… That our flag was still there

This July 4th we will be celebrating our nation’s birthday with gatherings, fireworks, and singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

The good ole red, white, and blue are the colors that the Founding Fathers chose to represent our values. According to Charles Thompson, Secretary of the Continental Congress, the color white stood for purity and innocence; the color red represents hardiness and valor; while blue stood for vigilance, perseverance, and justice.

These values unified the 13 original colonies into declaring their independence from the British monarchy and victory in the War of Independence, and the continual growth and success for the past 246 years.

All of us have faced stress in recent years, some more than others. Many are still facing the challenges of caring for loved ones, the increased cost of living, rollercoaster investment portfolios, and anxiety for the future.

So this year, it is even more important to not forget that we, the people of the United States, are founded on perseverance and hardiness. This community has joined to hold each other after facing the evil of the MSD shooting. We have stood together with each other throughout the past couple of years of the pandemic’s ups and downs. We have lent a helping hand to each other when times were tough.

So when we sing “Gave proof through the night, That our flag was still there,” reflect on the resilience of our community. Quoting a former president, “The colors of our flag signify the qualities of the human spirit we Americans cherish.” So we should have faith that our common values, symbolized by the flag, will unite us and persevere through the tough times.

Finding his purpose – Local artist paints for charity, raises over $300,000

A man on a mission. That description sums up Tamarac resident Joseph Gormley.

Born in Scotland, Gormley, 47, moved to the U.S. in 2003 after he fell in love with a Florida woman, Erin Ruth. Now married 19 years, the couple has two girls, Hailey, 6, and Mackenzie Rose, 4.

Erin Gormley bought her husband his first set of paintbrushes as a Christmas gift 15 years ago. A new world opened up for him, whose day job is as a custodian at Bayview Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale.

Once Gormley realized his passion for painting, he set about using his talent to do good, auctioning off many of his artworks for charity. His first painting raised money for an 11-year-old Scottish girl with brain cancer who needed treatment in the U.S. After reading about her, Gormley sent a painting that he did of the Glasgow Celtics head coach, Neil Lennon, to her family.

In 2012, that painting sold on eBay for $8,000. “That was the moment I realized my art could make a difference,” remembers Gormley.

“I know why I have this gift of being able to paint. It’s not for me; it’s to help raise money for others,” he says. “My day job is for my family. And my artwork is for my community.”

In 2015, Gormley painted a portrait of former Miami Marlins baseball player Giancarlo Stanton for the Marlins Foundation, which raised $25,000.

In 2018, he painted a portrait of Anthony Rizzo, a Parkland native who played baseball for the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees, which raised $4,000 to upgrade the baseball field at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

The same year, he worked with Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital to benefit the Conine Clubhouse, a no-cost residence for families with children undergoing cancer treatment, and helped raise thousands of dollars.

To date, Gormley estimates he has raised $300,000 for local charities, and he has no plans to stop. In 2019, he painted at the Parkland Cares fundraiser and donated the proceeds from his work to the foundation.

“Parkland Cares is very fortunate to have been one of the recipients when Joseph Gormley painted live at our wine dinner and donated the proceeds from his paintings,” Stacey Udine wrote online after the event.

“Every brush stroke gives Joseph the chance to inspire others, and we’re immensely grateful for his continued support of Parkland Cares,” she said.

In February, the prolific painter teamed up with 105.9 BIG radio DJ Doc Reno, whose charity, My Family Matters Foundation, raises money in partnership with the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation to provide assistance to families who lose wages while caring for a child with cancer.

It was founded by Doc Reno in 2019 after he battled stage IV head and neck cancer. “How could I feel sorry for myself when next to me in the waiting room is a 7-year-old with brain cancer?” he says. “I saw what families were dealing with and wanted to do something to help.”

He continues, “Joseph is an amazing person — a true angel and a very gentle soul. I was blown away by his work. I’m thrilled he has offered his talents for this cause.”

Gormley painted live at Doc Reno’s “My Family Matters” golf tournament in February, at the Jacaranda Golf Club in Plantation.

Participants included former Miami Dolphins’ Bob Brudzinski and running back Ki-Jana Carter; radio disc jockeys Drew Heyman (Y100) and Paul Castronovo (BIG 105.9); rock drummers Nicko McBrain of Iron Maiden, Tico Torres of Bon Jovi, and Carmine Appice, former Ozzy Osbourne drummer; and many others.

With Iron Maiden being Gormley’s favorite band, he was thrilled to paint the portraits of the three drummers and auction them off with their signatures.

Other celebrities he has painted include Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler, Washington Commanders quarterback Doug Williams, and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

Gormley says he is raising his two girls to finish the journey he started and to leave a legacy behind.

“I’m very blessed,” says Gormley, who hopes to eventually raise $1 million for charity. “So many people struggle to find their purpose in life. I know my purpose — it’s to help and inspire others.”

For more information, visit josephgromleyart.com, myfamilymattersfoundation.org, or parklandcares.org.

Enjoying the beautiful, dynamic Marjory’s Garden

Marjory’s Garden is more than just a garden. It’s a safe haven for students and teachers, fauna and flora, and so much more.

Ground was first broken on this project in May 2016 after dozens of portable classrooms were removed from a field behind Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD). Following the suggestion of science teachers Kyle Jeter and Sean Simpson, the principal at the time, Ty Thompson, allotted a long strip of land next to the tennis courts for the purposes of a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) project. Mr. Jeter, Mr. Simpson, and others began brainstorming ideas and created a sketch of what would become Marjory’s Garden.

When you walk into the garden, the first things you might see are the flower beds with eye-catching zinnias up front. These specific flowers are perfect for two of the garden sponsors, Mr. Jeter and Mr. Simpson, who teach astronomy. This is because zinnias were the first flower to ever be grown in space! If you like that fun fact (or learning in general), you should keep walking past the flower beds to the outdoor classroom.

The outdoor classroom is exactly what it sounds like, with a handful of benches all facing a stage for optimal teaching (covered by shade for those hot Florida days, of course). Many teachers love using this area as a change of setting during school hours, especially the STEM teachers. In fact, in the 2022-23 school year, there will be a botany class taught by Mr. Davis, and he will use the garden.

The outdoor classroom is also where the school hosts its garden movie nights. The Climate Change Club, for example, recently watched “The Lorax” in Marjory’s Garden. Along with movie nights, there are many other special events held in the garden, such as Astronomy Nights and a “Not-So-Scary Halloween” event hosted by Mrs. Herzfeld and the spectacular MSD Drama program. As you can see, Marjory’s Garden is as versatile as it is beautiful, which is why it is split up into different sections, or zones.

The zones consist of multiple areas including vegetable and flower beds, a butterfly garden, and a “food forest” created by Mrs. Beaty. There’s also a corn and okra field courtesy of Lt. Col. Mark Anders, and a giant bamboo cone supporting bean-sprouting vines (designed and built by Mr. Davis). There is a “Reflection Garden” with a small fountain and 17 large, polished stones, donated and built by Brightview Landscaping in 2018.

The garden is an officially recognized wildlife habitat as well. It is home to countless species of fauna, including mice, butterflies, bees, sawflies, rabbits, iguanas, and, recently, baby birds. The “Everglades Zone,” designed by Mr. Garner, features indigenous plants such as sawgrass and is a prime example of how the garden is nurturing our Florida ecosystem.

Other amenities include the “Little Library” (donated by MSD Media Center specialist Diana Haneski), the “Kindness Rocks” stand (maintained by Roxanne Haubrich and many others), and an area for games such as chess and cornhole. Finally, and perhaps most uniquely, Marjory’s Garden is home to an observatory with an 8-inch Cassegrain reflecting telescope!

Besides being a beloved location by MSD students and staff, there are academic benefits to visiting the garden: Students can earn two service hours for helping out in the garden on Sundays (beginning at 9 a.m. sharp). There are always a variety of projects to work on, such as maintaining the garden, planting new flora, painting, construction, and much more. The most meaningful day to volunteer is on the Day of Service, an annual event hosted by MSD on the anniversary of the tragedy. Students not only earn service hours but also contribute very special and meaningful work to the garden.

Another great feature of being a student at Marjory’s Garden is the lunch held in the garden every Wednesday. On garden lunch days, there is always a faculty member present. Dr. McBride, for example, supervises the latter of the two lunch periods weekly, and Mr. Davis supervises the first. The garden lunch gives students a mental refresher and brain break from school and academics. During these lunches, students usually relax in the outdoor classroom or sit on the benches placed throughout the garden.

The garden also uses hydroponics, with a nutrient solution and tubes of flowing water to grow an assortment of plants, such as lettuce and peppers. The original hydroponics was created by Mr. Simpson in 2016; however, the garden is going to team up with Mrs. Reich and her STEM classes to create a new and better version of hydroponics in the future. The school is also installing electrical outlets and a permanent water valve in the front of the garden, for powering lights and other electronics at night, and of course, pumps for the hydroponics. This is an expensive task, however, so a lot of donors were recruited to get the job done, including Eagles’ Haven, Cutler-Rader, Hard Rock Classic Casino, Broward Health, and Roman Consulting. Without School Board member Lori Alhadeff leading the fundraiser, this could not have been accomplished!

Marjory’s Garden continues to be a vibrant and beautiful green space at MSD, thanks to the amazing students, staff members, community volunteers, and donors. The faculty leadership team consists of Lt. Col. Anders, Mr. Cochenour, Mr. Davis, Mr. Garner, Mrs. Herzfeld, Mr. Jeter, Ms. McAuley, Mr. Simpson, and Mr. Walsh. A special thanks goes to Ken and Sharon Cutler for supporting the garden from the very beginning. Mr. Cutler is currently the vice mayor of Parkland and Mrs. Cutler is a long-time MSD business teacher and DECA advisor. The school is also extremely grateful to all of the community and parent volunteers. Marjory’s Garden is a very enjoyable learning space for all, and it couldn’t have been created without the support of the whole Eagle family.

If you’d like to support this dynamic project, please go to https://gofund.me/cccf2fc7 for the GoFundMe, managed by former MSD teacher (and garden guru) Stephanie Beaty.

Changing life through sport

We all know how important exercise is to our health. But the reasons that we have for not getting started or staying committed to exercising are numerous:

  • Have no time
  • Too tired at the end of the day
  • Don’t like to exercise alone
  • Need motivation
  • Get bored easily
  • It’s not fun
  • Too old/out of shape
  • Can’t stick with it
  • Too expensive
  • Don’t fit in

Sound familiar?

Diego Velasquez had a deep-rooted connection with sport. He wanted to help to transform people’s lives for the better by encouraging them to join daily individual and group physical exercises combined with social responsibility to help the community.

In 2011, he helped create the group Race Junkies. A nonprofit that’s free to join, Race Junkies’ mission is to promote health and exercise. The group’s core belief is that through sport, there is the power to change lives. They seek to bring inspiration to every person, see possibilities where others see only challenges, create a culture where people feel they belong, and encourage people to train. The nonprofit group works with local sponsors to get donations that directly enable the group to promote exercise by helping fund team uniforms, cycling equipment, and race entry fees.

Some members of Race Junkies simply enjoy running, cycling, or swimming, and others are marathoners and triathletes, often traveling and supporting each other in local, national, and international events. Members coordinate training programs, with the most seasoned athletes becoming leaders and mentors to newer members. The team is enriched by the diversity of cultural and professional backgrounds, and everyone is welcome: kids, adults of all ages, elite athletes, and non-athletes.

Starting an exercise routine is not easy. Some of the biggest barriers to exercising regularly are fitting it into your schedule, accountability, needing motivation from others, diversity, and the challenge to keep exercise from becoming boring.

With Race Junkies, there are always people biking, running, and swimming at different times, on different days, at different speeds, and in different locations in Coral Springs and areas nearby. This suits Thiago, who joined Race Junkies two years ago, just fine. He finds the time and motivation to train despite having a newborn, driving kids to school, and working all hours of the day with people around the world in different time zones. His goal is to finish the Ironman 70.3 later this year.

“You will never be alone if you don’t want to,” said Thiago. “The beauty is the motivation others bring to the group. You always have a partner or a group to train with.”

Added Kevin, who, after “plenty of sedentary and self-indulgent behavior,” decided he wanted to exercise to set a good example for his daughter, and now has run the New York City marathon and many half-marathons and aspires to compete in a full Ironman. “There are a lot of tools available as well. I for sure wouldn’t have access to the amazing swim coaches there are or the bike resources.”

It’s easy for a “no can do, no way no how, it’s just not me” attitude to sabotage one’s exercise goals. But Race Junkies members find those obstacles can be overcome surprisingly easily, even if at first, they think that exercising and competing are impossible for them. “Once they join, people realize they didn’t even know there were goals they could push themselves toward,” said Kevin. “It goes from painful, to I don’t know why I’m doing this, to I can’t stop doing this. And it happens very quickly.”

While they are inspired by other members, Race Junkies often find that training at their own pace and not comparing themselves to others is a winning formula. Certainly, this was true for Lorena, Diego’s wife. The triathlon bike (tribike) that Diego gave her sat untouched in their garage for two years before she started riding. Initially unsure and intimidated by people more athletic than she imagined she would ever be, since joining Race Junkies nine years ago, Lorena has completed three 70.3 Ironman races. When she turned 50, she ran the New York City marathon.

The how and why members have gotten involved with Race Junkies varies, but the sense of health, strength, and well-being it fosters, and the desire to mentor and give back to the group, is a common experience.

As Roberto, a member of Race Junkies for five years and marathoner who “never tries to win anything, only to compete with himself,” said, “We have all types of people with all types of goals, but we come together and support each other. I try to give back as much as I can as a ride leader with the group, hosting two rides per week, helping with bike mechanics, and offering a bike clinic for the group. But even more than supporting each other in sports, we support each other in life.”

Everyone is welcome to train with Race Junkies. To learn more about the group, contact them on social media:

  • Instagram: racejunkiesusa
  • Facebook: Race Junkies—www.facebook.com/groups/1835441360110979

Society of the Four Arts: Soaking in art, culture, nature, and inspiration

As part of the art class in my 55+ community, we go on field trips to different art museums and exhibits in the area, led by our teacher and artist-in-residence. For our most recent trip, he took us to the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach. There we discovered a gorgeous campus of buildings and gardens in the heart of the island.

Although we traveled there to see an exhibition called “In a New Light: American Impressionism 1870–1940”(which has since moved on), we got a lot more from this trip than expected. The Four Arts campus includes the spacious art gallery, “Campus on the Lake” cultural programs in various buildings, a library and children’s library, a sculpture garden, and a lush botanical garden.

Our group started in the spacious art gallery for the seasonal exhibition ($10 each, prepaid), and after viewing the impressive paintings in all of the rooms, we ventured outside, where we were greeted by tranquil gardens and more art.

The Philip Hulitar Sculpture Garden and the Four Arts Botanical Gardens, two distinct gardens, have provided a natural oasis in Palm Beach since 1938. You can get away from stressful daily life and stroll through this peaceful maze of floral paths with ponds, benches, fountains, and lush foliage. One of my favorites was the unique Chinese Garden, where you can go through a pagoda-style entrance and grab a solitary moment to meditate and get lost in the quiet beauty of this walled-off part of the gardens.

The other gardens, or outdoor “rooms,” are the Fragrant Moonlight Garden, Palm Garden, Bromeliad Garden, Jungle Garden, Spanish Façade Garden, Formal Garden, Tropical Garden, and Madonna Garden — each one more breathtaking than the last.

The sculpture garden gave our art class more culture to soak in outside. The heart of this garden is a plaza paved in quartzite encircling a beautiful octagonal fountain. Bronze figurative sculptures are scattered throughout the garden in settings both formal and informal. Our group of budding artists enjoyed wandering around and stopping to take in the sculptures at our own pace. We moved wherever our spirit took us. It was a perfect field trip for our group.

The Society of the Four Arts has lots more for visitors to do and plenty of parking space to accommodate them. In addition to viewing the art in the Esther B. O’Keeffe Gallery, which changes every so often with temporary, traveling exhibits, one can enjoy workshops, lectures, music, films, book discussions, and plenty of programs for children, including floral design and storytime.

Examples of upcoming book discussions on campus include “You Don’t Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War” (May 17), “Robert Macomber, Code of Honor” (June 8), and “The Churchill Sisters: The Extraordinary Lives of Winston and Clementine’s Daughters” (June 21).

Or just go to the Four Arts to take in the fragrant, verdant gardens and get inspired by your surroundings. You’ll be glad you did.

For more information, go to fourarts.org.

Meet the man living in the middle of the Everglades

At the crossroads of Florida Street and the River of Grass lives Gerald Motes, a man who has called the Everglades his home for the past 12 years. Motes, who lives full-time in Old Glory, one of a small number of historical cabins built in the middle of the Everglades back in the 1950s, spent close to 10 years rebuilding the cabin after a lightning strike set it on fire in 2000.

“It’s a good thing it burned down,” laments Motes. “I hate to say it because it was a historical cabin, but it was so badly rotted.” It took him roughly 10 years to rebuild the new structure, as he spent weekends off from work transporting all of his supplies — including lumber and tools — to the camp entirely by airboat. “I bet I didn’t miss three weekends in 10 years out here,” he says with a laugh. “I did maybe as much as 80% of the work by myself.”

Old Glory is not the only historical cabin Motes owns. “East of here is Judge’s Camp,” he explains, pointing to a map of Water Conservation Area 2A, the section of the Everglades where he lives. “The people who had it weren’t able to take care of it. They held onto it until it rotted and then turned it over to the state. When I heard the state was going to remove it, I talked to them and they turned the lease over to me. I tore it down, rebuilt it, and now have a five-bedroom cabin over there.”

There are a total of 87 cabins in the Everglades registered with the state, with new building now prohibited.

Motes’ cabin has been featured in a number of movies and television shows, including “Swamp People,” “The Bachelor,” and “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.” With 20 beds, two couches, and two generators, Old Glory has the capacity to host quite a few guests.

Despite its remote location, the cabin has modern amenities including air conditioning, an indoor toilet, shower, and wireless internet. “We’ve got satellite dishes out here. Heck, I’ve even got TV,” jokes Motes, who uses his internet connection to post regular updates on his Facebook page under the handle “@OldGloryCamp.” Motes writes about weather conditions, visitors to his camp, what he’s up to for the day, and sometimes what he’s cooking — recently gator tongue after hosting a teen alligator hunt.

While Motes eats off the land some of the time, cooking up fish, and sometimes frogs, he estimates that about 90% of his food comes from the grocery store. Supply runs were one of the many adjustments that he made in moving out there full-time.

The first was mindset. “The adjustment is to let your world calm down,” reflects Motes. “Slow down. That’s the biggest thing.” And while he enjoys slowing down, there are always things that need attending to at Old Glory.

“Gasoline is my biggest challenge,” notes Motes. “I’ve been having to go into town twice a week for gasoline.” On recent trips, Motes has needed more than 180 gallons of gas at a time in order to fuel his booming airboat tour business. Because all of his supplies are transported via airboat, he collects the gas in five-gallon containers.

In addition to tours, Motes runs a rescue service as well. “I do a tremendous amount of recovery out here. Sunk boats. Turned-over boats. Wrecked boats,” he says.

Other challenges that Motes highlighted were repairs and keeping his boats running. “Fortunately, I’m able to order parts online now and Sawgrass Recreation Park will accept my packages and hold them for me. I drove for them for years and we’ve gotten to be very good friends.” The park is also where he keeps his truck.

Maintaining the property comes with its own set of demands, and Motes is the first to admit that he needs help. He’s constantly pulling back vines so they don’t overrun the manmade island his home sits on, and making structural repairs. “I’ve got tons of dock work and stuff that needs to be looked at before it gets too bad,” he says.

“I made a mistake in the beginning because it was just the way it was done back then, and I put telephone poles underneath the building,” explains Motes. “They’re gonna rot out. I need to go down and start replacing some of them and it needs to be done when the water is down. Once it goes down, I might only have a week.”

The water level where Motes lives can fluctuate by up to three feet, meaning at times, a large percentage of his lawn is underwater. The fluctuation depends on when flood water is released from other areas, such as Lake Okeechobee, which is all a part of the water management system in place in the Everglades.

“Water management is a miserable failure at trying to compete with Mother Nature. And I wouldn’t have her job for nothing in the world,” emphasizes Motes.

As we cross the wooden bridge that leads to an outdoor shower and bathtub, Motes stops to explain some of the plants growing beneath the platform, pointing toward a leafy green one. “It’s called a mallow plant and it grows in marshy areas. The derivative of the root of that plant was used to make the original marshmallow that we know of today. That’s the marshmallow plant.”

Extremely knowledgeable about the plant and animal life in the Everglades, Motes easily explains which species are natural and which are invasive.

For more information on Motes, to schedule an airboat tour, visit Old Glory, or even offer help, check out the Old Glory Facebook page or www.evergladesairboatexcursions.com.

Paralympic goals

When former Coral Springs resident Tyler Merren and his American teammates play for the world championship in their sport during this fall’s Paralympic Games, they will need to rely on their ears as much as other body parts to succeed.

That is because the sport in which Merren and his teammates compete is goalball. It is a sport designed specifically for athletes who are visually impaired. Participants compete in teams of three and try to throw a ball that has bells embedded in it into the opponents’ goal. Players, using ear-hand coordination, must use the sound of the bells to judge the position and movement of the ball. Athletes play the sport indoors, usually on a volleyball court.

Merren, who lives in Fort Wayne, will participate this fall in his fifth world championship as a member of the U.S. men’s goalball team. The results will play a crucial role in determining qualification for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Specifically, the top two men’s and women’s teams at the world championships earn an automatic berth for Paris. The Paralympics games are for physically disabled athletes.

Merren, 37, was born with an eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa in both of his eyes. It is a group of rare, genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and loss of cells in the retina. As a result, he is legally blind, meaning he has less than 10 percent vision.

Merren, who grew up in a family of athletes, used to play other sports. But as his vision got worse, he had to stop. Then, a sports education camp for visually impaired youth at Western Michigan University introduced him to goalball and other adapted sports such as swimming, track and field, and wrestling.

Merren had never heard of goalball before the camp. He said that a fellow camper observed him play, thought he was good, and asked him if he wished to continue to play. Merren stuck with the sport. And today, his former fellow camper is his teammate on the U.S. Paralympic team.

Altogether, Merren has competed in 15 countries and 28 states. He has been competing with the U.S. men’s goalball team for more than 20 years. He credited their success to the work the players put in off the court.

“We run ourselves into the ground training day after day,” Merren said. “Like any athlete out there, we want to be the best we can be. I enjoy the process of trying to perfect my game and my athleticism.”

Individually, Merren said that his accuracy throwing the ball is “pretty good.” As a result, he gets many opportunities for penalty throws.

During the 2010 world championships, Merren was the fourth-highest goalscorer in the world.

However, he said that he values team victories more than individual statistics and accomplishments. “Sometimes that means handing the ball off to a teammate,” he said.

How does it feel to qualify for the world championships?

“It’s gratifying and affirming at the same time,” Merren said. He added that the U.S. has a “pretty strong” goalball program. “I would have been shocked if [we] had not qualified,” he said.

The former Coral Springs resident described goalball as a combination of soccer, handball, and volleyball.

“It’s not quite like anything else that people have played before,” he said. “The cool thing about goalball is that no matter how much vision I might lose, the sport stays the same. It’s based off of my work ethic and skill as opposed to my vision loss.

“Being visually impaired doesn’t change the fact that I’m a competitive athlete, and goalball gives me that opportunity to compete at an elite level.”

Goalball has existed since 1946. Its first purpose was to help rehabilitate veterans who had lost their sight during World War II. Players remain on their hands and knees to defend their net and score against their opponents. A goalball court measures about 60 feet long and almost 30 feet wide. String taped to the markings on the court allows players to feel the lines and orient themselves.

Goalball’s Paralympic premiere came in 1976 in Toronto. Organizers added a women’s event at the 1984 Paralympic Games in New York. The sport’s first world championships took place in 1978 in Austria. The International Blind Sports Federation is the official governing body for the sport.

Merren, who is originally from southwest Michigan, lived in Coral Springs from 2013 to 2019. While in South Florida, he worked at a 24 Hour Fitness location as a master trainer and an assistant fitness manager. He is also a motivational speaker and has a Facebook page. To find it, go to www.facebook.com and search for “Tyler Merren Speaks” in the search bar. Following Merren’s Facebook page will, among other things, allow you to keep up with his goalball team’s progress. For more information on the International Blind Sports Federation and goalball, visit https://ibsasport.org/.

Loving life at Loxahatchee wildlife refuge

Where can you find 250 species of birds, 60 species of reptiles and amphibians, 40 species of butterflies, many types of mammals, a ring of levees in an extensive dike system, an assortment of wet prairies and sawgrass ridges, and a 400-acre cypress swamp?

That would be at Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, a huge, biodiverse, forested cypress swamp community at the northernmost part of the Florida Everglades. The refuge contains 226 square miles of everglade ecosystems. Loxahatchee is one of the largest urban wildlife refuges in the country, with more than 145,000 acres of land, and is one of three water conservation areas in South Florida.

The headquarters area, accessed from Lee Road in western Boynton Beach, contains the visitor center, the boardwalk trail, observation platforms, boat launches, levees, and more. This beautiful wildlife refuge also is adjacent to Parkland on the southern end. Some people go biking, to fish, or to boat. I recently went there to bird-watch, hike, and look for alligators with relatives visiting from the north.

Behind the Visitors Center is the Cypress Swamp Boardwalk, a half-mile trail through the natural cypress forest. The cypress swamp features pond cypress trees with peculiar-looking “knees,” at ground level, that I’d never seen anywhere else, along with lichens, ferns, and all kinds of wildlife.

We started our visit to Loxahatchee on the boardwalk trail, and my group was impressed with the beautiful nature all around us. Many of the trees had silvery-gray Spanish moss hanging high from their branches. Some of it had landed on the boardwalk, and we got to pick it up and explore it closely, a rare thrill for my aunt from Maine.

After doing the boardwalk trail, we drove over to the Marsh Trail, which has its own parking lot.  The trail is about 0.9 miles in length, and it follows a square path. We set out to walk along it and take in the peaceful setting. Just as we reached an observation tower about halfway along the trail and started to climb its steps, the sky opened up and rain drizzled down, followed by a quick downpour. It was lucky timing for us, as we stayed dry under the wooden roof of the tower. We watched as two separate groups of people made a quick dash from other parts of the trail to take cover with us. We all enjoyed looking out over the bucolic vista in the rain.

Just as quickly as it started, the rainstorm stopped, and we climbed down the steps to continue on our little hike. After finishing that part of the refuge, we headed over to the final stage of our outing: to climb up on a levee and walk along the trail there.

We had never been on a levee before, and we looked up the definition: “a continuous dike or ridge (as of earth) for confining the irrigation areas of land to be flooded.” There was a long, flat trail up there that was flanked by water on either side. Birds were singing all around us as we walked. We continued down the endless trail, past the canoe and kayak rentals, and enjoyed the striking views. We took photos of the landscapes and used a smartphone to identify some of the birds we saw. We watched someone fly fishing. We walked along the quiet levee until we decided to turn around to come back. The area was open, vast, and empty, and we enjoyed the solace on this nice Friday morning.

There is much more one could do at Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. I’ll be going back and trying more activities there. I recommend you check it out some time.

Looking for hope this Easter

It’s that time of year! Chocolate bunnies, candy eggs, and pastel colors can only mean that it is time for Easter.

Many of us have grown up with excitement about the Easter Bunny and receiving a basket full of goodies on Easter Sunday. As exciting as an egg hunt may be, many are not sure exactly why this holiday is so significant.

To the Christian, Easter is one of the most important days of the year because it symbolizes hope. Hope is defined as a desire for a certain thing to happen. Easter is when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many people today are struggling with hope based on what we see in the news or in our own circumstances. We get so used to hearing bad news that many are living in a place of hopelessness.

Easter provides hope because it shows how the God of this universe loves us all. He overcame every struggle we could face. He did that when he defeated death on the cross. Three days later he rose from the dead, and because Jesus had the power to defeat death, he has the power to give you eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Imagine being one of the followers of Jesus on Good Friday, the day that He was beaten and hung on a cross to die. It looked like a hopeless end, much like many of us are feeling today. But hope was just around the corner.

Are you looking for hope? No matter how dark your circumstances may seem, Easter is an opportunity for us to change our old ways and enter into our new abundant life with Christ. This is something worth celebrating. Happy Easter!

Steve Daigle is the Campus Pastor of Calvary Chapel Parkland.

Celebrating resilience and freedom this Passover

“In each and every generation a person is obliged to regard him/herself
as if he/she had come out of Egypt.”

—Haggadah

Each year, the holiday of Passover returns during the springtime, recounting the story of the Israelites liberated from Egyptian slavery. Jews tell this story, with the assistance of a Haggadah, to remind us that in every generation, throughout time, all Jews regardless of status, age, or gender are to feel as if we personally made this journey as our ancestors had. We are obligated to retell this story because our freedom is not to be taken for granted — it is a sacred redemption. The “Exodus” is a powerful spiritual liberation, not just a physical one. The quote above talks about how each and every generation has this responsibility. The generations are not only time-bound, for every human within them carries this obligation. This narrative celebrates resilience, renewal, and freedom.

Passover falls on the eve of the 15th of the Hebrew month of Nisan, lasting for seven or eight days depending on if you are an Israeli or a Reform Jew or if you are an Orthodox or Conservative Jew living in the diaspora. It is one of only a few holidays celebrated privately in homes, centered around a meal, making it one of the most celebrated holidays by Jews next to Chanukah and the High Holy Days.

The traditional meal called a Seder (meaning “order”), is outlined in a book called the Haggadah, which is read aloud at the dinner table. Haggadah means “the telling” of the story — the exodus from Egypt. The Haggadah also lists the order the story is told as well as the ritual foods that are blessed first and then eaten.

The number 4 comes up many times throughout the Haggadah. There are four sons described, four questions asked and answered, four cups of wine blessed, and four terms used by God in Exodus to describe the redemption. However, there are six symbolic foods on the Passover Seder plate: maror (the bitter herbs), charoset (chopped apples, nuts, cinnamon, and sweet red wine), karpas (parsley), chazeret (lettuce), zeroah (shank bone), and beitzah egg. They all have a unique symbolism to remind us of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt, the Passover sacrifice of a lamb in ancient Jerusalem, and the renewal of life in the spring.

The most commonly recognized food for Passover is the unleavened bread, or matzah, which reminds us of how our ancestors fled quickly from Egypt when freed, not having enough time to fully allow their bread to rise. “They baked the dough that they took out of Egypt into unleavened cakes [matzot], for it was not leavened, since they were driven out of Egypt and could not delay; nor had they prepared provisions for themselves” (Exodus 12:39). It became known as the bread of affliction as there were few ingredients given to the Hebrews at the time, but it also became the symbol of freedom. At the seder, the middle matzah is broken in half by the leader and then hidden for children to find after the main meal. It must be returned to the leader, for a small reward, for the seder to finish with this as the dessert.

I wish all who are celebrating this holiday to have a meaningful seder experience with family and friends while fulfilling our sacred obligation to retell the story as we appreciate the freedoms we have today. “Chag Pesach kasher vesame’ach.” Have a happy and blessed Passover!

Rabbi Melissa Stollman is a major gifts officer for the Union for Reform Judaism.

Tips for AP and EOC Testing

From May 2 to May 13, Advanced Placement (AP) exams will be administered in person with paper and pencil. End-of-course (EOC) exams are computer-based, in person, and take place May 2–27. Classes with an EOC include Algebra 1, Geometry, Biology 1, U.S. History, and middle school Civics. Most AP courses have an AP exam.

With these key exams on the horizon, middle and high schoolers are starting to feel the pressure. Preparation for exams can easily be overwhelming and may lead to procrastination or simply not studying. Here are some tips.

Practice Tests

Practice makes perfect. Practice tests are helpful to students because they highlight what they need to study. Unfamiliar topics or questions may come up, and making a note to study that specific information provides a starting place for review. Practice tests also help familiarize students with the question style.

Florida Statewide Assessments offers online practice tests for reading and writing tests and all EOCs, which is particularly helpful as it is coming from the test creators. AP Classroom also provides practice tests, both multiple-choice and free-response questions. APPracticeExams.com has links to free practice AP exams as well as notes, outlines, videos, study guides, and study packets. Many AP test guides also include practice problems.

YouTube Videos

Videos that go over course material can be very helpful. They don’t take up hours of time, making them appealing to students. You can pick whichever video appeals to you most, whether it is a teacher going over practice problems or animated characters explaining information. YouTube videos typically offer lots of information in a condensed manner, making them good refreshers. Some videos focus on specific topics in depth.

Simply searching the topic brings up hundreds of YouTube videos. A popular channel for biology is the Amoeba Sisters, frequently recommended by teachers. Its regular content videos are 10 minutes or less and animated, though there are review videos that go over large areas of content. Crash Course offers review videos on a variety of topics, including chemistry, linguistics, geography, history, engineering, and literature.

School Tutoring

Schools offer tutoring options to help students prepare for upcoming exams. The great part about receiving exam help from your own school is that teachers and administration are designated to those subjects. These tutoring options are usually run by the teachers who teach the subjects. They can be the best resource for these exams as they know the material and have experience with what is usually on the test.

Many schools offer great tutoring for students struggling in certain subjects who need review before exams. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School provides its students with many after-school tutoring options. There are teacher-led EOC reviews for biology, geometry, and U.S. history.

Planning Study Schedule

Students should plan out their study schedule to avoid feeling overwhelmed with the number of tasks they have to complete to prepare for exams. Planning ensures they have enough time and don’t forget any tasks. It’s easy to forget to study quadratic equations, but setting aside some time erases this potential problem.

There are many options when selecting what to use to plan. For those who prefer to plan on paper, planners can be found for as little as $10. But notebook paper works too. Online offers even more variety, such as Apple Notes for Apple users, Google Keep for Android users, any calendar app, Evernote, and Todoist. 

Khan Academy

Studying for upcoming exams can be time-consuming, and having to stay after school or out of school to receive tutoring can be a hassle. With the homework that is often piled on, it is hard to designate time to just study for these exams. One great resource to solve that is Khan Academy, a website that can be accessed by anyone. It is a free organization that provides resources and online courses for students. Khan Academy provides multiple courses ranging from elementary school subjects to AP classes. With Khan Academy’s help, students can review for their upcoming exams with the resources provided.

Asking Questions

One big problem that students face during their learning careers is they do not ask questions. When they are stuck or need help, they tend to brush it off and hope to figure it out later or pray it is not on the test. By doing this, they may lose points, leading them to a grade they didn’t want.

When you are stuck on a certain topic in class, ask a question! By doing this, it can give you the answer and help you later when faced with a similar question. Asking questions can be hard for many students, but it can benefit you in the long run when you have to apply what you have learned to your exams.

Staying Relaxed

One of the best things students can do is to avoid putting too much pressure on themselves. While these exams are important, failing is not the end of the world, and there are other options if they do fail. Students struggling with anxiety related to exams can reach out to their teachers, school counselors, guardians, or a trusted adult.

Poodle patient: bruised no more

“My mom is going to kill me,” said my young client. He was watching his mother’s poodle, Chalmers, while his mom was in Seattle taking care of her grandkids. He’d just had Chalmers groomed for the first time in a long while. Chalmers had been so matted that the groomer had to shave him down. My client figured that his mother would be away for another two weeks and hopefully some of the hair would regrow.

Today, he noticed two large bruises along the dog’s abdomen. He didn’t notice them after the grooming, but he admits that all he kept thinking about was that Chalmers was naked and was praying that the hair would regrow quickly.

“I think that the groomer hurt him,” said my client. I was listening to him and hopefully I was empathetic toward his concerns for Chalmers, but I have seen this type of bruising before. Especially after grooming.

I opened Chalmers’ mouth, and his gums were pale pink, and I rubbed my fingernail against his gums and they started to bleed. I also looked into his eyes and there was a scant amount of blood in the exterior chamber of his eye. The rest of Chalmers’ examination was normal other than he had a fever of 103 and his lymph nodes were enlarged. I asked my client if it was OK to run some diagnostic tests, and he agreed.

My client wanted X-rays to document if there was any abuse, and I told him that I would, but after the bloodwork. My client and I had about a 10-minute discussion on what could have happened at the groomer that would have left the area around Chalmers’ abdomen the color of Merlot. I asked him if he had looked at the skin prior to the grooming. He said he didn’t and probably couldn’t, because of how matted Chalmers was. He guessed that it had probably been a year since Chalmers’ last groom.

I told my client that the lesions didn’t look like abuse. The combination of bruising, friable gums that bled excessively, fever, and enlarged lymph nodes can be signs of tickborne disease or autoimmune disease, which I asked the technicians to test for. The client told me that Chalmers used to have ticks, but he hadn’t seen them in a while. I did remind him that Chalmers had been extremely matted, and it was possible that he wouldn’t see them directly on the skin.

My client was skeptical of the groomer. “So why the bruising after the groom?” he asked. I told him it was just like when I rubbed Chalmers’ gums and made him bleed. It’s the same thing with the groomer. If Chalmers has a low blood platelet count, then blood clotting will be compromised. Brushing and shaving can be traumatic to the skin; just as you will see with any person on anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation, the person’s skin will bruise when touched. My client smiled and said that his grandfather constantly had bruised skin since starting warfarin for A-fib.

My technician came into the room and told me that Chalmers was anemic with a platelet count of under 100,000 when over 300,000 is normal. The coagulation profile would come back later, but they tested him for ehrlichiosis, and he was positive. They also found a dead tick in his ear.

My client wanted to know what my plan was because he needed to call his mom. I told him that we were going to start Chalmers on doxycycline for now and wait for the rest of the bloodwork to come back later. I also told him to tell his mother that the grooming might have saved the dog’s life by allowing us to notice a clinical sign of infectious disease before it was too late.