Category: Community

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Canines Making a Difference

Cheryl Krause-Parello is an animal lover. Her spouse, a marine veteran and detective with the NYPD, was involved in the rescue and recovery efforts of September 11. He did not grow up around pets, but had a cherished relationship with the couple’s dachshund, Samantha. “I watched every night from a distance and the dachshund really saved him; he pet his stress away,” Krause-Parello said. Krause-Parello could not sit and watch quietly anymore when she knew other animals could make the same difference. The couple came up with the name C-P.A.W.W.; a program to pair canines with wounded veterans.

The mission is on its sixth year and Krause-Parello cannot imagine anything she would rather be doing. “I am blending my passion for nursing, science, human-animal interaction, military, and veterans to bring some hope to this population that sometimes does not feel they have the support they need,” she said. Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing is now home to C-P.A.W.W. “We want to be able to connect veterans with companion animals, especially for injuries that are not quite as visible like posttraumatic stress disorder, but it’s not reimbursed by health insurance and can cost as much as $30,000 for up to two years just to train the animal,” said Gisele Galoustian, media relations director at Florida Atlantic University. This is where community volunteers and financial support are imperative.

C-P.A.W.W. is responding to the research that shows protective factors are needed against suicide in the military population as well as an improved understanding of palliative effects of animal-assisted interventions. “There are physical and psychological benefits when a veteran goes to a therapy session with an animal present. The dogs decrease a patient’s stress and they feel less anxious,” Krause-Parello said. The impact of social connectedness is even revealed in studies. “With our research using biomarkers to look at stress indicators to see what the body is doing and how it reacts when a person is with the dog, we find there are stress reduction biomarkers happening with cortisol and immunoglobulin A and the animals can support positive health, which is fantastic,” Krause-Parello continued. 

A wide range of canines lend their paws to this initiative… from St. Bernard’s to huskies. They may be service dogs, therapy dogs, companion animals, or simply personal pets. “A larger dog is more for physical help, for example if someone has a prosthetic and needs help with balance, since it can brace them when walking, as opposed to a smaller dog for emotional support that someone can have on his lap,” Krause-Parello said. There is no one-size-fits-all approach and dogs can be trained regardless of whether the need is psychological or physical. 

Since the launch is so fresh at Florida Atlantic University there is a website and Facebook to gain social media presence. If you or a beloved veteran can benefit from this program, do not hesitate to reach out and make contact. “The suicide rate is so high and sometimes veterans do not feel there are any options out there for them so some seek out a service animal that gives them a sense of purpose,” said Krause-Parello. If you feel inclined to donate, your money can go toward supporting the research that may eventually encourage lawmakers to make a public policy change. It is truly amazing what these dogs can do. For more information and ways to get involved, contact Krause-Parello at cpaww@health.fau.edu or visit nursing.fau.edu/cpaww.

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Parkland Poets Take the Stage

Poetry is loosely defined as ‘a beautiful expression of feelings and ideas.’ Whether written or spoken, it is a thought-provoking and meaningful way for your voice to be heard. Poetry can be personal or public, and the definition of the word could not be more fitting than for a group of young students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School known as the Parkland Poets.

The Poets consist of a diverse group of teens and their teacher, all with a similar interest – to address the pressing issues of our day using a positive and artful approach. By sharing their stories, they seek to empower their fellow youth. The Parkland Poets were profiled this year during the annual Louder Than a Bomb: Florida poetry festival comprised of teens from the Florida Keys to Jacksonville. This forum provides a safe space for individual and collective expression. To better explain the events’ title, co-founder Kevin Coval said, “We feel that what young people have to say about the world they inhabit and hope to construct is more useful than any armament, more complex than prison industrial systems, and louder than any bomb.” The Poets’ graceful approach in describing the tragic events of February 14 will draw you in from the students’ very first breath. With a recurring theme of, “I don’t know if I’m doing this right,” they speak openly about that devastating day and how it has changed them forever. These special young people choose to cope with their grief by turning to the spoken word and deliver a gripping performance through the eyes of those who were there.

While some adolescents shy away from public speaking, the Parkland Poets thrive at it. This platform allows them to express their raw emotion, their fears, their angst… themselves. Their tremendous stage presence is especially evident in a scene where individual Poets stand on stage as one and share, “I’m adrift in a sea of complacency. I couldn’t even bring myself to bring myself to the funerals, to look at the pictures of the victims… I’m heartless and cold; at least, that’s what I’m told. But I don’t know how to feel. I don’t know if I’m doing this right!” Presented by NBC 6 and the Jason Taylor Foundation, you can view this compelling 30-minute performance now on YouTube.

Legendary Miami Dolphin defensive end, Jason Taylor, has a success story of his own. While homeschooled from grades 10 to 12, he remained on his high school’s football team. In college, he was a four-year letterman and also starred on the school’s basketball team. As a junior, he earned National Defensive Player of the Week honors and was drafted the following year by the Miami Dolphins. He established the Jason Taylor Foundation in 2004 with the hopes of giving back to our local community. Admittedly from humble beginnings, Taylor had great ambition to provide South Florida’s less fortunate youth with better opportunities than he had growing up. This objective has led him to a mission of understanding, compassion, and support. He’s created programs that empower children by focusing on improved health care, education, and simple quality of life. With clear goals in mind, the NFL Hall of Famer set out to build on the impact that the Omari Hardwick bluapple Poetry Network created and became involved with Louder Than a Bomb: Florida. Now in its fourth year, the event is stronger and the poetry is more influential than ever. Taylor told NBC 6, “It’s spoken word poetry in a very raw, organic, real way that’s leaving a big impact on kids. Words can be cutting and uplifting, they can be inspiring, and that’s what we have here.”

It’s extremely powerful to watch these amazing youngsters perform, but when you think about why this group came about, and the dreadful reason for where their poetry was spawned, it really hits home. So how do we end the violence? We may not have all the answers quite yet, but coming together and taking a stance, as the Parkland Poets do, is unquestionably a great beginning.

To learn more about the Jason Taylor Foundation and Louder Than a Bomb: Florida, visit the website at https://jasontaylorfoundation.com/programs/louder-than-a-bomb-florida/.

“Teach your child poetry; it opens the mind, lends grace to wisdom and makes the heroic virtues hereditary.” — Walter Scott

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MSD Mom Wins Election to Broward County School Board

Next month, the Parkland community will have one of its own representing them on the Broward County School Board when the mother of a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting victim takes her oath of office and her place on the dais.

Lori Alhadeff, a former classroom teacher whose daughter Alyssa was one of 14 students killed last Feb. 14, avoided a runoff when she was elected with an overwhelming 64 percent of the vote in August, beating Tennille Decoste and Michael Kottler for the District 4 seat, which includes Parkland, Coral Springs, and Tamarac. She replaces Abby Freedman, who did not run.

“While this journey has been long, this is only the beginning. I will now use the mandate that the voters have given me to go and ensure that all kids and teachers are safe in all schools,” Alhadeff said in a statement after her victory.

“I will fight for our amazing teachers to ensure that they have a larger role in the major decisions that the School Board makes, and to make sure that they have the resources they need to do their job. I will provide the transparency and accountability that this district has been lacking for far too long,” said Alhadeff, who has master’s degree in education.

“The forces to maintain the status quo organized to defeat me, but they themselves were defeated. I look forward to working with every stakeholder who has the best interest of our kids, our teachers, and the district in mind. This community deserves nothing less.”

Her addition to the nine-member school board weakens the solid support that Superintendent Robert Runcie has enjoyed in recent years. She has criticized his response to the shooting and the slow progress of an $800 million bond that voters approved four years ago to improve crumbling schools. Freedman, the school board member Alhadeff replaces, typically supported Runcie.

Alhadeff told the Sun-Sentinel after she was elected that she ran to honor her daughter, Alyssa, a 14-year-old freshman who played soccer.

“Her death empowered me to want to run,” Alhadeff said. “I know Alyssa would be so proud, and I want to make sure what happens to my daughter doesn’t happen to another family.

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The Journey of a Thousand Miles

While this title may seem incongruous to the subject matter, I feel it fits perfectly into the goals and objectives of FAMSVARPAC and other organizations of similar ilk. What is FAMSVARPAC? The acronym stands for Families Versus Assault Rifles Political Action Committee. This organization was founded after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD) to fight for better and stronger gun control from our legislators at all levels of government; local, state, and federal. Their ultimate goal is the elimination of semi-automatic rifle sales to the general populace, stronger background checks focusing on mental health, and the elimination of the NRA as a major force in the political arena as well as in our American way of life. How do they propose to move forward with their ideas?

I met with and interviewed three of the men on the board of this organization: Jeffrey A. Kasky, president; Sergio Rozenblat, national financial chairman; and Steve Wind, treasurer. All three come from diverse backgrounds and occupations. Despite their differences, they have something in common – all three men had children who not only attended MSD at the time of the mass shooting, but who also survived the horror. Their fathers’ united belief that there must be a stop to this type of violence led them, along with many others, to form this group. To say they are passionate and determined in their goals would be an understatement. While I sat there listening (and interacting) with these men, I found it interesting that even though they have the same common goals, they have different opinions on how to achieve them. As an apolitical organization, they hold no set stance against either party, and they do not advocate against any one politician or group of politicians. What they want to achieve is to elect politicians who have the same objectives toward gun safety as they do, and replace those who don’t. What they also believe is that weapons, such as the AR-15 and similar weapons of military grade, should not be sold to and do not belong in the hands of the American public; they simply serve no purpose. Yet, in most of the mass shootings we have seen in recent years, these are the weapons of choice; and sadly, purchasing one of these “weapons of mass destruction” is easier than buying a car.

Let me be even clearer about their feelings: None of the three are against the Second Amendment. None of them want to take guns out of the hands of gun owners. In fact, there are gun owners in this group, along with those who have proudly served in military and law enforcement agencies, and they believe in the right to defend self and property, if necessary. The revocation of the Second Amendment is not their calling. What they are doing is putting their money where their mouths are… they are tired of hearing “sound bytes,” empty words, promises, condolences, and seeing very little being done by our leaders and politicians. They are tired of hearing all the rhetoric after every shooting… until the next shooting. They want politicians who listen for a change… to listen and then effect change. “Never Again” should be more than a slogan.

Will their goals be met? They aren’t sure, but they are determined to keep on trying, now and into the foreseeable future. While the reality of the difficulties they face isn’t lost on them, it is also not deterring them. I think that is what ultimately counts. Nothing great, or of major importance, has ever been accomplished without strife and struggle.

If you feel the same way and want to help this organization, visit www.Donate17.org. You can also go to www.FAMSVARPAC.ORG and see how you can offer your support.

Remember, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

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Chabad of Parkland is breaking new ground

Serving as the regional headquarters for Chabad of North Broward and South Palm Beach Counties, the Chabad of Parkland Center for Jewish Life is getting a facelift.

The interior design has been completed and construction is well underway. The designer incorporated a Feng Shui style showcasing natural elements such as earth, metal, water, and wood using muted colors of blues, grays, silvers, whites, and ivories to accentuate this stunning new temple’s facade.

The Center will feature a wall honoring one of the most influential Jewish spiritual leaders of our time, Rabbi Menacham Mendel Schneerson. Rabbi Schneerson is widely recognized as the drive behind the universal progression of the Chabad movement. The focal point of the sanctuary will be the Holy Ark, where the synagogue’s Torah scrolls are kept. After a lengthy permitting process, ground was finally broken for the new house of worship in 2015 and since then there has been a tremendous response from our community to see this project to its fruition.

The building’s architect, Kobi Karp, said of the design, “I used the community as inspiration for a sculptural building using indoor/outdoor spaces for congregation, assembly, and play. A key element in the design of the Chabad was orienting and placing the site to maximize natural light indirectly into the spaces.”

The Hebrew acronym ChaBaD, standing for wisdom, understanding and knowledge, is a way of life for some Jewish people of faith. Its philosophy that we must work together in an effort to make the world a better place by promoting acts of kindness is based on the teachings of Rabbi Schneerson.

The Center was founded in 1998 by the parents of current Rabbi Shuey Biston. These visionaries set out to enrich our daily life experience through development of the spiritual inner-self of each person. They created an environment of love and acceptance by teaching tolerance and awareness for all. Decades later, Chabad of Parkland has blossomed into a large and thriving community.

The campus at 7170 Loxahatchee Road, functions as a meeting place for social, religious, educational, cultural, and family friendly events. Congregates can partake in Hebrew school programs and weekly Kiddush luncheons that follow Shabbat morning services, along with numerous other activities taking place throughout the year for worshipers of all ages.

With custom doors, silver-leafed ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and fresh landscape, the new site is scheduled for completion in early 2019. To contact the Chabad of Parkland Center for Jewish Life, call 954-970-9551 or visit ChabadofParkland.com.

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The Youth Vote

It was March and we were in Minnesota. My son played on the Stoneman Douglas hockey team and they earned a spot in the High School National Championships. Plymouth, a suburb of the Twin Cities, was the host city. That weekend the March For Our Lives rallies were taking place around the country with the big one happening in D.C. The youth of our society responding vigorously to unimaginable tragedy, banding together, organizing, and very much being heard. Our group of players, students, and parents were invited to the rally in St. Paul, a march of a couple miles, which was to finish on the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol.

We were out there early on that Saturday morning and the air was frigid. But the great crowd of Minnesotans was warm. They invited the Douglas students to begin the march, and so our group from Parkland – and the students in particular – walked with purpose at the forefront of what we quickly came to see was a magnificent demonstration of solidarity. A spirited parade of young inspired citizens moving down streets lined with energetic supporters. It was the most authentic and concrete display of democracy in action I’d personally ever witnessed. When 18,000 or so people gather in one place to pull together for something, the power is undeniable.

I kept noticing the signs. Signs held up everywhere, clever ones, simple ones, some fancy, some plain, large and small, some with messages as biting as the cold. After we arrived onto the steps of the Capitol and were facing back towards the crowd, with the speeches getting underway, I noticed a woman among the spectators standing below who was holding a sign we have all seen many times. A sign bearing one of the common slogans connected with political events, a phrase so mundane it’s easy to not notice it at all. But on that wintry spring morning, standing amid those many thousands, hearing the speakers talk of the changes sure to come, and the youthful crowd chanting and enthused, it occurred to me that this woman’s familiar sign was most important one of all. It wasn’t witty or clever. All it said was “Register to Vote.”

Getting the word out with marches, protests, signs, and speeches is important. But for all the energy spent on rallies and gatherings, debates on TV, articles in the news, the real impact depends on votes being cast on Election Day.

In recent history, youth voter turnout has been well below the average, especially during midterm elections. Data reported by Tufts University’s Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement shows that while voter turnout in recent presidential elections for citizens aged 18 to 29 has been in the 50 percent range, in the past several midterms, the turnout for the same group has fallen into the low to mid 20 percent range. The same data shows that turnout for citizens 30 years and older is typically 20 percentage points higher than those rates. And isolating the guys’ numbers, CIRCLE figures demonstrating recent historical turnout by gender through 2010 show that since about the 1990s, young men consistently show up to the voting booth in lower percentages than young women.

According to the Florida Department of State website, the last day to register to vote in Florida for the November 6, 2018 general election is October 9, 2018. It will be interesting to see if the turnout of young voters in this election falls in line with historical patterns. Maybe this time something changes. Maybe this is the election that sets a new standard. Maybe this is a moment in time when the younger generation of the day demonstrates the full scope of its force. Not only the walking and the talking, but also the casting of the ballot. Maybe this is the day when the young lead us – like they led the nation on that Saturday in March – and we advance toward the fundamental goal of never again.

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Richard Walker, Candidate District 2 Commission Seat

In a nonpartisan race, Richard Walker faces Diego Pfeiffer for the Parkland District 2 commission seat. It will become vacant once commissioner Grace Solomon’s term expires in November. Election day falls on Nov. 6.

Each candidate was asked questions pertaining to issues facing Parkland, the candidate’s reasons for running, and how he would address top issues facing the city.

Walker said his experience as a family man and businessman qualifies him for the seat. He decided to run because he and his family are “fully invested in the city. I want to do my part to ensure the city that my wife and I chose for our children continues to be a special place.” He added: “I believe my experience and family make-up, having five children at each level of our school system and their various activities throughout the city give me a unique perspective on the commission.”

Walker added, “My extensive experience in the business world gives me a big picture understanding to ensure every decision is made in a fiscally responsible manner. Having been involved as a board member in soccer and Little League and as involved in the school system as we are, I believe I have a sound understanding of the needs and desires of residents.”

Walker hasn’t held a position in government. However, “I have been involved in many levels as a coach and recreational league board member.” As he sees them, the top issues are parks and recreation, growth and infrastructure, as well as safety and security.

“As our city grows, we need to ensure we can keep our city and all of our residents safe,” Parker said. “We need to improve communication with our Parks and Recreation department to ensure our Recreational programs and residents have the best access and as we grow all their needs are met to have successful program and events,” Walker said.

Regarding growth and infrastructure Walker said, “we need to ensure we have the plans in place to have the infrastructure to facilitate our incoming growth. We need to be mindful of the exceptional services our residents expect and that we can continue them at the highest levels.”

The candidate said he is looking forward to working with city officials to “ensure our residents have the best of everything.”

What attracted Walker to Parkland was the small town feel. “I can go anywhere in the city and see people I know and when I meet someone new I am greeted with a warm reception.”

Walker has owned Bergen Sign Company for 22 years and is originally from New Jersey. After the company opened its second office in Pompano Beach, Walker commuted back and forth. That is, until he and his family moved to Parkland four years ago. “I could not think of a better place to raise our children,” he said.

Editor’s note: Despite repeated attempts to reach Diego Pfeiffer by phone and emails he did not respond. Pfeiffer, 18, is a recent graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

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Project 1841 Brings Smiles to Foster Care Teens

The year was 2007, and Robin Miller sat in a living room watching TV. It was December, a time for family and friends, but the teenage girl sat in a chair isolated and alone, wondering what her life would be like without the safety net of foster care. The 18-year-old had aged out of the system, and admitted to being both “excited and scared.” The look of uncertainty on her face was captured by photographer Mike Stocker for a story written by Mike Mayo of the Sun-Sentinel. It was titled, “Her Independence Day.”

After reading the story, Weston high school freshman Alexandra “Alex” Rubin contacted ChildNet, Broward County’s foster care agency, to see how she could help. The answer was unexpected, but poignant. She was told teens aging out of foster care needed luggage or duffle bags so they could leave with dignity, and not resort to putting their belongings in trash bags.

She called three freshman friends, Ilana Wolpert, Alli Weiss, and Alexandra Kaplan. Each attended a different school, but all shared the same caring spirit. Out of their bond Project 1841 was created. The “18” was for 18 year-olds, “4” recognized the group’s four female members, and the “1” stood for one cause—to help foster teens transition into independence. As seniors, the founder received three Miami Herald Silver Knights Awards for community service.

After months of fundraising to buy essentials, members of 1841 delivered its first set of duffle bags to ChildNet in April 2008. Each was packed with a bed pillow and pillowcase, a towel, washcloth, toiletries, household items, snack bags, and a personalized birthday card wishing each teen a bright and successful future.

Kaydion Watson, the aftercare supervisor at ChildNet, called Project 1841 a “phenomenal source of support” and said the duffle bags tagged and delivered to the agency are extremely important. “It’s more than a goodwill gesture because it enhances their self-worth during a very difficult time of transition,” he said. “As trivial as a duffle bag may seem to some, it’s likely the first tangible, practical item they’ve ever owned.”

“We are a non-profit resource arm of ChildNet, and work in conjunction with the agency’s Independent Living Department,” said Dori Kaplan, mother of co-founder Alexandra, and program advisor. “I’m proud that in some small way we’ve been able to help, but I’m even prouder that 1841 is still going strong 10 year after it was founded.”

When members leave the group after four years, others wait in the wings. “This was such a great cause that when the original members left we didn’t want to see the program end,” Kaplan said. The torch was then passed to Kaplan’s daughter, Caroline and three of her friends formed the second generation of Project 1841. When it was their time, Kaplan’s niece, Amanda Richard and three of her friends ushered in the third generation. The fourth generation of Lexis Ofstein, Andrea Hengber, Sami Ofstein, and Julia Glacer are all students at Stoneman Douglas High School—the first time all four members have been from the same school.

Lexi, now a senior will have her spot filled by her younger sister. “I’m excited she’s getting involved because this is a terrific program,” Ofstein said. “It taught me to see the world with a different point of view, and not take the little things for granted.” She recently attended graduation ceremonies for many of the foster care teens she and her group had helped. “The smiles on their faces were genuine appreciation,” she said. “It really made me realize that small bags of basic necessities can make a huge difference in someone’s life.”

All the donated items are stored at the Kaplan home and once a month Project 1841 members gather to prepare the bags. The group is provided the first names of those that are to age out the following month. “We appreciate the generous donations that make these purchases possible,” Kaplan said. “Without the community’s support this program would not be what it is today.”

At any given time, about 600 youths between 18 and 23 will have exited foster care in Broward County, and another 120 are getting prepared to transition out on their own. Kaplan said that members of Project 1841 prepared more than 1,000 bags since the program began. “With the starter kits, there’s also a lot of hugs, words of encouragement, and best wishes for the next chapter of their lives,” Kaplan added. “We hope to inspire others from different counties or even other states to find out how they can help foster teens who age out in their communities.”

In a world of daily news cycles that are filled with anxiety, stories of good people doing great things are refreshing. Four generations of Project 1841 is a shining example.

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The Amazing Bees Festival

The Amazing Bee Festival to Offer Family Fun and Fitness & The Importance of Pollinators

The Amazing Bees Festival is the latest family event scheduled in Boca Raton for 2018, and it’s designed to give families of children ages two to twelve something to do together in October that goes beyond screen time.

The festival will celebrate the importance of nature’s pollinators, particularly the bees that have been in danger in recent years. Festival organizers seek to educate families about how they can support bees by making eco-friendly choices to help them thrive.

The festival includes a show that follows the adventures of Big Bee, Queen Honey, Prince Bob Bee and Princess Debbee as they search for fresh nectar and brave a variety of hardships to survive. Families are encouraged to get up and move to the music during the performance.

Scheduled activities include Zumbini, Zumba Kids, kids’ yoga, Zumba and Capoeira, a form of martial arts from Brazil. Families will also be able to participate in other interactive games, including giant Jenga, giant Bubbles and a classic bean bag toss. Face painting, clowns and plenty of arts and crafts will also be available.

“From the minute you arrive you will be moving like ‘busy bees,’ having a large variety of activities to choose and participate in as a family,” said Fitness Instructor Regina M. Rossi.

The Amazing Bees Festival is scheduled for October 20 at Mizner Park Amphitheater located at: 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, FL 33432.

Tickets start at $15 and are available online through: https://www.universe.com/events/amazing-bees-festival-tickets-N40TCL?ref=universe-discover.

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Coral Springs High’s First Graduating Class to Celebrate its 40th Reunion

Preparations are underway for a special occasion in September for some Coral Springs High School alumni. The class of ‘78, which was the school’s first graduating class, will celebrate its 40th reunion with a full line of festivities to take place on Ft. Lauderdale Beach. Native Floridian, Andrea DaSilva along with former classmates Susan Lipinski Swiderski, Kathy Kittredge, and Cindy Foster have been busy organizing the event filled weekend. DaSilva jokingly said that Mike McCormick is also on the committee, but “he is really just trying to get the football team together.”

Coral Springs High School had yet to be established so students were shuffled around a bit from Coconut Creek to Pompano Beach. The decision was made in 1975 to build the school but it was not ready for the start of the school year for the class of ‘78. The students spent their sophomore year in portable classrooms, but enjoyed the newly built facility for their junior and senior years. Being the pioneers of the school, the students had the opportunity to contribute to the development of the school including choosing the school colors, mascot, and other traditions. This class was the first to experience many things including the first edition of the school’s newspaper the Pony Express and the first student government. While this class looks forward to reuniting in September, DaSilva takes a moment to look back.

“It was so much fun growing up in Coral Springs,” DaSilva said. She recalls her Dad teaching her to drive on two lane roads and there was cow in the middle of the road. “I always say the people in Parkland have great soil because it was all cow pastures out there,” DaSilva said. According to DaSilva, Coral Springs really only began to evolve once the high school was built. Going out to dinner or to the mall involved a trip to either Sunrise or Pompano Beach. Not having a local school was not always easy and DaSilva said that having split sessions at Coconut Creek also made it difficult to adjust. Even though her 10th grade was spent in a portable classroom, DaSilva said it was “the best” because everyone was finally together. DaSilva talks about their first hangouts being Danny’s, Little Italy, and the bowling alley. “You would be surprised how many of the students still live here,” DaSilva said, adding that on any given night you can go into the old Danny’s, which is now J.D’s, and run into former classmates.

The committee is hopeful that classmates both near and far will enjoy meeting old friends and making new memories. DaSilva shares stories of some of the classmates including their one local celebrity, Pete Prisco who is now a Jacksonville sports announcer, hinting that it would be really nice if he would come. It remains to be seen who will turn out for the event, but it is certain to be a fun time for all.

A First Class Cocktail Party will be the first opportunity for classmates to reconnect at 7pm on Friday, September 21 at Bahia Mar Resort followed by a day at the beach on Saturday. Everyone is encouraged to bring food and coolers to this free beach party where the “Colts” will have the opportunity to have some fun in the sun. Saturday night will be a flashback to the 70s with dinner and disco, the D.J. is also a member of the first graduating class. Sunday morning coffee on the pool deck will be the last time for the first class to mingle and say their goodbyes.

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Moving Ahead With School Safety

Parkland residents have offered suggestions on how to keep the city’s Broward County Public Schools students safe in the wake of last February’s shooting that killed 17 people. Municipal officials have been aiding the school district through a process that has involved a town hall meeting and focus groups. Parkland officials hired an independent company Ft. Lauderdale-based Conceptual Communications, to conduct the process.

“We don’t want to do anything that would alter the integrity of the data,” city spokesman Todd DeAngelis said, adding that is why the city hired an independent entity to run the process. A total of 78 people participated in six focus groups on May 29, 31, and June 2.

DeAngelis said Conceptual Communications employees were to synthesize comments, suggestions, etc. emerging from the focus groups. Then, Conceptual Communications planned to hand the information over to the city, which would, in turn, provide to the school district with the information. DeAngelis said the city could receive a report on the focus groups as early as June 16. After city officials hand over the report to the school district, “that’s the end of the process from our standpoint,” DeAngelis said.

In mid-May, the city initiated a two-step process to gain resident input on school safety. The first process was a town hall experience. Parkland officials invited residents to participate in one of several ways. They could show up in person at Pine Trails Park to record a video message up to three minutes. It would outline “their suggestions on the topic of school safety related to Broward County Public Schools located in the City of Parkland or complete a digital survey on the same topic,” according to information from the city.

Residents unable to attend the May 14 town hall experience had the chance to complete a digital survey online, from May 11 through 15. DeAngelis said residents who participated in the town hall were asked if they’d be willing to partake in one or more focus groups through a randomly selected process. Information from the town hall would “serve to direct the focus group discussions,” the city spokesman said.

Nearly 80 people participated in the aforementioned six focus groups held at the end of May and in early June. Neither the town hall experience nor the focus groups were open to the media. DeAngelis said city officials decided that offering residents the chance to voice their opinions was the right thing to do.

“We just wanted to facilitate a process to ensure their voices are heard,” he said. The spokesman noted that school-age residents who live in Parkland attend Broward County Public Schools. Furthermore, their parents are “heavily invested in the schools,” he added. “If the voices of the residents of Parkland were absent, it would seem conspicuously so,” DeAngelis said. “The superintendent has indicated that he is looking forward to receiving the information,” he said, referring to Broward County Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie.

“Our community must find a way to learn and move forward from the tragedy that occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas,” Runcie said in a prepared statement through a district spokesperson. “The town hall meeting and the focus groups offer a way for the Parkland community to come together, work together and hopefully, stay together to find answers and make change. We welcome this process and its potential for healing.”

The shooting at Stoneman Douglas spawned an impassioned response from not just local youth, but students nationwide. Local students marched in the area and in Washington D.C. advocated for stricter gun laws and restrictions, encouraged people to vote, spoke out on national television, met with President Trump and other high-ranking government officials and conducted protests.

March for Our Lives was a student-led demonstration in support of tighter gun control. The event took place on March 24 in Washington D.C. with more than 800 similar events throughout the U.S. and around the world.

Although several school shootings have taken place following the Feb. 14 massacre at Stoneman Douglas, youth are keeping up the fight. March for Our Lives is now a website with resources. (https://marchforourlives.com).

Its mission statement reads: “Not one more. We cannot allow one more child to be shot at school. We cannot allow one more teacher to make a choice to jump in front of an assault rifle to save the lives of students. We cannot allow one more family to wait for a call or text that never comes. Our children and teachers are dying. We must make it our top priority to save these lives.”

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The Unexpected: Children Can Have Strokes

Edgire Joseph credits Dr. Celso Agner with saving her 11-year-old daughter’s life from a condition many may not associate with children. Stroke.

Strokes are a lot more common – and potentially deadly – in children than people might realize. “It’s the 10th leading cause of mortality in children,” said Agner, who treated Joseph’s daughter, Coral Springs pre-teen Lynn-sah Joseph.

Lynn-say’s symptoms, on the day she suffered a stroke last November, suggested something wasn’t right. At school, she complained about feeling dizzy and had a headache. When Lynn-sah came home her symptoms worsened. EMS personnel rushed her to Broward Health Medical Center. The girl’s condition deteriorated – until she became paralyzed on her left side.

Following her diagnosis, Lynn-sah underwent emergency surgery to remove a blood clot in the middle of her brain. Six days after the operation, Lynn-sah’s neurological test returned normal. She did, however, suffer some residual weakness in her left arm. Lynn-sah returned to school six weeks later.

Her mother recalled feeling “scared” and “shocked” on that November day, when her daughter couldn’t feel her left side. “The second shock that day was when I found out they didn’t have any stroke treatments for children,” Edgire said. “Dr. Agner is the best and he saved my daughter’s life.” The physician is an interventional neurologist at Broward Health Medical Center.

“I didn’t want to believe that I had a stroke,” Lynn-sah said. “Not at my age. I thought it happened to people who are older.”

Agner said strokes are “not very common” in children and teenagers. “Most childhood strokes occur either because the youth has Sickle Cell Disease, or because the youngster had suffered a form of trauma. “Non-traumatic stroke is even more rare, because they are not recognized easily,” Agner said.

In Lynn-sah’s case, “the cause of stroke has not been identified yet,” he added. “We are working on it. The patient has been consulted by specialists in cardiology and hematology.”

Stroke is more likely in the teen years than in earlier childhood. Agner said it’s “hard to talk about numbers because strokes are often missed. It is getting more frequently diagnosed because the awareness on the condition is increasing, so we start seeing more cases.”

Agner said children and their caregivers should be on the lookout for the following symptoms: Difficulty moving limbs on one side, problems with vision, trouble speaking, unresponsiveness, or not being alert. “If any of these things occur without a prior history of occurring, there should be a concern for stroke,” he said. “Children should be taken to the ER immediately. Do not delay or wait. The main problem with pediatric stroke is early recognition.”

According to Broward Health officials, Lynn-sah’s early diagnosis “led to a positive outcome that highlights the importance of timely stroke intervention.”

While better technology exists to treat childhood stroke patients, “approved protocols are currently not approved for children, so it is treated on a case-by-case basis,” Agner said. In Lynn-sah’s case, treatment has resulted in a positive outcome.

“She started off with a complete left-side paralysis,” Agner said. “Now she has a slight left arm weakness but it is almost imperceptible now.”

According to a Broward Health press release, Lynn-sah is back to being a fun-loving, happy pre-teen. “I feel back the way I used to be – active, jumpy, I feel great,” Lynn-sah said.

Lynn-sah is looking toward her future. “When I grow up, I want to be a neurologist like Dr. Agner,” she said.

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