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July, 2015 – Fundraiser for Girls on the Run

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July 15th @ the Royal Palm Cultural Center

Fundraiser for  “Girls On The Run”

 

Girls on the Run starts with helping the girls get a better understanding of who they are and what’s important to them. Then we look at the role of teams and healthy relationships. And, finally, we explore how girls can positively connect with and shape the world.

 

The event is called a Quarter Auction and starts at 6:00 p.m. (doors open at 6pm, and we start auctioning @ 7pm) and it runs until 9:00pm.  We have a 50/50 raffle and many other raffles, door prizes and participants can win many different prizes by bidding with quarters from 20 different vendors from many different companies from home made items to products from companies such as Tupperware, Mary Kay, Scentsy, etc.

It’s a lot of fun and we raise lots of money for the charity.  Last month was Barky Pines Pet Rescue and we raised $944.00.  They we’re able to spay 2 animals and get dental work done for one animal.  Such a special thing we do for the community!  Please join us.

July, 2015 – July 4th in Delray Beach

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South Florida’s Coolest July 4th Celebration is in Delray Beach

 
Vista BMW joins the City and Delray Beach Marketing Cooperative as presenting sponsor
4th of July Fireworks @ Aaron Lurie, VMA Studio
4th of July Fireworks @ Aaron Lurie, VMA Studio
(Delray Beach, FL – June 12, 2015)  “Be HOT HERE at Delray Beach’s coolest event of the year, the July 4th Celebration,” says Stephanie Immelman, Executive Director of the Delray Beach Marketing Cooperative. “Located on A1A and Atlantic Avenue, this free event will feature back to back live music from Progression, a reggae band and Jimmy Stowe & the Stowaways, a Jimmy Buffet tribute band!”

 

Family activities at this year’s 4th of July celebration in Delray Beach will include the Kool 105.5 Splash Zone featuring an Air-mist tent and water games, a Kid’s Corner hosted by the Avenue Church & Sunflower Creative Arts with face painting, craft activities, sidewalk chalk and more. Adults can cool down at the Chill Lounge by Vista BMW or at the Beer Garden hosted by Burger Fi, Caffe Luna Rosa, and Boston’s on the Beach. There will also be a custard eating contest for kids and a burger eating contest for adults courtesy of Burger Fi.
New this year is the Patriotic Golf Cart Decorating contest hosted by Exhilaride Golf Cart Rentals. Attendees can vote for their favorite as they walk into the event. Golf carts will be lined up on Atlantic Avenue near Federal Highway.
July 4th celebrants are also encouraged to sign up for the sand sculpting contest hosted by the HOW Foundation and challenge their friends to a game of putt-putt at the Putt’n Around mini golf course. Countdown to the coolest fireworks show in South Florida with a Lip-Sync battle hosted by @TheZRock. Fireworks begin at 9 pm and launch from the North end of the beach and are simulcast by Wild 95.5.
Visitors can extend their stay in Delray Beach this July 4th Weekend by booking with Host Hotels: Marriott Delray Beach & Cranes Beach House Boutique Hotel & Luxury Villas.
By 1 pm, portions of Atlantic Avenue east of the Intracoastal Waterway and portions of State Road A1A near Atlantic Avenue will be closed in preparation for the 3:30 pm flag-raising ceremony featuring representatives of the U.S. military.

 

Live entertainment on the main stage starts at 4pm and continues  throughout the evening.
Of course, the highlight of the celebration is one of South Florida’s largest and longest fireworks shows, put on by Zambelli Fireworks and synchronized to music available on Wild 95.5.
The 20-25 minute show will feature more than 500 unique shells that are guaranteed to produce oohs and ahs from the crowd.
This year, the fireworks will be launched just north of the Delray Beach Marriott.

 

Delray Beach’s July 4th Schedule
8 am to Noon –  Sandcastle Contest on the beach hosted by the HOW Foundation of South Florida
3:30 pm – Flag Raising Ceremony (Atlantic Ave and Venetian Drive)
+ 3:30 pm – Patriotic Golf Cart Decorating Contest hosted by Exhilaride Golf Cart Rentals

 

3:30 to 9:30 pm – Bike2 The 4th – Bike Valet
4 to 8 pm  The Kids Corner hosted by The Avenue Church & Sunflower Creative Arts
4 to 8 pm  Kool 105.5 Splash Zone
4 to 5:30 pm  Progression, a reggae band
5:30 pm – Burger Fi Custard Eating Contest for kids
5:45 to 6:15 pm – Burger Fi Burger Eating Contest for adults
6:30 to 8:30 pm – Jimmy Stowe and the Stowaways, a Jimmy Buffet tribute band
8:45 to 9 pm –  Lip Sync Battle Countdown Show hosted by @TheZRock
9 pm – FIREWORKS show launching from the north end of the beach
BIKE THE 4TH
Bike2 the 4th thanks to Human Powered Delray. “Leave your car at home and ride your bicycle to the event,” says Immelman. “Free Bicycle Valet Bike racks will be available at no charge and the Human Powered Delray staff will be there to watch bikes.”
PARKING
Handicap parking will be available at the north and south ends of the SR A1A closures near Vista Del Mar and Miramar Street on a first come, first served basis. Handicap vehicles must have placards and registration when approaching checkpoints. The public is urged to park in Downtown Delray Beach and take the Downtown Roundabout or walk to the beach.
For complete details, please visit www.JulyFourthDelrayBeach.com.

 

To find out more about what else Delray Beach has to offer this summer and to learn about hotel holiday specials, visit www.visitdelraybeach.org/hot and look for travel specials and packages.

 

Five Ways to Best Enjoy Delray Beach’s 4th of July Celebration
+ Bring a beach chair
+ Wear comfortable shoes
+ Bring sunblock
+ Park west of the Intracoastal Waterway
+ Stay hydrated
About the Delray Beach Marketing Cooperative
The Delray Beach Marketing Cooperative (DBMC) is a partnership between the City of Delray Beach, the Community Redevelopment Agency and the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce. The DBMC’s mission is to attract people to the City, create a positive image and increase awareness of Delray Beach for a positive economic impact through Destination Marketing, marketing programs, special events and community collaboration. For more information, please contact DBMC at 561.274-0424 or visit www.VisitDelrayBeach.org

June, 2015 – Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa offers “Love,” Luxury and Lunch

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Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa offers local ladies “love,” luxury and lunch weekly

Kicking off in June, local ladies are welcome to enjoy “love,” lunch and luxury weekly at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa – love in their tennis game that is.  Ladies will enjoy a tennis clinic from 9 – 10 a.m. before hoping it is their opponent that gets all of the “love” in the 10 – 10:30 a.m. match play. Immediately following, luxury will be served up in Eau Spa, as the half-day package includes a 50-minute massage or 50-minute facial.  Guests will then be treated to lunch at Breeze, the Resort’s pool-side retreat.  Lunch includes a complimentary glass of wine or champagne.  Guests will also have access to the Resort’s pool and private beach.  The package is available weekly on Wednesdays through August and costs $175.  Tennis only is $30 and spa and lunch combined is $150. For more information, please visit www.eauspa.com or call 561-540-4960.

Eau Tennis

 

“Love,” Luxury and Lunch – $175

  • Package includes:
    • Ladies tennis from 9 – 10:30 a.m. (tennis clinic from 9 – 10 a.m.; match play from 10 – 10:30 a.m.)
    • 50-minute massage or 50-minute facial at Eau Spa (a 2015 Forbes Five Star Award recipient)
    • Lunch at Breeze, the Resort’s pool-side retreat
    • Complimentary glass of wine or champagne with lunch
    • Access to the Resort’s pool and private beach

This package is open to hotel guests and local residents and takes place weekly on Wednesday through August 2015.  For more information, please visit www.eauspa.com or call 561-540-4960.

Eau Resort Pool

About Eau Spa

Eau Spa is a revolutionary new concept: a 42,000 square foot spa wonderland that serves as the social hub of Palm Beach, the legendary playground of the rich and famous. This is a space where style and beauty know no bounds and high touch meets high tech.  Every square inch offers a delicious delight and a unique surprise: hand-strung, crystal, cordial glass chandeliers emit prisms onto Eau Zone lounges, secret massage pools glisten in the Self Centered Garden and an awe inspiring wishing well reflects candle light onto a gorgeous, copper, baroque dome that glows above.  It is luxury reinvented.

 

Eau Spa’s accolades include the highly coveted 2015 Forbes Five Star Award, 2015 ECA World Fitness NY Conference Speaker – Catherine Warren, 2014 Yoga Journal Session Speaker – Catherine Warren, 2014 Top Ten Hot Tubs – USA Today Travel, 2014 Spas of America – Top 100 Spas of 2013, 2014 Conde’ Nast Traveler Top US Spas #13 Ranking, 2014 General Session Speaker – Catherine Warren – The International Congress of Esthetics and Spa, 2014 Named Town and Country Top 15 Spas in the World, 2014 Conde’ Nast Top 25 Spas in the World Reader’s Choice Award, 2014 American Spa Magazine – Best Treatment Menu, 2013 American Spa Magazine – Best Treatment Menu, 2013 American Spa Professional’s Choice Award, 2013 iSPA Inaugural Innovate Award – Catherine Warren, 2013 Spafinder Wellness 365™ Readers’ Choice Category Awards: Best for Girlfriend Getaways, Best for Bachelorettes, Best for Romance, Best for Weddings, Best Pet-Friendly Spa, Best Urban Hotel , Spa, Favorite Spa for Yoga, Best Beach Spa, Best for Accommodations, Best for LGBT and Best Interior Design.

 

Guests are invited to Pause, Play and Perfect, the principals that the spa’s vision is based upon.   All who visit are greeted with a glass of champagne, a couture cupcake and chill Ibiza beats.  The Eau Spa guest is the most affluent in the world, and expects nothing less than perfection. Lofty expectations and wild imaginations soar in the award winning design, impeccable service and bespoke experience.

 

Eau Spa is all about flawless customization with immediate results. Guests will discover that it is luxury that defines the Eau Spa experience. Knowing hands execute precision skincare and all treatments are delivered by true masters with a passion for perfection. Each unique treatment is created to indulge each guest’s every whim. These elements deliver an out-of-the-ordinary spa experience.   This is a gathering place for indulgence, decadence and ultimate fun.

 

At Eau Spa, everyone is encouraged to let go, enjoy some “me time”, and slip into the Eau Spa spirit!

June, 2015 – Father’s Day Ideas

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June, 2015 – Father’s Day Ideas at the Gardens Mall

Father’s Day Gift Guide:

21 Ideas that Drip with Great Taste

The Gardens Mall

 

What better way to celebrate Father’s Day than with 21 treasurable tokens from The Gardens Mall that are perfect for the head honcho in your life – from must-have man cave art and mouthwatering espresso makers to monogrammed mugs and woof-worthy canine cuff links.

 

APPLE STORE 18-Karat Yellow Gold Case with Black Sport Band
APPLE STORE 18-Karat Yellow Gold Case with Black Sport Band

 

Midas Touch

APPLE STORE – 18-Karat Yellow Gold Case with Black Sport Band ($12,000)

 

Brew Life

WILLIAMS-SONOMA – Set of Monogrammed Beer Mugs ($59.95)

WILLIAMS-SONOMA Set of Monogrammed Beer Mugs
WILLIAMS-SONOMA Set of Monogrammed Beer Mugs

 

Solo Surround Sound

BOSE – QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones ($299.95)

 

Traditional Trim

THE ART OF SHAVING – The Royal Shave Service ($55)

 

Fairway Father

BROOKS BROTHERS – Paul Brown Limited Edition Golf Lithograph ($500)

 

Australian Adventure

LOUIS VUITTON – City Guide Sydney ($37)

 

Silver Fox

APPLE STORE – Silver MacBook ($1,299)

 

Time Keeper

GUCCI – Diamante Canvas Watch Case ($4,150)

 

Man’s Best Friend

BROOKS BROTHERS – Signature Tartan Dog Jacket ($118)

 

Black Beauty

BURBERRY – The City Chronograph Watch ($795)

 

Light My Fire
DAVID YURMAN – Iron Wood Butane Lighter ($900)

 

 

The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword

MONT BLANC – The Meisterstück 90 Years 149 Fountain Pen ($935)

 

Pup-Links

RALPH LAUREN – Dog Head Silver Cufflinks ($395)

 

Sweet Surprise 

GODIVA CHOCOLATIER – Signature Truffles and Chocolate Cigar Gift Set ($60)

 

Love Letters 

BROOKS BROTHERS – Personalized Letter Stationary ($178)

 

Check Mate

GUCCI – Checkers Set ($5,050)

 

Splendid Swipe

THE GARDENS MALL – Gift Card

($10-$1,000)

 

Shaken Not Stirred

HAMILTON JEWELERS – Vintage Silver Cocktail Shaker ($575)

 

Coffee Aficionado 

WILLIAMS-SONOMA – Breville Oracle Espresso Maker ($1,999.95)

 

Dashing Dad

LOUIS VUITTON – Damier Graphite Keepall Bandouliere 55 ($1,760)

 

Timeless Timepiece

HAMILTON JEWELERS – Certified Pre-Owned Universal Geneve Watch ($2,950)

 

 

June, 2015 – Ernie Zimmerman – Vietnam Vet, New York Cop, Columnist

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AW Spotlight

 

Ernie Zimmerman – Vietnam Vet, New York Cop, Columnist

 

By Krista Martinelli

ErnieZ1
Ernie Zimmerman. Photo by Krista Martinelli, AroundWellington.com.

 

Ernie Zimmerman has been to hell (Vietnam) and back. He’s seen a lot of things in his lifetime that many people will never see, both as a New York police officer and as a Vietnam vet. He was nearly stabbed to death, while working a day shift in his police car in New York. He’s lived through some important moments in history; he returned from Vietnam one day after Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 and remembers the not-so-warm welcome he received, as a returning soldier.  He’s also been a Wellington resident for 32 years, which takes him back before Wellington was incorporated as a Village (incorporated in 1995).

 

Now he writes what he calls a “dry humor” column for Palms West Monthly newspaper. And he can also be heard on Tuesdays at 3pm with his radio show, the “EZ Connection” on the WEINetwork.com, an Internet radio station. He’s one of the most interesting people I’ve ever interviewed in Wellington, and I’m surprised that I didn’t come across Ernie until now – nearly our 10th year of AroundWellington. In brief, Ernie has been through a lot. And Ernie is fun!  Just check out his philosophy of life.

 

See the Video!  (Ernie’s Philosophy of Life)

 

We began with talking about the Vietnam War. Ernie Zimmerman was drafted and served in Vietnam for one year – during the height of combat, 1967 to 1968. “I was 19,” he says. “I was just a kid.” Ninety of the troops, including Zimmerman, were from Brooklyn, New York out of the 110 men in his unit. They began their journey in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. “We were using big 8-inch artillery guns, the most accurate guns at that time. They could shoot up to 16 miles on a dime,” he explains.

 

Ernie Zimmerman was unusual, among his graduating class from high school. “There were 1880 people who graduated. We were the first wave of the Baby Boomers. And I was the only one who got drafted that we know about from my class.” Zimmerman is also Jewish, and it was a very rare thing for a Jewish teenager to get drafted into the army at that time.

 

Looking back, he says his parents didn’t realize how dangerous the combat would be and the fact that he could have possibly avoided the draft, like so many of his classmates were able to do. However, Zimmerman was happy to serve and had no second thoughts about going to Vietnam at the beginning of his experience.

 

“Now that some time has passed, do you think we should have been fighting in Vietnam?” I asked him. “In retrospect, absolutely not,” he says. “The rich were getting richer, and the poor were getting poorer. Over 58,000 U.S. troops died in Vietnam. Meanwhile, we did nothing about stopping trade. The docks were pumping goods through there every day; money was being made, while our soldiers were being killed.”

 

The thing that was different about Vietnam – different from our previous wars – was being in the jungle and being on the move, while not being able to see the enemy because of the foliage.  “One of my most intense memories was being in a vehicle and getting ambushed. My friend, the driver, got shot in the arm. We didn’t realize it right away, but the bullet went right through to his heart. He died immediately. I had to take the wheel of a five ton truck and continue driving.”

 

Zimmerman doesn’t believe the U.S. is good at fighting a Guerrilla war. War is hell, according to Zimmerman, but when you cannot see the enemy and they are striking with frequent ambushes, it’s not anything we are equipped to fight against.

Ernie Zimmerman (left) at the Memorial Day ceremony in Wellington, FL, 2015. Photo: Town-Crier newspaper.
Ernie Zimmerman (left) at the Memorial Day ceremony in Wellington, FL, 2015. Photo: Town-Crier newspaper.

 

Vietnam was a more intense fight than the U.S. was prepared for. “The average infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II saw about 40 days of combat in four years. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter,” according to History.com.  In 1968, when Zimmerman was in Vietnam, it was the year of the Tet Offensive – a lot happened that year, and over 500 lives were lost in just one week. The deadliest week of the Vietnam War for the U.S. was February 11 to 17, 1968, when 543 Americans were killed and 2,547 were wounded in action.

 

Also, Zimmerman remembers Lieutenant Calley, who was found guilty of murdering 22 unarmed South Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai Massacre, which happened on March 16 of 1968. “When someone was coming after you, you really couldn’t always know whether you were striking back at the enemy or civilians or both. But you had to defend yourself in a split second.” As someone who faced combat in Vietnam that difficult year, Zimmerman feels that Calley should not have done jail time. It was never Calley’s intent to kill civilians, according to Zimmerman, and there were many others who made the same mistake. It was just an impossible situation – to assess every factor in a split second during this “jungle warfare.”

 

“We didn’t know the hazards of Agent Orange back then,” he adds. “I remember watching them drop Agent Orange to burn the foliage – it would be only about 200 yards away.” They thought it looked pretty, almost like fireworks. Read more about the Health Effects of Agent Orange (MakeAgentOrangeHistory.com).

VietnamArmy-ontheCrawl
4/30/1967-Vietnam- A typical scene in Vietnam – US Marines are shown protecting a helicopter that is evacuating them from the area. They are allowing the wounded soldiers to get through first. They have just ended a 11-day long battle. – Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

 

“I went to Vietnam in 1967 and came back on June 6th, 1968. Robert Kennedy had just been shot. Everyone was very upset about Kennedy, but not about the 400 troops who had been killed that same week.”

 

As he writes in one of his columns “Pennies from Heaven” for the Palms West Monthly newspaper, Zimmerman never saw his father cry, except for one time. “He was a happy-go-lucky World War II vet type of guy. In fact, the only time I saw tears come out of my father’s eyes is when I came home from Vietnam and surprised my family by ringing the door bell.” As a side note, the other men in Zimmerman’s unit came home a couple of days before he did. So his family had good reason to suspect that he might have been killed in combat.

 

“Do I believe in the draft?” he says. “No, not the way we do it here. Rich kids can get out of it too easily.” He points to Israel, as one of the only places where there is a “fair draft.” Everyone is drafted at 18 years of age, no matter what.

 

“Would I want my kids or my grandkids to go through this? Never.” Ernie realizes he was lucky to get out alive. He sees a lot of Vietnam veterans having flashbacks. “Why am I not having flashbacks? Why am I so happy?” One of his theories is that he saw so much more – in his career as a police officer.

 

Life as a New York Cop

 

“There are parts of New York that are worse than Vietnam,” he says. He served as a New York cop for 14 years and has some sharp memories that will never fade.  There was the time that a dead body floated up on Coney Island. The other cops asked him to remove the man’s ring, so they could identify the body. He tried to carefully remove the ring, but ended up removing the entire ring finger. There were many homicides, robberies, car crashes and other calls to respond to. One of the worst addictions he witnessed was heroin. “If you have a $100 a day habit, you are going to find ways to get that $100,” he explains.

 

Zimmerman wanted to be a police officer when he was 19; however, you had to be 5’8” tall at that time, and he was just short by one inch.  As he says, “I was one inch short of staying here and not going to Vietnam.” As a cop, he would have also avoided the draft. When he returned from Vietnam, they had changed the height requirement. He served for 14 years on Coney Island as a cop, seeing the good, the bad and the ugly.

 

He tried his best to be fair, no matter what the situation appeared to be. “I would hear all sides of the story. You don’t jump to conclusions. You have to be a street psychologist when you’re a cop.” He explains that as a police officer he might have 2 to 3 seconds to make up his mind on how to take action, while people will have 2 to 3 years to investigate what happened.  “And no one hates a bad cop more than a good cop,” he adds, touching upon some of today’s most prevalent stories in the news.

 

“As a cop, none of my prisoners ever had to go to the hospital,” he says. “I treated people as I would want to be treated.” He points to the fact that everyone is innocent until proven guilty in this country – that’s supposed to be the way our justice system works.

 

People often ask why there’s such a high divorce rate among police officers, says Zimmerman.  One of the problems is the schedule. The police officer is going to be home with the family only one weekend out of every 8 or 9 weekends. And the violence they see is a lot to recover from during the downtime at home. “These marriages work best when your spouse goes into it with her eyes wide open,” he says. Zimmerman’s wife already knew him as a cop before they got married. In fact, she walked into his police patrol sector just moments after someone had tried to stab him and he had to kill the guy who tried to stab him. She had seen what it could be like to be married to a cop, and knew that she couldn’t take Ernie for granted. Yes, as a part of his job, he could die. And she knew this.

 

Zimmerman was married at 26, and they will celebrate their 43rd anniversary on July 30th. His wife Sharon just recently retired from WellingtonElementary school. So now instead of taking his daily walks alone, he and his wife are walking together. He surprised her at the end of her last school day with two dozen roses in hand. “I’ve never done anything like that before,” he smiles.

 

Education

 

Zimmerman went to St.FrancisCollege in New York. “I wanted to be a better-educated cop, and the GI Bill paid for many college credits.” Meanwhile, he explains, the Police Bill paid you to go to college, based on how many dependents you have. Zimmerman had to major in Criminal Justice to receive the benefits of the Police Bill, and he took a lot of psychology courses. Other than that, he was free to take a lot of courses that were of interest to him and he did. He is grateful for both the GI Bill and the Police Bill.  “I made the most of it!” Some of his friends joked with him, “How long are you going to stay in college, Ernie?”

 

As a Columnist “Nice and Easy”

 

Zimmerman began his writing career about 25 years ago. He was not trained asErnie-PWMonthly a writer. But, as he explains, he’s done some research and the average audience for a publication is usually reading at a 6th grade level. So he figured he was up to the task. “I try to write the truth, and then I stretch it out a bit. It’s dry humor, New York cop humor.” He started with the Sun Press, writing the New York angle for their “Condo Sun.” Then he moved onto the Town-Crier and wrote for that publication for about 15 years. Now he has moved on to writing for the Palms West Monthly newspaper and has been writing for them for five years. His column is called “Nice and Easy,” a play on his initials – EZ.  Check out one of his recent articles.

 

He has a lot of life experiences that are unusual, thanks to his background with the NYPD and as a Vietnam vet. One of his recent columns is about “saving Santa” at a Christmas Eve party.  He and his partner police officer arrived on the scene to find that this man, dressed up in the red suit from head to toe, needed mouth to mouth and CPR. They swung into action and also called the paramedics, saving the man’s life that night. The rest of the family, especially the young kids, looked on with horror as they saw Santa going through all of this. Anyway, that story had a happy ending.

 

The “EZ Connection” on the WEI Network

 

Zimmerman also does a weekly talk radio show called “The EZ Connection” on Internet radio, the WEINetwork.com. Tune in every Tuesday at 3pm to hear Ernie. He had previously done a talk radio show for WPBR.  He is a friendly, practical voice, during this time of incendiary talk radio hosts.  He calls himself socially liberal, but economically conservative.

 

Beyond Brighton, the Play

 

A play is being written about the life of Ernie Zimmerman, titled “Beyond Brighton.” The playwright Kay Cosgriff was a classmate of Zimmerman’s in high school. They didn’t know each other back then. But since then, she has launched several plays on stage and she reached out to him about his life story. Zimmerman is quite pleased about the play in progress. Cosgriff has written other history-related plays, including an investigation-type play about the KentState shooting, called “Blanket Hill.” She is interested in using Ernie’s voice as a teenager, narrating the conflict of the most controversial war the U.S. has ever been involved in.

 

Playwright Kay Cosgriff says, “The images of Vietnam were not only brought back in the minds and hearts of our military but its realities were shown during the nightly news –  lists of wounded and those missing in action were displayed as well as news clips on demonstrations and riots across the country each and every day.  Families gathered and watched religiously.  The dissolutions of the 60’s coupled with the excitement of the 70’s brought unprecedented controversy to each and every American.  Beyond Brighton! invites each audience member to see a reflection of self, whether soldier or protestor – history will repeat.” Both Ernie Zimmerman and Kay Cosgriff post frequent updates on a public Facebook group, “Beyond Brighton!”

 

Working for the Village of Wellington

 

Ernie Zimmerman served as a Code Enforcement Officer for the Village of Wellington for the past twenty years. “And the Village of Wellington has the strictest codes in the state of Florida,” says Zimmerman. “Even more strict than some gated communities and their Home Owners’ Associations.”  Before Wellington was called the Village of Wellington, Zimmerman worked for their Home Owners’ Association, which was then called First Wellington, and later Acme Water District.  “Nobody knows Wellington from the inside out as well as I do.”

 

After retiring a few years ago, he ran for a Village Council seat in 2010. When I asked him about his brief venture into politics, he said he would never run again. “You can accomplish a lot more behind the scenes actually,” he says.

 

Family Life

 

Ernie and Sharon Zimmerman will soon celebrate 43 years of marriage. Ernie is also the proud father of two boys, Brian and Ronnie, and the grandfather of six children, ranging from 6 to 14. “They are all here in Florida, which is nice,” says Zimmerman. Brian lives in Wellington with his family and works as a speech therapist in a public school in Canal Point out in the Glades. Ronnie also lives in Wellington with his family and is a VP of a bank in Miami. Zimmerman enjoys every minute of his family time.

 

Here’s a little video that was made with one of Brian Zimmerman’s more “famous” students, a kid named Damon Weaver, who caught the attention of President Obama when he was 11 years old. He was also invited to the White House to do a one-on-one interview with Obama and appeared on The Today Show. In this video, however, Damon Weaver interviews Ernie Zimmerman about his time in Vietnam (video was recorded in 2009).

Ernie-DamonW

 

See the video.

 

For more info about Ernie Zimmerman, check out his column in Palms West Monthly or tune into his radio show on the WEINetwork.com.

 

June, 2015 – Brian Mast Announces Run for Congress

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Combat Veteran Brian Mast Announce Run For Congress in Florida’s 18th Congressional District

 

Retired Army Special Operations combat veteran, Brian Mast has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Congress in Florida’s 18th congressional district. Mast, a married father of three, who served in the United States Army for twelve years, lost both his legs to an IED blast while serving as a bomb disposal expert under the elite Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in Afghanistan.

 

As a result of his service and sacrifice to our country, Mast was awarded medals for Valor, Merit, and Sacrifice, to include The Bronze Star Medal, The Army Commendation Medal for Valor, The Purple Heart Medal, and The Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

To read Brian’s full bio click here.

BrianMast

Click here to watch the announcement video

“Our nation is at a crossroads and our democracy is desperate for both leadership and decisive action on a wide range of issues that drive our economic future and national security,” said Mast.  “The American people deserve better than they have gotten from our federal government— once in Congress, I plan to lead the way to increase educational opportunities for our young people and prosperity for our families.”

 

Mast added that he vows to lead the effort to make a first class education more accessible to all Americans while working to ease the tax burdens and financial barriers that have been created by the Obama Administration.

 

“Whether you are in a combat zone, or trying to find a job or a better life for your family—there is plenty of adversity out there that must be overcome— our government should be working to remove barriers to opportunity, not create them… The adversity I have faced in my life has only intensified my desire to serve and to ensure that the people of our great nation have every opportunity to rise as far as their talent and hard work will take them.”Brian Mast

 

Mast recently donned an army uniform again in a show of support for the nation of Israel and the freedom it represents in the Middle East and around the world, as he volunteered along side the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

 

“While I recovered from my injuries, I told my wife that the example I set for our children would not end with that blast in Afghanistan—but that I would continue to offer everything I have to make sure the world they inherit is safer and more prosperous than the one we have today.”Brian Mast 

 

June, 2015 – Wellington 7th Grader Accepted into MENSA

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Wellington 7th Grader Accepted into MENSA

AnthonyMensa

MAY 26, 2015  – Wellington, Florida – Wellington resident and 7th Grader at Polo Park Middle School, Anthony Ward, has been welcomed into the world renowned society for people with high IQ’s, MENSA.  Anthony joins just under three thousand other youths under the age of 18 worldwide with his membership into MENSA.

“He was reading at age two, so we started him in preschool just before his 3rd birthday. The teachers said it would be OK as long as he was able to keep up; and we are so proud of him!” says mom Kimberly Joy.

Not only did Anthony keep up being a grade ahead, he excelled in the gifted programs at Wellington Christian School, Binks Forest Elementary, and now Polo Park Middle School.

Anthony remarks, “ I am hoping my membership will help me and give me an edge in the future when applying for jobs, and being accepted into a good college. I am also looking forward to attending the events and meeting other members.”

Mensa was founded in England in 1946 and the society welcomes people from every walk of life whose IQ is in the top 2% of the population, with the objective of enjoying each other’s company and participating in a wide range of social and cultural activities.

The average adult IQ score is 100 – with those topping 140 considered to be geniuses.

Mensa has three stated purposes: to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity, to encourage research in the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence, and to promote stimulating intellectual and social opportunities for its members.

Anthony is looking forward to the challenges of 8th grade. He actively serves in his church; loves roller coasters, and he hopes he will be spending a lot of time fishing and reading this summer!

For More information contact

Kimberly Joy Ward

561-628-4663 choiceplusrealestate@gmail.com

June, 2015 – Wellington Rotary Club announces Peace Contest Winners

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Rotary Club of Wellington Announces United Nations Peace Ceremony Winners for 2015- For Immediate Release – June 3rd, 2015

The Rotary Club of Wellington is proud to announce its United Nations Rotary Peace Ceremony Contest winners for 2015.  The contests were held throughout the Wellington School District.  The Rotary Peace Initiative is aimed at having local area students think about world peace in terms of conflict resolution and multi-cultural understanding.  We had record participation in our contests from the school children from elementary school to high school.  All awards will be presented at the Wellington Rotary Club’s World Peace Ceremony on September 20th, 2015.

The Peace Poster contest was held for the 4th grade and the winners are as follows:  Binks Forest Elementary School- Kaitlin Han (overall contest winner) and her teacher, Mrs. Gifford. Kaitlin wins $75.00.    Elbridge Gail Elementary School- Amelia Perusse, and her teacher Dr. Nicole Crane.  Equestrian Trails Elementary School- Mark Egan, and his teacher Mrs. Tolley.  Panther Run Elementary School- Adriana Gravellese, and her teacher Mrs. Salehi.  New Horizons Elementary School- Sophia Hernandez, and her teacher Mrs. Mau.    Each individual student winner will be awarded $50.00 at the ceremony.   Also the teachers will receive $50.00 for classroom supplies.  Also want to thank members of the Rotary Club including Don Gross, Tiffany Rodriguez, and Debi Yohn for coordinating these competitions.   Congratulations to all of the poster contest winners and their teachers.

The Poetry Competition was run in the Middle Schools including Polo Park and Emerald Cove.  The winner from Polo Park is Jason Benhardus, and his teacher is Ms. Hruska.  The winner from Emerald Cove is Sydney Nguyen, and her teacher is Amy Yuzenas.  Each student wins $75.00 and teachers win $50.00 for classroom supplies. We thank Rotary member Susan O’Dell for coordinating this competition.

 

Finally, the Essay Competition was run in Wellington High School and Palm Beach Central High School.  The winner from Palm Beach Central is Jared Gott, and his teacher is Stephanie Baker.   The winner from Wellington High School is Emily McClimans, and her teacher is Flora Rigolo.  Both students will win $100.00 and teachers will win $50.00 for classroom use.  We want to thank Tom Carreras for coordinating this contest.

All students will be honored and will receive their awards at our Peace Ceremony on Sunday September 20, 2015 at the Wellington Rotary Peace Park on Royal Fern Drive (next to the Wellington Library.  All families and friends of the contest winners are encouraged to attend.   We want to thank all of the teachers and the students who participated in our various contests.  Without your support, these contests would not be possible.  This is an integral part of our yearly Rotary Peace Initiative in the Wellington Community.  We want to take this opportunity to invite the entire Wellington community to our annual ceremony on September 20th, 2015.  Finally, we wish to thank Larry Kemp, Peace Initiative Chairman, for coordinating all of the events for the Rotary Club of Wellington Peace Initiative.

For Immediate Release- Any questions, contact Bob Salerno of the Rotary Club of Wellington (561) 512-8247 or e-mail: .

Members of Rotary Club of Wellington Peace Contests Committee – from left Tom Carreras, Debi Yohn, Tiffany Rodriguez, Herta Suess, Don Gross, Susan O’Dell , and Chairman Larry Kemp.

 

June, 2015 – Start Spreading the News

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Attention: Broadway Bound Performers!

Tara Rubin, an elite New York City casting director, has joined the faculty for The Broadway Artists Intensive to be held this summer at the Raymond F.Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.

In addition, a few spots remain available for the July 6-25 program, designed for local young people dreaming of making it big on Broadway. Video auditions can be submitted at www.thebroadwayartistsintensive.com/florida/video-audtions.Rubin, owner of Tara Rubin Casting, and her firm have cast the Tony-winning Broadway productions of Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera and Aladdin, to name a few. Her staff has also served as casting directors for Yale Repertory Theater for the past 11 seasons and has worked with many regional theaters, including La Jolla Playhouse, The Williamstown Theater Festival and the Dallas Theater Center.

TBAI_Tara Rubin
Tara Rubin

Rubin is a graduate of Boston University and serves on the board of the Casting Society of America.

The Broadway Artists Intensive at the KravisCenter is a one-of-a-kind program in our community, allowing selected performing arts students the rare opportunity to train with some of Broadway’s most celebrated names. Several local students have been cast in Broadway productions as a result of their participation in The Broadway Artists Intensive.

 

KRAVIS CENTER TO HOST THE BROADWAY ARTISTS INTENSIVE

TO PROVIDE ADVANCED MUSICAL THEATER TRAINING FOR SOUTH FLORIDA STUDENTS

(West Palm Beach, FL) – Start spreading the news! South Florida students hoping to make it in the “Big Apple” can do more than give their regards to Broadway when the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts hosts The Broadway Artists Intensive, a three-week, advanced musical theater training program to be presented by award-winning faculty who have all done multiple Broadway shows.

Casting

A few spots remain for The Broadway Artists Intensive, and are filled by audition only. A limited number of students between the ages of 12 and 20 will be selected for the program, which immerses them in the three major musical theater disciplines: acting, voice and dance. The Broadway Artists Intensive will be held July 6-25, 2015, at the KravisCenter, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The cost to participants is $1,500. To submit a video audition, please visit www.thebroadwayartistsintensive.com/florida/video-auditions or call  561-651-4376.

Created by venerable Broadway performers Jason Gillman, Jackie Bayne Gillman and Greg Graham, The Broadway Artists Intensive classes will be taught by an all-Broadway faculty, including “special guest artists.” Previous guest artists have included famed Director/Choreographer Jerry Mitchell, who has received multiple Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics’ Circle Awards, and TV star and Tony winner Christian Borle of NBC’s Smash.

 

Other guest artists have included Tony-nominated actress Laura Bell Bundy, Emmy Award-winning and Broadway choreographer Josh Bergasse (On the Town, So You Think You Can Dance), Broadway casting director Nora Brennan (Matilda, Billy Elliot) and TV/film/Broadway casting director Justin Huff of Telsey and Company (Newsies, Kinky Boots).

 

Gillman, a graduate of the University of Florida, starred opposite John Lithgow and Jonathan Pryce in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels on Broadway and has also performed in such Broadway productions as Chicago, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Never Gonna Dance, Annie Get Your Gun, Hello Dolly and Legally Blonde The Musical. Gillman relocated to Jupiter, FL, with his wife and Broadway veteran actress Jackie Bayne Gillman, who most recently was seen on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning revival of South Pacific at LincolnCenter.

 

Ms. Bayne Gillman’s additional credits include: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Ragtime, White Christmas and performing the starring role of Sugar in Some Like It Hot opposite screen legend, Tony Curtis. She has worked at Goodspeed Opera (Connecticut), Pioneer Theater in Salt Lake City, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, the El Portal in Los Angeles, ArtPark (Buffalo), Marriott’s Lincolnshire Theater (Chicago), Virginia Musical Theater, the Maltz Jupiter Theatre and the Pittsburgh Symphony. Favorite roles include Amneris in Aida, Z’s Favorite in The Will Rogers Follies, and Charity in Sweet Charity.

 

For more than 20 years, the nonprofit KravisCenter for the Performing Arts has helped students of all ages fuel their imaginations and expand their lives through comprehensive arts education programs. Last season, more than 60,000 children from Palm Beach, Broward, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties attended numerous performances through the Kravis Center S*T*A*R (Students and Teachers Arts Resource) Series. More than 3,000 adults attended ArtSmart continuing education classes and lectures – with topics ranging from Marilyn Monroe to Cuban folklore music.

 

“We are very pleased to be collaborating with the Artistic Directors of The Broadway Artists Intensive to offer a high caliber performing arts summer program here at the KravisCenter for our career-track young artists,” said Tracy C. Butler, Kravis Center Director of Education.

 

Centrally located in West Palm Beach, the RaymondF.Kravis Center for the Performing Arts is one of the premier performing arts centers in the Southeast with a renowned national and international reputation. Established as a leading force in the social fabric of the community, its many outreach programs are as broad and varied as the community itself. To date, the Center has opened the door to the performing arts for approximately 2 million school children.