Antonio Falvella teaches an Italian language survival class for travelers at Nada’s Italy. From left are Alan Levy, Joanne Weingarden, and Jeff and Kim Jolicoeur. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Lucy Lazarony

Not everyone has the time or money to fly to Italy.
But anyone can tap into the culture with a visit to Nada’s Italy in Delray Beach. And when people do want to experience the real deal — a country known for its contributions to the worlds of art, architecture, food, fashion, opera, literature, design and film — Nada’s Italy can help with that as well.
Nada Vergili owns Nada’s Italy, a travel and tour company in Pineapple Grove, and whether leading a tour or a class, she loves sharing the very best of her home country.
On Saturdays, starting at 4 p.m., her company provides free classes, each with something different about Italy. For example, this month’s classes include language (Jan. 11 for intermediate and advanced speakers of Italian and a Jan. 25 survival guide for travelers) and a presentation on Naples and the Amalfi Coast (Jan. 18).
“One of the best parts of my job is sharing Italy with the rest of the world. My home is one of my passions and it is a pleasure to share this beautiful country with so many people looking to experience la dolce vita,” says Vergili, 42, who was born and raised in Florence, capital of the Tuscany region. She moved to the United States when she was 22.
Vergili designs her tours to provide authentic travel experiences.
“We have small groups — never more than 12 — and we move around in executive Mercedes vans with a private driver, not the big-bus style of mass tourist transit,” she says. “We work mostly with small, boutique hotels. Some only have seven or eight rooms, but they’re luxury. You could be in a medieval castle. You could be staying in a Renaissance villa in the countryside. You could be staying at a family-run boutique hotel in the Amalfi Coast, overlooking the sea. Our excursions are authentic Italian experiences. We provide a view of Italy the way it is supposed to be seen.”
What is the best part of a tour with Nada’s Italy?
“Many would say the food but, more than anything individuals absolutely love the experiences,” Vergili says. “The tours we provide throughout the days and evenings are led by an amazing group of English-speaking Italian guides. One word that is found within our reviews time and time again to describe our tours is ‘magical.’”
When and why did Nada’s Italy move to Pineapple Grove in Delray Beach?
“In 2012, a road trip down the East Coast with a friend, after her marriage ended, brought me to Delray Beach. Both my friend and I fell in love. The vibe of Delray is eclectic. I thought this is going to be my new home, immediately. It took a few years of house hunting and visiting as a tourist, but I purchased a home in Lake Ida three years ago and subsequently the office in Delray was a must-have,” Vergili says.
“Our most popular tours are: Jewels of the Amalfi Coast, Italian Treasures, and Northern Delights. Some of our more seasoned travelers love Flavors of Verona and Lake Garda, as well as our Tuscan Villages and Cinque Terre tour,” Vergili says.
Nada’s Italy is at 119 NE Second Ave. It has a second location in Charlotte, North Carolina. Call 877-959-8365 or visit www.nadasitaly.com.

Sometimes it’s nice to be home for the holidays. Sometimes it’s nicer to get away, especially for people who’d like to experience sun, warmth and beach rather than clouds, cold and snow.
As usual, the Boca Raton Resort & Club was fully aware that guests would be arriving and was all decked out for the holidays. It ranked No. 3 among the 10 best hotels for the holidays in USA Today’s  Reader’s Choice awards, which polled travel experts, editors and readers from around the world.

How do South County cities stack up against other cities in America where populations and job opportunities are rising rapidly? The personal finance website SmartAsset, in a study of boom towns, has some answers.
SmartAsset looked at data for 500 of the largest cities across seven metrics: population change, unemployment rate, change in unemployment rate, GDP growth rate, business growth, housing growth and change in household income.
It listed the top 50. Boca Raton was rated No. 20, and Boynton Beach placed No. 47.
Delray Beach was unranked.
For Boca Raton, over five years, its population increased 8.67%. Its average yearly gross domestic product grew 3.39%. Over five years, its number of establishments grew 10.32%. And it had a 19.42% five-year housing growth rate.
For Boynton Beach, over five years, its population grew 6.72%. Its average yearly GDP grew 3.39%. The number of its establishments grew 10.32%, and its housing market grew 4.34% over five years.

See full report: https://smartasset.com/mortgage/top-boomtowns-in-america-2019

The Lantana Kmart at 1201 S. Dixie Highway will be closing by February, according to TransformCo, the company that purchased the assets of Sears Holdings Corporation (including Kmart stores) last February. Shoppers will notice “Going Out of Business” signs on the doors.
With the rise and convenience of online retail, big-box stores like Kmart are scaling back their brick-and-mortar operations because they are not finding the same type of economic vitality experienced in the past.
In September, the Lantana Town Council approved a change to its comprehensive land-use plan that could pave the way to replace the shopping center anchored by Kmart at the northwest corner of Hypoluxo Road and South Dixie Highway with apartments.

Webber International University in Babson Park elected entrepreneur and real estate developer Harold “Sonny” Van Arnem to its board of trustees at its annual board meeting in October.  Van Arnem, an Ocean Ridge resident who has founded and owned a number of businesses, is chairman of Van Arnem Properties, a real estate development firm at 265 NE Fifth Ave., Delray Beach.

Shannon Duff has joined Oxbridge Academy as associate director of academic advising, student services and college counseling. Duff earned a BA in history at Yale and an MBA from the Yale School of Management. She worked as an analyst and, later, as an associate at Lehman Brothers in New York.
Oxbridge named Tyler Grimes as distinguished visiting artist in musical theater for the school year. Grimes is the managing director of the Lovewell Institute for the Creative Arts in Fort Lauderdale, which conducts musical theater workshops internationally.

Catherine Strader, assistant vice president of sales and service manager at Legacy Bank of Florida, 50 NE Fifth Ave., Delray Beach, and vice chairman of the Boynton Beach Professionals leads group, won the monthly Boynton Beach Professionals’ recognition award for November. For information on the leads group, email boyntonbeachprofessionals@gmail.com. 

Real estate agent Deborah Bacarella earned the Commitment to Excellence endorsement from the National Association of Realtors, in recognition of her knowledge and competency in her real estate practice. Bacarella is an agent with RE/MAX Advantage Plus, 900 E. Atlantic Ave., Suite 10, Delray Beach.

The Boca Chamber says a Diamond is a dedicated, inspiring, accomplished, motivated, outstanding, noble and driven businesswoman, and each year, it selects a deserving recipient for its Diamond Award. In December, the Chamber chose Clara E. Bennett, executive director of the Boca Raton Airport Authority, as its 2020 Diamond Award recipient.
Bennett leads a team of aviation professionals in the business, operations, marketing and development of the Boca Raton Airport.
In addition to her 28 years as an airport executive, she maintains several professional affiliations, which include twice serving as chair of the Florida Airports Council. She is also a member of the board of directors of the National Air Transportation Association.
Rhea Jain, creator of her clothing line, Renoosh, received the Pearl Award, which is given to a young woman who has graduated from the Boca Chamber’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy program. The award recognizes her leadership abilities.
Bennett and Jain will be recognized Feb. 21 at the Chamber’s annual Diamond Awards luncheon at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. 

Amy Snook, a partner in the All About Florida Homes team of Lang Realty, Delray Beach, was inducted into the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Honor Society, during the Realtor Revolution Conference and annual meeting at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. 
“We are very fortunate to know highly involved, passionate, and dynamic members such as Ms. Snook,” said Jessica Lowe, vice president of programs for the association. “We are beyond thankful for her contribution to our association and participation in events, volunteerism, education, conferences and governance, global and commercial alliances.”  

The Institute for Regional Conservation, a nonprofit dedicated to the protection, restoration, and long-term management of biological diversity, celebrated its 35th anniversary with events to share its story and the importance of its work in Delray Beach and Miami. Sponsors in the Delray area were John Campanola, agent for New York Life, BCoSF Media, attorney Erin Deady, Central Park Taekwondo, mental health counselor Martin Nathan and Valentina’s Pizza and Pasta. 

Erin Deady, a Delray Beach resident who operates a law practice and consulting firm, for the sixth time participated in an AIDS/HIV bicycle ride from Miami to Key West.
The ride raised more than $1.36 million, with proceeds to benefit South Florida charities such as Broward House, Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center, Metro Inclusive Health, Pridelines, AIDS Help, Miracle of Love, and Compass Community Center.

Real estate investor Sharon Restrepo will speak about how you can increase profits with less stress while renovating at the Boca Real Estate Investment Club’s monthly meeting, set for Jan. 9 at the Double Tree Deerfield Beach, 100 Fairway Drive. Cost is $20. For more information, call 561-391-7325.

Christine Davis Mary Thurwachter contributed to this column.

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

By Amy Woods

The board of trustees of Quantum Foundation has approved six new grants totaling $424,000 to Palm Beach County-based nonprofits.

The agency’s mission is to fund initiatives that improve the quality of health in the community.

“This grant cycle focuses on greater access to health resources and stronger connections to result in an overall healthier community,” foundation President Eric Kelly said. “We fund organizations that take an upstream approach to making Palm Beach County a healthy place to live, work and play.”

Among the allocations was a $75,000 distribution to Palm Health Foundation’s BeWellPBC, an initiative that targets the behavioral health needs of youths and families.

“BeWellPBC works with local partners to bridge relationships and current gaps in care coordination throughout the county, especially to the underserved communities,” Executive Director Lauren Zuchman said. “We are grateful to Quantum Foundation not only for providing funding but for being a true partner in this initiative.”

Food delivery truck gifted to Boca Raton nonprofit
Boca Helping Hands finally unveiled its new refrigerated truck, made possible by $150,000 in donations from the community.
The funds were raised in short order following media reports about the sudden death of the old truck, affectionately known as “Grandpa Bear.”

“We are simply astounded and so grateful for the incredible outpouring of support from the community and particularly appreciate the media getting the word out about this,” said Greg Hazle, the nonprofit’s executive director. “Even a couple of our clients pitched in after seeing our story on TV and online, giving us what they could to help and wishing they could give more.”

Hazle said the 24-foot vehicle will enable the organization to fulfill and expand its efforts to feed families in need.

In other Boca Helping Hands news, West Boca Medical Center sponsored a Thanksgiving food drive. In all, more than 520 pounds of nonperishables were donated by each hospital department.

Lang Realty donates to American Cancer Society
As part of its Open the Door for a Cure campaign, Lang Realty contributed more than $13,000 to the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. The money was raised through proceeds from the sale of each home in October.

“This was a company-wide effort that included donations from each closing contributed by our agents,” company President Scott Agran said. “Many of our own agents and staff have personally battled this disease or have gone through this with loved ones.  We are delighted to support this worthy cause.”

Super Bowl raffle to help local children’s charities
Boca West Children’s Foundation is raffling off VIP packages for Super Bowl LIV, taking place Feb. 2 in Miami.

Packages include a pair of seats near midfield, limousine service to and from Hard Rock Stadium and a $400 gift card for dinner at the restaurant of the ticket-holder’s choice.

Tickets cost $100, and a recipient will be selected for every 500 sold. The drawing is set for Jan. 10. All proceeds benefit local children’s charities.

To enter, visit www.bocawestfoundation.org/ways-to-give and earmark the donation for the raffle. For more info, call 488-6980.

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

The patio at Jewell Beach, in the Ambassador Hotel, will offer sunset views. Photo provided

By Jan Norris

Big news for fans of Dak Kerprich, the chef who originally made his chops with South County diners at Pizzeria Oceano in Lantana.
The owner of Jewell Bistro on Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach plans to move across the bridge.

Jewell Beach is taking over Sergio’s in the Ambassador Hotel, a Palm Beach co-op that will become a boutique hotel under the ownership of the Richard Schlesinger family.

At Schlesinger’s request at the end of December, Kerprich is setting up a deal that puts him in as the operator of the 150-seat restaurant with patio space and a full bar. Marsha Kerprich, his wife and business partner, will handle the front of house as well as pastries.

Upgrades are planned, as the main oceanfront hotel was built in 1947, with buildings added in the 1960s.

The new owners are making cosmetic changes for this season: “painting, new furniture, things like that,” Kerprich said. New ceilings and floors have been installed. A major renovation is planned for the following year, he said.

The restaurant faces west. “It’s big and bright, and overlooks the pool. We’ll have tables outside on the patio. The sunsets are spectacular,” Kerprich said.

The kitchen is hotel-sized and a big change from the barely 80-square-foot one he leaves behind at the Dixie Highway restaurant.
Along with favorites from the small, daily bistro menu, a few items will be added for the lunch and dinner service. It will remain a manageable list, however, with fresh local products and fish as the backbone.

“It’s still all about the seafood,” Kerprich said. The oceanfront location makes it that much more relevant, he said. “The burger will be the only red meat. No other red meat — seafood and vegetables will be the main focus,” he said. “Light and casual.”

A grab-and-go or continental breakfast will be offered featuring Marsha’s pastries.

A Sunday brunch set around the pool is planned once the place is up and running. Restaurant guests will be able to use the pool as well.

Live music, bingo and other activities are being discussed as part of the Sunday brunch, making it a party-like setting.

“We’ll be modern casual. We don’t want to be as formal or stuffy as some of my other neighbors,” Kerprich said.

Those neighbors include The Four Seasons Palm Beach, and Tideline, a hotel formerly known as the Omphoy, and owned by the Schlesinger family.

Jewell Beach at the Ambassador, 2730 S. Ocean Blvd., Palm Beach.

Michael Salmon grills chicken, the centerpiece of his Flybird restaurant menu in Delray Beach. Photo provided

The latest celeb chef to open in South County is Michael Salmon, a former finalist on the Food Network’s “The Next Food Network Star” and “24 Hour Restaurant Challenge.”

His Flybird on Linton in Delray Beach is drawing attention for its simple menu centered on char-grilled chicken and flavorful side dishes.

Salmon has cheffed for then-Mayor Ed Koch in New York and led the kitchen at Mickey Mantle’s — a former sports bar near Central Park once a watering hole for the Yankee and his buddies.

His talents got him to the finals on Food Network contests that produced other stars such as the Hearty Boys Dan Smith and Steve McDonaugh, Guy Fieri and Jason Smith.

Salmon is living in Delray Beach. He opened the chicken takeout in May with the thought of making a chef-created meal to respond to an “I don’t want to cook tonight” demand. With an average meal around $15.95, it’s not fast food, but fast-casual and chef-created.

Everything from Mexican Vacation Soup (chicken, hominy, poblanos, jalapeños, cilantro and tomatillos) to desserts (chocolate pecan tart, or sugar-gluten-dairy free mango-tapioca pudding) are made in house.

On the menu front and center are the chickens, dry-brined to keep the meat moist and flavor infused, then cooked to a char over a wood-fired grill. The birds start out as vegan-fed, with no preservatives, hormones or other additives. They’re available as a quarter-, half- or whole-bird meal.

More chicken: Crispy — fried served on a potato bun; in a pie — char-grilled pulled chicken with mac ’n’ cheese, gravy, hot sauce and crowned with his lofty, buttery mashed potatoes; on a salad — char-grilled on either Greek or Caesar.

Flatbread made in-house is served as a side, and with encouragement, maybe he’ll turn it into a dish of its own — diners rave about it singly in reviews.

Sides are taken to that hands-on-chef level: house crispy fried potato chips, those mashed potatoes with gravy, coleslaw, char-grilled vegetables, roasted beets with lemon and dill, green beans dressed with soy, garlic and chili, and roasted wild mushrooms with herbs.
Salmon, whom you can find behind the line stoking the grill, has a mantra emblazoned on his website and spelled out on the shop’s uniform T-shirts: “Just feed me.”

According to lore, it stems from his college days when he was the DC — designated cook — for friends. It always seemed to be the answer to his question, “What do you want to eat?”

Now, he’s doing just that for the public.

Flybird, 335 E. Linton Blvd., Delray Beach. 243-1111; www.flybirdfood.com. Open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Sunday.

In brief: A new “restaurant-driven complex” at the corner of Butts and Town Center roads in Boca Raton is planned. A call for upscale Mexican, American, Italian and sushi restaurants was issued by the developers. Spaces are large: four 5,000-square-foot spaces plus patios are available. …

A new chef is in place at 3rd and 3rd in Delray Beach. Emerson Frisbie, most recently of West Palm Beach’s Butcher Shop, will be taking over the stoves at the bar and grill. …

In Boca Raton, the former Tilted Kilt for a brief time was replaced by Sammy J’s Kitchen and Cocktails, a 180-turn from the “breastraunt” chain format. The more family-friendly and upscale sports-themed restaurant closed abruptly Dec. 23. In an interview before the closing, owners Samir Changela and Jason Levine hinted there would be other Sammy J’s; stay tuned. ...

Boca Bacchanal 2020’s schedule has been announced, and tickets are on sale. Events are slated each month leading up to the main events March 6 and 7. Visit www.bocabacchanal.com for info and tickets. …

Owners of Farmer’s Table, a “clean and green food” themed restaurant in Boca’s Weston Hotel, opened a second one in the rebuilt North Palm Beach Country Club. It debuted in December. Others, we’re told, are in the planning stages.

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

Laugh With the Library Co-Chairwomen Amy Snook (left) and Chiara Clark play piano with funnyman Sarge Pickman, a Delray Beach resident. Photo provided by CAPEHART

By Amy Woods

The producer and personality behind the former syndicated program The Best Damn Sports Show Period will headline Laugh With the Library Chapter 14.

Sarge Pickman, a Miami Beach native and Delray Beach resident who parlayed his Fox Sports gig into a stand-up comedy career, takes the stage Feb. 7 at the Opal Grand Oceanfront Resort & Spa (formerly the Delray Beach Marriott).

“He’s hysterical,” said Amy Snook, co-chairwoman of the Delray Beach Public Library fundraiser. “His son goes to the same school as my son, and I recommended him only because I sat next to him at some sporting events and he made me laugh out loud. I called him and asked him, and he was so flattered and said yes like in about a millisecond.”

The 2020 installment will celebrate the importance of local businesses — several are sponsoring the event — and the connections they bring to the community.

“This is his town,” Snook said of the entertainer known as Sarge. “He has a vested interest just as much as anyone else who lives here.”

More than 400 guests are anticipated, and they will get to hear from a hilarious host, enjoy dinner by the bite and participate in a silent auction. Proceeds will support programming at the library.

“It will be a night of fun — probably somewhat unexpected fun — but an opportunity to support such an important asset,” Snook said. “It will make you more passionate about supporting the library.”

Library programming “has just gotten better and better each year,” Co-Chairwoman Chiara Clark added. “It’s all free and all open to the community all throughout the year.”

Clark said a portion of the evening will be dedicated to educating guests about the library.

“The library is the cornerstone of the community,” she said. “We really are the university for this entire town. We serve everyone.”

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

The Depression glass show will feature mid-century glass by Fenton and other firms. Photos provided

By Scott Simmons

Boca Raton long ago made a name for itself as a playground of the elite.

And Depression glass was the dinner and barware of the masses.

But the city is proving to be a more affordable venue than cities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties for one of the state’s biggest shows of the glassware, Jan. 25-26 at Florida Atlantic University.

“I think we’re getting out-priced for space a little farther south. We’ve also been competing with the Super Bowl. It’s going to be in Miami, so things are increasing rather quickly,” said Greg Xiggoros, president of the South Florida Depression Glass Club and a Boynton Beach resident.

He says FAU should be a good fit for the show, now in its 46th iteration. The show slowly has been moving its way north, from an armory in North Miami to the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale to Emma Lou Olson Civic Center in Pompano Beach, where it had been held for a decade.

The exhibition hall in which the show will be held is a new space, and it’s better located for vendors and shoppers from points north.
And it’s not just your grandmother’s pink or green Depression glass.

Xiggoros promises that the 21 vendors, who come from across the country, will offer plenty of glassware and pottery you won’t see elsewhere.

Then, there is this year’s theme: “Nudes in Glass.”

It sounds risqué, but the Depression era also was the Art Deco era, with motifs of stylized nymphs and goddesses, so it’s not all that far-fetched.

This charger by the Consolidated Glass Co. dates from the 1930s.

“There’s at least 14 companies right off the top of my head that have featured nudes in their glass, and this is major manufacturing. It’s not a private little company that did two or three pieces. We’re talking production with a nude in it,” Xiggoros said.

Cambridge, Morgantown and Consolidated are three of the companies that had noteworthy patterns with that motif. So did Lalique.
But Grandma wouldn’t be totally shocked at the show — there will be plenty of the pink and green Depression glass that she used every day.

“The glass that most folks think of, it’s called really A to Z Depression glass,” Xiggoros said. “The items that were found in cereal boxes, inside movie theater giveaways, inside laundry detergent. It’s a pressed glass with a raised design. And we have major dealers showing that type of glass.”

But Depression-era glassware wasn’t just items given as premiums.

“There were still the families that could afford the Heisey, the Morgantown, the Fostoria, and that tends to be a lot lighter in weight, a lot more delicate, a lot more work,” he said of the glassware collectors have dubbed “Elegant” glass. “One of the stems of Fostoria alone took 14 steps to make.”

There also will be plenty of that so-called Elegant glass, as well as such pottery as Homer Laughlin’s Fiestaware and Roseville.
The Roseville display, of Ohio pottery, will be a 100-piece collection.

Xiggoros says he started collecting Roseville in 1970. “That’s when we amassed the big collection. I sold 300 pieces at an auction to establish a scholarship in perpetuity at its height in value,” he said. “That scholarship still exists today. It’s been 21 years of getting out scholarships.”

He’s been collecting Elegant glass for about a decade — his mom’s set of Fostoria Chintz pattern was the impetus.

Xiggoros has since branched out, courtesy of a shop in St. Petersburg.

“I looked on a shelf and there was a cocktail stem called Adonis and it had a green stem and foot and the glass bowl had Roman soldiers in three different poses. ... That was the first piece in my collection. And after that it was procure, procure, procure.”
So it goes with collecting.

If You Go
Antique Vintage Glass and Pottery Show & Sale
Featuring “Nudes in Glass: This Ain’t Your Grandma’s Glass Show”
When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 25 and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Jan. 26.
Where: Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton (GPS address is 1995 Dade Ave., Boca).
Cost: $5 with card or ad, $6 without; early buying 9-10 a.m. Saturday, $10.
Info: www.sfdgc.com or Showinfo@SFDGC.com

Artist Doretha Hair Truesdell and Boynton Beach Historical Society President Randall Gill at the 2019 show. Photo provided

The Florida Highwaymen are a group of African-American painters from the Fort Pierce area who produced paintings of Florida landscapes beginning in the late 1950s. Several of the original artists are scheduled to appear at the second annual Show & Sale. Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; there is no entry charge or parking fee.

By Christine Davis

Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation’s $250 million fundraising effort, Keeping the Promise, got an early holiday present. Philanthropists Toby and Leon Cooperman made a $25 million gift to the campaign during a St. Andrews Country Club event in early December.

In recognition of the gift, the hospital’s new Medical Arts Pavilion will be named in their honor.

The Coopermans are signers of Warren Buffett’s Giving Pledge effort “to help address society’s most pressing problems by inviting the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to commit to giving more than half of their wealth to philanthropy.” The Coopermans plan to give all their wealth away, to organizations, institutions and individuals that have made a difference to them. These have included Hunter College in New York City, Columbia University and St. Barnabas Medical Center.

They have also launched the Cooperman College Scholars Program and the Cooperman Family Fund for a Jewish Future.

Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation recently created its Charles Levitetz Advanced Symptom Support and Individualized Care Program at the Eugene M. and Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute. This program, which was funded through a gift from the Levitetz Family Foundation, intends to offer relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.

Boca Raton Regional Hospital, part of Baptist Health South Florida, recently launched a long-term monitoring program for cryptogenic stroke patients to help reduce their risk of a secondary stroke.

The stroke team at the Marcus Neuroscience Institute offers the option to insert a small cardiac monitor to capture such things as abnormal heartbeats and rhythms, which often go undetected and can increase stroke risk. The data are relayed to specialty cardiac physicians so that they can promptly initiate treatment when it is required.

The device is implanted using a minimally invasive procedure and lasts up to three years as patients continue their everyday activities.

“Patients that have suffered cryptogenic stroke often have undiagnosed atrial fibrillation or other cardiac complications months after being discharged from a hospital. Traditional programs typically end weeks or even days after the initial stroke,” said Brian Snelling, M.D., medical director of the Marilyn and Stanley Barry Center for Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke at the neuroscience institute. “The Reveal LINQ system is enabling us to detect heart disturbances on a long-term basis to facilitate proactive treatment when needed.”

Endocrine surgeon Jessica L. Buicko, M.D., has joined Bethesda Health Physician Group. Buicko earned her medical degree at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

She completed a general surgery residency at the University of Miami program at JFK Medical Center. She completed a fellowship in advanced endocrine and metabolic surgery at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Buicko, who is affiliated with Bethesda Hospital East, will see patients in her office, General and Vascular Surgery Specialists, 2800 S. Seacrest Blvd., Suite 200, Boynton Beach. 

Jill Shutes, a geriatric nurse practitioner, was named the new vice president of Alzheimer’s Community Care Services.

Previously, Shutes worked as an assistant professor of nursing in the graduate nursing program at Palm Beach Atlantic University. She has more than 20 years of experience as a geriatric nurse practitioner working in long-term care, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities throughout South Florida.

Santa Fe Suites, a health care executive-office-suite complex at 306 NE Second St., celebrates its 10th anniversary in Delray Beach. The suites house 22 businesses with spa and health service functions. 

Barb Schmidt of Boca Raton recommends taking a fresh approach to setting goals.
Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Mindfulness guru shares tips for peacefully navigating
the new year

By Joyce Reingold

As we dip our toes into this fresh new year, may we collectively resolve to forgo resolutions. So put down the pad and pencil, dear reader. Delete that list from your smartphone. It’s 2020 already. Time for a fresh approach.

And who better to show us a new way than Barb Schmidt, the Boca Raton-based mindfulness practitioner, teacher and author of the international bestseller The Practice: Simple Tools for Managing Stress, Finding Inner Peace, and Uncovering Happiness. As 2019 came galloping to a close, she stopped to share some thoughts on how to more peacefully and harmoniously navigate the new year.

“About five years ago, my daughter Michelle Maros, who runs Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life with me, said: ‘Mom, you know what I like instead of resolutions?

“‘I like setting an intention word that is kind of my guiding star, or my true north, or my highest ideal for the year.’ And I have found that to be magical,” Schmidt said.

“Resolutions are usually external things: I’m going to exercise every day. I’m going to go on a diet. Where, if you choose a word, it comes from the inside. It’s like I’m sitting with myself in quiet, just for a minute or two, and asking, what do I really, really want?
“So, I love that because I believe strongly in all of the work that I do, that we can really live our most successful, happy lives by living them from the inside out, not directed from the outside in.”

In 2019, Schmidt chose truth as her intention word.

“I wanted to make sure that I was in alignment with my truth, even if it was hard, even if it sometimes felt like I was making choices that weren’t necessarily in alignment and I had to regroup and go back and say: Wait a minute. This didn’t quite work. Let me start over again. It kept me on track and kept me in a place where I really wanted to be.”

For 2020, she has selected trustworthy. “Life can be difficult, chaotic and stressful, and at the same time I have found that we truly can trust the process of life. It’s a great paradox, however, because our power comes from doing our best knowing that we can’t predict what will happen.

“Through all of life’s difficulties, I’m always uplifted by the truth that we can absolutely handle things better than expected — and trustworthy reminds me of this.”

Barb Schmidt leads a seminar with her daughter Michelle Maros. Photo provided

Schmidt and Maros are kicking off 2020 with two popular local events that reinforce the mission of their nonprofit organization Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life: “Furthering inner peace and wellness by educating and inspiring individuals and creating community through mindfulness practices, online resources and programs.”

Schmidt, who is also known for her philanthropic work, will lead a four-part meditation study group, beginning Jan. 14, as part of Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life’s wellness series at Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute.

Since Schmidt and the institute launched the series in April 2016, “we have welcomed nearly 4,000 people into our workshops and reached hundreds of hospital patients through our in-house television network,” said Maureen Mann, the institute’s executive director.

Dr. Patricia Anastasio, a physician with Advanced Pediatrics of Boca, says the Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life programs have been transformational, reducing her stress and fatigue. “I now recommend mindfulness training to all of my friends and colleagues as the most important resource for reducing anxiety and preventing burnout,” she said.

On Jan. 28, Maria Shriver, TV journalist, author and founder of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement, will join Maros and Schmidt in an evening of conversation at Mindful Boca 2020, at the Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center at Lynn University.

“I am over the moon, unbelievably excited to be bringing her in,” said Schmidt.

A practitioner of mindfulness and meditation for more than 30 years, Schmidt has been on more than 100 retreats and studied with teachers around the world from Deepak Chopra to the Dalai Lama.

“All of our work in January will focus around, how do we begin the year? … 2020 is going to be, I believe, an incredibly stressful, chaotic year with it being an election year,” Schmidt said. “We’ll be focusing a lot on what … are some of the really simple things that you can do to stay grounded, to relieve your anxiety and stress and not allow all of the chaos and the noise that’s going to happen in 2020 to take you down a rabbit hole of anxiety or stress or worry.”

Untethering from technology is one key strategy. Most of us know we should do this more often, but as Schmidt asked the audience in her 2015 TEDx talk, “When was the last time you did nothing?”

Putting electronics aside is a practice Schmidt strongly encourages in her presentations to high school students.

“The biggest thing that I teach them is that in the morning, when you first wake up, before you pick up your phone, stay in bed for a minute or two and close your eyes and just breathe. And then follow the same routine to close out the day. Don’t take your phone to bed with you. … Close your eyes before you go to sleep and … name one thing that went really well for you in your day. There’s always something that went well. Find it and name it. And then close your eyes and go to sleep,” she said.

“When you can disconnect from technology and disconnect from the external world, even for a minute or two, it realigns your brain. It realigns your ability to be able to manage and nourish your nervous system.”

The students tell her it’s hard to do, but it’s working. “They’re seeing the results of the break, between feeling anxiety and stress and noticing, Wow, I feel a little bit calm in this moment,” Schmidt said. “And … just knowing, I really only need to do that for one minute. And when you try it you see that one minute is pretty powerful.”

Schmidt says research shows that spending just 14 minutes — or 1% of each day — in mindfulness can help transform the other 99%. “Just taking a break is the most powerful thing we can do,” she said.

“It truly is just finding that space throughout the day where I can be with me for a second here, for a minute there and just notice: What am I feeling? What do I want? What is happening for me in this moment? Where am I getting off track? The word brings it back. …

“Mindfulness meditation — just sitting with oneself for no matter how long — is a great way to let that word kind of come back into focus.”

Why not give it a try? But no need to call it a resolution.

If You Go

What: Mindful Boca 2020: An Evening With Maria Shriver
When: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28
Where:  Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center at Lynn University
Cost: $125, orchestra seating; $100, mezzanine.
Registration is required; visit www.pmpl.eventbrite.com.
Information: 955-7227

What: Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life Wellness Series: Meditation Study Group
When: 6-8 p.m. Jan. 14, Feb. 11, March 10 and April 7
Where: Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital
Cost: $150. To register, visit www.pmpl.eventbrite.com.
Information: 955-7227

Joyce Reingold writes about health and healthy living. Her intention word for 2020 is joy. Share yours, and column ideas, with joyce.reingold@yahoo.com.

Sarah Byerly, of Boynton Beach, has her photo taken with three of the six goats from Downward Goat that took part in goat yoga at the Lantana greenmarket. Market founder Hector V. Herrera aims to offer a different experience each Sunday. Rachel S. O’Hara/The Coastal Star

By Linda Haase

Lantana’s Bicentennial Park has stunning Intracoastal views, a gorgeous gazebo, shaded picnic tables, benches and a playground.
But on Sundays this gem is transformed into a charming greenmarket, showcasing everything from fresh produce to homemade jams.

The Lantana greenmarket, operated by Shoreline Green Markets, comes together like a movie set as vendors arrive, some as early as sunrise, to erect this small village. Directing the project is Hector V. Herrera, its founder and manager, whose unwavering enthusiasm is contagious.

It seemed like every town had a greenmarket this season but Lantana — and with the town’s blessing, Herrera began its inaugural year in mid-November. Each Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as many as 32 vendors share their handmade and innovative creations.
Chatting with merchants — who are very friendly and passionate about their wares — enhances the experience, Herrera says. “You can learn a lot and it makes it more special when you meet the person behind the product.” 

Among the offerings are produce, clothes, jewelry, candles, shell art, cheeses, spices, sarongs and much more. And, oh, the food. Come for breakfast and stay for lunch: There’s a vegan bakery, authentic Bahamian dishes like chicken souse and conch salad, crepes, shrimp and grits and more (hungry yet?).

One of those serving up tasty treats is Shirlann Sanders, the woman behind the makeshift stove at Nana’s Southern Kitchen & Country Store. It resembles a country store/restaurant, right down to the wood paneling, homey curtains and red-and-white checked tablecloths.

The tempting aroma from the Lantana resident’s made-from-scratch and to-order shrimp and grits, triple-decker grilled cheese sandwiches and other comfort food wafts through the air. Also available at her booth are homemade jams and jellies. The 30 flavors include strawberry, mint, fig, tropical and orange marmalade.

“My recipes don’t come from a book. They are custom made and big on flavor,” says Sanders, who grew up in Tennessee and learned a thing or two at her family’s country restaurant. “My grits aren’t instant, they are the real deal. I have them sent to me from a mill in Georgia. It’s the only way I know how to cook.”

Herrera sums it all up: “She represents everything everyone loves about the South.”

Sanders’ quaint display — created by her husband, Scott — isn’t the only unusual thing at the Ocean Avenue venue. From the beginning, this greenmarket, which runs through May, was designed to be different.

“Most greenmarkets are on Saturday. This gives people another option for something to do on a Sunday,” explains Herrera, who lives in nearby Hypoluxo. “I wanted to create a real Sunday tradition for Lantana that brings people together.”

He envisions a community-centric, family friendly event that offers greenmarket staples and a “laid-back, enjoy-yourself-kind of place” with special events each week.

Herrera, who has managed greenmarkets for about five years, is brimming with ideas for activities that will set the greenmarket apart, like a recent goat yoga session and an upcoming class on creating a cheese and charcuterie board.

“I want to create a different experience every Sunday,” he says.

GreenMarkets

Boca Raton Greenmarket every Saturday at City Hall (north side), 201 W Palmetto Park Rd. 8 am-1 pm. Free. downtownboca.org; 299-8684 elilly707@aol.com
Delray Beach Greenmarket every Saturday at Old School Square Park, 50 NE 2nd Ave, one block north of Atlantic Ave. Fresh local produce, baked goods, gourmet food items, plants, live music, children’s activities. 9am-2pm. 276-7511; delraycra.org
Lantana Greenmarket every Sunday at Bicentennial Park, 321 E Ocean Ave. 10 am-2 pm. 515-9919; shorelinegreenmarkets.com
Lake Worth Farmers Market every Saturday by the bridge at A1A. 1873 Lake Ave, Lake Worth. 9 am-1 pm. Free. 547-3100; lakeworthfarmersmarket.com

The Plate: Antipasto for one

The Place: The Hive Bar and Grill, 618 Lantana Road, Lantana; 513-9168 or www.thehivebarandgrill.com.

The Price: $9

The Skinny: For many years, the building at Lantana Road and Sixth Street was home to Pearl’s.

But Pearl went on to her reward and The Hive is filling some of the void in Lantana for a community gathering space for lunch, dinner and late-night crowds.

It was quiet the Friday afternoon I visited — four tables of folks who clearly were regulars at The Hive were having a grand time.

A cup of the chili ($4) delivered a hearty helping of stew, packed with beans and ground beef that had a slightly smoky flavor. It also was packed with onion and red peppers.

The antipasto for one ($9) really was enough for two, with plenty of crisp, fresh romaine, plus salami, black olives, roasted peppers, tomatoes, pickled artichokes, pepperoncini, strips of provolone and hot cherry peppers. The sweet, tangy dressing that accompanied was a perfect foil to the salty meat, cheese and olives.

— Scott Simmons

Photo provided

By Arden Moore

Now ear this! We people possess many abilities. But paws down, our dogs win the hearing contest.

Yep, the only member of your household who can detect and respond to your whispers in a room on the opposite end of your house is your dog. (I’m betting your cat can hear those subtle sounds, too, but chooses to stay napping on a comfy spot.)

Dogs can pick up sounds at higher and lower frequencies than we can. On average, there are about 12 muscles per canine ear that can be tilted, turned, raised or lowered to zero in on sounds at greater distance than human ears.

But this heightened sense comes with a price. Some dogs turn into panic puddles at the sound of fireworks, truck backfires, thunder, alarms, people yelling and even the whirl of vacuums across living room rugs.

South Florida is no stranger to storms and other irritating or frightening sounds.

“I equate thunderstorms to a phobia stew, as affected dogs hear the loud wind noise, see large trees bending over and feel changes in static barometric pressure,” says Nicholas Dodman, professor emeritus of veterinary behavior at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in North Grafton, Massachusetts, and the founder of the Center for Canine Behavior Studies.

Dodman estimates close to 50% of dogs exhibit some signs of fear and anxiety to sounds, sights and situations, but there is no study that pins down the percentage of dogs with sound fears.

Perceived frightening sounds can cause some dogs to act clingy, quiver, drool, bark excessively, shed excessively, pant heavily, hide in a closet and risk injury trying to bolt through a door or window.

Unaddressed, the fear of specific sounds can escalate to a phobia — an exaggerated, irrational response that can emotionally and physically affect a dog. Some scared dogs suffer from inflammatory bowel disease or weakened immune systems and may display unwanted behavior, such as fear biting or destructiveness.

Michael Tyrrell, of Wellington, is on a mission to aid sound-phobic dogs. This Grammy award winner and minister has created Wholetones, music designed to use specific tonal frequencies to unleash calm in people and now, pets.

“Music is the soundtrack of every life, including people and animals,” says Tyrrell. “Why, our limbic system is tied to music. At specific frequencies, Wholetones works for all living things.”

He knows firsthand. His dog, Zivah, a mixed breed rescued from a shelter in the Bahamas, would pace, drool and look for a safe place to hide at the first sounds of thunder or fireworks. Then Tyrrell left music he created on Wholetones playing and Zivah calmed down and curled up on the bed with Tyrrell and his wife, Lillian, while the storm raged on.

Tyrrell launched Wholetones for people in 2014. The product line now includes CD and plug-in device versions specifically for dogs and cats. The pet device contains more than 52 minutes of specifically composed, original music infused at the exact frequency of 396 hertz. Hertz (Hz) is a measure of sound frequency or cycles per second.

The collection of songs is derived from music by Tyrrell. It can be played at even low volumes to be effective and may benefit dogs with separation anxiety and hyperactivity, Tyrrell says.

Stacey Gelkopf, who owns Jake’s Pet Supply in Lake Worth with her husband, Harry, has readily stocked the pet versions of Wholetones in their store.

“We get a lot of requests from customers looking for products that can calm their pets from fireworks, thunderstorms and other noises,” says Gelkopf. “Music seems to really help dogs without the worry of any side effects that may occur in giving over-the-counter medications or holistic remedies. You simply turn on music and if it works, great, and if not, the music won’t hurt the dog.”
Tyrrell has donated about $20,000 in products to those serving in the military who are dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder as well as to animal shelters.

“Most great inventions come from subtraction,” says Tyrrell. “I realize how music is tuned and how it affects us on a cellular level — and that includes our fur babies. I am trying to do my part to give our pets a fighting chance to live an optimal life.”

Other methods worth considering

Here is a rundown of some other options to consider to calm down your scared or anxious dog:

• Anti-anxiety vests or antistatic jackets may help a dog feel less anxious or frightened.

• Sprays and diffusers that emit dog-appeasing pheromones. Consult your veterinarian about selecting the best commercial product for your stressed-out dog.

• Calming herbs and supplements, such as chamomile, valerian and lemon balm. Work with your veterinarian in advance to avoid accidentally giving a toxic dose to your dog.

• Essential oils in tinctures and administered by a dropper. Recognize that all essential oils are not the same and vary in efficacy by manufacturer. Check with a holistic veterinarian first.

• Training and behavior modification from professional dog trainers using positive reinforcement techniques may help lessen fear in some dogs.

• White noise to help block out the source of the fear-causing sound.

• Zylkene is a supplement that contains casein, a milk protein. It can be given before a known fear trigger, such as an approaching thunderstorm.

• An anti-anxiety medication such as trazodone, Xanax or Prozac may be prescribed by your veterinarian to help your dog stay calm.

Arden Moore, founder of fourleggedlife.com, is an animal behavior expert and host of the Oh Behave! show on petliferadio.com. Learn more at www.ardenmoore.com.

The Ocean Ridge Garden Club, starting what it plans to make an annual event, arranged pet pictures with Santa. Dozens of Ocean Ridge residents took advantage of the event, including Sallie Howell with her pooch, Fishbone.

Between sitting for photos, Roger Latham, from Lake Worth, waved to passing motorists and promoted the sale of holiday
poinsettias. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Capt. Chris Agardy of Fish Envy Charters, based at Boynton Harbor Marina, cleans one of two wahoo his clients caught Dec. 9. The wahoo hit bonito belly strips trolled in 250 feet of water off Boynton Inlet. Willie Howard/The Coastal Star

Depending on wind and wave conditions, the 1-foot-square red and white diver-down flags can be hard to see. Willie Howard/The Coastal Star

By Willie Howard

Most dive flags towed through the water by snorkelers and scuba divers meet Florida’s minimum requirement for divers to identify themselves in the water.

State law requires dive flags used in the water to be at least a 1-foot square, red with a white diagonal stripe. Most are mounted on floats and have lead weights at the base to hold them upright.

Although foot-square dive flags are legal (dive flags on boats must be larger, at least 20 by 24 inches), a dive industry veteran says they don’t do enough to protect divers in the water.

“The flag is simply antiquated,” says Robert Carmichael, CEO of Brownie’s Marine Group in Pompano Beach, whose company took advantage of a 2014 change in state law to develop a larger, inflatable diver-down warning device with a water ballast — called the 3D Buoy.

Carmichael, whose friend lost both legs to a boat while diving in 1992, said dive flags can be difficult to see, especially when the boat is headed into the wind and the operator is looking at the edge of the flag rather than the full outstretched surface.

Carmichael says more visible diver-down warning devices such as his, which displays three, 12-by-12-inch diver-down symbols, should be mandated by a generic state law that would open the playing field for dive equipment companies to develop warning devices that perform better than flags.

The 2014 change in state law (FS 327.331) allowed divers to use diver-down buoys in addition to flags. The buoy is defined as a buoyant device that displays the red-and-white diver-down sign on three or four sides.

But Carmichael says divers have been reluctant to pay $90 for his buoy versus $30 to $45 for a float-mounted dive flag.
“We need legislative guidance on this,” he said. “Safety doesn’t sell.”

The effectiveness of dive flags was called into question again on Thanksgiving Day, when 25-year-old marine biologist Carter Viss was hit by a boat while snorkeling off The Breakers hotel in Palm Beach. The impact severed his arm.

It likely will be months before the full report on the Viss accident is complete, but preliminary reports by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission said the operator of the 33-foot powerboat was slowing down when the boat struck Viss, who was being treated for his injuries in late December.

Unfortunately, boat-versus-diver accidents have happened several times in South Florida waters.

Andrew Harris died after being hit by a boat while snorkeling near Jupiter Inlet in 2014.

Diver Rob Murphy lost both of his legs after a boat ran over him while he was spearfishing off Stuart in 2009.

John Deleonibus was hit by a boat while snorkeling 50 to 75 yards off South Inlet Park in Boca Raton in September 2010.

Authorities said the boat never stopped. Deleonibus suffered a skull fracture, a broken hip and cuts to his head and back from the boat propeller.

Boca Raton Ocean Rescue Chief Clint Tracy said snorkelers are not required to use a dive flag in the guarded swimming area (within 100 feet from the beach).

But Tracy said divers and snorkelers should always be in the habit of using a float/flag or an approved diver-down buoy.
“Not only should divers have a flag but should also have a dive buddy and be very alert in listening for the sound of boat propellers,” Tracy said.

Snorkelers and divers headed to the popular SS Inchulva wreck off the south end of Delray Beach must use a float-mounted dive flag or another approved diver-down warning device.

The Delray wreck is outside the guarded area protected by city lifeguards, Delray Beach Ocean Rescue Chief Phil Wotton said.
State law requires boat operators to make “a reasonable effort” to stay 300 feet away from dive flags in the open ocean and 100 feet away in an inlet, river or navigation channel. Boats approaching closer must do so at the slowest possible speed that maintains headway and steering.

But some boaters don’t know the law or simply aren’t careful, said Mike Leifeste, a dive boat captain who works at Force E dive shop in Boca Raton.

Although most people respect the dive flags, Leifeste said that sometimes he has to sound an air horn, call boat operators on VHF channel 16 or move his boat between the divers and an approaching boat to protect his divers.

His tip for divers: “Always try to make yourself as visible as possible.”

FWC tightens limits on spotted sea trout

The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission in December approved new limits and management zones for spotted sea trout effective Feb. 1.

In the new Central East zone (Palm Beach through Volusia counties), the daily bag limit for sea trout will drop from four to two fish.
The slot size for sea trout also shrank by an inch. Under the new rules, sea trout must be between 15 and 19 inches in total length to be legal to keep.

The sea trout season also will be closed during November and December, meaning no recreational harvest will be allowed in the Central East zone during those two months.

Coming events

January: Grouper season closed Jan. 1. The seasonal closure means red, black, gag and several other species of grouper cannot be harvested until the season reopens May 1. For details, visit myfwc.com and select “saltwater fishing” and “recreational regulations.”
Jan. 4: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35 ($5 for youths ages 12-19). Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600. Leave a message.

Jan. 8-11: 83rd annual Silver Sailfish Derby, a sailfish release tournament organized by the West Palm Beach Fishing Club and based at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Captains meeting Jan. 8 at the fishing club. Fishing will be Jan. 9-10, followed by awards dinner Jan. 11. Entry fee $1,000 per boat for fishing club members, $1,500 per boat for non-members, plus $300 late fee that kicked in Dec. 21. 832-6780 or www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org.

Jan. 17-18: Operation Sailfish release tournament based at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Kickoff party 6-10 p.m. Jan. 15 at Sailfish Marina. Take a hero fishing day Jan. 16. Competition Jan. 17-18. Entry fee $1,700. 954-725-4010 or www.operationsailfish.com.

Jan. 25: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Register at the door. Call 331-2429.

Tip of the month

If you find a sick, injured or dead sea turtle, call the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert Hotline, 888-404-3922.

The hotline also can be used to report problems with manatees and other wildlife. Be prepared to give the exact location of the turtle or other animal, to report whether it’s alive or dead, to state its approximate size and the closest access point to reach it.

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

The twisted trunks of the buttonwood make a scenic surrounding for a pair of benches. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley

Por La Mar Park in Boca Raton is known for its large gnarly and sprawling southern buttonwood tree. In 1992, the tree received the city’s historic designation for its “landmark significance as well as its historic association and specimen quality.”

The park also recently received an award from the Boca Raton Beautification Committee. “We felt the tree had character and had lived so long that it and the park around it deserved recognition,” says Jo-Ann Landon, past president and longtime committee member.

Today, with its horizontally growing trunk and gnarly bark, that buttonwood remains a testament to the artistry of Mother Nature.
It’s so picturesque that it is often used as a backdrop for graduation and wedding photos, says Samantha Griffin, a records and customer service specialist for the city who lives nearby.

The sprawling tree is set in a traffic circle defined by three neighborhood streets. “When I drive by and see that park, I take a deep breath and think, I’m home,” says Griffin.

A historical photo from the 1920s shows three women lounging under trees in this area that would later become the park.
“It shows us that Boca Raton’s pioneers knew about this spot. It was probably a nice place to get some shade away from the beach,” says Susan Gillis, curator of the Boca Raton Historical Society and Museum.

Women lounge among the trees in 1928 when the park area had a small pond. Photo provided by the Boca Raton Historical Society

Even today visitors are discovering this tiny park’s attractions.

James Rosenberg, 27, of Delray Beach and Karen Restrepo, 26, of Fort Lauderdale have ridden their bikes through the Por La Mar area for over a year.

But only recently did they discover the spreading buttonwood in a ring of strangler figs, sabal palms and some smaller buttonwoods just starting on their growth journey.

The first thing this duo did, after getting off their bikes in the park, was to gently climb the historic buttonwood that creates a natural jungle gym.

Although this tree looks unique, Dawn Sinka, horticulturist/arborist for the city of Boca Raton, explains that this is a natural growth pattern for this species.

She adds that the buttonwood naturally has a vase shape with drooping foliage. But when the foliage touches the ground, as it does repeatedly in this park, the tree begins to grow upward again.

And of course, the force of wind and storms have influenced how this tree has grown.

“Certainly, anyone who stumbles across this tree can’t help but be impressed,” Sinka says.

This .3-acre park and its character tree have been a meeting place for generations of Por La Mar residents, including William Wear, 72.

He lives in the Por La Mar house his grandparents built and where he visited them as a youngster. He remembers the nearby park as a “magnet” for him and his friends, who would climb in the tree.

“Even today, the park is a hidden gem,” he says.

Tree tip

In order to have a buttonwood tree that grows straight to the sky on a single trunk, it requires pruning and multiple staking periods, especially during storms. But even when trained to grow straight, the tree has a tendency to lean and droop. 

You can see some of these straighter buttonwoods growing along Via Cabana and on Northeast Sixth Drive in Boca Raton between Northeast 32nd Street and Spanish River Boulevard.

Isn’t nature amazing?

— Dawn Sinka, horticulturist/arborist for the city of Boca Raton

If You Go

Where: Por La Mar Park is set in a quiet traffic circle created by the coming together of Palm Avenue, Park Drive West and Southeast Olive Way in Boca Raton. It’s just west of A1A and south of East Palmetto Park Road. There is no designated parking.

When: Open 8 a.m. to sunset

Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley can be reached at debhartz@att.net.

By Janis Fontaine

The year 2020.

It rolls off our tongues, the symbol of perfect visual acuity. So, a year with that moniker should be a great year, right?

We asked clergy members how they feel about 2020 and for their best advice for starting the new year on the right foot:

Andy Hagen, pastor for Advent Life Ministries in Boca Raton, said he thought about the idea of the year 2020 and 20/20 vision a few years ago. “That it’s supposed to be perfect vision. I tried to imagine what 2020 would be like.” Hagen realized the futility of trying to predict the future, knowing God has his own ideas about that, and just kept moving forward.

Now he says, “The thing I’m loving as we enter 2020 is people are being more kind and more generous. Saturday I flew to the Bahamas with Bob Stark, a (retired) local businessman who is a pilot and owns his own plane. He wanted to help but didn’t know how, so he contacted me. I reached out to the congregation, and we flew 200 backpacks filled with toys donated by our church family to tiny Moore’s Island in Stark’s twin Cessna. No reindeer required.”

More and more, Hagen says he’s being asked to connect people who want to help with people who need help. “I’m a goodwill broker,” he said.

Rabbi Ruvi New is the spiritual leader and director of Chabad of East Boca and the editor of Inside Out magazine, which focuses on Jewish thought and philosophy. He says his congregation is excited about the new year because it’s also Chabad’s 20th anniversary and there’s a lot to celebrate.

“Now we’re the boutique Chabad,” New said. An upgraded space to handle the growing congregation and a new façade drawn from the eight entries to the sacred city of Jerusalem give Chabad “an opportunity to up our impact,” New says.
“There’s a significance to different decades; they should represent a paradigm shift, a time to see things in a new way. It’s a new chapter.”

Ask yourself, New says, if you are merely existing or are you living? Challenging yourself to grow is a sign of life. “The Hebrew term for year is shana but the word also means change. Ask ‘How am I different than I was last year?’ But don’t waste time or space worrying about things that will never happen or with your eyes focused on the rearview mirror. Only cars should have rearview mirrors. Be in the now.”

New says that every day you wake up is God’s saying, “I need you in the world.”

Jane Faysash of the Southern Palm Zen Group (www.floridazen.com) is a Buddhist pupil and teacher, and she facilitates the monthly Interfaith Café in Delray Beach. It’s a meeting of people of all faiths who come together to hear expert speakers and discuss spiritual issues.

Faysash says one path to a happy future begins with meditation. Most people spend their lives in hyper-drive and can’t imagine “doing nothing” for 30 minutes a day, so Faysash says, start small.

“Start by sitting quietly for five minutes every day. Pay attention to what arises.” If nothing else, Faysash says, “Meditation will help you know yourself better.

Faysash says one reason people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions is they set goals too high. Mammoth goals lead to frustration and failure. Break them down into manageable pieces, like that adage about eating an elephant: “One bite at a time.”
“Do something, just one small thing, toward your goal every day,” Faysash says. “A new year is a chance to start over. Find a community of people with the same intention or goal for support.”

Josh Broide, the outreach rabbi at Boca Raton Synagogue and director of the Center for Jewish Engagement at the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, also feels optimistic.

“I think 2020 will be a year where we can do better as a community. People are grateful and want to do great things, but anything we choose to do should start by taking a good look in the mirror.”

Broide is concerned that we’re not following the most basic life law: the Golden Rule. “We need more civility in our dealings with one another and we need to be better listeners. We need to stop retaliatory abuse — you hurt me, I’ll hurt you — because it spirals out of control. We need to be the bigger person.”

Broide is committed to spreading an enthusiastic message: “I can’t wait for 2020! I’m hoping it will bring good things.”

Rabbi Leibel Stolik of Chabad of South Palm Beach was philosophical: “Building on the concept that 2020 are the numbers that represent perfect visual acuity, if we train our emotional and spiritual vision to be more accepting, generous and empathetic, we are guaranteed a more peaceful and successful year. Recognizing God’s hand in the big and small parts of our lives allows us to shake off aggravation and despair.”

Wendy Tobias, associate pastor at St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, says she’s approaching 2020 by saying yes. Yes to love, yes to God’s presence in her life, yes to community and yes to “creation care,” a worldwide ministry that educates, inspires and mobilizes Christians to care for God’s creation and be stewards of the planet by fighting pollution.

“The earth is a great gift and we should be caring for it,” Tobias said.

Say yes to the community by looking for the helpers, people who are lifting up others, and joining them. “The closer the connection between us, the closer we are to God. And the closer we are to God, the stronger our connection to each other,” Tobias said.
Say yes to kindness. “You’ve heard people ask, ‘Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?’ It takes a lot of courage to choose the kinder path.”

Tobias says if you look around, you’ll see people doing amazing things. It starts with your attitude.

“My mother forbade us from using the word ‘hate’ in our house. She said there was already enough hate in the world. Start the new year by removing the word ‘hate’ from your vocabulary and say yes to love.”

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

About 200 parishioners gathered last month to dedicate the Nativity scene at St. Lucy Catholic Church in Highland Beach. The figures included a removable Jesus that could be placed in the manger on Christmas Eve. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Janis Fontaine

As cars whizzed by on A1A, about 200 parishioners from St. Lucy Catholic Church in Highland Beach gathered after dark for the big reveal of the new life-size Nativity scene. After Father Brian Horgan blessed the manger scene, someone flipped a switch and the characters came to life, with “oohs” and “aahs” all around.

The 12 full-color fiberglass figures featured the one thing the Nativity team demanded: a removable Jesus. The custom is to leave the manger empty until midnight Christmas Eve, when the baby is placed in the scene.

“We didn’t want one with the baby Jesus bolted to the cradle,” Jeannette Schmitz said.

Schmitz is the church’s director of family ministry and social outreach and was part of the volunteer team assigned to finding a suitable holy family for the knolls in front of St. Lucy. It took almost a year.

Finally, at www.catholicsupply.com for just under $10,000, the team found the “72-inch Heaven’s Majesty 12 Piece Full Nativity Set — Life Size.” Schmitz said the volunteers took a special collection for the Nativity over the summer, so the church budget didn’t have to kick in a dime. She found out that a Nativity scene “is very important to a lot of people.”

The tableau features Mary and Joseph, the three wise men, a shepherd carrying a lamb, a sheep, an ox and a donkey, and the angel of the Lord watching over the whole scene. The angel’s wings are gold and almost 7 feet tall. The detail is quite stunning. “We liked the beautiful faces and expressions,” Schmitz said.

After the lighting, parishioners gathered in Fellowship Hall for the annual Feast of St. Lucy, the church’s patron saint. The church served prime rib and snapper and au gratin potatoes.

The lighted display got immediate attention, Schmitz said. “People are stopping to take photos.”

The essence of St. Lucy, whose name means light, is light. A light in the world leading the way for Christians today just as the light of the North Star led the wise men to Bethlehem so long ago.

St. Lucy Catholic Church is at 3510 S. Ocean Blvd.

Author to speak at Unity on living better life

Dennis Merritt Jones, author of The Art of Abundance — Ten Rules for a Prosperous Life, released in 2018, will speak at services at Unity of Delray Beach on Jan. 12. This book and Jones’ two previous books — The Art of Uncertainty — How to Live in the Mystery of Life and Love It and The Art of Being — 101 Ways to Practice Purpose in Your Life — were recipients of Nautilus Awards (“Better Books for a Better World”). He offers free downloadable study guides for the books on his website.

Jones will speak about The Art of Uncertainty at the 9:15 and 11 a.m. services and will present a workshop from 1 to 3:30 p.m. to explore “Practicing the Power of Presence.”

Unity of Delray Beach is at 101 NW 22nd St. Call Unity at 276-5796 or visit www.DennisMerrittJones.com.

Human trafficking expert to speak at St. Lucy

The second annual Human Trafficking Luncheon will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 28 at St. Lucy Catholic Church in Highland Beach.

The keynote speaker is Liza Smoker, an attorney and managing director of the Human Trafficking Academy at St. Thomas School of Law. She graduated from FSU with degrees in multinational business and real estate and law.

Smoker was selected as one of 60 presidential leadership scholars in 2019 for her “leadership growth potential” and “personal leadership projects aimed at improving civic engagement or social good,” and Place of Hope will honor Smoker with its first Illumination Award.

Proceeds from the luncheon will benefit Place of Hope’s human trafficking prevention and education programs. The programs include screenings of a documentary on human trafficking in South Florida and presentations to community, corporate, civic and religious groups. Experts agree the best weapon against this epidemic is education.

Tickets to the luncheon are $55. Sponsorships are available.

For tickets or information, visit www.placeofhoperinker.org/humantraffickingluncheon.

Interfaith conference to address bigotry

JAM & ALL is an organization of Jews, Muslims, Christians and people of all other faiths or no faith who come together to discuss important issues.

On Feb. 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., JAM will host a conference called “Transforming Bigotry and Hate: From Awareness to Action,” led by keynote speaker Arno Michaelis at the Lynn College of Nursing at FAU Boca Raton, 777 Glades Road.

Michaelis used to be a white supremacist, and he will share what drew him to white supremacy and what led to his transformation away from it.

Also part of the conference is “Managing Your Prejudices” by Gail Price-Wise, president of the Florida Center for Cultural Competence.

Tickets, which include a box lunch, are $25 in advance at www.eventbrite.com. Tickets will be $30 at the door. The conference is free for FAU students with ID. For more information, call 289-4621 or 251-5336.

For more about JAM & ALL, visit jamandallinterfaith.net.

Seventh-grader Evangeline Price placed second and eighth-grader Olivia Robbins placed first, earning awards from Principal Vikki Delgado. Photo provided

Forty students competed for two spots to represent the school in the Southeastern Florida Scripps district spelling bee, set for March 10 in Boca Raton. The winner of the district bee will have the opportunity to compete at the regional level.

Delray Beach’s Seagate Hotel hosted about 20 children who got to meet Santa, his wife and helpers. Photos provided

By Janis Fontaine

On Dec. 12, as it has every year for the last six years, the Seagate Hotel & Spa in Delray Beach hosted kindergartners and first-graders from the Achievement Centers for Children & Families and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County for a Santa Claus meet-and-greet. The children enjoyed rides on the Seagate Trolley, a party with cookies, crafts and carols with Mrs. Claus, and gift bags stuffed with goodies to take home.

And look at Santa! This was no hired-off-Craigslist figure. E. Anthony Wilson, CEO of Seagate Hospitality Group, played the jolly man and Carie Cody, the hotel’s retail manager, was Mrs. Claus.

Wilson left town on Santa’s heels, but we reached him by email: “One of my favorite Christmas traditions that I look forward to every year is getting the opportunity to dress up as Santa for an annual holiday children’s event. All kids should experience the joy of meeting Santa and I’m honored to be able to provide that experience.

“There’s only one thing better than supporting the Achievement Centers and the Boys and Girls Clubs, and that’s seeing smiles on the children’s faces when they meet Santa face-to-face. It’s the little things that make this holiday season so special.”
Way to go, Mr. Wilson!

Bahamian Christmas breakfast for kids

In Boynton Beach, a party for displaced Bahamians meant gifts such as new dresses for Zaniah Maycock, 10, and her sister Leah, 3.

Most kids look forward to Christmas with unbridled glee, but for children who lost everything to Hurricane Dorian when it devastated the northern Bahamas in early September, a bountiful Christmas didn’t seem possible. But through the efforts of Sandy Collier, who owns Hey, Sandy PR, and Bethan Whitely, founder of Children’s Oasis International, dozens of kids received a happy — and delicious — Christmas.

On Dec. 14, families gathered at the New Disciples Worship Center in Boynton Beach for an authentic Bahamian breakfast. Volunteers served Bahamian favorites outside under tents in perfect South Florida weather. Nothing like the weather that brought Shanterica Bain and her three kids to Boynton Beach.

Bain says she and her children nearly perished in the storm. As the water rose around them, Bain and her fiancé, John Comet, took their three children (the youngest just 4 months old) plus four nieces and nephews to a shelter in their van. But the doors of the shelter were locked up tight, and the screeching winds and stinging rain prevented anyone inside from hearing their calls for help.
Cellphone service on Grand Bahama had been out all night, but Bain got through. Comet carried each of the kids, the oldest 14, one by one, to the side door.

The next day, Bain and the kids were evacuated, but Comet stayed behind.

Bain is grateful for the help she and her family have received and says the kids are happy and excelling in school, which is important to her. But she doesn’t want to go back to the Bahamas.

She says the experience has been harder, mentally and emotionally, on her than the kids, who have bounced back. But the jovial spirits of the volunteers who served special dishes from home lifted her spirits.

“We cooked all night,” Collier said. Dishes included stewed conch, corned beef, steamed tuna, broiled grouper, chicken souse, yellow and white grits, johnnycake and potato bread. The deep-fryer bubbled nonstop and the pans of deliciousness just kept coming.

Collier got help from the crew from Funky Fritters, including owner Brandon Mervil, and Mini Meals on Wheels founder Christina Dixon Wells. The food was paid for by West Palm Beach attorneys Michael Pike, of the firm Pike & Lustig, and Tayson Gaines.
After breakfast, the kids listened to a Christmas story read by Whitely while the gifts were readied. Then each child was called up personally to receive his or her present. Each actually got two gifts: one to open then and one for Christmas morning.

The one thing that didn’t go as planned, Collier said, was “11 children who weren’t registered didn’t receive anything, but we told them we’d fix that.”

For more info, call Hey, Sandy PR at 386-5262 or email heysandypr@gmail.com. For more information about COI, visit www.childrensoasisinternational.com.

Help needed to assemble packages for rescued kids

Volunteers are needed for the Child Rescue Coalition’s Blankets and Bear Hugs Community Day, which takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. Jan. 25. Tickets are $25.

Carly Yoost, founder and CEO of the Boca Raton-based CRC, wrote that since she founded the coalition in 2013, it has been involved in the arrests of thousands of suspects and has helped rescue hundreds of children. The coalition has done it with Child Protection System technology, which tracks predators who are sharing child porn online.

Experts say millions of images are shared and traded online every day. The CRC works with child exploitation investigators, police officers, digital forensic experts, prosecutors and child welfare agencies, and uses corporate and private philanthropy to apprehend and convict abusers and rescue children.

When that happens, child victims can take a bit of comfort from care packages that include a teddy bear and a soft blanket, a coloring book and crayons. Police officers stock their patrol cars just in case.

On Blankets and Bear Hugs Community Day, volunteers of all ages are invited to join law enforcement to assemble teddy bear care packages. The event will include a presentation about the CRC’s work and how you can keep your kids safe online. All ages are welcome.

For more information, email events@childrescuecoalition.org or call 208-9000.

New color schemes and settings help to create a more open feel in the dining rooms. Photo provided

By Brian Biggane

Nearly 200 people were entertained by the Palm Beach Pipers bagpipe ensemble and a five-piece band as St. Andrews Club of Delray Beach celebrated the completion of its expansive renovation project on Dec. 6.

President Henry Blackiston made a short speech and presided over a ribbon-cutting ceremony before the bagpipe ensemble, respecting the Scottish tradition of St. Andrews, led attendees inside the clubhouse and up the stairs to the refurbished ballroom.
“It was really spectacular,” General Manager Robert Grassi said.

Blackiston presented gifts to members who had been involved in planning for the project, which began in November 2018. Permits were secured in April, construction started in May and the job was completed in late November.

Grassi said the goal of the renovations was to meet members’ requests to bring a “more airy atmosphere” and more of a Florida feel to the facility. “The dining rooms are yellow, gold and white, and each room has a distinctive color combination with the wallpaper, so they blend nicely,” he said. “The members wanted more casual dining and more bars, so we built a huge bar downstairs and we have more casual space. There’s also a beautiful porch that looks out on the ocean.”

The renovations were more than cosmetic. They included new furniture throughout, improved lighting and an upgraded sound system. Also updated were the software, wiring and phone systems.

“It was a massive renovation because we took everything in need of an update and addressed it,” Grassi said.

The goal going forward is to offer more diversity in the dining area and attract more members by broadening the club’s target market. While the club has typically cut back on activities during summer months, Grassi said the plan now is to be open year-round except for September.

“We’re a family-friendly club,” Grassi declared. “The most family-friendly club on A1A.”