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Embarking on an airboat adventure

When I first moved to Florida back in 2016, I was a New York transplant — a city girl through and through. My idea of the Everglades was a humid, mosquito-infested swamp, and airboat rides an overpriced tourist trap that posed little interest. Today, I’m an Everglades convert happy to admit that I was dead wrong. The Everglades is a majestic place unique from everything else Florida has to offer.

My conversion happened during my very first airboat ride. Just as Aladdin introduced Jasmine to a whole new world in “Aladdin,” I was fortunate enough to meet a man who did the same for me — he took me on a magic airboat ride through the Everglades at night, introducing me to a whole new world that has become one of my favorite places.

The diverse “River of Grass” is home to hundreds of different species of plants, birds, snakes, turtles, fish, frogs, and the American alligator. Gliding across the top of the clear, shallow water, airboats are the perfect way to pass through this beautiful terrain. No matter what time of day you venture out, you’re sure to see something different.

Reaching speeds upward of 60 miles per hour, airboats are equal parts sightseeing and thrill rides that can easily turn a hot summer day into a cool, enjoyable run. Under the morning/midday sun, you’ll have a crystal-clear view of the scenic sawgrass marshes and floating hydrilla, the greens dynamic against bright blue skies. Stare below the water’s deceptively clear surface and you’ll likely see garfish, bass, bluegill, and a number of other fish.

Cruising across the Everglades at sunset, you’re bound to see ibises, anhingas, egrets, and purple gallinules taking flight, soaring against the deep pink and orange sky. Considered one of the top 10 birding locations in the world, the Everglades is home to more than 360 different bird species. Be wary though — the transition to sundown is when you are likely to encounter the most mosquitoes.

Once the sun goes down, the Everglades begins to come alive, which is why nighttime tours offer the best wildlife viewing. Gliding slowly down shallow passageways between tall grasses, you’ll see plenty of alligators, their eyes glowing red from the airboat lights. Airboats can quickly pull up right alongside gators, giving you the ultimate safe, closer encounter. Once the water moves, these creatures dive beneath the surface, hiding under floating mud — one of the places they store a kill they cannot finish eating in one sitting.

One of the most enchanting parts of a nighttime experience is to shut off the loud engine and take a few moments to immerse yourself in your surroundings. Above you will be a stunning night sky laden with stars. Close your eyes and you’ll hear the low growling of gators and the trilling of frogs, a wild symphony that offers a peaceful escape from the day-to-day grind.

Public Airboat Tours

There are two outlets near Parkland that offer public airboat tours:

  • Loxahatchee Everglades Airboat Tours and Rides, 15490 Loxahatchee Road, Parkland. It offers a “Great Blue” 50-minute, guided airboat tour that costs $80 per adult and $45 for children between the ages of 3 and 12. Tours operate Monday to Saturday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. For more information, visit www.evergladesairboattours.com.
  • Everglades Airboat Tours at Everglades Holiday Park, 21940 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale. It offers daily one-hour tours starting at 9 a.m., with the last boat leaving at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $35.99 for adults 12 and older and $23 for children between the ages of 3 and 11. Everglades Holiday Park also offers animal encounters and gator shows run by the Gator Boys, stars of the “Animal Planet” reality TV series of the same name.

Private Airboat Tours

While they may be a bit pricier, private airboat tours offer a more intimate experience, along with the ability to see the Everglades at different times of the day, when the sun is no longer bearing down on you.

Everglades Airboat Excursions offers private two-hour sunset tours, which cost $425 for up to four people, and private two-hour night excursions, which cost $500 for up to four people. Groups larger than four can be accommodated for an additional $50 per person. All tours depart from the boat ramp at Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area in Weston on Highway 27. For more information, visit www.evergladesairboatexcursions.com.

What to Bring/Wear

If you’re heading out on a daytime tour, you’ll want to bring water, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and bug repellant. You may also want a cell phone neck holder if you’re planning on taking pictures with your phone. Most airboats do not have sides, meaning that, if dropped, your phone will likely slide off the deck and into the water (unfortunately speaking from experience on that one!).

If you’re embarking on a nighttime trip, make sure to check the weather forecast. The temperature tends to feel about 10 degrees cooler in the Everglades, with the wind from the propeller making it even chillier.

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Diving for lionfish in April

The last day of Florida’s lobster season was March 31, and the seasons for grouper and hogfish don’t open until May 1, so what’s an underwater hunter to do in April?

Spearfishing expert Jim “Chiefy” Mathie sets his sights on a great-tasting exotic fish.

“There’s really not a lot of species to go after because of the lack of opportunity for lobster, hogfish, and grouper,” said Mathie, a retired Deerfield Beach fire chief. “So we target lionfish.”

Native to the South Pacific Ocean, lionfish were first discovered off South Florida in the mid-1980s. The belief is that the lionfish were someone’s pets and when the fish outgrew their aquarium, the owner dumped them in the ocean. From there, the invasive lionfish have spread throughout the Caribbean, into the Gulf of Mexico, down to South America, and up the Atlantic coast to North Carolina.

The fish have no natural predators in those waters, which means bigger reef fish such as grouper don’t realize they can eat them. Lionfish feast on tiny grouper, snapper, shellfish, and other native species. Left unchecked, lionfish can take over a reef. That’s where spear-fishers come in.

Although lionfish are here to stay — researchers in submarines have documented lionfish in 1,000 feet of water off South Florida — divers with pole spears and spearguns do their part by reducing the lionfish population. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is doing its part to combat the lionfish invasion by having no size or bag limits and no closed season. The agency has an informative web page at myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/lionfish.

Mathie, who said he and his dive buddies had “an outstanding lobster season” diving primarily in 35 to 45 feet of water, noted that spear-fishers keep lionfish populations under control on coral reefs in those depths.

“We’ve seen a few lionfish, but in this location we do a very good job of harvesting lionfish in the shallow waters, just because it gets a lot of pressure from the divers. That’s actually a good thing because we’re kind of keeping them in check shallow,” said Mathie, author of the lobstering and spearfishing books “Catching the BUG” and “Catching the Spear-it!” that are available at local dive shops and online.

Deeper reefs that don’t receive that much pressure tend to have more and bigger lionfish, so that’s where Mathie and his Chiefy crew hunt.

“We change our tactics in April to head out into roughly the 80- to 100-foot depth. We call that the third reef or the east side of the third reef,” Mathie said. “It also gives us an opportunity to check out what’s going on out there, because lionfish and lobster like the same terrain. So those are areas that, when the season allows us, we can go back to for lobster. So it’s kind of a mixed bag for us from that standpoint. While you can’t take them, you can certainly explore and find some new locations.”

Lionfish are an ideal species for divers new to spearfishing because, as Mathie noted, they don’t swim around a lot, so they’re easy to shoot, especially compared with grouper and hogfish, which are the ultimate species for the majority of underwater hunters.

Given their small size — the state-record lionfish speared in the Atlantic Ocean was 18.78 inches off of Islamorada, and an 18.7-inch, 3.77-pounder shot last year off of Destin is the Gulf of Mexico state record — lionfish don’t require the use of big spearguns. Mathie and his crew use 3- to 4-foot, hand-held pole spears with three- or five-prong tips, which prevent a fish from spinning after it is speared.

Lionfish have 18 venomous spines, 13 on the top and five on the bottom, so care must be taken when handling them. Getting stung by a spine can cause intense pain. The pectoral fins, which are not venomous, give the fish its name because when they’re fanned out in the water, they look like a lion’s mane.

“Typically, after you spear them, you treat them like a bass. You put your thumb in their mouth and you hold them; that way you’re pretty much away from their spines,” Mathie said. “What we like to do is use a pair of paramedic (or trauma) shears to trim up those venomous spines. But there is an element of danger when you’re trimming them up under the water with shears.”

Mathie said a safer alternative is to use a Zookeeper, “a plastic tube with a one-way funnel. You keep the lionfish on the spear and stick the fish in there without having to touch it at all, pull the spear back out, and the lionfish stays in that tube.”

The hard-sided Zookeeper, which is manufactured in Sunrise, also keeps the spines from accidentally touching your body as you swim. They are sold online and at local dive stores.

This time of year, Mathie and his friends try to fill their Zookeepers, put the fish in a cooler when they get back in the boat, and fillet them at the dock.

“They’re excellent eating,” Mathie said. “They have a pure white fillet, no bloodline, a flaky texture, and almost a sweet taste. You can do anything with them. You can make ceviche or sear them in olive oil with salt and pepper and eat it right out of the pan, it’s that good.”

And that alone is a good enough reason to keep diving this month instead of waiting until May.

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April (meteor) shower, conjunctions, and more…

Interestingly, April begins and ends with a New Moon this year. I tell my students that “New Moon” essentially means “No Moon,” because the Moon can’t be seen at night during that phase. During a New Moon, the Moon is directly between the Sun and the Earth and is, thus, out entirely during the daytime. Of course, our calendar months are based on the cycle of the Moon’s phases. There are 12 complete lunar cycles in a solar year (along with a few extra days) and, hence, we have 12 months in a year.

This month’s challenge for beginners: finding Gemini, the Twins. First, find Orion. Next, draw a line from its super-bright star Rigel (below the famous Belt) through the bright, reddish star Betelgeuse (an equal distance above the Belt), and that line will roughly point toward Gemini.

Gemini has two bright stars, Castor and Pollux, that form the heads of the twins. Castor is whiter (think “Casper the Ghost”) and Pollux slightly more yellowish (like pollen). The Big Dipper roughly points toward Gemini as well (draw a line from the handle through the cup of the Dipper).

This month’s astrophotography challenge: See below. There is a plethora of potentially dazzling close encounters in the sky in April!

Sky highlights this month:

  • April 1. New Moon. No foolin’, this is a great time to go observing at a dark site as moonlight will not be a limiting factor.
  • April 4 — conjunction of Mars and Saturn. This should be a beautiful sight in the morning sky just before dawn for you early risers. These two planets will be very close together in the sky and of similar brightness. Venus will be nearby as well and will greatly outshine them both. Check it out!
  • April 4 — conjunction of the Pleiades and the crescent Moon. If you sleep through the morning’s conjunction, you have another chance on April 4 to witness a beautiful alignment. In the early evening sky, a thin crescent Moon will pass near the Pleiades star cluster. This promises to be absolutely gorgeous and presents a great opportunity for photographers.
  • April 16 — Full Moon. This is nicknamed the “Pink Moon” by some ancient Native American tribes for the time of year when certain pink flowers and vegetation would begin to bloom.
  • April 22 — Lyrid meteor shower. This is an average meteor shower in terms of the number of “shooting stars” you may see per hour. It is best seen in very dark skies after midnight.
  • April 29 — see Mercury! The closest planet to the Sun will reach its greatest distance (“elongation”) from the horizon this evening. Look for it around 45 minutes or so after sunset.
  • April 30 — conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. The two brightest planets (from Earth’s perspective) will cross paths in the morning skies before dawn.
  • April 30 — New Moon (again!). Perhaps you know that a second Full Moon falling in a calendar month is nicknamed a “Blue Moon” (OK, fellow nerds, I know that definition’s not quite accurate, but let’s go with it please!). In April, we have a second New Moon on the calendar. I’ve seen some refer to this as a “Black Moon.”

With all these great photography opportunities, April might be the time to dust off that DSLR or try out your cell phone camera on a steady mount. If you post any pics, be sure to tag the Parklander® and me on Instagram (@theparklander @jeterk1971) — We’d love to see your work!

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Osteoporosis: a ‘silent disease’ that leads to broken bones

Most people don’t care about statistics until they become one. But approximately 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, and another 44 million have low bone density that increases the risk. The importance of regular bone density testing cannot be underestimated, especially for adults over 50 years of age.

Eighty percent of older adults sustaining a broken bone never had a bone density test (BDT) and subsequently were never treated for osteoporosis. A BDT is the best diagnosis. If one’s T-score is –2.5 or lower, chances are that osteoporosis is present and a plan of treatment needs to be developed.

Osteoporosis is called the “silent disease” simply because it’s impossible to know when bones begin to deteriorate. Over time, they can become so brittle that a simple cough or bumping into furniture causes a break. Bone density tests are a vital part of one’s regular healthcare regime and should be repeated at least every two years.

Women are more susceptible to osteoporosis. One in two women will break a bone in their lifespan, and their incidence of breaking a bone is higher than their risk of a heart attack or a stroke — and it’s equal to the combined risk of getting breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer.

Not only is breaking a bone painful, it’s also very costly. The burden on the healthcare system is nearly $20 billion a year and specialists predict a gloomy future — expecting as many as 3 million fractures by 2025, costing patients, families, and the healthcare system as much as $25.3 billion.

Prevention

Bone tissue is constantly being broken down and replaced, and with age the process does not occur as frequently. Peak bone mass is usually achieved by the late 20s, but people can still build and maintain strong bones for the remainder of their lives. Osteoporosis occurs when creating new bone doesn’t keep up with the loss of old bone. Your physician can prescribe medications or other treatment options, but to gain full benefit it’s important to exercise regularly, and be sure to take the recommended amount of calcium and vitamin D obtained from foods and/or supplements.

Symptoms

There are typically no symptoms in the early stages of bone loss. When bones being to weaken, however, one can experience back pain, loss of height, a stooped posture, and bones that break more easily than expected. Women who have experienced early menopause or have taken corticosteroids for several months are highly susceptible to weaker bones. Low sex hormone levels will also weaken bones. A fall in estrogen levels in women at menopause is one of the strongest risk factors in developing osteoporosis. In addition, if a person has taken too much thyroid hormone medication to treat underactive or overactive thyroid conditions or adrenal glands, bone loss is a probability.

Diet

A lack of calcium, eating disorders, and gastrointestinal surgery are issues that can put people in the high-risk category for osteoporosis. A lack of calcium leads to lower bone density, early bone loss, and increases the risk of fractures. Surgery can limit the amount of surface area available to absorb nutrients because the size of the stomach has been reduced.

Medical Conditions

The risk of osteoporosis is higher in people with chronic medical problems. These include celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney or liver disease, cancer, multiple myeloma, or rheumatoid arthritis.

May is National Osteoporosis Awareness Month. It’s an opportunity to be proactive about your health and a great time to make an appointment with a primary-care physician and undergo a painless bone density test. For more information, visit the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation at www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org.

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Shark Valley: the perfect place to see alligators, not sharks

Don’t let the name fool you — you won’t find any sharks in Shark Valley. Named for its location at the head of Shark River Slough, this 15-mile loop trail is the perfect spot to get up close and personal with an alligator (from a safe distance, of course!).

Located inside Everglades National Park, right off U.S. Highway 41 (Tamiami Trail), this paved trail is perfect for biking, hiking, and bird watching. There are also guided ranger and tram tours for those interested in learning more about the Florida Everglades — the only place in the world where the American alligator and American crocodile coexist.

This diverse subtropical wetland, the largest in North America, spans more than 1.5 million acres across central and south Florida — half of its original size. Composed of nine diverse ecosystems, the Everglades is home to more than 360 different bird species, 300 fish species, 20+ snake species, crocodiles, alligators, panthers, otters, frogs, and many other mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

Shark Valley sits right in the middle of the Everglades freshwater marsh and is an ideal location for viewing wading birds — from herons to egrets, ibises, hawks, owls, and anhingas, along with plenty of freshwater wildlife. But the one animal that cannot be missed along the first half of this trail is the alligator.

These majestic reptiles bask motionless in the sun right along the side of the pavement just steps from visitors. While this may seem like a dangerous scenario, these gators are used to people coming and going and rely on their natural habitat for food, meaning they do not seek out people or pets. As long as visitors do not engage in any reckless behavior, such as feeding or harassing the alligators — behavior that constitutes a criminal offense — Shark Valley is perfectly safe for both adults and children.

Midway through the loop, visitors can stop and rest at the Shark Valley Observation Tower. Standing 70 feet high, it’s the tallest structure in the park, with a viewing platform that offers scenic panoramic views of the Everglades.

For those interested in a more daring adventure, Shark Valley offers guided full-moon and new-moon bike tours. Accompanied by a park ranger, riders embark on a three-hour tour where they can embrace the magic of the Everglades and all its nocturnal creatures, including alligators, after dark. Upcoming tour dates include March 4, March 16, April 1, and April 16. Reservations are required and can be made through the Shark Valley Visitor Center at (305) 221-8776.

Shark Valley is located at 36000 SW 8th Street, Miami, and is open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in mid-December to mid-April, and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in mid-April to mid-December. Bike rentals are available on-site.

For more information, tour schedules, and entrance fees, visit www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/svdirections.htm.

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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.

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All the lowdown on catching sailfish

If there’s a secret to why certain captains and crews excel at catching billfish, it’s that they don’t leave anything to chance.

They begin their preparation well in advance, making sure that they have enough baits and that their tackle is in tip-top condition. While they’re fishing, they constantly watch their lines and also keep an eye out for free-jumping fish. And they don’t let up until they head back to the dock.

It used to be that January was the best time of the year to catch sailfish in South Florida, but now March and April are the best months. If you’ve always dreamed of catching and releasing one of the acrobatic, hard-fighting fish, here are some tips to help you accomplish that goal, as well as to catch more sailfish.

“It’s the littlest thing that makes the difference,” said Capt. Casey Hunt, who grew up fishing in Pompano Beach and now runs charters in Key West (cnitadventures.com). “Every single time a line goes in the water, it’s perfect. The hooks. The knots. You’ve got to spend that extra time because that extra time is going to catch you more fish.”

Whenever Capt. Bouncer Smith talks about fishing, he stresses the importance of being ready for anything.

“One of the things I always try to emphasize is be prepared for a lot of different things,” said Smith. “Carry the things that might save the day, like a box of jigs.”

While you’re fishing for sailfish, always bring some spinning rods so you can cast a live bait or jig to any dolphin you encounter, as well as any sailfish that suddenly pop up next to the boat.

“I cannot tell you how many guys go offshore and don’t have anything to catch a dolphin,” Smith said.

For Capt. John Louie Dudas of Miami, who has won countless sailfish tournaments, one of his keys is to never quit.

“Things can change in a split-second,” said Dudas, who has pulled out tournament victories by taking advantage of a last-minute bite.

He also doesn’t hesitate to go after free-jumping sailfish. The reason is that where you see one sailfish, there often are a lot more around.

As he heads over to where he saw the fish, his crew members grab spinning rods so they can cast out baits when they arrive.

“You don’t have to be on top of [the sailfish],” Dudas said, “just get ahead of them. When one comes up, they’ll be like a school of dolphin. They’ll be aggressive.”

When Hunt is targeting sailfish, he fishes in areas with good bottom structure such as coral reefs and rocky outcroppings, something most anglers don’t ever consider unless they’re fishing for snapper and grouper.

“Knowing the bottom in the areas you’re going to fish is huge,” he said because good bottom attracts bait, which attracts gamefish. “It makes a difference whether you’re sailfishing, king fishing, or grouper fishing.”

He added that he was one of the first captains to work with CMOR Mapping, which provides high-resolution, detailed images of everything on the bottom.

Hunt also is big on looking for temperature breaks, no matter how small. His crew once caught 13 sailfish where the difference in temperature went from 75 degrees to 75.7 degrees. That’s where the bait was, and so were the billfish.

“A tenth of a degree, two-tenths of a degree can make a huge difference,” he said. “Because there’s something there, there’s something going on, something’s getting ready to happen.”

Once you get into sailfish, something that Capt. David Fields — who has won sailfish, blue marlin, and white marlin tournaments — and fellow multiple tournament winner Rob Ruwitch agree on is that anglers should have the fishing rod in their hands before a fish eats the bait.

“If the fish gets there first,” Fields said, “he wins.”

Rather than letting a fish pop the line from a kite clip or outrigger clip, Ruwitch points the fishing rod at the clip so the fish feels as little pressure as possible.

Once a billfish is hooked, knowing how to properly use your tackle will help you land the fish. Ruwitch recommended that anglers learn how much drag they can apply without the line breaking while fun fishing.

“Go to a wreck, hook an amberjack, and find out how much pressure you can put on it,” he said. “The most important thing that I’ve found with drag is the lighter, the better.”

Hunt has always been a proponent of using the lightest tackle possible. His outfit for sailfish, as well as kingfish, is an Accurate Valiant 600 conventional reel with a 7:1 gear ratio because it quickly takes up slack line, and a 7-foot light-tip Accurate rod.

He puts 450 to 500 yards of 30-pound Momoi Diamond Braid on the reel as backing, followed by a 250-yard topshot of 20-pound Momoi Diamond Illusion, a green, “super tough” monofilament, and a 50-pound fluorocarbon leader. His preferred sailfish baits are goggle-eyes and threadfin herring and, if possible, sardines to use as pitch baits for fish that he can see.

When it’s time to move and reel in the lines, Hunt has his anglers work the baits, reeling them in a little, then hesitating before reeling again, rather than mindlessly cranking them back to the boat.

“Sometimes you’ll get a good bite like that,” said Hunt, who, because he’s always prepared, is always ready when that unexpected bite happens.

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Run4Beigel: Memorial fund helps send at-risk children to summer camps

Scott J. Beigel was more than a geography teacher and cross-country coach at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD). Among the 17 souls who lost their lives that fateful day in February 2018, he was a man that impacted lives. Ultimately, he was a man who saved lives by unlocking his classroom so students could find shelter.

To raise money for the Scott J. Beigel Memorial Fund, the annual Run4Beigel takes place April 10 at Pine Trails Park in Parkland. It’s where his team trained and, after their initial meeting, he told them he knew nothing about cross-country running. The team was impressed by his candor, and by his wit. When asked how they could improve, he would simply say, “Just run faster.” According to his mother, Linda Beigel Schulman, he told the team, “You teach me about cross country, and I’ll teach you about life.”

The Format

Beigel won the love and admiration of his team. To honor his memory, they took to social media and within six days of his death organized the first Run4Beigel event. It drew nearly 500 people. This year’s event features the traditional 5K Run-Walk and 1-mile Fun Run, and a 10-mile Two-Person Relay has been added that requires participants to run 5 miles each. Run4Beigel is also being done virtually and runners from around the world will be participating in his honor.

“We expanded to accommodate those who want a bigger challenge,” said Doug Eaton, race director. “The multiple events add a competitive component that never existed before, and we hope to draw friends, family, the philanthropic community, and competitive athletes from running clubs.”

Eaton says the events are a good way to get involved in a wonderful cause. “Scott was a great human being who cared so much about people,” he said. “Honoring him shows the Parkland spirit.” T-shirts will be given to all participants, and winners will receive trophies and cash prizes.

“It’s really a celebration of his life, and there’s a lot of energy because the community comes together as one in his memory,” said Beigel’s mother.

The memorial fund is rooted in Beigel’s love for summer camp. “It was something close to his heart and that’s why my husband Michael and I partnered with Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education (SCOPE),” she said. “It’s an organization that funds ‘camperships’ for at-risk, low-income children affected by gun violence, and it helps youngsters become empowered and more self-confident.”

The Full SCOPE

The organization does not run the camps, but partners are vetted to meet high standards. “The camps help the emotional needs of kids affected by gun violence by offering an environment that is acceptive and responsive to their needs,” said Executive Director Molly Hott Gallagher.

Beigel’s parents found a partner in SCOPE that was experienced in working with underserved youth and had working relationships with accredited camps. “When Linda and I met, we hit it off immediately,” said HottGallagher. “This relationship has been incredible … because of the focus on providing greater financial access so kids can attend camps they could not otherwise afford.”

SCOPE partners with more than 50 nonprofit summer camps. Last year, it provided more than 700 children with a camp experience. “Helping at-risk kids affected by gun violence was very important to Scott,” said Eaton. “Our goal this year is to raise at least $300,000 and help send 200 kids to camp.”

According to Hott Gallagher, some of the organization’s partner camps are free for all children, and SCOPE subsidizes additional costs for meals, travel, programming, and staffing. Since its inception, SCOPE has funded more than 25,000 camperships.

Applicants must be between ages 7 and 16, be enrolled in a public school or public charter school, and qualify for the Free and Reduced Price School Meals program. They must commit to stay in school. Inner-city kids exist in a world where chaos and crime are routine, and they’re more prone to exposure to gun violence. “Summer camp is very therapeutic because it gives kids a chance to be themselves and have fun,” said HottGallagher. “It’s a break from their daily routine, and it’s proven to be psychologically beneficial.”

An Insight

Beigel grew up in Dix Hills on Long Island, NY. He was a self-taught guitarist, runner, teacher, coach, friend, advisor, and jokester. He found his dream job at MSD because it allowed him to teach geography his way, not always out of a book, but about life’s experiences.

Despite his biting wit, he was a humble man who lived by the golden rule of treating others as you would like to be treated. “Scott really never knew how much people loved him,” said his mother. “The first day he was at Douglas, he called to tell me he was the worst teacher in the world. Students who had doubts about him were the ones who loved him the most. Wherever Scott went, he impacted lives.”

Beigel loved to mentor kids and to be a champion for the underdog. He volunteered to teach in Cape Town, South Africa and returned home without any baggage. He told his mother that in America kids worry about what kind of athletic shoe to buy, but over there, kids were lucky to have shoes. “Mom, I left all my clothes for them, because I knew it was something they could really use,” he said. That was the essence of Scott Beigel.

Lingering Pain

“The scar tissue from what happened four years ago hasn’t gone away, but it’s made Parkland an even tighter-knit community,” said Eaton. “We still feel the pain of that day, and in Scott’s memory, we want to make things better. It’s a way in which our community can give each other a collective hug.” The 17 will always be remembered.

For Beigel’s legacy, this quote by Mahatma Gandhi is appropriate: “Life isn’t always about grand gestures, but when living by your values, you can make a difference.”

You can follow Run4Beigel on Instagram and Facebook. To sign up, go to www.run4beigel.com.

 

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From puppy to superhero

Parkland family fosters service dog

On her bucket list since childhood (along with travel and giving back), Parkland resident Joanna Goriss finally checked off one of her boxes — becoming a volunteer puppy raiser through a California-based organization called Canine Companions.

The nonprofit, founded in 1975, provides expertly trained service dogs — primarily Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, and crosses of the two — to enhance independence for people with disabilities. The organization has approximately 4,300 volunteers across the country.

The dogs, bred by volunteer breeders in California, are shipped to families across the U.S. at 8 weeks of age.

“Raising Noki for 18 months has been so rewarding for our family,” says Goriss, a realtor.

She and her husband, Jeff Goriss, who works in corporate finance, are the parents of Landry, 9, and London, 7, students at Somerset Parkland Academy. They received Noki in March 2020, on the last commercial flight into Fort Lauderdale just as the pandemic hit.

As volunteer puppy raisers, the family was responsible for training the puppy, and for expenses such as food and vet visits.

Once Noki left the Gorris home, he went to Orlando for puppy college and to train to become a full-fledged service dog — turning off lights and putting on socks for his charges.

If all goes well, after six months, Noki will graduate. Only 50 percent of all puppies actually graduate. The Gorisses plan to attend Noki’s graduation and walk with him across the stage.

“Canine Companions is very organized,” says Goriss. “Almost 400 dogs graduate each year. We’re a big family and stay in touch with other volunteers. It’s extremely rewarding. It warms your heart to know that you are making a difference in someone’s life. You cannot put a price on it.”

When her son was younger, he spent three and a half years in treatment for leukemia at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. Because of that, Goriss says, he is empathetic to others with health or physical limitations.

“We’re grateful for each day because tomorrow is not promised,” says Goriss. “We try and make a difference with our volunteer efforts.”

The couple volunteer at Miami Make-A-Wish (“very near and dear to our heart”) and volunteered at the fifth annual Make-A-Wish Ball, which raised over $1 million.

“We have a neighbor with cerebral palsy and another in a wheelchair,” says Goriss. “So my kids understand the purpose of having a service dog.”

Because of this, they were able to part with Noki without too much grief. “We didn’t find it sad to give him up because we knew he would be going on to help someone else,” Goriss says. “We raised a superhero.”

However, Noki left a void, and the family is looking forward to raising a new puppy.

Ashton Roberts, Canine Companion’s program manager in Orlando, says, “There’s no strict criteria to become a volunteer puppy raiser. You need to walk the dog on a leash and comply with the program rules.”

For more information on Canine Companions, visit canine.org.

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School News – March 2022

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Is it March already? We are gearing up for next year as students are in the process of selecting courses for the next school year. We also hosted our incoming ninth graders for our annual Curriculum Night and were so excited to greet our future Eagles. We are still working hard on our After School Academy tutoring sessions along with our Saturday SAT, ACT, and EOC preparation. We have been very encouraged by the weekly turnout.

Our athletics have been keeping us on the map, as our cheerleaders won the Regional Championship and placed third at States in the Small Coed Division. Go, MSD Cheer! Our Wrestling team finished the regular season with an outstanding 15-2 record and was the No. 2 public school team in the county. In addition, one of our very own competed in the first-ever sanctioned girls FHSAA district championships. Way to make history! As always, our World Guard didn’t disappoint, as they took first place at the SFWGA competition.

A big thank you to our MSD JROTC for hosting a blood drive in September that resulted in the collection of 125 units of blood. In February, we hosted another blood drive, which was a huge success.

As for Douglas Drama, our students competed at Districts, and several are moving on to States in Tampa in late March. Along with States, they are also working on the spring musical, “Something Rotten,” which takes you back to the Renaissance period where Nick Bottom tries to create the first musical but things don’t go exactly as planned. You do not want to miss this hilarious musical unfold on the stage.

Congratulations to our NHS Brain Brawl team as they won the North Area Championship. The next stop is to face the South Area champion for the County Championship. Bring home the gold!

If you had the pleasure of attending our Black History Showcase, you know why there was such an overwhelming response. “Rise Up: A Looking Glass into Black Culture” featured dances, performances, and more that showcased various cultures in the Black diaspora. “At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, we pride ourselves in fostering an inclusive environment for all our staff and students,” Coach De Carter stated. “In the month of November, we celebrate all cultures and heritages with our Multicultural show, and in the month of February, we take time to highlight the contributions and sacrifices made by African-Americans.”

Carter added, “Each February is a celebration and powerful reminder that Black history is American history. Our nation was founded on all men being created equal, and here at MSD that is what we believe! Our students worked extremely hard to provide a looking glass into Black culture during our February 4th showcase.”

Noldine Belizaire, president of the Black Student Union and co-director of the show, added, “I had many people come up to me, asking if they could participate in the show, so we opened up many opportunities for them to perform, whether it was declamations, dances, helping backstage, or hosting. The show made me realize how meaningful every performance and everyone’s participation was. We all learned how to work together despite the conflicts, to set aside our differences, and create unity between all cultures.”

A special thank you to all who participated in our Day of Service and Love on Feb. 14 to honor the memory of the 17 lives lost and those who were injured on Feb. 14, 2018. The four on-campus service projects to give back to the community were Feeding Our First Responders, Working in Marjory’s Garden, Spending a Mindful Morning with the MSD Mind-Body Club, and Campus Beautification. We were also humbled to reveal the memorial honoring the victims of the Feb. 14 tragedy as a loving tribute to our fallen Eagles.

As a reminder, school will be closed March 21-25 for Spring Break. March 17 is an early release day, and March 18 and March 28 are both teacher planning days.

 

Westglades Middle School

By Principal Matthew Bianchi

As part of our school-wide Literacy Week activities, Westglades Middle School recently had an acclaimed author visit campus. Our students cannot stop talking about their visit from New York Times best-selling author and Sunshine State Young Readers Award winner James Ponti. He visited Westglades on Feb. 2 to speak with students about his writing process and to promote his newly released book, “City Spies: Forbidden City.”

Students who purchased Ponti’s books or who earned brag tags for reading his books had the opportunity to meet the author for a book signing and question-and-answer event. Additional students attended the event in their classrooms via video conferencing. Ponti also included “confidential” information about upcoming plot elements in the “City Spies” series. His books have been flying off the media center’s shelves.

Our girls’ volleyball team again had an undefeated season and was the Division 1 champion. The team has won the division every year since volleyball returned in 2014-15 and has only lost one regular-season game in that time. They have made the semifinals every year but one. The Westglades girls are led by excellent coaches, Sharon and Kevin Golzbein. The season ended in the MSAA County Semi-finals at Pompano Beach High School against Tequesta Trace. Westglades congratulates Tequesta on its fourth straight County Volleyball Championship. Westglades girls’ athletics is in the running to win the overall sports trophy for 2021-22 because they are the MSAA District Champions in golf and soccer and made it to the Semi-finals in basketball.

We want to wish all our students a nice and restful Spring Break!  Once we return, our school will officially begin the standardized testing season.

Park Trails Elementary

By Principal Arlene Manville

Park Trails is excited to announce our STEAM Track for incoming kindergarten students. Once students register for Park Trails, they can complete the paperwork to enter the lottery for the STEAM Track. Regardless of whether they get into this program, all students at Park Trails will participate in STEAM specials, including Engineering & Robotics, Art & Design, and Multimedia & Technology.

In each of these classes, students will engage in hands-on learning and participate in engineering challenges. They will learn to design, build, and program robots. They will design objects, build them using various objects, and then design them on the computer to create a 3D image using our 3D printers.

We will host our next Open House for prospective students in early April; check our website for details.

Riverglades Elementary

By Christina Chiodo and Kimberly Mann

Spring is almost here and many things are currently blooming at Riverglades Elementary. The students have been working hard and had a blast participating in our green party as they celebrated student growth on their I-Ready assessments. We are so proud of all our Riverglades Gators!

Last month the students got the opportunity to connect and give back to the community. Kindergarten and first-grade students collected donations for the humane society, second- and third-grade students held a collection for the food banks, and fourth- and fifth-grade students collected donations for SOS Children’s Village.

We have a multitude of events going on this month beginning with spring pictures. Students can wear their favorite spring attire as pictures will take place on March 3 and 4. Spring pictures can be a great keepsake as families can look back on them and remember wonderful memories.

Want to see your teacher or principal outside of the school day? Why not pay them a visit at McTeacher’s Night at McDonald’s. On March 9, 20% percent of purchases will be donated back to our school. What a great night to grab a quick bite to eat and support your school.

In the mood for something sweet? The fifth-grade committee has organized the Cherry Smash Food Truck to make an appearance this month.

Just a reminder that March 17 is an early release day. Teacher planning will take place on both March 18 and March 28, so there will not be school for students on those dates. And Spring Break will be March 21 to March 25.

Coral Springs Charter

Spring is all competition at Coral Springs Charter School, so we’re headed into a season of hard work and outstanding performances. On top of the amazing matchups among our spring sports teams, such as baseball, softball, boys’ volleyball, and track, the academic and performance art organizations are gearing up for their competitive seasons. On March 3, the chorus will have its District competition, followed by the DECA State competition in Orlando. Later in the month, the Senior Thespians will have their State Competition in Tampa.

There is also a host of exciting fundraisers happening throughout the month of March! The sophomore class will be hosting an escape room on March 11; students can purchase tickets on MySchoolBucks for an evening of puzzling adventure. On the same night, the Drama Club will be hosting its annual Cup of Joe fundraiser, with open mic performances throughout the evening.

One of the highlights of the spring is the Cambridge trip: During Spring Break, seniors will travel to Berlin, Prague, and the Swiss Alps, experiencing the rich beauty, culture, and history of central Europe. With visits to Dachau, Neuschwanstein Castle, Potsdam, Munich, and beautiful Lucerne, it’s sure to be an unforgettable experience. While we’re excited for those embarking on these wild adventures, we hope the rest of our student population has a restful Spring Break and comes back ready to take on the close of our academic year!

Eagle Ridge Elementary

By Principal Lindsey Sierra

Fourth-grade teacher Seema Naik was named Broward County Public Schools Teacher of the Year at the 2022 Caliber Awards Ceremony.

Naik started her career in education 16 years ago — first as a volunteer so she could be involved in her daughters’ education. She then applied to become a cafeteria aide and a teacher assistant before becoming a primary grade teacher.

“Anyone can take money from your hands, but not your education.” These powerful words spoken by Naik’s parents many years ago shaped her philosophy on education. Naik believes all children have the right to quality education to empower them with critical thinking skills, collaboration strategies, and self-confidence to reach their goals.

“The next generation requires teachers to foster a desire for lifelong learning because of the current technology-dominated era,” said Naik. As part of a family of musicians from India, Naik uses her passion for music to enhance her instruction to create songs and chants with lyrics that incorporate lesson content for her students.

“In my experience as a school leader, there are only a few teachers I would consider to be a pioneer. It is clear-cut in my mind that Mrs. Naik is a STEM pioneer in the education world,” said Principal Lindsey Sierra. “She has led Eagle Ridge in creating new STEM opportunities for our students.”

Heron Heights Elementary

By Lauren Generoso, PTO President

The Scholastic Book Fair is back at Heron Heights Elementary (HHE) for spring with lots of great titles to choose from! Hawks can shop in person and online from March 4 until March 11.

HHE families are invited to our Family STEM Night on Thursday, March 10. This event will be held indoors with lots of fun hands-on activities to enjoy. That evening, parents will get the opportunity to shop at the book fair with their children too. Pizza Carousel in Coral Springs will also be giving back 15% of all sales the day of the event; just mention “HHE.”

Our 2022 Virtual Adult Spring Auction kicks off on March 30 and runs online through April 6. We have lots of cool items to bid on! All funds raised will support educational programs, school events, plus classroom and playground enhancements at Heron Heights.

Want to wish your child “Happy Birthday” on the marquee at HHE? Visit the store on our website, www.hhepto.com, to purchase. The message stays on the marquee for one day, from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. A minimum of one week’s advance notice is required.

 

Coral Springs Middle

We were excited to welcome our incoming sixth-graders to the school on February 23-25. The students had a fun day with activities, presentations, and a tour of the school. We would like to remind our incoming parents about our open house on March 15 at 6 p.m.

The Debate team had a successful tournament at Marjory Stoneman Douglas last month. The students all placed and did a wonderful job. The Drama Club traveled to Orlando to compete in the State Drama Competition. Students will perform in the school’s play, “Madagascar Jr. the Musical,” on April 28 and 29. The public is welcome to attend.

The Coding/Robotics and Girls Who Code clubs are working on fun projects after school. The student government has been planning and coordinating many events at the school over the course of the year.

On Feb. 3, the SGA held its first Kids of Character Recognition Assembly by rewarding students with pizza and treats. More than 100 students were able to attend the event, an amazing job for all our student nominees.

 

Somerset Parkland Academy

By Jennifer Knight, VIPP President

Somerset Parkland Academy (SPA) opened up its second enrollment period for 2022-23 to potential students who live outside the 2.5-mile radius of the school. The lottery for this period will take place on March 7 for any available spots. SPA will have classes in all grades K–8th next year.

In February, SPA celebrated Black History Month in numerous ways and in several subjects, including history, social studies, and art. But the most exciting activity was the Living “Wax” Museum of famous African-Americans in history. Each grade was assigned a different decade, and the students chose an influential person in science, business, politics, or sports to research. They wrote several paragraphs detailing that individual’s impact on the country and then stood before their fellow classmates with props and note cards making a presentation in first person as that individual. The students took it very seriously and learned a lot about these very important people in American history.

February also saw SPA host a Love and Service Week. Our students created and dropped off numerous shoeboxes of toiletries, socks, masks, and sanitizer in the Boxes of Love project organized with the Kids Care Club. Along with other activities each day, the school honored Marjory Stoneman Douglas on Feb. 14 with maroon and gray ribbons and ended the week with a day showering love on our school resource officer. Next up in March: a book fair and Boosterthon.

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Heard it all before in the vet clinic

There are so many situations where I have heard from my clients that they are going to try it on their own.

Aggression: I will observe a dog in desperate need of a trainer, especially after it bites a child or growls at family members. Typically, before we get to that situation, I have already recommended a trainer and they want to give it one more try.

Weight loss: I will hear the excuse “It was the holidays, and we all gain weight.” I remind them that the pet has been gaining weight for a year, and how about trying a diet food?

Arthritis pain: The pet may sleep all day, or it limps, or it might even have trouble getting up or into position to defecate because of pain.

I have heard hundreds of times that my clients don’t want to start something that the pet will be on for life. That’s the way it works. Hopefully, there will be pain relief and improved quality of life for the rest of the pet’s life.

Let me introduce you to Kendall. She is an 8-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and one of the sweetest dogs that I have ever met. Cavaliers (for short) have a predisposition for heart disease. Clinically they are normal for many years, but during auscultation with a stethoscope, a heart murmur heard in this breed when they are younger typically means that they will have a shortened life expectancy. Most owners who do research on Cavaliers always pay attention and get nervous when the veterinarian listens to their pet’s heart. I usually will give a thumbs up or a nod if I don’t hear a murmur, and the owner’s sense of relief is immediate.

I have been monitoring Kendall’s heart murmur since she was 5 years old. When Kendall was 7-plus years, I sent her to the cardiologist who confirmed that the dog does indeed have the typical heart disease that affects Cavaliers. I recommended baseline medications and made a schedule for follow-up testing. On the bottom of the referral letter from the cardiologist, it stated that the owner was going to go home and discuss the diagnosis and treatment plan with their spouse. The prescriptions were called into her pharmacy and follow-up bloodwork could be done at my hospital, but blood pressure readings, EKGs, and echocardiograms would need to be done at the cardiologist.

I had my technician put in a reminder for one month to schedule follow-up bloodwork. The owner for the next 6 months either canceled or rescheduled all of Kendall’s appointments. One day they came in with Kendall. They had just gone to the dog park and Kendall was coughing. The owner was convinced that the dog had picked up kennel cough. I told them that Kendall couldn’t be clinical for kennel cough one hour after exposure.

Kendall’s heart murmur had rapidly progressed. Her gum color was pale, her cough was deep, and she had to make a deep abdominal effort to breathe. I brought her to the treatment room and put her in an oxygen cage. I went back into the room and told the owner that they couldn’t wait any longer to start Kendall on heart medication, and it was a miracle that she was still alive. The owner needed a minute to call their spouse, so I left the room and started Kendall on life-saving heart medication.

I came back into the room and the owner asked me if the heart medication would be forever. I said, “Yes, the heart medication for Kendall, who is in congestive heart failure, will be for the rest of her life.” Sigh…

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New winter diet for the manatees

Lettuce is being stocked in the Indian River manatee buffet to feed the local population that migrates to the estuary during the colder months of the year. So far, the manatees are skipping the buffet, which does not bode well for the local manatee herd that is still weakened from 2021.

The supplemental feeding program established by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is in response to an Unusual Mortality Event that has seen 750 deaths (all causes) on the Florida Atlantic coast in the 12-month period ending in November 2021.

A healthy adult manatee is nearly 10 feet long and approximately 1,000 pounds. They require 4%-9% of their body weight (40-90 pounds) in food each day. In the wintertime, the favorite hangout for the Atlantic coast manatees is the Indian River Lagoon, which traditionally feeds the herd with the local seagrass.

According to FWC, “since 2011, persistence of algal blooms has resulted in reduced water clarity and light penetration” and a “dramatic reduction” in sunlight getting to the seagrass at the bottom of the lagoon. The seagrass “in this region and specifically in the Indian River Lagoon has declined significantly.”

Due to the shortage of their natural food, the region saw a significant number of emaciated manatees last year, and as more resources, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have been brought in to help with the response, a joint unified command team was established.

According to a press conference held on Jan. 13 by the joint unified command team, so far this year, the temperature in the area had been warm and manatees had not yet started to congregate in the Indian River Lagoon. But as January temperatures were starting to drop, more and more manatees would start to migrate to what is described as their “capital” for wintering.

What the manatees are seeing when they enter the Indian River Lagoon is not the lush seagrass fields they are hoping for, but a “desert,” according to Martina de Wit, a research scientist with FWC. This is the cause of the starvation we saw last year and may recur when more manatees show up in their wintering grounds.

The state allocated an extra $8 million recently to help alleviate the dire situation, and a feeding program was born. In captivity, manatees do eat lettuce but require “a week or so” before accepting it as food. In the wild, no observed feeding has occurred, as of the Jan. 13 press conference. But the FWC expects “some adjustment period when switching to a different diet,” and when the realization of lack of natural seagrass sets in, the FWC “expected that manatees can adapt to [lettuce] without any major issues.”

When asked by a reporter, “Why lettuce?”, and not some other natural vegetation, the FWC is concerned with introducing invasive species or extra nutrients to an already fertilizer-rich ecosystem, which is causing clarity issues in the first place. The lettuce that is not eaten is removed. Given the quantity of food required (40-90 pounds of food per adult animal), it’s difficult to harvest that amount of food. This is the reason it’s still illegal for the public to feed manatees.

Feeding manatees is meant as a short-term bridge until longer-term habitat restoration and improvement projects get traction. According to Ron Mezich, the provisioning chief, the lack of local seagrass donor beds is a major hurdle for the nursery that is planned to help regrow the seagrass that has been lost.

Meanwhile, Joint Command Rescue Chief Andy Garrett said that efforts to bring up more rescue facilities are ongoing. His team gets alerts from the public about distressed animals, and in 2021, a record 159 manatees were rescued and 115 went to the rehab facility. So far in the past month, 23 manatees have been rescued, and the facilities are near capacity. More facilities are being brought up, and Garrett encourages the public to call the hotline when they see an animal in distress.

As the temperatures cool, more of the manatees are expected to require help. Let us all hope that the wild manatees take a liking to lettuce and that the seagrass nursery flourishes in the Indian River Lagoon.

To help with both the rescue and the feeding program, you can donate to the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership or the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. It will take a significant effort to save many of the gentle giants, as the FWC works to reverse the desertification of their winter capital.

 

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