University, but we spent winter holidays in South Florida with my
grandparents on Jupiter Island and summers on Fire Island. I think the combined
exposure of urban life and beach life formed my early aesthetic as it continues
to do today.

A.
I was redecorating my mother’s house by the time I was 7, much to the dismay of
her own designer. I was always an artsy kid and I think in those times if you
were a boy and artsy the teachers told you to be an architect.

A.
I was a lifeguard and surfing instructor on Fire Island during college but my
first job out of school was with Club Med in the design group. I worked in the
Middle East/Africa region, which exposed me to an unbelievable array of people
and places.
Q.
What advice do you have for a young person with an interest in design?
A.
I think it is so important to travel and see as much as possible: museums, art
galleries, architecture, fashion and nature. It is hard to develop a style in a
vacuum. We are all influenced by our environments and the more varied that is
the more depth our references have.

A.
I am newly inspired by people I meet every day. There have been people who
early in my career taught me to believe in what I was doing and instilled great
tools for me to use in how I approach. My first boss, Bice DeGrace, would force
me to make decisions and develop ideas for this I was not experienced enough to
do. Fear leads the way!
Q.
Tell us about the Seagate Hotel?
A.
The Seagate was such a great opportunity for me to work because it’s in my
backyard: I live right down the street. When I was approached to get involved,
there was already a big concrete shell there and not much time to visualize the
interior. I set about trying to make the hotel feel as if it really fit into
the personality of Delray Beach, relaxed, but elegant. It was important for me
to bring what I saw as the natural pallet of the ocean, the beach and the
natural vegetation into the hotel in a casual urban form. I collected rocks,
shells, anything I found on my early morning walks on the beach, and I paid
close attention to the changing color of the water and the morning sky.
Gathering all of these elements in my head, I searched for materials for the
interior, which would bring those walks on the beach to life inside the hotel.
Somehow it all worked!
Q.
How did you choose to have a home in Delray Beach?
A.
I had driven through Delray on A1A many times and even surfed here once. A
great friend and client offered me an opportunity to do a project in Delray. It
was summer and about 98 the first day I spent here and I just fell in love with
the town. One project grew into another and a month or two later, I bought a
condo and have not really left!
Q.
What is your favorite part about living in Delray Beach?
A.
I love the mix of people you meet in this town, and how well they seem to mix
together regardless of their backgrounds. I love the fact you can wear a
bathing suit 90 percent of the time and nobody notices! I think one of the
greatest things about the town is the fact it was more carefully developed than
other beach communities. The lack of high-rise buildings lining the beach and
the feeling of a real main street all add to the uniqueness of Delray for me.
Q.
Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?
A.
Care relentlessly about what you do and learn continuously!
Q.
If your life story were made into a movie, who would you want to play you?
A.
My dog knows me best. Oli, my 10-year-old vizsla, could easily play me in
a movie and be dead-on. And nobody knows the secrets like Oli!

SUMMER CAMPS SAMPLER 2010

NOTE: With so many Summer Camps offered in our area, we selected those located between the Boca Raton Inlet and the Port of Palm Beach. We kept our listing east of I-95. Not all Summer Camp schedules have been set. Please check back next month for additional information as it becomes available. If your organization offers a camp not listed, please send your information to thecoastalstartcalendar@gmail.com.

CLOSE TO HOME

American Heritage Summer Day Camp: 6200 Linton Blvd., Delray Beach. Ages 3-12. Sports and musical theater academies. Four two-week sessions 6/7-8/13 and one one-week session 8/2-6. M-F, 8:30 am - 3:30 pm, with a Junior Program (ages 3-5) from 8:30 am - 1:30 pm. Early drop-off and extended day care available. $895/two-week session, $450/one-week session, and $730/ 1/2 day Junior Program. 637-2440 or www.ahschool.com.

Art-Sea Living Gallery & Studio: 640 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach. Ages 4-12. Ten different one-week art classes. 10:30 am-1:30 pm, T-F, 6/8-8/13, $135/sesson or $40 daily, children must bring lunch; 2-4 pm, T-F, 6/8-8/13. $90/session or $27 daily. Includes supplies. Sibling discounts. 737-2600 or www.artsealiving.com.

Boynton Beach Recreation & Parks Department Summer Camps: 7:30 am-5:30 pm, M-F, 6/14-8/6. $450-$565. Themed camps with age-appropriate activities meet at various locations: Art Center, 125 S.E. 2nd Ave. 742-6237; Boat Club Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway. 736-9372; Civic Center, 128 E Ocean Ave. 742-6240; Intracoastal Park Clubhouse, 2240 N Federal Highway. 742-6650; Ezell Hester Community Center, 1901 N. Seacrest Boulevard. 742-6550; Carolyn Sims Center, 225 NW 11 Ave., 742-6550; Art Center, 125 SE 2nd Ave. 742-6221; Art Camp: $688-$550. www.boynton-beach.org.

Bucky Dent’s Baseball School: 490 Dotterel Road, Delray Beach. Ages 7 & up. 9 am-3 pm, M-F. Baseball games, batting practice, pitching. Sessions start 6/7. $275/week, discounts available. Rookie Camp: Age 5-7, 9 am-12:30 pm, M-F, Includes lunch. $175/week. Camp runs through 8/6. 265-0280 or www.buckydentbaseballschool.com.

Camp Clown'n Around: Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. Age 7-16. Learn balloon sculpturing, juggling, costuming, plate spinning, face painting, pie throwing and magic. 9 am-5 pm. M-F. 7/19-7/23. $175/week plus $25/week materials fee. 243-7922, ext. 317 or www.oldschool.org.

The Delray Beach Playhouse Acting Camp, 950 N.W. Ninth St., Delray Beach. Age 6-13. Write and act a sketch for a variety show (by age group.) 9 am-4 pm (after-care available until 6 pm for $50/week), Mon.-Fri., 6/7-8/13. $190-$210/week. 436-9554 or www.delraybeachplayhouse.com.

Delray Beach Summer Camp: Delray Beach Parks & Recreation Dept. is currently holding registration for all three camp sites (Community Center, Pompey Park, and Pine Grove Elementary). Parents should bring: completed registration application, a $25.00 registration fee, $157 (first payment), a headshot of the child(ren) & a copy of the child(ren)’s birth certificate. Camp will be held 6/14-8/6. M-F. 7:30-5:30. $545/eight-week program. 243-7249 or www.mydelraybeach.com.

Delray Water Sports Surf Camp, 500 S. Ocean Blvd./1100 Casuarina R., Delray Beach. Age 6-15. Surfing, skimboarding, boogiebording, kayaking, snorkeling, stand up paddling. 8:30 am-noon M-T, 8:30am-12:30pm on Friday. 6/7-8/27. $350/week for new students, $300/week for returning students. (561) 703-7210. www.delraywatersports.com.

East West Karate Kid Academy: 125-H Hypoluxo Rd., Hypoluxo. Age 5-12. Karate, field trips and more. 7:30am-6 pm. M-F. 6/7-8/13. $179. 493-0082 or www.ewkarate.com.

Explorer's Club at the Schoolhouse Children's Museum, 129 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach. Age 5-9. Art, crafts, dance, nature, games, field trips. Full day 8:30 am-5:30 pm, M-F. 6/14-8/6. $185/week; Half-day 8:30 am-2 pm, Mon.-Fri. $125/week. (561) 742-6783. www.schoolhousemuseum.org.

First Impressions Pre-School: 2214 S. Seacrest Blvd., Boynton Beach. Age 5-12. Field trips to area attractions. 6:30 am-6 pm. M-F. 6/4-8/16. $145/week. $50 registration. 737-4373 or www.firstimpressionsschools.com.

Gulf Stream School Summer Camp: Gulf Stream School, 3600 Gulf Stream Road, Gulf Stream. School offers summer programs for children of different ages. 6/14-8/23, Pre-K through 5th grade. During the summer, there is a camp for Lower School students which combines a variety of both on-campus and off-campus activities. A camp for Pre-Kindergarten students provides educational play. 276-5225 or www.gulfstreamschool.org,

The Learning Place Summer Camp: 1400 SW. Third St., Boynton Beach. Activities and field trips. 6:45 am-6 pm. Age 4-12. M-F. 6/7-8/16. $145/week includes meals. $25 registration. 742-4441.

Ocean View Summer Day Camp: Sandoway House Nature Center, 142 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach. Age 7-12. Snorkeling plus beach scavenger hunts, nature crafts and games. Marine Biology Camp, 6/7-11 (age 10-12), $350/week. Science Camp, 6/14-7/9 (age 7-9), $195/week. M- F from 9 am to 4 pm. Free before care at 7:30am and after care until 5:30 pm. 274-7263 or www.sandowayhouse.com.

Palm Beach Fashion Camp, Boynton Beach Mall, 801 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach. Age 5-18. Seven-week program. Modeling technique, health/nutrition, pilates, musical movement, hair, nail and skin care, fashion trends, etiquette, acting. Age 5-10 / 10-11:30 am and age 11-18 / 11:30 am-1 pm Saturdays, 6/5-26; 7/10-24. $250. 747-6594 or www.palmbeachfashioncamp.com.

St. Joseph’s Episcopal School Camps, 3300 S. Seacrest Blvd., Boynton Beach.:Arts and Athletic Sumer Camp: Arts & Athletics for age 5-12. Pre-registration prices through 4/15: $200-$225/week; Prices after 4/15: $225-$250/week. Aftercare: $10 per hour. $30 registration fee (waived for SJES Families). 6/21-8/13, 8 am-4 pm. Aftercare 4-6 pm. ; Taz and Felicia's Fun Fest: Age 5 and up. Pre-registration prices through 4/15: $200/week or $40/day. Prices after 4/15: $225. Aftercare: $10 per hour. 6/7-11, 8 am-4 pm. Aftercare 4-6 pm; Mr. Aubrey's Awesome Academic Adventures: Age 5 and up. Pre-registration prices through 4/15: $100/week; Prices after 4/15: $125/week. 6/14-18, Noon-4 pm. 732-2045 or www.sjsonline.org.

Seacrest Christian School: 2703 N. Seacrest Blvd., Delray Beach. Age 2-11. Arts, crafts, and science. 6/7-8/13. 7:45 am-3:30 pm, M-F. $90-$181/week. Aftercare $3/hour. $120 registration fee. 276-5552 or www.seacrestchurch.com.

Summer Dance & Musical Theatre Camps: Boynton Beach Civic Center, 128 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach. Princess Dance Camp (ages 4-10). Focus on different Disney princess each day. 9 am-4 pm. M-F. 6/7-11.; Musical Theatre Camp (ages 6-18) Singing, acting and costuming. 9 am-4 pm. M-F. 8/9-13. $175-$220. 542-0215 or www.dancetrendsboynton.com.


DeVos-Blum Family YMCA Camp: 9600 S. Military Trail, Boynton Beach. Grades K-5. Field trips, entertainment, arts & crafts, swimming, sports, games. Parent Orientation: 1 pm 5/22. 6/7-8/13. M-F, 7:30 am-6 pm. $165/members, $250/non-members per week. 738-9622 or www.ymcaspbc.org.


TO THE SOUTH

Advent Camp ADVENTure, 300 E. Yamato Road, Boca Raton. Grade K-8. Christ-centered arts, sports, science, cooking, nature and field trips. 7:30 am-5:30 pm, M-F, 6/1-8/13. $175/week. 395-5322 or www.adventlifenet.org

e-soccercamps: Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Rd., Boca Raton. Age 5-18. Soccer for all ability levels. Day camp for age 5-18 (9 am-3 pm). Half-day camp for age 5-9 (9-11:45 am). M-F. 6/7-7/2. $115/half day, $225/full day. Residential & commuter programs: 6/26-29 (age 12-18), $395-$495. 954-648-7498 or www.e-soccercamps.com.

Exploring the World Through Art: Boca Raton Museum of Art School, 801 W. Palmetto Park Rd., Boca Raton. Age 5-12. M-F, 9 am-4 pm. 6/7-7/30. $250/week. Extended care 8-9am ($50/week) and 4-5:15pm ($75/week). Discounts available for multiple kids and members. 392-2503 or www.bocamuseum.org.

FAU-Goal To Goal Soccer Camps: 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Foundations for beginners and skill enhancement for the competitive/travel team player. Camp activities offered in afternoon. Half-day: 9 am-noon, full day 9 am-3 pm. M-F, 6/7-8/13. $125/week half-day, $225/week full-day. Lunch included for half & full days, pool time included for full day campers only. Age 5-14. Also offered: Advanced Training Camps, $375-475. 297-3711 or www.goaltogoalsoccercamps.com.

FAU TOPS Summer Arts Camps: 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Piano, creative writing, junior band, junior choral, ballet, tap and creative movement, theatre performance, musical showcase. Camps divided by age, K-12. 9 am-4 pm. 6/14-7/30. $260/week. $10 Registration. 297-3821 or www.fau.edu/tops.

Performing Arts Summer Camp:Sol Children’s Theatre, 3333 N. Federal Highway, Suite 5, Boca Raton. Vocal music, acting, dance, theater. Age 7 and older. Two sessions: Willy Wonka from 9 am-3 pm. M-F, 6/7-7/2. $1200/4 week session and Walt Disney’s Aladdin from 9 am-3 pm. M-F, 7/5-8/6. $1,500/5 week session. Lunch included. Before care beginning at 7:30 am. is $25/week; after care until 5:30 pm is $35/week. 447-8829 or www.solchildrentheatretroupe.org.

Saint Andrew’s School Day and Sports Camps: Saint Andrew’s School, 3900 Jog Road, Boca Raton. Ages 4-14. Four, two-week sessions from 6/7-7/30. M-F, 8:40 am-3:10 pm, Before-care: 7:45-8:20am and after camp care (by reservation) available 3:45-5:45 pm. Day Camp, Adventure Camp, Sports Camp, Sports Travel Camp and Counselor in Training Program Camp. $770-$825 per session. All program/registration fees must be paid in full by 5/21. 210-2100 or www.saintandrewsschool.net.

St. Paul Lutheran Summer Camp: 701 W. Palmetto Park Rd., Boca Raton. Age 3-grade 6. 7:30 am-5:30 pm (half-days available). M-F. 6/1-8/13. $175/week full day, $125/week half-day. Sibling discounts. $50 registration. 395-8548, Ext. 152 or www.cyberfalcon.com.

The Salvation Army (Boca Raton): 300 SW Second Ave. Boca Raton. Elementary school age. Themed camp programs and trips. 8 am-5 pm. M-F. 6/14-7/30. $100/week. $25 registration. 931-1344. www.salvationarmypalmbeachcounty.org.

Summer Youth College: Palm Beach State College, 3000 St. Lucie Ave., Boca Raton. Age 8-14. Students pick classes and enjoy a unique college experience. 9 am-4 pm, M-Th., $59 per class (each class is 2 hours per week for 6 weeks.) 6/21-7/29. 862-4730 or www.pbcc.edu.

Peter Blum Family YMCA Camp: 6631 Palmetto Circle South, Boca Raton. Three different camps are offered: Traditional Camp (Age 5-11), $180/members, $275/non-members per week; Aquatic Camps (Age 5-15), $195-225/members, $290-310/non-members per week; Performing Arts/Art Camp (Age 6-14), $195/members, $290/non-members per week; Sports camps 9 am-3 pm, (Age 5-15), $195/members, $290/non members per week; Teen Camps (Age 12-15), $225-300/members, $310-410/non members per week. Ten one-week sessions (6/7-8/13).
9am-2pm, extended morning/evening care available 7:30am-9 and 2-6 pm. Register on 4/17, 9 am-2 pm to receive 10% discount on camp fees. 237-0949 or www.ymcaspbc.org

TO THE NORTH

Aloha Surfing School: 2695 S. Ocean Blvd., Lake Worth. Beginners-intermediates. 9 am-1 pm. Age 6-15. M-F. 6/7-8/13. $200/week. Includes all equipment. 543-7873 or www.alohasurfingschool.com.

Armory Art Center Summer Camp, 1700 Parker Ave., West Palm Beach. Age 5-7, 8-11 and 12 and older. Focus on artistic development and fun. 9 am-4:30 pm, M-F, 6/7-8/6. Age 5-11: $220/week members, $255/week non members; Ages 12 and older: $275/week members, $300/week non members. Extended care available. 832-1776 or www.armoryart.org.

Arts Camp at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, 501 S. Sapodilla Ave., West Palm Beach. Age 6-11. Dance, music, theater, communications and visual arts. 8 am-4 pm, M-Th., 6/7-10. Lottery registration at noon-4 pm May 1. $65. 802-6029 or www.awdsoa.org.

ArtsCamp: Cohen Pavilion, Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Age 9-11. Dramatic composition and performance. 9 am-4:45 pm, M-F. 6/14-7/2. $530/3-week session. Enrollment limited. 651-4366 or www.kravis.org/artscamp.

Flagler Museum Summer Camps: One Whitehall Way, Palm Beach. Grades 6-8. 9 am-4 pm. M-F: Crime Investigation During the Gilded Age: 6/14-18; Inventions that Changed the World: 7/12-16; Magicians and Magic in the Gilded Age: 7/19-23. Bring lunch & snacks. All Camps: $200-$225. Extended hours until 5 pm. 655-2833 or www.flaglermuseum.us.

FOTOcamp: Palm Beach Photographic Centre,. 415 Clematis St., West Palm Beach. Age 10 -17. Focus on all areas of photography, from basics to state-of-the-art digital imaging. 9 am-3 pm. M-F. 6/14-25, 7/12-23 & 7/26-8/6. $595-$645/two-week session. Fees include the use of cameras, some supplies, field-trip transportation and admissions. 253-2600 or www.workshop.org.

Gold Coast Summer Gymnastics: 1420 Rupp Lane, Lake Worth. Age 5-12. 8:30 am-3 pm full-day or 8:30 am-noon half-day. M-F. 6/7-8/6. $135-$165/week. $30 membership fee. Late pick up 3-5 pm, $30/week. 585-2700 or www.gcgym.com

Lake Worth Playhouse Summer Performance Camp: 713 Lake Ave., Lake Worth. Age 6-14. Each session has the option of half day, Creative Stage Sessions 9am-noon and Performance Sessions 1-5pm. Summer Session 1: Pocahontas: Three-week camp includes performance classes, cast rehearsals, and participation in a full-scale musical production. 6/7-25, M-F. 9-noon and 1-5 pm. Performance dates; 6/23-26; Summer Session 2: Enchanted Sleeping Beauty: Five-week camp. M-F. 9-noon and 1-5 pm. 7/19-8/13. Performances: 8/13 & 14. $450/half day session or $800 all day (both sessions). After care provided 5-6pm for $50/week. 586-6410 or www.lakeworthplayhouse.org

Palm Beach Atlantic University Summer Camps: Greene Complex for Sports & Recreation, 1100 S. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach. Age 9-18. Sailfish Camps include: Boys and Girls Basketball, 6/7-11 & 6/14-18. $140-$240. Boys and Girls Basketball Team (six games plus playoffs), 6/18-20. $395-$460 per team; Girls Volleyball (Individuals, includes lunch) 9 am-3 pm, 7/5-8. $225; Girls Volleyball (Evening), 6 pm-8 pm, 7/5-7. $100; Girls Volleyball (Team), 9 am-3 pm. 7/11-14. $225-$325. Girls Volleyball (Evening), 6 pm -8 pm. 7/11-14. $100. 803-2333 or www.pbasailfish.com.

Palm Beach Suzuki School of Music: First Evangelical Lutheran Church 2405 Parker Ave., West Palm Beach. Age 3-14. Piano, violin, viola, cello, bass and guitar. Explore music through song and movement, plus art and yoga. Theme is Irish music. 6/7-18. Full-day 9 am-5 pm. M-F. $450/2 weeks. Half-day for age 3-7, 9 am-1:30 pm. $350/2 weeks. (561) 308-7954. www.pbssm.com.

Progressive Arts & Theatre Camps: St. Ann School, 324 N. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach. An introduction to musical theater. Age 3-8th grade. 8:30 am-4:30 pm. M-F. 6/7-7/30. $260/two week session. $80 registration. 792-0448 or 602-0730.

SCUBA Camp: The Scuba Club Inc., 4708 North Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach. Age 12-18. Scuba certification, including all equipment, and five open-water dives. 9 am-4 pm. M-F. 6/14-18, 6/28-7/2, 7/12-16. 7/26-30 and 8/2-6. $300. 844-2466 or www.TheScubaClub.com.

South Florida Science Museum Summer Camp: 4801 Dreher Trail N., West Palm Beach. Age 4-12. Science lessons, laboratories, crafts and outside activities. 9 am-4 pm. M-F. Extended hours from 7:30 am-5:30 pm for $25/week, which includes breakfast and afternoon snack. 6/7-8/13. Registration fee $25, plus $50 non-refundable deposit for each week. $200-$225/week. 370-7708 or www.sfsm.org.

Summer Sail Camp: Palm Beach Sailing Club, 4600 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach. Age 7-15. Water safety, boat handling, team work, sportsmanship and sailing basics. Classes by age, weight, and skill level. Class size is limited. Basic swimming skills required. Half days 9 am-12 pm, or full day 9 am-4 pm. M-F, 6/8-8/14. Half Day camp $165-195. Full Day camp $260-$325. $20 registration. Free registration before May 1. 881-0809 or www.pbsail.org.

Summer Zoo Camp: Palm Beach Zoo, 1301 Summit Blvd., in Dreher Park, West Palm Beach. Unique wildlife themes with experiences in zookeeping and zoo activities including animal encounters, animal exhibit visits, crafts and games. Zoo Camps for ages 5-10: 6/7-8/13, $200/member, $225/non-member per week. Jr. Zookeepers for ages 11-14, 6/21–25, 7/12–16, 8/2–6. $250/member, $275/non-member per week. 533-0887, Ext. 229, or www.palmbeachzoo.org.

By Antigone Barton

Gulf Stream — Charles R. Carden flew around the country as an airline pilot and immersed himself in history, reading whatever accounts of centuries past he
could find.

But mostly, the Gulf Stream resident loved his life in Florida.

“He said everyday, ‘this is paradise,’ ” his wife, Sherry, remembers.

Mr. Carden, 71, died March 16 after a long illness.

Mr. Carden hailed from Louisville, Ky., where he met his wife. He became an Air Force pilot who served a stint in Vietnam. His subsequent work, as a pilot for
American Airlines, took his family to New York and Virginia.

With yearly visits of six to eight weeks for more than 20 years, however, Florida became a home away from home for more than 20 years.

The family built a home in Place au Soleil and moved here, finally, 24 years ago, joining Mr. Carden’s mother, Eloise Carden. She died five years ago.

In addition to history and fact-collecting — leading him to read the encyclopedia three separate times, according to his wife — Mr. Carden loved chess, and
played daily on his computer.

Married 50 years, he was awaiting the birth of his first great-grandchild.

Mr. Carden is survived by his wife, Sherry; daughter Cathy Thomas of Boynton Beach; daughter Cindy Docktor of Louisville; and son Charles “Bob” Carden Jr. of
Delray Beach.

By C.B. Hanif

The last Monday in May is the unofficial beginning of summer. It’s also a day when Americans visit cemeteries, gather for parades and picnics, or watch the
National Memorial Day Concert at the U.S. Capitol.

Most important, folks reflect on the men and women who sacrificed their lives in our military, law enforcement and fire services, and other causes that have molded
our nation.

Helping to usher in this Memorial Day, an intriguing panel discussion recently questioned: What is your faith or philosophy’s concept of death and dying, and
how does it inform the way one’s life should be conducted?

Very close to the consensus was the Rev. Carole Yorke of the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Palm Beaches:

“Whatever we think about life after death, we Unitarian Universalists devote our full spiritual attentions to life before death, seeking to live in such a way that
our lives will prove worthy of dying for.”

“I was just dying to participate in this program,” quipped Rabbi Barry Silver of Temple L’Dor V’Dor in Lake Worth, my fellow panelist for “The End — Or Is it?”
The traditional Jewish view, he said during the March 25 program, “is
eventually death will be wiped out, and everyone will live happily ever after.”

Tom OBrien, whose theology and Scripture courses I take at Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, surveyed Christian perspectives in the context of our “relationship
with the sacred.” I shared Muslim perspectives, underscoring the Golden Rule.
From a Buddhist perspective, Brett Ferrigan, co-director of the Palm Beach
Shambhala House, noted that:

“As we relax our grip on ‘me,’ and become more concerned about ‘other,’ then life takes on a fluidity and vibrancy and adventure that really opens things up.”

This brief space cannot convey all the insights gleaned from the panelists and participants. We agreed with Yorke that, “Whether or not there is life after
death, surely there is love after death.”

It seems a wonderful memorial that, thanks to the sacrifices of so many before us, such a program happened. In a warm and respectful atmosphere, humor leavened a
conversation that still in some places today literally would be a matter life
and death.

This Memorial Day, as I recall my uncle Harry’s U.S. Army service during World War II, my uncle Avon the Marine and so many others, a good way to memorialize them
comes in the words of that great poet, Stevie Wonder:

“Love’s in need of love today. Don’t delay. Send yours in right away.”

C.B. Hanif is a writer and inter-religious affairs consultant. Find him at www.interfaith21.com.

Test your Garfield knowledge with our quiz

Raise your hand if you cruised I-95 back in the late 1980s with a goofy, orange tabby stuffed animal suction-cupped to your car window. It’s OK; I’m raising my hand,
too.

America’s connection to Garfield, the cartoon cat who puts the “C” in catitude, remains strong. We don’t adorn our car windows with suction-cupped toy Garfields any
longer, but more than 263 million people worldwide catch the antics of Garfield
and his goofy canine sidekick, Odie, each morning in their newspapers. It’s the
No. 1 syndicated comic on the planet as confirmed by Guinness World Records.

This Monday-hating, lasagna-loving crabby tabby is really a teddy bear at heart when it comes to bettering the lives of pets (yes, dogs, too) and encouraging
children to read. Recently, I had the opportunity to catch up with Jim Davis,
creator of Garfield, who agreed to be a guest on my weekly radio show, Oh
Behave! that airs on Pet Life Radio (www.petliferadio.com).

Landing an interview with Jim Davis proved to be as challenging as convincing Garfield to do 10 pushups, but the fact that we are both Hoosiers helped. Jim grew up in
Marion, Ind., and I grew up in Crown Point, the home made infamous for John
Dillinger escaping from our escape-proof jail in the 1930s. I also alerted his
publicity folks that I proudly possess an autographed 20th anniversary Garfield
book from Jim’s appearance in 1998 in Boca Raton at the now-closed
International Museum of Cartoon Art.

“Garfield’s favorite activities are eating and sleeping,” describes Jim. “Garfield has the courage to say things that we wish we could. He’s like a human in a cat suit.
And he’s not perfect, but he is definitely cool.”

Since strutting onto the comic pages in 1978, Garfield has become a feline empire with two movies, 11 TV specials, an ongoing cartoon show, website, DVDs and
more. His newest roles: celebrity spokescat for Pet Sitters International and
Professor Garfield at a children’s literary foundation run in cooperation with
Jim’s alma mater, Ball State University.

Garfield was a natural choice for PSI, whose membership of independent pet-sitting businesses numbers nearly 8,000. In addition to his charm, humor and cynicism,
PSI was attracted to the cat’s pampered and deserving attitude.

“PSI is all about educating our members and our members are all about pampering their clients’ pets,” said Terry Chance, PSI marketing director. “Garfield is
definitely an intellectual cat who wants the best treatment possible. We are
delighted about the opportunity to work with the Garfield characters. They are
fun, lovable and extremely well-known among pet owners.”

As for the literary foundation, Jim is happy that Garfield’s antics have been translated into dozens of languages worldwide.

“Readers have told me that their children have learned to read after years of struggle after starting to read Garfield’s comic strip and many people who have moved to
the United States have said that they, too, learned English by reading
Garfield,” says Jim. “I was very happy and honored to create the Professor
Garfield Foundation (www.professorgarfield.org) with Ball State to make reading
fun.”

Garfield headquarters is based at Paws, Inc. in Albany, Ind., where the key to success, according to Jim, is heeding the company’s business philosophy: “Take care of the cat and the cat will
take care of you. Family comes first and most of all, have fun.”

You can catch more about Jim Davis and Garfield by visiting www.garfield.com and tuning into Episode No. 108 of my Oh Behave
show on Pet Life Radio (www.petliferadio.com). Don’t forget your bowl of
lasagna!

Take this trivia test (see answers below):

1. Jim Davis first attempted to syndicate a comic strip featuring:

bugs

horses

rabbits

2. Garfield was named in honor of Jim’s:

son

uncle

grandfather

3. Name the imaginary friend Garfield blames everything on:

Alex

Bobby

Clive

4. Name Garfield’s favorite sport:

Private Clubs — The Manalapan Club: An occasional history series

Back in 1957, Eisenhower was president, Leave It To Beaver premiered on TV, and Elvis was shaking, rattling and rolling
his way toward becoming the King of rock ’n’ roll.

Manalapan estate, Casa Alva, to developer William E. Benjamin II.

private social club and golf course.

He knew a thing or two about local social clubs as a member of the Everglades Club, Sailfish Club and the Bath & Tennis in Palm Beach and the Manalapan’s
other swanky club, La Coquille.

activities including dancing, gala balls, fashion shows, lectures, bridge, game
instruction and tournaments.”

fireplaces.

too, as long as the membership committee voted them in.

course was installed, men’s and women’s locker rooms and a snack bar were added
to the old pool house, and the yacht docks were expanded. Staff was brought on
board, although not nearly as many as were employed by the former Duchess of
Marlborough, Benjamin says.

A group of settlers had put Manalapan on the map in 1894, when they put up a hunting and fishing lodge in the town’s south end between the Intracoastal and
the ocean. But this tony community halfway between Delray Beach and Palm Beach
found its place on the social map with the construction of two grand homes for
two great-grandchildren of shipping and railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt.
One was built on the ocean in 1929 for Commodore Harold Vanderbilt. The other
was Casa Alva, built across the lagoon in 1934 for Harold’s sister, Consuelo
Vanderbilt Balsan.

making her the Duchess of Marlborough. Her domineering mother, Alva, arranged
the match. After the pair divorced in 1926, Consuelo reconciled with her mother
(the house’s namesake) and found true love with French balloonist Col. Jacques
Balsan.

on the 50-acre property. It was called La Linda and it had belonged to the John
Demarest family.

romantic mansion. Fatio had his work cut out for him because the house had to
be renovated to include the couple’s priceless collection of exquisite 18th-
and 19th-century hand-carved French wood paneling. Collected from churches,
castles and manor houses before World War II, the paneling varied in height so
the ceiling height in different rooms had to vary, as well.

room. As Fatio’s work continued, all that remained of the original structure was
a stucco tower.

daughter, Alexandra Fatio Taylor, in her book Maurice Fatio, Architect.

the grounds. A print of one of his paintings of the pool still has a place of
honor above the door in the library.

Churchill came to Casa Alva in 1946 in route to Fulton, Mo., to deliver his Iron Curtain speech at Westminster College.

“I like to say he was polishing it up here,” Benjamin reflects.

Consuelo’s son Albert, the 10th Duke of Marlborough, visited Casa Alva frequently, as well.

Life at the club

The Manalapan Club’s brochure gives a glimpse into life there:

Primarily a social club, it provides relaxation amid sumptuous surroundings. The blue salon, a large, delicately paneled room with a wood-burning marble fireplace
and two book-lined walls, is furnished with cozy groupings of comfortable
chairs where cocktails and conversation are welcome. The adjacent smaller game
room and the gold room are inviting and a bit more intimate. The cocktail
lounge and the pink and green dining rooms possess a charm of their own. The
loggia and terrace are the out-of-doors and under-the-stars setting for many
club events.

“The ladies played bridge, and outside there was the nine hole, par-3 golf course,” Benjamin remembers. “Everybody had a (golf club) cane for their clubs.”
Children came for the pool and to take lessons from the tennis pro, who had a
top-notch reputation.

Special outings were part of the merriment, as is evident in this account in the April 1964, issue of the Palm Beach Daily News:

The Paddleboat Queen steamed into the Manalapan Club yacht docks on the South of Hypoluxo Island on Saturday evening and picked up a gay group of club members,
marking the final gala event of a busy Season. … The spring cruise has become
almost a tradition at the Club.

“We had a wonderful French chef who had been the pastry chef at the Gulf Stream Club,” Benjamin, town mayor from 2002 to 2008, says. “There were big New Year’s
Eve parties, awards dinners for golf and tennis, and quite a few weddings. I
myself performed three weddings here, although that was after the club closed
and I was the mayor.”

room to the town manager. A building on the property was used for the town
library.

After the National Enquirer moved to Lantana in 1971, media mogul and Manalapan resident Generoso Pope made a habit
of bringing his editors to the club for lunch.

“He (Pope) was very pleasant to me,” Benjamin remembers. “I got him to serve on the board at JFK Hospital. He never said boo at board meetings, but then there
would be a check for $1 million now and then.”

The club closes

“A lot of residents were business executives, a lot of them were from steel companies and their stocks sank in the ’70s after a bad economic time,” Benjamin recalls.
“In a way, I wished I had kept it open. It gave more of a sense of community to
this part of our town.”

Benjamin, who had lived in a large Point Manalapan home overlooking Manatee Cove, moved into Casa Alva after the club closed. His current wife, Maura, handled the
interior design, making the 23,000-square-foot manse more light and airy.

of wrought-iron-embellished staircases, and even a basement for storage. The
house, on five acres of land with 500 feet on the water, even has a special
closet for hats, a silver vault, and an elevator to the second floor for those
who don’t want to tackle the stairs. Apart from the main house, there’s a
four-car garage, pool, and a one-bedroom lakefront cottage cantilevered out
over the lake.

“This is a very amiable house,” Benjamin says. “It’s a lovely house to be in, a peaceful house, really a joy.” But
now the couple is ready to downsize.

The Benjamins have the house listed with Diana Reed of Illustrated Properties for $13.5 million. “We’ve entertained the high and mighty,” Benjamin says. “Now
we’re getting older and it’s time to simplify.”

Mary Thurwachter is a West Palm Beach freelance writer and founder/producer of INNsideFlorida.com (www.innsideflorida.com).

When we moved to the area over 25 years ago, Easter marked the beginning of the end of tourist season. I-95 was still four- to six-lanes wide and occasionally a group of young locals would stand on the overpasses and wave goodbye to the cars in the northbound lanes: no more waiting in line at restaurants and movies; less traffic along A1A; fewer people at the beach.

Things have changed.

Even though locals still enjoy the quiet, lazy days of summer, most of us have jobs (at least the lucky ones) and feel the pinch when snowbirds head north. Especially those of us with small, family-owned businesses who know only too intimately the ebb and flow of a service-based economy during a national recession.

Luckily for The Coastal Star, our piece of paradise is unique enough to weather seasonal trends.

Our sister publication, the Palm Beach ArtsPaper, however, is not as immune to the vagaries of a recession that has dramatically impacted the local arts community. As a result, Greg Stepanich and his excellent group of arts writers will focus their attention on their Web site (www.palmbeachartspaper.com) during the summer months and return to print in October with a revamped season preview.

Since covering the arts is an important part of our mission — and is essential to our South Florida quality of life — we’ve asked Greg to contribute a column over the summer giving Coastal Star readers a quick look at summer arts news and happenings. We’ll also build a few more arts events into our Community Calendar listings.

If you are a snowbird heading north, please be sure to fill out the subscription form on Page 28 in this edition and drop it (plus your check for $18) by our office at 5011 N. Ocean Blvd. in Ocean Ridge. If you don’t have time to stop in before you leave, feel free to mail the form and your payment and we’ll be sure to send you a copy each month that you’re away.

Of course our paper is also available at: www.thecoastalstar.com and we give you several ways to read the paper online: 1) flip through the electronic version on the homepage, 2) download the high resolution version and read pages on your screen, download to your mobile device or print out the pages you are interested in, or 3) click on the NEWS link and read and respond to individual stories as they are posted.

If you’re heading North, we wish you safe travels. See you in the fall.

If you’re staying for the summer, stop by and say hello. We’ll be here.

— Mary Kate Leming, editor

The fitness bug took root many, many years ago, with little notice, when Leonard Griff began teaching his four children through example.
Griff, a retired radiation oncologist, would take the stairs. He’d bike to work. He
jogged before they even called it jogging.
“I think they called it ‘crazy’ back then,” he says. “Very few people were running
and people used to think there was something wrong with me.”
And now?
Well, if ever there were a family addicted to endorphins, it’s this one.
Maybe you’ve heard about this sweaty gang — or saw them, even, at the Marathon of
Palm Beaches, the grandkids wearing sombreros, working the water station on
Hypoluxo Island with grandma (Roberta, also a doctor).

Leonard Griff, 75, ran the half marathon. So did his son, Lawrence, 42, and his
daughter-in-law, Christine, 43. They both flew down from New York.
Nancy Griff, his daughter, ran the full 26.2 miles. So did her husband, Scott Reiter,
a local attorney. “That’s amazing,” says Nancy Griff, who lives on Hypoluxo
Island. “He had lung surgery and 10 years ago, he couldn’t even run a mile.”
Oh, but there’s more.
Charles Griff, another Griff kid who grew up under the examples of Leonard and Roberta,
ran the full marathon — and he’s a Type 1, insulin-dependent diabetic. “I think
that does add another challenge,” Griff says — making a giant Griff family
understatement since intense, prolonged exercise for Type 1 diabetics is tricky
business, requiring constant attention to food, insulin and blood-sugar levels.
Griff, 43, a dermatologist, has had diabetes since he was 18.
Leonard Griff said despite the heavy work schedule when he and his wife were raising
the kids in Harrisburg, Pa., he was always home for after-school sports with
the children.
And it caught on.
“It’s my therapy,” says Nancy Griff, a psychiatrist with a local practice. “It’s one
time that I’m outside and nobody can get in touch with me.”
But wait? Is running 26.2 miles really that much of a physical challenge?
What if you swam 2.4 miles? And biked for 112? And THEN ran a full marathon?
Yes. Drs. Charles and Nancy compete in Ironman triathlons. In the last two years,
the brother-sister duo has done four of them together. And even though they
each qualified for the Boston Marathon when they ran the Palm Beach race back
in December — and, for a while, they intended to run the Boston — they’ve
decided against making the trip. Instead, Charles will compete in an Ironman in
Utah the first of May.

All this running about town — Charles Griff says he runs 30 to 40 miles a week,
usually in the beach neighborhoods around his Ocean Ridge home; Nancy says she
has to run at least eight miles each time out to get a decent workout — has
given the two of them a special connection.
When it’s Mile 21 of a 26.2-mile race and your legs start cramping and your brother
says all the annoying things you need to hear — Put your arms down. Move your
legs. You can do it! — that’s a pretty big bowl of thanks.
In retrospect.
“He did an Ironman without me this year, and I don’t think he had as much fun,”
says Nancy Griff, who played college tennis but didn’t start
competitive running until she was almost finished with her medical studies.
Leonard Griff, who lives on Hypoluxo Island, said he never made workouts mandatory when the kids were growing up, but he did stress “a good sense of values.”
“I think we’ve always had a sense of commitment to be the best we can, but not be
better than anyone,” says Leonard Griff. “I think if you do the athletics and
perform them well, it carries over into the academics.”
And, in this case, it sure did.
In this family of six, there are five doctors and a certified public accountant
with his MBA.
Says dad: “I guess you could say we’re kind of intense people.”
There’s another of those Griff family understatements.

Just south of Briny Breezes, east of the St. Andrews golf course and north of Gulf Stream sit two rarities: pieces of barrier island land that are unincorporated,
belonging to no city.

But lately Boynton Beach officials have been talking about making those areas — “pockets,” they’re called — part of their city, through annexation. That
would likely bring better services but also higher taxes — and a loss of a
sense of independence. It also raises questions about what could be built
there.

prompted the Florida Coalition for Preservation to begin education efforts to
make sure residents there know what’s going on.

happen before annexation is possible. But the city, for now, is focusing only
on areas west of the Intracoastal, most of it west of I-95.

barrier island pockets in the study with those western areas.

“We’re just going to go ahead with the workload we have,” he said. “And then we’ll swing into consideration of the other areas possibly later on this year.”

tragedy like the choking death of a resident there in November. But that’s
separate from outright annexation.

Just because it’s not in the official study plan doesn’t mean annexation of the pockets is not being researched now, said Bob Ganger of the Coalition, a group that
works to protect the barrier island from excessive development.

that would include the barrier island because they serve the barrier island
with water and sewer,” said Ganger, who is also president of the Gulf Stream
Civic Association. “From the point of view of the people who live in the county
pocket, whether or not they’re identified on a map of the ISBA study, they
probably ought to be thinking about how do they feel eventually being annexed
by Boynton Beach, whether that’s a year from now, ten years from now or
sometime in the future.”

is proposed at 42 units — or 12 per acre and possibly seven stories in
height, or about 70 feet.

units per acre and 35 feet in height.

nonetheless.

County Commissioner Steven Abrams, who represents the area, said he supported annexation of the pockets to get better fire-rescue service. But since that is
being addressed with a separate agreement, he said he is fine with annexation
being considered later.

Briny Breezes Mayor Roger Bennett said the residents in the pockets have generally resisted the idea.

Ocean Ridge Town Manager Ken Schenck said the town just wants to keep up with the annexation topic.

Gulf Stream Town Manager Bill Thrasher said his town also just wants to stay involved.

We joined the Citizen’s Police Academy sponsored by the Boynton Beach Police Department. This is our second year taking this class. The class meets on Wednesdays for 10 weeks from 7 to 10 p.m.

During each session we had up to six policemen give us demonstrations and slideshows. Police instructors answered all our questions. We had two or three different program elements each week and every one of them was very interesting, some were fun to watch and all were informative. They ranged from K-9 unit demonstrations to information about special weapons and tactics and the Police Athletic League.

It would be hard to pick our favorite evening, as each night we learned so much from each group. On one memorable night they Tasered two rookie policemen. Every police officer who will be using a Taser must experience being Tasered. It was difficult to watch, as it felt like one of our grandchildren was being Tasered that evening.

In addition to the classroom experiences, we participated in a ride-along program. We were able to spend four hours riding with the policemen while they were on duty.

We had no idea how the other half of the world lives and once we were home safe we thanked God for our country and our freedom. We are so lucky to live in the country we live in.

We have always felt so safe in our area, but with drugs and all the crime we have now, it is good to know we are so well-protected. We always had a lot of respect for our policemen, but now are more aware of the job they are doing and the danger they are in each day. They are like everyone else. They do their job the best as they can and look forward to a safe return home to their families after each shift.

After we finished our 10 weeks, the Police Department hosted a banquet for class members. They give us a diploma, shirts and a picture of the whole group who attended.

It was a wonderful and fulfilling experience for us and many others. We met a lot of nice people and now when we hear the police siren, we know the police are out doing their job to protect every one of us. We should feel very blessed to have them in our community.

Bev and Lew Williams

Briny Breezes

By Thom Smith

Brace yourselves. It’s April, but it seems like the season is just starting.

Savor the Avenue’s long table has barely been cleared, the last reel is still spinning at the Delray Beach Film Festival, and already the aroma of conch fritters is filling the air along Atlantic Avenue. Fritters, of course, mean that the 48th Delray Affair is upon us.

From April 9 to 11, more than 800 artists and crafters from 38 states and 16 countries will show off their talents, local vendors will offer everything from bric-a-brac to fresh vegetables, and the seemingly endless food and drink stations will be highlighted by what many believe is food from heaven: those conch fritters.

Doesn’t cost a thing to get in, which is good, because with all the good stuff on sale, your wallets still will take a beating. Organizers expect upwards of 300,000 visitors, so be patient, have fun and bring plenty of sunscreen.

A week later (April 17), it’s the Sixth Annual Circle on the Square “Martinis & Motown” Food & Wine Dance Party under the tent at Old School Square, with food and drink from top area eateries. For advance tickets, call 561-637-4441; general admission is $90, VIP $120. Hours are 7 to 10:30 p.m.

The aforementioned long table was set up on March 18 right down the centerline of Atlantic from Swinton to Fifth Avenue, with breaks only for stoplights and the railroad tracks. The diners, more than 1,000 in all (up 60 percent from last year’s inaugural) barely noticed the two noisy northbound freights as they enjoyed their prix fixe meals from 18 of Delray’s top restaurants.

Each restaurant set its own four-course menu and its own price. Santa Rita Wines provided pairings for each course. At the low end for $50, Cabana El Rey offered a nuevo Latina “fab fusion” meal of beef empanada or spicy shrimp, cabana salad or lobster bisque, churrasco (marinated skirt steak) or roasted chicken and shrimp in a garlic and wine demi-glace and flan or tres leches.

At the top, the 56 fans of La Cigale paid $85 for antipasti, jumbo Maryland crab cake or beet and goat cheese salad; veal wrapped in prosciutto in a morel mushroom reduction, or seafood paella and a mixed-fruit tart.

Most of the restaurants sold out in advance, although a few late deciders were accommodated by Gol!, the Brazilian steakhouse. A slight chill did little to dampen enthusiasm, and, in fact, to Linda Bean it was downright balmy.

“The weather’s been terrible this winter,” the lobsterwoman said of her home state of Maine (She’s L.L. Bean’s granddaughter), as she made a point of chatting up all her Perfect Lobster Roll guests. “In the places where it usually snows, it’s been rainy and muddy. A real mess. So it’s really nice to be here.”

Despite all the eatin’ in the street, most Atlantic Avenue restaurants, typical for a Thursday night, were packed with diners. That meant double duty for Larry LaValley, executive chef at Vic & Angelo’s, who recently took on the same role across the street at The Office, after owner David Manero dismissed uber-chef Mark Militello (reportedly via text message). Based on the reaction at his tables to the osso bucco Milanese and Guinness braised short ribs, LaValley did just fine.

Though Taste Gastropub was still a few weeks from opening, chef Allen Susser

used the long table as a test run for his staff. Dubbed the “Ponce de Leon of New Florida Cuisine” by The New York Times, the James Beard Award winner couldn’t have been more excited as he offered last-minute instructions to his staff on the sidewalk.

“We’re excited,” said Susser, who also plies his trade at Chef Allen’s in Aventura. “We finally get to show our stuff. Delray’s such an exciting place.”

Each guest received a backpack, courtesy of Office Depot, and was urged to fill it with school supplies or food for redistribution to needy school kids through the Office Depot Foundation, which also received $5 from each meal served at Savor the Avenue.

Too bad the crowd at the Movies of Delray wasn’t larger. Then again, patrons are accustomed to seeing movie stars on the screen, not in person. But in slacks, a jersey top and sneakers, Jessica Walter hardly looked the part. In some ways, she didn’t seem to feel the part either, as she hosted a special Delray Beach Film Festival screening on March 24 of her most memorable film, Play Misty for Me.

When one fan mentioned one of her earliest roles, opposite William Shatner, in the TV legal series For The People, she paused, giggled, juggled some figures in her head, and joked, “You’ve got a great memory. That was almost 50 … yes 50 … years ago.”

You name it, she’s been in it, starting with the soap opera Love of Life in 1962 when she was 21. Now, just turned 69, married to actor Ron Liebman since 1983, Walter stays busy, most recently as a voice on the animated Archer, as Tabitha Wilson on 90210 and soon to return as Lucille Bluth on Arrested Development.

Yet her iconic role remains that of Clint Eastwood’s obsessive, possessive jazz radio fan in Play Misty for Me, a portrayal that blazed the trail for Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct.

“It was a great movie to work on,” Walter said.

“But they were all new,” one fan at the screening said. “You held it all together.”

Almost as quickly as she arrived, Walter had to leave. “If I miss my flight, my husband will never forgive me,” she yelled on the way out with festival organizer Michael Posner.

A busy man, Posner, who founded the event in 2006. He’s a veterinarian by trade, but movies are his love, and Delray, he believes, is the perfect place to hold a festival. It may also be the only film festival that includes a surfing contest and a beach cleanup. But Posner has nerve. He once invited Anthony Hopkins, who gave a “maybe.” Last year the festival honored Barry Bostwick, who’s back as the “creative chair.” Walter and Sharon Gless (Cagney & Lacey) are Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.

While on the subject of movies, Boynton Beach is offering free outdoor movies on the first Friday of each month through June at the Ocean Avenue Amphitheater. Showtime is 7 p.m. Up first, on April 2, Hairspray; May 7, Up; and June 4, The Blind Side.

Also, two dates remain in Boynton’s Ocean Avenue Concert series (6-9 p.m.): April 16, Cricklewood; May 21, Pure Justice Band. Concerts also are free. Lawn chairs and/or blankets plus bug spray are recommended.

After 33 years of c’est si bon in Lake Worth, L’Anjou is history. Tough financial times led to a foreclosure last year and the recent ill health of founder Gilbert Cela forced the classic French restaurant to close March 21. Should Cela’s son Marc be unable to resurrect L’Anjou, it will be remembered every time someone sees Body Heat. The restaurant’s exterior provided backdrop for a meeting between Ned Racine (William Hurt) and Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner) in the classic film noir shot in and around Lake Worth in November and December 1981.

A thank-you ad in The Palm Beach Post from the Ladd Co., which produced the film, included L’Anjou as one of the businesses “whose cooperation and patience were indispensible.”

Incidentally, the movie’s best line isn’t uttered in Lake Worth. When Walker snares Racine with, “You aren’t very smart, are you. I like that in a man,” they’re at the bandshell on Hollywood Beach, about 45 miles south.

May is National Burger Month. To celebrate, Breeze, the Ritz-Carlton’s oceanfront gourmet burger bar, will feature a different burger special each day of the month, all but one of which will come from the hotel’s chefs. But during April, recipes will be accepted from the Ritz’s Facebook community, and on April 28, hotel execs will decide which cyber-recipe makes the grade. In addition to the honor of having his or her burger spotlighted, the winner will be invited to lunch at Breeze. Burger lunches are $15. To hook up with the resort’s Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com/theritzcarltonpalmbeach.

Up the road at The Four Seasons Palm Beach, proceeds ($2.50 per glass, $10 per bottle) from sales of specially selected Chilean wines through April 18 will be donated to the Chilean Red Cross for earthquake relief.

By Margie Plunkett

Five more sets of crosswalk signs designed to safeguard pedestrians and educate drivers will be installed on A1A after a state study deemed test signs near Atlantic Avenue effective.

The Florida Department of Transportation gave a thumbs up to Delray Beach’s request for the added signs, which are mounted on short plastic poles placed in the center of A1A to instruct motorists to stop for pedestrians.

Crosswalk signs are also expected to be put up near Briny Breezes, just south of the St. Andrews Club, and in Highland Beach. They were posted in Ocean Ridge early in March.

“It’s more educational to the motorist, to let them know it’s a state law,” said Carmen Li, FDOT senior engineer in training in Fort Lauderdale.

The FDOT study showed clear improvement of safety conditions for pedestrians after the Delray Beach test signs were placed, according to Li. “We got a lot of positive feedback,” she said. “The motorists’ compliance — stopping for pedestrians — improved and people felt more safe to cross between these signs.”

The evaluation indicated:

• Motorists have stopped for pedestrians 5.2 percent more.

• Drivers disregarding pedestrian crossings have been reduced by 28.6 percent.

• Mid-block pedestrian crossings have been reduced by 28.4 percent.

• Driver-pedestrian conflicts have been reduced by 25.9 percent.

Delray Beach City Engineer Randal L. Krejcarek anticipated the new signs would be up by mid-April.

“We’ve been asking for them for seven to eight years,” he said, but previously, the state didn’t recognize them as proper signs within the right of way.

The signs will cost up to a total $4,100, Krejcarek said. The cost will probably be less, because fewer signs will be posted than initially proposed, due to conflicts with driveway locations, he said.

Each sign assembly has two panels, with some crossings suitable for one assembly and others for two, Li said. Location of driveways and side streets determines how many assemblies can be used, she said. “They are recommended to go in unsignalized crosswalks, most that are painted like a zebra.”

Jim Smith, chairman of Safety As Floridians Expect, was pleased with the news. “It’s really a good thing. Those signs have been a big help.”

New Crossing Signs

Signs telling motorists to stop for pedestrians will be placed in the center of A1A at the following five Delray Beach locations. Two sets of pilot signs are just north and south of Atlantic Avenue as well.

• Atlantic Dunes Park, just north of the crossing

• Casuarina Road, one set south of the crossing and a second set north of it.

• Beach Road, north of the crossing

• South Crestwood Drive

By Dianna Smith

Local officials are continuing to comb the seas and beaches for Haitians fleeing their devastated country.

Though no refugees have been spotted in Palm Beach County since January’s deadly earthquake in Haiti, four Haitian nationals came ashore in nearby Martin County on Feb. 22, reminding locals to keep an eye out for any kind of suspicious activity on the beaches.

“They don’t stop, they really don’t stop,” said Ed Greenfield, public affairs officer for the U.S. Coast Guard Lake Worth.

For years, political uprising and an unstable economy has pushed Haitians to travel the rough seas to South Florida, in search of better lives. But many worry the earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands and left many more homeless may lure even more Haitians to flee in the weeks to come.

The Palm Beach County Emergency Management Center has reminded local officials of the mass migration plan that was updated just two years ago.

And the United States Coast Guard has various ships and aircrafts patrolling the seas.

On Feb. 16, the coast guard intercepted a boat with 88 Haitians just 45 miles north of Haiti. All 88 were returned to Haiti. That was the first group of Haitians spotted in the waters since the earthquake, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Barry Bena.

“We always have a presence to deter illegal migration,” Bena said.

Soon after the earthquake, Haitians in the United States were given the opportunity to apply for temporary protected status, which will allow the undocumented to stay in the states and work until July 2011. Of the more than 37,000 Haitians who have applied for TPS so far, 25,000 have been from Florida alone.

But those Haitians who arrive illegally in the United States after Jan. 12 do not quality for TPS and will be sent back to Haiti.

Though Matt Chandler, deputy press secretary for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said officials do not see signs of a pending mass migration, a few hundred detainees were moved from the Krome detention center in Miami-Dade County in January to make room for a potential influx of Haitian refugees. The center is a place where immigrants wait for their immigration status or to be returned to their country.

Chandler called the move “simply an act of cautionary planning.”