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PB PHOTO CENTRE to Present Portraits of American Veterans, Opening on Veteran’s Day!

Colton Kersey
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PB PHOTO CENTRE to Present Portraits of American Veterans, Opening on Veteran’s Day!

 PB PHOTO CENTRE to Present Portraits of American Veterans, Opening on Veteran’s Day!

Palm Beach Photographic Centre to Present

NEVER FORGET:

EVERY DAY IS VETERANS DAY!

Portraits of American Veterans by Photographers

Mickey Strand & Jerry Tovo

Opening Veterans Day, November 11

 

(West Palm Beach, FL – October 15, 2019) Fatima NeJame, president and chief executive officer of the world renowned Palm Beach Photographic Centre (PBPC), today announced its next major exhibition with a particularly timely date for the opening reception:

NEVER FORGET:

EVERY DAY IS VETERANS DAY!

Portraits of American Veterans by Photographers

Mickey Strand & Jerry Tovo

FREE Opening Reception on November 11, 6 to 8 pm

Exhibition Runs November 12 to December 30

 

Perfectly timed for Veteran’s Day 2019, this extraordinarily moving and patriotic exhibition features soul-searing portraits by two amazing photographers, both of whom are also veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Mickey Strand

US Navy vet and combat photographer Mickey Strand is exhibiting stunning b/w portraits of World War II veterans, visually capturing the humility and grace of “the Greatest Generation” while collecting their stories and memories before they passed. Strand served for 24 years and retired from active duty in 2009. He is now a celebrated professional photographer specializing in portrait essays.

As part of this exhibition, Strand will teach two workshops at the Photo Centre: PhotoShop for Photographers on November 8-9, and The Meaningful Portrait, November 12-14.

Jerry Tovo

A drill sergeant during the Vietnam era who “remembers soldiers before they were faceless and forgotten, ravaged by the perils of life on the street,” Jerry Tovo has traveled the country to document the lives of these veterans and raise national awareness about the plight of homeless veterans.

“On any given night, more than 60,000 U.S. veterans can be found living on the streets or in shelters. More than 100,000 veterans will find themselves homeless at some point during the year,” says Tovo. “Statistics don’t have faces. This compelling exhibition at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre shows the faces behind the statistics.”

Tovo will give a lecture on his photographs at 5 pm on Monday, November 11, just prior to the exhibition’s opening reception at 6 pm. Both Mickey Strand and Jerry Tovo will attend the free reception.

 

About the Palm Beach Photographic Centre:

The Photo Centre is located at the downtown City Center municipal complex at 415 Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach. Hours are 10 am to 6 pm. Monday through Thursday; 10 am to 5 pm on Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday. For more information, please call 561.253.2600 or visit www.workshop.org or www.fotofusion.org.

The Palm Beach Photographic Centre is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching life through the photographic arts. All donations are greatly appreciated at www.workshop.org/contrib.

Free Silent Dance Party

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Free Silent Dance Party

Free Silent Dance Party at the Wellington Amphitheater
on Saturday, November 9th

Dance like no one’s watching to music only you can hear at Wellington’s first-ever Silent Dance Party on Saturday, November 9th. Special thanks to Baptist Health South Florida for their sponsorship of this free event from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM at the Wellington Amphitheater (12100 Forest Hill Boulevard).

Also known as silent disco, Wellington’s Silent Dance Party allows event attendees to don their very own pair of headphones (available first-come, first served) and dance along to one of three music stations streamed by a live DJ. Using the headphones, attendees can switch freely between the following music stations:

  • ‘70s and ‘80s Disco Funk (pre-mixed)
  • ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s Dance (pre-mixed)
  • Today’s Hits with DJ Timmy

Attendees are invited to dress in their ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s best, and participate in a costume contest for best male and best female costume from each decade. Winners will receive free movie tickets, courtesy of Movies at Wellington.

The event will also feature costumed character entertainment, food trucks, glow goodies and giveaways, refreshments for purchase, vendors and activities, and more.

Learn more at www.wellingtonfl.gov/SilentDanceParty or call 561-753-2484.

As another way to stay informed on the latest news and updates from the Village, residents are invited to sign up for Wellington information and updates at www.wellintonfl.gov/Newsletter.

For information about other Wellington programs, events, activities, and updates, please visit www.wellingtonfl.gov or watch WellingtonTV for the latest happenings.

Ocean heroes recognized at sold-out 2019 Go Blue Awards Luncheon

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Ocean heroes recognized at sold-out 2019 Go Blue Awards Luncheon

Ocean heroes recognized at sold-out 2019 Go Blue Awards Luncheon, renowned oceanographer and explorer – discoverer of the RMS Titanic – Dr. Robert Ballard delivers keynote address

Juno Beach, FL – Blue was the new gold on Friday, October 25 as more than 700 guests attended Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s (LMC) sold-out Eleventh Annual Go Blue Awards Luncheon in the Cohen Pavilion at the Kravis Center.

 

“The extraordinary turnout and support for the Eleventh Annual Go Blue Awards Luncheon is part of a much larger global movement as individuals and corporations become more conscious toward ocean and environmental conservation,” said Jack E. Lighton, president and CEO of Loggerhead them. “We are humbled to recognize this year’s Go Blue Award winners; each of them work tirelessly every day to protect marine life and ultimately human life.”

 

Kicking off the luncheon, Mr. Lighton welcomed a sold-out crowd that included dozens of elected officials and leaders of organizations that closely collaborate with the Center. The introduction shared LMC’s notable updates with guests, including a recent debut on NBC’s Today Show, which highlighted the Center’s mission and the evolving threats to sea turtles: ocean trash and polluted water.

 

LMC’s Board Chairman Lynne L. Wells, and husband Peter Wells, the co-founders of the Go Blue Awards Luncheon, announced the award winners across each of the five categories. “We received a record number of nominations from around the globe for this year’s awards which is emblematic of LMC’s growing global awareness and impact,” said Lynne L. Wells. “Our finalist’s efforts are transforming ocean and sea turtle conservation, here in Florida and across our beautiful blue planet. While there’s a lot of work left to be done, our finalists are helping to preserve our precious home for future generations.”

 

The Vice President of External Affairs and Economic Development for Florida Power & Light (FPL) Company, Pam Rauch, then welcomed internationally acclaimed ocean explorer and discoverer of the RMS Titanic, Dr. Robert Ballard to the stage. Manatee Lagoon, an FPL Eco-Discovery Center ®, served as the presenting sponsor for the 2019 Go Blue Awards Luncheon and announced their support of another sea turtle patient, Turbo.

 

Dr. Ballard shared with guests his exciting journeys and many ocean explorations, from discovering deep ocean hydrothermal vents to some of the most mysterious shipwrecks in the world. Additionally, attendees walked through his ongoing roadmap of his “Expedition Amelia” mission, which is designed to find and confirm the wreckage of Amelia Earhart’s aircraft. Shortly thereafter, Ballard unearthed his team’s upcoming expedition titled the “next chapter,” a mission designed to explore and map the United States coastlines and oceans. This mission will help create the most robust and technically advanced understanding of our oceans and ecosystems with a goal to preserve these resources for the future.

 

Ballard also expressed his deep commitment to advancing women in STE(A)M careers and noted that over 50 percent of the senior leaders on his current missions are women. Ballard closed the luncheon commending the finalists and award winners by sharing a touching observation about learning and education, noting that not all individuals learn in the same “linear” fashion.

 

Ballard aligned his work with LMC by reaffirming, “I’ve been all over the world and an animal that will always stop me in my tracks is a sea turtle. If we lose these creatures, we will be the ones responsible for that. Young people need to be bonded to the ocean and there is no better ‘vehicle’ to bond children to the ocean other than the sea turtle.”

 

Guests departed the luncheon with a profound takeaway that organizations and communities can fuel passionate, next-generation ocean explorers who will carry the torch to preserve our oceans. As Dr. Ballard encouraged, “Our oceans are time capsules waiting for the next generation to explore them.”

 

LMC would like to once again congratulate the 2019 Go Blue Award winners:

 

The Blue Business of the Year Award recognized 4ocean, LLC. for its innovative business model that in under three years has created jobs, utilized the latest technology and has raised awareness about the impact of trash in the ocean and on marine life.

 

The Blue Hatchling Youth Award recognized Emily Horgen for illustrating and publishing a children’s book in both Mandarin and English to educate younger generations domestically and internationally about the threats facing sea turtles.

 

Giacomo Abrusci received the Blue Ambassador of the Year Award for his grassroot outlet, SEVENSEAS Media (sevenseasmedia.org), which provides storytelling, professional development and career opportunities for the conservation community, as well as networking events and beach cleanups.

 

Rebecca Mott received the Blue Friend of the Year Award for her significant contributions as an environmental educator through academic activities and marine life curricula to support both formal education and the science community.

 

The Eleanor Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Edith (Edie) Widder, for her trailblazing work in bioluminescence, exploring great ocean depths, and studying the fascinating environment of the giant squid.

 

The luncheon was a collective success thanks to LMC’s community partners and Co-Chairs Lynne and Peter Wells, the Presenting World Ocean Sponsor – Manatee Lagoon – An FPL Eco-Discovery Center ®. LMC would like to recognize the Award’s independent panel of judges: Gary & Brenda Adkison – U.S. Shark Foundation, Director; Jeff Corwin – Biologist and wildlife conservationist, known for hosting Disney Channel’s Going Wild with Jeff Corwin, The Jeff Corwin Experience on Animal Planet, and ABC’s Ocean Treks; Fabien Cousteau – Aquanaut, oceanographic explorer, conservationist and documentary filmmaker; Glenn Glazer – WPTV Meteorologist; Greg Marshall – Marine biologist and filmmaker. Inventor of Crittercam; Cristina Mittermeier – Contributing Photographer, Speaker, and Explorer for National Geographic; Sally Murray – Daughter of LMC Founder, Eleanor Fletcher; Susan Murray – Oceana Deputy Vice President U.S. Pacific, Granddaughter of LMC Founder, Eleanor Fletcher; Paul Nicklen – Acclaimed National Geographic Photographer, Biologist and Conservationist; Joel Sartore – Photographer, speaker, author, teacher, Photo Ark Founder and a 20-year contributor to National Geographic magazine; Jim Toomey – Former Mission Blue Executive Director, Creator of Sherman’s Lagoon Comic Strip; and Dr. Edith (Edie) Widder – Ocean Research & Conservation Association (exempt from Eleanor Fletcher category).

 

LMC also extends its gratitude to this year’s sponsors and underwriters, including: Manatee Lagoon – An FPL Eco-Discovery Center ®, Carrier, Lynne and Peter Wells, Bart and Julie Livolsi, Leanna Landsmann and Chip Block, Pratt & Whitney, AW Property Co., Seven Kings Holdings, Inc., Monique Brechter and Steven Heinemann, Jean Burker Young, Southern Marinas, Tami and Bill Shull, Tire Kingdom, Key Private Bank, The Capital Grille, Tiffany & Co., SandyJames Fine Food & Productions, and West Palm Brewery & Wine Vault.

 

The 2020 Go Blue Awards Luncheon will return to the Kravis Center in October, 2020. For sponsorship information please contact: Jennifer Nicholas at jnicholas@marinelife.org.

 

Think global, act local. Visit LMC’s website to see how individuals and corporations can help transform oceans and sea turtle conservation via the Waves of Progress Capital Expansion Campaign.

 

###

 

Loggerhead Marinelife Center:

Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) is a nonprofit sea turtle research, rehabilitation and educational institution that promotes conservation of ocean ecosystems with a focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. The Center features an on-site hospital, research laboratory, educational exhibits and aquariums, and also operates the Juno Beach Pier, which hosts world-class angling and sightseeing. Situated on one of the world’s most important sea turtle nesting beaches, Loggerhead Marinelife Center is open daily and hosts over 350,000 guests free-of-charge each year. The Center’s conservation team works with 90 local and international organizations across six continents to form partnerships and share conservation initiatives and best practices that are core to its mission of ocean conservation. The Center is expanding and has launched its Waves of Progress capital expansion campaign, designed to accelerate and amplify LMC’s conservation and education impact. When complete, the facility will offer one of the world’s most advanced and unique experiences for guests and scientific partners. For more information, visit www.marinelife.org or call (561) 627-8280.

 

Wellington Trunk or Treat

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Wellington Trunk or Treat

Wellington Trunk or Treat: An Inclusive Event for All
Trick-Or-Treaters

Join Wellington’s Community Services Department and Wellington High School’s DECA Club on Thursday, October 31st, 2019 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM for a FREE Trunk or Treat event in the student parking lot at Wellington Community High School (2101 Greenview Shores Boulevard).

This year, Trunk or Treat proudly supports the Teal Pumpkin Project, an effort by the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) organization to raise awareness of food allergies and promote inclusion of all trick-or-treaters during the Halloween season. Candy and non-food treats will be provided for the trick-or-treaters.

This annual event is a safe, family-friendly twist on trick or treating. Volunteers will decorate their vehicles and distribute Halloween treats out of their trunks for children ages 10 and under.  Families can also enjoy music, refreshments, craft tables, a costume contest for children, and more.

If you’re interested in decorating your car and passing out candy or non-food treats, contact Wellington Community High School’s DECA club at lauren.mandel@palmbeachschools.org

Trunk or Treat is made possible through Wellington’s partnership with Wellington Community High School’s DECA program, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, the Christopher Aguirre Memorial Foundation, and Joe DiMaggio’s Children’s Hospital.

As another way to stay informed on the latest news and updates from the Village, residents are invited to sign up for Wellington information and updates at www.wellingtonfl.gov/newsletter.

For information about other Wellington programs, events, activities, and updates, please visit www.wellingtonfl.gov or watch WellingtonTV for the latest happenings.

Meeting of the Minds

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Meeting of the Minds

Meeting of the Minds

Part of the Berkel Series

By Jon Frangipane

On the Discovery Channel one night, our local animal shelter ran an advertisement about a big pet sale going on the following Saturday. On the screen was this older man with a little pussycat in his arms saying, “Hi folks, you can’t believe how much joy and happiness this little pussycat has brought into my life. And now my headaches are all gone, my arthritis is all gone. And I’m feeling like a young kid again!”

In a feeble attempt to cure my loneliness through the years, I had purchased a baby iguana, then a lovebird that flew the coop, tropical fish that I usually found floating motionless in their tank every morning, and, in desperation, an ant farm. Well, maybe I could feel like a young kid again if I just head on down to that animal shelter this next Saturday, I thought. Maybe I could find some joy and happiness that’s been missing from my life for so long.

That Saturday, as I perused every nook and cranny of the shelter, I found not a single animal that I thought could bring me joy and happiness. Exasperated, I finally asked a young teenage girl volunteer, “Do you happen to have any barkless dogs here, you know, dogs that don’t bark?”

“Is that supposed to be funny?” she replied.

“No,” I answered, “but between this huge crowd and barking dogs, the cacophony makes it difficult to think straight.”

“Well, just don’t think straight at all, just follow your heart,” she said.

      Maybe this was all a bad idea, I thought. As I came across the very last room, I was going to follow my heart. It was dark and gloomy, and the only sound was coming from television broadcasting the Discovery Channel.

As I entered the room, I thought I heard someone’s voice, but there was no one to be seen. Again, I heard a little voice and I thought it said, “Please choose me. Please choose me!” As I approached the very last cage, a fuzzy paw was sticking out of the cage, waving wildly and a voice crying, “Please save me!”

I thought I was losing my mind, but I answered, “Where are you?”

The little voice said, “Hey, mister, over here in the last cage!”

“But you are talking. Cats are not supposed to talk!” I cried. Then I looked around to see if anyone was watching me converse with the cat.

“My name is Berkel. All I do is watch television all day. Just get me out of this dump.”

“Just tell me, Berkel, how in the world did you learn to speak perfect English?”

“All I know is that Judy, the young volunteer helper who noticed me getting very depressed from not being adopted, started to put double doses of catnip in my supper every night, thinking that would lift my spirits.

“So, you think overdosing on catnip may have triggered something in your brain?”

“It must have been that catnip and watching the Discovery Channel day and night I guess.” In one swift move, Berkel began licking his butt.

“Must you do that now? I asked.

“I’ll only be a minute. Just needed to freshen up a bit.”

Whether Berkel’s catnip overdose caused the speaking miracle, we will never know, but this was a great opportunity to have a pet cat, not only to bring me joy and happiness, but one to converse with and discuss world affairs.

Berkel has been with me about a year now and spends much of his time watching the Discovery Channel, as well as “Googling” on the computer. For some reason, his small brain has the ability to store a huge amount of information that now includes science, astro-physics, astrology, medicine, ancient history and only God knows what else. Often, during our discussions, I find myself at a loss for words.

***

Jon Frangipane is a pianist and composer and former editor/publisher of the Lighthouse Point Magazine. He also co-facilitated the Fort Lauderdale Writers’ Group with writer/publisher Krista Martinelli. Also he owns a tennis racket.

Why Weak Muscles Are NOT the Reason Your Back Went Out

Jonathon Chung
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Why Weak Muscles Are NOT the Reason Your Back Went Out

Why Weak Muscles Are NOT the Reason Your Back Went Out

By Dr. Jonathon Chung

 

I’m a mega-proponent of strength training. It’s a major part of my life and it’s something I’ve always encouraged for my patients, family, and friends as a way to dramatically improve someone’s life.

That being said, strength training is an integral part of the treatment and prevention of musculoskeletal pain. There’s probably no condition in the world that has been widely attributed to a strength deficiency than lower back pain.

Got back pain? Must be those

  • Weak glutes
  • Weak transverse abdominus
  • Weak multifidi
  • Etc, etc

So now we have an entire world of fitness focused on preventing lower back pain by developing really intricate exercises to strengthen an unending list of muscles connected to the back.

Are Weak Back Muscles Really The Cause of So Much Back Pain?

I do believe that being sedentary, and the general weakness and de-conditioning associated with a lack of movement does put people at risk for low back issues. After all, being sedentary and de-conditioned is basically a risk for just about everything.

However, I do think that we need to re-evaluate why so many active and relatively strong people throw their backs out doing really slight movements.

What do I mean by that?

For many of the patients that have come to my office for chronic back pain, their stories don’t usually feature an attempt to lift something that was extraordinarily heavy. It’s generally things like:

  • I was reaching to grab my phone when I heard a pop
  • I was rolling out of bed when I felt something seize up
  • I was bending over to pick up a pillow when my back went out

Plus these people aren’t necessarily weak. These are people who can deadlift 400+ lbs or spend their day as construction workers lifting heavy things every day. I can promise you that these individuals did not have weak glutes.

So what might have happened?

The Principle of Coordination

All of the strength in the world is useless when the body is not prepared to make use of it.

Have you ever been to a bowling alley and picked up the wrong ball by accident? It’s a strange feeling. You may be accustomed to picking up a 9 lb ball, but the ball next to it was the same same color and shape but it weighed 14 lbs.

So you went to pick the ball up with the amount of force that you expected to easily lift the 9 lb ball, but your arm moves slower and you have to catch yourself for a second before reaching down and grabbing the correct ball.

Even though you are plenty strong enough to lift a 15 lb object without any problems, you were thrown off because your brain made a calculation wasn’t appropriate for the lift it was about to perform.

This takes a coordinated effort for your brain to tell your muscles to use the correct amount of force with the right timing in order to make lifting an object feel more effortless. It’s a really neat system when it works properly!

But if you didn’t know how much something weighed, and you went in without expectation, you would probably take a conscious effort to over-prepare your body to lift an object up so you wouldn’t be caught off guard. Your brain has plans and contingency plans for when it encouters an unknown situation.

So what does this have to do with your bad back? Your back is different from most of the other muscles in your body in that it is a muscle group that is almost always on. Your arm and shoulders don’t get used unless you need to perform a task. Your legs are always on when you’re standing, but they can be rested when you are sitting. Your spinal muscles only get a rest if you are laying down, which is a small chunk of the day for most.

Control of spinal movement is dictated by an intricate control system between the brain receiving feedback from the spinal muscles and joints, and commands to control it

This is an important concept because our spine has to move for just about everything. Even when you are lifting your arm or your leg, your brain is sending messages to your spinal muscles on how to move your spine to accurately perform an arm/leg movement.

When Coordination Fails

So we know that the spine is always on, and even when you are just trying to move any body part alone, your brain is still getting your spine prepared to brace or move in concert with other limb movements.

There is a lot of coordination that has to happen with this, and sometimes there are just moments in time where coordination will fail, and injury can occur in those small windows.

It wasn’t just an issue of being weak. It was an issue of timing that one part of your muscular system didn’t create a good enough response to protect the parts of your spine that may generate pain.

This doesn’t mean that you’re broken. It doesn’t mean that you need fixing. It means that when you’re active and putting your body under a steady dose of mechanical stress through exercise, sometimes things may get hurt.

It’s okay! Your body can heal, get better, and improve with time, especially when you have good alignment, flexibility, mobility, and appropriate rest.

Can Coordination Improve?

There are a number of things people can do to improve the coordination of your spine and nervous system. It involves making your spine more adaptable. So how can we improve our adaptability?

  • Respect your alignment and biomechanics. You don’t have to be obsessed about it, but dysfunctional spinal joints from structural shifting of the spine can decrease neurological coordination
  • Expose your body to different loading patterns. Perfect form in the gym is great, but your brain needs exposure to variation in movement so it knows how to deal with it in the future. Mix up your lifting and movement strategies
  • Train on different surfaces – You won’t always be on a nice flat gym surface when you have to lift something up. Perform movements and exercise on different surfaces to allow for your nervous system to adapt
  • Do reaction time training – reaction time training or rhythmic movements can train your body to work in different patterns and rhythms.

Visit Dr. Chung’s Blog for other related articles.

TWO SCRUMPTIOUS BIRTHDAY CAKES FOR TWO DESSERT-A-HOLICS!!

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TWO SCRUMPTIOUS BIRTHDAY CAKES FOR TWO DESSERT-A-HOLICS!!

TWO SCRUMPTIOUS BIRTHDAY CAKES FOR TWO DESSERT-A-HOLICS!!

THE SWEETHEARTS is what the married couple FRANNIE and DANI who are also DESSERT REVIEWERS call themselves. As it was Dani’s birthday, they got to be extra decadent by devouring not the standard one but TWO SERIOUS DESSERTS, both insanely deeelish!!! #1. A DEEP FRIED KEY LIME PIE and #2. CHOCOLATE LAYER MOUSSE CAKE courtesy GUANABANAS in Jupiter, Florida – one of the truly loveliest Tiki Huts on all levels – and how could it not be after sinking 2.5 mil into renovations!!! Watch the lively couple dish out playful repartee including light-hearted reviews and relationship sharings.

 

Visit the Guanabanas website:

https://www.guanabanas.com/

Deep Fried Key Lime Pie
Chocolate layer mousse cake

November, 2019 – Thanks to You

Anne Gerwig
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November, 2019 – Thanks to You

November, 2019 – Mayor’s Column

By Mayor Anne Gerwig

As we approach the end of the year, the days get shorter while Wellington gets busier. November is when we give thanks for our health, families, jobs, and our Great Hometown.   Please remember to “fall back” by setting your clocks back one hour on Sunday, November 3rd for the change to Daylight Savings.

During these months we can clearly see why Wellington is known as “The Winter Equestrian Capital of the World.” As many of our seasonal friends return, join me in welcoming them and their four-legged friends.   Please check out our equestrian venues for current and upcoming events schedules. With a busy season approaching, we hope you enjoy all the events and activities.  This also brings increased traffic on the roads, so stay safe.

Wellington: Winter Equestrian Capital of the World

Throughout this busy time and holiday season, stay involved in your community.  Please make sure your voice is heard by participating in our Village’s decision-making process.  Visit Wellingtonfl.gov for a complete list of meetings and agendas or visit our social media pages (Facebook:  Village of Wellington and Twitter: @wellingtonflgov) for meeting notices.

Illustration by Rollin McGrail.

Wellington has a number of family-friendly events that you will not want to miss. On behalf of Council and staff, please join me at the following:

Veterans Day is Monday, November 11th. Each year, the Village and the American Legion Chris Reyka Memorial Wellington Post 390 honor all current and former members of the armed forces with a Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony. The parade begins at 8:15 a.m., commencing at Village Hall, located at 12300 Forest Hill Boulevard. The parade is followed by a ceremony at 8:30 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial, located on the corner of Forest Hill Boulevard and South Shore Boulevard.  Join me in showing our support for our returned troops and honor those in our community who have served our country.

If you are an active or retired veteran attending the ceremony, please accept our thanks for your service.  We invite you to join us as we honor you and your fellow service men and women. You will have an opportunity to add your name to our roll call the morning of the event at the Wellington tent.

The holiday season officially begins early this November around Wellington, as we begin decorating all around the Village. Please save the date for our Annual Tree Lighting event on December 5th starting at 6:30 PM at the Wellington Amphitheater. For more information, please make sure to visit our website, and follow us on social media.

The Village continues its tradition of helping families in need through the annual Hometown Holiday Food Drive. Please drop off donations this month at Village Hall (12300 Forest Hill Boulevard), Village Park (11700 Pierson Road), the Wellington Community Center (12150 Forest Hill Boulevard), Community Services Office (1092 Wellington Trace), Lake Wellington Professional Centre (12133 Ken Adams Way), Ultima Fitness, and all Palm Beach County Fire stations in Wellington. Non-perishable items such as instant mashed potatoes, packaged stuffing, and canned vegetables are appreciated.

The day after Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season.  As we enjoy the fall season, our thoughts turn to cooler weather and the holidays.  Keep things close to home during this festive time of year and enjoy shopping and dining with our local merchants.

As the summer heat gives way to crisp autumn air, there is no better time to get the family outdoors to see movies at the Amphitheater, enjoy our weekly, Thursday food truck invasion, or go nature-spotting at one of our beautiful natural preserves.  There are so many great programs and events happening around our Village. I encourage you to check them out on our website.

With no shortage of family friendly fun around the Village, I am thankful to call Wellington home, and I look forward to seeing you around our Great Hometown this month.

The Law Firm of George·Gesten·McDonald, Offering Affordable Justice for All

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The Law Firm of George·Gesten·McDonald, Offering Affordable Justice for All

The Law Firm of George·Gesten·McDonald, Offering Affordable Justice for All

Attorneys David George, Ryan Gesten, and Chris McDonald founded their law firm George·Gesten·McDonald with a goal of fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves.  “Although we have big firm experience, we have a small firm feel and take a personal interest in every client’s case, building very strong relationships,” says George.

David George and Ryan Gesten, Attorneys at Law

George·Gesten·McDonald has a variety of practice groups and offers its clients services in securities fraud and consumer fraud class actions and EB-5 fraud cases, and also in personal injury law, general commercial litigation, landlord tenant disputes, collection matters, business formations and real estate and business transactions. Their law firm is international; while George and Gesten are based in Lake Worth/ Wellington, McDonald, their other founding partner, is based in Virginia. Lori Feldman, Senior partner and talented class action attorney, heads up their class action practice group out of a New York office.   We were so lucky to get Lori, said George, as she moved our class action practice ahead several years just by joining us.  They also have an affiliated office in Guangzhou, China, as a result of their very busy EB-5 Securities Fraud practice.

Chris McDonald, one of the 3 founding partners, is based in Virginia

What distinguishes them from the many other law firms in the area are two main factors – they take a great deal of time to really listen to their clients and they work with people who cannot afford to pay exorbitant hourly rates.  They offer alternative fee arrangements with their clients, including flat fees, contingency fees, reduced hourly rates and hybrid fee arrangements.  Thus, their tag line, “Affordable Justice for All.”

“We learn about our clients’ businesses from top to bottom to better serve them and understand their needs. We are on the cutting edge of the law and handle virtually any type of business litigation matter,” says Gesten. “We get to know our client’s business from soup to nuts.”

Attorney Matthew Ciapperini

Attorney Matthew Ciapperini partners with George and Gesten in Lake Worth/ Wellington location and mentions that one of the keys to their success is the diverse range of backgrounds of everyone who works there. “From jobs before law school to what we studied in undergrad, it’s all very diverse.” It helps them think outside of the box when it comes to individual cases.  Ciapperini, for example, worked in real estate as a mobile closing agent and worked in sales in the plumbing department of Home Depot. When given a case regarding a burst pipe in someone’s ceiling, Ciapperinni was able to inspect the pipes and quickly determine what was not up to code.

I asked Gesten and George about their backgrounds.  Gesten grew up in New York, then went to the University of Miami for his undergraduate degree and law degree.  He’s been practicing law for 20 years.  “He has an amazing breadth of experience,” says George about Gesten. “He has practiced a wide variety of types of law and is a great resource.” Ryan Gesten and his wife Andrea have two kids who are four and six years old.  They love the local area.

David George loves the area too and has raised five children (including two sets of twins) with his wife Doris. They have lived in Wellington for almost 30 years and love “the small community feel” as well as the parks & recreation, the school system and also the equestrian element.  George was born in Rhode Island and went to the University of Rhode Island for his undergraduate degree. He then went to the University of Richmond, Virginia for law school, graduating at the top of his class.  At a turning point in his career which had been with some very large law firms (with more than 1,000 lawyers), he decided to leave the big firms behind and join a small plaintiffs’ class action firm, where he developed a passion for fighting fraud. “I have been blessed to have been able to lead and be a part of litigation teams that have recovered in excess of one billion dollars for victims of fraud from all over the world,” he says. Now, he is doing it with his hand-picked partners and colleagues.

Within their beautifully renovated office, George has a colorful office, as some of his hobbies include buying and selling comic books and collecting vintage toys.  He also collects dated political propaganda and tools, including an old 1930’s New York voting machine.

David George’s office, filled with whimsical vintage toys

“He’s one of the most empathetic listeners you’ve ever met,” says Gesten about George. “Our clients always have wonderful things to say about him.” One of the most memorable comments George received was “Thank you for treating my daughter like she was your own.”

“We’re a family here,” says Gesten. “And it shows to our clients and even to our opponents. It’s who we are and it comes through in our work.”

Of course a referral is the highest form of recommendation. George·Gesten·McDonald get over 90% of their new cases by referral. “Some of my favorite compliments didn’t involve saying anything at all – client have given me fresh baked cookies, invited me to their home for family BBQ’s and friends-giving,” says Chiapperini. “One of the best compliments is when my clients refer a friend or family member. I’m always very grateful and do everything I can to ensure their trust is well-placed.”

One of David George’s most memorable cases was one where he was fighting a case for a group of day laborers.  He encountered a lot of people who were homeless and remembers realizing, “anyone could be homeless with the wrong turn of events. It humbled me to learn that I needed to change my own point of view on homelessness.” He won the case by the way.

What does it mean to fight for justice aggressively? “You need to litigate every case like you’re a plaintiff’s lawyer, even when you are defending a case,” says George. At George·Gesten·McDonald, they sit with the client, learn everything they can or if it’s a business, they go out to the business to visit them on site. It’s an independent evaluation of the facts including a lot of legal research. “We’re not reactive, we’re proactive,” says Gesten. After all the data is collected, they fight aggressively for their clients. No matter what the case or circumstances, the goal is to “always be the most prepared person in the room.”

For more information, call 833-FIND-JUSTICE or call their local office at (561) 232-6002.

George·Gesten·McDonald

https://www.4-justice.com/

David George, Ryan Gesten, Christopher McDonald

Attorneys at Law

Wellington/Lake Worth office

9897 Lake Worth Road, Suite 302

Lake Worth, FL 33467

(561) 232-6002

Chewbacca

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Chewbacca

CHEWBACCA

By Don Conway

Authors note: This is one of a series of stories called Movie Minor Characters in which I try to develop a fictional biography of some minor character in a popular movie. Chewbacca the Wookie Warrior is such a character in the movie Star Wars.

Wookies, as everyone knows, are not born…they are hatched from eggs like thousands of other species. Thus the scene from the hatchery in which Chewbacca was hatched is relevant to this biography of the famous warrior.

The Hatchery Supervisor: (to his assistant) “It has been 129 light/dark cycles since this one (749+@33) was conceived. As you know, the longer the gestation period the stronger the shell and the greater the strength needed by the hatchling to break out of its shell. Clearly, this one will be exceptionally strong. Watch over it carefully and let me know as soon as it breaks through its shell.”

With this auspicious beginning 749+@33, later designated as Chewbacca, came into being on the planet Wookie. Its (Wookies do not have Gender) strength was indeed exceptionally great. Training as a warrior was ordained and he was entered into the elite Warrior Academy. By its second cycle, it was clear that Chewbacca’s mindset and behaviors were not the same as most of the other cadets.

Its problems at the Academy started when it insisted on learning to play the Human Violin. “It is not just the sound,” It said. “The mathematical intricacies of the instrument lead my mind into fields and equations that are bound to be useful in battle. Overcoming the manual dexterity problems have greatly increased the strength of my digits. This added strength is an asset that every warrior should aspire to.”

The logic of these arguments was accepted by the Director and Chewbcca was allowed to continue his pursuit of the Human Violin — much to the chagrin of the weapons and tactics instructors. Eventually, it became proficient with both the Human Violin and all manner of Wookie weapons.

Upon graduation from the Warrior Academy Chewbacca was commissioned as a Warrior 2nd Class and assigned to garrison duty on the satellite Xoptilon, Its fall from grace started almost immediately. Like warriors since time immemorial who, away from home and serving in an isolated outpost, succumbed to the attractions of another being. In Chebacca’s case, it was the voluptuous and exotic Xoptilla7. She (Xoptilions do have genders) was an entertainer at a canteen frequented by many of the Wookie warriors. Chewbacca’s story was the old, old tale of the young soldier led astray by the charms of a beautiful creature, liquor, strong drugs, and eventually, sex.

Xoptill7 was an old hand at the “lonely young soldier game”. She knew from experience that a young soldier’s adoration could not last long. And so she burned the candle at both ends by attaching herself to Chewbacca’s Commanding officer, an older, wealthier and more stable form of “insurance” for someone in her position.

When, on one occasion, the Commanding Officer found Chewbacca and Xoptill7 in a compromising position, he determined to punish the young warrior by driving him out of the Wookie military force entirely. This he managed to do by contriving a theft of some military equipment and having Chewbacca convicted of the crime. The military court sentenced him two years at hard labor in the prison facility on Skconkdrah.

Upon its released, alone, disgraced and abandoned on an unfriendly planet Chewbacca fell into a life of crime as the only means available for its survival. In due course, it became acquainted with a smuggler named Hans Solo. Solo had the advantage of owning a legendary craft known as the Millennium Falcon.  When he became aware of Chewbacca’s military training and familiarity with all kinds of weapons, Solo proposed that they join forces in his smuggling operations.

Together Solo and Chewbacca traversed the known universe smuggling all manner of objects and beings. In the course of their escapades, they made both friends and implacable enemies such as Jabba the Hutt. When one of their ventures with Jabba the Hutt went wrong Chewbacca and Solo found themselves stranded on the planet Tatooine.  At a place called Mos Eisley their salvation came in the form of an elderly Jedi Knight named Obi-Won Kanobi who eventually got them involved in a revolution against the Empire that went by the name of Star Wars.

***

Don Conway is an award-winning Architect and Writer (two golds and a silver medal from a national writing competition) also a Loeb Fellow at Harvard University. Says he is working hard on book number four.

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