Florida Atlantic University has kicked off the public phase of its first comprehensive campaign in more than 20 years.
“Transcend Tomorrow: The Campaign for Florida Atlantic University” is an ambitious plan to raise $600 million for the school and will focus on three fundraising priorities: health, the environment and scholarship/student success.
“Private support has played an important role in the genesis, development and growth of FAU,” said Chris Delisio, vice president of institutional advancement and CEO of the FAU Foundation. “Transcend Tomorrow provides us with an opportunity to focus our fundraising priorities as we plan and prepare for the needs of the future.”
For more information, call 561-297-6144 or visit transcendtomorrow.fau.edu.

Closing literacy gap
The Golden Bell Education Foundation, together with the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County and the School District of Palm Beach County, has distributed kits to Boca Raton Elementary School to kick off a reading program.
The kits are part of the S.P.I.R.E. program, for Specialized Program Individualizing Reading Excellence.
In addition, members of both foundations came together to present the district with a $40,000 donation.
S.P.I.R.E. is a communitywide initiative to help close the literacy gap for underperforming students in kindergarten through third grade at all 13 public elementary schools in Boca Raton.
For more info, visit www.goldenbelleducationfoundation.org or call 561-395-4433, extension 232.

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

The Ocean Ridge Garden Club kicked off the holiday season with a hat-wearing event that put all who attended in the spirit. Members reflected on the season and everything they accomplished, including raising money for the Ann Cody Camp Wekiva Scholarship Fund. Looking ahead, the club is planning field trips and environmental initiatives in 2023. ABOVE: (l-r) Jill and John Shibles, Jen Pekowski and Virginia Sigety. INSET: Mary Ann Cody and Helen Smith. Photos provided

The YMCA of South Palm Beach County’s 50th-anniversary gala drew 700-plus guests and raised a record-breaking $2 million. ‘We are so proud of the role that the Y has played in the transformation of Boca Raton over the past 50 years and look forward to even bigger contributions to all ages of our community in the future,’ Chairwoman Terry Fedele said. Funds will help purchase buses and support a teen arts initiative and a cancer-care program. ABOVE: (l-r) Bill and Mary Donnell, Renee Feder, and Kathy and Paul Adkins. BELOW: (l-r) Francesca Daniels, YMCA President and CEO Jason Hagensick, and Myrna Gordon Skurnick. Photos provided by Carlos Aristizabal

Dorothy Taylor (in front row) was recognized for her 100th birthday during a Town Commission meeting. Taylor, a nurse, was divorced when she moved to Florida from Illinois with her daughter in the 1960s. She became one of the first single women in Palm Beach County to apply for a permit to build a single-family home. She fought for a construction loan from the banks and to find an architect and contractor who took her plans seriously for her Ocean Ridge home, which was completed in 1969. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

The Dreyfoos School of the Arts staged its ninth-annual extravaganza, featuring more than 400 young musicians performing holiday classics. The 90-minute, sold-out show highlighted band, piano, orchestra and vocal students. Underwritten by James and Sue Patterson, the concert and its proceeds benefit the school’s music department.
TOP: (l-r) Nancy Hart, George Elmore and Marti LaTour. RIGHT: Lisa Marie Conte Browne and Ellen Liman. Photos provided

The Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton presented its seventh-annual black-tie affair highlighted by a pair of live flamingos befitting the theme: ‘Boca Raton, A Tropical Paradise.’ More than $320,000 was raised to support health and wellness needs in the community. Auctions, dancing and an awards ceremony rounded out the evening. ABOVE: Honorees Cliff and Eda Viner. Photo provided by Gina Fontana

Dress Circle members of the performing arts center were honored during a special dinner attended by more than 250 supporters. After dinner, everyone enjoyed music by the duo Black Violin, a violist and a violinist who combine their classical training with hip-hop influences. ‘Our 30th anniversary season is a great time to celebrate the Kravis Center’s past, present and future,’ CEO Diane Quinn said. ‘Annual giving is a substantial part of our operations each year, and we simply could not offer the caliber of our educational programming without your support.’ ABOVE: Katherine and Gary Parr. BELOW: Cindy and Ron McMackin. Photos provided by CAPEHART

The Boca Raton Historical Society / The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum welcomed more than 100 supporters and dignitaries to the annual ceremony and reception honoring volunteers and organizations whose service has enriched the city and its residents. Honorees were Steven Abrams, Marta Batmasian, John and Arline McNally and Lynn Russell. The Addison received a special Historic Preservation Award.
ABOVE: (l-r) Society Chairwoman Olivia Hollaus with Zoe Lanham, Rochelle LeCavalier and Rebecca DeMonte. Photo provided by Tracey Benson Photography

Butterfly snapper is one of the dishes offered at Benny’s on the Beach Oceanwalk in Lake Worth Beach. Photo provided

By Jan Norris

Have you checked your dining check lately? In the past few months, diners may have noticed a service charge added to their bills, typically 18%.
That’s an automatic tip for what chef Jeremy Hanlon of Benny’s on the Beach at Lake Worth calls “support staff.” It’s a guaranteed amount for each table. Diners have the option of tipping more if they choose, and many do, Hanlon said.
Hanlon says all of the fee goes to people who serve, bus tables or tend bar. “If a server doesn’t make their numbers for whatever reason, the others that are tipped out from their tables aren’t losing out.”
At most restaurants, the fee used to appear only on checks for parties of eight or more. It’s now showing up on every check in many restaurants in Palm Beach County.
“This isn’t something new,” Hanlon said. “Miami’s been doing it forever. New York, other cities — it’s always there. I think diners are beginning to accept it.”
Service fees are but one way restaurant owners say they are coping with skyrocketing food costs, increased rent, and especially rising labor costs that are mandated by Florida law.
“It’s a tough business right now. I ran the numbers,” said Gary Rack. “The minimum wage increase over the next five years will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. That’s labor alone for our three restaurants. And I’m just a small chain. It’s going to hurt a lot of smaller full-serve restaurants.”
Rack, CEO of the GR Restaurant Group, runs Rack’s Farmhouse Kitchen in Boca Raton, and a Rack’s Farmhouse and Rack’s Fish House in Delray Beach.
He said it’s not only labor but food costs that have driven menu increases as well. “The consumer eventually is going to say, ‘I can’t go out.’ We’re a scratch kitchen. We use quality ingredients. But they’ve gotten out of control.”
One of the best sellers on the menu at Farmhouse is a cauliflower flatbread. He uses a lot of the fresh vegetable weekly.
“Two weeks ago, cauliflower was $95 a case — it used to be $45. Food costs are brutal,” Rack said. “Romaine lettuce was so expensive, we quit serving Caesar salads for a couple days because we couldn’t afford to put the salad on the plate to make any money. Now, romaine has come down, but every day it’s something. It’s completely out of control.”
George Patti, owner of M.E.A.T. in Boca Raton, said he’s back in the kitchen in his restaurants because of a labor shortage. “I put myself back on the daily schedule,” he said.
It’s a crisis for hospitality, he said, one that started during the pandemic and shows no signs of letting up. Not only a lack of workers, but responsible workers: “ones who show up.”
“It’s a younger generation. They don’t want to work. Silly kids. They want to play on their phone and make money. And guess what? They do. They stay at home and do TikTok or YouTube videos and make more than at a real job.”
Patti also cites food delivery costs as well as the fluctuating prices of the food itself, such as chicken wings — $185 for a 40-pound case a while back, then dropped to $80, but soon to rise again with the Super Bowl around the corner.
“We can’t sacrifice quality. Meat is our name,” Patti said. “But there’s no predicting costs. A 20-pound box of tomatoes is $64; it used to be $25. It’s crazy.”
To keep menu prices reasonable and within diners’ perceptions of fair value, he’s working in the kitchen, he said, and has signed up “with every delivery platform out there.”
Takeout and delivery reduce meal costs where labor is concerned, though he has a dedicated person in the small eatery to handle all the takeout orders and deliveries.
He’s adjusted again and found a niche in office deliveries and party catering. “We’ll do $400 deliveries at lunch to offices,” Patti said. “It’s definitely helped. We’re just trying to make it.”
Chef/owner Jimmy Everett of Driftwood, an 80-seat restaurant in Boynton Beach, has been trying for the last year “to figure things out. Things are changing all the time.
“It used to be there were industry standards that typically worked,” he said. “There was a good way to make a sustainable profit. You knew that a 28-to-30% food cost was good. Now, a 25% cost is what it takes to just survive. Labor is 50%. That’s terrible. We’re trying to figure out how to balance it all out. There’s no rulebook for this.”
Driftwood makes meals from scratch. Food costs are unpredictable, though a flexible daily menu helps, he said. It’s easier for him to adjust with a small restaurant.
But there’s a line when it comes to charging the diner more. “In a matter of less than a week our cost of cauliflower went from $45 to over $100. I can’t charge $22 for a Buffalo cauliflower app. Either we take it off the menu or we replace it with something,” Everett said.
Hidden costs that go into a meal, nonfood items such as appliance servicing and cleaning products and even ink and paper for printing daily menus, are straining budgets as well. “These are the things the diner doesn’t see,” Everett said.
But, he said, “My biggest concern is what’s happening with the minimum wage law changes. It will have a huge impact on every single full-service restaurant and the front of the house who serves their products.”
Florida’s law raises minimum wage to $15 for tipped workers over the next five years. That’s a dollar-an-hour increase each year for five years.
“All of my wait staff make more money than I do,” Everett said. “I’m fine with that. I know a lot of others won’t be.”
How to deal with it “will be a huge hurdle when it all plays out. I don’t have an answer.”
A service charge on the check is one thing he is considering, but it’s part of a dilemma pitted against raising menu prices.
“If we change our tip structure, that can cause issues with our customers. Or the wait staff. The crowd we have, sure they look at prices, but people here come in for more than a plate of food to fill their stomachs. It’s an experience.”
Either way, higher menu prices or a service charge, he thinks people will figure it out. “At the end of the day, they’ll say, ‘I spent this much at this place and it was this much, and I spent the same amount at this place with a service charge.’”
For Everett, “it’s making sure we’re being honest. I want it to be fair. I want people to feel like they’re getting value, whether they’re spending $20 or $200.”
He’s preparing for the possibility that diners will eat out less frequently. He can’t say it’s happening yet, though he’s observed that crowds may be thinner. Sales numbers are equal to last year’s, however.
Driftwood opened only two years before the pandemic, so Everett can’t compare sales records for years back.
“We’re constantly assessing everything, every day,” he said.

Benny’s goes to land
Benny’s on the Beach has expanded into the Lake Worth Casino plaza, taking over the spot of its former sister restaurant Viva La Playa.
Called Benny’s on the Beach Oceanwalk, the 200-seat seafood restaurant and bar is an adjunct to the original on the Lake Worth Beach pier.
“We’ve redone the interior, provided a slightly modernized atmosphere,” Hanlon said. “It will drive the beachside vibe all along the beach. But it’s Benny’s menu, with a few tweaks from my travels.”
While Viva La Playa had a “specialness” to it, he said, “we felt it was taking the focus away from Benny’s. We wanted to put all our eggs in one basket as a brand.”
The menu is all of Benny’s favorites, plus steak, more taco dishes, and some new style dishes Hanlon has concocted from traditional seafood dishes.
“We’ll have different flavor combos,” he said, representing his international cooking techniques and incorporating favorite flavors.
It is open for lunch and dinner, with reservations for dinner only at the moment. Breakfast is served on weekends starting at 10 a.m., but that may expand in season, he said.
Benny’s on the Beach Oceanwalk, 10 S. Ocean Blvd., Lake Worth Beach. Open daily for lunch and dinner, breakfast Saturdays and Sundays. www.Bennysonthebeach.com.
In brief: According to a post on the Facebook page of the old Ellie’s ’50s Diner in Delray Beach, the owners of Bees Knees Diner of West Palm Beach are set to take over at Ellie’s, which closed in 2022. Stay tuned.

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

Lori Hill, founder of Pawsitive Dog Training, seen here with her dog Louie, offers programs that range from teaching manners to making your pet a ‘dream dog.’ Photo provided

By Arden Moore

With the holidays behind us, the schooling really begins … for you and your dog. The reality is whether you adopted a puppy or dog from a shelter, rescue group or reputable breeder, your four-legged roommate did not come with built-in manners.
I’m betting by now that the doggy honeymoon is over and you are feeling frustrated by your canine’s actions. Maybe he chewed your favorite pair of shoes, shredded your sofa pillow into confetti or regards leash walking as opportunities to yank and marathon bark at other dogs.
From a newly adopted dog’s perspective, he finds himself trying to adjust in a new home with new people and having to learn a new language — human. From your viewpoint, you fell for his cuteness, but were not prepared for his doggy ways.
Dog training challenges occur year-round, but it is fitting that after the rush of holiday pet adoptions, January is designated as National Train Your Dog Month by the Association of Professional Dog Trainers. And, to mark its 10th anniversary, I reached out to a couple of professional dog trainers in Palm Beach County who were happy to unleash some savvy doggy advice.
Lori Hill, founder of Pawsitive Dog Training (pawsitivedogtrainingfl.com) based in Delray Beach, is a certified professional dog trainer and American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen evaluator who offers private in-home programs as well as group classes.
“I am comfortable treating a myriad of behavioral issues, such as separation anxiety, marking, nuisance barking and chewing/mouthing,” she says. “Our dogs desire to please us. Just like with people, dogs can learn bad manners and habits if they don’t have the correct guidance.”
Dara Wittenberg is the founder of Rescue Me Dog Training (www.rescuemetraining.com), based in Delray Beach. She is a certified professional dog trainer and Animal Behavior College-certified dog trainer whose programs focus on problem-solving and offering various levels of training.
“The reason I got into dog training was to keep dogs out of shelters,” says Wittenberg, who was honored as Behavior Team volunteer of the year in 2016 at the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League in West Palm Beach. “I try to get people to understand life from a puppy’s perspective. My role is to teach people how to communicate with their dogs and teach their dogs how to communicate with them.”
Wittenberg is a major advocate for proper crate training for canines of all ages.
“Crate training should start as soon as possible and the use of the crate is about management and not about punishment,” Wittenberg says. “Associate the crate with positive things. Feed your dog in his crate with the door open at first and his bowl in the back of the crate. When playing fetch, throw the toy in the open crate for your dog to go in to retrieve the toy and then treat them.”
If a dog is still learning not to greet guests by jumping up on them, Wittenberg says ushering the dog into his crate and giving him a treat like peanut butter or frozen beef broth in a Kong proves to be a win-win. The dog is occupied and regards his crate as a welcoming safe place and the guests don’t have to dodge leaping paws on them.
Wittenberg says it is important to work closely with dog trainers and veterinarians to accurately identify the triggers behind an unwanted canine behavior. And, pay attention to how you react to these actions.
“Some dogs go crazy when they see another dog on a leash and the owner may hold her breath, hold tight on the leash and the dog then looks at his owner and senses something terrible may happen,” Wittenberg says. “Dogs are very sensitive. They pick up on our emotions. Instead, try to be calm, take a deep breath and do not wrap the leash tightly around your hand. If you are uptight, your dog will be uptight.”
At Pawsitive Dog Training, Hill offers a tiered-teaching approach that begins with what she calls the Well-Mannered Dog Program and accelerates to what she calls the Dream Dog Program.
The well-mannered program’s goal is to teach the person how to train the dog to master loose-leash walking and obey these vital commands: watch me, sit, come, stay, drop it. Behaviors, including peeing in the house, chewing/mouthing, jumping up on people and nuisance barking are also addressed.
Hill says loose-leash walking with your dog is critical for social time, enrichment and exercise. Her top cues are “watch me” (ensuring your dog is focused on you and giving you eye contact); “sit” (the please and thank-you from your dog); “come” (having a good recall is absolutely critical and could save your dog’s life if he gets loose); and “drop it” (getting dogs or puppies to release items in their mouths, especially dangerous items).
“I also value the ‘wait’ or ‘stay’ as a must-learn cue so your dog is trained to wait at the door, wait before crossing the road and before eating, as this teaches impulse control,” Hill says.
Hill describes the Dream Dog Program graduate as the well-trained, well-mannered dog “who is a delight in all circumstances and obeys even around heavy distractions.”
Canine graduates of this program have mastered 14 commands, eight behaviors and make good candidates for the AKC Canine Good Citizen and therapy dog status.
Hill’s parting advice is to identify what motivates your dog to learn.
“Some dogs like treats, tennis balls or praise,” she says. “And, your attitude is everything. Training should be a fun process for both you and your dog. Always focus on the training, and the last cue you give your puppy should be completed with success.”

Arden Moore is an author, speaker and master certified pet first-aid instructor. She hosts a nationally syndicated radio show, Arden Moore’s Four Legged Life (www.fourleggedlife.com), and the popular Oh Behave! podcast on PetLifeRadio.com. Learn more by visiting www.ardenmoore.com.

Learn more
All dogs benefit by being properly socialized and well trained. The Association of Professional Dog Trainers sports more than 6,000 members who teach dog-friendly training techniques. You can check out articles, videos and other resources on its site at https://apdt.com.

Boca Raton Garden Club members Nancy Cavnar and Joan Witter prepare to do some gardening. Photos provided

By Jan Engoren

The Boca Raton Garden Club turns 70 on Feb. 4. To commemorate, the club, headquartered at 4281 NW Third Ave., will celebrate its history of gardening, horticulture, conservation and floral design with a community celebration.
The public is invited to join the family friendly festivities, including garden tours, free seeds and plants, informational exhibits, games for children and adults, and raffles and prizes, along with a proclamation from Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer.
With the theme of “70 Years Planting Seeds in Boca,” the club aims to stimulate knowledge of gardens among amateurs and to encourage civic beautification, maintain Florida’s natural beauty and further garden club programs.
“We’re very excited about our anniversary and celebrating it with the community,” says President Marie Young, 72. “We’re having a big bash and we want everyone to come, learn something new and have some fun.”
Young says that the club was established in 1953 “with the purpose of beautifying our town parks and improving the city’s landscapes, and we’re proud to carry on the legacy.”

Members (l-r) Dellie Krebs, Jeanne O’Leary, Pat Bird and Juliana Corrine attend a general meeting of the club.

The club boasts 150 current members. Young joined in 2012, after she retired from a 40-year career as a teacher at both Advent Lutheran School and St. Joan of Arc Catholic School in Boca Raton.
Young attended an event at the club’s Holiday House. The craft, baked goods and plant sale — where people created and sold angel figures made from palm fronds — prompted her to think: “I’d like to be a part of this.”
The club cultivates 50 native orchid plants growing in trees, copperleaf hedges, crinum lilies, bromeliads, amaryllis, the tropical red passion vine, white alba begonia and Dutchman’s pipe vine, among its rose and butterfly gardens.
A member of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs District X, the Boca Raton club participates in the Million Orchid Project created by the American Orchid Society and the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami.
The club hosts a junior gardening program at Whispering Pines Elementary School in Boca Raton and a monthly garden therapy program at the FAU Memory and Wellness Center for Alzheimer’s patients. Funds raised from club events send students and counselors from Boca schools to Wekiva Youth Camp in Apopka each year with the purpose of instilling a love and respect for nature.
The club contributes to Boca Helping Hands and to Boy Scout merit badge projects. It partners with the city on conservation efforts and maintains the community garden.
Charlene Smith, 82, a former advertising and sales executive for a software company in Delray Beach, joined the Garden Club when she retired in 2012.
“My friends said, ‘now you have no excuse,’” jokes Smith, who is now head of the club’s publicity committee.
“I love every minute of it,” she says. “I made friends and learned to create flower arrangements, which I love to give to friends or keep in the house.”
Occasionally, she will bring her husband, Clarence Smith, 85, along to an event such as the “Paint & Pour” social in May, where members created paintings while sipping wine.
“Besides creating floral decorations, learning about native plants and visiting other gardens, the club is a great way to meet new people and make new friends. There’s a lot of camaraderie,” says Smith. “We look forward to seeing everyone on Feb. 4.”

If You Go
What: Boca Raton Garden Club 70th anniversary
When: 10 a.m-2 p.m. Feb. 4
Where: 4281 NW Third Ave.Info: 561-395-9376 or www.bocaratongardenclub.org.

Club meeting dates
• The Boca Raton Garden Club will hold its general meeting at 1 p.m. Feb. 7 in the BRGC clubhouse, 4281 NW Third Ave. Noted floral designer Susie Slater will present a program on “Traditional and Contemporary Spring Floral Designs.” This program is free and open to the public. 
• Visitors are welcome to attend all general monthly meetings at no charge. People wishing to join must attend two club events before they are eligible. These events can be general meetings or any community event or fundraiser. Dues are $50 a year in addition to a one-time fee of $12 that includes registration and a magnetic name badge.
• For more info, call 561-395-9376 or visit www.bocaratongardenclub.org.

Joe Zupo, dressed as St. Nicholas, is surrounded by (l-r) Angelica Aguilera, Elaine Borrelli, Jack Warner, Brendan Hughes, Allison Hughes and Courtney Hughes at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach. Photo provided

The parishioners at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church participated in a Christmas toy drive for about 350 children, most the children of migrant workers. The children have been attending CCD classes with Sister Mercedes Ysabel Dominguez, a Claretian nun at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Delray Beach.
Parishioners chose names off an “angel tree” and fulfilled the children’s wishes, returning festively wrapped, brightly colored boxes and bags to the church. The children received their presents at a celebration Dec. 17 that included a Christmas play.
Angelica Aguilera, director of faith formation, said it was hard to tell who enjoyed the gift-giving more, but she thinks the givers did.

Giving tree at St. Lucy benefits four organizations
The “giving tree” at St. Lucy Catholic Church of Highland Beach was adorned with donation requests for needy people for the holidays and no wish went unmet. The project was organized by the Council of Catholic Women of St. Lucy’s.
Generous parishioners chose names from paper angels that covered the tree, then shopped for their recipient or donated the items requested.
CCW President Eleanor Hoffmann said this year’s recipients were AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse); Birthline/Lifeline, which helps pregnant women and their babies; Fisher House, a veterans assistance group; and St. Mary’s Church of Pahokee.

Candace Tamposi (right) at the Children’s Enrichment Center ground-breaking. Photo provided

Children’s Enrichment Center breaks ground
The First Haitian Baptist Church of Belle Glade staged a ground-breaking ceremony on the site of its Children’s Enrichment Center on Dec. 11. The existing building is crumbling and beyond repair, but each day a van transports children to the center, where they receive a hot meal, enjoy playtime and then sit down for tutoring, which incorporates Bible verses and character-building exercises. During the ground-breaking, community members gathered at the site where classrooms and a music room are planned. The 4,000-square-foot facility will provide after-school tutoring, computers and music and art space for children ages 5-12.
A playground and covered patio will be outside.
The project is gaining momentum thanks to South County businesses. Rick Gonzalez of REG Architects is on board as the architect. You may know Gonzalez as the leader of the West Palm Beach history walks for the Historical Society of Palm Beach County. The contractors — Messam Brothers, originally from Belle Glade — expect phase one, consisting of two classrooms, to be completed by spring.
Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller (Sovereign Order), Creative Waves Foundation, and foundation co-founders Ali and Candace Tamposi of Ocean Ridge are spearheading fundraising with a goal of $1 million.
The new enrichment center will also get a boost from Les Girls of Palm Beach. The multinational, multilingual women’s club will gather Jan. 24 for a luncheon to present a donation to the Creative Waves Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to provide funding for underserved children and programs that emphasize the arts and the environment. The luncheon will take place in Palm Beach and the check will be given to foundation President Candace Tamposi. Many of the club’s 43 members from 31 countries are expected to attend. For more information, call 561-762-3052.

Send religion news to Janis Fontaine at fontaine423@outlook.com.

Father Kevin McQuone, formerly a parish priest in the Panhandle, has returned to his alma mater at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. Here he looks at a statue of St. Vincent on campus. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Janis Fontaine

How do we give purpose to our lives?
For Father Kevin McQuone, the answer is serving God and the church.
This year, the 40-year-old priest will serve the church in a new way. Formerly a parish priest in Florida’s Panhandle, McQuone has returned to his alma mater, St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, to educate and prepare seminarians to take on the demands of a parish in these volatile, changing times.
Located on 43 acres along Military Trail just north of Woolbright Road, St. Vincent de Paul’s is owned by the seven Florida dioceses. The seminary was established in 1963, became an archdiocesan seminary in 1971 and has been a regional seminary since 1981.
Named for St. Vincent de Paul, a pioneer in seminary education, it has graduated more than 650 priests and is the only fully bilingual theological seminary in the United States. For the 2022-2023 academic year, more than 120 seminarians are preparing to serve a parish.
The parish priest is where the rubber meets the road in the church. These men deal directly with the messiness of life and death among their congregants.
For McQuone, those challenges came in the form of Hurricane Michael, which devastated Florida’s Panhandle in 2018, and a worldwide pandemic in 2020. His work was even more difficult as the sole priest in a parish that usually had a second priest to help shoulder the load.
Only about 5% of the Panhandle’s population is Catholic, but much of the support after Michael came from Catholic Charities, which brought supplies and volunteer medical professionals. Most of the people McQuone helped were strangers to him, but not to his heart.
“We should see others as another self,” McQuone said.
True charity happens without judgment or criticism. The golden rule shouldn’t be exercised only when it’s convenient or you’re in the mood, and you shouldn’t love your neighbor only if he looks and believes exactly as you do, he said.

***

‘The moment I realized that God existed, I knew that I could not do otherwise than to live for him alone.’

— St. Charles de Foucald
(Father McQuone’s favorite quote)

***

In these socially charged times, it’s hard to know when and where the rules should be strictly applied and when they should be changed. The church often seems weighted down, even hobbled by its own rules.
Today’s climate runs contrary to some of what the church teaches. Consider its views on birth control, homosexuality and women priests.
“As priests, we wrestle with the gray areas and the messiness of life,” McQuone said. “Balancing truth and mercy should be our goal.”
When dealing with important personal relationships (the devout mother who loves her gay son or the father whose beloved teenage daughter gets pregnant), compassion is the best tool, he said. McQuone wants to mend and not sever, bind and not break, and answer yes as often as he can.
“I believe in meeting the person where they are,” he said.
No one is a perfect Catholic; a priest’s opus is to find common ground and light the way. Consider the intent and the circumstances, he said.
McQuone said he didn’t hear the call to the priesthood until he was in college. Born in Ohio but raised in Tallahassee, he got his undergrad degree in Spanish literature and international relations from Florida State in 2004.
While he was there, he became active in the on-campus ministry. The more active he became, the more he wondered about a life devoted to serving God. Finally, he asked himself: “What does it look like if Jesus is the center of my life?”
His parents and four sisters were surprised. Although the family faithfully attended Mass, the priesthood wasn’t a goal his parents ever suggested. He had always seen himself as a husband and father, a role he anticipated with joy and love.
His decision to forgo fatherhood hurt his sisters, who had always imagined family gatherings with his kids playing with their children. And he had doubts about living a life of celibacy and never being called Dad.
But the seminary’s goal is to graduate quality and not quantity in priests. It doesn’t mind doubts. Priests-in-training go through weekly therapy to be sure they’re suited for the job. Even though a seminarian’s tuition and room and board (nearly $50,000) are paid for by the diocese, it would rather lose the investment than graduate a priest whose heart isn’t pure.
McQuone estimates two or three out of 10 don’t finish.
St. Vincent de Paul graduated 187 priests in the past decade. That’s not enough to sustain the church. But it’s hard to attract candidates when the sacrifices are tremendous and the pool is small to begin with.
In addition to his classroom teaching, McQuone serves as St Vincent de Paul’s spiritual director.
He meets one-on-one with seminarians to discuss their prayer lives, given that a significant part of a priest’s time is spent in prayer and reflection, listening for God’s voice, McQuone said.
They discuss the seminarians’ joys and desires, fears and doubts, mental health and motivation.
Often these questions of faith are answered with more questions designed to access the very core of the person.
“We use all the tools we have to help sort out his experiences,” McQuone said.
These pastoral tools — skills like active listening, gentle corrections, mirroring and rephrasing, and asking delicately probing questions — are also the methods the seminarians will learn to help their own congregants some day.
“These are the practical skills of the ministry. They help us see around the blind spots,” McQuone said.
“Faith is like a muscle you have to exercise,” McQuone said. Like anything else we give our time and attention to, it grows, and moments spent in prayer, gratitude or reflection grow our faith.
McQuone has part of a verse he recalls when he is stressed, or afraid, or alone. “It helps me stay rooted on the path,” he said. It’s just five words from the Gospel of Matthew, 28:20: “I am with you always.”

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

By Jan Enorgen

Love ’em or hate ’em, New Year’s resolutions are a long-standing American tradition.
After the decadence of the holiday season, people commit to making changes in their physical, spiritual and mental well-being at the start of a new year.
Quitting smoking, going on a diet, choosing healthier options, heading back to the gym and cutting down on alcohol are among the top New Year’s resolutions.
But, is it a good idea to make these promises to ourselves or are we setting ourselves up for failure?
We asked a couple of experts.
Dr. Ashley Hall, a primary care physician in Boca Raton who specializes in preventive medicine, chronic disease management, obesity medicine and women’s health, sees no reason to wait until Jan. 1 to set goals.
Hall, who practices at Baptist Health Primary Care Boca Raton (Del Mar), advises setting a health or wellness goal once a month.
“Check in with yourself the first of each month to remind yourself of your goals and set manageable, realistic steps to attain them,” she says.
If you’re trying to lose 20 pounds, for example, set incremental goals along the way, she says. If you are trying to get a promotion at work, communicate with your boss in ways that will lead to the desired goal.
Her own goals include spending more time with family and her significant other, Dr. Ionut Albu, also a primary care physician in Baptist Health Medical Group, and better managing her work/life balance.
“My goal is to be more present,” she says.
Dr. Joanna L. Drowos, a professor at FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine, says setting New Year’s goals “is a good idea.”
“Obviously, we can all make changes to make ourselves healthier,” she says. “The new year is a natural trigger to make these changes. Be thoughtful and make sure it’s something within your ability to attain.
“Don’t give up if you’re not perfect each day,” she says.
Drowos practices with FAU’s Marcus Institute of Integrative Health, which uses a holistic approach in making each patient a partner in health outcomes.
Based on the teachings of Dr. Andrew Weil, integrative health services include osteopathic manipulation and massage, yoga, meditation, culinary medicine and nutrition. Aside from the physical concerns, all of that is part of an effort to evaluate and treat the patient’s mental, emotional, functional, social and community health.
Drowos made a number of health-related changes in her personal life during the coronavirus pandemic.
The married mother of two adolescents, Drowos changed to a plant-based diet, installed a gym in her home and invested in a Peloton. She resolved to eat green leafy vegetables more often and to bring salads for lunch.
As a front-line health care worker, she purchased an Oura Ring, originally to flag signs of COVID-19. She now uses it to track her sleep and activity habits.
“It monitors my heart rate variability, body temperature and sends me messages if I sit too long,” she says. “It’s another tool to use in goal-setting for my health.
“It’s important to be a role model for my kids and patients and model good health habits,” says Drowos, who rides her Peloton three or four times each week. “Even though my kids hate it when I blast the music, I enjoy it.”
Drowos says a key component to making and keeping successful New Year’s resolutions is the motivation and “readiness to change.”
According to research, people who successfully change their behavior don’t do it all at once, they go through a series of stages. The first step is to recognize where you are in the cycle of change, so you can set appropriate goals and the steps to achieve them.
“In our program, we talk about setting smart objectives,” says Drowos. “Make specific changes. Set a measurable, attainable goal. Strive for something, know what it is you want and recognize when you achieve it.
“This makes it easier to move forward when you stumble,” she says. “Set your goal so you’re still able to move toward it; reward yourself for small goals and realize that it is not all or nothing.”
For example, Drowos says, “if you have a piece of cake, don’t punish yourself. Recognize you’re human. Give yourself space to have that treat and resume your goals the next day.”
Drowos believes in the power of support.
“Don’t go it alone,” she says. “Have other people to support your endeavors. Get your family, spouse, friends and even your physician on board. You can be more successful when you have a team to encourage and back you.”
What does Drowos suggest as ways to stick to your resolutions after January?
“Positive reinforcement such as coaching and support are useful,” she says. “Identify resources to keep you focused. Be aware of the barriers and triggers that will prevent you from being successful and find strategies to navigate them and keep your commitment to yourself.
“Arm yourself with the best resources, be prepared and practice forgiveness,” Drowos says. “If you match your goals to your readiness and stage of change, you will maximize your ability to be successful.”
For more resources, visit www.faumedicine.org and https://baptisthealth.net

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

Caron Treatment Centers opened its new Keele Center in Delray Beach. Kathryn Keele and Caron CEO Brad Sorte were on hand for the ribbon cutting Dec. 8. Photo provided

Delray Medical Center recently acquired the Viz Vascular Suite software that uses artificial intelligence to detect suspected pulmonary embolism, right/left ventricle dilation, aortic dissection and abdominal aortic aneurysm.
“Being able to identify a patient with a serious vascular condition, such as an abdominal aortic aneurysm, early — before they have an emergency — is a game changer and literally a lifesaver,” said Dr. Joseph Ricotta, national medical director of vascular surgery and endovascular therapy at Tenet Healthcare, Delray Medical Center’s parent company.
“For example, there are roughly 1.5 million abdominal aortic aneurysms in the U.S. per year; however, only 10% get diagnosed and treated,” Ricotta said.
“We don’t often find out about them until it’s too late and, even then, there’s only a 25% chance of living through a ruptured aortic aneurysm.
“From my experience as an early adopter of this technology, the Viz Vascular Suite will help enhance screening and coordinate care across my vascular team.”
Call 833-769-4862 for a free physician referral.

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Caron Treatment Centers held a sneak peek and ribbon cutting on Dec. 8 of its new Keele Center, 4575 Linton Blvd., Delray Beach. 
Brad Sorte, CEO of Caron Treatment Centers, announced at the event that the nonprofit’s “Open the Door” campaign goal of $30 million for the Keele Center was achieved. It is named in honor of philanthropist Kathryn Keele. The new center includes a medical detox unit, 40 beds for residential treatment programming, including an older adult program, as well as neurocognitive services, research and medical education.  
For more information, visit www.caron.org/fl-medical-center.

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Palm Health Foundation will match donations to its Nursing Advancement Fund through Jan. 31 up to $150,000. People who want to support aspirations of low-income and first-generation nursing students in LPN, undergraduate, graduate and doctorate programs in Palm Beach County can donate between $100 and $5,000.
To donate, visit www.palmhealthfoundation.org/the-nursing-advancement-fund, or contact Carrie Browne, director of stewardship and strategic partnerships at carrieb@phfpbc.org or call 561-837-2281. 

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

More than 20 lifeguards from around the state took part in beach and open water training. ABOVE: From Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue (l-r), Capt. John F. Meskiel and lifeguards Eddie Black and Jonathan Price watch the exercises. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Eben Krigger, a Fort Lauderdale training officer, braces himself for impact after jumping from the bridge. Boynton Beach Fire Rescue dive team boat operator Chris Lemieux ensures the inlet is clear of other traffic.

A fisherman retrieves his bait so that lifeguards can swim past to the beach for debriefing.

Montana Tucker’s songs and music videos aim to help people recognize the gift of their individuality. ‘Being inclusive is an important part of my platform,’ she says. ‘I’ve always wanted to inspire people to go for their dreams.’ Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

Boca Raton native Montana Tucker knows the best way to beat your bullies is to become what they said you’d never be.
The successful singer, dancer, actor and social media influencer works mostly in Los Angeles these days, but still keeps a house in Boca Raton. On Jan. 15, she’ll work where she usually rests, headlining the Concert 4 Kindness at the Kaye Auditorium on Florida Atlantic University’s Boca Raton campus.
By the time she was 8, Tucker was already doing national modeling and commercial work. Around age 12, her natural dance skill was discovered by choreographer Darrin Henson (JLo, NSYNC and Britney Spears) at a dance workshop in Orlando. He encouraged the family to move Tucker to L.A., but Tucker’s mother, Michelle, opened a dance studio and hired top choreographers to teach there. A few years later, Tucker won the World Hip Hop Championships in Los Angeles.
Tucker’s achievements — from playing Serena the mermaid in Barney: The Land of Make Believe to working with Terry Crews, the likable flute-playing football player-turned-actor and lovable host of America’s Got Talent — have kept the doors opening for her.
Tucker, 28, says she has always used her platforms to promote a kinder, more inclusive world and in her first hometown concert, Tucker says her goal is to amplify kindness in South Florida. “Being inclusive is an important part of my platform,” Tucker said by phone. “I’ve always wanted to inspire people to go for their dreams.”
Especially when someone says they can’t.
She was chasing her dreams when she encountered bullying. Her hectic work schedule sometimes made her miss school, and her classmates noticed. “I was a little bigger than the other girls,” she said, “so they called me MAN-tana because of my size.”
Tucker says she began hiding in the bathroom during lunch to avoid bullies in the lunchroom. Their words could have crippled her — “I was so sensitive!” she says now with a laugh — but instead they became her ammunition. She made having a positive body image, accepting people of all shapes and sizes, and not judging others as the weapons in her anti-bullying arsenal.
Tucker knew how to get her message out. She wrote, recorded and released two songs and music videos with her anti-bullying message. I’m Not Alone, released in 2018, was Tucker’s debut single. The video features dancers with dwarfism, Down syndrome, spina bifida, facial deformities and deafness. The song has become known as “the song that saves lives” because its heartfelt message has reached people who were on the ledge.
The second song, Be Myself, released in 2021, features performer Todrick Hall and a flash mob in Times Square in the video. It was written to inspire self-acceptance and help people recognize the gift of their individuality.
Both songs will be featured at the multi-arts concert Jan. 15, which will include other local talent and video appearances by national artists. Performers, who are all donating their time, include Clarence Brooks, director of dance at FAU, BriGuel, a renowned bilingual duo from Spain and New York, and the Florida Singing Sons with Chorale Soleil.
Students and their mentors from Nat King Cole Generation Hope, a Boca Raton-based nonprofit that provides music education, mentoring and resources for youth, will also play.
The concert was organized by Bonnie and Jon Kaye of Kaye Communications in Boca Raton. Bonnie has been friends with Michelle Tucker since middle school.
“What impressed me about Montana was how she uses her platform for change. Who better to change the next generation than a truly authentic person like Montana?” Bonnie Kaye said. “I’m hoping this concert will start the year off with a message of kindness, diversity and peace.”

Challenge is uphill
The effort to stop bullying is valiant, but in the last 10 years, experts say not much has changed. A 2020 study by the Cyberbullying Research Center on tween cyberbullying is cringe-worthy: 49.8% of tweens 9 to 12 years old said they experienced bullying at school and 14.5% of tweens said they experienced bullying online. Nearly 70% of the tweens who were cyberbullied said it hurt their feelings about themselves and almost one-third said it affected their friendships.
To fight back, Tucker says, “I never respond to negative posts and messages, and I don’t let negativity win. I have thick skin.”
And whenever possible, she tries to educate others. In 2022, Tucker was named one of Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper Architects of Change for her work educating people about the Holocaust.
“Montana Tucker is on a mission to debunk Holocaust misinformation and denial and put an end to antisemitism, one TikTok viewer at a time,” wrote Meghan Rabbitt, an editor at the paper.
Tucker filmed a series of 10 two-minute videos called How To: Never Forget, a Holocaust education docu-series for the TikTok generation. Tucker took her followers on a journey retracing her maternal grandmother’s steps to the camp at Auschwitz.
Tucker would stop bullying tomorrow if it were that easy. It’s not. She says, “I want kids to know if someone is going out of their way to hurt you, they’re not confident or happy with themselves. It’s about them.
“And one more thing: It’s going to get better.”

To share story ideas about Tots & Teens email Janis Fontaine at fontaine423@outlook.com.

If You Go
What: Concert 4 Kindness
When: 4 p.m. Jan. 15
Where: Carole and Barry Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium at FAU, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton.
Tickets: $10-$20, which will support the Make a Difference Fund for scholarships and programs at the future Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies building on FAU’s Boca Raton campus.
Info: 561-297-6124 or www.fauevents.com.

The oceanfront master suite encompasses an expansive bedroom with wood floor, antique English fire surround and French doors to a wrought iron balcony. Photos provided

When Palm Beach socialite Lila Vanderbilt Webb conceived this Gulf Stream compound in 1931, in partnership with her son and with renowned architect Maurice Fatio, she sourced design ideas from Addison Mizner and materials (from tiles to stonework) from his local factory. Her vision, artfully realized by prominent Palm Beach builder C.G. Warner, had as its focal point a three-story tower residence crowned by the mirador, or lookout, that inspired its name. It was completed in 1933.

The charming oceanview kitchen boasts a slanted tongue-and-groove ceiling, custom cabinetry, marble counters and top-tier appliances.

By 1941, the estate was split into two properties, both of which hold the mirador title. Reimagined in 2014 by architect Mark Marsh and a host of other designers, Miradero has been modernized, refined and expanded without compromising its architectural integrity or historic charm.

The VIP suite of the guest house has a pecky cypress vaulted ceiling, boutique walk-in closet and attached marble bath.

Today’s Miradero has its signature tower residence, the original guest house and a pool house addition, all complete with secure smart-house technology. There are five bedrooms, an oceanfront office, five full and two half baths, a Mario Nievera landscape with private beach access and an outdoor shower.

The estate-sized oceanfront property is electronically gated, hedged and approached by a long paver drive from A1A. BELOW RIGHT: A coral deck and resort-style pool with separate spa lie between the pool house and the tower residence framed with lush tropical gardens.

Offered at $19,995,000. The Pascal Liguori Estate Group, 561-789-8300. Premier Estate Properties, 900 E. Atlantic Ave., #4, Delray Beach; pascal@premierestateproperties.com

Each month, The Coastal Star features a house for sale in our community.
The House of the Month is presented as a service to our advertisers and provides readers with a peek inside one of our homes.

By Rich Pollack

For four and half years the identity of Baby June and the questions of how the tiny 2-day-old infant ended up floating in the Boynton Inlet remained a mystery.

Despite relentless efforts by Palm Beach County sheriff’s detectives searching for anyone who knew anything and tracking down dead-end tip after dead-end tip, there was little to go on.

Now, thanks to the latest advances in DNA analysis technology using public databases, detectives have answers to the questions and a Boynton Beach woman — the mother of Baby June — is in custody on a murder charge.

On Thursday, after an extensive investigation that included a covert DNA collection, detectives arrested 29-year-old Arya Singh and charged her with tossing the baby she had on May 30, 2018, into the ocean.

“There have been a lot of question marks about Baby June’s death and now we have an idea of what happened,” said detective Brittany Christoffel of the sheriff’s cold case unit. “It’s nice to have some answers.”

Christoffel said that the infant was a surprise to her mother and was thrown into the ocean shortly after she was born.

“She didn't know she was pregnant up until the time she gave birth,” Christoffel said.  “When the baby was born, she wasn't sure if she was alive or dead, and that was that. By the time the baby went into the inlet, she was already deceased."

The baby was found by an off-duty Boynton Beach firefighter on June 1 and given the name Baby June by investigators.

Detectives believe that Singh acted alone and kept the birth of the baby and her actions in the aftermath a secret from most, including the baby’s father, a former boyfriend.

“She was fully responsible for the baby ending up in the Boynton Inlet,” Christoffel said.

The father played a key role in helping lead the detectives to Singh.

Using forensic genetic genealogy, the same technology used to identify the Golden State Killer in California a few years ago, members of the sheriff’s forensic biology unit were able to identify relatives of the father.

Armed with the lead, gathered in part through a public database, detectives met with the father and he led them to Singh. 

“He knew nothing about the baby,” Christoffel said.

Once the mother was identified, investigators began building their case with search warrants that showed Singh was at the Boynton Inlet on May 30 — about 40 hours before the baby was found — and had done computer searches for news articles about the finding.

Using DNA found on trash she discarded, detectives were able to confirm that Singh was indeed the mother of Baby June.

Investigators did a subsequent DNA test and conducted several interviews to be certain of their findings before finally filing the first-degree murder charge against Singh.

Sheriff Ric Bradshaw praised the investigators as well as several partner agencies during a news conference announcing the arrest.

“The dedication and tenacity of the people involved in this case is exemplary,” he said.

The long-anticipated launch of Brightline’s rail service to Boca Raton will take place on Dec. 21.

Brightline will host ribbon-cutting ceremonies at the new Boca Raton and Aventura stations on Dec. 20.

Speakers at Boca event will include Mayor Scott Singer and Brightline President Patrick Goddard.

One-way tickets go on sale Dec. 15 for as low as $10 and can be purchased on Brightline’s app or website. Schedule information is available on www.gobrightline.com

Boca Raton officials have eagerly awaited the opening of the station, located east of the Downtown Library at 101 NW Fourth St., saying it will be a “game changer” for the city.

They predict the rail service will lure corporations to locate in the city and will bring tourists and South Florida residents to the city’s cultural attractions, restaurants and other amenities.

City Council members approved a deal that allowed the station and parking garage to be built on city-owned land three years ago.

“This will be a moment of triumph for Boca Raton,” Singer said at the time.

The $46 million station will be smaller than those in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, but will be similar in appearance and in the services offered.

Construction began in December 2021 and has moved ahead quickly. In recent weeks, construction crews have been working feverishly to finish work on both the station and garage.

— Mary Hladky