07/06/2017 ISSUE 27

Sale of Shores oceanside
property closes. P10
Marine Bank
expands again. P7

John’s Island developer
to get $10M from lawsuit. P8

MY VERO Jarrod Owen (left), Dale Sorensen Jr. (center) with Jake Owen (right) in a video shot on a fishing trip to Grand Cay in the Bahamas. Chinese bid on
32963 estate,
BY RAY MCNULTY School leader’s contract extended on 3-to-2 vote but don’t win

Dale Sorensen Jr. joins BY DEBBIE CARSON School Superintendent Mark Rendell. problems at the district un- BY STEVEN M. THOMAS
Jake Owen in new video Staff Writer der his leadership. Staff Writer

One of the cool things A divided and troubled- The extension seemed The first real estate auction
about having Jake Owen as sounding school board like a foregone conclusion to draw Chinese bidders for
our home-grown country mu- extended Superintendent in one sense – the board’s 32963 luxury oceanfront es-
sic star is that he embraces his Mark Rendell’s contact un- agenda for the meeting tates turned out to be less than
Vero Beach roots, and makes til June 2019 last week, even listed just two options re- a smashing success, with bids
us feel as if we're a part of his though board members did garding Rendell’s contract: overall lower than expected
success. not have all the data needed “Take no action and allow and several bidders-by-long-
to evaluate his performance Dr. Rendell’s employment distance from China failing to
Just last week, Owen was and despite a long list of agreement to automatically offer enough to win the high-
back in town as the guest of profile island property known
honor at a late-morning cer- CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 variously as Palazzo Di Mare
emony during which a $1 or “the barcode lady’s house.”
million synthetic-turf, youth-
league baseball field – built The good news for owner
with funds donated by foun- Sharon Nicholson was that
dations headed by Hall of her south island estate finally
Fame shortstop Cal Ripken sold at auction after nearly 10
Jr. and NASCAR driver Kevin years on and off the market.
Harvick – was dedicated in his
name. The bad news was that the
spectacular 5-acre, ocean-to-
"This community played river property fetched only
a big part in raising me to be $8,848,000, netting Nicholson
the person that I am today," less than $8 million – a frac-
Owen said after the ribbon- tion of the original 2007 ask-
cutting. "I've always been
proud to be from Vero Beach, CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
and I'm forever grateful for
the support I've received from Shores residents
still waiting for
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 start on cell tower

Construction set BY LISA ZAHNER
to begin on Ocean Staff Writer
Drive restaurant
Eight months after Indian
BY RAY MCNULTY River Shores ended years of
Staff Writer controversy and approved
construction of a cell tower on
The contractor hired to build
the proposed restaurant on the CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
west side of Ocean Drive, across
the street from Bobby’s Restau-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

July 6, 2017 Volume 10, Issue 27 Newsstand Price $1.00 14 Bones wins
2017 Best Burger
News 1-10 Faith 39 Pets 40 TO ADVERTISE CALL competition. P12
Arts 23-28 Games 41-43 Real Estate 61-72 772-559-4187
Books 38 Health 45-49 Style 51-53
Dining 54 Insight 29-44 Wine 55 FOR CIRCULATION
Editorial 34 People 11-22 CALL 772-226-7925

© 2017 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.

2 Vero Beach 32963 / July 6, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

My Vero he'll pick up his guitar, drive over to of his videos, and it was a lot of fun to song and the sound of it to relate to my
the Riverside Cafe and treat the crowd be a part of it," Sorensen said. "It was life, the people I hang around with and
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 to an impromptu show. one of the best experiences of my life." what we do when I come home.

the people here." His parents still live here. So does Actually, Owen's brother and So- "We just did what we usually do when
Owen has given back through his his twin brother, Jarrod. So do many of rensen both appear in the unscripted, we go to the Bahamas," he added, "ex-
the guys he grew up with – a group that three-minute video shot in the Baha- cept this time we recorded it on video."
own foundation, too, performing con- includes local realtor Dale Sorensen Jr. mas, where Owen joined them for 2
certs in town and donating proceeds 1/2 days of boating, fishing, snorkel- Jarrod Owen said he and Sorensen,
to local causes. "I've known Dale a long time," Owen ing, bar-hopping and mingling with whose boat was used in the video, go
said. the locals on Grand Cay. to the Bahamas to fish several times
He visits when he can. And when each year. When he's available, which
he does, he's visible. You can find him It wasn't until April, though, that "The song is about being with isn't often enough, they invite Jake to
playing golf on one of our courses, Owen invited Sorensen to join the act, friends, hanging with people you en- come along.
dining at a local eatery, even standing including him in the music video for joy being around, being with good
on the sidelines of a Vero Beach High "Good Company," the newest single company and having fun," Owen said. That's how this trip started.
School football game. from "American Love," his soon-to- "I didn't want to make the video literal "Jake's got a busy touring schedule
be-released fifth studio album. to the lyrics. I wanted the feel of the and we wanted to find a way to get
Sometimes, when the mood strikes, him down here for a couple of days to
"That's the first time I've been in one go fishing, so we called his manager
to see when he had some down time
and could get away," Jarrod said. "His
manager said Jake needed to produce
a video for 'Good Company,' and they
decided to shoot it in the Bahamas."
After performing in Dallas, Jake
Owen flew to the Bahamas, where he
and his crew joined his brother and
Sorensen – and the party began.
"They just told us, 'Pretend you're on
vacation and have fun,' and that's what
we did," Owen's brother said. "There
was no script. Nothing was planned
or rehearsed. Half the time, we didn't
know the cameras were rolling."
In all, the crew compiled nine hours
of video, including aerial footage taken
by a drone and the recording of a visit
to a local school, where Owen sang for
and chatted with the students.
The school visit, along with other
stops during the trip, were arranged by
Sorensen, who said he has been visiting
the Bahamas since he was 6 years old. He
has a particular fondness for Grand Cay,
so much so that he has donated clothes
and other supplies to the people there.
He was especially helpful last year in
the wake of Hurricane Matthew, which
severely damaged most of the tiny Ab-
aco Island and neighboring Walker's
Cay, where many of the Grand Cay
residents had worked.
"Dale has been going over there for
a long time, and he's done a lot for that
community," Owen said. "He's like
family over there."
Sorensen described Grand Cay as
a "third-world fishing village where
people are struggling." He said Owen
wanted to shoot the video there – not
only because he has enjoyed his past
visits, but also to help residents of the
island, which isn't considered a tour-
ist destination.
"It was important to Jake to shoot
the video there," Sorensen said. "It
was such a great time, all of it, but that
segment at the school was especially
touching. Jake was so great with the
kids, and they really enjoyed and ap-
preciated having him there.
"That was my favorite part of the
video."
The video has received a surge of

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / July 6, 2017 3

NEWS

attention on social media sites, and it," Sorensen said. "It's such a positive had to get back to work. I went from eos ("Yee Haw," "Starting With Me" and
"Good Company" continues to ap- reflection of their country. They feel 'Good Company' to real life." "Real Life"). "We just ran out of time.
proach the Top 40 on the country music really good about it."
charts. A laid-back, feel-good summer Owen flew from the Bahamas to "He's going to be pretty busy the
anthem, the song should get plenty of That's exactly what Owen wants every- Nashville, then went back out on the next few months," he added, "but he'll
play across the next couple of months. one to feel when they hear the song – and road to resume a crowded summer- be back."
especially when they watch the video. tour schedule.
And the video should help. Jake Owen hasn't forgotten Vero
"The Bahamians I know have been "That video was all about sharing "The only thing that stopped us from Beach. He's got family here. And friends.
texting me a lot, saying they saw the good times with good company and having more fun was Jake getting on
video on social media and they love making lasting memories," Owen said. that plane," said Owen's brother, who Now, he's also got a baseball field
"I wish I could've stayed longer, but I has appeared in three of Jake’s other vid- with his name on it – and he thinks
that's pretty cool, too. 

Chinese bid in 32963 auction NEW LISTING
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Exclusively John’s Island
ing price of $33.5 million and only
about 40 percent of the $20 million list Sited on a rare, oversized .39± acre lot, this desirable 4BR/5BA courtyard home
price in place at the time of the auc- is located within steps of the ocean, nearby tennis/squash courts, and south
tion. gate. Privacy is paramount. Lavish, tropical gardens with a fountain and sparkling
pool provide a peaceful respite from life’s demands. The Buatta-inspired decor
In April 2016, Naples-based DeCaro accents this 4,255± SF retreat featuring custom millwork, ceiling details, French-
Luxury Auctions attempted to auction country kitchen with commercial grade appliances, sunlit lanai, living room with
the house off, setting a reserve price of fireplace, luxurious Moroccan-inspired master suite, cabana and 2-car garage.
$12.9 million. The highest bid was $12 21 Dove Shell Lane : $3,250,000
million, and the bid was not accepted.
three championship golf courses : 17 har-tru courts : beach club : squash
This time, according to Premier health & fitness center : pickleball : croquet : vertical equity membership
Estate Properties listing agent Clark
French and Laura Brady, founder 772.231.0900 : Vero Beach, FL : JohnsIslandRealEstate.com
and president of Concierge Auctions,
Palazzo Di Mare was packaged into
something called the China Portfolio,
a dozen properties that were specially
marketed during June in hotel ball-
room events in Hong Kong, Shang-
hai, Beijing and Guangzhou (formerly
Canton).

“Roughly 8 percent of Concierge
sales have been to foreign buyers
and a number of wealthy Chinese are
looking to put their money in U.S. dol-
lar assets,” says French. “We ended up
with three Chinese bidders” on Pala-
zzo Di Mare.

But the highest of the Chinese bid-
ders only made it to the final three
before dropping out. The property
ultimately sold for $8.848 million – in-
cluding the 12 percent buyer’s premi-
um – to a local resident.

Concierge auctioned another 32963
property at the same time as Palazzo
Di Mare. That house at 1880 S. A1A sits
on a 65-foot by 750-foot, 1.12-acre lot
which extends from A1A to the ocean.
It was listed pre-auction for $4,995,000
and garnered $3,836,000 in a no-re-
serve sale, about 76 percent of list.

Two Chinese buyers registered to
bid for this property, along with 7 or 8
others, but the property was sold to an
American buyer.

The low prices did not come for
want of trying on the part of Con-
cierge Auctions, which handled the
sale, or Premier Estate Properties list-
ing agents French, Cindy O’Dare, and
Richard Boga.

“The Nicholson estate is one of the
largest properties we have ever sold,”
says French, who’s also managing di-
rector of the private client group at

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

4 Vero Beach 32963 / July 6, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Chinese bid in 32963 auction Aerial view of Palazzo Di Mare (left), widely known locally as “the barcode lady’s house.” PHOTO BY BRUCE CADY listed and delisted multiple times,
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 with four different brokerages.
the house is located, adjoining the The following year, she listed the
Concierge. “It extends from the ocean northern edge of Round Island Park, house with the South Florida office of According to a 2013 Wall Street Jour-
to the river, with 205 feet of frontage in 1994, and then spent seven years the Corcoran Group for $24,900,000. nal article, Palazzo Di Mare supposed-
on both and a boat dock on the river. building and decorating an ornate That listing was withdrawn in 2009 ly was inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s
It’s one of only two ocean-to-river mansion with approximately 23,000 and since then the house has been novel “The Great Gatsby,” in which
properties in the estate section. square feet of living space under air several luxurious waterfront homes
and some 28,000 under roof. Shores cell tower on Long Island are described.
“The property was marketed locally, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
nationally and internationally. Hun- Nicholson first offered the estate for “The home has 32-foot-tall ceilings,
dreds of thousands of people viewed the sale in 2007, listing it for auction with a town property, residents are still wait- a stained-glass bar, a soundproofed
house and we had some engagement starting bid of $33.5 million. She with- ing for wireless companies – even one movie theater and a 14-car garage.
with thousands of potential buyers. We drew the house shortly before the auc- provider – to sign on so construction There’s also a solarium, a sky deck,
ended up with about 50 qualified show- tion, which never took place. can proceed. a guesthouse, two elevators and a
ings and 10 registered bidders.” swimming pool with 14-carat gold in-
Town Manager Robbie Stabe each lays. The house is fronted by 205 feet
Because of the Asian participation, month gives the council an update of private beach,” the article said.
the auction was held over a 34-hour on where things stand with the tower,
period, opening at 8 a.m. on Wednes- which originally was scheduled to be Real estate agent William P. D. Pierce
day, June 28, and closing at 6 p.m. on completed by Easter, and then by the of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Es-
Thursday, but French says all the ac- 4th of July. tate’s Miami Beach office, who had the
tion, “with buyers pressing bidders’ home listed for $19,900,000 when the
buttons and talking to us on the phone, For several months, Datapath, the Journal article was published, said the
came in the final hour.” tower firm the Shores hired to man- house would be worth more than $100
age the project, has been “very close” million if it was on the ocean in Miami.
Despite the low sale price, French to inking a deal with one of the top
says Sharon Nicholson is “pleased to two providers – Verizon or AT&T – The two sales last week were the
have the house sold and moving to- and in talks with at least one more ninth and tenth properties Concierge
ward closing within 30 days.” company. has auctioned off in Vero in the past
several years. 
Nicholson is the widow of William Last week, Stabe said he was hope-
Nicholson, co-founder of Retail Gro- ful because one of the providers ac- of the equipment, the 115-foot-tall
cery Inventory Service, now called tually sent a survey crew out to eye- stealth Monopine tower – designed
RGIS, a leading inventory control com- ball the tower site. But there’s still no to look like a massive pine tree – is ex-
pany that utilizes barcode technology. long-term lease agreement for the pected to be able to carry equipment
provider to mount its transmission from up to five providers. T-Mobile
She bought the 4.84-acre tract where equipment on the tower. The Town and Sprint are two other names tossed
is barred from revealing the name of out as prospects.
the company until the deal is sealed,
but it is rumored the leading pros- In the interim, while this issue has
pect is Verizon. languished for more than a decade,
many residents and the entire Public
Town officials have said that they Safety Department have invested in
need to get at least two cell service devices that boost signal enough to
providers –AT&T and Verizon – on the be able to make or receive important
tower to alleviate significant recep- calls inside a house or from a patrol
tion problems Town residents have car, fire truck or ambulance.
had for many years. The problems
have gotten worse with the prolif- Residents who have not installed
eration of smart phones and the in- these signal boosters still have to
creased demand for data and high- walk outside their homes, sometimes
speed internet signals. all the way to the end of the drive-
way to get enough bars to use their
Depending upon the configuration phones.

Councilman Dick Haverland said
the delays in tower approvals may
have resulted in the Town missing a
prime negotiating window to get the
carriers on at the best price, but he
said, “Those deals are gone now.”

Stabe said that’s not what he’s hear-
ing from Datapath about the mar-
ket, but the reality is that no signed
contracts have been delivered to the
Town, for whatever reason.

From the time Datapath says it’s
ready to start construction, it will take
two to three months to complete. The
tower will be constructed on a con-
crete slab in a wooded portion of the
town hall and town public safety com-
plex property.

The base of the tower will be fenced
and landscaped to make it look less
obtrusive. The “branches” of the
Monopine stealth tower will go on











10 Vero Beach 32963 / July 6, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Sale of Shores oceanside property closes; beach path next

BY LISA ZAHNER “The $4,488,000 was deposited elec- cil takes public input and weighs its sold to Indian River County by Pebble
Staff Writer tronically on June 16, 2017, into an options. Bay developer Ed Schlitt at a deep dis-
interest bearing account,” Town Man- count with the agreement that public
While the town’s cell tower plans seem ager Robbie Stabe said last Friday. Next on deck is the task of clearing access would be preserved.
stalled, and the twists and turns of the a 5-foot beach access pathway at the
Vero electric negotiations leaving utility The Shores Town Council decided north end of the property, which the A grassroots effort emerged to turn
customers in limbo, at least one contro- there’s no rush to decide how to use council voted to set aside for public the entire parcel into a park, but that
versial Indian River Shores saga is nearly or invest the money, since the up- use. The council’s action came in re- failed and the Town Council hired
concluded. The sale of the auctioned coming year’s budget is balanced sponse to outcries from residents who former County Commissioner Wesley
5.2-acre oceanside property has closed, without touching the cash reserves. live on the west side of A1A and had Davis and his firm Indian River Auc-
and sale proceeds are in the bank. Stabe said the millions are earning enjoyed casual beach access across tions to sell it as surplus property. The
1.1 percent annually while the coun- the parcel since the 1980s when it was auction took place on May 6 under a
tent on the site, with Naples-based
developer Howard Gutman of the Lu-
tgert Companies offering the winning
bid of $4.4 million, plus a 10 percent
buyers’ premium.

The path-building job includes re-
moval of more than 50 mature palm
trees planted many years ago that
would block the charted walkway.
Also, as property lines are often dis-
regarded or encroached upon over
the years when fences or hedges are
installed, what Stabe called a “dilapi-
dated fence” bordering the Pebble

Beach Villas multi-family community
will need to be torn down as it runs
a foot or two into the five-foot-wide
pathway. The fence also serves as
containment for a thick hedgerow at
the back of the townhomes. Without
a new fence, the hedge would grow
back into the beach access walkway,
requiring regular maintenance.

Stabe got several quotes on the
work and suggested the Town Council
offer to split the cost of removing the
old and installing the new fence with
the Pebble Bay homeowners. The total
cost is estimated somewhere between
$9,000 and $14,000.

There is no timeline on completing
the beach path project, but Stabe said
he’s working with Lutgert Companies
on some creative solutions they’ve
presented about collaborating on the
tree removal to ensure an aesthetically
pleasing result for the public and for
future residents of their planned sin-
gle-family home development.

Lutgert Senior Vice President Mike
Hoyt said he hopes to have plans on
paper to start selling homesites for
luxury dwellings in the fall, and to
break ground on a model home by
January. 



12 Vero Beach 32963 / July 6, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Burgers & Brews fest takes tasty bite out of poverty

BY MARY SCHENKEL AND STEPHANIE LABAFF Club Executive Chef Joe Faria and VIP Pavilion while sipping on refresh- Jenga, corn hole and table pong lured
Staff Writers Vero Beach Mayor Laura Moss were ing drinks including Bloody Marys by competitors.
tasked, in a blind tasting, with deter- Filthy’s Fine Cocktails, Natalie’s Or-
There is nothing more all-American mining the Judges’ Choice Award, and chid Island Mimosas and a selection The Celebrity Dunk Tank was a big
than old-fashioned family fun, and ticketholders had their say with the of beers from Southern Eagle. draw as volunteers such as VBPD Lt.
Burgers & Brews – An American Heri- Peoples’ Choice Award. Matt Monaco and radio personality
tage Celebration Street Festival in His- The fun spilled out into the down- Geoff Moore took the plunge to help
toric Downtown Vero Beach last Sat- “The mozzarella burger was differ- town streets where a giant American eradicate poverty.
urday offered it in abundance. It was ent; I’ve never seen that before,” said flag flew from an Indian River Fire Res-
particularly fitting that proceeds from Wills, speaking of the Patio’s caprese cue ladder truck as a reminder of the “I want to make a truckload of mon-
a kick-off to the Independence Day burger, the third-place winner, which greatness of the nation we call home. ey,” said Moore. “We’re united against
holiday benefited United Against Pov- featured a bun made of mozzarella. poverty because we want to get rid of
erty, which seeks to empower strug- Children had their faces painted, poverty. I did this last year and had
gling men and women to lift them- Faria was impressed with Southern delighted in unusual smile clouds, such a great time. I’m glad to be back
selves ‘UP’ out of poverty to achieve Social’s burger, the second-place win- searched for hamburger-painted to help such a good cause.”
the American dream of economic in- ner, commenting that it was full of fla- rocks hidden along the crowded
dependence. vor and well balanced overall. streets, and enjoyed ogling a number A Where’s Waldo Fun Facts game
of exotic critters from Green Wildlife provided an informative distraction,
The day began with a Best Burger Moss was completely smitten with Petting Zoo. Members of the Vero challenging participants to find eight
Competition at the Heritage Center, the first-place winner, 14 Bones. “It Beach Police Department and Army historical fact posters featuring in-
with chefs from Davila’s Pizza, 14 was love at first bite,” she said of the recruiters greeted the crowds as they teresting tidbits; among them the Ais
Bones Barbecue, Off the Rail Down- short-rib and ground chuck burger wandered along the vendor and orga- Indians, a bear named Alice, the pine-
town, Osceola Bistro, Patio Seafood topped with smoked cheddar, onions, nization booths. apple heyday and the Florida Theatre.
Tavern, Sean Ryan’s Pub and South- bacon and a blueberry chipotle BBQ Completed entrees earned a chance to
ern Social Kitchen & Bar offering up sauce. “I learned today that a good Festival-goers kicked back to feast win dining gift certificates and festi-
their juiciest creations. Bent Pine Golf hamburger is like a great love affair; on culinary delights from a variety of val paraphernalia.
Club Chef Sarah Wills, Quail Valley you don’t want it to stop.” food trucks while enjoying musical
entertainment by the Ladies of Soul And, because there’s nothing more
Sponsors and top-level tickethold- and the Tom Jackson Band, and Giant American than hot dogs and apple pie,
ers enjoyed their burgers in a shaded Vero Heritage Inc. sliced up the late

1 23
BURGERS & BREWS CAPTIONS
BURGERS & BREWS CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
1. 14 Bones’ winning burger. 2. James Lamacchio
from The Patio, Antawan Leonard from Fourteen 5
Bones, and Mike VanBuskirk from Southern Social.
3. Second-place winning burger from Southern
Social. 4. Brennan Baker from Davila’s Pizza. 5.
Vero Beach Mayor Laura Moss, Quail Valley Chef
Joe Faria and Bent Pine Chef Sarah Wills.

PHOTOS BY DENISE RITCHIE & GORDON RADFORD

4



14 Vero Beach 32963 / July 6, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

78

BURGERS & BREWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

6 9 10

11 12

BURGERS & BREWS CAPTIONS

6. Winner of the Best Burger, Antawan Leonard from 14 Bones BBQ, with Annabel Robertson. 7. Callie Schnur,
Monica Black, Karen Franke and Miguel Santiesteban. 8. Addison Monroe. 9. The Patio’s burger. 10. Annabel
Robertson with Ginny and Austin Hunt. 11.Lisa Bender and Maryanne Bender. 12. Burgers and Brews Best
Burger competition just before the winner was announced.

afternoon with apple pie eating and below 200 percent of the Federal pov-
baking contests, as well as Heritage erty level, UP added additional Mem-
hot dogs topped with citrus relish; a ber Share Grocery programs and ex-
nod to the Citrus Museum adjacent to panded into Orlando and Fort Pierce.
the Heritage Center.
As the grocery programs became
The organization hoped to raise self-sustaining, UP introduced such
$40,000 through the event, which was services as Crisis Stabilization, Gen-
chaired by Michele Griffin, to support eral Education, and Success Training
its programs and services. for Employment Program (STEP), all
of which would share in funds raised
UP began “Lifting Lives Together” through the festival.
in 2003, when co-founders Austin and
Ginny Hunt opened a cost-share gro- Poverty continues to be a huge is-
cery to enable people in need to pay sue in Indian River County where,
a small percentage toward the price according to a February 2017 United
of their groceries, getting the help Way of Florida Asset Limited Income
but maintaining their dignity. As the Constrained Employment (ALICE) re-
economy worsened in the ensuing port, 40 percent of IRC households do
years and hundreds more people fell not make enough to cover a survival









Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / July 6, 2017 19

PEOPLE

6
7

8

20 Vero Beach 32963 / July 6, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

A sitting tribute: Alma Lee Loy bench dedicated

BY MARY SCHENKEL 1
Staff Writer
2
Indian River County’s most trea-
sured resident, Alma Lee Loy, was Certified Collision
honored last Friday morning by mem- Repair Center
bers of the Association of Fundraising
Professionals with the unveiling of a VeArou’tsoPbroedmy!ier All Insurance
bench in her honor at A.W. Young Park, Accepted!
a hidden gem located on the Indian
River Lagoon at Vero Isles overlooking Go to GOTPERFECTION.COM for an ONLINE ESTIMATE!
the bridge that bears her name. (772) 978-1351 • 463 4th Place SW • Vero Beach, FL

The bench dedication was tied to
last November’s National Philan-
thropy Day Award celebration when
Loy was presented with a special AFP
President’s Award for the numer-
ous and varied contributions she has
made to the community.

“She has shared her time and talent
with countless groups and organiza-
tions including community, civic and
cultural clubs, committees, councils,
her church congregation, the county
commission; and those are just the
C’s,” said Monique Walker, develop-
ment coordinator at Indian River State
College and the current AFP president.

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Vero Beach, Florida

772.562.5859

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MD, FACS

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / July 6, 2017 21

PEOPLE

BENCH DEDICATION CAPTIONS

1. Alma Lee Loy on her bench. 2. Back: Shannon
McGuire Bowman, Carol Kanarek, Maureen
Nicolace, Ann Marie McCrystal, Jessica Schmitt,
Julia Keenan. Front: Monique Walker, Alma Lee
Loy, Kerry Bartlett and Tom Guy.

“It’s no wonder she has five B’s named
in her honor – a building, a bridge, a
beach, a brick and now a bench.”

Walker told the intimate gathering
that included Loy’s brother-in-law Tom
Guy, AFP board and committee mem-
bers and friends that she had the plea-
sure of working with Loy through her
involvement with the IRSC Foundation
Board and when Loy was honored as
IRSC’s 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year.

“Alma Lee is truly one of the most sin-
cere, kind-hearted and humble people
I have ever met,” said Walker, adding
that Loy has given every fiber of her be-
ing to the community and has devoted
her life to preserving its unique history.
“Alma Lee has dedicated herself to so
many causes, but never in a self-serv-
ing manner. That’s because she always
has someone else in mind – the next
generation. I have no doubt that future
generations who sit on this bench will
continue to be inspired by the example
you’ve set to make the world a better
place, Alma Lee style.”

In her soft-spoken, gracious man-
ner, Loy thanked everyone for the
honor and noted, “A.W. Young Park
has had a warm spot in my heart since
its beginning. The view of the river
from your thoughtful gift will always
be beautiful and soothing, when you
need to stop a moment and enjoy
God’s world.”

Loy noted that Young was her friend
as a teenager and she admired him for
the many contributions he made to
the creation and development of Vero
Beach and Indian River County.

“My best memories are visiting him
in his later days in his office, located
in the basement of the Del Mar Hotel,”
said Loy. “I hope my participation in
philanthropic efforts in this area will
be a beacon to leave a legacy of phi-
lanthropy.” 



AN OPEN BOOK:
COUNTY LIBRARIAN
EMBRACES CHANGE

24 Vero Beach 32963 /July 6, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

An open book: County librarian embraces change

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF
Staff Writer

Public libraries have been a vital The Circulation Staff at IRC Library; Joey Wright, Pansey Jhagroo, Cheryl Gondek, Heather Helton and Steven McDougall. PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD
part of communities for more than
200 years. With the introduction of different ideas and Heather Helton shelves books at the IRC Library.
technology, the “face” of the library helping the staff find
may have changed, but it’s still a a new level of inter-
place for information navigators. est and excitement
about their jobs.”
Last year Mary Snyder, director of
library services, announced her re- For a county li-
tirement after more than 30 years. brary to receive state
On May 26, Anne Shepherd took over and federal funding
the management of the Indian River the librarian must
County Public Library System. have a master’s de-
gree in library sci-
Shepherd brings more than 25 ence. This course of
years of experience to the shelf, hav- study includes the
ing worked in libraries in seven states expected cataloging
and more libraries than she can count. and reference work,
She’s already gotten to know the Flor- but also law, legisla-
ida library system, helping to build, tive process, business
renovate and update libraries in Lee, practices, budgeting,
Pinellas and Charlotte counties. grants management
and technology. The
Shepherd didn’t start her career result is a hybrid bib-
among the stacks at the library; she liophile.
graduated from college with a bach-
elor’s degree in archaeology and
child development. “I wanted to run
the children’s program in a museum,
which sounds really interesting but
there was no funding at that time, so
I sat down and thought about what I
wanted to do with my life. To this day
I’ve loved every day of it.”

She chose a different path than that
of a typical librarian. “My first job was
a renovation in Michigan. I thought,
‘I’m good at this, so I’m going to carve
out my own little niche,’” and she did.
Now, a quarter of a century later, Shep-
herd has been sought out by library
systems large and small to help bring
their libraries into this century.

“I am a library change agent who
renovates and builds or who can
renovate or reorganize the staff,”
explains Shepherd. “I’m looking for-
ward to bringing in some new and

Shepherd credits her ability to ways have. I don’t really care what I
streamline to her father. “My dad was read I just want to read. I always have
an engineer and the whole family was a book in my purse a book in my car,
always into efficiency of movement books at home and of course books
and efficiency of operation. You pair here at the library. How could you not
that with knowledge about books and love this job? How could anyone not
libraries and that’s me.” love to work in a library and have all
these books at their disposal?”
Books have always been a big part
of her life, and Shepherd raised here One of her more unique projects
children in libraries. “They were was the build of a community col-
forced to volunteer as kids all sum- lege in Baton Rouge, La., says Shep-
mer long,” she chuckles. But clearly, herd. They had just relocated to Loui-
it wore off. Her son and his wife are siana for her husband’s work when
both librarians and her five grand- she noticed a little tiny ad in the pa-
children are big readers, too. per. The state of Louisiana had just
lost a federal lawsuit because Baton
“My grandchildren keep me up to Rouge didn’t have any community
date on what’s popular today,” says colleges. The state had 18 months
Shepherd. “I will read anything, I al-







28 Vero Beach 32963 /July 6, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27 ARTS & THEATRE

Drive to make your Saturday eve- guest artists. Thursdays 7 p.m. to 10 plays by ear and – with Al Dodds on at the King Center in Melbourne. This
ning by the sea last a bit longer. p.m., you will definitely get your jazz bass, Stan Soloko on drums, Len Bent- delightful show is the culmination of
ley on trumpet and Steve Lomazzo an intensive, five-week-long Summer
on with Sybil Gage and the on sax – keeps the music, energy and Musical Theatre Project for young
Catahoulas. A New Orleans laughter moving along. The Ron Teix- adults, and is being presented by the
native, the deceptively petite King Center for the Performing Arts
eira Trio (aka the House and the Historic Cocoa Village Play-
Steve Kirsner and Friends. trio) takes the stage Fri- house. The show is a romantic Scot-
days and Saturdays from tish fantasy about a town, Brigadoon,
8:30 p.m. till midnight. that appears for only one day every
On Saturdays, through hundred years, then disappears into
July, Israeli writer and the Highland mists for another cen-
singer Hella Ayelet Gal tury. Of course, a young man from the
will join the Ron Teixeira present stumbles upon Brigadoon on
Trio. Hella began per- its one day in time, and meets a young
forming at 18, while ful- Brigadoon lass. Among the wonderful
filling her duty with the Lerner and Loewe songs are “Almost
Israeli Defense Forces, Like Being in Love,” “I’ll Go Home with
and since has performed Bonnie Jean” and “The Heather on the
all over the world. Hill.” Show times are July 14 at 7:30
p.m.; July 15 at 7:30 p.m.; and July 16
4 A Broadway musi- at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults, and
cal classic, “Briga- $12 for students, seniors and children
12 and under. 
doon,” opens a three-day

run next Friday, July 14,

Sybil Gage. (5-foot-3, 110 pounds wring-
ing wet) Gage possessives an
3 Up the road a bit, jazz lovers and impressive set of pipes, and
jazz musicians have been hang- knows her way around the
genres – jazz, blues – earning
ing out at Heidi’s Jazz Club (in the Hei- her comparisons to Kitt, Washington,
Bailey and Joplin. In 2008, Space Coast
delberg Restaurant) in Cocoa Beach Living Magazine named her “Best
Musician in Brevard County,” and
since it opened its doors in 1992. The her fans label themselves “Sybilized.”
Gage’s glam persona is as engaging as
cool, easy ambiance includes lots of her voice, with feather boas and state-
ment hats bespeaking her New Or-
polished wood, soft recessed light- leans roots. She shares that her band,
the Catahoulas, are named for the
ing, a well-positioned stage, and walls Catahoula Cur, the state dog of Louisi-
ana (known for their loyalty, she adds,
tastefully hung with jazz-compatible with a nod to the band). Fridays, 5 p.m.
to 8 p.m., it’s pianist (and retired den-
art – original works by Brian Dowdall, tist) Steve Kirsner and Friends, from
the Space Coast Jazz Society. Kirshner
Kurt Zimmerman, Sooz Momofuku

and Wayne Coombs. Heidelberg cui-

sine is, no surprise, German, but the

musical main dish is the jazz, live

Wednesdays through Sundays, featur-

ing regular artists and frequent special



30 Vero Beach 32963 / July 6, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT COVER STORY

Twenty feet under water, Nature ters out of Key Largo to the local fish- activities that could be harmed if the terested in exploring dead or damaged
Conservancy biologist Jennifer Stein ing industry’s catches of spiny lobsters, reef continues to suffer damage. reefs, which do not attract as many fish
swims over to several large corals and grouper, snapper and other species, and can be covered in algae. It is an eco-
pulls several laminated cards from her nearly everything in the Florida Keys Cece Roycraft and a partner own the nomic reality accepted by residents of
dive belt. is tied in some way to the reefs. Dive Key West shop, which sells scuba the Keys but not yet widely recognized
gear and runs boat charters. Their oper- by other Americans, she said.
“Disease,” reads one, as she gestures Diving, snorkeling, fishing, and eat- ation depends on a healthy reef system,
to a coral that exhibits white splotch- ing seafood are among the key tourist because divers naturally are not as in- “It’s equal to the Yellowstone Park,
es. “Recent mortality,” reads another okay?” said Roycraft, who worked to
card. Along the miles of coral reef off help create a federal program that
the Florida Keys, Stein and her fellow certifies vessels that train their crews
divers have found countless examples in proper coral protection practices,
of this essential form of ocean life fac- including following proper mooring
ing sickness and death. rules and ensuring that divers do not
poke and prod the reefs.
The pattern of decay is shaping up
as one of the sharpest impacts of cli- Tourism “is the economic engine of
mate change in the continental United the Florida Keys. There is no other way
States – and a direct threat to econom- for people to make money,” Roycraft
ic activity in the Keys, a haven for div- said.
ing, fishing and coastal tourism.
Three and a half million people visit
The debate over climate change the Keys each year – nearly 47 for each
is often framed as one that pits jobs of the area’s 75,000 full-time residents.
against the need to protect the planet Tourism supplies 54 percent of all island
for future generations. In deciding to jobs and fuels a $2.7 billion economy,
exit the Paris climate agreement and according to Monroe County, which
roll back domestic environmental includes the Keys and a significant por-
regulations, the Trump administration tion of Everglades National Park.
said it was working to protect jobs.
The importance attached to the reef
But what is happening here – as the system defies the usual political di-
warming of the sea devastates the cor- vides. Here in the Keys, people voted
al reef – is a stark example of how ris- 51 percent to 44 percent in favor of
ing temperatures can threaten existing Donald Trump in the presidential elec-
economies. tion – but they seem to differ from the
president in their support for govern-
The 113-mile-long Overseas High- ment-funded programs to protect the
way between the mainland and Key environment.
West – linking islands that themselves
emerged from an ancient coral archi- In March, amid fears that the admin-
pelago – is lined with marinas, bait istration might try to defund Environ-
and tackle shops and an abundance of mental Protection Agency programs
seafood restaurants. that protect the reef system, Monroe
County’s board of commissioners
From the visitors who fill dive char-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / July 6, 2017 31

INSIGHT COVER STORY

called for sustaining the EPA’s role and millions of dollars, including some fed- system is now covered with living cor- remote reefs, such as the Florida Reef
declared in a board resolution that “a eral money, to convert to central sewer al. Scientists anticipate that as early Tract. That is despite the fact that reefs
healthy marine environment is essen- systems, ending the damaging practice as 2020, it could be in line for almost closer to human communities prob-
tial and the most important contribu- of allowing human waste to seep into yearly bleaching events, in which heat ably experience a lot more pollution,
tor to the economy of the Florida Keys.” the ocean from septic tanks. stresses upend the metabolism of cor- overfishing and poor water quality.
als, in some cases killing them. The
The EPA’s South Florida program, But what is coming into focus is that reefs experienced back-to-back major The researchers suggested that the
which received $ 1.7 million in federal the threats to the reef system cannot bleaching events in 2014 and 2015. main reason for a decline of coral was
funds in fiscal 2017, conducts coral be countered locally. a uniform global cause – warming.
surveys, studies of the health of sea An influential 2016 study in the
grasses and carries out more-general Ecologists describe the 360-mile- journal Scientific Reports found that “It’s not only me feeling compassion
water- ¬quality assessments. Trump’s long Florida Reef Tract as a global trea- coral declines were just as likely to oc- for the actual coral, but for the entire
proposed 2018 federal budget seeks to sure. It is the world’s third-largest bar- cur in remote, pristine reefs, such as ecosystem and how that’s going to
eliminate the allocation. rier reef, although much less famous the northern sector of the Great Bar- affect it in the years to come, unfore-
than Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. rier Reef, as they were to occur in non- seen things that we just don’t know
In recent years, the islands have spent
But less than 10 percent of the reef STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 32











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38 Vero Beach 32963 /July 6, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOK REVIEW

On Jan. 22, 2003, the Boston Red Sox to faraway greats such as Ken time can attest, the mood in the region our lives. Valentine’s one-year tenure
signed a $1.25 million contract with Griffey Jr., and concluding with afterward can best be described as fu- with the Red Sox is generally accepted
a 27-year-old first baseman who had his 2016 retirement tour, the nerary. Ortiz took it as the moment he as the low point of the past two decades
been released the month before by the memoir is largely a straightfor- understood his fans: “I never wanted to of the franchise, and Ortiz makes it
Minnesota Twins. They saw in him a ward narrative of Ortiz’s time see faces that sad again.” clear that it was even worse inside the
potential complementary bat for their in baseball. Those looking for a clubhouse.
high-powered offense, one who was deep dive into the inner life of A year later, he’d live up to that goal,
worth the modest financial gamble. a baseball star or the intricate leading Boston to an unprecedented Less gossipy but frankly more in-
Thirteen years, three World Series wins strategies of a modern franchise comeback victory against the Yankees, teresting are the insights Ortiz offers
and almost 500 home runs later, David will probably be disappointed. followed by the franchise’s first World into the way Boston’s management has
Ortiz retired from baseball as arguably As the unpolished reflections Series win since World War I. Had he worked with star players over the years.
the most important player in the his- of one of the few ballplayers to retired at that moment, he’d have ce- Sports fans have become used to stories
tory of the Boston franchise. redefine a club, though, it works mented his legend. But of course, he of the Patriots, the Red Sox’s National
perfectly. had a great deal of baseball left, and Football League neighbors, taking a
The rise of Ortiz from scrap-heap he grew into one of the best hitters in ruthless stance on player negotiations,
bench player to Hall of Famer is an The casual, conversational the league over the remainder of the but Ortiz casts the Fenway ownership
unlikely and entertaining story, and tone of the book reflects one of decade. Injuries and age started to as being no less committed to hardball.
engagingly told in “Papi: My Story” (by Ortiz’s best qualities as an icon sap this a bit between 2009 and 2011, From his own difficulties in working
Ortiz with co-author Michael Holley). of the game: his felicity with his leading to the grandest of Boston tra- out long-term deals to his bafflement
Starting with his early life in the Do- second language when address- ditions: the moment when “What a at Boston letting established veterans
minican Republic, when he looked up ing both media members and player!” turns into “What have you such as Pedro Martinez and Jon Lester
his fan base. His skill with the done for me lately?” Ortiz speaks can- walk away, Ortiz does very well in de-
blunter Anglo-Saxon elements didly of disrespect from local writers scribing the bizarre nature of profes-
of English (most famously in the and perceived disrespect from Red sional sports as both a kids’ game and
post-Boston Marathon bombing Sox management during contract ne- a billion-dollar entertainment venture.
declaration that now graces a gotiations, as his production dipped:
million T-shirts throughout New “In a lot of ways, it’s the media in New The intended audience for “Papi” is
England) is evident through- England who run the ball club. Once clearly those of us for whom Ortiz is a
out the book, which adds a refreshing they start hounding you, in print, on defining feature of our baseball experi-
directness to his voice but is probably the radio, on TV, it’s constant.” ence: the New Englanders who, before
worth considering before giving a copy 2004, as Ortiz puts it, “looked forward
to the 10-year-old Sox fan in your life. It’s in these moments that the memoir only cautiously” for fear of another
Still, it’s in that voice that the mem- lives up to its “no holds barred” billing. heartbreak. For that group, who cried
oir’s true strength lies. Freed of the Many of the most vivid passages in the in 2003, cheered in 2004, 2007 and
beat reporters and columnists who book are devoted to addressing slights 2013, and still hasn’t fully adjusted to
normally filter the interaction between and grudges, primarily involving for- Ortiz not playing every day, this book
player and fan, Ortiz shines when he mer coaches and media members. That will provide an engaging few hours of
discusses the unique circumstances of so much time is spent on these in what nostalgia. Baseball fans of other loyal-
playing baseball in the league’s harsh- is overall a story of remarkable success ties will certainly enjoy its clubhouse
est spotlight. The Boston fan base has is a fascinating window into the moti- vignettes, colorful language and in-
a well-deserved reputation for passion vations of star athletes. It’s clear that sights on hitting; fans of the Yankees,
verging on extremism, and Ortiz does even after more than a decade, Ortiz is however, may wish to skip Chapter 7
not shy from talking about everything still rankled by his treatment in Min- entirely. 
that involves. His first season in Bos- nesota and that to some extent it fueled
ton culminated in a legendary play- his play in Boston. PAPI
off series that ended in a devastating My Story
extra-inning loss to the archrival Yan- Of less importance to his career, but By David Ortiz
kees. As any New Englander alive at the perhaps more entertainment to Boston Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
readers, is the chapter summarizing 262 pp. $28
the brief entry of Bobby Valentine into Review by Brendan O’Toole
The Washington Post

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46 Vero Beach 32963 /July 6, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Why wait? Get ‘healthier now’ with weight-loss surgery

BY TOM LLOYD their patients,” says Radecke, “[is fo- but with all the medical problems Dr. Jason Radecke.
Staff Writer cused on] preventative medicine. It’s these people have,” Radecke explains,
‘let’s actually get you healthier now.’” surgery is statistically the fastest, saf- PHOTO: DENISE RITCHIE
Dr. Jason Radecke has a radical idea. est and the best path to a healthier life.
This particular bariatric surgeon, With that in mind, and in light of a odds of having a complication dur-
who has a 5-star rating from WebMD nationwide obesity problem, Radecke He’s got some impressive backup, too. ing bariatric weight loss surgery are
says it’s an idea he shares with the new is determined to challenge what he Both the American College of Sur- almost ridiculously small: around .05
ownership team at the Sebastian River sees as misconceptions about surgery geons and the American Society for percent to 1.5 percent, he says.
Medical Center, Steward Health Care in general and bariatric (or weight- Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery flatly
LLC. loss) surgery in particular. say “the co-morbidities associated with While it is true the youthful-looking
“The Steward relationship with obesity range from diabetes to heart Radecke does have hyper-specialized
“There is still a push [by some phy- disease to certain types of cancers [but] fellowship training, he also has another
sicians] to keep people out of surgery, bariatric surgical procedures have important advantage when treating
been shown to reduce obesity, improve obese patients. With offices in both Vero
mortality and decrease the health risks and Sebastian, he performs his surger-
from chronic diseases such as cardio- ies at the Treasure Coast’s only certified
myopathy and diabetes.” bariatric “Center of Excellence” – the
Indeed, just last year the Cleveland Sebastian River Medical Center.
Clinic released its five-year follow-up
to the peer-reviewed and widely ac- There isn’t one in Vero or in Mel-
claimed STAMPEDE (Surgical Treat- bourne or down the road at Lawnwood.
ment and Medications Potentially
Eradicate Diabetes Efficiently) study Centers of Excellence can only
which, in uncharacteristically plain achieve that coveted accreditation by
English, stated simply “over 88 percent following a rigorous review process
of gastric bypass and sleeve gastrecto- during which they prove they can
my patients maintained healthy blood maintain certain physical resources,
glucose levels without the use of insu- human resources and standards of
lin” for five years after the initial trial. practice along with having certain
Moreover, the clinic concluded, types of equipment geared specifi-
“overall weight loss was significantly cally toward the bariatric patient and
greater” with bariatric surgery than meeting or exceeding a pre-defined
with traditional diet and exercise regi- number of bariatric cases per year.
mens still favored by some primary
care physicians. SRMC, say Radecke, meets or exceeds
So what exactly is Radecke’s radical all of those standards each year.
idea?
Do the bariatric surgery now and So, getting “healthier now”
reap the rewards of being – and stay- through bariatric weight loss surgery
ing – healthier for years to come rather is Radecke’s radical – or maybe just
than putting it off as a last resort. common-sense – idea.
Besides listening to his colleagues,
reading medical journals and studying As Radecke puts it in closing, “Bar-
all the clinical trials carefully, Radecke iatric surgery is, in my opinion, the
also tunes into his patients’ feelings. poster child for preventative medi-
He says many patients are telling cine.”
him, “I’m tired of taking 22 pills a day.
I’m tired of being obese. I’m tired of Dr. Jason Radecke is with Riverside
my joints hurting. I’m tired of injecting Surgical & Weight Loss Center and the
myself with needles six times a day.” Sebastian River Medical Center. His
All too often, says Radecke, patients Sebastian office is at 14430 U.S. 1. His
just come right out and say, “‘I don’t Vero office is at 3745 11th Circle, Suite
want to live like this anymore. I’m look- 103. To make an appointment to talk
ing into the next 10, 20, 30 years of my about safely losing weight now, call
life and I see I’m headed into these 772-581-8003. 
golden years but what’s so golden about
being a diabetic and having a pill box in
front of me and not being able to walk
to the mailbox and back without hurt-
ing like you wouldn’t believe?’”
Most of his patients already know
their obesity can – and probably will
– lead to diabetes, hypertension, hy-
percholesterolemia, sleep apnea and a
host of other problems which, statisti-
cally, will likely lead to a heart attack
or a stroke.
Meanwhile, Radecke points out, the

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 /July 6, 2017 47

HEALTH

Nurse On Call offers range of in-home healthcare

BY TOM LLOYD
Staff Writer

When one of the nation’s largest Jessica Perkins and Joan Trinker. CONTINUED ON PAGE 48
senior-living, assisted-living and
memory-care facility providers – PHOTO: DENISE RITCHIE
Brookdale Senior Living – started
diversifying its holdings, a key ac- into the conversation with a forceful,
quisition was the 2015 purchase of “Ah, that’s important!”
in-home nursing care specialists
Nurse On Call. “We are in emergency manage-
ment mode right now,” Spear ex-
Nurse On Call, a Medicare-certified plains. “We’re prepping now. In fact
home health agency with deep roots our staff meeting next week will be
along the Treasure Coast, provides all about preparation for hurricane
registered nurses, licensed practical season. We do shelter. We help our
nurses and rehabilitation therapists patients with shelter applications
in 47 of Florida’s 67 counties. and we even have the dog-friendly
shelters available.”
With 83 “in-house” employees in
Vero Beach, 75 in Melbourne and 58 “Every patient,” Spear emphasizes,
more in Port St. Lucie, Nurse On Call “is called prior to us shutting down
gets high marks from local physicians. for a hurricane. I mean e-v-e-r-y pa-
tient is called. We try to encourage
One of Vero Beach’s most respect- them to leave if they’re on a barrier
ed doctors, urologist Dr. Hugo Da- island or close to the water, but we
vila of Florida Cancer Specialists, for make sure that we have a list of those
example, points out “as Americans patients that refuse. If they need help
age and live longer, increasing num- in making arrangements, with the
bers of them will live with multiple help of our social workers, we try and
chronic conditions and urological
diseases. One of the greatest health- get them to a safe place. We physi-
care challenges facing our country cally can’t get them out, but
today is to keep them as independent we can help make ar-
as possible.” rangements to get
them to an-
“Our success with this challenge,”
Davila continues, “will help ensure CONTINUED ON
that Americans age with dignity in PAGE 48
a manner that meets their expecta-
tions, preferences and their urology
care needs. Nurse On Call has pro-
vided this to my practice and to my
patients.”

That’s the kind of buzz any busi-
ness would want and the already
buzzing beehive that is the Nurse
On Call office on 7th Terrace in Vero
Beach kicks into an even higher gear
this time of year.

In addition to what Nikki Parris, a
Nurse On Call physical therapy assis-
tant, says is “the urgency for patient
care, the urgency for discharges from
the hospital and the same-day starts,”
NOC is also now getting ready for
Florida’s hurricane season.

Mary Spear, a registered
nurse and director of
clinical servic-
es at NOC,
jumps

48 Vero Beach 32963 /July 6, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 47 HEALTH

Nikki Parris, Brent Atwell and Mary Spear. Uniquely, NOC also pro-
vides local doctors’ offices
PHOTO: GORDON RADFORD with hurricane preparedness
kits which those physicians
Jessica Perkins and Joan Trinker. can then hand out to their pa-
tients – whether they are NOC
PHOTO: DENISE RITCHIE clients or not – as a subtle but
useful reminder that mak-
ing arrangements in advance
saves lives during a natural
disaster.

Senior Housing News re-
ports that the Brentwood,
Tennessee-based Brookdale
(NYSE symbol BKD) operates
more than 1,125 senior liv-
ing communities with well
over 100,000 residents in 47 of
the 50 states. It employs more
than 80,000 healthcare work-
ers coast to coast.

SeniorAdvisor.com’s “Best
of 2017 Awards” put the com-
pany in its top spot nationwide
with 121 first-place honors, in-
cluding top honors for its Vero
Beach facilities, says market-
ing coordinator Teresa Hilton.

While there any number
of nursing services available
throughout Florida and the
rest of the country, it seems
few – if any – offer the breadth
and scope of service that the
combined forces of Nurse On
Call and Brookdale Senior Liv-
ing have to offer.

“No other company can cover
care from A to Z” like we can,
says Brent Atwell, executive di-
rector of Brookdale senior living
solutions of Vero Beach.

Nurse On Call is at 3755 7th
Terrace, Suite 202. The phone
number is 772-770-1167.

other place.” the office. There’s an after-hurricane a safe area to get into. As long as it’s Brookdale Senior Living So-
After a hurricane passes, NOC’s team and they’re calling every one of safe for our clinician to get in, we lutions of Vero Beach can be reached
those residents [and] patients, to find check on everyone. Anybody that we at 772-770-2401 and can assist those
work continues. And intensifies. out where they are, if they’re home, can’t reach by phone, somebody’s out looking for home-care and senior liv-
“The first thing we do as soon as if they’re safe. We do drive-bys if it’s there checking as soon as we can.” ing solutions in Brevard and St. Lucie
counties as well. 
there’s an all-clear is we’re back in