By Steve Plunkett

St. Joseph’s Episcopal School and its wealthy benefactor have lost their courtroom quest to reverse the decision by St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church not to renew their lease.

Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Bradley Harper, invoking the separation of church and state, dismissed the school’s lawsuit on Sept. 6.

“There’s no way for this court to adjudicate this matter based upon neutral principles of law,” Harper said. “I quite frankly don’t see any way around it. It would require judicial inquiry into internal church matters and constitutes a subject matter which this court, a secular court, lacks jurisdiction.”

Harper in February had denied the school’s request for an injunction to let it continue to operate on the church’s grounds until the lawsuit was resolved, ruling that the school did not have “a substantial likelihood of success … given the absence of any writing which establishes the existence of a 99-year lease agreement.”

School trustees subsequently notified the families of St. Joe’s 175 students that classes would not resume this school year. The last graduates are now freshmen, most at American

Heritage School in Delray Beach, St. John Paul II Academy in Boca Raton and Cardinal Newman High in West Palm Beach.

“We are all devastated over this and still can’t believe the Church is closing the school,” the school’s admissions director, Mary Aperavich, wrote on a Facebook post congratulating the rising ninth-graders.

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, which owns the property on which the school sat for 60 years, told the school in April 2022 that it would not renew its lease. The school tried to find a new location, “only to learn that extensive permitting and remodeling would prohibit the completion of any move for at least two years,” the trustees said.

In its lawsuit, the school claimed it had an oral, 99-year lease to stay where it is, at 3300B S. Seacrest Blvd., until 2093.

But the church’s attorney argued that under Episcopal rules, any encumbrance of property would have had to be approved in writing by the diocese and the bishop.

The church also said the school signed a five-year written lease in 2012 and was given a five-year extension that expired in November 2022. Both sides last year agreed to extend the lease until June 30, 2023, while the dispute headed to court.

The church has not given its reasons for not wanting to renew the $5-a-year lease.

The school’s 175 students were in pre-K through eighth grade. While the two entities share the St. Joseph’s name and the same location on Seacrest Boulevard, the school split off from the church in 1995.

That was a year after William Swaney, most recently president of the board of trustees, gave the church about $2.5 million worth of stock in his company, Perrigo, “for the express purpose of the church constructing buildings and facilities for use by the school,” said the school’s lawsuit.

Swaney, the suit claimed, made it clear to the church’s vestry that he was making the gift in exchange for a promise, made orally several times, that the school would never be displaced from the property. The church sold the stock and built a gymnasium, library, classrooms and administrative offices.

GULF STREAM — Percy James Orthwein II, known as “Perk,” died Sept. 19 following a magnificent life — having spent 42 years with his beloved wife, Joan Kroeger Orthwein. He was 76.

Mr. Orthwein grew up in a well-known and respected family, in which hard work, creativity and integrity were the cornerstones. His great-grandfather was August Busch, CEO of Anheuser-Busch Inc.; his grandfather Percy Orthwein was president of D’Arcy Advertising; and his father, James Orthwein, owned the Patriots football team.

A native of St. Louis, Mr. Orthwein was an established businessman, investor, marketing aficionado, boatsman and lover of the outdoors. He attended Washington University in St. Louis Olin School of Business and graduated with an MBA from St. Louis University.

Mr. Orthwein was senior vice president and management supervisor worldwide for the Anheuser-Busch account at D’Arcy Advertising, where he worked from 1973-1984. From 1985-2018, he was owner and chairman of the board at Double Eagle Distributing, an Anheuser-Busch wholesaler in South Florida. During this time he also served as president of Eagle Snacks, until its sale to Procter & Gamble in 1996.

Mr. Orthwein started Boomers family entertainment center in 1993, which merged with Race-O-Rama and sold to Palace Entertainment in 2002.

He was very involved in the community and served many years as a trustee for the Bethesda Hospital Foundation and as a Palm Beach County Hospital commissioner.

He was a member of The Gulf Stream Golf Club, The Gulf Stream Bath & Tennis Club and The Little Club in Gulf Stream; The Watch Hill Yacht Club and The Misquamicut Club in Watch Hill, Rhode Island; and the St. Louis Country Club and the Racquet Club in St. Louis.

“Perk” was the quintessential character, known for his charm, humor and compassionate nature. He could often be heard quoting August Busch’s famous tagline, “Making friends is our business.”

His enthusiasm for life, people and animals was contagious and he embraced them all with a full heart. With a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, he left an indelible impression on everyone he met.

He was most adored by his three children: Katherine Busch Orthwein (Brendan Boyle of Gulf Stream), Elizabeth James Orthwein (Delray Beach) and William Chase Orthwein (Delray Beach).

He was predeceased by his father and mother, James Busch Orthwein and Katherine Gatch Wheeler. In addition to his wife, a Gulf Stream town commissioner, he is survived by his sister, Katherine Orthwein Snowden, his brother, James Busch Orthwein II, and his half-sister, Romaine Clara Busch Orthwein.

He will be profoundly missed by his family, including his loving grandchildren, Alexandra Grace Boyle and Hunter Charles Boyle.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Gulf Stream School or Baptist Health Foundation.

— Obituary submitted by the family

By Ron Hayes

OCEAN RIDGE — The gas station was closed that Monday morning, with a sign on the door to tell you why.

“VINNY’S GONE FISHING”

This wasn’t news. Vinny went fishing every chance he got. The news was below.

“11/30/55 – 9/18/23
Love You Forever”

Gulfstream Texaco is the only gas station along State Road A1A in the 47 miles between Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, which makes it unusual.

For almost three decades, Vinny Dinanath made it more than a gas station.

When he died in his wife’s arms, at home in Wellington shortly after midnight the morning of Sept. 18, his family lost a husband, father and father-in-law, the gas station lost an owner, and his neighbors lost a loyal friend, an honest mechanic, and a magical fishing buddy. He was 67.

“He could talk to you about anything — geography, martial arts, history and science,” his wife, Gemma, wrote on Facebook that same afternoon. “He taught so many people how to fish, how to make jigs, how to fix their cars.

“He helped people be better. He loved his family more than anything, and he had a special relationship with animals, especially cats. He worked hard and took pride in everything he did. He was strong, sincere, honest and kind.”

Vinoo Dinanath was born in San Fernando, Trinidad, an industrial city on the island’s southwest coast. In 1985, he and Gemma came to New York City. He worked for Pep Boys. He worked for Firestone. He worked as a mechanic for an Exxon station in Queens.

Eight years later, they left the New York winters behind and came to Florida seeking what so many seek here —independence, warm weather and fish.

“He didn’t want to work for someone else who’d be pressuring him to charge for more hours than it took to do a repair,” Gemma said. “He couldn’t help people that way.”

He found work at a gas station between Ocean Ridge and Briny Breezes that had opened in 1948 as a Marathon station, spent time as a Gulf station, and then was born again as a Texaco station.

When the owner gave up the lease a few years later, the Dinanaths took it over.

“The station was Vin’s dream,” Gemma said, and for the next 28 years, they made the dream come true.

Marie Speed, the longtime editor-in-chief of Boca Raton magazine, was already living just across the road when he arrived.

“When you’re a single woman and you have to see a mechanic, you’re filled with dread,” Speed said. “Two guys told me I needed new tires. I went to Vin and he came out and looked at them and said, ‘You don’t need new tires. I’ll tell you when you need new tires.’

“I felt like he was my protector in some way.”

Richard Jones was Ocean Ridge’s police chief from 2014 until this past March, when he took over the Gulf Stream Police Department.

“When I started in Ocean Ridge, Vinny was taking care of all our vehicles,” Jones said. “You could take anything to him, a department vehicle or a personal vehicle. Vinny was our go-to guy.”

In time, the station became a kind of club, a gathering spot for neighbors and friends.

Most afternoons, the men — mostly men — would wander over and claim a lawn chair outside the office to watch the world pass up and down Ocean Boulevard.

“The main rule is, no drugs,” Vinny would tell them. “If you’re a druggie, you can’t hang out here. Also, no idiots. We had one guy that was an idiot, so he got a 99-year ban.”

They told jokes, sipped beers, smoked and chatted with Vinny — mostly about fish.

“Vin was about as serious a fisherman as there is around,” said Charles Kittler, who knew him since moving to Ocean Ridge 20 years ago. “When he wasn’t working, he was either thinking about fishing or fishing.”

Kittler had fished back home in Illinois. Vinny taught him how to fish in an ocean. Later, they fished in Colorado together.

“He loved to drift fish, and he was a good captain on his boat and a very honest gentleman,” Kittler said.

Vinny fished in Cape Cod, Alaska, Colorado, Lake Tahoe, Montauk, Staten Island. To hear his fishing buddies talk, you’d think his way with a fishing rod transcended talent into something almost mystical.

“He’d say, ‘What do you want to catch today?’ and he’d catch it,” said Tyrone Halfhill of Briny Breezes, who fished with Vin almost every Wednesday for years. “He called it dumb luck, but it wasn’t dumb luck. I use the same equipment. He just did something a little bit different.”

They used to fish Lake Okeechobee for crappie, Halfhill remembers.

“He’d get 50 per person and have a big fish fry at the station with anywheres from 20 to 50 people stopping by. Ocean Ridge cops and stuff.”

Bill Armstrong, Ocean Ridge’s public works director, knew Vin for nearly two decades. They fished together on Lake Okeechobee and worked on cars at the station.

“He could fish the sun down,” Armstrong said. “He taught me how to fish for yellowtail snapper. He was kind of like a mentor to me. He was quiet and soft-spoken, but also right to the point. He was a man that words can’t describe.”

A few years ago, when heart and respiratory problems emerged, he stopped working on cars.

Now, his friends wonder, what will happen to Gulfstream Texaco? With Vin gone, will the station go, too?

No, Gemma Dinanath insists. The whole family worked at the station. The station will remain theirs.

“He got everything he wanted,” she said. “He wanted this station, and he wanted to fish, and he wanted to die at home. He knew, and he refused to go to the hospital. He was holding me when he died.”

Vin and Gemma Dinanath were together for 48 years. In addition to her, he is survived by his son, Darryl, of Wellington, and his daughter and son-in-law, Janelle and Miles Hamrick, of Atlanta.

A celebration of his life will be held at Benvenuto Restaurant & Banquet Facility in Boynton Beach on Nov. 29, a day before what would have been his 68th birthday. The celebration is by invitation only.

DELRAY BEACH — Ellen Kelly Dickson died surrounded by family on Sept. 24 after a battle with cancer. She was 71.

Ellen was born Nov. 5, 1951, in Boston and raised in Dedham, Massachusetts, by Edward and Josephine Kelly. She grew up in a vibrant and busy household with seven younger brothers. Her parents had lived through World War II and pursued careers in social work. They instilled a deep commitment to community in Ellen at an early age.

Both of her parents received master’s degrees from Boston College, and her dad spent his career with the Massachusetts Welfare System after serving under Patton in Africa and Europe during World War II.

Ellen made her mark at an early age. She attended the University of Massachusetts Boston where her drive to get involved in organizational community activities was evident.

She became the first student trustee at UMass Boston, gaining the same voting power as the rest of the board. She was also chair of the organization “18 by 72,” an effort to change the voting age in Massachusetts to 18 by 1972, which was accomplished. She graduated in 1973 and was a speaker at her class commencement exercises for UMass Boston. She was credited with having “served with distinction as a university trustee. She has been a positive activist at this university and has shown insights and interest in academic student affairs.”

Before entering the MBA program at Babson College in September 1975, she followed her parents’ path into social work. In her first semester at Babson, she met the love of her life, Henry “Chip” Dickson, in her classes. After graduation in May 1977, Ellen and Chip started married life in Cleveland, where she began her career in portfolio management and where the couple’s three children were born.

Ellen and Chip moved to Summit, New Jersey, in 1993 and called it home for 25 years after two years in Chicago. In Summit, Ellen served as mayor during a time that included Hurricane Sandy, which demanded her constant presence. Her service included six years on City Council, several years on the Zoning Board, president of the PTO of a local elementary school and high school and support of various other organizations like Rotary.

Some of the awards she received included Boy Scouts of America “Good Scout” Award in 2011 and in 2012, the Summit Business and Professional Women honored her as Woman of the Year.

In 2018 they moved to Florida, where Ellen joined the boards of the Beach Property Owners’ Association of Delray Beach and the Florida Coalition for Preservation.

Ellen’s greatest joys were her family and friends. A true extrovert, she had a talent for getting to know people and never met a stranger. She fielded daily phone calls from her adult children and loved her life as “Grandma.” She has instilled her kindness and love of Cape Cod in her grandchildren over the last seven years.

Ellen was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. Her spirit lives on with husband of 46 years, Henry “Chip” Dickson; children Laura Goldstein and her husband, Justin, Julia LaTaille and her husband, Jim, and Henry Dickson Jr. and his wife, Amanda Yang-Dickson; brothers Ed, Tom, Fred, Jim, Frank, Chris and John; sisters-in-law Lina, Sue, Marianne, Dotty, Mona, Claudia, Tracy, Joy, Andrea and Wendy and brothers-in-law Bart and Ace; grandchildren James, Elliot, Martín, Mila, Nora, Ella and Dylan; 24 nieces and nephews, and a large network of family and friends. Ellen was predeceased by her parents, Edward and Josephine Kelly.

A memorial service was held Sept. 30 at Grace Church of East Dennis in Dennis, Massachusetts, followed by a celebration of life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to umb.edu/dicksonscholarship.

A service later in the year will be held in the Delray Beach area.

— Obituary submitted by the family

By Sallie James

SOUTH PALM BEACH — She was a doting mother and a devout Methodist who could sing, play the violin, speak like a lawyer and, as a lover of floppy hats, style her clothes like no other. She was also a civic warrior whose years on the Town Council were dedicated to preserving the ambience of the hometown she loved.

Stella Gaddy Jordan, who served on the South Palm Beach Town Council from 2010 to 2020, lost her years-long fight with multiple sclerosis on Sept. 4 at Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm Beach. She was 84.

Those who loved her remembered her as a fierce advocate who taught them the value of ambition, persistence and humility. Mrs. Jordan downplayed her illness for many years, confounding friends and family with a determination and an unearthly stamina that kept her moving forward no matter what.

“She was a chameleon. She could be sick in bed and the next day she would pull herself together looking amazing,” said South Palm Beach Mayor Bonnie Fischer. “She was strong in her faith and always a very positive person.”

Fischer credited Mrs. Jordan with getting her into politics.

A native Floridian, Mrs. Jordan was born on April 17, 1939, in Plant City. She grew up in Tampa, graduating from Jefferson High School. She eventually landed a job in banking, where she worked her way to the top.

Mrs. Jordan served as president of the National Association of Bank Women, southeast region. She spent most of her professional career at SunTrust Bank Tampa Bay, retiring as first vice president after approximately 20 years. She was also the former marketing director of the Tampa Children’s Ballet Theater.

She met her husband, George Jordan, through her best friend. He was her friend’s older brother, and the two married in 1957 while he was in the U.S. Coast Guard. After he was honorably discharged, George Jordan became a firefighter for the city of Tampa. He died at age 69 in 2006 after an illness.

In the wake of her husband’s death, Mrs. Jordan became an activist.

Mrs. Jordan slipped into politics by way of the Rizon East Condominium Association, where she served as treasurer for four terms and president for three terms.

She was elected to the South Palm Beach Town Council in 2010. She quickly became a fierce advocate for preserving the town’s ambience and kept close tabs on all things related to redevelopment and high-rise buildings.

Mrs. Jordan was instrumental in getting a charter amendment placed on the ballot in 2010 that gave residents greater control over redevelopment, said Christine Mang, president of SPB Preservation Inc., a nonprofit citizens group dedicated to preserving the town’s character.

“Our town was in good hands with her. She would listen to people and act in their interest. We are all going to miss her very much,” Mang said.
 Council member Robert Gottlieb remembered Mrs. Jordan as caring, fun, smart, nice, outspoken, hardworking and special. The two worked together side-by-side for several years.

“She was always upbeat, even when she was not feeling so well. She did a good job for the town of South Palm Beach. Her service was appreciated by the town and the residents,” Gottlieb said.

Her three daughters said their mother loved to entertain and often threw parties to stir up excitement for whatever her latest cause might be. But always, she downplayed her failing health.

“To say she was hard-headed would have been an understatement. She was determined to not let it keep her down. And so she did endure. That was one of her favorite words,” her daughter Donna Culloty said. Her children described her as “the life of the party.”

Her generosity was regular and random. Culloty recalled her mother quietly folding cash into the palms of people she thought might be struggling.

“If she heard a young mother tell their young child ‘we can’t afford that’ she would just take a $20 or $50 or $100 and say ‘please take this,’” Culloty said.

Mrs. Jordan is survived by three daughters, Donna Culloty, Denise Walker and Deanna Garcia, all in Florida; a sister, Joyce Sanchez in Sunrise; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sister Sandra Bell of Tampa and a grandson.

A celebration of life is being planned for sometime in October. Edgley Crematory in Riviera Beach is in charge of arrangements. 

By Sallie James

BRINY BREEZES — To his South Florida friends and neighbors, “Doc” Harold Burton was a beloved retiree with a cheerful disposition and a sly sense of humor. But nearly eight decades ago, the young veterinarian from Hereford, Maryland, helped keep 960 horses healthy in the middle of Atlantic storms until they reached Gdansk and the Polish farmers struggling to recover from the war.

Once a seagoing cowboy who helped transport horses to needy countries after WWII under the auspices of Heifers for Relief, Dr. Burton died on Aug. 31 of undetermined causes at his Abingdon home. He was 102.

“Some of the happiest times of his life were with his friends in Briny,” said his daughter Barbara Abbott.

In 2015, Dr. Burton recalled for a Coastal Star reporter his adventures transporting horses on the high seas.

“The majority of countries like Poland were just countries of small farmers, and they had nothing to farm with,” Burton said in the interview. “The Germans had gone across it one way, and the Russians had gone across the other way, and there was just nothing there.”

On one occasion, he was severely bitten by a horse, so he asked his family doctor if he should become an MD or a DVM.

“Well,” the wise old doctor said, “if you become a physician, the patients lie to you all the time, but if you become a vet, the animals will never lie to you.”

Young Harold Burton became a vet. “And I never did have an animal lie to me,” he said. “The owners sometimes, but never the animals.”

The son of Edmund Burton and Olive Burton, Harold Burton was born in Baltimore and raised in a home at York and Mount Carmel roads in Hereford.

He met his future wife, Betty Duval, while serving as an associate professor at the University of Maryland and the two were married in 1947. They were together 75 years.

Doc and Betty Burton began visiting her parents, Hazel and Claiborne Duval, in Briny Breezes around 1960. They became shareholders when they purchased lot L-16 from her mother.

Years later the couple known as “Trouble” and “Saint Betty” moved to a different lot to make room for a dog and grandchildren.

Dr. Burton was also a frequent prankster who attended any meeting where donuts and coffee were served. He belonged to several clubs and organizations that were dear to his heart.

He graduated from Sparks High School in 1938 and then attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore before earning a degree in veterinary medicine in 1943 from the University of Pennsylvania.

Eventually he purchased the Towson Veterinary Hospital on York Road. Dr. Burton sold his practice in 1978, went into semi-retirement and finally retired from veterinary medicine in 1980.

Services were at Evans Funeral Chapel in Monkton, with interment at the Hereford Baptist Church Cemetery, a few steps from his boyhood home.

In addition to his wife, Dr. Burton is survived by two sons, Russell W. Burton of Jacobus, Pennsylvania, and Paul M. Burton of Hagerstown; two daughters, Barbara B. Abbott of Lutherville and Patricia B. Bowden of Hanover, Pennsylvania; and three grandchildren.

— The Baltimore Sun contributed to this obituary.

Center for Arts and Innovation CEO Andrea Virgin stands with board member Matt Cimaglia (left) and Antoine Chaaya, the partner in charge of the project for Renzo Piano Building Workshop, during a Sept. 6 event at which Virgin announced the architect’s selection. Photo provided

By Christine Davis

The Center for Arts and Innovation has selected Renzo Piano Building Workshop, whose partners include Pritzker Architecture Prize-winner Renzo Piano, to design its performing arts complex.

Center Chair and CEO Andrea Virgin announced the selection on Sept. 6 outside the Mizner Park Amphitheater where the project will be built to an audience that included center board members, Boca Raton City Council members and project supporters.

“The ability to announce Renzo Piano Building Workshop on this project is everything,” Virgin said. “The fact that this firm only takes two to three commissions a year just underscores that this project is enticing to the global market.”

RPBW, established by Piano in 1981 and with offices in Genoa and Paris, has completed more than 140 projects worldwide. A partial list includes the Shard in London, the new Whitney Museum in New York, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, and the Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago.

The center’s building committee selected 10 finalists to respond to a request for proposals, and four were short-listed.

The architectural firm will begin work later this month. Virgin aims to break ground in 2025, which is Boca Raton’s centennial year. The project is to be completed in 2028.

The City Council one year ago authorized the lease of city-owned land in Mizner Park to the center for 74 years, with two 10-year renewals, clearing the way for the project to go forward.

The city is not providing funding. Center officials must raise enough through donations to construct the complex and fund reserves and endowments. The cost was estimated at $115.4 million last year.

Virgin sees the complex as fulfilling the original vision for Mizner Park as the city’s cultural hub.

The complex is planned to accommodate 6,000 people in all its performance and event spaces. It will include a complete makeover of the city’s beloved amphitheater.

***

Delray Upholstery Co., a longtime Delray Beach family business, has moved from its shop at 143 NE Fourth Ave., Delray Beach, to 3267 SW 14th Place, Boynton Beach.

“Delray was amazing,” said Daniel Brooks, the fourth-generation upholsterer in the Brooks family who now runs the business. “It was sad to leave Delray. I spent more of my life in that building than anywhere else on earth and it was nice working with my dad all those years. But, if you don’t change with the times, you find yourself left behind.” 

By moving, Brooks has reduced his overhead. And, finding new employees adept at upholstering has become difficult, he said.

“There’s nobody to grow the business with. There’s a ton of demand for upholstery work. It doesn’t stop,” Brooks said. “But it’s the electronic age, and people are working with computers rather than working with things.” 

Daniel’s great-grandfather, Henry Elwood Brooks, found work in an upholstery shop during the Depression and picked up the trade. When his son, Henry Jr., went off to war, he taught the trade to his grandson, Henry III, Daniel’s father. Henry III moved his family from Falls Church, Virginia, to Delray Beach in 1971, and worked for Jessup Inc., a Palm Beach design and upholstery studio.

“My dad would bring little projects home from work, and I’d help him in the garage,” Daniel said. “After Polly Jessup died, Dad opened his own business in Delray in 1993, and I started working there and never left. I thought I would go into construction or be a mechanic. I didn’t think upholstery was what I would do, but I’ve always been a hands-on person.

“I took over the business in 2007, but my dad was working with me until this spring, when he retired at 85.”

Daniel and his wife, Jen, live in Boynton Beach, and Henry III still lives in the Tropic Isle, Delray Beach house where he raised his family.

***

Four alumni of Research Park at Florida Atlantic University are on the Inc. list of 5,000 fastest-growing companies in the United States.

Honorlock is a service company that offers proctoring solutions for educational institutions and organizations. A graduate of FAU Tech Runway, it was assisted with market information and strategy by the university’s Global Ventures. Honorlock, on the Inc. list for the third time, ranked 667. Honorlock has also been honored as the 2023 EdTech

Breakthrough award winner for online proctoring solution of the year.

ShipMonk, a third-party logistics provider, is also an FAU Tech Runway graduate. On the list for the past six years, it ranked 1,328. 

The SilverLogic, a software engineering and consulting company, has been on the list for the past four years, and now ranks 2,360. 

ModMed, a health care cloud-based company that places doctors and patients at the center of care, has been on the list eight times, and this year it ranked 3,702. 

“We use the term alumni for companies that started with us at our old incubator or now, Global Ventures, or spent a considerable amount of time in the Research Park at FAU,” said Andrew Duffell, president of the Research Park at FAU.

***

Levenger, a Delray Beach retailer of home and office products, named Stuart Till as its new chief financial officer. Till had been CFO/COO for Penha Duty Free, a wholesale distributor and retailer of upscale and luxury goods.  

***

Joseph “J.B.” Bensmihen, president and CEO of Apollo Mediation Group, received the Recognition Award from the Boynton Beach Professionals Leads Group. 

“J.B. strives to be a trusted business adviser to his clients. He has been tirelessly working to promote the group and all of its members,” said John Campanola, the leads group chairman.

***

The Manalapan compound at 1400 S. Ocean Blvd., Villa Oceano Azul, with 200 feet both on the Intracoastal Waterway and ocean, recently re-entered the market for $64.995 million.  

The owners, Raj and Padmaja Mantena, bought the estate for a recorded $48.37 million in January from Francis and Dolores Mennella. It entered the market at $74.99 million in January 2022 and went through price changes before settling at $62.988 million in October 2022. It was a record-breaking deal for Manalapan when the Mennellas bought it in July 2016 for $25.2 million.

Sited on almost two acres, the property comprises a 16,000-square-foot, seven-bedroom main house and a 1,200-square-foot guest house. Completed in 2015, it was built on speculation by Manalapan Mayor Stewart Satter’s Carnegie Hill Development Corp.

The estate will be sold furnished with interiors by Marc-Michaels Interior Design. The property has two swimming pools, with one facing the ocean, and a 50-foot dock on the Intracoastal.

Agent Mark A. Griffin of The Bear’s Club Sotheby’s International Realty holds the new listing. 

***

Developer William Joseph Scaggs, a partner in Boca Raton-based home builder SRD Building Corp., sold the five-bedroom, 8,344-square-foot mansion in Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club at 329 Royal Palm Way in Boca Raton for $16.15 million.

 The buyer is listed in public records as 329 Royal Palm Land Trust, with Citibank providing a $6.675 million mortgage. Overlooking the golf course, the home is on a 0.34-acre lot.
David W. Roberts of Royal Palm Properties brokered the deal.

***

William Raveis Real Estate recently won the National Top Brokerage Award at Inman Connect in Las Vegas. Inman, a company that provides agents with information about the real estate business, gives its Innovator Awards to companies, individuals, and new technology that improves productivity, efficiency and transparency.

Out of more than 150,000 real estate firms in the country, only a handful of companies met the criteria to qualify, with William Raveis Real Estate taking the top award.

“We’ve been on a winning streak with number one for global, HGTV ‘Ultimate House Hunt,’ best local agency awards, and now we are officially the number one real estate company in the United States,” said William Raveis, founder and CEO of his eponymous firm.

***

Florida Atlantic University has moved up on the U.S. News & World Report list of Top Public Schools. FAU ranks 112, up from 131, and it placed 209 for Top National Schools, up from 262 last year.  

FAU also placed 26 in the social mobility ranking, up from 41. This number is computed using graduation rates of students receiving Pell grants and includes public and private national universities.

In other rankings, it placed 22 in undergraduate international business, 150 in undergraduate engineering programs, 159 in undergraduate business programs, 210 in undergraduate computer science, 234 in undergraduate psychology, and 240 in undergraduate economics.

***

Bloomin & Buzzin! will be hosted by the Delray Beach Historical Society from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 18. There will be food, a bar, music, children’s crafts, silent auction, raffle and history exhibits. The event will benefit the Institute for Regional Conservation, a nonprofit that aims to protect, restore and manage biodiversity regionally, and prevent the local extinction of rare plants, animals and ecosystems.

The event will be at the Historical Society, 3 NE First St. Costs are $40 per person, $75 per couple, and $5 per child. To purchase tickets, visit www.regionalconservation.org.

***

The Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Merchant and Business Association will host Art & Jazz on the Avenue from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 25 in Delray Beach. There will be food, live music, art, kids’ zone, and local businesses will sell their wares.

Streets will be closed along East Atlantic Avenue, east of the Intracoastal, from Venetian Drive to Andrews Avenue for this free event. For more information, visit www.downtowndelraybeach.com/artandjazz.

***

The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County received 150 backpacks filled with school supplies from AT&T in support of its after-school youth programs at the Northwest Community Center in West Palm Beach.

Mary Hladky contributed to this column.

Send business news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

To help prepare students for the 2023-24 school year, the Boca Raton Airport Authority had its sixth annual Back to School Supply Drive in collaboration with the Spirit of Giving Network.

The effort collected about $15,000 worth of items such as backpacks, notebooks, pencils and hygiene products, setting up students for a successful academic year.

“This is our sixth year hosting the Back to School Supply Drive at the airport, and it is always a great honor to collaborate with our tenants and the local community to get Palm Beach County students prepared for the new school year,” said airport Executive Director Clara Bennett. “I am grateful to be a part of such a generous community that has made this drive a success every year.”

For more information, call 561-385-0144 or visit www.spiritofgivingnetwork.com.

Grant to improve access to child care at Fuller Center
The Jim Moran Foundation has awarded a two-year grant totaling $90,000 to the Child Care and Early Education Workforce Development initiative at the Fuller Center.

The initiative was created by the center to increase the low number of early education professionals as the demand for child care rises. The foundation’s support is in recognition of the positive impact of the initiative.

“Quality, affordable child care and early education are becoming nearly impossible to find because it’s become nearly impossible to make a living as a child care and early education professional,” Fuller Center CEO Ellyn Okrent said. “This hurts not only the children and their families, but also our economy by removing countless hardworking parents from the workforce and sending them back into the home — and for many, back into poverty.”

For more information, call 561-391-7274 or visit www.fullercenterfl.org.

New NSAL president ‘thrilled to lead’
The National Society of Arts and Letters Florida chapter has named Boca Raton resident Kirsten Stephenson as president.

Stephenson is well-known in the South Florida philanthropic community for her leadership and innovative fundraising initiatives. She has served NSAL as an executive board member for several years, providing the organization with creative new programs and chairing important events.

“I am thrilled to lead this incredible organization,” she said. “During my tenure, I am determined to enhance NSAL’s impact by expanding our support base while developing exciting new platforms to showcase our brilliant emerging artists.” For more information, call 561-654-8151 or visit www.nsalflorida.org.

Walk of Recognition inductees announced
The Boca Raton Historical Society/The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum is preparing for the annual event that pays tribute to local leaders and organizations for having served the interests of the community.

The Walk of Recognition award also honors leaders posthumously on the Wall of Honor, a permanent memorial beside the Addison Mizner monument in Royal Palm Place.

This year’s inductees are:
• Mike and Amy Kazma, whose contributions have left an indelible mark on the city.
• Junior League of Boca Raton, an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism.
• The late Len Baker, who in addition to serving as office manager of Florida Atlantic University for more than 22 years was a passionate force in the community.

The 27th annual affair will take place Nov. 1. For more information, call 561-395-6766 or visit www.bocahistory.org.

League event to raise funds for voter campaign
With the mission of “Empowering Voters, Defending Democracy,” the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County wants the public to attend its Oct. 18 fundraiser.

Titled “I Stand with the League,” the event will include a luncheon, speakers, a silent auction and the opportunity to connect with local business, community, legal, media and political leaders. In addition, the Heroes & Mavericks Award will go to Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link.

“This fun and informative event will launch the league’s yearlong countdown to the 2024 election,” league President Kathi Gundlach said.

Everything begins at 11 a.m. at Benvenuto’s in Boynton Beach. Tickets cost $75. For more information, call 561-247-0221 or visit www.lwvpbc.org.

Send news and notes to Amy Woods at flamywoods@bellsouth.net

Witches finish last year’s ride on A1A, which this year makes up the full route. Photo provided

By Rich Pollack

For the first time since it began in 2012, the annual Witches of Delray Witch Ride will be off the Avenue and instead, hundreds of witches will be riding their brooms — also known as bicycles — up and down State Road A1A with an ocean view right before their eyes.

“It’s sisterhood by the sea,” says Andie DeVoe, the longtime leader of a now signature event which raises money for the Achievement Centers for Children and Families. “We have exclusive flight clearance to fly seaside.”

The move to the beach, which will take the witches who gather Oct. 28 at Delray Beach’s Anchor Park at Casuarina Road to George Bush Boulevard and back, will make the ride accessible to more witches than ever before and improve safety. Previously it used only part of A1A and ended at Anchor Park.

A community event that brings together women for a good cause, the Witches Ride started with just 11 riders and has topped out at the maximum 300 for the past couple of years.

Now with the route moved to A1A, the capacity has increased. This year's ride, with 400 witches registered, is already sold out. “It’s fun, it’s creative and it’s a great way to get together with friends,” DeVoe said.

Because the ride is on the seaside road, which will be closed to traffic from 6:30 to 9 a.m., there is no longer a need for rolling roadblocks at heavily traveled intersections such as the one last year that resulted in an injury to a sheriff’s deputy.

“We’re always trying to improve the ride to make it safer,” said DeVoe, better known among Witches Ride loyalists as the Alpha Witch.

This year, witches will gather at the park by 7 a.m. Oct. 28. While the route has changed, many of the happenings and contests will continue.

“The ride may be the main event, but we have other events that bring our community together,” DeVoe said.

One of those events is the Witches Brew, a happy hour from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 20 at Tim Finnegans Irish Pub.

It lets witches show off their costumes, which are often more formal outfits than what they ride in, and offers them a chance to bid on silent auction items and win prizes, including a fully decorated bicycle.

Tickets for the Brew, which includes an appetizer buffet and a signature drink, are $40. A highlight of the evening is the presentation of the Golden Broom, given to only one witch a year for outstanding contributions to the community.

“The Brew is a great place to go to kick off the holiday season with friends,” DeVoe said.

Although the route has changed, the ride will still include many of the contests that bring out riders. They include best broom (bicycle), best cackle, best costume and best group.

Witches will be asked to bring their bikes through a safety check either at the ride or during a pre-flight inspection available at Richwagen’s Bike & Sport.

While the focus of the event is fun, it takes on the serious witch business of raising money for a longtime community nonprofit organization.

Last year’s ride, DeVoe said, raised about $28,000 for the Achievement Centers for Children and Families.

“The Witch Ride is an event that directly gives back and supports our community,” she said.

If You Go
What: Witches of Delray Witch Ride
When: Oct. 28. Witches will gather at Anchor Park by 7 a.m. Takeoff at 8 a.m.
Entrance fee: $75. Limited to 400 participants, the ride sold out by Oct. 2
Where: On A1A from Anchor Park north to George Bush Boulevard and back
Benefits: Achievement Centers for Children and Families
Info: www.witchesofdelray.org

What: Witches Brew Happy Hour with silent auction
When: 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 20
Where: Tim Finnegans Irish Pub, 2885 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach
Cost: $40. Includes free drink and light bites
Info: www.witchesofdelray.org

Nov. 10: The 36th anniversary Junior League of Boca Raton event honors outstanding female leaders and treats guests to a New York-style fashion show. Time is 10:30 a.m. Cost is $200. Call 561-620-2553 or visit jlbr.org. ABOVE: Honorary Chairwoman Margaret Blume and event Chairwoman Nancy Dockerty. Photo provided

Boca Helping Hands’ annual event welcomed 150 adults and children to an afternoon of bowling, food and prize giveaways. Several charities — all serving local youths — benefited from the fundraiser, and enough money was generated to provide 31,000-plus meals for those in need. Trophies were awarded to the top three teams and overall high score. ABOVE: (l-r) Jeff Tromberg, Vanessa Havener and David Dweck. Photo provided

The 13th annual scholarship fundraiser bestowed a warm welcome to 80 students enrolled in the Schmidt College of Medicine. Business and civic leaders, community advocates and health care professionals helped to dress and equip each incoming class member. With the average cost of medical education reaching $250,000 in-state and $400,000 out-of-state, more than 80% of the institution’s students require financial assistance. ABOVE: (l-r) Constance Scott, Rick and Pat Howard and Dr. Jaclyn Klimczak. Photo provided

Open Hearts for Orphans, a nonprofit dedicated to providing resources for abandoned and at-risk children, is enjoying the success of its first Festival Days event in coordination with the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce. The event drew an enthusiastic crowd of supporters and volunteers. It raised $3,000 for the organization’s adoption-grant program. ABOVE: (l-r) Lynn Victor, Open Hearts for Orphans CEO Lisa Murphy, and board member Julie Carr. Photo provided

More than 200 guests attended Hanley Foundation’s second gourmet event, which included a happy hour with appetizers, a signature mocktail, raffles and entertainment. The Boca Celebrity Cookoff served as the kickoff for the third annual Brice Makris Brunch, set for Dec. 3, and raised money for the Brice Makris Endowment Fund created in honor of its namesake. Mr. Makris died in 2019 of an accidental overdose. He was 23. The fund supports the foundation’s prevention-education and treatment programs. ABOVE: April Lewis, a friend of the foundation whose brother committed suicide in 1982, speaks at the event. Photo provided

One of the signature dishes at the Artist’s Palate is this cheese, meat and fig assortment served on a painter’s palette. Photos provided

By Jan Norris

A new coffee takeout near the beach in Delray Beach opened in mid-September, but it’s been a few years in the making.

Monica Laskay and her three partners opened the Artist’s Palate Cafe on the Avenue a couple of blocks from the beach just after Labor Day.

Already it’s packed with customers morning, noon and even late night.

“They love coming in for the coffee in the morning, and desserts, maybe a bite like charcuterie, at night,” Laskay said.

The Colombian native says the shop is her dream come true in a city that she has adopted and fallen in love with.

“I am a healer — spiritual, mental and physical. I had a spa-retreat in Malibu for several years. My sister was living in Delray, and every time I came to visit, I fell in love with the town.

“It reminds me of Malibu. So much peace, and so much beauty. It grabbed my heart,” Laskay said.

She was going to open a wellness center in town, but the pandemic hit, and her plans were stopped.

“When I was in Bogotá, talking with a partner and drinking coffee, she said we should open a cafe to serve coffee and bless people through food. I said I would only want to do it in Delray.”

She and her daughter and two partners began looking for a space to put the cafe. Often, she had passed a shop with beachwear on a corner near the beach, and thought it would be perfect for their idea. As they were narrowing their choices, though, it remained occupied.

“Just as we were getting ready to choose a spot, I decided to take one more look and drive by the shop. It was vacant for rent.”

Laskay got the partners together and they immediately signed on at first sight.

“Magic happens,” she said.

Beyond coffee, the shop has an international variety of foods sourced from local artisans.

“Our cook is Colombian and she makes delicious drinks and pasteles, and rice puddings. We have a Cuban baker; he loves mousses and makes mousse with fruit flavors. A local French baker supplies our croissants and brioche and desserts. A chef from Mexico makes our macarons. I really never liked them before, but these are delicious,” Laskay said.

Of course, the star attraction — the coffee — is Colombian, she said. It’s the reason for the shop.

“I grew up drinking coffee. People say oh, children drinking coffee! But from when we’re little in Colombia, we would sit in the morning, and had a cup of milk and sugar with a little coffee in it. We grew up with coffee,” she said.

“The aroma is beautiful. We use all organic coffee. It’s mild to medium, not too acidic, and easy to drink any time.”

The shop also offers cacao, a drink made from the bean that chocolate comes from. “We add water or milk and spices. It’s so good,” Laskay said.

Laskay runs the shop. Her daughter Paula Bast created the branding and offers the shop as a rotating art gallery. Pieces from local and emerging artists are for sale.

The small shop has no seating, but Laskay said she has applied for outdoor seats for guests to use after counter-service purchases.

The shop is open daily, with late hours on weekends. Word of mouth has brought in crowds, and Laskay and her team are tweaking menu items and hours as they settle in.

The Artist’s Palate Cafe, 1200 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Online on Facebook and www.theartistspalatecafe.com.

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A picture perfect presentation of an assortment at Sushi by Bou.

The Sushi by Bou experience has come to Boca Raton.

Popular with groups, the omakase-style bar with a speakeasy’s intimacy opened last month in Royal Palm Place.

With a lavish and dramatic art deco setting paying homage to Addison Mizner (look for a nod to his monkey Johnnie Brown in the bathrooms), the restaurant is a modern take on a traditional sushi counter experience.

Diners will reserve their one-hour seat for a 12- or 17-course omakase. They leave choices for dishes and preparations up to the chef who works in front of them, preparing each dish separately.

Fish and proteins served include hamachi, botan ebi (spotted prawn), ikura (salmon roe), scallops, otoro (fatty tuna), unagi (barbecued eel), and a signature Wagyuni — surf and turf. Additional pieces, such as hand rolls and other favorites, can be purchased a la carte. Seasonal items also will be offered.

This is the 14th Sushi by Bou location nationally. It is owned by the SimpleVenue hospitality group, founded by Michael Sinensky and Erika London, both of South Florida.

Sushi by Bou Boca Raton, 409 SE Mizner Blvd. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 5 to 11 p.m. Reservations required and diners must be punctual; go to sushibybou.com or reserve through Open Table.

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At Eddie V’s, the filets are signature dishes.

Another steak and seafood house debuts in Boca Raton at Mizner Park. Orlando-based Darden Restaurants has brought Eddie V’s Prime Seafood to join the plaza restaurant lineup next to Yard House.

Seasonal specials, seafood dishes and prime steaks, or combinations of these, anchor the menu. Crab fried rice and a trio of filets are signature dishes.

A butcher is on the premises to hand carve meats, and desserts are made in-house.

In the V Lounge, “theatrical” cocktails are served. Example: a smoky old-fashioned finished at the table.

Modern lighting and decor and live music nightly set a supper club-type mood. Four private dining rooms are available.

South Florida native Michael Adelman is managing partner.

Eddie V’s, 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. Open seven days for dinner. www.eddiev.com.

***

Yet another addition to the burgeoning number of steakhouses in South County: The Meat Market, a Miami-rooted chain, planned to open Oct. 5 in Boca Raton. The meatery, described by its publicist as “feminine friendly,” has a chic Halston design and super-club vibe. Chef Sean Brasel is known for unusual twists on the classics.

Happy hour and dinner now; brunch and more scheduled for November. 2000 NW 19th St.

In brief
Congratulations to Suzanne Wright of Delray Beach for winning the first Delray Beach Public Library Key lime pie contest. Judges considered appearance, texture, flavor, crust and creativity in deeming hers the best of the 11 entrants. People’s Choice award went to Terry Berger of Boynton Beach. The contest was such a success, it will be repeated next year, said library program coordinator Isabella Rowan.

• Coming soon to the former Taverna Opa spot on Atlantic Avenue will be the new concept from the Voodoo Lounge people. An Asian-tiki mashup, it will be called Roka Hula. Expect an opening later this fall.

• After a four-month delay waiting for permits, DalMoros Fresh Pasta To Go opened at 439 E. Atlantic Avenue. The fast-casual mini-chain originated in Venice, Italy, and serves pasta made on the spot with a variety of sauce combos. Tiramisu, garlic rolls and mini-meatballs round out the menu. Takeout in containers, or call for delivery.

Sandwiches by the Sea, the Delray Beach shop we wrote about last month, is reopening with the same name and in the same location at 1214 E. Atlantic, but with a new owner.

Jan Norris is a food writer who can be reached at nativefla@gmail.com.

Fright Night films offer gruesome images as part of their appeal. ‘We have to be careful what we look upon, what we bring into our lives,’ Father Kevin McQuone says.
Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

Some holidays are sacred (Christmas and Easter, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), some are patriotic (July Fourth and Memorial Day), and some are just for fun (St. Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day).

“Those are beer-and-Hallmark holidays,” says Father Kevin McQuone, assistant professor of pastoral theology at the Catholic St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. But Halloween stands alone with its dark and dangerous themes.

Most holidays feature indulgence. You might wake up with a pulsing headache or upset stomach the next day, but Halloween, the church says, has its own inherent dangers.

“Our celebrations should reflect our values,” McQuone said. “If someone came to my home, what would they see is valuable to me?”

Would they find tombstones and gargoyles? Witch silhouettes in the windows and skeletons on the lawn?

Some will argue the origin of Halloween has a religious connection, and it does. As Christianity spread and the church expanded its reach, local pagan holidays were often absorbed to make the people feel more comfortable. All Hallows’ Day — also called All Saints’ Day — is a Christian feast day celebrated on Nov. 1 in honor of the saints. The night before was All Hallows’ Eve, a more solemn night of fasting and prayer.

When Catholics assimilated the Celts, they enveloped the Celtic bonfire festival, called Samhain, which celebrated the end of harvest with huge fires and the slaughtering of animals. It was much like a harvest festival, except that it ushered in winter, the “dark half of the year.”

At this time of year, practitioners believed the veil between the living and the dead was thinner and spirits could cross over and take living souls back to hell with them. To appease the spirits (demons), the fearful folk left plates of food out to distract them and dressed in deathlike costumes to confuse them.

Somehow these customs have morphed into the current Halloween, with more dark debauchery seemingly added to the palette each year.

From a clearly practical sense, Halloween is one of the deadliest nights of the year for children. The reason? Motor vehicle vs. pedestrian accidents. A study by JAMA Pediatrics looked at almost 40 years’ worth of data and found: “The relative risk of a pedestrian fatality was 43% higher on Halloween compared with control evenings.”

Of course, the numbers dropped significantly over the last two years, but looking at traffic fatality numbers for the first half of 2023, they’ve soared back to pre-pandemic levels — and higher.

And it’s not just kids who are vulnerable: Adults are more likely to crash their cars in the wee hours of Nov. 1 compared with typical days, Traffic Safety Marketing reported, citing more episodes of drunk driving.

But what if you save your life but risk your soul?

McQuone likens your spiritual health to your physical body and what you consume.

“No doctor will say one French fry is going to kill you, but a steady diet of them will certainly have an effect,” he said.

What you consume spiritually can lower your defenses. A diet of grisly horror movies, virus-infested zombies and evil serial killers has an effect, even if you can’t see it. Showing your openness to darkness is the first step to inviting it in.

McQuone says to think of demons as germs and spirituality as the immune system. The stronger your system, the less likely you are to get sick.

McQuone says that although our intentions may be light and playful, no spirits are benign. This is one place where things are truly black and white, he says. No spirit is neutral, unaffiliated or independent.

“There is God’s team and not-God’s team,” he said. “And it’s not harmless just because you believe it’s harmless.”

The devil and the demons who tempt us were angels who defied their allegiance to God, McQuone says.

“They said, ‘Hell no,’ quite literally to God,” who cast them out. Lucifer (some say he was God’s choir director!) was the highest of them all, but he was not and is not a God, McQuone says.

“He’s a creature, evil personified,” and McQuone further cautions, “Don’t take your stance on the devil from the movies. They make the devil more interesting than he is.”

Still, ask psychologists and they’ll tell you Halloween is good for kids. Pretending, playing dress-up and using one’s imagination build bigger brains. These folks condone more benign costumes, like princesses and athletes.

Other psychologists say scary costumes are fine and Halloween is an opportunity to face our fears, especially our fear of death.  

“Halloween rituals turn horror into play, death into levity, gore into laughter,” UC Berkeley psychologist Dacher Keltner says in an article for Greater Good Magazine, a publication of UC Berkeley (www.greatergood.berkeley.edu).

Safe, moderate levels of stress can be good for us. Still, are we talking about blood-drenched zombies and chainsaw-wielding killers jumping out at us like we find at Fright Nights?

McQuone’s best advice?

“We have to be careful what we look upon, and what we bring into our lives.”

Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at fontaine423@outlook.com.

Two of the participants in the beach cleanup in Boca Raton show a piece of their collection. The day was organized by the B’nai Torah Congregation and Gumbo Limbo Nature Center ahead of Rosh Hashanah. Photo provided

Each year, some faithful Jewish volunteers perform a “reverse tashlich,” a novel way to follow Jewish tradition and as a testament to their faith, by cleaning up the waterfront.

On Sept. 10, 110 volunteers ranging in age from 6 months to 86 years old from B’nai Torah Congregation, worked in collaboration with Gumbo Limbo Nature Center to pick up trash from Red Reef Park in Boca Raton.

During Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, Jews symbolically cleanse themselves by casting their sins into a body of water. Since 2015, following the lead of some environmentally conscious students, Jews have been collecting “sins” in the form of trash, litter and pollution from the water and waterfront. About 220 communities in 12 countries around the world participate in this annual community cleanup, called “Repair the Sea.”

For more information about the project, visit www.repairthesea.org/reverse-tashlich. Visit B’nai Torah Congregation, the largest Conservative synagogue in Southeast Florida with more than 1,300 membership families, at www.btcboca.org. 

Put on your running shoes for 5K to fight hunger
CROS Ministries’ annual Hustle to End Hunger 5K takes place at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 7 at John Prince Park, 2700 Sixth Ave. S. in Lake Worth Beach. All proceeds benefit CROS Ministries, which has served the hungry in Palm Beach and Martin counties for 45 years. Registration for the Hustle is $45. A run/walk option and a virtual option are also available. Register at www.adventuresignup.com/Race/FL/LakeWorth/Hustle2EndHunger5K.

Music in full swing at St. Paul’s Episcopal
Some of the best music available can be found at local churches. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Delray Beach kicked off its 35th season Oct. 1. The performances continue with the Delray String Quartet at 3 p.m. Oct. 15. The program is “The Bullfighter.” Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for age 18 and younger. To secure tickets in advance, email music@stpaulsdelray.org with “tickets” in the subject line, then pay at the door. Tickets at the door are by cash or check. St. Paul’s Episcopal is at 188 S. Swinton Ave. Call 561-278-6003.

St. Vincent de Paul celebrates 60 years
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary celebrates 60 years serving the church at the Friends of the Seminary Gala on Oct. 20. The event begins with Mass at 5:30 p.m. followed by a reception, live auction and dinner. The principal celebrant and homilist for the Mass is the Most Rev. Thomas Wenski, archbishop of Miami and chancellor of the seminary. For more information, call 561-732-4424 or visit www.svdp.edu/friends2023.

Community Mass has resumed at 12:15 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month at the seminary. The next Mass is Oct. 18. St. Vincent de Paul Seminary is at 10701 S. Military Trail, Boynton Beach. Info: www.svdp.edu

Florida author to address theological questions
“Select Florida Voices” presentations at the Society of the Four Arts cover a wide variety of subjects but all feature South Florida writers who show up to talk about their work.

On Oct. 25, Hollywood author Ira Mark Egdall speaks about his most recent book, Cosmic Roots: The Conflict Between Science and Religion and How It Led to the Secular Age.

The book traces the 5,000-year conflict (that’s 150 generations!) between science and religion and how it has affected both. Disagreements about cosmology and astronomy led to the widening conflict between science and religion.

Egdall, a retired aerospace program manager with 35 years in the business, is also the author of the award-winning book Einstein Relatively Simple: Our Universe Explained in

Everyday Language, which uncomplicates the complicated for people who are not science nerds.  

The event starts at 1:30 p.m. in the King Library at the Society of the Four Arts, 101 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach. It’s free, but reservations are required at 561-655-2766 or by email at kinglibrary@fourarts.org.

Holiday Bazaar returns at First Presbyterian
The annual Holiday Bazaar at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach returns for your shopping pleasure from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 26-28. The clever crafters at Holly House, located on the campus of the church, reveal new and familiar offerings each fall. Jewelry, hand-sewn holiday items, floral arrangements, shell creations, and those unique treasures you only find at church bazaars can be snatched up for your holiday table, tree or gift-giving.

Shopping hours continue from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Oct. 31. After Thanksgiving, Saturday shopping hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Shopping continues Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday until Dec. 21.

Need to shop by appointment? Contact Linda Prior at Linda.Prior42@gmail.com or call 561-702-0245.

First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach is at 33 Gleason St. Check the Facebook page for more information at CleverCrafter Holly House.

— Janis Fontaine

Delray Medical Center now uses the POLARx cryoablation system to treat patients diagnosed with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular, rapid heartbeat.

During the cryoablation procedure, a balloon catheter delivers cryotherapy to the pulmonary vein, creating scar tissue to block irregular electrical signals. This new system, utilizing a special device that enables two balloon sizes in one catheter, allows physicians to address a wider range of pulmonary vein structures, and helps to achieve more complete tissue contact to better deliver treatment.

***

FloSpine and the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University have announced the successful implantation of the Ti-Largo 3D printed cervical cage, which is designed to complement the FDA-cleared Panama anterior cervical plate. This procedure is used for minimally invasive spine surgeries.

The cervical cage uses 3D printing technology, so it is a highly customizable, patient-specific implant and is printed from a high-grade titanium alloy that minimizes the risk of adverse reactions and offers long-term durability.

The cage also has a porous structure that facilitates bone ingrowth, which promotes fusion and long-term stability.

This implantation was conducted in September by Dr. John Afshar, a spinal surgeon at Palm Beach Neuroscience Institute. FloSpine developed the implant.

“The Ti-Largo cervical cage represents a major leap forward in cervical spine surgery. Its patient-specific design and 3D printing technology have the potential to revolutionize the way we approach these procedures, offering greater precision and improved outcomes for our patients,” he said.

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Two Boca Raton companies were among the finalists for the GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch awards: HelixVM, a health care company, and PUR-FORM, a medical clinic.

Qualifying businesses must have between six and 150 employees and revenue between $750,000 and $100 million in 2022. The Orlando-based GrowFL organization supports Florida’s second-stage companies and their leaders.

Send health news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

LEFT: Melissa Perlman runs along the beach promenade in Delray Beach. RIGHT: Susan Magi and her daughter Jennifer ran the Key West half-marathon in 2022. Photos provided

By Jan Engoren

October, when the temperatures cool down enough to allow runners to enjoy their runs without the oppressive heat and humidity, is the start of outdoor training season for South Florida marathons.

All along State Road A1A and the greenway that runs alongside it, runners, cyclists, walkers, rollerbladers and parents with kids make this stretch of coastline a place to train, recreate, see friends and catch a sunrise or two.

Two Delray Beach women are among the distance runners who train along the A1A corridor.

One of them is a sub-3-hour marathoner, Melissa Perlman, 41, founder and president of BlueIvy Communications, a PR firm. Its clients include the Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards in Boca Raton and the Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority.

Perlman trains year-round but during the past few months has geared up for the Oct. 8 Chicago Marathon.

The other is a novice, Susan Magi, 58, a vice president of marketing for a hydrogen company in Titusville. She has done several half-marathons and is finishing the 18-week training for her first marathon — the Marine Corps Marathon Oct. 29 in Washington, D.C.

In April, Perlman completed the Boston Marathon, finishing ninth in the women’s 40-44 age group in 2:49:47, a time she hopes to beat in Chicago for a personal record. If she finishes in 2:37 or better, she would qualify for the U.S. Olympic trials for the 2024 games.

“I love to run early in the morning along A1A and see the sunrise,” said Perlman, a high school track star who did not run a marathon until 2018. “It’s so rewarding to see the views and feel the breeze from the ocean. I’m lucky to train here.”

On non-run days she rides her ElliptiGO stand-up bicycle down A1A from George Bush Boulevard to Palmetto Park Road, and strength-trains at Slash Fitness in Delray Beach twice a week with a high-intensity interval workout. Committed to her sport, Perlman says, “I make time for it. It’s a physical and mental priority.

“It’s not a hobby — it’s my passion,” she says.

Her coach for the past six years, Leah Rosenfeld, 35, is based in Arizona and uploads her training schedule online.

“Melissa is a coach’s dream,” Rosenfeld says. “She’s excited and committed to see where she can take this and test what her limits are. She’s all in.”

Noting that Perlman’s performance continues to improve, Rosenfeld has tweaked her training, adding double threshold workouts, meaning two hard runs some days.

Perlman believes training in the Florida heat gives her an edge when running in cooler climes such as Boston or Chicago.

And switching to a plant-based diet, heralded in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s documentary The Game Changers, helped her improve her times and recover more quickly.  

“Set your sight on a goal and put in the work and planning to achieve it,” Perlman says.

While running, she listens to Audible biographies such as those of Michelle Obama and Tiger Woods, or Sandra Brown romance novels.

Magi came to the sport after her husband, Michael, 54, died from leukemia in 2020.

During the pandemic shutdown, she began running with her daughter Jennifer, watching the sunrise along the ocean.

“It’s hard to get up,” Magi says, “but, I love being up.

“Seeing the sunrise gives me a new inspiration,” she says. “Even on stressful days, I feel better once I get out there. I meet a lot of nice people on A1A; people cheer me on and encourage me.”

Her husband’s best friend, Uf Tukel, also a runner, encouraged her on her journey.

Magi was hesitant to commit to the 26.2 miles of a marathon, but once she realized she could follow Jeff Galloway’s Run-Walk-Run method for which he markets an app, she said she knew “this is my year to do it.”

Her goal, she says, is “to finish.”

She runs four days each week with one day of cross-training, including rowing and yin yoga. To keep her mind focused, she listens to meditation and spiritual tapes.

Up by 5 a.m., she feeds her pets, makes coffee and plays “happy music” — Kenny Chesney, Brett Eldredge’s Good Day, Travis Tritt’s It’s a Great Day to Be Alive — before heading out to run and see the sunrise.

What advice does she have for new runners?

“Never say never. Set your expectations. If you show up, that’s half the battle,” she says. “And … finish — that’s the other half.”

Jan Engoren writes about health and healthy living. Send column ideas to jengoren@hotmail.com

Bob Rollins, shown with his wife, Shirley, holds the trophy that recognizes his induction into the Florida Youth Soccer Association Hall of Fame. Rollins, of Boca Raton, was honored for his decades of coaching and leadership. Photo provided

By Faran Fagen

Bob Rollins of Boca Raton is a new member of the Florida Youth Soccer Association Hall of Fame — one of only 30 people to be so honored since the inaugural choice in 1987.

Approaching his third decade as a Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District commissioner, Rollins has championed youth soccer in Boca Raton for nearly 40 years. He started coaching his son’s team, later became president of the Soccer Association of Boca Raton — Florida’s largest soccer club — and has served as SABR’s treasurer for 20 years.

“It was something I never expected,” said Rollins, 77. “You don’t do things like this — work with these programs — to get accolades. You work with kids to teach them the game, teach them teamwork, teach them how to be good sports.”

One of the most rewarding aspects of his longevity comes from attending games and seeing players he once coached. Some still refer to Rollins as “Coach” and are now coaching their own sons and daughters — extending the legacy of excellence Rollins helped create.

“That’s where the satisfaction comes in,” Rollins said. “It’s just great giving back.”

His youth soccer journey began when his wife, Shirley, volunteered him to coach their then 6-year-old son.

“Basketball was my sport growing up, and I had no experience playing or coaching soccer, but grew to love the sport,” Rollins said. “I met so many nice friends, and those relationships kept me involved in the sport at many levels.”

His achievements include becoming a certified high school and USSF soccer official, coaching a first-place team in a tournament, and elevating a travel team to play in the Surf Cup in San Diego.

On a personal level, coaching soccer reinforced his belief in recreation as a good way to keep kids in a healthy environment.

“It’s a place where they can learn good sportsmanship and fair play,” Rollins said. “It will carry over in life.”

Rollins instills these values in his own children. He and Shirley raised three — Rob, Melissa and Scott — in Boca Raton. The boys were soccer players, and the older one grew to 6-feet-6 and scored a basketball scholarship to Florida Atlantic University.

Two of Rollins’ grandchildren also live in Boca Raton. One grandson started playing soccer at age 5, and now starts as goalkeeper on Team Boca at 17.

These days, Bob and Shirley spend time watching their grandson play soccer. When Bob can, he goes offshore fishing with his older son and visits relatives in Tennessee.

Rollins is “at the sunset” of his community service and of his insurance career as a president with the Beacon Group.

He served on the board of directors of the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, on the city parks and recreation advisory board for 10 years, and has been a Beach and Park District commissioner for 29 years. He also served on FAU’s Housing Finance Committee and Athletic Advisory Board. He was recently sworn in as chairman of Florida Association of Insurance Agents.

Rollins warranted induction to the FYSA Hall of Fame for his coaching contributions as well as his organizational guidance and expertise.

“With his professional career in insurance, the expertise that he’s lent to FYSA over the decades has really just been invaluable,” said Joel Dragan, FYSA executive director.

“People talk all the time about free legal services, but Bob has lent free insurance expertise to the association during a time that type of information has never been more valuable.”

The Florida Youth Soccer Association’s Hall of Fame recognizes people for their promotion of the sport, contributions to the growth of the game, and service as role models and standard-setters for future generations.