Sebastian Sun Articles a digital text archive The Sebastian Sun June 5, 1998 c 1998 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. President: Darryl K. Hicks. Executive Editor: Larry Reisman. Editor: Louise Phillipine. Advertising Manager: Debbi Vickers (USPS) The Sun is published weekly by Treasure Coast Publishing Inc., a division of Scripps Howard Inc., 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. c 1997 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. All correspondence, including news copy, should be addressed to 717 Coolidge St., Sebastian, FL 32958. Phone: (561) 589- 6616; Fax: (561) 978-2386. News deadline, 5 p.m., Friday. All display advertising should be addressed to 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. Phone (561) 978-2383; Fax:(561) 978-2297. Advertising deadline, 1 p.m., Monday. FROM THE ARCHIVES TOP STORY FROM A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: Barefoot Bay resi- dent Jeanette McLaughlin was disap- pointed to learn US Airways was flying out of Melbourne International Airport for the last time on Sept. 4. “It’s very inconvenient. It’s going to make it hard for everybody who visits here,” said Mrs. McLaughlin, who would be returning from a trip to Boston after the September deadline. She had to make plans to drive back from Orlando, where the airline would continue provid- ing service. The airline was cutting serv- ice at Melbourne and Daytona Beach, two cities among the company’s top money-losing destinations. CITIZEN OF THE DAY NAME: Peggy Covington. AGE: 38. OCCUPATION: Accounts receiv- able clerk. BIRTHPLACE: Petersburg, Va. MOVED HERE: 1987. COMMUNITY SERVICE: Sebas- tian River Area Little League board member. HOBBIES: Boating, going to the beach. FAVORITE AUTHOR: Danielle Steele. WHY I LIKE MY NEIGHBOR- HOOD: I live in Bay Front Terrace. It’s quiet and great for the kids. WEEKEND PICKS The Sebastian Soccer Association will hold fall registration from 9 a.m. to noon June 6 at the Barber Street Crea- tive Playground for all children ages 4-19 as of Aug. 31. Recreational and competition teams are offered. Girls competition teams also may be offered. Registration fees are $30 for recrea- tion and $70 for competitive. Registra- tions after June 11 will include a $5 late fee. For more information, call 388-9341. WHAT DI HE SAY? “I think everyone in the area enloys them (fireworks). Trying to get everyone to pay for them is another thing.” — Jerry Osmundson (Osmundson, chairman of the Lions Club’s Fourth of July program, made the statement after Lions Club members said they were worried the club won’t be able to raise enough money for the fire- works at the annual event. June 5 is the deadline for advertisements to be sub- mitted for the July 4 program and those advertisements help pay for the festivi- ties. Osmundson said June 1 the club is only about halfway to the $20,000 needed for the event. To donate money, call Osmundson at 589-1447.) SRHS seniors excitedly preparing to tackle world after graduation day By SHELLEY CANUPP For The Sun Photo Caption Sebastian River High School graduate Allison Boyce fills out an application to attend Indian River Community College. As if sleepwalking, Sebastian River High School graduate Allison Boyce’s eyes were wide with excitement as she shook her head during practice for June 6’s grad- uation ceremony. “I feel like I’m dreaming,” said the 17-year-old Sebastian resident. “I thought this day would never come.” With royal-blue graduation gowns trailing behind them and mortarboards pushed and pinned in place, 240 SRHS students will finish their high-school edu- cation at 7 p.m. June 6 as they walk across the stage at Shark Stadium, taking giant steps toward their futures. “We don’t know what the future holds,” said Courtney Regan, 18, of Se- bastian, who is headed for Indian River Community College this fall, “but we know who holds the future.” As the stadium fills with parents, sib- lings and grandparents — all with a cam- era slung over their well-dressed shoulders — Allison said she’ll be thinking about her fun high-school days of singing in chorus and playing volleyball. Her future at IRCC also will be on her mind, she said, noting she hopes to some- day be a medical secretary. Thus comes the big question — “What do you want to do after you graduate?” It used to be, 20 years ago, that stu- dents could take a year off, work a part-time job, dabble in college courses, and take their time deciding upon a direc- tion. But SRHS seniors are not taking time for a breather, according to the school’s Class of 1998 Senior Survey. As the two graduating classes before them, most of this year’s seniors plan to go straight to college, according to the sur- vey. And, also as the classes before them, the majority will attend IRCC because, they say, “it’s affordable and close to home.” Those IRCC-bound graduates include Philip Lindsey, Michelle Kent, Jason Kofke, George VanDotteren, Tony Eso- len, Tia Williams, Vincent Amelio, Stacey Berry, Nello Salierno and Chrissy Gid- dens, to mime a few. Senior Trina Kruse is headed to the University of South Florida in Tampa, while Kathy Barcus is off to Duke Univer- sity in North Carolina. The University of Central Florida in Orlando will become home to seniors Lynn Graci and Eric Flowers. Gator fans Jeffrey Plate, Andrew Oli- ver and Candice Sturgis are looking for- ward to spending four years at the Univer- sity of Florida in Gainesville. “I want to design layouts for advertise- ments,” Candice said. She’s not the only one interested in de sign. Senior Grant Nieddu, who has ex- celled in sculpture and art at the high-school level, plans to travel to Scot- land this summer. Come fall, he will head over to Ringling Brothers School of Art and Design in Sarasota. “I can’t wait,” Grant said. Richard Brown and Peter Bissonnette made SRHS history by being accepted at military academies. Peter is going to the U.S. Naval Acad- emv in Annapolis, Md., while Richard will head to West Point Military Academy in New York. It was more of a preference in environ- ment for the teens as they pondered what academy to attend. “I like the idea of being in the Navy and traveling to different places,” Peter said. Dry land was more appealing to Rich- ard, he said. “The quality of education was the most important factor,” Richard said. Military academies do not charge for tuition, but students must commit five years of military service after they gradu- ate. So, instead of making a four-year commitment to a college, they have to plan for a nine-year commitment. Richard said he’s considering studying electrical engineering or psychology at West Point. Peter is a little undecided, but may go into medicine or computer engineering, he said. Seminole fans will welcome senior Paul Christophersen to Florida State Uni- versity. Paul said he plans to double major in computer technology or, maybe, neu- rology. But as for Allison, she’s quite content to stay at home for another year or two. “I like IRCC,” she said. “It’s close to home.” Barefoot Bay residents ready to face hurricanes KRISTEN BERGMAN For The Sun Photo Caption Nancy Boyd, of Barefoot Bay, checks her windows to make sure things will be secure around her house in the event of a hurricane. Annemarie Schubert, a 12-year resident of Barefoot Bay, remembers when Hurri- cane Bertha blew through the area in 1996. After the devastation left by Hurricane Erin one year earlier, Schubert wasn’t about to take any more chances. “The last hurricane, I packed up my sis- ter and drove to Kissimmee,” she said. “And that’s what I intend to do this year.” In the wake of Erin, many community members said they were unprepared for the storm and some said they were never even notified of it. So the year Bertha hit also was the year Barefoot Bay instituted its new hurricane-evacuation plan. This year, residents of Barefoot Bay are revising those plans to include newcomers to the community and update others on any changes. Although there are no sirens to alert residents in the mobile-home community of an approaching hurricane, Mike English, the Community Center’s office manager, said the Micco Volunteer Fire Department will work with volunteer drivers to help res- idents get to shelters. Volunteer drivers bring residents to Building A, where they board Brevard County-run buses to shelters in Melbourne or West Palm Beach. Residents who need special assistance are transported by the Fire Department to shelters in Melbourne. Joyce Snellbaker, a resident who volun- teers as a driver, said the evacuation plan is “well-established.” She said drivers are given a list of residents to call and residents are given a list of supplies to pack and take to a shelter. Community Manager Helen Hambro said res- idents who cannot drive themselves to a shelter should call the Barefoot Bay Recreation District to be assigned a driver. Residents with their own transportation can call to sign up as a volunteer driver. “We don’t have the siren system,” Hambro said. “We basically encourage people to have the weather-alert radios, and in case of an emergency (the warning) goes on Channel 3.” Nancy Boyd, a 15-year resident of Barefoot Bay, said no matter how organized the evacuation system is, she’s prepared to stay put. “I won’t leave,” she said. “I’ve been here for all the other ones, and I’m prepared as far as clear- ing off my deck and keeping things from blow- ing.” The effects of El Nino caused just one hurri- cane, Danny, to land last year on Florida’s coast. But this year, according to the Indian River County Office of Emergency Management, the lessening power of El Nino and the early warming of the ocean waters will prompt an earlier start to hurricane season. Nathan McCollum, radiological analyst in the Office of Emergency Management, said the fore- cast this year is for 10 named storms, six of these to become hurricanes and two of these to become intense hurricanes, with winds of more than 100 mph. Frank Frego, assistant chief~ for the Micco Volunteer Fire Department, said he feels confi- dent in Barefoot Bay’s evacuation plans. “I think the plans have come along pretty good,” he said. “Plus, we also have it set up with the homeowners in Barefoot Bay to pick up the homeowners who don’t drive. “It seems that we’re more set up for (a hurri- cane) now.” English said information is available in Build- ing A on how to prepare for a hurricane. There is also a list of hotels and motels accepting pets, be- cause most shelters do not allow them. Brevard Counrv animal shelters will also be open to accept pets during evacuations. In case of evacuation, the Brevard County chapter of the American Red Cross recommends residents take at least a one-week supply of med- icines or other special needs items, a blanket and pillow, a change of clothing and any important family documents. Steve Benn, operations coordinator for the Brevard County Office of Emergency Manage- ment, said Barefoot Bay hurricane evacuations this year will be carried out just as was planned last year, with the only changes being which resi- dents need special assistance. Benn urged residents with special conditions to alert the Brevard Counrv Office of Emergency Management of their situation by filling out a form. English said these can either be picked up at the community center office or can be delivered to a person’s home by calling 664-7020. Residents can also pick up lists of items to bring to shelters at the community center. English added that the expected early start of the hurri- cane season is just another reason a firm evacua- tion plan needs to be mapped out. “That’s why we’re trying to get evervthing in order,” he said. “We just want to get the word out to give us a call. We’re trying to prepare early, because you never know.” Eatery features homey feeling By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun Photo Caption Jeff Rogers wants his Hometown Grille restaurant to have a neighborly, coffee-shop-style atmosphere. Opening the Hometown Grille May 18 was the culmination of a lifetime of work in the food industry for owner Jeff Rogers. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Rogers said. When he was 18, the entrepre- neur bought a truck and opened a mobile sandwich shop that he drove to local industrial sites in Middlesex, N.J. When he and his wife, Madelyn, moved to the Treasure Coast in 1981, he opened Jeff’s Mini-Mart in Vero Beach and soon added a deli in the back. He was the breakfast and dinner cook at Indian River Estates for years, worked as a meat cutter at a national grocery store chain and ran his own catering business. He also helps run his wife’s beauty salon, Classic Coiffures in Se- bastian, so opening a restaurant was just a natural progression. “Having a beauty salon up here, people know us,” Rogers said. “They know that when they come in our place they get a nice smile, they know we’re clean people. You don’t stay in business for 12 years without doing something right.” Rogers wanted to own the type of restaurant he remembers from his days in New Jersey; a neighborly, coffee-shop-style cafe where custom- ers could come in for a cup of coffee and conversation, a late-morning breakfast or a sandwich and iced tea. “I wanted to have a homey feel- ing, I want it to be real friendly, real hometown,” Rogers said. “The little coffee shops up north, you go in there, people sit, read the paper and get to know each other, that’s the ef- fect I was trying to get.” And with his daughter, Dana, waiting tables and his wife helping out when she’s not at the beauty sa- lon, the Hometown Grille also is a family affair. Patrons can find American favor- ites on the menu, such as burgers and melts, as well as a variety of daily soups, salads and hot and cold sandwiches. There also are traditional hot en- trees, such roast beef with potatoes and vegetables, and favorite comfort foods, such as “Mom’s Great Meat- loaf" and liver and onions. For those with a taste for lighter fare, Rogers offers fresh tomatoes stuffed with tuna or chicken salad and grilled chicken breast with a side of cottage cheese, tomato and cu- cumber slices. One of Rogers’ particular favor- ites are quesadillas, so he offers a vegetable or chicken variety. There also are daily specials, such as a hot-pastrami sandwich. If customers take a liking to a special, Rogers will add it to the menu. Lunch prices range between $2.95 and $5.95. “It’s a little bit of everything, we mixed the menu up a bit,” Rogers said. “And every day we’re putting specials on. We experiment to see what people like.” The Hometown Grille serves breakfast throughout the day for those who get a hankering for eggs or pancakes after the morning hours. One of Rogers’ specialties is fresh blueberry pancakes. Breakfast spe- cials start as low as 99 cents up to $5.99. “My pancakes don’t come out of a machine, so they’re not all the same,” Rogers said. “I think people like that.” As someone who eats just one meal a day, Rogers believes in serv- ing big portions. “When I sit down to eat, I make a good plate,” Rogers said. “That’s how I send all my meals out. If I wouldn’t sit down and eat the meal myself, I’m not sending it out.” All menu items are available for takeout and the Hometown Grille will also cater any event from parties to business meetings. The’ Hometown Grille is in the Riverwalk Shopping Plaza on U.S. 1, Roseland, and is open from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 7 a.m; until 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Hometown Grille can be reached at 589-4223. Code-enforcement officer tackles new job By Michael Kaiser Photo Caption Kathleen Brauer switched jobs from her duties as a dispatcher, as she’s shown above, to one of the city’s two code-enforcement officers. After a successful career raising three children, Kathleen Brauer de- cided it was time to tackle a new challenge and enter the work force full time. Today, Brauer is one of Sebas- tian’s two new code enforcement of- ficers. She took on her new duties May 25 after 5 1/2 years as a city po- lice dispatcher. Life in the dispatch office was full of stress and became more so when the city began to dis- cuss contracting with the Indian River County Sheriffs Department for dispatching service. “I needed a change,” Brauer said. “There was a lot of pressure in dis- patch, especially recently with our jobs being threatened.” To prepare for the code job, Brauer took home books containing the city’s ordinances and land-deve- lopment code to cram on her own. She also spent several days doing on the job training with fellow code en- forcer Tim Zelinski, who also is a former police dispatcher. She said she loves the new job and has yet to encounter anyone who has become irate over her en- forcement efforts. “Whoever we’ve talked to was really pleasant,” she said. “If you ap- proach them the right way and don’t ruffle their feathers, you’ll be all right.” Most of the violations she has dealt with were relatively minor and easily corrected, she said. “Mostly people aren’t aware that boats are not allowed to be parked in the driveway,” she said. “Some peo- ple were dumping their tree trim- mings and things in a canal.” For those boaters who are curi- ous, your vessels must be parked ei- ther behind or beside your house. And the Code Enforcement Depart- ment is happy to offer guidance to residents on other requirements of the law, Brauer said. “We have little pamphlets thai we distribute: ‘Dos and Don’ts for Sebastian Residents,’" she said. Before joining Sebastian’s city staff, Brauer worked small part-time jobs, but concentrated most of her time on homemaking and raising her children. Her position with the city is her first “big” full-time job, she said. Going from full-time home- maker to full-time worker took a few adjustments, but it wasn’t difficult. “It was time to make money and put it away for retirement,” Brauer said. “It wasn’t hard. There’s nothing I miss. I made some adjustments and did away with my garden, which I couldn’t tend to like I used to.” She said she couldn’t have picked a better place to dive into the labor pool. “I do like to work with the pub- lic,” she said. “The best part of this job is that everybody in community development is just terrific. They are a terrific group.” Brauer and her family moved to Florida in 1985 from Cleveland after a financial setback severed their ties to the Ohio metropolis. “My husband lost his job and we had always talked about moving to Florida, so we said, ‘Hey, let’s do it,’” she said. “We’re both happy with it.” Brauer’s husband, Howard, is now a boatswain’s mate in a civilian branch of the U.S. Navy, she said. Although she has little time now for hobbies other than lots of read- ing, she said she enjoys bowling, golf and gambling excursions on cruise ships sailing from Port Canaveral. “I don’t have the time now. And when I had the time, I didn’t have the money,” she said. Birthdate: April 2,1944. Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio. Education: High-school di- ploma. Family: Married 33 years to husband, Howard; 3 grown chil- dren, Jeff, Gretchen and Jennifer. The best part of my job is: Cleaning up the city. The part of my job I like least is: There’s nothing that I don’t like about it really. I haven’t found any- thing yet. The person I most admire is: My mother, Mildred Brokos. The last movie I saw in a the- ater was: “Lost in Space.” It was good; they used a lot of the original actors. The book I would recommend everyone read is: Majorie Stoneman Douglas’ “River of Grass.” My favorite food is: Polish food. I miss some of that stuff. If I were going on a trip to the moon I would take: I would never go. You’d never get me there. When I was growing up, I most wanted to be: A wife and mother. The person I would most like to meet is: Barbara Walters. My proudest moment is: When I got married. My favorite sports team is: The Cleveland Indians. My favorite TV show is: “Biog- raphy” on A&E. If I can’t watch it, I tape it. On my last vacation I went to: Cleveland. The first thing I do after I wake up is: Say my prayers. My favorite music is: I like all kinds of music. I have a varierty of CDs. People who know me best know: I’m fair and honest. The most exciting time of my life was: When I became a mother. Residents should be prepared to evacuate By KRISTEN BERGMAN For The Sun If a hurricane does hit, be ready to call a shelter home for at least two weeks. That’s the message Frank Hoo- ver, disaster specialist for the In- dian River County chapter of the American Red Cross, has for any- one who might be in the path of a hurricane or other disaster. Hoover recommends packing extra clothing, towels and sleeping bags or blankets. He also recom- mended bringing a two-week sup- ply of any special needs items, such as diapers or medicines. Also, pack an extra set of car keys, some travelers’ checks and any important family papers be- cause “your house might not be there when you get back,” he said. Although Florida shelters do not provide cots, they do offer food and drinks. In Barefoot Bay, residents can pick up information packets at the Community Center on how tea pre- pare for a hurricane. These include a disaster preparedness guide for elders, a list of shelters in the area and an emergency checklist from the American Red Cross. Hoover added that pets are not allowed in shelters, with the excep- tion of special assistance pets. Also, no alcohol or drugs are al- lowed in shelters. “The biggest mistake they could make is waiting too long to go to a shelter,” Hoover said. “There should definitely be a weather ra- dio at home to know what shelter is open. Just because there is a shelter in your area doesn’t mean it’ll be open.” Residents with special needs must notify the Brevard County Office of Emergency Management to make certain there is room for them in a special needs shelter. There are two special needs shel- ters in southern Brevard County, but Steve Benn, operations coordi- nator for the Brevard County Of- fice of Emergency Management, said the locations will not be dis- closed to prevent residents from going to the shelter without regis- tering with the county. Indian River County’s only spe- cial needs shelter is at Sebastian River High School. All shelters are staffed by a num- ber of volunteers, a nurse and a deputy sheriff or a policeman, Hoover said. “Primarily, a shelter is a place to get out of the storm and they will be fed there.” Local golf Barefoot Bay Ladies 18 Hole May 26, Even Holes 1/2 Handicap: Flight A — Rosemarie Ellis 27, Carmen Sack 29.5, Ruth Mistron 30, Cathy Nexvton 30. Flight B — Edna Fox 30, Cookie Hannington 31.5, Toni Green 31.5, Altlea Lundberg 33.5, Peg Corvell 33.5. Flight C — Lillian Weschler 31, Doris Palma- tier 31.5, Phyllis Salino 32. Sebastian Ladies Golf Association May 26, 2 Best Ball of 4: Phyllis Harris, Joyce Wilson, Betty Egan, Ellen Arienta 120. Sandy Thompson, Gladys Manis, Helen Carr, Dolly Williamson 121. Betty Bartkowiak, Rita Tapasak, Ellie Horvath, Jinny Preuss 121. Sue Keane, Linda Keith, Pat Anderson, Sunny Bowers 121. Caroline Tieillo, Marge Zwolinski, Carol Rey- nolds, Sophia Hoev 122. CTP — member Sue Keane, guest Joyce Wilson. Barefoot Bay Men’s Association May 27, pinehurst: Championship Flight — Paul Frank 101/2, Tony Percak 10½, Ray Jansen 10, Tom Giordano 10. A Flight — Gene McCusker 9½, Lew Smith 9 1/2, Chuck Charleton 9, Pete Layden 9, Frank Chalise 9, John Englehardt 9, John Mazza 9, Vin- nie Vince 9. B Flight — Gene Hally 11, Bob Reed 11, Ken Kidwell 10 1/2, Bill Schulz 10 1/2. C Flight — Joe Finnery 12½, Al Lehman 12 1/2, Ed Bache 12, John Bunt 12. Sebastian Men’s Association May 20, two ball net: Handicap 20-29 — Barry Balthaser and Charlie Mazzella -8; Don La- ducer and Tony Zamparella -6; Ray Tougas and Ed Cantabene -5; Joe Madigan and Don Dulen -3. Handicap 30-39 — Don Wright and Bill Smith -12; Duane Crocka and Robert Campbell -11; John Kellough and Nick Cerro -10; Ed Meyer and Robert McGill -8. Handicap 40-up — Bernie Cotton and Harry Cherry -12; Joe Clark and Lou Maglione -8; Vin Kirk and Cran Sproul -8; Vero Bodker and Ken Roth-5. Barefoot Bay man offers leadership to congregation MICHAEL KAISER For The Sun Photo Caption Although John Goldring of Barefoot Bay recently stepped down as the spiritual leader of the Congregation Beth El in West Melbourne, he plans to continue to remain an active member of the conservative congregation. For John Goldring, reading Con- gregation Beth El in West Mel- bourne has been like heading an ex- tended family. While he plans to remain a mem- ber of the family, he stepped down June 1 as the patriarch. That’s when he retired from his duties as unpaid spiritual leader of the conservative congregation. “I’m getting tired,” Goldring said. “It’s enough already.” As spiritual leader, Goldring con- ducted services, delivered sermons, officiated funerals, and performed the few weddings that occurred within his mostly retired congrega- tion of 110 people. Goldring, of Barefoot Bay, has spent more than five years as spirit- ual leader. He has been a member of the congregation for 15 years and spent five years as president during two terms. While he has no formal religious training, he learned his duties while growing up in a mostly Jewish sec- tion of London, he said. “I got my training in the trenches,” Goldring said. “I learned from my father and going to serv- ices. The most challenging part of the work was having to share in the neg- ative milestones in the lives of people he’s become close to. “It was a challenge to conduct funeral services for people I knew,” he said. “It was like a smack between the eyes when you go to visit people in the hospital when you know they’re not going to come out.” But the most rewarding part of the job was that same closeness. “I like having an extended fam- ily,” he said. “I like the compan- ionship. I like to maintain some kind of a religious feeling among the con- gregants.” Goldring was born in a mostly Jewish section on the east end of London in 1923. He left London University after his freshman year to serve in the Royal Navy during World War II and in the Merchant Navy afterward. He moved to the Long Island in 1949 to escape England’s depressed post-war economy, he said. “Things weren’t that great over in England after World War II, and I had very little formal training,” he said. “They didn’t have much room for a gunnery officer when it came to civilian life.” He earned a degree in mechani- cal engineering from State University of New York, he said. He became a citizen in 1952. He and his wife moved to Florida in 1983. “I was getting a little tired of the rat race in New York,” Goldring said. “Taxes were going high. I wanted a change.” Goldring and his wife, Ethel, will celebrate their 48th wedding anni- versary in September. They have two daughters, Ruth and Susan, and two granddaughters. His congregation holds sabbath services on the first and third Friday and the third and fourth Saturday of each month. They also have a full schedule of High Holy Day services for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and four extra services per year called Yizkor, or Memorial, Services, he said. As a conservative congregation, Beth El is a little less strict in inter- preting the Torah than the Orthodox movement, including conducting much of the services in English rather than Hebrew. They also in- clude women as full members. “It differs in as much as we count women as part of the 10 peo- ple it takes to conduct a service,” Goldring said. “We give women all the honors due, the same as the men. Women are on an equal footing.” Goldring conducted his last serv- ice as spiritual leader June 1, fol- lowed by a testimonial dinner from his congregation. But that doesn’t mean he's finished with involvement. He said he’ll remain an active mem- ber and probably help conduct High Holy Day services. ‘I’m not going to leave the con- gregation, no way,” he said. “I’ve put too much into itto do that.” Goldring will spend his extra time pursuing his hobby: studying the World War I land battles of Flanders and France. Both his uncle and father served in the area during the war, and his uncle was killed there. He found an interest in the subject while visiting his uncle’s grave in Flanders and retracing his father’s wartime footsteps, he said. “It’s kind of a passion for m&,” he said. “I have a very large collec- tion of books on the subject. I think I’m very well-read on the subject.” Local briefs Sebastian Panthers holding sign ups, raffle The Sebastian Panthers youth football and cheerleading will hold registration for players and cheer- leaders ages 5-14 for the fall season from 8 a.m. to noon June 13 at the Barber Street field. The registration fee is $60 per child for the Mighty Mites through the seniors divisions and $35 for the flag divisions. There is also a dis- count for families with two or more children. Space is limited. Coaches also are needed for all divisions of football and cheerlead- ing. The Sebastian Panthers are also holding a raffle for a 25-inch Sanyo color television donated by Wal-Mart of Sebastian. Tickets are $1 and the drawing will be held at noon June 13. There will be a bake sale and yard sale held at the field during reg- istration. For more information, call Mike Luke at 589-0677. Basketball coach holding camp Sebastian River High School basketball Coach Jack Hodge will be holding this sixth annual Sebastian River basketball camp July 27-31 at Sebastian River’s gymnasium. For children ages 6-11 the camp will run from 8 a.m. to noon, and for children 12-17, the time will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The focus of the camp will be on the fundamentals of passing, shoot- ing, dribbling, rebounding, playing defense, and sportsmanship. All campers will have the opportunity to win prizes, make new friends, have fun, work with high-school coaches, and receive a camp T-shirt. The cost of the camp is $60 with special rates for multiple child fami- lies. There is currently a special 10 percent discount for all check and money orders received or post- marked before July 5, reducing the price of the camp to $54. For more information, call Hodge at 589-1141 or 564-4227, or Jim Melia at (407) 235-1237. GOP women plan luncheon The Republican Women of In- dian River Federated will hold its June 8 meeting at Ophelia’s., 2625 34th Ave. Social hour is 11:30 a.m., with lunch served at noon. The pub- lic is invited. An information program is planned, with a discussion from the School Board and potential School Board members. These include Do- rothy Talbert, Lonnie Powell (Dis- trict I), Gary Lindsey, Kathleen In- man (District III), Craig McGarvey, Mart Fogerty, Wesley Davis and Carolyn Corum. For reservations and cancella- tions, call Marjorie Seinsoth 569-7970. Obituaries Sophia Strang Sophia F. Strang, 88, of Sebas- tian, died May 28, 1998, at Indian River Memorial Hospital after a pro- longed illness. She was born March 30, 1910, in Pittsburgh, Pa., and moved to Se- bastian in 1979 from Brookline, Pa. Mrs. Strang was a switchboard operator for Bell Telephone for 40 years. She was a member of Bell Tel- ephone Pioneers Club. Surviving is a sister, Frances Hucko, of Pittsburgh. A funeral Mass was celebrated June 1 at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, Sebastian. Entombment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gar- dens, Fort Pierce. In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be made to St. Sebastian Catholic Church, P.0. Box 781212, Sebastian, Fla, 32978-1212, in Mrs. Strang's mem- ory. The Strunk Funeral Home, Se- bastian, was in charge of arrange- ments. Arlene Borsody Arlene A. Borsody, 57, of Sebas- tian, died unexpectedly May 25, 1998, at Sebastian River Medical Center, Roseland. She was born Nov. 27, 1940, in Edison, N.J., and moved to Sebas- tian in 1985 from Palmerton, Pa. Ms. Borsody was a member of the Carvers Club in Sebastian. Surviving are her companion, Bernie O’Brien, of Sebastian; one daughter, Arlene Wolfe, of Moriarty, N.M.; and one granddaughter. At the family’s request, there will be no repose or visitation. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family sug- gests donations be made to the Epi- lepsy Foundation of Eastern Florida, 5730 Corporate Way, Suite 220, West Palm Beach, Fla. 33407, in Ms. Borsody’s memory. Indian River Cremations Inc., Veto Beach is in charge of arrange- ments. Joseph Burd Joseph Burd, 63, of Wabasso, died May 26, 1998, at Sebastian River Medical Center, Roseland. Mr. Burd was born April 25, 1935, in Pennsylvania, and moved to Wabasso 12 years ago from Fort Lauderdale. He owned and operated Joe Burd Appliance, Wabasso, for 12 years prior to retirement. He was a past exalted ruler of Elks Lodge No. 2407 and a 32nd degree Mason with the Masonic Lodge, both in Fort Lauderdale. Surviving are three sons, Glenn Burd and Dale Burd, both of Lake City, and Paul Burd, of Fort Lauder- dale; one daughter, Debra Whalen, of Gainesville; one brother, Glenn Burd, of Miami; one sister, Linda Townsend, of Warren, Ohio; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and a friend, Evelyn Kuntz. A memorial service was held May 29 at Young and Prill Funeral Homes Chapel, Sebastian. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Florida Elks, c/o Harry-ANA, Children’s Hospital, P. 0. Box 49, Umatilla, Fla. 32784, in Mr. Burd’s memory. Lawrence Johnson Lawrence Martin “Larry” John- son Sr., 76, of Sebastian, died unex- pectedly May 25, 1998, at Sebastian River Medical Center, Roseland. He was born June 13, 1921, in Colts Neck, N.J., and moved to Se- bastian in 1979 from Merritt Island. Mr. Johnson was a retired master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. He was a veteran of World War II, and served in the Korean War and Viet- nam. He was a life member and past chaplain of Sebastian Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 10210; life member, adjutant, district adjutant and past post commander of Sebas- nan American Legion Post No. 189; member and chaplain of Eagles Se- bastian Inlet Aerie No. 4067, and Sebastian Moose Lodge Chapter No. 1767. Surviving are a son, Larry John- son Jr., of Staten Island, N.Y.; two sisters, Peggy Miller, of Fort Lauder- dale and AnnaMae Johnson, of Flushing, N.Y.; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. A funeral Mass was held May 29 at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, Se- bastian. Interment followed at Foun- tainhead Memorial Park, Palm Bay, with full military honors conducted by Sebastian American Legion Post No. 189 and Sebastian VFW Post No. 10210. Strunk Funeral Home, Sebas- tian, was in charge of arrangements. Aid for tobacco-addicted vets snuffed out RICHARD HIGGINS Tobacco-addicted veterans were dealt a severe blow by Congress May 22 when the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act went to President Clinton for his signature just before the Memorial Day recess. The bill partially is funded by a change of law barring award of serv- ice-connected disability ratings for smoking-related diseases. Previously, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ General Counsel ruled that existing law mandated the ratings. The money, used to support home-district highway programs, just was too attractive for an elec- tion-year Congress to resist. It was too much trouble for them to find other savings for their pork. Hope- fully, the upgrade of U.S. 192 west of Melbourne will benefit. American Legion officials weighed in immediately with notice to the president the Legion’s intent to take the federal government to court still was in force. This will be the second time in its 79-year history the Legion has taken the government to court. In 1990, Legion lawyers filed a suit to force the government to conduct a scientific study concern- ing Agent Orange. May 28, Commander-in-Chief Tony Jordan wrote President Clin- ton, “A government that cuts bene- fits from disabled veterans relin- quishes the right to ask its citizens to serve in the armed forces.” He also noted legal experts say the controver- sial bill must go before Congress again for lawmakers to fix some problems before it rakes effect. It also must get presidential action, possibly a line-item veto. The Senate and House at- tempted to placate veterans by cor- recting some deficiencies in veterans’ law and divide veterans’ opposition. Dependency and Indemnity Compensation payments will be re- instated for remarried survivors of members who died of service-con- nected causes, but whose subsequent marriage ended in death or divorce. It corrects a 1990 injustice which re- voked this long-standing right of military widows. Maximum annual pension rates for certain disabled veterans who re- quite aid and attendance will be in- creased by $600 per year. The amount allowable to pur- chase or adapt a vehicle for certain qualifying disabled veterans will rise from $5,500 to $8,000. The amount allowable to assist in adapting housing to meet the needs of certain totally disabled vet- erans will rise from $38,000 to $43,000. G.I. Bill education benefits will be increased by 20 percent across the board for active and reserve pro- grams. The rate for regular full-time education enrollees will increase to $528 per month and adjusted each subsequent fiscal year to reflect infla- tion increases. Viagra may be coming to the military pharmacy near you. The De- partment of Defense Mail Order Pharmacy program now has the pill available, but the only present way your nearby military pharmacy can stock it is if the commander orders it. Pentagon Health experts still are determining whether it should be in- cluded on the formulary at all base pharmacies. In other health news, the House National Security Committee says the current military pharmacy system is unfair and wasteful. The commit- tee, in its version of the 1999 De- fense Authorization Bill, would pro- vide a universal, uniform benefit for evervone using the military health-care system, including Medi- care-eligible retirees. Military phar- macies are limiting the drugs they carry or placing restrictions on access in an effort to cut costs. The end re- sult, however, is the government’s overall health-care costs rise. Elderly veterans and military retir- ees are moving closer to the day when they can use Medicare benefits to pay for treatment at VA hospitals and clinics. On May 14, the House Ways and Means Committee, with one dissenting vote, approved legis- lation (HR3828) that will allow the VA to begin a limited three-year test of the concept. Also, reacting to the call by Veter- ans of Foreign Wars and American. Legion officials, both houses of Con- gress are working on bills to ensure veterans receive recognitiop of their service at funerals. Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., chairman of the House Na- tional Security Committee Personnel Subcommitee’s proposal would take effect in October 1999, and would require provision of at least three-person honor guards for veter- ans’ funerals. In the Senate, Patty Murray, D-Wash.; Frank Murkow- ski, R-Alaska; and Paul Sarbanes, D-Md.; sponsored 5 1825, the pro- posed Veterans Burial-Rights Act. This bill would authorize five-member honor guards and a bu- gler to play taps. Local briefs Legion auxiliary meeting June 11 Charles L. Futch Unit 189, American Legion Auxiliary, Sebas- nan, will meet June 11, followed by a two-month summer recess. To highlight the occasion, the regular meeting, which convenes at 1:30 p.m., will be preceded by a noon luncheon. The luncheon is by reservation only to facilitate planning. To make a reservation, members are to call Ethel Yanosky, 589-6699. Reserva- tion deadline is June 8. Members who cannot attend the luncheon are encouraged to come to the 1:30 p.m. business session, which will be followed by Dr. Chris- topher Stepanek, who will speak on osteoporosis. He will offer free spi- nal testing (Surface Scanning Electromyography) for anyone desir- ing it. Friends, neighbors and non-members are welcome to come rothe meeting at 2:30 p.m. Blood mobile sites set for June Indian River Blood Bank Inc. will be at the following places during the month of June: * Sebastian Elks, 2-6 p.m., June 8. * Sebastian River Medical Cen- ter, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 9. * Sebastian Wal-Mart, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., June 12. * Sun Ag Inc., 12:30-5 p.m., June 15. * Sebastian River Medical Cen- ter, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 16. * Sebastian River Me~lical Cen- ter, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 23. * St. Sebastian Church, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., June 28. * Sebastian River Medical Cen- ret, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 30. Squadron promotes boating safety The Veto Beach Power Squad- ron, an organization promoting boating safety, will meet June 8 at the Power Squadron Building, 301 Aca~ia Road, in MacWilliam Park, Veto Beach. Executive meeting is at 7 p.m., followed by the general meeting at 7:30. Many summer boating activities are planned, including a St. Augus- tine trip in June and an Indian River Plantation trip in July. Fall boating educational. courses are now being organized. For more information, contact Lt. Cmdr. Jack Kruiten, 468-0550. VFW presents awards to members Recently, the Veterans of For- eign Wars of Post 10210, Sebastian, presented to Post and Auxiliary members framed certificates for me- ritorious and distinguished service in furthering the aims and ideals of Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States for the year, 1997-1998. Those receiving awards were: Henry and Marie Greico, Cliff O’Dell, Marilyn Hino, Art Baisley, and Fran Adams. Ray Lynch, post quartermaster for eight years, was presented with a medal for his service. Welcome Wagon meeting June 9 The Welcome Wagon Club of Sebastian will hold its luncheon and business meeting at 11:30 am. June 9 at Hurricane Harbor, Sebastian. All new officers for 1998-99 will be installed. Checks for charities se- lected by the club will be awarded. Members are reminded that tuna in spring water is the canned-food donation for the Lord’s Table. Sebastian man eager to be 109 MARGARET MIQUELON As far as we know, Charles Sandlin is the oldest resident living in the Sebastian area. He will be 109 years old Nov. 2. He lives with his son, “Whitey” Sandlin and daughter-in-law, Nancy, in Roseland. He told me the other day “to set the record straight: his son is really Henry Lynford Sandlin and he always called him “Lindy” for his hero, Charles Lindbergh. Charles Sandlin was born in 1889 in McKee, Ky. He went to school there and then went to work making whiskey barrels at the Rich- mond Cooperage Co. in Richmond, Ky. A planer at the plant blew to pieces, struck him in the thigh and he almost bled to death. His uncle, who was a doctor, took him to the hospital in a one-horse delivery wagon and saved his life. This wis before the day of antibiotics. Blood poisoning (gangrene) was a common cause of death after an accident, but Charles survived. Charles grew up in a very differ- ent world from ours today. As a boy, he made his own sled to coast down the Kentucky hills. He was very ath- letic and into everything. His ice skates were the clamp-on kind, and when the ice was thick on the river, the ore boats would cut paths through the ice so they could take their cargoes up and down the river. He and his friends would jump across the open water on these skates. It’s a wonder they didn’t drown. Charles drove a wagon with two horses. His first car was a Dodge, which he bought when he got married in the 1920s. Charles tells about his wife, Phyl- lis, who died at age 70. They had wanted to take a train trip out west when he retired, and were on the train late at night in the state of Utah, when Phyllis had a stroke. Charles held her in his arms while the conductor frantically ran up and down the train to see if there was a doctor on board. They finally got help when they reached a town that had a hospital. She lived for two days. It broke Charles’ heart. Charles’ last car was a Dodge Charger, which he had in the ‘80s. His eyesight was getting worse as time went by. One dark, stormy morning in Harrison, Ohio, he was driving fast, as usual, when a truck loomed up in front of him. He pulled around, but sideswiped the truck and it took the whole passen- get side off his car. When the police came, he explained what happened. They asked to see his license and he said, “Here, it’s yours.” He never drove again. He was 92 years old. Charles came to Kissimmee to live in 1982. Then he moved to Se- bastian to live with Whitey and Nancy in 1986. At first, he worked actively on a garden, but at 99, he quit gardening. At one time, he did some of the cooking, too. He liked to make coleslaw, but one day when Nancy saw that it was pink (he had cut his finger) she decided that was the end of his kitchen work. With a twinkle in his eve, Charles shares some advice on how to live a long life. “Eat whatever you want, but not more than a teaspoon- ful of it.” However, he is also quick to point out this advice is just “what I tell others to do.” He has never fol- lowed that rule himself. Charles does have a few health issues he deals with. He was diag- nosed as having melanoma and last year, had to have the little finger on his left hand removed. His old leg injury bothers him and he has a hard time walking. His eyesight and hear- ing are failing, but he is always ready to crack a joke or make a witty re- mark. Nancy is an registered nurse and is trained to rake care of him. He in- sists on two slices of bread with his meals, for he is firmly convinced the bread absorbs all the fat in his food. Charles has retinal deterioration, so he has a hard time seeing the characters, but he watches TV avidly. He sits with his “good ear” on the side where the TV is and wears a baseball cap constantly to keep down the glare. Charles is trying to make 110 years old. Believe me, Charles, we’re all rooting for you. Local briefs Sebastian ELDOES plan dance The ELDOEs of Sebastian Elks Lodge 2714 will host a dance on June 13. Finger food will be served. A cash bar will be held 6-7 p.m. followed by music provided by Cur- tis Moore at the keyboard. Donation is $5 per person for Elk members and guests. The dead- line for tickets is June 10. Chairper- son is Terry Jaeger at 956-1417. Vero Beach Ballet sets instruction times The Vero Beach Ballet will be holding summer dance instruction in ballet and contemporary dance. The first session runs June 8 through July 3. Guest teacher for this session will be Meredith Aaron of Jacksonville University. Classes offered will be in- termediate ballet on Tuesdays from 5-6 p.m., advanced ballet Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5-6:30 p.m., advanced contemporary dance on Mondays, 6:30-7:30 p.m., and beginning contemporary dance on Tuesdays, 6-7 p.m. The fees for this instruction are $8.00 per class. Class enrollment is limited. The second summer dance session will begin July 6. For registration, please call the Veto Beach Ballet at 569-8876. The Veto Beach Ballet is at the Court- house Executive Center at 2145 14th Ave. Meals drivers sought by center The Sebastian Senior Center is in need of volunteer drivers to deliver Meals on Wheels in the Sebastian area on weekday mornings. Many volunteers have gone north for the summer, which leaves the program short-handed. If you can spare a few hours a week, please call the Senior Center at 388-5889. 5K sponsors, runners needed Sponsors and runners still are needed for the fifth annual 5K Free- dom Run/Walk in Sebastian, planned for July 4 in Riverview Park. This year, the event is being sponsored by the North Indian River County unit of the American Cancer Society. About 200 runners are ex- pected to participate in the event. Registration is $10 in advance and $15 on race day. All racers get a T-shirt. Extra shirts can be ordered by the racers for a slight fee. For details call the American Cancer Society at 562-2272. TOPS group announces losers Take Off Pounds Sensibly Fla. 473 Sebastian met at the VFW on Louisiana Avenue May 26. The best losers this week were Barry Miner and Anna Loudermilk. The program, given, by Kathy Darcy, Diane Morgan, Peggy Glover and Arlene Bedard, was on meats. This ended the programs on the six food groups. For further informa- tion, please contact Marioti Kutch at 589-4243. Italian Club awards scholars The Italian American Club of Se- bastian presented the Madeline Smith Scholarship awards to the fol- lowing Sebastian River High School students: Paul Christopherson, Scar- let Chesser, Russell Huston, Erik Miller and Kristin Zaluke. They each received awards of $500. The money is raised through the club’s golf outing, which will be held this year on June 13. Chairpeople are Sandy and Dar- rell Weaver. Call 589-3341 to make reservations or visit the club at 250 Fellsmere Road. New city guide is on the way Staff members from the City Clerk’s Office in Sebastian City Hall are busy folding newly printed infor- mation guides to send to city resi- dents. The guides includes phone num- bers of City Council members and the mayor, a list of the various city boards and meeting times and a brief history of city facilities, such as the golf course and Creative Playground. Each home in Sebastian should receive a guide. Local businesses bought ads for the inside city map, which helped pay for the guides. City Hall only had to pay for the cost of postage. A similar information guide was produced in 1993. The new guides update information from the previ- ous guide. ELC plans two nature events The “Sea Bean Lady” will be leading an exploration of nearby beaches for the Environmental Learning Center from 10 a.m. to noon June 13. The group, led by author and artist Cathie Katz, will visit nearby beaches in search of sea beans and shells on an informative and fun out- ing for children. The fee is $3 for non-member adults or $2 for mem- bers; and $2 for non-member chil- dren or $1 for members. The ELC also will present “Ocean Wind: The Big Ones” from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., June 10. The presentation teaches about the forces at work that create dra- matic weather patterns. Fee is $2 for adults, $1.50 for members. For de- tails, call 589-5050. The ELC is located on Wabasso Island on County Road 510. For de- tails, call 589-5050. Week In Review Police dispatch to stay with city Sebastian City Council voted May 27 to keep its police-dispatch operation, saying the city would lose more in service than it could save in dollars. Vice Mayor Martha Wininger cast the lone dissenting vote, saying the city could save a lot of money by letting the Indian River County Sheriff's Department take over the city’s dispatch system. “We would be saving money, we would be saving time. I think the most important thing is saving time,” she said. Sebastian Police Chief Randy White estimated in his proposal to the council the city could save $218,000 a year by merging its dis- patch system with the Sheriff's De- partment. That savings would come from salaries and benefits being paid to the city’s seven police dispatchers. The change might save a few minutes per call because county dis- patchers would not have to transfer 911 calls to a Sebastian center, as is done now, White had said. “If you want to keep it, we’ll do the best we can. We have a long way to go,” he told the council. White said he may need additional dis- patchers and new equipment to up- grade the operation. Councilmen said they wanted to keep the service they had for their residents. “This is probably the hardest de- cision that’s faced me since I’ve been elected,” Mayor Ruth Sullivan said. “I find it very difficult to take a per- son’s job.” Councilwoman Louise Cart- wright said she wanted to keep the “community—service aspect” of the city’s dispatch operation. “That’s where, I think, there’s going to be a noticeable difference” if the operation is eliminated, she said. The council's action was greeted with loud applause and cheers from the city workers, dispatchers and some residents who attended the meeting. Ernest Gerber, union shop stew- ard for the Communications Work- ers of America Local 3180, which represents the city’s employees and dispatchers, said the city should con- sider the jobs that would be lost if the merger was approved. “It’s people’s jobs. These people put their time in it,” he said. “It’s just cutting away people to save money. I don’t see it.” Sebastian Police Officer Steve Marcinik, union representative for the city’s police officers, said officers were concerned about the loss of dis- patchers in Sebastian. “Our dispatchers know our offi- cers. They know our roads,” he said. Some residents agreed with White. “I believe the chief's proposal is a very sound management decision,” said former Vice Mayor Rich Ta- racka. “This is the time to save some money.” Former Mayor Walter Barnes also supported White’s proposal. “Where is it written that local government should not be efficient? Why do we have to spend money unnecessarily,” he said. “If jobs have to be eliminated so we can save money, I think that’s the decision you have to make.” South Mainland shuttle rides into delay Plans to begin a South Mainland shuttle service in the Grant/Micco area May 26 were curbed because of some problems. The shuttle, funded by Space Coast Area Transit, is supposed to use a 14-passenger van to provide virtually door-to-door service for res- idents who might not be able to travel any other way. “There’s been a slight delay,” said Mike Cunningham, one of the three volunteer coordinators for the 38 drivers. “It’s a problem with dis- patching (volunteers) and it was un- expected.” Cunningham said too many of the initial drivers happened to be on vacation and organizers also want to limit the amount of weekly driving time for each volunteer to four hours each. “We’ve got 38 drivers and we got them qualified. But, we’re trying to get them assigned,” he said. Steve Liesenfelt, interim director of Space Coast Area Transit, said there are technical delays, as well. “We’re waiting to install a cellu- lar phone and we’re adding a fair box (in the van),” he said. The drivers also need access to fuel. Liesenfelt said they haven’t been issued a key to the Brevard County fuel pumps yet. These type of delays in a new public service of any kind are to be expected, Cunningham said. “I’ve been down this road be- fore,” said Cunningham, who is also the secretary of the Micco Home- owners Association. “Administrative d~lays are not unusual. Nobody’s to blame and the SCAT people have been doing more than their Spartan share. “We’d like to have seen this on the road three months ago,” Cun- ningham said. “Yes, we’re disap- pointed. Can we overcome that? I bet we can.” It will cost $1 per round trip for seniors older than 60 and students to ride the shuttle and everyone else will pay $2. The shuttle will run Monday through Friday and will al- ternate days with trips to areas north of Grant and south of Micco. Liesenfelt said he expects the service to be running within the first two weeks of June. For more infor- mation on the South Mainland Shut- tle, call 952-4672. Consultants compete for scrub jay plan Sebastian property owners whose lots have gone undeveloped for years because of environmental concerns could see a green light for building within 10 months, county officials said. The only thing keeping about 450 Sebastian Highlands lots from being developed is a habitat preser- vation plan for threatened scrub jays, and Indian River County officials are two or three weeks away from hiring a company to complete it. The progress has impressed offi- cials with the U.S. Fish and. Wildlife Service, the federal agency that will ultimately decide whether to release the Sebastian Highlands lots. Recently, county officials heard presentations from the final four companies vying for the contract, and the decision of who to hire will come before the County Commis- sion in the next two or three weeks~ Chief Environmental Planner Ro- land DeBlois said. The winner will prepare the hab- itat preservation plan, which is an ac- counting of all the land the county bought. It includes ideal scrub jay areas, which would make up for those lost if the Sebastian Highlands lots are developed. It also will make the formal ap- plication to Fish and Wildlife for the destruction of the habitat. If the plan is accepted it will sew up an issue that has caused contro- versy in the county for six years. Federal authorities halted build- ing on the lots because many of the birds made their homes there, and directed the county to take steps to resolve the issue. Property owners decried the building moratorium, saying the government was robbing them of the use and value of their property. They have also protested having to pay taxes and assessment fees on property they are not allowed to use. The plan will detail steps the county has taken to preserve scrub jay habitat, DeBlois said, including the 111-acre Wabasso Scrub Conser- vation Area and the 388-acre North Sebastian Conservation Area. Federal officials need to see the county is working to preserve areas in order to release the lots, DeBlois said. The plan, which is expected to cost about $20,000, should be com- pleted in six months, and officials said approval should take another three or four months. Sebastian water wells seem to be drying up The dry, hot days over the last few weeks have caused many Se- astian residents to look toward the sky and hope for wet drops to fall. But for some, the plea for rain is more urgent. The lack of rain may be causing their wells to dry up. Clark Water Co. in Sebastian got 10 “no water” calls May 26 from res- idents mostly in Sebastian. “We’ve been averaging about one or two a day since,” said Man- ager Pam Clark. David Johnson, owner of Da- vid’s Water Systems in Sebastian, also has been busy. He’s had at least eight calls since Memorial Day, he said. “I’ve been able to fix everyone but one. That one had no water in the well at all,” he said. Many of the calls have been from homes near Dempsey and Vocelle avenues, west of Layport Drive, Clark and Johnson said. That area is in the heart of the Dempsey-Vocelle drainage project now under construction. Pipes were used a few months ago to pump out groundwater so workers could install new drainage pipes on the two roads. The pipes connect to a Brad- dock Street pipeline so water can flow to the canal. City officials said they didn’t think the project would cause well problems because workers are not digging that far down. “Our digging’s not that deep,” City Manager Thomas Frame said. St. Johns River Water Manage- ment District officials also said the project would not affect residents’ wells. “It’s not a big enough project to have a negative impact on wells,” said district spokesman Jeff Cole. A representative from the district inspected the project May 29 to see if it was causing wells to go dry, Cole said. The representative found nothing wrong, he said. The problem, officials say, is the lack of rain. “This is one of the longer dry spells we’ve had in a few years,” Cole said. If the area doesn’t get rain soon, more wells could be affected, he said. Valyo recalls games Bill Valyo It was a tired group of 17-year-old baseball players who got off the train at Indianapolis, Ind., on a hot August day in 1948. They represented an American Legion team, Post 93, out of Tren- ton, N.J., and they were going to compete during the next three days for the American Legion Baseball National Championship after three months of grueling competition. That year, 10,000 teams com- peted and to be one of four clubs left, in itself, was quite an honor. I was the catcher on that club that went on to win the national title in three straight games over Belle- ville, Ill.; Omaha, Neb.; and, finally, Jacksonville in the final game. It has been 50 years since that day in Indianapolis and when I re- ceived an E-mail on my computer a month ago inviting me to participate in a reunion the city of Trenton is having beginning June 24, believe you me, wonderful memories started to come back immediately about that year to beat all years. Memories come back of our team’s honorary captains, Dizzy Dean and Rogers Hornsby, sitting in our dugout throughout the series. It was the night before the big game when Hornsby came to my hotel room to cheer me up after an ear op- eration the day before almost benched me. It was catching the last pitch of the game that ended it all. They are thoughts that have stayed with me throughout the years. The four-day celebration will in- clude Legion all-star games to watch, as well as being the guests of honor at the Trenton Thunder ballpark. Thank heavens there will not be a reunion game. In 1958, our club was asked to play the 1959 Legion team on which Al Downing, who went on to pitch brilliantly for the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, was a member. Downing pitched against our team and we creamed him 7-2. Once I asked Al what he remem- bered about his career in baseball. He told me it was my shot up the middle that just about parted his hair. We all know it was the pitch he served up to Hank Aaron that broke Babe Ruth’s homerun record. A postscript to this column is to the Post 189, Sebastian River Area Legion team. Little did we know when we started that season we would end up national champions. We liked the game, we played it ev- ery day, we learned from our mis- takes and capitalized on our oppo- nents’ errors. Sebastian-area youngsters show prowess in track-and-field events By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun Photo Caption Sebastian River Middle School eighth-grader Jekevia Patterson runs the first leg of the 4x100-meter re- lay at the Sunshine State Games qualifying meet. There’s no more basic thrill than crossing the finish line to the sound of cheering fans after a hard-run race. That’s what hundreds of area youngsters felt May 30 as they com- peted in the Sunshine State Games and the United States of America Track and Field State Junior Olym- pics qualifying meet at Sebastian River High School. And for about half of the more than 200 participants, it was a thrill they haven’t ever felt before. While many athletes at the meet compete on their high-school track-and-field teams during the spring, most of the athletes who competed attend local elementary and middle schools that don’t have track-and-field teams. Take, for example, Sebastian River Middle School seventh-grader Emanuel Taylor. While he plays sports such as baseball and basketball with his friends, Taylor had never competed in a track meet before. "I want to show what kind of speed I’ve got," Taylor said. “I’m disappointed we don’t have track at the middle school.” On Saturday, the 14-year-old competed in the 100- and 400-meter dashes, the long jump and ran the last leg of the 4xl 00-meter relay. He now can compete on a state- wide level at the USA Track and Field State Junior Olympics and the Sunshine State Games, because his 4x100-meter relay team placed first in its age division. “I feel great now,” he said. “But I had butterflies before the race.” Taylor also finished fifth in his age division in the long jump, earn- ing the right to advance to the state games and the junior Olympics with a jump of 11—feet, 10 inches. He also advanced in the 400-meter dash, tak- ing first place with a time of 1:01. The top six finishers in each event get the chance to move on to the statewide games and compete against other athietes their age from all over Florida. The track and field Olympics are scheduled for June 18-2 1 at Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gar- dens, while the state games are scheduled for July 10 and 11 at Poinciana High School, in Kissim- mee. Norris Jones, a friend and class- mate of Taylor’s, signed up to com- pete in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes at the last minute. He had come just to watch his friends but couldn’t stand not partic- ipating. “It looked fun and I love com- petition,” Jones said. “It’s something I think I want to do when I get into high school because it’s fun and it’s challenging.” Although he ran for the track team at Beachland Elementary a few years ago, he’s had little opportunity to compete since then. A long-time player for the Sebastian Panthers youth football program, Jones thinks running track could help him be- come a better football player. “It can’t do anything but help,” Jones said of competing in track dur- ing the summer. “It will give you a better chance of moving on." He gets to move onto the state games and the Junior Olympics since he finished second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:07. Fourteen-year-old Jekevia “Gigi” Patterson also had never competed in track before this season. But the SRMS eighth-grader got the unique opportunity to work out with the SRHS track-and-field team during the spring. The May 30 qualifying meet gave her a chance to put into action all she’s learned from the high-school athieres and coaches. “This time it will count,” Patter- son said. “Track has done a lot for me. You~ get to go to different places when you win events and it’s made me a better athiete. I love the com- petition." She competed in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, the hurdles and the long jump. She earned the chance to advance to the state games and the Junior Olympics by placing fourth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.19 seconds, third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 27.29 seconds and first in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 19.5 seconds. She also hopes to play on the high-school freshman or junior-var- sity basketball team. Nine-year-old Joey Prieto com- peted in the 100-meter dash. The third-grader heard about the meet from his Sebastian Elementary physi- cal-education teacher and decided to give it a try. “That was fun,” Prieto panted after finishing the race. Many local physical-education teachers encouraged their students to compete. Gifford Middle School physical education teacher Pete DeLuke, who also is the weightlifting coach and an assistant football coach at SRHS, targeted children from his classes who showed talent. Several of his students, both boys and girls, competed and will move on to the state games. “Since I’m a PE teacher, I can tell who’s the fastest and who’s probably a long-distance run- ncr,” DeLuke said. As an assistant football coach at the high school, DeLuke said it’s important to get young- sters interested in sports early, so they can make informed decisions when they get to high school. Track and field is the kind of activity that helps children prcpare for any sport, DeLuke said. “It offers them an opportunity to look into what they might think about doing in high school,” DeLuke said. “For those who do make it on to the Sunshine State Games or further than that, it gives them an opportunity to participate throughout the summer.” And that’s the most important aspect of the summer meets, said meet Director Bill Wilson, SRHS volunteer track and football coach, is to give youngsters something constructive to do dur- ing the summer. “Everybody needs to run,” Wilson said. Local youngsters will get another chance to qualify for a state meet when SRHS plays host to the AAU State Track and Field Championships qualifying meet June 13. Children of all ages may compete in up to three events and the top five finishers in each event earn the right to advance to the AAU State Track and Field Championships scheduled for June 26-28 at Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens. Top winners at the State Championships may qualify to advance the AAU National Track and Field Championships scheduled for August in Norfolk, Va. The entry fee for the qualifying meet is $3 per athlete. For more information, call Wilson at (561) 567-6157. Coach boots girls’ soccer scrimmages indoors By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun Photo Caption Sebastian River Middle School student Ashley Boyles dribbles the ball during an indoor soccer scrimmage at Sebastian River Middle School. The squeak of sneakers on par- quet, the echoes of players yelling shoot, shoot!” reverberating off gym walls are sounds normally asso- iated with basketball. But on Sunday afternoons in the Sebastian River Middle School gym, these are the sounds of Sebastian River High School girls’ soccer coach Jaime Sturgeon’s indoor soc- cer scrimmages. Each week, less than a dozen middle-school and high-school girls come out to scrimmage against each other and get pointers from the for- mer college player. “I thought this was a good way of blending the girls together so they start getting to know each other,” because most of the girls either are or will play on the high-school soc- cer team, Stifrgeon said. Sturgeon discovered indoor soc- cer when he played at Anselm Col- lege in New Hampshire. But he re- ally put it to use as the junior-varsity boys soccer coach at St. Joseph’s High School in Connecticut. “We used to take the kids inside on bad days and play,” Sturgeon said. “That’s how I built their skills and built teamwork was bringing them in and forcing them to play four-on-four. They couldn’t just take the ball and boot it down the field, they had to play.” Not only does indoor soccer al- low players to avoid inclement weather, the abbreviated playing area and gym walls give players more chances to touch the ball and work on skills, such as passing and trap- ping. “I like it because you can bounce the ball off the walls,” seventh-grader Bobbi Barton, who plays soccer with the Sebastian Soccer Association, said. “You learn more because you get to touch the ball more.” And even though they’re not running up and down a 100-yard long regulation-sized soccer field — the gym is between a quarter and a third of that size — the girls say the workout indoors is just as intense as on the field. “It keeps me in shape,” SRHS soccer player Linda Gomez said. “There’s no boundaries, so it forces you to go to the ball.” As in most sports, the key to keeping at the top of the game is to play all year round. Sturgeon wanted to offer current and future players a fun option to work on their soccer skills during the summer. “I want to stay in shape for soc- cer season,” SRHS soccer player Beth Eggen said. “The smaller space forces you to focus in on where you're directing the ball because you can actually see what you’re doing better. Once you get onto the big field then it’s going to be easier. Plus, it’s a lot of fun.” The two hours the players spend each Sunday is solely devoted to playing. No laps, no drills, just four-on-four or six-on-six games, de- pending on how many come out. “I’d rather stay in because the main thing is they will get more touches on the ball,” Sturgeon said. “And because there’s only eight to 10 girls, there’s no way we could play on a big field. We’re not here to practice, we’re here just to play pick-up.” But not all the girls who come out to scrimmage are there to work on soccer skills. SRHS runner Andrea Roguski wanted a fun way to keep in shape dnring the summer. Running laps can get boring, even for a devoted cross-country runner and hurdler, so Roguski plays indoor soccer on Sundays for the in- tense cardiovascular workout. “I needed something to keep me going for track and cross country,” Roguski said. “I love the running.” And because the games are just scrimmages, not regulated practices or timed games, players can make mistakes and not feel penalized, Stur- geon said. The no-pressure atmosphere encour- ages learning, even for those who’ve never played soccer before. “It’s really competitive, you can hit the ball and it’ll just bounce right back at you,” said 13-year-old Ashley Boyles, who just started play- ing. “I used to pass the ball so hard, but Mr. Stur- geon taught me how to pass it gently.” Sturgeon will point out good plays and offer advice on how to improve skills or strategy but for the most part, the scrimmages are just unhin- dered free-for-alls where players can experiment and have fun. “Here, they get to touch the ball so many more times and that’s going to make a difference, P think,” Sturgeon said. “The whole atmosphere is to just have fun and play.” Sturgeon plans to hold the scrimmages every Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. during the summer at the middle school, where he teaches seventh-grade geography, with occasional days off for holidays and vacations. He also hopes to continue the indoor-soccer scrimmages into the fall, perhaps starting a small league where teams can coach themselves and play against other teams. But his primary goal is to get and keep girls playing soccer because the more they play, the better they will become. Awards will make memories for student-athletes at SRHS LINDA E. ROTHSTEIN Ten or so years from now, what keepsakes will Sebastian River High School student-ath- letes have to remember their years as Sharks? While getting ready for my 10th high-school reunion, I pulled out a small box of momentos. From my high-school years, I kept just a few items that were special, such as my yearbooks, a dried prom corsage and my cheerleading varsity letter. As the school-year winds down, coaches held the last of the spring sports banquets to recognize the accomplishments of the SRHS student athletes who participated in lacrosse, track and field, softball and weightlifring. Brandon Jacobs and Andrew Porter both were named the boys track team’s most-valu- able players. Jacobs was a finalist in the 4x100-meter relay and the 110-meter hurdles at the state championships, while Porter won the state championship in the boys’ pole vault. Juruncius Crawford was named the team’s unsung hero and Jamaal Knowles, who quali- fled for regionals in his first season, earned the most-improved player award. Distance runners Peter Bissonnette and Sean Hickiing, shot put and discus thrower Ricky Brown and pole vaulters Porter, Read Lowe and Garrett Penton all received the Shark Award for carrying a 3.5 or better cu- mulative grade-point-average. Tammy Warren, a three-time state finalist distance runner at Sebastian River, was named the girls track team’s most-valuable player. Heather Anderson, who broke the schbol record in her first season competing in the high jump, was named the unsung hero. Pole vaulter Mandy Hasenauer, who placed second at state and increased her high- est jump by more than a foot this season, was named the most-improved player. Hasenauer, Meghan Brogan, Maya Cree- don, Melissa Montalbano and Jamie Oxford all earned the Shark Award for their outstanding efforts in the classroom. Rob Farruggio, who took second in the 119-pound weight class at the state champion- ships, and Jeremy Hershberger, who also was a finalist at states, were named the weightlift- ing team’s most-valuable players. Mart Cavallo, who competed in several dif- ferent weight classes to help his team during the season, earned the unsung hero award, while Nigel Ramundo-Browne was named the team’s most-improved player for increasing weight and improving his lifting technique. Adam Nick earned the Shark Award for carrving a 3.6 cumulative GPA. As the team’s leading scorer and the first SRHS lacrosse player to earn a college-athletic scholarship, senior Crystal Ford was named the lacrosse team’s most-valuable player. Liz Rivera earned the unsung hero award and Keely Ball was named most-improved player. Kathy Barcus, Kristen Zaleuke, Corry Ja- cobs, Krista Perry, Megan Hektner and Dan- ielle Koestoyo all earned Shark awards for their stellar GPAs. While most coaches choose the superlative awards themselves, softball Coach Steve Courtney allows his players to choose their most-valuable player, unsung hero and most-improved player. The softball team named ace pitcher Te- resa Caudill its most-valuable player. Outfielder Erin Maloney earned the team’s unsung-hero award, while Laura Caudill was named most-improved. Maloney and Michele Mitchell earned Shark awards for their scholarship. END Sebastian Sun Articles a digital text archive The Sebastian Sun June 12, 1998 c 1998 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. President: Darryl K. Hicks. Executive Editor: Larry Reisman. Editor: Louise Phillipine. Advertising Manager: Debbi Vickers (USPS) The Sun is published weekly by Treasure Coast Publishing Inc., a division of Scripps Howard Inc., 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. c 1997 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. All correspondence, including news copy, should be addressed to 717 Coolidge St., Sebastian, FL 32958. Phone: (561) 589- 6616; Fax: (561) 978-2386. News deadline, 5 p.m., Friday. All display advertising should be addressed to 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. Phone (561) 978-2383; Fax:(561) 978-2297. Advertising deadline, 1 p.m., Monday. FROM THE ARCHIVES TOP STORY FROM A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: Sebastian River High School had only been open for three years and it is scheduled to grow along with Sebastian's population. Indian River County School District Superintendent Roger Dearing said plans are to add 300 more students by the fall of 1999. Then, over the next four years, more classrooms and a $9 mil- lion, 800-student capacity freshman learning center would be built some- where on the 80-acre campus on County Road 510. Money for the prolect would come from local tax dollars and the state. CITIZEN OF THE DAY NAME: Fred Heindl. AGE: 70. OCCUPATION: Retired machinist. BIRTHPLACE: Bavaria, Germany. MOVED HERE: 1988. COMMUNITY SERVICE: Member of St. Sebastian Catholic Church. HOBBIES: Bird watching, fishing. FAVORITE AUTHOR: Tom Clancy. WHY I LIKE MY NEIGHBOR- HOOD: I live in Sebastian Highlands. It's a quiet area. WEEKEND PICKS The Sebastian Panthers youth foot- ball and cheerleading will hold registra- tion for players and cheerleaders ages 5-14 for the fall season from 8 a.m. to noon June 13 at the Barber Street field. The registration fee is $60 per child for the Mighty Mites through the seniors divisions and $35 for the flag divisions. There is also a discount for families with two or more children. Space is limited. Coaches also are needed for all divi- sions of football and cheerleading. The Sebastian Panthers also are holding a raffle for a 25-inch Sanyo color television donated by Wal-Mart of Sebastian. Tickets are $1 and the drawing will be held at noon June 13. There also will be a bake sale and yard sale held at the field during registration. For more information, call Mike Luke at 589-0677. WHAT DID SHE SAY? "I don't see where it does any harm. They're the ones paying the freight." — Ruth Sullivan (Sullivan, mayor of Sebastian, made the comment in connection to a plan to have a citizens budget review committee appointed to take a second and third look at the city's fiscal 1999 when it is presented to council some time next month. The committee would recommend items the council should cut. Sullivan said she thought such a committee might be helpful in finding ways to avoid waste.) Neighbors watching out for crime is Sebastian police officer's goal By ELLIOTT JONES For The Sun A knocked-over mailbox. Garbage cans thrown around. The nuisances are small — but un- nerving. The vandalism disturbs the peace and quiet that people expected in their homes and neighborhoods. It can come and go. Sometimes, it grows in fast-developing communities such as Sebastian. In the last few years, about 500 new residents moved into the city annually. In 1997, the city had 14,470 residents. That could grow to 20,262 by 2000, city re- ports show. The 30-member Police Department is adding two to three officers a year to keep an eye on crimes of all sorts — from van- dalism to burglaries. Now is the time for neighbors to band together and to help out, says city Police Officer Paul Graves. He wants peo- ple to form Crime Watch programs. ("If we don't keep pace with growth, we will get passed by," he said. There were a few Crime Watch pro- gram in the city, but none are currently connected with police. He called old Crime Watch name lists and couldn't find anyone home. So he is appealing to the public to reach out. "Just call me at the city Police Depart- ment" at 589-5233, said the officer. Graves said he sent Crime Watch an- nouncements home through school chil- dren. In the future, he may have commu- nity meetings to explain how Crime Watch programs work. Photo Caption Earl Kieffer, volunteer coordinator for the volunteer patrol at the Sebastian Police Department, gets ready to patrol the city streets. The volunteers keep an eye out for crime. "Crime Watch can be for any neigh- borhood, regardless of whether there are problems or not," he said. Two neighborhoods he wants to see Crime Watches set up in are the Schu- mann Drive area and in the vicinity of South Barber Street where it intersects with Nebraska Circle and Filbert Street. "In those neighborhoods, the need isn't urgent," he said. "We do need to get on top of the situation before it gets bad. "If we can get into the preventative mode, we should be able to reduce crime," he said. "We have a few more reports there, from traffic to criminal mischief, such as mailboxes smashed to garbage cans thrown around." Crime watches are volunteer programs that begin with neighbors talking to neighbors and then calling police for a meeting. The programs are set up on the street level with one local resident serving as the contact with police. "Foot patrols aren't necessary," he said. "Eye patrols work best. "Watch out the window. If an un- known car stops at a neighboring house and the person acts suspiciously, a Crime Watch member should give police a call to check it out." Members of Crime Watch "are an- other set of eyes and ears for me," he said. "They are an extension of the old-time beat cop" who walked neighborhoods. Crime Watch isn't a vigilante force, he said. No one is expected to risk their lives and to be a hero. What police need are good tips and community support. That helps them do the job they are trained to do: face difficult problems and the breakdown of civility. City police already have a volun- teer crime-prevention program where citizens check doors and win- dows of homes when residents are gone. Also, there are parent-watch programs where volunteers check on children going to and from schools. Here are some ways citizens can help police prevent crimes: • Write down tag numbers of unusual cars cruising neighborhoods. Keep a description of the drivers. • When going out of town, alert neighbors. Cancel newspaper deliveries. Put a hold on mail. Use clock timers to turn on lights. Store valuable items in a safety-deposit box. • Get to know the neighbors. This builds a sense of community and diminishes the feeling that peo- ple are isolated. Volunteers give — and get — in meal program KRISTEN BERGMAN For The Sun Leo Krapac remembers when he was a boy, escaping the threat of Communism gripping his homeland of Czechoslovakia. His eyes light up as he tells the story of his race to the other side of the Iron Curtain. And each week, when the Sebastian res- ident is visited by Jane Capo and her two children, Ann, 7, and Tony, 9, he enjoys the chance to tell them other stories from his life or from the Bible. Krapac, who lives alone since his wife passed away one year ago, is a participant in the Meals-on-Wheels program. Five days a week, volunteers bring him a hot meal. Many times they linger a bit longer for a storv. "The program is good — really good," he said between hugs from Ann and Tony. "I know that no matter what happens, we are in the hands of God, and we will always be taken care of." One-hundred and ninety people in In- dian River County are served with hot meals each day thiough the program, run by the county's Council on Aging. Ken Michatiel, site manager for the Indian River Council on Aging, said for many people, this visit during the week is the only visit they may get. Those who receive meals have no means of getting out to buy their own food. Instead, the visits by Meals-on- Wheels volunteers are a welcome respite. "These people volunteer because they enjoy helping people," Michauel said. "It gives them a self-rewarding satisfaction." Photo Caption Esther Cross, a volunteer at the Sebastian Senior Center, gets ready to pack up food for the Meals-onm-Wheels program. The meals are prepared by cafeteria workers at the Freshman Learning Center, 1507 19th St. They are later taken to the Sebastian Senior Center, where the meals are packaged and placed in coolers for dis- tribution. The program is funded through the federal government, but participants in the program are asked to make a donation of $10 a week, if they can afford it. Capo, who home-schools and brings her children along to help out and learn, said the program is unique because it lets her spend time with her children while helping others. But because many drivers go North for the summer, Michauel said there is a need for more volunteers. The program requires one driver per week day for each of the two Sebastian routes, and each route takes about one hour around lunchtime. Drivers can volunteer for as little as one day a week or as much as a full week. For the past two years, Capo has driven around Sebastian one day a week delivering meals to elderly residents. When she volun- teers, she also remembers those who helped her grandmother when she couldn't be there. "Other people had to help her because we weren't there," she said, "and so I take care of other people's parents for them." In about one hour, Capo and her chil- dren deliver meals to about 15 homes. At each stop, they drop off an aluminum pack- age holding a hot meal, as well as a roll, a small carton of milk and a dessert. Virginia Smith of Sebastian, one elderly resident who lives along the meals-on-wheels route, said she en- joys the visit, even if it is just for a few minutes a day. Sometimes, she said, it is difficult to eat some of the items in the day's meal, like corn. But she is grateful for the food and company. "I'm so thankful to have them," she said, watching the children play with stuffed animals in her living room. "I'm really dependent on them because I don't drive. I just had hip surgery and my eyes are going. My spirit's good, but I get scared. "I need a retread," she joked. Sebastian residents Dave and Cindy Tichenor said they had some free time and decided to volunteer for the Meals-on-Wheels program. After their first day of learning the route, both agreed their biggest attraction to the program was meet- ing the people. "Each stop's a story unto itself," Tichenor said. "They look forward to human contact, and you get to know these people better. It's kind of interesting." Capo agreed. Because she will sometimes switch from her regular route, she and her children will meet with their "regulars" on their own tilDe. "You do get fond of people and you do get used to seeing them," Capo said. "When I switch routes, I'll visit others on different routes." As they drove, her children rat- tled off the names of the elderly men and women they looked forward to seeing on the route. "Mister Kra- pac," as they called him, was one of the deliveries they saved for the end — this gave them more time for one of his stories. "I think it gives a certain satisfac- tion to those who can't get out," Cindy Tichenor said. "It doesn't take that much time and it brings a lot of joy to these people." Kleaning klothes new venture for Micco resident By LINDA ROTNSTEIN Of The Sun Photo Caption Kuntry Kleeners Discount Dry Cleaning Manager Dannielle Steil, left, and Owner Debbi Steil strive to offer the lowest prices in the area. What do a dry cleaner and a pet store have in common? They're both businesses owned by Micco resident Debbi Steil. Owner of Kuntry Kritters Dis- count Pets in the Roseland Plaza for two years, Steil opened Kuntry Kleeners Discount Dry Cleaning just a few doors down in the same shop- ping center. "I have a friend who's a very, very successful businessman and the one piece of advice he gave to me is to get a catchy name that people re- member," Steil said. "People already know Kuntry Kritters and before I even opened up Kuntry Kleeners, they automatically knew I owned it because they recognized the 'KK'." But why would a pet store owner want to get into the dry- cleaning business? Because there was a need for low-priced dry cleaning in the area, Steil said. She had been thinking of opening another business and when the dry cleaner in the plaza went out of business, she decided to take over the space. "It was very convenient for me in the same shopping center," Steil said. 'That's how I got into it. But one of the reasons I wanted to put a dry cleaners in here because there was a need for an inexpensive dry cleaners in the area." Steil said business has doubled since Kuntry Kleeners opened May 1 and she expects business to increase dunn the all and winter months. While Steil believes owning your own retail business prep ares you to own any other kind of retail busi- ness, she still had to learn quite a bit about dry cleaning. "The one thing that I've learned is that if you've been in retail, you've been in management, then you un- derstand business," Steil said. It's also an advantage that Steil is already well-known in the commu- nity through the pet store, the Sebas- tian Chamber of Commerce and the Sebastian Rotary Club. "When you're already in the community, then you do have a little bit of a reputation," Steil said. "That helps." And Steil's daughter, Dan- nielle, manages the store. Steil had to learn about different types of stains and fading but she was most surprised to learn that much expensive, brand-named cloth- ing is of inferior quality and will bleed or fade where many low- er-priced brands won't. So she makes sure to warn her customers about how some of their brand-named clothing might weather the dry-cleaning process. "I had to learn a lot, I was really surprised," Steil said. "Clothes are a really personal thing." To encourage customers to re- member to pick up their dry clean- ing, Kuntry Kleeners offers dis- count for pre-payment. A man's shirt costs just $1.49 pre-paid, to be laundered. Two-piece suits and women's dresses are $5.99, prepaid, while shorts, slack skirts and blouses, prepaid, run $2.99. Kuntry Kleeners will also launder comforters or sleeping bags for $10, prepaid. Most items are returned within three days but customers also can ask for a rush job. Laundered shirts and press-only items usually are done by the next day. Because Kuntry Kleeners sends out the dry cleaning to a plant in Melbourne, they don't do specialty items such as wedding dresses or drapes. But for most local customers, daily clothing is usually what they need dry cleaned, Steil said. All the work is guaranteed. If a shirt is not pressed to a customer's satisfaction or a stain isn't completely removed, Kuntry Kleeners will re-clean it at no charge. A new service that Kuntry Kleeners offers is laundry washing and folding. A customer can drop off regular laundry and for 75 cents a pound, have it washed and folded. Steil got the idea because many skydivers that visit Skydive Sebastian need laundry done and can't find a convenient Laundromat. "I know that there's a need be- cause a lot of people stay around here and there's no Laundromat," Steil said. Kuntry Kleeners Discount Dry Cleaning is in the Roseland Plaza on U.S. 1. The store is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8:30 atm. until 5:30 p.m.; 8:30 a.m. until noon Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. For information, call 388-6161. Preserving river goal of Brevard resident By Linda Rothstein Lynn Stieglitz loves everything about the water. She loves wading in it, canoeing in it, fishing in it, watching it and even watering the flowers and shrubs in the yard of her Little Hollywood home with it. And when she saw changes tak- ing place on her beloved Sebastian River, on which she and her husband, Walt, are building a new home, she wanted to do something about it. So she got involved with the Friends of the St. Sebastian River. "In just this short time that we've had this land on the river, I can see differences," Stieglitz said. "I can see the water getting murkier, I can see fewer birds." A member for more than a year, Stieglitz accepted the office of vice president in January. Her and the Friends' most recent crusade ended recently with air boats being banned from the river by the Indian River County Commission. The Friends had spent months gath- data, writing letters, talking to rcsic~ents of Little Hollywood and at- tending meetings. Stieglitz feels it's one of the biggest triumphs for the more than 100-member group. "If a group can do something to keep the water, the rivers, the land preserved, why I feel like we should do that," Stieglitz said. "I don't un- derstand people deliberately messing things up." Photo Caption Lynn Stieglitz gazes at the waters of the Sebastian River from a pier across the street from her home in Little Hollywood. Most of the efforts Stieglitz has seen through the group have been smaller, but just as important to the river, she said. The Friends' primary objective is to educate people about how their actions, such as littering, dumping chemicals or releasing used fishing line into the water, can have huge impacts on the health of the river and its wildlife. "Because of people like that who throw their trash out, I think a lot of them, if they knew what was hap- pening with their individual acts, they might not do those things," Stieglltz said. "It'll never touch ev- erybody, but to educate some is the best we can do." Stieglitz recalls an ironic sight during the dedication of the statue of Pelican Island conservationist Paul Kroegel in March at Riverside Park. While a dignitary was speaking, Stieglitz saw a pelican fly overhead with fishing line wrapped around an already crippled leg. "This is one thing that we work on — to try and educate people not to leave their fishing line in the river," Stieglitz said. "Animals eat it and they die from it. So education is a big part of this, too." The Friends of the St. Sebastian River also holds meetings every other month, at which it has a speaker address various conservation issues. Stieglitz also is a member of the Pelican Bland Preservation Society, which also works to educate the public about nature, especially chil- dren. Stieglitz has had a life-long love affair with nature. Combined, Stieg- litz and her husband, a former U.S. Alr Force pilot and U.S. Fish and Wildlife officer, have lived in 14 dif- ferent states and 24 different homes. So Stieglitz, who also is an artist, has enjoyed nature in vastly different environments, from Anchorage, Alaska to the banks of the Sebastian River. "I really love the water," Stieglitz said. Birthdate: July 4. Birthplace: Paris, Ky. Education: Attended Southern Illinois University, Georgia State University and earned an associate of arts degree from Palm Beach Com- munity College. Family: Husband, Walt; son, Jeff; daughter, Kim; son, Barry; and seven grandchildren. The best part of my job is: Be- ing part of a wonderful organization that's making a difference. What I like the least about my job is: Sometimes things move too slowly. The most recent movie I saw in a theater was: "As Good As It Gets." The book I would recommend everyone read is: Anything by au- thor Theodore Pratt, who wrote sev- eral good books on Florida. Of everyone in the world, the person I would most like to meet is: I wanted to meet John Denver, but I guess it's too late for that. My favorite food is: Coke, Do- ritos and fried chicken. If I were going on a trip to the moon, I would take along: All my kids and grandkids and my hus- band. When I was growing up, I always wanted to be: An artist. The person I admire the most is: I can't think of anyone I admire the most. My proudest moment was: When we got those big air boats off the river. My favorite sports team is: The Florida Marlins. My favorite television show is: "ER," since my son Jeff is an emer- gencv-room doctor. On my last vacation, I visited: Big Pine Key. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is: Get the newspapers to read over breakfast. The type of music I enjoy the most is: Golden Oldies, John Den- ver and the "Titanic" movie sound- track CD. People who know me the best know: That I'm fair and honest. The most exciting time in my life was: When I won a Best of Show award in Anchorage, Alaska, for a metal sculpture that I did. Tips from local police Police offer these suggestions for helping battle crime: • Set up a neighborhood Crime Watch program in coopera- tion with police. Report suspicious activity. Neighbors should work to- gether to keep track of problems and their concerns. • Keep neighborhoods clean. Rundown buildings tell criminals that people don't care. • Ask police and city officials to use alternative methods to tackle crime. That can include noise ordi- nances and housing codes. • Work with schools and city officials to provide safe places for children to play. Get youth involved in programs that can help them. Each day brings more pleasure for local gardener By LINDA ROTHSTEIN OF The Sun Photo Caption Bob Massel spends about a half an hour a day caring for the 25 day lilies that grace the yard of his Barefoot Bay home. The day lilies that grace the yard of Bob Massel's Barefoot Bay home are so beautiful, they sometimes stop traffic. "When they're all blooming, I'm afraid they might cause an accident," Massel joked. While Massel's yard already is stunning with the dozens of flowers and fruit trees he and his wife, Pat, grow, the day lilies, with their varied colors and shapes, are spectacular. Massel spends about a half an hour a day caring for the 25 plants that line his driveway in raised beds, but before he moved to Barefoot Bay two years ago, about 150 plants filled his Cary, N.C., yard. "It's such a beautiful plant and it's so much fun when you see a new plant and you take it home and put it in your garden," Massel said. While he began growing day li- lies 10 years ago in Michigan, his in- terest really blossomed in North Car- olina, where he became active in the Raleigh Hemerocallis (Greek for day lily) Society. He's won dozens of awards in day lily shows and plans to join the Central Florida Hemerocallis Soci- ety. But while serving as president and chairman of the Raleigh society for four years, Massel learned the real science behind the thousands of varieties of day lilies in the world. In fact, he's become sort of a backyard geneticist. Although he now contents him- self with buying varieties from other growers, when he lived in North Carolina, Massel experimented with cross-fertilizing different varieties to create new ones. It takes a lot of work to create a new variety. After cross-pollinating two varieties, a grower must wait two years before the new plant blooms. Sometimes, the results are disappointing, but sometimes the re- sults are breathtaking, Massel said. "Two years later and there it is," Massel said. "It's a little like Christ- mas." Massel said day lilies are rela- tively easy to grow because they take heat and extreme temperatures well and are very hearty plants. They do very well in Florida and most plants usually bloom during the day for most of the spring and summer be- fore lying dorthant for a few months each year. The thousands of varieties of day lilies now in existence all are de- scended from fewer than a dozen species that originated in Asia, Mas- sel said. The majority of those spe- cies tended toward yellow and gold colors. But day lilies can now be seen in dozens of shades, from white and blush pink, lavender and peach, to green and bright gold, flaming red and deep, royal purple. Day lilies can have smooth edges or ruffled, double petals or petals that form a star-shape and dozens of combinations of colors within, the flower with different eyes and edges. The variations are almost limitless. Massel's current favorite is a new variety he just purchased called "Ma- laysian Monarch," with purple petals and a mauve eye. "It's really elegant," Massel said. With hundreds of Hemerocallis societies in the world and thousands of growers creating new varieties ev- ery day, day lilies have become more than just a hobby. For some, grow- ing day lilies is a business. "There are day lily gardens here in Florida' where they set out 14,000 or more seedlings every year," Mas- sel said. But for Massel, growing day li- lies remains a pleasant hobby that al- lows him to enjoy the fresh air and the wonder and beauty of nature in a very personal way. Local briefs ELC to present lagoon program The Environmental Learning Center will present "What's Going on in our Lagoon?" June 18 from 9:15 a.m. to noon. Participants will enjoy a pon- toon-boat excursion to explore nearby islands, where they will learn about wildlife living in the water. There is a fee of $10 for adults; $8 for members. For further information, call the center at 589-5050. Senior driving course offered A "Seniors' Defensive Driving" class will be offered by the American Association of Retired Persons June 18-19, 12:30-4:30 p.m., at the American Legion in Sebastian. The class is part of the 55 Alive ma- ture-driving program. Classes are open to the public. Attendance may qualify students for auto-insurance discounts. The fee is $8 per registrant. To register or for further information, call 664-6044. For 55 Alive classes in Brevard County, call (407) 773-0591. Agency needs office volunteer United Way of Indian River County needs a volunteer to work in its office 12:30-4 p.m. Thursdays. Responsibilities include answer- ing the phone, typing, filing, making copies and other light clerical duties. The office is in the Barnett Bank building at Miracle Mile, 601 21st St., Suite 310, Vero Beach. If inter- ested, call Karen Crosby at United Way, 567-8900. Students earn Peace Prize awards The Community Church, United Church of Christ, presented a Peace Prize to Sebastian River High School student Stephanie Lynn Me- pham during school awards ceremo- nies. Ten years ago, the idea for a Peace Prize came to a member of Community Church, Elizabeth Whittall, from an article she read in Fellowship of Reconciliation in 1987. Community Church realizes that students who commit them- selves to peace, who devote time and energy to helping other people and preserving the environment are not always taking the popular and easy path. The Peace Prize honors stu- dents who choose this path. Golf tournament slated for youth An AAU youth golf tournament will be held at Sandridge Golf Club on June 24 with an 8 a.m. shotgun start. The divisions will include ages through 19. Top scorers can qualify for the AAU Junior Olympics in Norfolk, Va. The entry fee is $35. Make checks payable to the Stealth Club. Awards and T-shirts will be pres- ented at the end of the competition. For more information and entry forms, call Steve's Grand Slam at 569-1543 or A-i TV at 569-5668. SRHS ploys host to AAU qualifier Sebastian River High School will play host to the 1998 AAU State and Field Championships qualifying meet June 13 at Sharks Stadium. Athletes ages 9-18 may compete in up to four events. The entry fee is $3 per athlete. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and competition begins at 8:30 a.m. The top five finishers in each event in each age group earn the right to advance to the 1998 AAU State Track and Field Champion- ships scheduled for June 26-28 at Palm Beach Gardens-Dwyer High School. For more information, call Meet Director Bill Wilson at 567-6157. Middle-school coach holding camp Sebastian River Middle School Coach Bill McCarthy will hold his second annual basketball camp from June 22-27 at the middle school gym. Assistant coaches at the camp will be members of the 1998 Trea- sure Coast Conference champion girl's basketball team. The morning session is for boys and girls ages 8-12. The afternoon session is more competitive, and is for campers over the age of 13. Reg- istration is limited. Every camper will receive a camp shirt, basketball workbook, and the opportunity to compete for posters and trophies. The fee for the six-day camp will be $70. For more information, call Bill McCarthy at 564-5154 or 589-0648. Maxwell Center holding Israel jubilee The International Christian Em- bassy, Jerusalem, is sponsoring the "Year of Jubilee," celebrating 50 years since Israel's re-birth as a na- tion. Recording artists, musicians and dancers from around the world will perform at this evening of pag- eantry and praise. Johann Luckhoff, founder and director of the International Chris- tian Embassy, will be the featured speaker. The purpose of ICE is to stand in support of Israel, to strengthen the bond between Chris- tian and Jew, to provide social serv- ices to Jew and Arab alike and to en- courage and assist in the immigration of Jews into their homeland. This organization was presented the Knesset Quality of Life Award by the Israeli government in April 1991. Israel's "Year of Jubilee" will be at the Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts, 3865 N. Wick- ham Road, Melbourne, at 7 p.m. June 27. Tickets for this non-profit event are $13.50. To order tickets, call (407) 242-2219 or visit your local Ticketmaster site. Youths offered volunteer slots The Youth Volunteer Corps, the youth program of the Volunteer Ac- tion Center, a United Way agency, is offering a summer program for youths 11-17. This program pro- vides youths opportunities to volun- tear in team projects throughout the summer under the supervision of an adult team kader. The program be- gins June 15 and ends Aug. 7. Youths can choose where they wish to volunteer. They can sign up for one day, two weeks, four weeks, six weeks or for the full eight-week program. Project sites include the Fells- mere Recreation Department Day Camp, Center for the Arts, Wabasso School for Exceptional Children, In- dian River Estates, Environmental Learning Center and the St. Sebas- tian River Buffer Preserve. For a detailed list of project sites or to register for this program, stop by the Volunteer Action Center, 855 21st St., Suite 10 (in the Century 21 building next to the Wayside Inn Restaurant) or call 778-1223 for more information. Picnic concert set for June 23, 25 The Melbourne Municipal Band, "Melbourne's Musical Ambassa- dors," will present the first of three "Not-In-The-Park Picnic Concerts" on June 23 an4 25 at 6:30 p.m. in the Melbourne Civic Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. Tables will be set up so families, singles or couples, can bring their picnic dinner and enjoy the concert in a cool, insect-free and rain-safe facility. The bleachers will be set for open seating for those not bringing their picnic dinner. Music director and conductor Clair Christy has prepared a program for all ages with special selections for children. They will hear the "Chil- dren's March," "At the Circus" with clowns and the "Ballad of Davy Cricket." In addition, there will be three Sousa marches, several B road- way show numbers, a Frepch horn solo and a clarinet quartet, plus clas- sical compositions by Ippolotov-Iva- nov, Mascagni and Kabalevsky. Admission is free, but tickets arc required and are available at ticket outlets. Doors open at 5:30 p.m People not holding tickets will be ad- mitted at 6:20. Call (407) 724-0555 for information and location of ticket outlets. Riverside Children's Theatre undertakes holiday project Riverside Children's Theatre in Vero Beach is planning its first Festival of Trees benefit. The weekend-long celebration will be held Nov. 20-22, but organizers al- ready are hard at work. The festival will offer entertain- ment for the entire family and ex- pects to attract visitors from the Treasure Coast counties of Mar- tin, St. Lucie, Indian River and be- yond. The festival centerpiece will be a wonderland of professionally de- corated trees and wreaths that will deck the halls of the new Anne Morton Theatre and be auctioned throughout the weekend. Complementing the feast of glittering greens will be musical en- tertainment, children's crafts and art contest, a photographic studio for holiday greeting cards, visits with Santa. a gingerbread village, and a boutique of unique rnemen- tos. In addition to the chance to browse, buy, relax and get into the holiday spirit Saturday and Sun- day, the festival will also offer two ticketed evening events, one a for- mal gala preview and the other a family party with treats for all ages. All proceeds benefit the non- profit Riverside Children's The- atre, which has provided live the- ater experiences and after-school and summer programs to thou- sands of area youth. Festival organizers invite civic- minded businesses and individuals to support the project as the begin- ning of the holiday tradition for the whole community. Volunteers are needed both in the preparation stages and to man the festival itself Decorators and florists are encouraged to donate their time, talent, and materials to trimming a tree or wreath for auc- tion. Sponsorship opportunities abound for businesses and individ- uals who can underwrite anything from an individual wreath on up to an entire segment of the festival. Among those who have already committed their support are the Press Journal, Coggin Motor Mall, doctors Conway and Conway, Florida Floor Fashions, Shumann Photography, Junior League of In- dian River, Staples and SuNet Di- rect. "When it comes to community involvement, the more the mer- rier," says festival co-chair Kathy Cigala. For more information on spon- soring, volunteering, or designing, please call RCT at 234-8052. Committee gets conditions set on mulching facility By Chris Riesenbeck President, Barefoot Bay Homeowners Association This has again been a busy month for all the committees. The Area Industrial and Residen- tial Committee, chaired by Bob Smith, was successful in having in- cluded in the conditional-use permit for the mulching facility, off Micco Road, the additional condition that all trucks would leave and return by way of Babcock Road, eliminating additional trucks through Barefoot Bay on Micco Road. This committee continues to work with the Miller Group, devel- opers of the Winn-Dixie site, to keep our Barefoot Bay U.S. 1 entrance walls, as well as the application for permits for the incinerator. This is one of the busiest committees we have. We all owe it a heartfelt thank you. The Finance Review Committee, co-chaired by Fred VanWort and Bob Smith, continues to look into the current Recreation District oper- ating procedures to identify opportu- nities for potential cost savings. The Street Numbering Commit- tee, chaired by Mary Howard, is closer to realizing all the steps neces- sary to make this happen. Many streets have been identified as need- ing changes. This is most important. If one life is saved by this effort, any inconvenience caused will be justi- fied. Paula Higgins' Entertainment Committee has had a very busy month with the birthday/anniversary dance and the Memorial Day pool party. They were both huge suc- cesses. The decorating committee, under the guidance of Jane Schultz, again did an outstanding job at both events. The music at both was su- perb. Come out to their events; you will not be disappointed. The executive board has spent long hours drafting the revision to the present deed of restrictions. These efforts are now available for your review. They are being distrib- uted to each family in attendance at the executive board and homeowners association meetings this month. Please review and send any recom- mendations for additions or changes to Paula Higgins at 1169 W. Bare- foot Circle before the next executive board meeting. These will be dis- cussed at that meeting for considera- tion. Thanks to Lew Orlow, who gra- ciously took on the job of trying to find affordable National Oceano- graphic and Atmospheric radios for our residents. He has worked out a solution with Jacque Armstrong at the Peddler. As a community service, Jacque is now taking orders for these radios, which will be available by June 22. She is offering these at wholesale, plus a small cost to cover her shipping expenses. Call her at 664-1602. Reserve your radio now. Thanks Lew and Jacque. You're the best. We are working on getting peti- tions signed to extend our telephone service to all of Brevard County at no extra cost. If you can help with these, please let me know. We are disappointed to again re- port that our efforts to meet with the chairman of the Recreation District to establish working relationships be- tween the association and the district came up empty, even with the assist- ance of a professional negotiator. We are still in hopes of a resolution to this impasse. Barefoot Bay Homeowners Association meeting has varied topics By Chris Riesenbeck President, Barefoot Bay Homeowners Association The following are the minutes, recorded by Secretary Beverly A. Greeley, from the Barefoot Bay Homeowners Association Executive Board meeting May 5: The Homeowners Association Executive Board meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. May 5 by Chairman Paula Higgins. At roll call of officers, Chris Rie- senbeck was excused and Norm Turner was absent. Recess for speakers: Frances DuBois asked to address her remarks to Robert Smith. Smith responded. Her main concern was whether Smith was trying to shut down the lounge. Smith stated he had no power whatsoever, he is only trying to get information as requested for the executive board. Richard Higgins stated the board should not be subjected to any personal attacks. He stated Smith had been a hard worker on the board. John Baker stated we should be looking at things in Barefoot Bay on a whole picture. Fred VanWort stated the Recre- ation District is not operating in the red. The monthly maintenance fee picks up the difference. Robert Guyer has reviewed the new budget and feels the Recreation District is running a tight ship re- garding this new budget. Helen Hambro asked to speak and she explained different aspects of where our assessment fees go; they go to the amenities here in the park wherever needed. The budget is only a guideline to follow. The hours in the lounge will be reduced in the summer. Loretta Lynch is circulating a pe- tition to keep the lounge and Hole 19 open. Smith resigned as director at this point, saying he had received numer- ous hate phone calls and feels he can- not continue at this time. Several people in the audience compli- mented him for the work he has done for this community. A vote of confidence from the board was given Smith. A motion was made and seconded not to ac- cept his resignation as director. The motion passed, 13-1 against his re- signing. The minutes were approved as printed. The treasurer's report was approved and filed for audit. The treasurer explained the three cash and bank accounts. The checking 2 account is the entertainment ac- count. The amount of $1,412 is a federal-tax refund we received. A motion was made and sec- onded to donate $1,000 to the Micco Volunteer Fire Department. It passed unanimously. The video of the Recreation Dis- trict meetings has been aired a cou- ple of times on Channel 3. It was suggested we call officials at Channel 3 — 664-9400 — and thank them for showing this video. By-law Committee from Mag- gie Nichols: Four members at- tended and agreed to have an inser- tion printed to be put in the Feb. 14, 1995 by-laws. This will incporporate all changes made from that time through Feb. 10. The by-laws are being reviewed. Civic Affairs Committee from Richard Pearson: Some of the questions being asked this committee range from those about Barefoot Bay security, to why do we need a can- opy in front of Building A, to why we have dirty canals. We are work- ing on the questions and hope to have some answers soon. Directory Committee from Roger Svejda: New 1998 directo- ries will be given out from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays and Saturdays in front of Building A. Identification badges are required to pick up a di- rectory. Entertainment Committee from Paula Higgins: At the April 18 birthday and anniversary dance, eight birthdays and four anniversa- ries were celebrated. Chris Riesen- beck, as the Easter Bunny, led the committee around the room dancing the Bunny Hop. The New Las Vegas Orchestra will play at the New Years Eve dance. Extra events are being planned for the summer months. A pool parry will be held on the Fourth of July, Independence Day. The balance in the committee's bud- get as of April 30 is $1,189.52. There will be a gala celebration Labor Day weekend. The tentative schedule is: Sept. 4 in the afternoon, Kiwanis bingo; Sept. 5, flea market in the morning; water ballet, games for young and old and a free dance in the afternoon; Sept. 6, Micco Volunteer Fire Department chicken dinner and a dance extravaganza later in the day; Sept. 7, Kiwanis pancake breakfast in the morning, candidates' forum later in the day. Program Committee from Joan DeLuca Cmdr E. C. Smith, Brevard County coordinator of en- forcement, will talk on safety issues. Recreational Needs Commit- tee from Nancy Eisele: Four mem- bers attended. The tennis club is hav- ing a pay phone installed. It was stated the overall appearance of the common areas are not as attractive as they have been in the past. The new club president's list is completed and calls will be made to see if they have any needs or problems that the Rec- reational Needs Committee can help with. Utilities Committee from Bruce Roland: Florida Cities Water Co. is celebrating National Water Week from 8 a.m. to noon May 12. Tours of the water plant and a dunk tank benefiting the "COPS" program will be featured. Friends Who Care Committee from Helen Ansink and Emma Scherer: Eight get-well cards and 11 sympathy cards were sent and two acknowledgments were received. Transportation Committee from Fred VanWort: Total passen- gers, 309; total revenue, $658; total expenses, $649.52; Net gain $8.48. Membership Committee from Mary Howard: New home sales, 0; home resales and lots, 36. Old business: none. New busi- ness: none. Good of the order: Rich- ard Higgins announced the tentative date for the start-up of the South Mainland shuttle is May 18. May 7 was National Day of Prayer and a service will be held be- hind Building A at 12:15 p.m. Motion to adjourn was made at 8:45 p.m. Local briefs Sebastian man gains Legion post At the June 6 Constitutional Convention of the 12th District, American Legion, Department of Florida, conducted in Fort Pierce, Carl White of Sebastian was elected Eastern area vice commander. White, a member of Charles L. Futch Post 189, is a past commander and has held various offices at iocal and district levels. Post 189 had five delegates in at- tendance at the session. Approximately 100 delegates at- tended. A moment of silence honored Larry Johnson of Sebastian, who served as 12th District adjutant anc Post 189 adjutant prior to his deatt on Memorial Day. Edmund Mur- phy, commander of Post 189, paid tribute to Johnson for his dedication to The American Legion and his fel- low veterans. SRHS Band holding car wash The Sebastian River High School Band will hold a car wash from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 12 at Discount Auto, 949 U.S. 1, Sebas- tian. The band will accept donations to help defray summer operating ex- penses. Although school is out for the summer, the band continues to be very, active with summer camp and practice sessions. Members are asking residents to come out and support the award-winning band. Merry Makers Band meeting June 12 The Barefoot Bay Merry Makers Fun Time Band ended its season in May with the performance at the Loyalty Day celebration held in the Community Center. The band also went on a cruise on the Sebastian River and then had dinner at Captain Hirams Restau- rant. At the May 6 meeting, the Merry Makers held a memorial service for Kay Farkas, who joined the Merry Makers Oct. 12, 1984. During the summer months, the band will go to lunch on the second Friday of the month. The band will go to Bennigan's on Apollo Boule- vard, Melbourne, June 12. Women will be recognized for contribution RICHARD HIGGINS Not until some time after World War II did this nation recognize the full value of female members of the armed forces. The Womens' Armed Services Integration Act authorized regular and reserve status for women in 1948. Prior to passage of the act, women were not eligible to serve in the regular forces in peacetime. On June 12, at the newly created Memorial for Women in Military Service for America, homage will be paid to these ladies in recognition of their 50 years' contribution to the United States as regulars. Deputy Secretary of Defense John J. Hamre will deliver the key- note address. Additional speakers will include Maj. Gen. Jeanne Holm, U,S. Air Force retired; Col. Mary A. Hallaren, U.S. Army retired; Capt. Winifred Q. Collins, U.S. Navy re- tired; and NASA Astronaut Lisa No- wak, U.S. Navy. Dr. Bernard Rostker, special as- sistant to the secretary of defense for Gulf War illnesses, wants to hear your first-hand information if are a veteran of the Gulf War. Rostker is investigating what happened during that action. His department is en- raged in a comprehensive effort to identify what happened before, dur- ing and after the war and how inci- dents and practices relate to various potential causes of Gulf War ill- nesses. He particularly wants your infor- mation about possible exposure to chemical or biological warfare agents. First-hand accounts from witnesses with insight into condi- tions surrounding an incident are of special value. These reports will be used to reshape Department of De- fense policy on the issue. "If we can't explain what went on in the Gulf, then we will have a very poor ability to put in place mili- tary doctrine, medical policies and procedures that would allow us to avoid these kinds of problems in the future," Rostker said. Call the Veterans Data Manage- ment Team at 800-497-6261 or the Incident Reporting Line at 800-472-6719. Money continues to flow to erect a permanent memorial in Florida for veterans of the Korean War. In the most recent fund drive, veterans' or- ganizations raised another $40,000. More money is needed and it must come from the citizenry. It you want to help finish this memorial in Talla- hassee, send your donation to Fiscal Officer, Florida Department of Vet- erans Affairs, POB 31003, St. Pe- tersburg Fla. 33731. Do you wish your juniors could have had some way to simulta- neously keep in touch with their peers at the old duty station and with new friends at your next duty station? Well, they've done it! De- partmene of Defense Office of Fam- ily Policy activated a World Wide Web site for teen-age children of service members. It is called "Mili- tary Teens on the Move" and it can be found on the Internet through its entry site (http://dticaw.dtic.mil/ mapsite). With design problems resolved, the World War II Memorial's site is again on track for a groundbreaking on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2000. Dedication will be in 2002 or 2003 at the site just west of 17th Street Northwest on the National Mall. The scaled-down plan was an- nounced May 12 by the American Battle Monuments Commission. The new plan is expected to be approved by the Fine Arts Commis- sion and the National Capital Plan- ning Commission. Plans are to place the memorial on the east side of the reflecting pool, along the same sight line as the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol. Volleyball served up pleasure in life of Sebastian resident MARGARET MIQUELON Bill Mott of Sebastian has just re- turned from the East Coast Junior Girls' Volleyball Championship held at Penn State for three days and three nights. About 5,000 teen-age girls played on 66 volleyball. There were 103 referees from all over the country. This is the third largest vol- leyball tournament in the United States. The girls arrived on a Friday afternoon, stayed in the Penn State dormitories, were fed in the cafete- rias on the campus and played on the courts there. This was a Northeast tournament, which drew contestants from Maine to Tennessee to Michi- gan. Joe Paterno has indoor practice fields for his football players, so he laid out 20 volleyball courts just in his indoor practice field. Everything was organized to precision. Each team had 10 to 12 giris on it. Everything was done on precise timing. There were two chaperones for each team and they were with the girls 24 hours per day. Sounds wonderful? It was! And that is why Bill has wanted to go back ever since his retirement. You see, Bill was a coach for 32 years in Windsor, N.Y., coaching football, wrestling and girls' volleyball at Windsor High School and girls' vol- leyball at Broome Junior College. His college team went to two na- tional championships. Now his son, Tom Mott, orga- nized eight teams and is coach of one team from the Binghamton and Ves- tal area of New York. It was a thrill to be able to go back and "help Tom with his girls." This is what took Bill to Penn State two weeks ago when Ton~ invited his father to come see what has happened in the girls' vol- leyball teams lately. This is a labor of love for Tom, for he works for a company which sets up computer programs for sales offices all over the world and is gone much of the time. He started out coachihg the team his daughter, Emily, is on. Tom and Dorothy Mott have four children — Kelly, Jeremy, Briana and Emily. Emily plays on the volleyball team for 14-year-olds and younger. Daughter Briana has been an exchange student in Den- mark and will be going to George Washington University in Washing- ton, D.C. She wants to major in international business. She speaks Danish fluently. Bill's daughter, Mandy Rogers, and her husband, Joe, and children Danny, Lindsey, Marissa, Joseph and Anthony, live in Boca Raton. In 1974, Bill's wife, Jean, died. He was alone for nine years before he married Mary Cole, who had been a good friend of the Motts for many years. Mary has three children, Maureen White, who lives in Bing- hamron, and two sons, Brian, who lives in New Jersey, and Scott, who lives in Windsor. Mary and Bill lived in Boynton Beach for five years be- fore they moved to Sebastian three years ago. Billi looks back with nostalgia on his career. He had a lot of fun and a lot of success. He was inducted into the Coaches' Hall of Fame for New York state in 1994. In 1957, when Bill was starting his career as a coach, volleyball was not big in this country. He made up a team of YMCA players who played six on a team. His team played New York City, Philadelphia, Binghamton and even the Dominican Republic, where they were guests of Dictator Trujillo for a week. There had just been a big upheaval there and all the wealthy people were in jail. The team played a command perform- ance for the dictator's family. Each January, the Windsor Invi- tational Volleyball Tournament-Bill Mott Classic, is held in Windsor. Bill started the first girls' volleyball tour- nament ever to be played in that area of New York. Years later, the coaches named it after him. Bill graduated from Springfield College in Springfield, Mass. He got into YMCA work and stayed with it for 10 years before teaching. Bill learned to fly while he lived in Windsor and got his license. He owned a Cherokee Arrow for four years, but now when he wants to fly, he rents planes. It was great to be able to take trips in his own plane to Nantucket for the day. What fun it was to be his son's sidekick in the tournament at Penn State. It was like living his favorite years again. I guess you can say Bill Mott has been Here & There. Photo Caption Mary and Bill Mott enjoy living in their home in Sebastian. Local briefs Heart Foundation holding picnic The Deborah Heart Foundation will hold its annual club picnic from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 26 in Build- ing A in Barefoot Bay. Participants are asked to bring their own plates, utensils and drinks. They also must wear their identi- fication badges. German Heritage Club meeting Sept. 23 The German Heritage Club of Barefoot Bay wound up its season with a picnic May 8 at Hobart Park. The club's next meeting will be 7 p.m. Sept. 23 in Building A. There will be entertainment and refreshments will be served at the meeting. Octoberfest will be Oct. 17 at Grant Community Center. Tickets are limited. For tickets, call 664-3926 or 664-3067. Sebastian Art Club schedules exhibits The Sebastian River Art Club announces the following schedule of members' exhibits through July 7: • Nancy Noble, Sebastian City Hall, 1225 Main St. • Barbara Garcia, North Indian River County Library, 1001 County Road 512, and The Press Journal, 717 Coolidge St. • Grace Wisnieski, Florida To- day, 11628 U.S. 1 • Lillian Giordan, Sebastian Realty, 1329 U.S. 1. Week In Review Dispatch decision prompts changes Sebastian Police Chief Randy White thought he could save money by giving the police dispatch opera- tion to the Indian River County Sheriffs Department. But, now that Sebastian City Council has nixed that idea, White has to readjust his proposed budget for next year. He now has to find the money to improve the dispatch oper- ation. He said he needs new equipment to upgrade the operation and make sure dispatchers can stay in commu- nication with police officers. First on the list is an $18,000 911 recorder that records all emer- gency calls to the dispatchers. The Police Department now is leasing a recorder but that lease ends in Octo- ber. White arranged a lease agree- ment several months ago when he thought the sheriff would be taking over dispatch. He said he also needs to establish a computer-aided dispatch system similar to the county's new system that will improve how police records are kept. White also would like to add more dispatchers so that two people are on duty for each shift. "My dispatcher has no relief," he said. If a dispatcher leaves the office for a minute, often no one is there manning the telephones, he said. White said he plans to look at amending a $56,700 federal Com- munity Oriented Policing grant to pay for some of the dispatch equip- ment. The grant originally was to pay for computer software to link the Police Department's records de- partment with the Sheriff Depart- ment and to overall improve the de- partment's records system. The current system is not programmed to accommodate the year 2000 and so must be changed, he said. That new software may have to be put on hold until the dispatch op- eration can be upgraded, he said. "I don't know if there's enough" in the grant to pay for the dispatch equipment, he said, adding he didn't know if he would be allowed to change the grant. He may have to ask the city for more money, he said. Sebastian labor talks heat up for summer No date has been set for Sebas- tian and employee unions to begin negotiations, but already teams are meeting behind the scenes and plan- ning strategies for this year's contract talks. The city will negotiate with both the Communication Workers of America, representing city employees and police dispatchers and the Po- lice Benevolent Association, repre- senting the city's police officers. Both contracts expire Sept. 30. The CWA contract was extended for one year in 1997, giving city ad- ministrators time to complete a poli- cies-and-procedures manual. In pre- vious years, a three-year contract had been negotiated. Interim Human Resources Di- rector Paul Horsey said he still was working to finish the manual. PBA officers are completing a three-year contract signed in 1995. Salaries again played a part in nego- tiations and the city and union dif- fered on whether the city should al- low officers to work outside jobs as police officers. The union eventually withdrew its request in exchange for the city counting holiday pay as time worked. In 1995, officers were given a 3 percent increase for the first year of the contract, a 1 percent increase the second year and a 2 percent raise the third year. Horsey, who was hired part-time in May to work on union issues and begin negotiations, said he has been contacted by CWA representatives about the union's interest in starting negotiations, but no meeting has been set. Horsey is temporarily replacing Phil Bowers, who resigned last month. Bowers and former Public Works Director Pat Brennan, who resigned June 1, negotiated contracts for the city last year. Horsey said he hasn't heard from the police officers' union. PBA union representative police Officer Steve Marcinik couldn't be reached for comment. In the meantime, Horsey said he and city officials are meeting to dis- cuss their own strategy for negotia- tions. Horsey wouldn't elaborate on the kind of changes management is considering, but was hopeful the city would reach an agreement with its unions. Stephen DiTrapano, vice presi- dent of the CWA Sebastian unit, said CWA members have been meeting to detgrmine what employees want to see in this year's contract. "I think we're shooting for a three-year contract," he said. He said members will be meet- ing again to determine where in the contract the union should focus. Sal- aries and benefits are some issues members have expressed concern about, he said. Micco center's start appears imminent After four years of planning, it appears ground soon will be broken for the South Mainland Community Center in Micco. Jeanne Osborne, chairwoman of the citizen's advisory committee for the center, said it's possible construc- tion could begin on the 5,000-square-foot facility by the end of this month. The final permit, a surface-water permit from St. Johns River Water Management District, is expected to be approved by mid-June, Osborne said. The permit will show that the fa- cility can properly handle all water resources and Brevard County Com- missioner Nancy Higgs, who repre- sents the South Brevard area, said it should be approved. The Community Center will be on Allen Street and will be used for entertainment, group meetings and meals programs. The community got about $700,000 in Community De- velopment Block Grant money to build the facility. When construction on the center begins, Higgs said it will put the project into a tangible context. While it appears the initial phase of the center will be under construc- tion soon, another part of the project — a gymnasium — may be in store for a financial boost, even though it will remain on the back burner for some time, Osborne said. The committee in April peti- tioned Brevard County for $980,000 in CDBG funds to pay for adding the gym. Only $350,000 was recom- mended for allocation by the CDBG advisory board, said Higgs. The County Commission cur- rentlv is in hiatus until July, but Higgs said it's likely the allocation will be approved by the commission. If partial funding for the gymna- sium is approved, "It will enable us to do nothing," Osborne said. "It will stay put until we get all the funds. This is an ongoing project." Higgs said only one-third of the gymnasium funding has been recom- mended for approval because the CDBG board wants to see the main Osborne said Community Center Advisoty Committee members plan to request more funds next year and, when they finally garner enough money, the gym will be built. Osborne said she expects con- struction on the center to be com- plete by early 1999. 'Slate '98' sets out to win trustee seats A group of five Barefoot Bay res- idents who say they're out to change the community's Recreation District are gearing up as candidates in com- ing elections for trustee seats. Gene Henry, Trudy Smith, Wal- ter Clyne, Richard Higgins and in- cumbent Adele-Jean Dace are part of what they call "Slate '98." Higgins organized the group of candidates running for the five trustee seats up for grabs Nov. 3. This year, for the first time, vot- ers will decide who they want to serve by groups instead of simply se- lecting the top 'vote getters. Candi- dates will run in groups, but will be elected at large. Dace is the only Slate '98 candi- date who has declared a group for which she will campaign and that is Group 1. Higgins said the remaining members of Slate '98 will decide which group they will run in by the July 1 qualifying deadline. Higgins said the point is to change the complexion of the Recre- ation District. Higgins has been involved in several political organizations, veter- ans groups and social clubs in the 23 years he's lived at Barefoot Bay, and is a past member of the community's Homeowners Association Executive Board. Dace is seeking her third election to a two-year term on the Recreation District. While Smith has never held pub- lic office, she came close last Novem- ber when she was defeated by cur- rent Recreation District Chairman Ben Krom, who beat her out by 67 votes. She's decided to join Slate '98 in a new bid for a trustee seat. Smith has lived in Barefoot Bay for 10 years. Henry has lived in Barefoot Bay for 12 years and said he was per- suaded to run for a trustee seat when he talked to Higgins. While he's never held public of- fice before, he ran for sheriff in an Atlantic County, N.J., election in 1969 and lost. Clyne has resided in Barefoot Bay for a dozen years and was a member of the Homeowners Associ- ation Executive Board in the early 1990s. 'Trust Group' seeks Rec District trusteeships Another group of Barefoot Bay residents critical of the community's Recreation District have announced a bid for the trustee seats. "The Trust Group" has four Barefoot Bay residents who say they can better serve the community than the current group of trustees. It's the second time in a week where a coali- tion group has announced its candi- dacy en masse for the Recreation District. Last week, a group of five peo- ple, calling themselves "Slate '98," announced its intention to get elected to the nine-member panel that has five group seats up for elec- tion Nov. 3. The Trust Group was organized by Roger Svejda, the current ser- geant-at-arms for the Barefoot Bay Homeowners Association Executive Board. "It's not under control," Svejda said of the district. "It's not being handled properly. I've been told, 'If you don't like living here, move away.' Svejda, 67, is running for the Group 7 seat held by incumbent Ann Walsh, who is seeking re-election. That view of the current Recrea- tion District trustees appears to be shared by the three other candidates Svejda recruited to form The Trust Group. Richard Pearson, also a member of the Homeowners Association Ex- ecutive Board, agreed to join Svejda because of fundamental problems he has with the way the Recreation Dis- trict runs business, he said. Pearson is running for the Group 5 trustee seat held by Robert Preiks- chat, who is seeking re-election. John Baker, 68, has served on many homeowners association com- mittees, although he's never held of- fice with the executive board. Baker is seeking the Group 9 trus- tee seat now held by Bill Ward, who has not indicated if he will seek an- other term. The fourth member of The Trust Group, Bruce Bolon, who could not be reached for comment, is on the Homeowners Association Executive Board. It's not clear which group he will seek. Another incumbent, John Oly- slager, announced he is seeking an- other term as the Group 3 trustee. Photo Caption A DRIVE BY BAREFOOT BAY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER MARY HOWARD would put streets on the map. Howard is launching a campaign to get many house numbers and street names changed in the community to make it easier for emergency personnel to find residents in the case of a crisis. "It's a real mess if you don't know your way around here," she said "You can't follow the (house) numbers in half the areas. For emergency vehicles, it's real tough." How- ard hopes to start circulating petitions around the neighborhoods to get residents to support the changes. Brevard County requires that 51 percent of the residents living on the streets affected sign the petitions for the project to be carried out. Fans need to support post team Bill Valyo Forty baseball games to play in the hot summer sun here in Florida is a real tester for Sebastian Post 189's American Legion team this year. The team has already played seven games this season, going 3-4 thus far, and have notched impres- sive wins against Vero Beach and Port St. Lucie. Big wins are nice things to accomplish, but the team must learn to stay up for all games if they are to move into the elite ranks of the program. Coach George Young already has experienced letdowns in the Sebas- tian River High School season, beat- ing some of the state's best, only to have his team lose to teams it should have beaten. This legion club is made up mostly of the same high-school play- ers, so if they are to learn from previ- ous experiences they will have to buckle down over the long haul. Playing legion ball is a matter of dedication. School days are over for a while and thoughts of young play- ers wander to other things when you are 16 and 17 years old. The closeness to the beaches and all their activities; summer cookouts and family vacations all are distrac- tions for the legion ball players. It's not easy dedicating yourself to a tough schedule when you see friends and family packing up for a day at the beach. As I have said in previous col- umns about legion baseball, it would help if the sponsor of the team and its members come out to the games and cheer on the team who represent the area and the post. What better way to keep the team focused on playing then to have strong support from appreciative fans. You have to go to the games to see these teen-agers and their coaches. Even before the game, play- ers and coaches get the field ready for play by chalking the foul lines and the batters box. I always have championed the teen-agers who play American Le- gion baseball. It is the best youth baseball program in the country. Se- bastian has a fine team representing the city and Post 189. Give them an afternoon and they will show you some good baseball. Recent VA Golden Age Games light life for Barefoot Bay resident By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun In the '60s, the Air Force took Barefoot Bay resident David Bair all over the country. In the '70s Baird's teaching career took him al over the world. "I had lot of good experience while I was in those areas," Bair said. In May, the Department of Vet- erans Affairs took Baird to Leesburg, Va., to participate in the 12th Na- tional Veterans Golden Age Games held on the campus of Xerox Docu- ment University. And it's one trip the world-traveler will never forget. "The VA has been wonderful to me," Baird said. During a teaching career that spanned almost 30 years and two hemispheres, Baird coached dozens of youngsters in various sports. But as the old adage, "those who don't do, teach," says, Baird didn't play the sports he coached. That all changed when a recrea- tional therapist at the VA medical fa- cility in West Palm Beach invited Baird, along with four other pa- tients, to represent the hospital at this year's National Veterans Golden Pure Games. Photo Caption Barefoot Bay resident and Air Force veteran David Baird competes in the table tennis tournament at the 12th National Veterans Golden Age Games in Leesburg, Va., in May. "I wanted to have the camarade- rie of the VA patients and I wanted to talk to a lot of veterans," Baird said. While Baird had regularly exer- cised on the bike and in the pool and occasionally played table tennis with other patients in the hospital's day room, he had never played the sports competitively. So Baird hopped on his stationary bike at home and be- gan training to compete in bicycling, swimming and table tennis at the na- tional gathering. Biking about a quarter mile a day for about four months before the games, the conditioning strength- ened muscles and increased Baird's lung capacity. And when he com- peted in the three events during the week of May 22-27, the training paid off. "That got me in good muscle tone and it gave me breath," Baird said. "When I went up the hill in the bicycle race, I was able to keep my breath. The further I went, the faster I went. Once I got my balance right, I shot up that hill." Baird placed fourth out of about 30 competitors in the 60-64-year-old age group in the quarter-mile bicycle race, the table-tennis tournament and the 25-yard freestyle swimming race. But the real payoff was the week Baird spent conversing with some of the more than 400 veterans who par- ticipated in this year's games. Men and women, disabled and ambula- tory, veterans of World War II, Ko- rea and Vietnam, Baird talked to fel- low veterans of all kinds. "I sat outside and smoked a few cigars each day and talked over veter- ans' affairs with various veterans," Baird said. "So many people passed by and I talked to every one of them. We talked about all kinds of things, how great it was there, being veter- ans, where we served and what it was like to serve there, the bases we had been in." And the conversation, the cama- raderie of those who shared similar military experiences, meant more to Baird than winning a dozen gold medals ever could, he said. That's one of the tenets of the VA's recreation-therapy programs administered at its hospitals across the country. According to the VA, physical activity and friendly com- petition engage the mind, as well as the body. "Everyone who participated, they're considered a hero," Baird said. "And everyone who partici- pated, they're considered a cham- pion, just because we participated" The experience was similar for Se- bastian resident Bill Hubner. After participating in last year's games in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., the Army veteran couldn't resist returning to the event that had given him such fond memories. "When you have a good time and good success, you have a tendency to want to return to the scene of a good time," Hubner, who won several medals last year, said. An avid bicyclist who plays weekly in the Vero Beach/Indian River County Recreation Department's table-tennis program, Hubner won a gold medal in the half-mile and a sil- ver medal in the quarter-mile bicycle races and successfully defended his table-tennis title from last year in the 65-69-year-old age group. The VA contends such activities are vital to veterans' health, recupera- tion and overall quality of life and it bills the National Golden Ages Games as a showcase for the value of sports, fitness and recreation in the lives of all older Americans. "That's the point of these games," Hubner said. "I want to stay m shape." All veterans older than 55 who re- ceive treatment at VA hospitals are eligible to participate. Individual hospitals often pick up the travel tabs of their representatives, frequently using donations from local veterans organizations. Competition is offered in more than a dozen sports, including activi- ties for those confined to wheelchairs and who are visually impaired. There are day trips to visit the local sights, as well as formal opening and closing ceremonies. "The governor (of Virginia) was there, the secretary of the Depart- ment of Veterans Affairs was there and a number of dignitaries and sev- eral generals. And they had drill teams and they had groups that were carrying flags," Baird said. "It was wonderfuL" But as for Baird, the real attrac- non for most participants is the fel- lowship that takes place among vet- erans who all share the experience of serving in the U.S. military during both war and peacetime. "I didn't think I'd be talking to so many dozens of veterans, men and women," Baird said. "It surprised me how friendly and how nice they are, and how much they were interested in me and how much I was interested in them." Photo Caption SEBASTIAN RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, from left, Cliff Sanders, Chris Skala and George Morin, spend the first day of their summer freedom playing hoops at Schumann Park. Pros offer youngsters chance to get in swing By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun "I am Tiger Woods." That's a dream at least a few of the 70 children and teen-agers might have who are expected to participate in the Sebastian Municipal Golf Course Junior Golf Academy begin- ning June 16. And while he is often credited with increasing golf's popularity among youngsters, the golf course began its program a year before Woods won the Masters Tourna- ment in 1997. "A lot of people think it's be- cause of Tiger Woods and I guess it is to an extent," Sebastian pro Greg Gardner said. "But there's definitely been a growth and it goes for every- body. Every year, there's just a few more people that play this game." So it makes sense for a golf course to encourage the young to play. "We have two main goals out here," Gardner said. "One is for this golf course to do well. And the other one is to promote golf. That's one of the best ways to promote it: to put clubs in the hands of a 6-, 7-year old, 8-year-old or even 12- or 13-year olds." Fourteen-year-old Brian Green certainly thinks so. He began partici- pating in the program its first year and believes it has helped him im- prove everything from the distance of his drive to the accuracy of his putting. "I learned the basic swing and I can hit the ball farther," Green said. He now plays about once a week, often with his father, who Gardner says now has real competi- tion from his son. "Him and his dad, it's a grudge match," Gardner joked. "They're very equivalent. One day he'll win by a shot and the next day his dad will win by a shot." Gardner and Director of Golf Pat Cerjan use a variety of tech- niques to teach the youngsters fun- damental skills, which makes it fun for the students who range in age from 6 to 17. "I want them to know you should always have fun," Gardner said. "If you don't have fun, you're not going to play well." Green particularly likes the drill where Gardner and Cerjan draw circles on the driv- ing range and the students try to hit the ball into the circle. "It's a lot of fun," Green said. For the youngest golfers, the instructors set up the putting green like a miniature-golf course. One of their favorite games, Gardner said, is playing "Simon Says," in which he tells the children things such as "Simon says, grip the club," "Slmon says, take a swing." "Our language changes a little bit," Gardner said. "Luckily, Pat and I both have young kids, so we know how to get down on that level. You have to keep it simple and keep it fun." The instructors also stress safety for golf- ers of all ages. While it's a big group for two instructors to teach, Gardner and Cerjan make sure each student gets individual attention because each golfer has a different level of skill and experience. "We kind of work with them individu- ally so if one of them has been around the game for five, six years, we treat them a little differently," Gardner said. "A rank beginner would be strictly fundamentals, the kid that's played for five or six years may be a little more technical." Many of the golfers either do or will play on the Sebastian River High School golf team, but many want to learn so they can play with siblings, parents or grandparents. "I tell them, 'This is a game you can play with your grandfather,'" Gardner said. "It's a game for everybody." The course covers all basic golfing skills including putting, chipping, bunker play and driving, as well as etiquette, rules, sports- manship, course management, pace of play and tournament play. At the end of the course, the instructors expect the students to have at least a funda- mental understanding of the game. "They'll have an overall education," Gardner said. "And we tell them, 'Guys, you all have a head start and if you like it, stick with this game, you'll thank yourself.' After the seven days of teaching are over, the course ends with an 18-hole golf tourna- ment for the older students and a five- to nine-hole tournament for the younger ones. When it's over, the students are treated to hot dogs and hamburgers in the Eagle's Nest restaurant and everyone receives awards such as T-shirts and hats. "Everybody wins something," Gardner said, The course continues to encourage youngsters to play after the course is over by offering 50-cent buckets of balls for the driv- ing range and allowing juniors to play 18 holes for a $1 if they don't use a cart. The Junior Golf Academy costs just $25 per student for the eight-day program. Classes will begin June 16 and meet on June 18, 23, 25 and July 1 and 7, with the tour- nament on July 9. Students ages 12-17 meet in the morn- ing from 8:30 a.m. until 10 a.m. and stu- dents ages 6 to 11 meet from 10:30 a.m. un- til noon. For more information or to register, call 589-6801. To help support the program, pro-shop employee and St. Lucie County firefighter Stephen Beane will hold the 1998 Firefighter Open June 27 at the Sebastian Municipal Golf Course. Despite the name, it's open to anyone. "I went to the Firefighter Olympics this year and played in the golf tournament and it was a lot of fun," Beane said. "So I fig- ured, I'm in the fire department, I work at a golf course, why not? And as far as the jun- ior-golf program, it seemed a logical connec- tion." The proceeds will go directly to the pro- gram and Beane may offer scholarships for children who can't afford the program next year. An avid golfer himself, Beane has seen the benefits of the program first-hand. His 12-year-old son, Josh, has participated in the program since it started and seems to re- spond to the pro instructors, Beane said. "If I try to teach him one thing, it just doesn't seem to register," Beane said. "Whereas, say, from Pat (Cerjan) or Greg (Gardner), he'll take it to heart. He'll say, 'You're not a pro dad, you don't know what you're talking about.'" The tournament format will be a four-man scramble with an 8:30 a.m.shot- gun start. The $35 per-person registration fee includes 18 holes of golf, a cart, lunch, beer and prizes. Sponsorships are available for $25 per hole. Participants must register no later than June 20. For more information, call Beane at 589-6801 or (561) 871-5463. Local business provides pat-on-the-back for local athletes LINDA E. ROTHSTEIN The Publix Supermarket in the Riverwalk Shopping Center on U.S. 1 in Roseland isn't just a place where shopping is a pleasure. It's a place where student-athletes at Sebas- tian River High School are recognized tbr their efforts. Each month during the school year for the last four years, store Manager Jim Cooler has awarded a plaque to an outstanding male and female athlete at the high school and adds a plate on matching plaques in the store and the school's athletics office. "What's significant is the fact that the rec- ognition is coming from a community busi- ness," SRHS Athletic Director Michael Stutzke said. SRHS coaches and Stutzke choose the de- serving students and Cooler, who often brings other store employees with him, comes to the school to present the award. Students' first reactions at being called to the front office, according to Cooler, is one of fear. "Usually they're a little reserved because they're not sure what they've been called down for," Cooler said. And as a joke, Stutzke strings the students along by saving he saw what they had done and he won't stand for it. Or sometimes, he tells the students they've been chosen to help Publix to promote a store pork special by kissing a pig in the supermar- ket's parking lot. Stutzke said the boys usually give in, think- ing it's something they're required to do, but the girls usually balk, saying, "Do I have to?" Cooler and Principal Fran Adams play along with the jokes, but soon ease the stu- dent's alarm by presenting them with the award. While the students' first reaction is relief, they soon break into a smile at the surprise of being singled out for their contribution to SRHS athletics. "Most kids say, 'It's nice that I was recog- nized for the sacrifices I made,'" Stutzke said. The award was the brainchild of facul- ty-member Becky Selph, who also sponsors the Students Against Drunk Driving club. At the time, her husband worked at a Publix in Vero Beach and knew the company was a strong supporter of education in the commu- nity. When Stutzke approached Cooler, a for- mer classmate at VBHS, Cooler thought it was a great idea. "I thought it would show a lot of commu- nity support," Cooler said. "And Publix is real education-oriented and we try to support all the schools in our area, as well as the kids. That's what it's all about." Another benefit of the award is that it is another superlative to put on college applica- tions. Since SRHS has not been a member of an athletic conference and students can't earn All-Conference awards, the Publix Student-Athlete of the Month award may give them just one more edge over other applicants, Stutzke said. The school strives to recognize at least one student, from every sports team at the high school, but the award is based upon what the athlete contributes to the team. This year's winners were Heather Anderson for volleyball and Anthony Bryant for football in September; Ju- lie Mills for volleyball and Anwar Dudley for football in October; Tammy Warren for cross country and Josh Preston for swimming in November; Jonethia Dawkins and Travious Rolle for basketball in De- cember; Jami Carnevale and Jim Payne for basketball in January; Can- dice Sturgis and Steve Sileo for soc- cer in February; Erin Maloney for softball and Steve Harshman for baseball in March; Kelli Lake for Ia- crosse and Rob Farruggio for weightlifting in April; and Mandy Hasenauer and Andrew Porter for track and field in May. As far as Cooler knows, the Pub- lix Student-Athlete of the Month award is unique to his store, except for a similar program at a store in Okeechobee. "It's a real good program ac- cepted well by the students," Cooler said. "The high school is great to work with and the staff. So we plan on continuing it." Obituaries Ann Jarvis Ann Blessing Jarvis, 74, 712 W. Marlin Circle, Barefoot Bay, died May 30, 1998, in Pompano Beach. She was born March 4, 1924, in Providence, RI. Mrs. Jarvis was a member of St. Luke's Catholic Church, Sebastian. Surviving are her husband, Wal- ter; two sons, Tommy Jarvis and Mi- chael Jarvis, both of Wilton Manors; eight daughters, Margaret Mary Dunne, of Fort Lauderdale, Nancy Tondorf, of Deland, Joann Jarvis, of Pompano Beach, Patricia Than, of Pompano Beach, Noreen George, of Charlotte, N.C., Donna Davis, of Kissimmee, Janet Jarvis, of Wilton Manors, and Sheila Nicastro, of Margate; and 24 grandchildren. Interment was at Forest Lawn Cemetery North, Pompano Beach. The family suggests donations be made to North Broward Medical Center's Vitas Hospice, 200 F. Sam- pIe Road, Pompano Beach, Fla. 33064, in Mrs. Jarvis' memory. Forest Lawn Funeral Home North, Pompano Beach, was in charge of arrangements. Mary Hurlburt I. Mary Hurlburt, 84, of Bare- foot Bay, died June 4, 1998, at Palm Gardens Nursing Home, Vero Beach, after a prolonged illness. She was born April 19, 1914, in Danbury, Conn., and moved to Barefoot Bay 23 years ago from Sandy Hook, Conn. Mrs. Hurlburt was director of food services for the Brookfield School System, Brookfield, Conn., prior to retirement. She was a mem- ber of Ladies Auxiliary of the Moose, Sebastian. Surviving are one son, Carl Gray, of Quechee, Vt.; two daugh- ters, Eleanor Morreale, of Sebastian, and Dorthy LaRoche, of Norwalk, Coun.; one stepson, Joseph S. Hurl- burt, of Fort Pierce; nine grandchil- dren; and 15 great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held June 8 at Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, Palm Bay. Interment will be at a later date at Fountainhead Memorial Park, Palm Bay. In lieu of flowers, the family sug- gests donations be made to the Micco Volunteer Fire Department, 301 Barefoot Blvd., Barefoot Bay, Fla. 32976, in Mrs. Hurlburt's mem- ory. Ruth Fiore Ruth Semke Fiore, 75, of Sebas- tian, died June 5, 1998, at Indian River Memorial Hospital in Vero Beach after a brief illness. She was born Nov. 22, 1922, in McKeesport, Pa., and moved to Se- bastian in 1993 from her birthplace. Mrs. Fiore was a homemaker. She was a member of Sebastian United Methodist Church and Ac- tive Singles Club of Vero Beach. Surviving are two sons, Terry Fiore, of North Palm Beach, and Dale Fiore, of Pittsburgh, Pa.; one daughter, Bonnie Fiore, of Palm Beach Gardens; and her sister, Elsie Willison, of Greensboro, S.C. A funeral service was held June 8 at the Strunk Funeral Home chapel, Sebastian, with the Rev. Roy Harris officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family sug- gests donations be made to thc American Cancer Society, North In- dian River County Unit, P.O. Bo~ 1749, Sebastian, Fla. 32958, or Se- bastian United Methodist Church. P.O. Box 780328, Sebastian, Fla. 32958, in Mrs. Fiore's memory. Edna Burgess Edna L. Burgess, 84, of Sebas- tian, died June 7, 1998, at Grand View Hospital in Sellersyille, Pa.. after a brief illness. She was born Oct. 1, 1913, in Philadelphia and moved to Sebastian from Salford Township, Pa., in 1972. Mrs. Burgess was a homemaker. She was active in the Dutch Country Playhouse in Salford Township. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Frank H.; a son-in-law, Mathias Schummer Jr., of Salford Township; and one granddaughter. Friends may call from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday at Bergey Fu- neral Home, Harleysville, Pa. A me- morial service was held June 10 at the Bergey Funeral Home, Harley- ville, Pa., with the Rev. Charles H. Fiss Jr., of St. John's Lutheran Church, Sumneytown, Pa., officiat- ing. The family suggests donations be made to the local Society for the Pre- vention of Cruelty to Animals in Mrs. Burgess' memory. Clara Trainor Clara J. Trainor, 67, of 1052 Se- bastian Road, Barefoot Bay, died June 6, 1998, at Indian River Me- morial Hospital. She was born Nov. 30, 1930, in Roebling, N.J. She. moved to Bare- foot Bay several years ago. Mrs. Trainor was a member of the Polish-American Club, Mid-At- lantic Club and the Aerobics Club of Barefoot Bay. Survivors include her husband, Eugene; two daughters, Colleen Bowner, of New Hampshire, and Kimberly Gigantino, of New Jersey; and three grandchildren. There will be no services. Young & Prill Funeral Home, Sebastian, is in charge of arrangements. William Rossell William D. Rossell, 66, of Bare- foot Bay, died June 6, 1998, at Se- bastian River Medical Center after a brief illness. He was born in Yonkers, N.Y., and moved to Brevard County in 1989 from Lindenhurst, N.Y. Mr. Rossell was an engineering expeditor for Stone & Webster Engi- neering in New York City. He was a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, both of Sebastian, the Knights of Colum- bus in Yonkers; the Korean War Vets Association, the Moose and Elks clubs, of Sebastian. He was a member of St. Luke's Catholic Church, the St. Luke's Catholic Church Men's Club and the Sons & Daughters of Erin. Surviving are his wife, Kathleen; and a brother, John Rossell, of Yon- kers. A funeral service was held June 10 at St. Luke's Catholic Church. Burial will be at Fountainhead Me- morial Park, Palm Bay. Fountainhead Funeral Home, Palm Bay, was in charge of arrange- ments. END Sebastian Sun Articles a digital text archive The Sebastian Sun June 19, 1998 c 1998 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. President: Darryl K. Hicks. Executive Editor: Larry Reisman. Editor: Louise Phillipine. Advertising Manager: Debbi Vickers (USPS) The Sun is published weekly by Treasure Coast Publishing Inc., a division of Scripps Howard Inc., 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. c 1998 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. All correspondence, including news copy, should be addressed to 717 Coolidge St., Sebastian, FL 32958. Phone: (561) 589- 6616; Fax: (561) 978-2386. News deadline, 5 p.m., Friday. All display advertising should be addressed to 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. Phone (561) 978-2383; Fax:(561) 978-2297. Advertising deadline, 1 p.m., Monday. FROM THE ARCHIVES TOP STORY FROM A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: Manatees and sea-grass beds are being endangered by boaters traveling between Sebastian Inlet and the recently opened marina. Because the boaters are in a habit of making their own paths in the channel that lead to the marina, Sebastian Inlet State Park officials took the first step to right the situation. They went before the Florida Inland Navigation District governing board to ask for money needed for 20 markers to line the channel. The proposed channel-marker plan will designate clearly where boaters are to travel. CITIZEN OF THE DAY NAME: Larry Alexander. AGE: 44. OCCUPATION: Owner of L.A. Tile. BIRTHPLACE: Lake Worth. MOVED HERE: 1988. COMMUNITY SERVICE: Sponsor of Sebastian River Area Little League team, supporter of United Way Youth Guidance program. HOBBIES: Golfing, fishing, sailing. FAVORITE AUTHOR: Marlo Morgan. WHY I LIKE MY NEIGHBOR- HOOD: I live in Micco. It's just a quiet, friendly little neighborhood. The neigh- bors are nice. Everyone waves and says, "Hello." WEEKEND PICKS The Barefoot Bay Homeowner's As- sociation is planning a "Prom Night" of fun and frolic starting at 7 p.m. June 20 in Building A. Participants can dance the night away to the sounds of Sammie Angel. Coffee, cake and little snacks are in- cluded in the $4 cover charge. Participants must bring their identifi- cation badges. WHAT DID HE SAY? "I've got 30 to 40 inches of water going nowhere and all the mosquitoes you want. The price of my property went downhill. I couldn't give it away." — Will Rose (Rose, a Dempsey Avenue resident, made the statement to the Sebastian City Council June 10 in reference to the catch-basin in front of his house. He was one of several residents who com- plained to the council about the work being done at the Dempsey-Vocelle ave- nues drainage project. The residents said the slopes in their new swales are too steep and too close to the edge of the road. They said their streets are a mess and they want the job finished.) Program to tell new parents the story of reading's benefits By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun Want a little genius in the family? Start reading to your baby from the day he is born. Actually, reading to your baby may not push his IQ over the 140 mark, but a British study has shown that reading to children at least 10 minutes a day, espe- cially before age 6, can give youngsters an advantage in literacy, making learning easier. At the very least, it can foster in chil- dren a lifelong love of reading and a spe- cial bond with parents. That's the message of the "Feed Me a Story" project, sponsored locally by the Publix Supermarket in Roseland, the North Indian River County Library, the United Way of Indian River County, the Sebastian Rotary Club and Sebastian River Medical Center. "I've always known that it's nice to read to your baby, but I didn't know why," North County Library Director Lynn Walsh said. Each organization is taking a differ- ent role from producing literature, television and video spots, to buying and distributing the books, to coordinating the effort to bring the program to com- munities all over Florida, Georgia and Alabama. "It's a good group of players that have pulled together," United Way Exec- utive Director Michael King said. "It's a real collaboration. We think it's a pro- gram that will really make a difference." Photo Caption Roseland Publix Store Manager Jim Cooler reads to son, Ryan, 6. In an effort to encourage parents to read daily to their children, the Feed Me a Story program in Sebastian is putting books and library cards in the hands of new mothers who give birth at Sebastian River Medical Center. The Indian River County Main Li- brary in Vero Beach will distribute books to new mothers at Indian River Memo- rial Hospital. Scheduled to begin on Father's Day or soon thereafter, each new mother will receive a book and a library card applica- tion, along with age-appropriate book lists and literature detailing the advantages of reading aloud to their little ones. Books in Spanish also will be distributed. Steve Midkiff, executive director of Sebastian River Medical Center, said the Feed Me a Story books and materials will be distributed in the care packages all new mothers receive when they leave the hos- pital. Sebastian River Medical Center also is donating books to be distributed to Bre- vard County residents who have their ba- bies at the hospital. Through colorful pictures and simple words, the book "Read to Your Bunny," by author Rosemary Wells, conveys the message, "Read to your bunny and your bunny will read to you," reinforcing the idea that reading is a fun activity that can be shared with others. Roseland Publix Store Manager Jim Cooler, who is coordinating the distribu- tion of posters and fliers at the store, li- brary and hospital, also reads to his three children, especially his youngest. 6-year-old Ryan. "It forms a bond between parents and children and also helps in the develop- ment of some of the skills they need to be successful," Cooler said. As Cooler cradles Ryan on his lap, the Pelican Island Elementary student's eyes crinkle with pleasure as his daddy points to the pictures and helps him sound out a word. "It reinforces what they do at school," Cooler said. Ryan nods shyly when asked if he likes reading and is obviously delighted at being his daddy's center of attention. The Feed Me a Story program also contends that, although busy parents have less time to spend with children, taking just 10 minutes a day to give full, one- on-one attention to a child helps that child feel love and security in his relation- ship with parents. "It's probably a real important mes- sage to young parents because it's so much easier to stick a video in the VCR," Walsh said. "I'm not against videos ... but I think you have to remember to sit down and read to your children." So a vital component in the Feed Me a Story program is physical contact with the child while reading. Walsh, who with donations from the Friends of the North County Library, is helping to buy and distribute the books to the hospital, read to all three of her chil- dren. She believes it not only made each of her children feel special because of the personal attention they got, but also helped prepare them for school by strengthening listening and understanding skills. "I think it makes them feel special be- cause you spend time with them," Walsh said. "Especially when they're young, it's the warmth of holding them in your lap that's a big part of it, too." The Feed Me a Story program is not limited to new mothers. Posters and liter- ature are available at both libraries, as well as area Publix stores. Shirley Wolsten- holme, children's librarian at the North County library, will show a video about the program to children during the sum- mer library program, and hundreds of children's books are available for check-out from the library. "It's all to help the kids," Cooler said. Nominees love to help the community KRISTEN BERGMAN For The Sun Each Sebastian resident nominated for this year's Man and Woman of the Year contest has, through countless hours of volunteer work, pieced together an impor- tant part of the community's puzzle. The following six finalists have been nominated by friends or relatives for their concern for their community. The winners will be announced in the July 3 edition of the Sun. The deadline for submitting your votes for Man and Woman of the Year is 4 p.m., June 26. Entries must be submitted to the Sun office at 717 Coolidge St. The nominees are: Margaret Miquelon Miquelon, a 10-year resident of Sebas- tian, has found many ways to fill her spare time since moving here to spend her retire- ment. She and her husband, Ed, first came to here to visit their son, daughter-in-law and grandson and admitted to "falling in love with the area." Today, Miquelon divides her time among numerous clubs and acriv- ities. She was the first president of Welcome Wagon, a group that calls on new residents and organizes other community activities. Miquelon also served on the Tree Commission when it first formed, and is now president of the Pelican Island Garden Club. The garden club's most recent accom- plishment, she said, is turning a piece of bare land just south of County Road 512 on Barber Street into a garden paradise. "It's turned that field into a beautiful oasis," she said. "It's be- come a tranquil park for people to come and sit." Miquelon also spends her time in other clubs, such as the Question Club, the Bridge Club, Stepping Stone Quilters and the Fishing Club. She has also volunteered on the Re- tired Senior Volunteer Program Ad- visory Council; is a 40-year member of PEG, an international educational philanthropic organization; and is a Press-Journal and Sebastian Sun cor- respondent. "When retirement was immi- nent, we came down here and we love it," she said. Elsie Eggen Although Eggen divides her time between several community organiz- ations, she prides herself on the work she's done for the Sebastian library. When Eggen first moved to Se- bastian nine years ago, she was in- vited to be a book-repair volunteer at the library. At the time, she already had experience repairing books and hymnals while she lived in Louisiana. Today the goal of the library, re- located to a larger location on Route 512, is to keep the books in better condition than in any similar-sized li- brary in the state. Ina Nichols, who nominated Eggen, said not only is Eggen in- volved in many activities, such as gardening and her church, she is an interesting person to talk to about many different things. "She's a very interesting person, Nichols said. "She knows a lot about a lot of things, and she's a very won- derful person, as far as I'm con- cerned." Eggen admits that she never ex- pected her nomination for Sebas- tian's Woman of the Year. "I was off on vacation, so it was a real surprise," she said. "Volunteers are essential for the operation of the library, and (volunteering) just came gradually." Joan Kostenbader Kostenbader's community in- volvement is varied, but above all, she prides herself on her work with the Sebastian River Area Historical Society. Kostenbader also is a former member of the Code Enforcement Board, the Indian River County League of Women Voters and a tour guide at the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum. Although Linda Garely, who made the nomination, said she has only met Kostenbader a few times, she was impressed with Kostenbad- er's involvement with the historical society. "I think the historical society is a wonderful thing for Sebastian, and she does a good job with it," she said. "She's easy to get along with and just a very pleasant person. Kosrenbader is also a volunteer for the Indian River County Public Health Department as a registered nurse and a volunteer at her church, First Presbyterian. Kostenbader, who has lived in Sebastian since 1986 with her hus- band, Allen, said the nomination for Sebastian's "Woman of the Year" award was unexpected. "It's quite an honor, and it cer- tainly is a surprise," she said. Walter Barnes Barnes said he's now in his "sec- ond retirement." The first time was marked by his move to Sebastian. The second time was marked by the end of his one-year tenure as Sebas- tian's mayor. A resident of Sebastian for seven years, Barnes spends his time, when nor involved in politics, as a member of the Sebastian Homeowners' Asso- ciation and the Sebastian Fishing Club. But, despite his activities and his time in the mayor's office, Barnes said he never expected to be nomi- nated as Sebastian's "Man of the Year." "I was surprised, and pleasantly so," he said. "The first time I realized my nomination was when I saw my name in the paper." John Rodriguez, who nominated Barnes, said it was Barnes' commu- nity involvement that sparked the nomination. "I thought he was a very good mayor. He did a very good job," Rodriguez said. "I think he's a very nice person. He's well-liked in the community, and he did a great job as mayor." Bill McCarthy McCarthy is known around Se- bastian River Middle School nor just for his teaching talents, but also for his coaching skills. McCarthy, a resident of Sebas- tian since 1976, teaches science, math and social studies at the school. He is also involved in the school's sports programs and has coached the girls' and boys' basketball teams for the past 10 years. McCarthy also volunteers his rime on Saturdays by opening the school gym to children interested in playing basketball. He also runs the school's summer basketball day camp for girls ages 8 to 18, now in its sec- ond year. Diane Miner said she nominated McCarthy because of his care for the community. "He's a round-about guy," she said. "He's very kind and consider- are." But McCarthy said he does nor look for recognition for what he does. Instead, he just likes to spend his time helping kids achieve their goals. "I choose to spend a lot of rime with the kids," he said. "These are things I like to do, and I prefer to do it because I have the free time." Arthur Muenckler Trying to catch Muenckler sit- ting at home is not an easy task. Muenckler, a resident of Sebas- tian for 17 years, spends most of his time driving between sports clubs, volunteer work and just offering his time to others. Muenekler, 74, is a member of two over-50 softball leagues, one in Sebastian and one in Vero Beach, and also plays volleyball once a week. He is a co-founder and trea- surer of the Sebastian Old Boys soft- a11 league. Also, according to his wife, Ceil, he has donated 14 gallons of blood over the past five years and takes care of the trees around the Barber Street Sports Complex. "I'm honored and amazed," Muenckler said of his nomination. "I get back from vacation and I see my name in the paper." Neighbor Nancy Scheidt, who nominated Muenckler, said he is someone who is always willing to help. "He's a good friend, a very hos- pitable and caring person," she said. "He's always ready to lend a helping hand." Muenckler also volunteers his time by driving other senior resi- dents where they need to go. He has taken some to hospitals as far as Or- lando, and has also taught one woman how to drive. "There's not enough hours in a day," said Mrs. Muenckler, describ- in the activities Arthur involves himself in. "This year we will be married 50 years, and I would love to see him 'Man of the Year.'" Fins: Seafood fare in island setting By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun Photo Caption Fins cook James Brown grills wahoo over an oak fire. Come for the view and stay for the food. Fins Grill and Raw Bar, Sebas- tian's newest seafood restaurant, rests on the end of a pier at Sembler Marina on Indian River Drive, giv- ing diners the feeling they're floating on the water. "This is just the perfect location," General Manager Dan Poore said. "Look at it, you can't beat this view. The restaurant's made to be on the water." All the dining tables sit on a deck that wraps around the restaurant, as- suring a good view of the Indian River and a fresh breeze for every- one. A full liquor bar is inside, sere- naded by strains of island music. During the hot three weeks since Fins opened, General Manager Dan Poore said the temperature under the covered deck has been almost 20 de- grees cooler than the outside temper- ature. Add a cold beverage from the bar and some fresh seafood, and din- ers can find pleasant relief from the summer heat. "We didn't tell anybody we opened, we just kind of unlocked the door, and it's just been busier and busier every day," Poore said. All the seafood Fins offers — from oysters, clams and crab to scal- lops, shrimp and fish — is fresh, in- cluding local fish from the Fins' docks. But whether it is seafood, steak or chicken, all meat is grilled over an oak fire using regional herbs and spices and citrus sauces. "The biggest difference between us and other places is that we cook over an open wood fire, which gives the fish a very unique taste," Poore said. "And everything's fresh, we have no freezers here and no micro- waves." One of Fins' specialties is the ras- so-wrapped sea scallops. The grilled fresh sea scallops, wrapped in bacon and served with a honey lime sauce, has become a favorite of many pa- trons, according to Poore. But Fins also will cook entrees to order if diners prefer their seafood, steak or chicken fried, blackened or broiled instead of grilled. And for those who want a variety of tastes on their plate, Fins has a seafood sam- pler and several beef or chicken and seafood combinations. Fins also offers lighter fare, in- cluding a full selection of appetizers, and purists can slurp on raw oysters or clams on the half shell. Fins also has a large selection of salads and sandwiches, including shrimp salad and the "Hayrahava" burger. Fins hasn't forgotten the young- sters, either. A menu for children un- der 12 features fried fish and shrimp, a hamburger, a chicken sandwich and chicken fingers. To top it all off, Fins serves Key lime pie and chocolate pecan pie for dessert. "We try to take pride in every- thing we do," Poore said. "We wouldn't serve it unless we would eat it." Prices start at $4.99 for appetiz- ers and range to $19.99 for a steak- and-seafood combination. Fins' goal, printed on the menu, is "to bring a unique, high-spirited coastal flavor to every entree we pre- pare," and to serve it in a relaxed, is- land atmosphere. Many customers first come to enjoy the unique loca- tion of the restaurant but come back for the food. "When (customers) come in they're so happy with the view that the good food is just icing to them." Poore said. Some customers already are fa- miliar with the menu, since another Fins opened in Melbourne two years ago. But that restaurant is land-locked and doesn't have peli- cans perching and dolphins jumping right before its customers' eyes. Fins Grill and Raw Bar is open from 11:30 am. until 10 p.m. Sun- day through Thursday and 11:30 am. until 11 p.m. Friday and Satur- day, with happy hour every day from 3-6 p.m. Reservations are required for large parties. All menu items are available for take out. Fins can be reached at 589-3828. Barefoot Bay woman addressing community's confusing streets By Linda Rothstein Mary Howard often rises before the sun. Maybe it's the influence of her rural birthplace, or maybe it's from 33 years as a physical-education teacher, but either way, the early riser needs plenty of daylight to get to the myriad activities she's involved with in her Barefoot Bay commu- nity. "I do a lot of things in the morn- ing," Howard said. "I'm a very, very early riser." A charter member of the Bare- foot Bay Citizens Observer Patrol, she's now second in command and the day supervisor in charge of scheduling. She continues her weekly patrols on Saturdays and Sundays. She's the first and only woman on the Kiwanis Club Memorial Tree Committee. And she's a member of the Bare- foot Bay Homeowners Association Executive Board. As if those activities weren't enough, Howard has added another project to her already busy schedule, and it's a big one. Photo Caption When Barefoot Bay resident Mary Howard isn't working to better her community, she spends time with her two Shih Tzus, Ming and Sniffer. "It keeps me young and I like to help people," Howard said. "And I figure everybody's got to pitch in to make a community the way that we want." Through her involvement in the community, especially the patrols, Howard noticed the inconsistencies in house numbers and street direc- tions throughout the Barefoot Bay neighborhoods. On some streets, addresses jump from the 700s to the 11OOs. On oth- ers, even and odd house numbers are mixed on the same side of the street, all with no rhyme or reason. Howard mentioned a neighbor- hood where the houses face one street but the mailing addresses are on the street behind the homes. Even more streets have direc- tional problems, often labeled "NW" when the street really runs southeast. In all, about 85 streets in Barefoot Bay have confusing addressing or di- rectional systems. "It must have happened way back when the place was designed," Howard said. "But how they screwed it up with all empty lots, I don't know." She's heard stories from neigh- bors about ambulances driving up and down a street several times be- fore finding the correct house. "If you'd had a heart attack or a stroke, every second counts," How- ard said. But in order for changes to be made, Howard must get 51 percent of the affected residents to sign a pe- tition in favor of the changes before the Brevard County Address Assign- ment Office will take over the proj- ect. The Address Assignment Office has been aware of the problems but needed a member of the community to spearhead the plan. It looks like they found their woman. "I found out that it had been tried two or three times before, but it's so much work," Howard said. "(The Address Assignment Office has) been trying to get it changed but couldn't get anyone to work with them." But Howard can't do it alone. Hundreds of residents must be con- tacted, and often persuaded, to com- plete the petitions. And while How- ard plans to tackle the project slowly, targeting just a few of the 85 streets at a time, it will take a lot of leg- work. "I'm asking for volunteers to help with foot work," Howard said. She's had a few calls from volun- teers and has talked to members of the homeowners association, but with so many Barefoot Bay residents out of town during the summer, it could take several months to gain all the necessary signatures. But Howard isn't afraid of the challenge. "I don't daunt easily not once I've gotten into this," Howard said. For more information or to vol- unteer, call Howard at 664-7013. Birthdate: Aug. 30, 1937. Birthplace: Fulton, N.Y. Education: B.S. in health, recrea- non and physical education from Brockport College, N.Y. MS. in physical education from Cortland Stare College, N.Y. Family: Three brothers, one sis- rer. The best part of my job is: Meet- ing people and helping our where I can. What I like least about my job is: Negativism and lack of manners during disagreements. The most recent movie I saw in a theater was: "The Graduate." The book I would recommend everyone read is: "Sports Illus- trated" magazine. The person I would most like to meet is: Margarer Thatcher. My favorite food is: Steak on the grill. If I were going on a trip to the moon, I would take along: My pups, Ming and Sniffer. When I was growing up, I al- ways wanted to be: A physical edu- cation teacher. The person I admire the most is: My sister, Eloise. My proudest moment was: When I graduated from college. My favorite sports team is: The Green Bay Packers and the Utah Jazz. On my last vacation, I visited: Europe. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is: Wash my face and brush my teeth. People who know me the best know: I don't give up easily. The most exciting time in my life was: Going to the Calgary Stampede during the Canadian Bi- centennial. New coach cheers for SRHS squad By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun Photo Caption New Sebastian River High School cheerleading Coach Melissa White helps prospective cheerleaders learn a new cheer for tryouts. Sebastian resident Melissa White has always wanted to make a differ- ence in peoples' lives. That's why she's getting her de- gree in elementary education. And as the new cheerleading coach at Sebastian River High School, she'll have an impact on young people right away. "I like the idea of being involved in school, and it's a good way you can have a positive influence on the student body," White said. The position came open recently when former Coach Robin Kraai re- signed to pursue her master's degree. White heard of the opening from her husband, Antiny, who teaches his- tory and helps coach the football team at Sebastian River. "I've been there at all the games," White said. "So when I found our they were looking for someone, I thought it was an ideal way to get more involved." As a former high-school and col- lege cheerleader herself, White knew she'd be just right for the job. As with many cheerleaders, White's interest in the sport began when she was a teen-ager at Cedar- town High School in Georgia. She carried her love of cheerleading to West Georgia College, where she cheered on the coed squad. "It was a good way in college to meet people and get involved in the school," White said. There, she learned more about competitive cheerleading, doing partner stunts and using more gym- nastics. She'd like to bring those skills to Sebastian River. "I have a lot of knowledge and skill I hope to pass along as far as stunting and stunt safety," White said. "I hope I can teach them the proper way to do it and make it look good while being safe." Over the years, she's seen cheerleading evolve from just an- other after-school activity to a legiti- mate sport. The Florida High School Activities Association may sanction cheerleading next year, allowing teams to compete for district, re- gional and state championships. "I think cheerleading has changed from being more than just having pretty girls up there to actu- ally being a sport," White said. But White also wants her cheer- leaders to know they continue to serve an important function at the sporting events. "I want the squad to be very competitive," White said. "But cheerleaders shouldn't forsake their school. They should be at all the school's sporting events." When she's not coaching the cheerleaders or taking education classes at Florida Atlantic University, White is a sales associate at the Excel Computer Co., Sebastian, but she hopes to be teaching in the class- room by December 1999. Tryouts were held last month, and she is planning to take her squad to a cheerleading camp at the Uni- versity of Central Florida in Orlando during the summer break. Local briefs Finance director to address ACT group Sebastian Finance Director Janet Isman is scheduled to discuss the city's budget preparation at the June 22 meeting of the Aware Citizens and Taxpayers. The meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Senior Center, Da- vis Street. The meeting is open to the publiuc, and there will be a ques- tion and answer period. Refresh- ments will be served. Get baking for pie contest A pie contest will be held at noon at the Riverview Parrk gazebo as part of the Fourth of July cele- bration. Pies will be judged on texture, appearance and taste by a panel of judges. After a pie is judged, the re- maining pie will be auctioned, and the proceeds will be used toward July Fourth activities. Pie plates will not be returned. All winners will be awarded gift certificates. Pies should be labeled with the name of the donor and/or organization and the donor's phone number. Businesses, organizations and in- dividuals can enter. For details, call pie contest Chairman Joe Blair at 589-3345. Women earn service award The Sebastian River Junior Woman's Club was honored with the Mary Clark Award at the annual convention of the Greater Federation of Woman's Clubs, Florida Federa- tion of Woman's Clubs. The award is given to a junior club in the state for outstanding community service. This is the sec- ond time in six years the Sebastian club has won the award. Helga Scofield and Justine Stein represented the club at the Sebastian River High School Scholarship Award Night on May 21. They pres- ented a $300 scholarship to Nicole Albertson. Girl Scout Council holds ceremony The Palm Glades Girl Scout Council has announced local Bridg- ing Ceremonies in the Charon (Se- bastian) Service Unit. Brownie, Junior and Cadette Girl Scouts in Sebastian held a Unit Wide Bridging Ceremony at Sebas- tian Middle School. About 50 local Girl Scouts completed their bridging activities and were placed in the next age level of Girl Scouting. This is a traditional ceremony that assures the progression and knowledge of skills in each age level. The Girl Scouting program promotes progressive and coopera- tive learning experiences. Preservation Society to entertain youth At 1:30 p.m. June 22, the Peli- can Island Preservation Society will present a program at the North In- dian River County Library, Sebas- tian, for children attending the Flor- ida Library Youth Program. The program will feature a skit about Pelican Island National Wild- life Refuge performed by the Pelican Island Players in 1903-era costumes. Following the skit, Refuge Man- ager Paul Triraik will discuss birds nesting at Pelican Island and will demonstrate — using a live peli- can — the best way to untangle a bird from monofilament fishing line. Re- freshments will be served following the program. Ar 7:30 p.m. June 22 at the North County Library, Jerry and Pat Loll will present a children's pro- gram at which parents are welcome. It will feature native Florida rep- tiles, such as an Eastern indigo snake, pine snake, box turtles, go- pher tortoises, a juvenile American alligator and others. The Lolls are fully permitted by both state and federal agencies for possession and exhibition of pro- tected species. This will be an educa- tional and informative program. Call Ruth Davies at 589-3687 for more information. Retired educators issue awards The Indian River County Re- tired Educators Association recently awarded two scholarships to high-school seniors who plan to con- tinue studies in the field of educa- non. During Awards Night, May 19, at Vero Beach High School, retiring President Laurent Smith presented a scholarship to honor graduate Suz- anne Elizabeth Moore, a Florida Merit Scholar and member of the Golden Indian Society. She plans to attend Florida State University in August to study elementary educa- tion. She is the daughter of Linda and Gary Moore. On May 21, during Awards Night at Sebastian River High School, Scholarship Chairman Jean Bass awarded Nicole Marie Albert- son the second scholarship. Albertson plans to attend Flagler College in St. Augustine in August. She completed the Environ- mental Science Academy in the top 10 percent of her class, is a Blue Graduate and Florida Bright Futures Scholar, as well as a member of the National Honor Society. TOPS group featured programs Take Off Pounds Sensibly, Chap- ter 641, Sebastian, met at 8 a.m. June 11 at the Veterans of Foreign Wars on Louisiana Avenue. Best loser of the week was Deanie Taylor, with a weight loss of 3 1/2 pounds. A guest was Sarah Hendry. Nomie Tarro and Ginger Wise were in charge of the program. Ta- tro's was on "Summer's Most Nutri- ent-Packed Fruits": cantaloupe, apri- cots, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. Wise's program was "Mind Over Fatter." If you put your mind to the change, your body will respond. For more information, call Betty Walrher at 589-2190. Red Cross offering programs The American Red Cross, Indian River County, will offer a cardiopul- monary resuscitation and first-aid in- structor course July 20, 23, 27 and 30 from 6-10 p.m. at the chapter house, 2506 17th Ave., Vero Beach. The fee is $25 and includes a first aid and CPR instructor text, an instructor manual, instructor supple- ment and use of the materials. Stu- dents must be at least 17 and have current CPR and first-aid skills. The instructor course will be given the first night. The course will train students as instructors in adult CPR, infant/ child CPR, standard first aid and community first aid and safety. It will also assist students in the use of the "Till Help Arrives Module." Also, in conjunction with the Vero Beach-Indian River County Recreation Department, the Red Cross will offer Learn To Swim pro- grams through June, July and Au- gust at Leisure Square. Session Two is scheduled for June 22-July 2 in the mornings and afternoons for levels 1-7, adults, infants/toddlers and preschoolers. The infant class, for children 6 months to 3 years old, requires par- ent participation. Session Three is scheduled for July 6-16; Session Four, July 20-30; and Session Five, Aug. 3-13. The cost of the course is $35 per session for eight lessons. Registra- tion is available at the Red Cross, 2506 17th Ave., Vero Beach. For more information or regis- tration forms, call 562-2549. VA making progress toward health-care reform RICHARD HIGGINS After two years, the Department of Veterans Affairs is nearing the fi- nal wire in its race to put congres- sionally mandated reforms in place. Public Law 104-262, which originated as U.S. House H.R. 3118, requires the VA to shift from ailment or site-specific treatment to comprehensive care for veterans. That means a shift away from a few big, expensive-to-maintain hospitals to many veterans clinics near veteran concentrations, a smaller number of specialty hospitals and casual in-pa- tient care in local contract hospitals. The VA Enrollment System is the first step from the veteran's point of view. After passage of the law in 1996, enrollment of veterans started in 1997 and will continue indefi- nitely. The law takes effect Oct. 1, but implementing steps, enrollment, construction of clinics and revisions of VA procedures started immedi- ately after HR. 3118 was passed. A full scale VA clinic is being built at Viera. To those in the field it seems slow, but to the bureaucrats it seems they are being unmercifully pushed past their normal pace. The law specifically lays out the VA's authority to offer preventive health services and permits the de- partment to contract and share serv- ices with other health care providers. It comes complete with a system of priorities, but there is no automatic turn away from the door. Another key point is that the VA is required to maintain systemwide capacity to meet the specialized needs of disa- bled veterans. Your local veterans service offi- cers and their counterparts in veter- ans organizations have been encour- aging you to enroll. Listen to them! If you bought your first com- puter to be able to talk to your grandchildren, you may by now have acquired sufficient expertise to earn a buck or two helping Uncle Sam get our from under the threat of system blowup in the year 2000. Your grandchild will call it Y2K, which breaks down to "year 2000." The government recently started waiving rules limiting how much military and federal retirees can be paid if they return to federal service. In some cases, retirees were re- stricred on their wages if they re- turned to government service. In particular, retired military officers are prohibited from drawing both federal civil-service salaries and full military retirement pay. The waivers were announced by Office of Person- nel Management Director Janice La- chance with the news that 600 have been issued to date. They still keep people busy writ- ing AR's and AFR's (Army regula- tions and Air Force regulations). Air Force Instruction 36-2903 recently restricted things such as tattoos, branding and body piercing. If this art is excessive, inflammatory, ob- scene, racist or sexist, it is prohib- ited. Air Force personnel cannot cover more than one-fourth of an ex- posed body. limb or any part visible above the collarbone. Males — on base, in or our of uniform, on or off duty — cannot wear earrings or any other visible body piercing. Females — on duty, on baic, in uniform — can wear a single, small, spherical, matching earring in each earlobe. Is that discrimination? A few good men and one woman reported at 7:45 a.m. Sun- day to place 50 state flags along Vet- erans Way in Barefoot Bay. The group, headed by Dave McAllister and made up of veterans Ed Voor- his, Rene Smith, Warren Aner, Jim Clinton, Bob Fitzgerald, John Pc- trow and Dick Higgins, was joined by visitor Paula Higgins, who is chairman of the Barefoot Bay Execu- tive Board. Paula came to see what was going on, but soon found herself, hammer in hand, pounding stakes. To make all this manageable, Dave and Ed, with some assistance, manu- factured four parts for each of the 50 flags: a steel stake, an extension shaft and a flag staff with mounted flag. Each of the parts is numbered from one through 50. Everything has a place. With this system, the group erects all the flags in a current record of 20 minutes. The Senate Judiciary Committee schedule calls for consideration of Senate Joint Resolution 40 (referred to as the Flag Amendment) June 18. If the proposed amendment becomes part of the U.S. Constitution, Con- gress will be authorized to prohibit the physical desecration of the United States flag. If favored by the committee, the resolution will go the Senate floor. Senate action is expected some time after the Independence Day recess. This document is identical to House Joint Resolution 54, which was ap- proved by a 310 to 114 vote June 12, 1997. Both Florida senators and U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., have signed onto the resolutions. Reservists and National Guards- men representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard will be the first to receive new green military identification cards. They will be presented the new cards in a June 20 ceremony at Fort Dix, N.J. This will change the old red re- serve component active-status forces ID card to the same green as ac- tive-component cards. Week In Review Bay attorney instructed to foreclose on homes Barefoot Bay property owners who refuse to pay monthly assess- ment fees to the community's Recre- ation District now face losing their homes. District trustees unanimously ap- Proved a measure June 12 that al- ows their attorney, Mitch Barlow, to begin filing for mortgage foreclo- sures against property owners who are grossly delinquent on paying their assessment fees. The fees are used to maintain the recreational fa- cilities in the community. Barlow said the foreclosure mea- sure is needed now since some prop- erty owners have been delinquent for more than a year on the $36.50-a-month assessment fee. Barlow said the problem of de- linquencies has been mounting since the district purchased the recreation facilities from Avatar Inc. in late 1996; some property owners haven't paid the assessment fee at all since the district took over. Helen Hambro, community manager for the district, said at least 13 property owners are so delin- quent they will be the first to face foreclosure proceedings. "The ones that are going to the attorney have totally ignored our ef- forts," she said, noting many of the most delinquent homeowners al- ready have liens against their prop- erty. "They get at least one letter a month, we try to phone them. I don't really want to foreclose on a home," she said. The foreclosure proceedings can be stopped if a property owner comes forward and works to pay off the outstanding as- sessment fees. But the most serious delinquent homeowners in Barefoot Bay, Ham- bro said, are those who've not paid in more than a year. "They're at least 14 months delinquent. By the time they're at the attorney (phase), that's where they deserve to be." Al Glashauser, the district's vice chairman, said the move to foreclose on property owners who are delin- quent would have to come eventually. While the district is ready to take a home away from a delinquent property owner, Glashauser said they are willing to take special circum- stances into consideration, such as bereavement. But those who've repeatedly ig- nored attempts by the district to re- coup the assessment fees will be given little leeway. "Maybe if they see a letter from an attorney, they'll respond," Barlow said. Hambro said there are 270 prop- erty owners in Barefoot Bay who currently are delinquent paying their assessment fees. About 150 of those are delinquent only a month, while the remaining are getting regular warnings and another 10 are about to be added to the foreclosure list, she said. Barefoot Bay couple hits Lotto jackpot Barefoot Bay has a second set of millionaires. Mary and Donald Greene, 10-year residents of Barefoot Bay, on June 12 claimed their share of the $14.48 million April 18 Florida Lorro jackpot, traveling to Tallahas- see to turn in their winning ticket. They are the second Barefoot Bay couple in about seven months to win the Florida Lottery. Barefoot Bay residents John and Henrietta O'Connor won $29.24 million in the Dec. 27 drawing. The Greenes, natives of Massa- chusetts, won $7.24 million and will get an annual payment of $362,000 for the next 20 years. They told Flor- ida Lottery officials they wanted to use their winnings to visit two grown children and four grandchil- dren and to help provide for their fu- ture. They said they play Lotto almost every week, and usually watch the live drawings every Saturday. "We took a retirement from playing for a while," Mrs. Greene, 69, told lottery officials. "I told my husband we'll never win this. But we decided to start again just for the heck of it — it's fun — it's entertain- ment." On April 18, Greene, a retired school custodian, sat down to watch the drawing. Suddenly, he became excited, Mrs. Greene said. "We've got three, Mary ... I think we've got four ... and then there was a long pause, and then, Agghhh!' He went crazy," she said. "Well, he likes to tease me, so I didn't believe it until I could see it in black and white." The winning couple could not be reached for additional comment June 12. But neighbors described the cou- ple as nice and quiet. "They're good neighbors, nice neighbors," said Madeline Vignola, who has known the couple 12 years. She said the couple are "faithful" Lottery players. Lottery spokesman David Rhea said the Greenes came in alone at lottery headquarters in Tallahassee, unexpectedly, soon after lunch June 12. "They're a very charming couple. They've been hard workers all their lives," he said. The Greenes didn't use any spe- cial formula to pick their winning numbers of 5-6-10-20-31-42. They bought a Quick Pick at the Kwik Stop at the Barefoot Bay Commu- nity Center. "We used to pay birthdates, but we weren't hitting anything. So we just started using Quick Pick, and it worked," Greene said. The likelihood of two winners coming from the same community and buying tickets from the same place is slim in a small community such as Barefoot Bay, Rhea said, adding he didn't have exact statistics. "It's very unusual for a town that size," he said. He said larger cities often have multiple winners and stores near the state border have had several winners from people coming in from other states to buy rickets. Large wildfire hits South Brevard Small flareups from an earlier brush fire erupted into a huge wild- fire in South Brevard County June 13, torching 800 acres and thwarting efforts at containment. The blaze closed Interstate 95 for about five hours beginning at about 5 p.m., Florida Highway Patrol troopers said, leading to a steady stream of traffic diverted onto Bab- cock Street through Fellsmere to County Road 512. A Florida Division of Forestry firefighter was treated for heat ex- haustion and dehydration, but was expected to be released from Holmes Regional Medical Center. Crews from the Division of For- estry, Malabar and Palm Bay fire de- partments and Brevard County Fire Rescue battled the blaze all after- noon and night, but it was only about half contained late June 13, according to Brevard County Fire Rescue District Chief Scott Lunden. The fire flared up from smolder- ing areas of a 200-acre fire June 11 in the St. Sebastian River Buffer Pre- serve, but quickly grew in the dry, windswept conditions and jumped 1-95 at about 5 p.m. "At one time, visibility was less than zero," Trooper Beverly Rine- hart said. "There was just a thick blanket of black smoke." Officials expressed relief about the location of the fire — the buffer preserve and surrounding areas that provide thousands of acres of land with no buildings on it. "The only good thing was there were no structures in danger and no people in danger,"said Tom Dono- hoe, a supervisor for the Division of Forestry. Three small hunting cabins were in the path of the fire, but were saved by firefighters who dedicated trucks to preserving the structures. The fire had burned out enough near the interstate that troopers re-opened the road at about 9:45 p.m. It was closed to both directions of traffic between Malabar Road in Palm Bay and C.R. 512 near Fells- mere. About 75 firefighters from six different stations and the Division of Forestry battled the fire, helped by a water-dumping airplane, spotter plane and helicopter. Firefighters had been out to the site of the earlier fire repeatedly June 12 to battle small flare-ups, Lunden said. Officials still do not know what started that fire. The fire is similar to a spate of uncontrolled wildfires in Central Florida in the past weeks, torching 23,000 acres in 13 counties. Many of those areas have also seen the fires build again after being contained. "This is the same fire problem that has plagued Central Florida," Lunden said. "The only thing that's going to control this is 3 inches of rain." $4.4 million budget OK'd by Rec District Barefoot Bay Recreation District trustees June 10 unanimously ap- proved a $4.4 million operaring bud- get for fiscal 1999 after a brief and relatively quiet public hearing. About two dozen people at- tended the final budget hearing for the district. Only about half a dozen people spoke with limited questions and criticism of the budget. Al Glashauser, vice chairman of the Recreation District, said he was surprised there weren't more com- ments, especially since several re- cently announced trustee candidates have been critical of the board. "I think the disagreements we have are welcome and it helps keep us on our toes. "But, I think the majority of the people feel the district is doing a good job. We held several work- shops (before Wednesday's hearing). They had expressed their views and comments," Glashauser said. Trustee John Smith said most Barefoot Bay residents know they're in good hands with the district. "Most of the people know we're doing a good job and are our enjoy- ing the amenities," he said. The budget includes a $2 in- crease to the monthly assessment fee for homeowners in Barefoot Bay. The assessment fee is increasing from $36.50 to $38.50 per month. Helen Hambro, community manager for the district, said few people challenged that fee increase because there was sufficient informa- tion distributed. "The trustees did an excellent job of getting our the information to the public," she said. The most noticeable impact from the new budget in the next year will be physical improvements to out- door high-use recreation facilities at Barefoot Bay, such as upgrades to boccie, shuffleboard and tennis courts, Hambro said. Racing revved-up life for Sebastian resident MARGARET MIQUELON Brian Bondett came to Sebastian from London, Ontario, where he was born and raised, by way of Scot- land, England, Italy and Spain. He attended the University of Western Ontario and, afterward, toured Europe, settling in Scotland on a farm with friends. They spent a holiday in France, and that really started his career, for he discovered the wonderful world of motor racing. For a year he at- tended the Jim Russell Racing Driv- ers School and, in 1975, returned as an instructor at the school. Brian says that it wasn't the rac- ing that was important, it was the wonderful people he met. His two closest friends were Karl Schuchnig, of Austria, and Konrad Hauge, of Norway. These "three Musketeers" lived together in England and were all involved in motor racing. Once you have the racing bug, you are just like an alcoholic. It is in your system. The ego and adrenaline rush are terrific. Brian has written numerous articles about it. Since this is really an article about the three young men, let me tell you a little about them. Karl was schooled in a monastery in Graz, Austria. He had contacts with monks all over Europe. When he was racing, he had the option to stay in monasteries wherever he might be. Today he has finished racing and teaches in Austria. Karl's father owned a string of bakeries. The family lived in a four-story house. The bottom floor was a bakery. His father got up at 2 a.m. each morning to bake fresh bread. When the three Musketeers stayed there, he would bring fresh pastries and bread just out of the oven to the boys each morning. Konrad has been a merchant seaman in the Merchant Marine at Haugesund on the east coast of Nor- way. Konrad was an anglophile. He hated Norway and loved England. We would probably have had to live there to understand the attrac- tion it had for these three friends. The people plus the countryside con- tributed to irs charm. They lived northeast of London in East Anglia, on the Norfolk Broads. There were about 3,500 people in this little area. It is flat and full of canals. The talk is regional. It used to be that you could tell what county a speaker came from when one said, "What are you like, boy?" When Konrad retired he owned a pub, then sold real estate. Brian modestly says he was mod- erately successful in racing. This was before the day of racing on TV and before endorsements. All the racers were in the same boat in those days. Nobody got really rich, even though they won races. Today, there are big sponsors and it is an entirely different sport. It was a world unto itself before. To- day it is big business. Fiat (Ferrari) alone spends $75 million to $100 million on motor racing. Insider knowledge is kept secret. Now they even have their own chefs who travel with the racers. To- day, the first thing a successful racer buys is a helicopter and a private jet. Racing circuits in England are built around old World War II air- fields. There is one Grand Prix per country. Heads of state present the trophies, and it is both social and po- litical. Brian was an only child. His mother died when he was 12, and he was raised by his father. This gentle man was both father and mother to Brian. He fondly speaks of him as his best friend. Brian's father had a stroke. Brian stopped racing and gave up everything in his life at that time to be with his father. During this heartbreaking time he met Nicole Noel. She was his fa- ther's physical therapist for the three years he was incapacitated. Brian and Nicole were married. Brian's father died the day they returned from their honeymoon. Now their family is made up of Brian and Nicole; Brett, 5; Nathalie, 3; and Casper the cat. Brian is "Mr. Mom." He considers this a rare priv- ilege. He is a good cook from his years of bachelorhood. He was 39 when they married. Nicole is a phys- ical therapist at Indian River Memo- rial Hospital. Brian had his 'glory days" in rac- ing and loved it. He lived with dan- ger, but said "it was like a piece of furniture in the living room. You know it's there, but you don't think about it." In those days, drivers were young and had no money, just desire. And of course they thought themselves immortal. There used to be very few restric- tions in racing. In those days, drivers wore leather gloves. In a fire, the leather would adhere to the skin. Then Dupont invented "Nomex," and now the drivers wear racing suits made up of four layers of fire-retar- dant material. They carry fire extin- guishers in their cars and have a sep- arate oxygen supply to the helmet. Today, racing in the Europeart cir- cuits is geared to the drivers. Here, it is geared to the specrators. Today, for excitement, Brian rides a motorcycle. I guess you can say that he has really been Here & There. Tennis buffs need services Bill Valyo There are a variety of events around this area that have gotten headlines recently. I would like to pursue one of them. Late in May, the story came out that Friendly Tennis Club members began to guard the facility on Schu- mann Drive from vandalism. It seems some juveniles from our area were intent on causing damage to the new courts by painting graffiti and skateboarding on the delicate surfaces. It was decided the un- lighted courts would be closed right after dark each night and the two lighted courts would be kept open until their lights went off at 10 p.m. City employees were to open the courts each morning. This was to be a temporary solu- non to keep the courts from suc- cumbing to the jaded whims of un- occupied minds. It was hoped there would be a solution soon as to whom would provide the services to run the tennis courts efficiently. When I contacted Pat Callahan, head of the Vero Beach/Indian River County Recreation Department, she said the day I called, June 15, was the deadline for the bidding process the city had established for any ten- nis program or services. Callahan said "the county would nor get into a bidding process with tennis professionals and we will not submit a bid." Callahan added "when we met with members of the Tennis Club, the consensus was they would like to see the county up there handling the services. We would do the right thing for the people Sebastian." A call to City Manager Thomas Frame's office put me in touch with Paul Wagner, the assistant to the city manager, and he said he was not aware of any bidding process. Chris McCarty, the city's park superintendent, called me to say "there were request for proposals out and they will be discussed at the next Recreational Advisory Committee meeting on June 22." So the issue of a tennis program and who will head it up is really in "the ball is in your court" type of sit- uation. The participants in the action are the county Recreation Depart- ment, city officials and the city's Recreational Advisory Committee. Standing on the sidelines and watching the ball being lobbed in all directions are tennis buffs who want a program that a fine facility such as the one on Schumann Drive de- serves. What is needed is a swift overhand smash by someone. Little League All-Stars are champs By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun Photo Caption Sebastian third baseman Alex Ruiz played strong defense and offense throughout the tournament to help the 9-year-old All-Stars win the District 17 championship. The Sebastian River Area Little League 9-year-old All-Stars really are all stars. During the two-week District 17 tournament in June, every one of the 12 players had at least one hit and contributed on defense. "These little 9-vear-olds, I haven't seen a ream work as hard asw these guys right here," Sebastian Manager Lenny Tunstill said. So it's no wonder the team won the first ever 9-year-old All-Stars District 17 championship for Sebas- tian on June 15. "It's probably because we have good pitching and offense and de- fense," infielder Steven Tunstill said. In the Area 1 championship game June 10, the team scored 15 unanswered runs to beat Vero Beach National 15-0. In the North section champion- ship game June 12, the team scored another seven unanswered runs to beat Port St. Lucie West 7-0 and earn the right to advance to the dis- trict championship series. The championship game on June 15 was a much closer game, pitting Sebastian, the North section winner, against North Palm Beach County, the South section champ. With an undefeated record, Se- bastian came in with the upper hand in the double-eliminarion tourna- ment as Sebastian needed just one win over Palm Beach to clinch the ti- tle, but Palm Beach would have to beat Sebastian twice. It wasn't easy. In fact, it was to- tally different than the shutouts Se- bastian handed Vero Beach National and Port Sr. Lucie West in the area and sectional playoffs. The two teams played to a 3-3 tie until Steven Tunstill reached on a base hit and scored on three succes- sive throwing errors by Palm Beach for the go-ahead run in the fifth in- ning. Pitcher Justin Brock went the distance for Sebastian, holding Palm Beach to just one hit as he and the defense kept them off the board in the sixth inning for the 4-3 win and the District 17 championship. "I think preparation was the key," Tunstill said. In many leagues, coaches and layers select who will represent the league on an all-star ream, choosing the best players from the regular sea- son. But in a league the size of Sebas- tian River, there were only 11 9-year-olds who played in the major during the regular season. So two of the best players from the Minor I program were selected to fill out the 12-man roster. The two players who came from the Minor A program, Bradley Brooks and Sean Heath, had several obstacles to overcome. The Minor A teams, which are sort of a farm program for the ma- jors, play with slightly different rules such as no base stealing or bunting. So not only did Heath and Brooks have just two weeks to pre- pare for the most important game of the season, they had essentially to learn a new game as well. "Both of those boys really worked hard at learning, and you couldn't tell any difference between those two boys and the rest of my team who had been playing major leagues all year," Tunstill said. So when Sebastian took the field, they looked as though they had played together all season. "We just play good defense,' in- fielder Alex Ruiz said. The reason for than, according to the players, is that in addition to the weeks of daily, intense practice, ev- erybody's skills are more evenly matched. "These kids are all on the same level," Tunstill said. On the major teams, 9-year-olds are the youngest players on the team, often getting less playing time and less opportunity to make game-breaking plays. "Majors is a lot harder than a 9-year-old team because they have 12, 11 and 10-year-olds," Brock said. But when the all-star season comes around, it's time for the 9-year-olds to shine. And shine they did. In the Area 1 championship game, second baseman Travis Keeler went 3-for-4 at the plate, with two base hits, a stand up double and an RBI. Third baseman Alex Ruiz went 2-for-2 with two base hits and five defensive plays, including a diving grab to throw a runner our at first. Infielder Steven Tunstill went 3-for-3 with three RBI singles. Outfielder Steven James went 2-for-3 with a base hit and a stand-up double, while outfielder Bradley Brooks added a double. Bobby Jones had an RBI single, a hard fly ball to right center field, while Justin Cascio hit an RBI single and stole second base. In the North section champion- ship game, first baseman Scott Ma- this went 3-for-3 at the plate, with three singles and an RBI. Outfielder Nathan Huff hit a hard ground ball to drive in a run, while Sean Heath played superb defense in left field. Chris Walker pitched a four-hitter and struck out six batters, in his first game ever on the mound. In the district championship game, Brock pitched a one-hitter, struck out six and hit an RBI single. "That's really the key, is getting these kids to get on the same page," Tunstill said. "They're on the same page right now. We're on an attack." Some of the 9-year-olds will get another chance to shine as selection for the 9- and 10-year-old All-Star team begins June 17. That team will get the opportunity to go even fur- ther and perhaps play for the state championship. Above-par service draws tourneys to course By LINDA ROThSTEIN Of The Sun Photo Caption Sebastian Italian-American Club secretary Barney Giordan tees off at the Sebastian Municipal Golf Course in a recent tournament. With seven public golf courses in Indian River County and almost as many private clubs, tournament organizers have their pick of places to hold their fund-raisers and company gatherings. So why do so many, from both Indian River and Brevard counties, choose the Sebastian Municipal Golf Course? While organizers of the almost 30 tournaments that are held at Sebastian between April and November have various reasons, the one cited by many is the condition of the course. "The course is nice and in really good shape," said Ray Coniglio, vice president of the Sebastian Chamber of Commerce and the organizer of the chamber's tour- nament this year. "They do a really nice job." Sebastian Italian-American Club recording secretary Barney Giordan, who helped organize his club's tourna- ment this year, credits course Director Patrick Cerjan with maintaining a course that is both beautiful and fun to play, even in the hottest weather. "Pat's always been very helpful," Giordan said. "This course is in better shape than it's ever been." In was especially fun for Giordan on June 13 at the Sebastian Italian-Amertcan Club's annual tournament. Giordan won $100 after he aced number five, the first hole-in-one in his life. "Getting the hole-in-one was more sanisfying than winning the $100," Giordan said. "Nobody hardly ever gets a hole-in-one on number five," Course Pro Greg Gardner said. In addition to the fine condition of the course, hav- ing the Eagle's Nest Restaurant on site to cater tourna- ment-end banquets is another oft-cited advantage. "The banquet facilities and food service are really a big plus," said Owen Kaiser, past president and this year s tournament coordinator for the Seminole Boosters 5f Indian River County. And with the Eagle's Nest's expanded facility sched- uled to open by the beginning of August, owner Theresa Fink said the restaurant will be able to offer buffet-style banquets and accommodate larger parties, rather than the cookouts the restaurant has offered in the past. "With the expansion, we'll have more seating accom- modation underneath the air conditioning," Fink said. "That's the major reason we decided no expand." She said she's already getting calls from organizers who want to hold banquets there after August. For many of the Sebastian-based clubs that hold their annual tournaments at the Sebastian course, con- venience is another compelling factor. Since many of their members live in the area and play the Sebastian course regularly, they're already famil- iar and comfortable with the course. "I golf there all the time and I love it," Coniglio said. Italian-American Club member Jarrett Lang likes the forgiving nature of the course. "It's well-maintained and gives you a lot of room for success," Lang said. "Even as bad as we play." But Gardner cites one other reason tournament or- ganizers are loyal to the course. Cerjan and Gardner go our of their way to do the little things that make running a tournament easier and more pleasant. "I think some courses, especially some public courses, when they have an outside event, they just kind of say, 'Okay, have at it,' but they really don't do any- thing as far as the way that we do," Gardner said. "I think they like that Pat (Cerjan) and I are helping them out." After the Italian-American Club's annual tournament on June 13 for example, Gardner figured all the scores for the participants and delivered them to the club, where members were having a post-tournament ban- quet. At many courses, Gardner said, tournament organiz- ers are responsible for figuring up the scores themselves. The course doesn't charge any- thing for the service; it's just a cour- tesy to make playing at Sebastian that much more enjoyable. Gardner and Cerjan also will make up the score cards and cart signs. "That's just one less thing they have to do so they can concentrate on having a good time," Gardner said. During the off-season, from April until November, Sebastian plays host to a tournament almost every weekend. The course charges $16 per golfer for 18 holes and a cart, which allows plenty of room for clubs to ei- ther offer low rates for tournament players or generate revenue for chari- ties. And the price is very competi- tive with other public courses in the area. "It's a good course, and we've al- ways done real well here," Giordan said. The Sebastian Italian-American Club has held its tournament at the Sebastian course for the last four years. "In goes all to charity," Giordan said. "We put out five scholarships this fall to kids at Sebastian River High School. This tournament pays for that." Because there are so many oth- courses in the area, some tourn- ment organizers try others, but often come back to Sebastian. "I think it's the condition of the course," Bernice Marsh, administra- tive secretary of the course in charge of booking tournaments, said. "Some tournament organizers try other courses and then come back to us." The Sebastian Chamber of Com~ merce, whose annual tournament is one of its biggest fund-raisers of the year, tried another course last year. But Coniglio decided no bring it back to Sebastian this year. The Seminole Boosters of Indian River County is having this year's tournament at Sebastian for the sec- ond rime. "We've had it elsewhere," Kaiser said. "But the reason we're having it there again this year is because it went so smoothly last year." Kids can work off extra summer energy at athletic camps LINDA E. ROTHSTEIN After the novelty of being free from school wears off, summertime can seem to stretch as endlessly as a barren desert to a child or teen-ager. A youngster's seemingly boundless energy can intensify during the summer, fueled by ex- tra sleep and lack of classes or homework. So what better way to burn off that extra vigor than playing or learning about a sport? Around Sebastian, there are many oppor- tunities for children of all ages to participate in a variety of sports during the summer. From June to August, local youth can get a taste of sports from basketball to pole vault- ing. Sebastian River High School pole vaulting Coach Mike Lawryk will hold a sum- merlong pole vaulting clinic for anyone age 12 and up interested in learning the sport. Lawryk has coached eight state and three national champions. The clinics will meet Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sebas- tian River High School track through August. Wear appropriate athletic shoes and clothing; equipment will be provided. The cost is $25 per lesson, or $80 for four lessons. For more information, call Lawryk at 589-6065. The Sebastian Community Center will offer gymnastics for children of all ages on Tuesdays and Thursdays from June 16 until July 30, with an Aerial Antics Circus Aug. 5-8 at the Indian River County Fairgrounds. Gyminny Crickets classes for boys and girls ages 3 to 5 will meet from 3:30 until 4:15 p.m. Beginner classes for boys and girls ages 5 and up will meet from 4:15 until 5:30 p.m., and intermediate classes for those ages 5 and up who have mastered the beginning skills will meet from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m. The cost is $35 per student for the seven-week session. Space is limited. For more information, call Kathy Falzone at 589-8444. Sebastian River Middle School basket- ball Coach Bill McCarthy will hold his annual coed basketball camp June 22-27 an the school's gym. An 8 a.m.-to-noon session will be ages 8 through 12 and will focus on the fundamentals of the game. A 1-5 p.m. session will be for age 13 through 18 and will concen- trate on advanced skills and strategies. The cost is $70 for first-timers and $50 for repeat campers. Wear appropriate athletic shoes and attire. For more information, call McCarthy at 589-0648. Sebastian River High School girls' bas- ketball Coach Terrie Rogers will hold her an- nual girls' basketball camp July 6-10 at the school's gym. Ninth through 12th graders will meet from 9 a.m. until noon for advanced skills and strategies, while fourth through eighth graders will meet from 1 until 4 p.m. for work on fundamentals. The cost is $50 per player. Wear appropriate athletic shoes and at- tire. Players can register on the first day of the camp. The Sebastian Panthers Youth Football program gets under way with football practice beginning July 13 at 6 p.m. an the Barber Street field. The registration fee is $60 per child for the Mighty Mites through the Seniors divisions and $35 for the flag divisions. There is a dis- count for families with two or more children. Space is limited. For more infor- mation, call Mike Luke an 589-0677. Sebastian River High School boys' basketball Coach Jack Hodge will hold his annual boys basketball camp July 27-31 at the school's gym. Boys ages 6 through 11 will meet from 8 a.m. until noon and boys ages 12 through 17 will meet from 1 until 5 p.m. The cost is $6 per player, with a 10 percent discount for registrations received before July 5. Wear appropriate athletic shoes and attire. For more information, call Hodge at 564-4227 or 589-7141. Sebastian River High School lacrosse Coach Tina Ambers will hold a girls' lacrosse camp July 27-31 at the high-school practice fields. The cost is $40 per player, with a $5 discount for registrations received before July 1. Bring a la~ crosse stick, appropriate shoes and a water bottle. Lacrosse balls and mouth guards will be available fo~ purchase an the camp. For more in- formation, call Ambers at (404)- 255-1067. Sebastian River High School volleyball coaches Mike and Bonnie McCall will hold their annual girls' volleyball camp Aug. 3-7 an the school's gym. Sixth to 12th-grade beginners will meet from 9 am. un- til noon, while sixth to 12th-grade advanced players will meet from 1 until 4 p.m. The cost is $50 per player. Wear appropriate athletic shoes and attire. For more informa- tion, call Mike McCall at 571-0932. Obituaries Walter Jaxon Walter Earl Jaxon, 82, 481 Mango Ave., Sebastian, died unex- pectedly June 7, 1998, at Sebastian River Medical Center, Roseland. He was born Sept. 12, 1915, in Cohos, N.Y., and moved to Sebas- tian in 1990 from Riviera Beach. Mr. Jaxon was the former owner of Lakeview Motor Lodge, Riviera Beach. Surviving is his wife, Mildred. Friends may call 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Fountainhead Funeral Home Chapel, Palm Bay. The funeral will be 11 a.m. Fri- day at Fountainhead Memorial Fu- neral Home Chapel, Palm Bay. In- terment will follow at Fountainhead Memorial Park, Palm Bay. John Jenkins John R. Jenkins Jr., 72, of Sebas~ nan, died June 8, 1998, at Sebastian River Medical Center, Roseland. He was born Feb. 26, 1926, in Brazil, Ind., and moved to Sebastian 16 years ago. Mr. Jenkins was an electronics engineer with RCA Corp., where he was instrumental in the installation of the U.S. defense radar system. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. Surviving are his wife, Anna; one daughter, Gloria Hausser, of Chatta- nooga, Tenn.; one son, Robert L. McCallum, of Lexington, Ky.; one sister, Velera Albright, of Brazil; and three grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family sug- gests donations be made to the American Cancer Society, North In- dian River County Unit, P.O. Box 1749, Sebastian, Fla. 32958 in Mr. Jenkins' memory. Strunk Funeral Home, Sebas- tian, is in charge of arrangements. Joseph Sidoti Joseph Sidoni Sr., 85; 13176 10th St., Fellsmere, died June 9, 1998, at Sebastian River Medical Center, Roseland, after a prolonged illness. He was born Dec. 18, 1912, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to Fells- mere in 1985 from Merritt Island. Surviving are a daughter, Helen Cammalleri, of Mystic Island, N.J.; a son, Frank Sidoni, of Fellsmere; five grandchildren; and nine great-grand- children. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Interment will be at Florida Memtirial Gardens, Rock- ledge. Florida Memorial Funeral Home, Rockledge, is in charge of ar- rangements. Albert Colbert Albert A. Colbert Sr., 81. of Barefoot Bay, died June 12, 1998, an his residence after a brief illness. Mr. Colbert was born Aug. 6, 1916, in Braddock, Pa., and moved to Barefoot Bay 13 years ago from Lantana. He was employed as superinten- dent for Russell Industries Corp., in Bridgeville, Pa., for 18 years. He was a member of Lakeside United Meth- odist Church, Lake Worth. Surviving are his wife, Lillian; four sons, Albert A. Colbert Jr., Harry E. Colbert, William J. Colbert and George F. Colbert, all of Pitts- burgh, Pa.; two daughters, LaRue L. Genest, of Melbourne, and Carol Alisesky, of Cecil, Pa.; two brothers, George Colbert, of Turtle Creek, Pa., and James McAdams, of Pitts- burgh; one sister, Anna May Wymer, of Pittsburgh; 23 grandchil- dren; and 20 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be 7 p.m. June 26 an First Christian Church, Cannonsburg, Pa. In lieu of flowers, the family re- quests donations be made to the Barefoot Bay Community Fund Inc., P.O. Box 779-186, Barefoot Bay, Fla. 32676; the Holmes Hospice Inc., 1900 Dairy Road, West Mel- bourne, Fla. 32909; or the First Christian Church, 120 Anderson Drive, Cannonsburg, Pa. 15317, in memory of Mr. Colbert. Arrangements are under the di- rection of Cox-Gifford Funeral Home, Vero Beach. Una Erwig Una M. Erwig, 64, of Barefoot Bay, died June 14, 1998, at her resi- dence after a prolonged illness. She was born July 6,1933, in Hobucken, N.C., and moved to Barefoot Bay two years ago, from Swansboro, N.C. Mrs. Erwig was a postal clerk for 17 years. She was of the Catholic faith and a member of the Recrea- tional Vehicle Club of Barefoot Bay. Surviving are her husband of 45 years, Robert; three sons, Robert Erwig Jr., of. Dunedin, John Erwig, of Syosset, N.Y., and Stephen Er- wig, of Barefoot Bay; two brothers; three sisters; and three grandchil- dren. At the family's request, there will be no visitation or local service. In lieu of flowers, the family sug- gests that donations may be made to the Gillespies Youth Group Home, 390 Cherry Lane, Satellite Beach, Fla. 32937, in memory of Mrs. Er- wig. Arrangements are under the direc- tion of Strunk Funeral Home, Sebas- tian. END Sebastian Sun Articles a digital text archive The Sebastian Sun June 26, 1998 c 1998 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. President: Darryl K. Hicks. Executive Editor: Larry Reisman. Editor: Louise Phillipine. Advertising Manager: Debbi Vickers (USPS) The Sun is published weekly by Treasure Coast Publishing Inc., a division of Scripps Howard Inc., 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. c 1998 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. All correspondence, including news copy, should be addressed to 717 Coolidge St., Sebastian, FL 32958. Phone: (561) 589- 6616; Fax: (561) 978-2386. News deadline, 5 p.m., Friday. All display advertising should be addressed to 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. Phone (561) 978-2383; Fax:(561) 978-2297. Advertising deadline, 1 p.m., Monday. FROM THE ARCHIVES TOP STORY FROM A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: Sebastian Planning and Zoning commissioners said no to a proposed 141-house development west of the North Indian River County Li- brary, saying they wanted more infor- mation about the proposal than the de- veloper had provided in his application. More than 100 people who had at- tended the meeting erupted with thun- derous applause when commissioners unanimously voted to deny Sebastian Lakes Development Corp. President C. Ralph Cochran approval of the concep- tual plan for the subdivision. CITIZEN OF THE DAY NAME: Norman Bean. OCCUPATION: Retired furniture store owner. BIRTHPLACE: Birmingham, Mich. MOVED HERE: 1970s. COMMUNITY SERVICE: Member of St. Elizabeth Episcopal Church of Se- bastian. HOBBIESi Fishing, golfing. FAVORITE AUTHOR: Zane Grey. WHY I LIKE MY NEIGHBOR- HOOD: I live in Sebastian Highlands. It's a nice town. WEEKEND PICKS The Sebastian River High School band will have a car wash from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 27 at the Discount Auto Parts Store on U.S. 1 in Sebastian. The band will accept donations to help defray summer operating expenses. Although school is out for the sum- mer, the band continues to be active with summer camp and practice ses- sions. WHAT DID HE SAY? "Maybe we could make it into a community center or an all-purpose cen- ter with offices. It's a pretty bad eyesore now." — Chris McCarthy (McCarthy, Sebastian's Parks and Recreation Superintendent, made the comment after learning the city is getting a $100,000 state grant to refurbish and renovate the south side of the Barber Street Sports Complex, including the big green building at the center. Refurbish- ing the building has been suggested by several residents, who have commented at City Council meetings about its condi- tion. McCarthy said it will cost about $30,000 to fix the building and he be- - tieves the grant can be used for the work.) Quilt keeps couple's memory alive Group plans to raffle it off Fourth of July By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun Photo Caption Sandy Casagrande, left, and Jane Steele, members of the Stepping Stone Quilters smooth out edges of the hand-made quilt the club completed recently. The quilt will be raffled at the July 4 celebration at Riverview Park. Tickets are $1 each and may be purchased at the park or by calling 589-9495. About three years ago, Vero Beach res- ident Charles Moorman brought three un- finished quilts to the Stepping Stone Quilting Club of Sebastian. His wife had passed away and he hoped the members might complete the quilts. When the group finished the first one in 1996, members tried to locate Moor- man so he could give the quilt to his fam- ily as an heirloom to remember Nancy Moorman by. But he was nowhere to be found and group members believe he either moved out of the area or passed on. "We tried to locate him, because I thought there might have been family that would have loved to have (the quilts)," member Sandra Casagrande said. "I felt sad that (they) couldn't go to the family." So they dedicated the quilts to the Moormans' memory and raffled off two of them in 1996 and 1997 to raise funds for the many the group's many charitable works. The third quilt, a snow-white, over- sized bed cover hand-embroidered with pink flowers by member Moya Pastore, will be raffled off at this year's Fourth of July celebration at Riverview Park. Pastore said she worked on the cross-stitched embroidery for a couple of months and was very pleased with the re~ sult. "You always have an idea of what it's going to look like, but you never really know how gorgeous it's going to be until it's finished," Pastore said. "It was marvelous that (Mr. Moorman) didn't just throw those quilts away, she said. "It really did come out beautifully." While she's embroidered for most of her life, Pastore started quilting when she and her husband moved to Sebastian six years ago. A friend from church invited her to the group and she's been a member ever since. "It's really enjoyable, it's not a chore," Pastore said of quilting, which is her favor- ite part of the process. "It's relaxing and something I really like to do." On the back of the embroidered quilt is a dedication to the Moormans and the names of the club members who worked on the quilt. "This quilt is one of three quilts do- nated by Mr. Charles Moorman to the Stepping Stone Quilters. It was partially completed by his wife, Nancy, in 1994. Hand-embroidered by Moya Pastore and Mae McDonough. "Quilted by Frankie Schott, Jeanne Kachman, Grace Mumford, Jane Steele, Sandra Casagrande and Pearl Heuzie. Completed in 1997," the dedication reads. Dedications are important, Casagrande said, because it helps later generations iden- tify who made the quilt and when. "You lose the history if you don't," Ca- sagrande said. The funds raised will go toward rent at the Sebastian Senior Center, where the club often meets. It also will be used to buy materials for the dozens of quilts and hats the group makes and donates to homeless shelters, needy children and cancer pa- tients. In the past, the group has only needed a few hundred dollars a year, but having to pay rent to use the Senior Center will add greatly to their expenses. "We need to buy batting and backing and lots of fabric," Casagrande said. "So that's what we use the money for." Members hope handmade quilts lovingly stitched can bring warmth and comfort to the AIDS babies and homeless people to whom the Stepping Stones Quilters donate their handiwork. They also hope the colorful, floppy hats they give to local chemotherapy patients will bring some ease to the self-consciousness of hair loss. While the group has raffled off a quilt on Independence Day for years, this year Casa- grande wanted to find another way to raise money for the 60-member group. Last year, she made a hat adorned with a Stars and Stripes motif for her son who loves anything to do with Old Glory. The hat came out so well and got so many compliments from her son's friends and co-workers that Casagrande decided to sell them at this year's celebration. "He wore it to work, and he said every- body at work tried to steal it from him," Ca- sagrande said with a smile. "So I thought, 'Golly, I've got this fabric, why not?'" In addition to the red, white and blue "Spirit of America" hats, which come in three sizes and patterns to fit children, women and men, Casagrande and other club members also made a gross of hair ties with the patriotic material, perfect for securing hair in a ponytail. "This is the first time that we've done anything else to sell on the Fourth of July other than the quilt to raffle," Casagrande said. "I have no idea whether I'm going to have 32 hats too many or whether I'm going to be 32 hats short." The members meet each Monday to sew and share secrets, strategies and successes, re- serving about one meeting a month to work on their charitable projects. And while some may think quilting seems a solitary activity, quilters have gath- ered together to work on projects and enjoy each other's company for centuries. "There's a lot of sharing, a lot of learn- ing," Casagrande said. The Stepping Stones' weekly gatherings, as well as quIlting, seem to connect them to other quilters throughout the ages. Quilting is often likened to the passing on of a community's oral tradition, as each quilt has its own heritage, history and story. "You get into these antique (quilts) now and I don't know, you can just feel those people who did it," Casagrande said. "And they didn't have nearly the things that we have now and yet they made them and they're gorgeous." Pastore said she's yet to finish her first full-sized quilt but has completed several pil- low quilts or her grandchildren. She said one of the best reasons for be- longing to a club is that quilters learn so much from each other. "We really learn a lot from one another," Pastore said. "Someone might have an easier way of doing something, and just seeing what others are doing is an inspiration. Plus it's just nice to be together." And making a quilt for a child or grand- child is really the creation of a family heir- loom and another link among the generations, Casagrande said. "I feel as though when I'm gone, I'm going to leave something, an heirloom," Ca- sagrande said. Casagrande recently finished a quilt for a son's upcoming wedding using a pattern she designed and calls "Truckee '97" because she bought all the material in Truckee, Calif., where her son lives. Many of the quilters work on several projects at once, as the rooms in Casa- grande's house testify. A patchwork ready to be quilted in a bedroom and another waiting on a guilt rack in the living room attest to the creative drive of quilt makers. She recently finished a quilt for her first granddaughter, born in Sebastian on June 15. Casagrande self-consciously admits that she works on her quilts for as many as five hours a day. "I love it," Casagrande said. Most of her quilts find their way into the homes of family and friends, but many oth- ers fill a cedar chest in the corner of a bed- room. But whether a quilter has completed a hundred quilts or just one, the camaraderie of the group and the joy of the creative pro- cess are what make quilting a hobby for a lifetime. The Stepping Stones quilters will sell raf- fle tickets for the embroidered quilt for $1. The patriotic hats will cost $8 and hair ties $1 at booth No. 6 beginning at 8 a.m. at the Riverview Park Fourth of July celebration. Raffle tickets can also be purchased by call- ing 589-9495. The winner of the quilt will be announced from the stage at 4 p.m. Local seniors score insurance savings by taking defensive driving course By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun Have you ever thought about what you would do if your driver slumped uncon- scious over the steering wheel? Did you know that odd-numbered inter- state bypasses always connect to the in- ner-city or to another interstate? Or that even-numbered interstate bypasses always go around the city and reconnect to the original interstate? These are just some of the questions ad- dressed by the American Association of Re- tired Persons 55 Alive Mature Driving pro- gram held six to eight times a year in Sebastian. "I think it's good for older people to think, for example, what they are going to do if they slump over the wheel," program instructor Joseph Brown said. "These are things they forgot or never knew." On June 17 and 18, 27 seniors gathered at Sebastian American Legion Post 189 to take the class from Brown and his wife, Charlotte, both Snug Harbor Village resi- dents and volunteer, certified instructors. While it's fundamentally a defen- sive-driving program that qualifies graduates for a safe driver insurance discount and keeps points off their driver's license when they've received a ticket, this course focuses on the special challenges faced by elderly drivers. "It's a defensive course, more or less perfected for dur age group," Brown said. The challenges older drivers face include declining vision and hearing and slowed re- flexes, which require them to approach the road with different strategies. "It's hard for us as seniors to accept the fact that we don't do the things the way we used to and can't," Brown said. The primary factor motivating most of the elderly students to attend was the 3 per- cent to 10 percent discount on car insurance they'll receive after successfully completing the course. Some were renewing their safe driver status, required every three years, while oth- ers were taking the class for the first time. "I think the majority of the students take it for the insurance discount," Brown said. "It's up to us to motivate them to want to become better and safer drivers, which is far more important." Insurance savings is the reason Sebastian resident Bob Keel took the course. Already classified as a safe driver for years, Keel said he saves about $40 a year per car. "It was time for a renewal, so I signed up for it," Keel said. It may not seem like a large amount, but for retired people on fixed incomes, every savings counts, Mrs. Brown said. She and her husband said they save sig- nificantly on the insurance for their recrea- tional vehicle. The insurance discount is also one rea- son Barefoot Bay resident Ruth Kern took the course. Besides, her husband, Ken, is al- ready certified, and she figured she might as well join him. "I think it's necessary for both of us to have it," Mrs. Kern said. She said she picked up many tips to make driving safer and was made aware of situations she had never considered before, such as those mentioned earlier. Photo Caption 55 Alive Mature Driving program instructors Charlotte and Joseph Brown discuss the course with student Bob Keel. Brown suggests couples make test trips to plan what they would do if their partner slumped over the wheel. The first, most im- portant thing is to get control of the steer- ing and then attempt to slowly brake, using the directional signals while pulling to the side of the road. "There's a lot of little tips in there that are helpful," Mrs. Kern said, "I've been en- lightened on a lot of things." Taking the course is something everyone should do, she said, because the rules of the road are always changing, and so are the drivers. "Times change, things change," Mrs. Kern said. Even Fran McMonagle, a 32-year vet- eran truck driver from Philadelphia now liv- ing in Palm Bay, said the course reminds him to be always be aware of other drivers. "It's 'a good refresher to brush up a little bit," McMonagle said. Older drivers sometimes get a bad rap, as younger drivers make stereotypical jokes about seniors driving too slowly, blocking the left lane or forgetting to turn off their turn signals. But the criticism is often warranted, Brown said, because drivers over 55 account for more accidents per mile driven than their 35-year-old to 54-year-old counterparts. "If you look at us older drivers out there on the roads, most of us rate that bad rap," Brown said. "There are a lot of older drivers out there who just figure the whole road is theirs." But senior drivers are still much safer than drivers under the age of 23, who ac- count for the largest percentage of accidents per mile driven. So it's important for older drivers to re- alize their limitations and devise strategies to compensate while becoming more aware of often less-attentive younger drivers who oc- cupy the road. Brown also said it's important for seniors to admit that there might be a time to give up driving. The 55 Alive defensive driving program helps seniors do those things. According to the AARP, course gradu- ates have significantly fewer accidents than those who never take the course. "The way we look at it is, if we prevent one serious accident a year, it's worth it," Brown said. The Browns will hold another seminar later this summer. For more information or to register, call the Browns at 664-6044. The cost is $8 per person for the two-day, eight hour session. Graduates will receive a certificate that will qualify them for a 3 per- cent to 10 percent savings on auto insurance. Orchid Isle: Wares with Florida flavor By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun Photo Caption Orchid Isle Boutique proprietors Kathy Turner, Joanne Leonard-Frey and Tern Cosner offer unique tropical gifts and clothing in a colorful, island atmosphere. Forget the mall; bypass the dis- count superstore. Instead, step into a cool, tropical setting where the subtle fragrance of scented candles wafts through the air while you browse at the new Orchid Isle Boutique at 1618 N. U.S. 1 in Sebastian. "I think people prefer to shop in unique stores," store owner Kathy Turner said. The store offers a pleasant shop- ping experience and distinctive, trop- ically themed merchandise, such as women's clothing, accessories and gifts. "I think we're trying to keep with a more tropical-type theme with our inventory," partner Joanne Leonard-Frey said. Turner invited Leonard-Frey and Tern Cosner to open the boutique as an extension of Turner's successful boutique in the foyer of the Hurri- cane Harbor restaurant, which she has owned for five years. "I wanted to expand and try to draw people from around here, be- cause a lot of people don't want to go to Hurricane Harbor to shop," Turner said. They chose to expand into an in- dependent shop so they could offer their uncommon wares to a wider variety of customers. Many of the items for sale at Or- chid Isle Boutique are supplied by local crafters and vendors, giving them a singular Florida flavor. "A lot of our vendors are smaller, so that's why it's a little bit more unique," Leonard-Frey said. Take, for instance, the papier mache sculptures hand-crafted by Leonard-Frey and Cosner, an enter- prise they call "Fish and Bubbles." Cosner forms the figures out of papier mache and Leonard-Frey paints them in vibrant, accurate col- ors using fishing books and maga- zines as guides. "Everything we create is a one-of- a-kind," Cosner said. "My mahi-mahi don't ever come out exactly the same." Leonard also paints glassware, T-shirts and blouses and will create any of the pieces to order. The boutique also features multi- colored clay-bead jewelry, also known as "fima," handmade by a Barefoot Bay artist. Orchid Isle has a selection of decorative clocks, as well. The vivid, tropical themes extend into the clothing, and accessories Or- chid Isle offers, as well. Patrons can find flowered or ma- rine-printed sun dresses and hats, as well as metal and other natural-mate- rial accessories such as watches, jew- elry and handbags. Orchid Isle Boutique also plans to carry business clothing to meet the needs of women at work. Customers can browse on their own or ask for suggestions from the owners, who tend the shop daily. Orchid Isle Boutique is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Visa, Mastercard and Discover are accepted. It is lo- cated at 1618 N. U.S. 1 across from the Wendy's restaurant in Sebastian and can be reached at 388-4710. Ex-engineer gets bang out of job By Linda Rothstein In Sebastian, he's known as "Mr. Fireworks." It's an apt nickname since, as chairman of fireworks for the Sebas- tian Lions Club, Tim Sandmeyer is in charge of bringing Sebastian its spectacular Fourth of July fireworks display for the third year in a row. "It's just one of those jobs that I enjoy doing," Sandmeyer said. Sandmeyer volunteered for the position when the Lions Club was chosen by the city to run the Inde- pendence Day celebration in 1996. Hehas a background in pyrotechnics during his career in the Navy and as an aerospace engineer. "Somebody had to do it," Sand- meyer said. But it was the child in him who wanted the role. Some of his fondest childhood memories were formed during the annual Fourth of July and state fair fireworks displays in his hometown of Minneapolis. "I've always been excited about fireworks since I was a kid," Sand- meyer said. "I saw some of the finest displays as a kid, at least that's the way I remember it." In Powderhorn Park, a block from his childhood home, the city would shoot off fireworks from a small island in the middle of a lake. "That was the greatest thing in the world for a kid in the Midwest in those days," Sandmeyer said. "It al- ways makes your heart beat a little bit faster when you see a good per- formance." Sandmeyer said he has the same feelings as he witnesses Sebastian's display from a small island in the In- dian River, from which the fireworks are launched. "This is kind of reliving my boy- hood," Sandmeyer said. But now, the children who "ooh" and "ahh" are his own grand- children, along with hundreds of other local youngsters and adults. That's reward enough for the al- most six months of work it takes to produce the 30-minute display. "I love it, I just love it," Sand- meyer said. To provide the fireworks display, the Lions Club must get permits from the city, the Indian River County Fire Department and the Army Corps of Engineers, which owns the channel island launch site. As chairman, Sandmeyer must negotiate a contract with the fire- works company, choose the display and verify that the company has the required licenses and insurance. He attends most of the Lions Club Fourth of July committee meetings to get approval for his plans and, finally, he transports the equipment to the launch site. On Independence Day, Sand- meyer spends more than 18 hours setting up and breaking down the fireworks while helping out with the rest of the celebration. The only thing he doesn't do is light the fuses. "You're tired but if it all goes well, you're happy," Sandmeyer said. Sandmeyer's first goal is to make the display completely safe for the shooter and the spectators. "Accidents are the result of lack of preparation and unskilled people setting off the fireworks," Sanmeyer said. "So it was (the Lions Club's) goal, when we took over the opera- tion, to have the most professional fireworks a little city like Sebastian could put on." So, Sandmeyer chose a company that — in addition to providing in- surance, quality fireworks and guar- anteed rates through the year 2000 — sends licensed technician Eddie Maples to actually set off the display. "With professionals, it's almost a ballet," Sandmeyer said. "(Maples is) one of their premier shooters. The Lions Club is obviously happy with Sandmeyer's efforts, as he was inaugurated as the Sebastian chapter's new president on June 16. Sandmeyer joined the Lions Club four years ago, a year after he and his wife, Elaine, moved to Se- bastian from St. Augustine to be closer to some of their children. Former volunteers for the Flor- ida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, the Sandmeyers wanted to continue helping the dis- advantaged. After this year's celebration, Sandmeyer will hand the reins of the fireworks display over to club mem- ber Gerald Osmundson, who will shadow Sandmeyer during this year's show to learn the ropes. The Fourth of July fireworks dis- play will begin at 9 p.m. at River- view Park. Warning signals will go off at 10, five and one minute before the display begins. Birthdate: Nov. 22, 1932. Birthplace: Minneapolis, Min. Education: Graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Family: Wife of 43 years, Elaine; sons, Richard Scott and Mark Thomas; daughter, Lorraine Stough; granddaughter, Catherine Adele Stough; grandson, Timothy Benjamin Sandmeyer. The best part of my job is: Hear- ing people's pleasure during the fire- works performance and the compli- ments we receive after the show about how beautiful it was. I love to hear the "oohs" and "aahs." What I like the least about my job is: Cleaning up after midmght. The most recent movie I saw in a theater was: "Deep Impact." The book I would recommend everyone read is: "The Kappillan of Malta" by Nicholas Monsarrat. Of everyone in the world, the person I would most like to meet is:Billy Graham. My favorite food is: Pasta and Chinese food. If I were going on a trip to the moon, I would take along: A lot of reading material and a lot of water. When I was growing up, I al- ways wanted to be: An architect. The person I admire the most is: Adm. Bull Halsey. My proudest moment was: When I graduated from the Naval Academy and having my mother and father witness it. My favorite sports team is: The Miami Dolphins. My favorite television show is: "The X-Files" and "Law and Order." On my last vacation, I visited: Niagara Pails, Lake Erie and Dolly- wood. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is: Do the crossword puzzle, read the paper and walk the dog. The type of music I enjoy the most is: Country and western, op- era. People who know me the best know: I like to help people; I like hobbies; I like radio-controlled air- planes; I like to make my own pasta and sauces, and I have a doggie named Bingo. The most exciting time in my life was: When I was the project en- gineer on a super-secret project, the "Jennifer Project," to raise a subma- rine from the middle of the Pacific — real cloak and dagger stuff. Photo Caption When he's not organizing the Fourth of July fireworks display for the Sebastian Lions Club, new club President Tim Sandmeyer enjoys building and flying radio-controlled airplanes. Adviser uses skills for the community By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun Photo Caption When Sebastian resident Peter Marcyan isn't coordinating projects for the Sebastian Elementary School Improvement Team, he works out of his home as a financial adviser. Whether it's building the pavil- ion at Sebastian Elementary School as a School Improvement Team Business Partner or cooking Thanks- giving dinner at the Sebastian Elks Lodge, Sebastian resident Peter Mar- cyan puts things together. "It makes me glad to see things happen," Marcyan said. His current project is collecting the cars and producing the signs needed to transport the dignitaries in Sebastian's Fourth of July parade. And while his list of activities that help the community is long, he insists he is just a small spoke in a wheel of dedicated people that work continually to make Sebastian a bet- ter place. "It's a huge circle of people that I know that have been willing to give a little in all different kinds of ways," Marcyan said. "There's so many peo- ple that do things, and they never get thanks for it, and I hate that — the unsung heroes, I call them," If someone had told him 15 years ago that he would be involved in numerous chanties, he would have told them they were crazy. "Maybe 15 years ago there was not much in my life that I cared about the fellow guy," Marcyan said. "I may have but I really didn't do much about it. But just by getting older I guess and people asking more of me, I hope that I have met some of their challenges." He credits his parents with in- stilling in him a sense of responsibil- ity not only for himself but or those around him. "I think it comes from my up- bringing and the love my parents had for me," Marcyan said. "I think the most important thing is responsi- bility to you, your family, friends and your job." That insight has manifested into an active involvement with the Se- bastian Elementary School Improve- ment Team, the Sebastian Elks, the Sebastian Fourth of July committee and an indirect involvement with many more charities. When asked by other members of the School Improvemeat Com- mittee to help build a children's sci- ence center at Sebastian Elementary School in 1994, Marcyan coordi- nated the effort by soliciting dona- tions, researching the necessary per- mits and guidlines and generally moving the project forward. His and the School Improve- ment Team's actions, along with generous support by local dentist Henry Fischer and other members of the business community, resulted in the Dr. Henry Fischer Science Cen- ter, a place where Sebastian Elemen- tary School pupils can learn science hands-on in a real laboratory setting. Three years later, he headed up similar efforts to build a pavilion at the elementary school for children to use during outside classes and for shade at recess and snack time. He was recognized for his efforts by the School Board of Indian River County with a Golden Apple award late last year. "It was wonderful," Marcyan said of receiving the award. "It was great that they recognized the effort. But the effort was nothing compared to what the people (who also helped out with the projects) did for me." He's now researching a project that would bring a historic Sebastian home to a central site for local school children to learn about Flor- ida history in an authentic setting. People often ask Marcyan why he works so closely with the school when he has no children himself. "I don't have children or any- thing and everybody says, 'Why do you do it?' and it's just because I en- joy doing it," Marcyan said. When he's not working with the School Improvement Team, Mar- cyan can be found donating his time as a member of the Sebastian Elks. He served as lodge chaplain for two years, visiting the sick, consoling those who had lost a loved one and giving the invocation at functions. He also spends every Thanksgiv- ing cooking in the lodge's kitchen to feed members and help supply food baskets the Elks distribute to needy families in the community. Local golf Sebastian Women's Association June 16, Odd Holes On Front, Even Holes On Back: Flights A and B: S. Keane, 88; 5. Andrews and H. Wangler, 91; B. Jackson, 94; A. Me- lia, 97. Flights C and D: C. Whiteman, 89; P. Hammond and B. Zampa- rello, 92; B. Egan, 96; A. Vukobich, 98. June 9, Team Quota: S. Keane, B. O'Connor, J. Kellough and R. McHale, plus-12; D. Murphy, C. Trillo, L. Edmondson and E. Roper, plus-b; B. Jackson, S. Thompson, L. O'Leary and P. Zamparello, plus-8; S. Andrews, P. Hammond, G. Preuss and R. Madigan, plus-8. Barefoot Bay Men's Association June 17, Low Net: Champion- ship Flight: Toby Cataldi and Paul Frank, 5; John Layden, 3. Flight A: John Engelhardt, 4; Tom DePaoll, Howard Sheehan and Dave McAllister, 3. Flight B: Al Glashauser, 4; Don Smith, 3. Flight C: Ed Bache, 8; Ron Skoog, 6. Sebastian Monday League June 8, Flight A (Maximum Handicap 75): Mike Muller, Tom Valachovic, Tony Zamparello and Bernie Cotton, minus-34; John Pen- dergest, Ralph Wood, Ray Merritt and Bob Voelker, minus-33; Ed Meyer, Dan Melia, Carl Ellison and Tom Wojo, minus-29; Joe Madigan, Art Maas, Vein Bodker and Art Murphy, minus-29. Flight B (Minimum Handicap 76): Hank Thompson, Vin Kirk, Paul Gustafson and Bud Mahoney, minus-46; Ted Sluzas, Don O'Con- nor, Bill Eyre and Jack Gnacinski, minus-44; Paul Morin, Pete Hespe, Roland Rochette and Harry Hal- bert, minus-39; Wayne Gates, Bill Walsh, Gil Whitford and Gary McComas, minus-33. Pin Shots: Tim Kocoupek, No. 2; Red Grange, No. 5; Ralph Diana, No. 17; Vein Bodker, No. 18. Barefoot Bay Ladies Association June 9, Three Best Balls of Four: Tina Mallet, Polly Courchene, Dot Blass and Lillian Weschier, minus-24; Doris Cataldi, Cathy Newton, Cathy Giordano and Irene Lavoie, minus-23; Susan Fields, El- len Arienta, Doris Hannington and Cathy Burt, minus-19; Helen Coiner and Wanda Hirschboeck, minus-19; Joyce Wilson, Ardith Barry, Millie English and Marilyn O'Keefe, minus-16; Gladys Manis, Edna Koh- nen, Edna Fox and Florence Stewart, minus-15. Local briefs Merchant Marines to dine July 1 The Treasure Coast Chapter of the American Merchant Marine Vet- erans meeting and installation of of- ficers, will be a luncheon held at 1 p.m. July 1 at Johnny's Restaurant, U.S. 1 and Rio Mar in Port St. Lu- cie. All U.S. Merchant Marine Veter- ans, U.S.N. Armed Guard, guests and friends are welcome. For further information, contact Gale Matthews, S89-7625, or Andy Akermanis, 664-6854. Funds needed for July 4th holiday The 1998 Sebastian Fourth of July committee, hosted by the Lions Club of Sebastian, is hard at work contacting local businesses and pa- trons to raise the necessary $20,000 in ads, gift certificates and donations for a celebration this year. There will be a pie contest held at noon of Riverview Park gazebo, headed by Lion Joe Blair. Partici- pants will be local stores, individuals and Ladies Clubs. Pies should be la- beled with the name of the donor or organization and a telephone num- ber. Pies will be judged on appear- ance, texture and taste. After judging, the remaining pie will be auctioned to the highest bidder. Pie plates will not be returned. All money collected will go to help with the cost the Fourth of July celebration. The winners will be awarded gift certificates donated by local businesses and their names will be publicized. The Lions Club is hoping for a great response front lo- cal businesses and residents. Any questions should be directed to Cindy Anderson at 388-3622 or Joe Blair at 589-3345. Board election on guild agenda On June 30, the annual meeting of the Vero Beach Theatre Guild will be held at 7:30 p.m.. Chaired by President Norma Damp, the meet- ing will receive a 40th anniversary season report, consider the current fiscal status of the guild and address other theater business, including the election of three new board mem- bers. SRHS basketball coach holding summer camp Sebastian River High School basketball Coach Jack Hodge will be holding his sixth annual Sebastian River basketball camp July 27-3 1 at Sebastian River's gymnasium. For children ages 6-11 the camp will run from 8 a.m. to noon, and for children 12-17, the time will be from 1 to 5 p.m. The focus of the camp will be on the fundamentals of passing, shoot- ing, dribbling, rebounding, playing defense, and sportsmanship. All campers will have the opportunity to win prizes, make new friends, have fun, work with high school coaches, and receive a camp T-shirt. The cost of the camp is $60 with special rates for multiple child fami- lies. There is a 10 percent discount for all check and money orders re ceived or postmarked before July 5 reducing the camp price to $54. For more information, call Hodge at 589-1141 or 564-4227, or Jim Melia at (407) 235-1237. Veterans lose with death of tobacco bill RICHARD HIGGINS Vets lose again: When the U.S. Senate killed the Universal Tobacco Settlement Act last week, the na- tion's veterans lost their first battle to recoup the $10 billion that Congress took from the Department of Veter- ans Affairs. The money was sched- uled earmarked for treatment of vet- erans suffering from tobacco addiction, a disease contacted during active duty service. Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., a Navy veteran, amended the big to- bacco bill to restore $3 billion to the VA. Senator John Kerry, D-Mass., another Navy veteran, provided bi- partisan support. However, Con- gress giveth and Congress taketh away. Big Tobacco died in the Sen- ate. Annual VA compensation battle begins: The Department of Veterans Affairs' Cost of Living Allowance for VA Compensation recipients is not automatically increased each year as are Social Security and military and federal retirement systems. Each year, there must be specific congressional and presidential action to change the rate, if at all. This ac- tion commenced last week for fiscal year 1999. The House Veterans Af- fairs Benefits Subcommittee ap- proved a bill so new it has not yet been numbered. If enacted, the amount of increase will be the same as the Social Security adjustment. FEHBP-65 update: Military re- tirees were recently notified of favor- able action by both houses of Con- gress that will allow retirees who are also eligible for Medicare to join the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan. The Military Coalition, a group of 26 military and veterans associa- tions, sent letters to Defense Depart- ment heads and service leaders urging the Defense Department to support a multisite demonstration. The request also asked for an FEIThP-65 test at at least one site where a Medicare Subvention test is taking place. The latter is an ap- pruved test of a concept that uses N{edicare funds to pay part of the ~os~ when service is provided at a militarv treatment facility. The Department of Defense op- poses holding the tests in the vicinity of any military hospital. They think older retirees would be enticed away from military health care. Military health professionals need to have some older patients to maintain their general skills. The support of the Department, although not essential, would make a good impression on Congress and the President. Gulf War Illness update: Bernard Rostker, the Pentagon's main man for Gulf War Illness Investigations, has taken many a punch while meet- ing with sick Gulf War veterans. Last year, Rostker conducted town meet- ings at 13 cities across the United States. Worried, angry veterans de- manded relief and fueled the now 2-year-old investigation with new in- formation for medical researchers to examine. This year, Rostker is visiting mil- tary installations, because a third of War veterans are still on active duty. Any notion that an on-post group would somehow be less con- frontational than an in-town one was quickly dispelled at Fort Campbell on June 17. The audience lined up to throw punches at a government they aren't sure they can trust to answer their questions and restore their health. Most-asked questions include "Why am I sick?;" "Do you really care," and "Why should I trust what you are doing?" The brighter side, according to Rostker, is the changes now under way that will better protect service members during future deployments. As a final word of advice, the Pentagon man urged sick active duty Gulf War veterans to see a doctor. Also, he said there is an immense amount of information on the topic on the Internet (www.gulflink.osd.mil). New Navy ship named for Medal of Honor recipient: On June 20, at a ceremony attended by his mother, U.S. Army Sgt. William W. Seay (1948-1968), a posthumous U. S. Medal of Honor recipient, was re- membered wheh the Navy's newest roll-on/roll-off cargo ship was chris- tened to bear his name. Sgt. Seay drove a truck on an ammunition resupply mission near Ap Hi, Vietnam, when ambushed by a reinforced battalion of the North Vietnamese Army. Sgt. Seay dis- mounted and took a defensive posi- tion behind the wheels of a vehicle, where he opened fire, killing two en- emy. He then killed a tree sniper. When an enemy grenade was thrown under an ammunition trailer, he left his protective cover, picked up the grenade and threw it back to the North Vietnamese position, killing four more enemy and saving the lives of men around him. He threw back a second grenade before being wounded in the right wrist. He found three enemies pene- trating his position and preparing to fire on his comrades. Weak from blood loss and with his right hand immobilized, Sgt. Seay stood up and fired his rifle with his left hand, killing all three and saving lives of men in his location. As a result of his heroic action, Sgt. Seay was mortally wounded by a sniper's bullet. Prepare before casting off for fun JIM KRZENSKI The 1998 summer boating sea- son has begun and Coast Guard Sta- tion Fort Pierce is very much inter- ested in the safety of all mariners. Our concern is directly heightened in proportion to the greater number of our local waterways. When it applies to safe boating, an ounce of prevention is certainly worth at least a pound of cure. To help ensure you do not require res- cue assistance we recommend you: - • Have the Coast Guard Auxil- iary complete a free examination of your boat. This inspection will help ensure that your boat has the proper safety equipment on board. Upon successful completion of this exami- nation, the auxiliary will provide a decal that for display on your vessel. • Complete a Coast Guard Auxiliary Boating Skills and Seaman- ship Course or a U.S. Power Squad- ron Boating Safety Course. To help ensure your safety, these courses will provide fundamental seamanship and navigation knowledge. Some boat insurance companies provide dis- counts for completion of this course. • Check your personal flotation devices. Personal flotation devices, or lifejackets, are one of the most im- portant pieces of equipment on your boat. By law, they must be readily ac- cessible, be in serviceable condition and fit the intended wearer. I would like to add that Type I, II and Ill (wearable types) must be worn in or- der to work. Although there is no federal law requiring they be worn, we strongly encourage children and nonswimmers to wear them. • Stay away from alcohol. Al- cohol and boat operation do not mix. The blood-alcohol limit of about 50 percent of the people in- volved in the boating fatalities ex- ceeded legal limits. • File a float plan. You are strongly encouraged to file a float plan with a friend or relative before getting under way. A float plan is simply vital information that your friend or relative can provide to the Coast Guard in the event you fail to return to shore on schedule. A float plan includes, but is not limited to, information on the vessel identification, number of people on board, their ages, medical condi- tions, your departure and return times, your destination, the amount of water and food on board, emer- gency signaling equipment available, and whether you have a VHF or HF radio, life raft and other emergency gear. In the event you are reported overdue by a friend or relative, this information may well help us find you quicker. Have the proper equipment. It is recommended that boaters ven- turing beyond the confines of the In- tercoastal Waterway and heading off- shore have a means of two-way communication. The preferred com- munications for offshore waters to between 20 and 30 miles is VHF FM marine radio. Keep in mind that VHF trans- missions have a range that is de- termined by line of sight, which is determined by elevation of the an- tennas and the power output of the transmitter. If venturing beyond 30 miles, boaters may want to invest in an HF radio. We do not encourage dependence on land-based sources of two-way communications when un- der way on a boat offshore. We recently responded to a cellu- lar phone distress call from a man drifting north in the Gulf Stream. His phone battery went dead. After two days and many hours of search- ing, we located him almost 50 miles north of his last reported position. If he had a working VHF radio, wc would have quickly located him, be- cause our boats are installed with VHF marine radio-direction-finding equipment. * Have a correct set of charts on board for your area of operation. At a minimum, you should know how to determine your position, plot a course and utilize the fixed andi float- ing aids to navigation the Coast Guard maintains. It's not a bad idea for small coastal fishing and recrea- tional boats to have a permanently fixed radar reflector installed. Another piece of equipment re- quired on some commercial vessels and strongly recommended for others is an emergency position- ing radio beacon. This device literally takes the search out of search and rescue. It not only tells us where you are, but if properly registered, it will tell us who you are. •Before venturing out to sea, be sure to get an accurate weather fore- cast. Remember, hurricane season extends from June 1 to November 30. Obtain a daily tropical-storm up- date from your weather radio. If you are interested in boating safety information, call the Coast Guards Boating Safety Hot- line at (800) 368-5647. Local Briefs Schommer earns award from chamber Alan Schommer, of Vero Beach, received the first Beautification Award presented by the Sebastian Chamber of Commerce and Keep Indian River Beautiful at the cham- ber's business and pleasures social event held June 18 at Skydive Sebas- tian and sponsored by Bell South. Schommer was recognized for the extensive renovation of Washing- ton Plaza at Washington Street and U.S. 1 in Sebastian. Refurbishment began shortly after Schommer ac- quired the property. It was recently completed. The project was judged in the Commercial Renovation category and was rated in design, appropriate use of materials, use of landscaping, sign usage, compatibility of sur- ±ounding structures and overall ap- pearance of the project. Keep Indian River Beautiful — through projects that include anti-lit- ter and clean-up campaigns, educa- tion, the Reusable Resource Reposi- tory, and tree plantings — seeks to promote beautification and preserva- tion of Indian River County. KIRB offices are at the chamber of com- merce. Call 388-9969. TOPS Chapter 641 learns about stress Take Off Pounds Sensibly Chapter 641, Sebastian, met at 8 a.m. June 18 at the Veterans of For- eign Wars on Louisiana Avenue. The program, conducted by Betty Reed, dealt with stress and how it affects eating habits. TOPS and Keep Off Pounds Sensibly pledges were recited. There was a weight loss of .3 pounds per person. Best losers for the week were Miriam Gellner and Nomie Tatro. For more information, call Betty Walther at 589-2190. Swingtime Band to 'Sellebrate' July 17 The Swingtime Band, a unit of the Melbourne Municipal Band, will present its "CD Sellebration Dance" 8-11 p.m. July 17 at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. The dance will celebrate the re- lease of Swingtime's first CD and cassette recording, which will be for sale during the dance. The Swingtime Band of 20 mu- sicians, under the direction of Clair Christy, will provide music from the 1940s and '50s, plus a variety of spe- cial selections. Swingtime is noted for starting its dance with Glenn Miller's "Moonlight Serenade," then his "String of Pearls" and closing with Woody Herman's "Woodchop- per's Ball." A large, smoke-free dance floor provides space for all styles of danc- ing. Vocalists will be Connie Silli- man and Len Fallen. Admission is $7 per person. Tickets can be purchased at radio station WMMB at its new location in the Florida Market Place, 1388 5. Babcock (the former Montgomery Ward) or at the door. There will be snacks and setups available for the BYOB event. For further information, call (407) 724-0555. Oberst receives award from university Dr. Fayne Oberst, of Barefoot Bay, was one of two Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine alumni who received awards from the college June 7 at the annual Conference and Veteri- nary Medical Alumni Association Banquet held at the Manhattan Holi- day Inn/Holidome. Oberst received the Distin- guished Alumnus Award for his out- standing achievements in the field of veterinary medicine. He received his doctorate of vet- erinary medicine in July 1943 from Kansas State. He held many posi- tions at the university, including temporary assistant instructor, 1943-47; assistant professor, 1947-48; associate professor, 1948-54; and professor in the de- partment of surgery and medicine, 1954-62. He has also held positions at the University of Missouri, Michi- gan State University and Oklahoma State University. Week In Review Center in Micco finally on way It was a moving experience June 18 for supporters of the South Main- land Community Center in Micco. Ground was broken on the 5,000-square-foot facility on Allen Avenue after the final surface-water permit was approved by the St. Johns River Water Management District earlier in the week. A ceremony for residents and dignitaries was held at the site where some construction already had started before the 1 p.m. event. "Finally, construction is going to begin," said Ruby Kramer, a Micco resident who helped to lobby for the center. "That's great. It's been a long time coming." Four years in coming, as a mat- ter of fact. That's when residents started a groundswell movement to get the center built. But the location of the center was a sticking point that caused numerous delays, as some residents wanted the facility built near Micco Park on Riverview Drive. The rift within the community eventually led to a nonbinding refer- endum in March 1996, when a ma- jority of residents voted in favor of the Allen Avenue site. The Brevard County Commission approved that location. "It doesn't have the traffic that Micco Park has," Kramer said. "There's a lot of residents who don't want it here. I don't understand why. It's nice and open and dry." The Allen Avenue location is far- ther north than Micco Park and slightly closer to Barefoot Bay, where many residents worked to land the community center. Jeanne Osborne, chairwoman of the citizens advisory committee for the center and a Barefoot Bay resi- dent, said the facility will serve more than just Micco. "Its to provide nutrition programs and services for the eld- erly," Osborne said. "I think some of the clubs will use it because we do have some re- strictions on outsiders" using Bare- foot Bay facilities, she said. With the community center in Micco, those Barefoot Bay organiza- tions can hold meetings outside of their compound and attract addi- tional members who don't live in Barefoot Bay, she said. Osborne said the community center also will provide an outlet for many Barefoot Bay residents looking to get involved. Brevard County District 3 Com- missioner Nancy Higgs, who repre- sents South County, said she's happy just to get construction on the fa- ciliry moving so it can serve the en- tire area. "This is a day we thought would never come and it's even more excit- ing to see the (property) stakes out there," she said. Construction on the project should last until early 1999. After the main center is complete, the county will work to begin getting the money needed for a gymnasium to be added to the complex. Community Coach giving free rides Some people say there is no such thing as a free lunch. But in Indian River County, at least for the summer, there is such a thing as a free ride. All passengers on the Council on Aging's Community Coach can ride at no charge, Karen Wood said. The bus transports Sebastian and Vero Beach residents to local shopping centers and the Indian River Mall. Wood said the free rides, which began June 1, are to promote aware- ness of the Community Coach bus routes. Passengers who request door-to-door service will continue paying $1 each way for transporta- tion to doctors' offices, she said. Usually, only riders 17 years old and younger ride for free. Riders ages 18 through 59 pay $1 each way, and those 60 and over are charged 50 cents for a one-way ride. Council on Aging Financial Offi- cer Robert Jacobsen said advertising money is available to help fund the free rides, which will cost about $4,000. While new Sebastian routes that started about a month ago have been steadily attracting riders, Wood said she would like more people to take advantage of the service. Last month, Community Coach added a Sebastian fixed route that would pick up riders at several shop- ping areas and take them to Poca- hontas Park in Vero Beach, where they could take a connecting bus to the mall or to local beaches. Wood said that if ridership in Se- bastian continues to grow, there is a possibility of expanding the service. Since the routes began, the service has been averaging about 94 riders each week. "I think it's doing real well for a new route" she said. "We're getting calls from people asking about it." Residents who can't walk to a designated bus stop can flag down the bus as it passes them on the street, she said. Maps and schedules for the bus are available at the Com- munity Coach office, so people can get an idea of when the bus might pass their home, she said. "We're kind of minimizing bus stops, and pushing the flag-down now," she said. She hopes Indian River County next month can begin linking its services with Brevard County's Space Coast Area Transit. The Brevard County service plans to begin a South Brevard County shuttle bus that will take residents from Grant, Micco and Barefoot Bay to River- walk Shopping Center in Roseland. From there, residents can take the connecting Community Coach bus to Vero Beach, she said. Brevard County residents also will be allowed to ride free as long as the offer lasts, she said. Wood said there is a trend among other counties throughout the state toward linking transporta- tion services. "We're just trying to stay ahead of the game. This is like a pilot (pro- gram)," she said. City planners approve of proposed church Sebastian Planning and Zoning conIn4issioners June 18 gave initial for a local pastor to begin build a church on Bailey Drive. The commission voted 4-0 to grant a conditional use permit for the Rev. Marcos Batista, pastor of Iglesia Pentecostal El Milenio Inc., to construct a church on 2.37 acres in a predominantly residential neigh- borhood. The proper is zoned public service, which allows churches provided a conditional-use permit is issued first. Commissioner Carl Fischer cited a conflict of interest, since he is the real-estate agent handling the sale of property to the church. Batista was unable to attend because he was holding church services. The commission's approval is contingent on having site plans ap- proved for the church. Fischer said it may take a year or two before the site plans are developed because the church needs to raise the money for construction. "He wants to get the conditiona- l-use permit before he goes through the expense of hiring an engineer" for the site plans, Fischer said. Money for the church is one con- cern, he said. "Obviously it's expensive," he said. One resident, Jeanine Leonard, of Manly Avenue, said she had ques- tions about the potential traffic and a lot of children in the neighborhood. I think the traffic is a major concern with me," she said. Fischer said the church, when completed, may hold about 300 peo- ple and probably won't be a very large building. Services most likely would be held on Sundays and maybe once during the week, so there wouldn't be a lot of traffic to the neighborhood. Batista began the church about two years ago to reach Span- ish-speaking parishioners. He held services in his home before moving the group to First Baptist Church at 1117 U.S. 1. Carmine Libertino currently owns the property but plans to sell it to the church for about $32,000. Council wants to split drainage-pipe cost The Sebastian City Council agreed June 17 that a drainage pipe on Lawrence Barton's property needs to be fixed so that it doesn't encroach on his property. But the council didn't think it should have to foot the entire bill and asked Barton to pay for half of the estimated $24,000 to fix the problem. After Barton and his wife, Edna, bought the Main Street property about two years ago, they noticed that the city's drainage pipe and ditch encroached on their land. The drainage ditch since has caused about 18 feet of erosion to the prop- erty, they said. They said they are having diffi- culty building their home on the property because of the pipe. The Bartons wanted the council to approve a project to move the pipe and ditch off the property and fix the erosion. The council voted unanimously to allow City Manager Thomas Frame to negotiate an arrangement with the Bartons to fix the ditch and pipe, but set a $12,000 limit on how much of the city's money can be spent. The Bartons, council members said, would have to pay the rest. "I can't afford that," Barton said, adding that he shouldn't have to pay anything for the job. "It's not my problem. It's their drainage, not mine. But the council said it wasn't re- sponsible for the whole problem. Frame said the ditch and pipe were constructed years ago by General Development Corp. "It's a bad situation, but it's not necessarily a city problem," Council- man Chuck Neuberger said. Mayor Ruth Sullivan said the city had some responsibility to move the pipe off the property, but also thought the city shouldn't pay for the whole project. Frame said he would meet with the Bartons to see what kind of ar- rangement can be made to keep costs as low as possible. He said some ex- tra fill dirt the city has from work on the Sebastian Municipal Golf Course could be given to the Bartons so they won't have to pay to have it brought to the ditch. The Bartons said they would lis- ten to Frame's proposal before con- sidering legal action. State to give $100,000 grant to fix complex The big green building on Bar- ber Street may be getting a facelift soon. Sebastian officials recently learned the city will get a $100,000 state grant to refurbish and renovate the south side of the Barber Street Sports Complex, including the green building. "I think it's wonderful,"Mayor Ruth Sullivan said. "It's something we badly needed to upgrade." Sebastian Parks and Recreation Superintendent Chris McCarthy said the building will cost about $30,000 to fix and thought the money from the grant could be used for the work. Refurbishing the green building has been suggested by several resi- dents, who have commented at City Council meetings about its condi- tion. "Maybe we could make it into a community center or an all-purpose center with offices," he said. "It's a pretty bad eyesore now." The grant comes from the De- partment of Environmental Protec- tion Florida Recreation Develop- ment Assistance Program, which the city applied for in August, McCarthy said. The city, with the help of Sebas- tian resident Pat Richter, asked for money to help improve the south area of the complex on the corner of Tulip and Barber streets, McCarthy said. Much of the exterior of the building, which now is used to store mowers and fertilizer, needs to be re- placed, he said. The building's main beams and floors are in good condi- tion, he said. The rest of the money could be used to build a practice field on the south side of the complex near the green building and a picnic pavilion in the southwest corner of the prop- erty, he said. A small soccer field in the northwest area of the complex needs improving, as well. The city will be required to pay a $25,000 match for the grant, McCarthy said. That money can come from the Parks Department's~ fiscal 1998 capital improvements budget, which set aside money for the complex, he said. Local Briefs Orchestra schedules Picnic Pops concerts The Melbourne Community Or- chestra, an affiliate of the Space Coast Pops, will present two Picnic Pops concerts at 6:30 p.m. July 15 and 16 and July 28 and 30 in the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hi- biscus Blvd. Music lovers are invited to bring picnic dinners or snacks and enjoy the air-conditioned atmosphere while listening to the concert. Bleachers will be set up for those without food. Music director and conductor Clair Christy has selected contempo- rary and classical selections for July 15 and 16 and Sousa marches and classical selections for July 28 and 30. Admission to all concerts are free, but tickets are required and are available at ticket outlets. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. People without tickets are admitted at 6:15. Call (407) 724-0555 for ticket outlets or other information. Cancer Society sets fishing tourney The American Cancer Society is playing host to its annual Take Fa- ther Fishing Tournament on Aug. 1, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tournament entry fee is $125 per team until July 25, and $150 from July 26 to August 1. An awards banquet open to the public will follow the tournament. To register for this year's tourna- ment, sponsor or donate prizes, or for more information call Pamela Steele at (561) 616-9370 or the Sail- fish Marina at (561) 844-1724. Grady Bunch to cruise July 9 The Vero Beach Grady Bunch is prepared for its 14th annual Bahama Cruise to the Abacos, departing Vero Beach on July 9 and returning July19. Islands to be visited include Walkers Cay, Green Turtle and Marsh Harbour. Fishing, snorkeling, diving, swimming and shopping are on the a genda. If you are a member of the Vero Beach Grady Bunch and wish to request more information on the cruise, contact Bruce Maclntyre at Vero Marine Center for more de- tails. This is a family style cruise with all ages participating. Membership in the Grady Bunch is open to all own- ers who purchased their Grady White from Vero Marine Center. Sebastian El-Does present scholarships The El-Does of Sebastian, Elks Lodge 2714, p resented $1,000 scholarships to I(Iristin Zaleuke and Paul Christophersen of the Sebastian River High School senior class to help further their education. Phoebe Ladner, president, made the presen- tations for Chairman Carol Greene. Children's Theatre offering drama camps Riverside Children's Theatre still has space available in many of its drama day camps. Children ages 5 and up can sign up on a weekly ba- sis. Performing Arts Day Camp for ages 5-7 is from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday. Children get a variety of arts-re- lated experiences from drama to dance to visual art. The camp contin- ues through July 10 with a new group beginning each week. A two-week Riverside Rascals Review camp begins June 29 and ends in a performance on Riverside Theatre's main stage July 10. For teens, Summerstage Conser- vatory is a three-week camp that be- gins June 29 and runs through July 17. Students will provide backstage assistance to both Summerstage '98 productions, "Joseph and The Amaz- ing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Morning Glory." For more details, call 234-8052. VNA clinic offers schedule The Visiting Nurse Association of the Treasure Coast is offering a free blood-pressure clinic from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. July 3 at Wal-Mart in Sebastian, 2001 U.S. 1. A blood-sugar clinic is scheduled for 9-11 a.m. July 3 at the Walgreens in Sebastian, U.S. 1 and Roseland Avenue. People wanting a blood-sugar test should fast from midnight the night before the test. For more infor- mation, call 567-5551. Football fever set to kick off Bill Valvo Football fever is beginning to take hold in our area this hot month of June. Already the call is out for kids to register for the popular Sebastian Panthers program. At Sebastian River High School, fans hope freshman Terrell Colson can register a few touchdowns this season arid quarterback the Sharks to a winning season. The Panthers have always won the hearts of young players ages 5 to 14. The program has shown that, over thc years, not only do the kids learn how to play the game, but they throw in lots of wins to sweeten their enthusiasm. Winning hasn't become a habit for the Sebastian River High School football team thus far in its short his- tory. But the Sharks showed signs of potential late last season. Head coach Randy Bethel ex- pects things to be different this year, as different as Colson will be from departing leader Joey Westberg. Westberg was a thrower and had size. Colson is smaller but swifter of foot, and that may be the key to the Sharks' offense this year. So it's a "wait and see" offense that Bethel will offer this year. Over on courtside, it will be high school basketball coach Jack Hodge conducting his sixth annual Sebas- tian River basketball camp, which begins July 27 and finishes on July 31 at the school's gymnasium. Hodge and Jim Melia have run a strong instructional camp for the past six years. All of his campers get the opportunity to play and learn and even win prizes. The program will pinpoint the fundamentals of passing, shooting, dribbling, rebounding, defense and sportsmanship. Anyone who saw the final game between the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz saw the same set of fundamen- tals in action, and the instructor was Michael (I won't be back) Jordan. A tape of the last couple of min- utes of the contest should be put in every basketball coach's locker and brought out at halftime of every game. Over-80 golfers on par with younger crowd By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun After goffing legend Jack Nick- laus tied for sixth place in this year's Master's Tournament, the oldest player ever to finish in the top 10, Sports Illustrated writer Rick Reilly wrote a column about how amazing it was for a 58-year-old golfer to continue to play so well. While the 15 or so oldest mem- bers of the Sebastian Men's Golf As- sociation might not be teeing off at Augusta for a shot at a green jacket, these 80-and-older players are still the envy of many golfers, often shooting their ages, or better. The oldest golfer in the associa- tion, Paul Gustafson, just celebrated his 90th birthday in March and re- cently the local resident shot an 89. "I usually shoot my age," Gustaf- son said. "Or at least my life expec- tancy." He's always a tough competitor, said several members of his four- some, often taking them for a few bucks, or beers, after a morning on the links. "(Gustafson is) so sharp, you can't fool around when you play him," Henry Thompson, Gustafson's golfing partner of 15 years, said. "His brain is always clicking. He wins his share of tournaments in his handicap bracket and always contrib- utes to the foursome." Gustafson has played golf all his life and really got into the game when he was a caddie in his teens at a country club in Marblehead, Mass. There was a caddie tournament every Monday and slow days often found them practicing their swings on the driving range. Gustafson joined Sebastian Mu- nicipal Golf Course when it was still being built. "When it was just a patch of palmettos," Gustafson said. When Sebastian Municipal was opened in 1981, he said, it was really the only public course, besides Dod- gertown, in the area. He still plays three or four times a week and collected his seventh hole -in-one last spring on Sebastian's- par three, fifth hole. Thompson remembers a time when he and Gustafson were playing in a foursome at a course in Fort Myers. One of the golfers hit off the tee to within a few feet of the cup and Gustafson said he'd have to ace it to win the hole. He did. While his drives have gotten a little shorter, he said his game hasn't changed too much as he's gotten older. He said he still has a good short game. "Sometimes I get a little irritated when the younger guys out drive me by 20 yards," Gustafson teased. He credits the game with keep- ing him active and has met people from all over the world by playing it. "It's something I look forward to every week," Gustafson said. "It keeps you young and going. It gets you out in the open and you meet nice guys you wouldn't have met if you didn't play the game." Association member Bernie Cot- ton didn't start playing golf until Photo Caption Eighty-eight-year-old Bernie Cotton, right, and his wife, Pearl, frequently hit the links at the Sebastian Municipal Golf Course. later in life, but at 88, he's still been playing for more than 30 years. "I love the game," Cotton said. He regularly shoots an 84 or 86 the five or six times a week he plays at the par-72 Sebastian MunicipaL "It keeps me out of the bar- room," Cotton joked. He said some of the younger members often try to help out the older ones by picking up balls or car- rying clubs. "They really take care of us old guys but hey, don't spoil us," Cotton said. "They better just try to keep up with us." Actually, he better keep up with his 81-year-old wife, Pearl, who re- cently eagled Sebastian's par-five 15th hole. Another of Gustafson's golfing buddies, Robert Beebe, thinks the over-80 players are an inspiration to their younger counterparts. "I think it's a privilege to play with those guys," Beebe said. "I don't think I'll be playing when I'm 90 because I have 23 years to go. They bring us hope, in a way." Thompson said he looks to Gus- tafson as a sort of role model. "I want to do everything he does," Thompson said. "If he eats it, I'll eat it. If he drinks it, I'll drink it because he's doing everything right. He's the prototype of a really nice guy." Red Grange is another example of how golf can keep you young. At 81, he said he's in great health with 20/20 vision. He plays three or four times a week and often shoots around 84. His goal also is to shoot his age. "I think about golf a lot," Grange said. "I think about what I should be doing to improve my game. I'm hav- ing a great time and love the idea that I can golf anytime I want." Grange said some of the men's as- sociation meinhers can't believe he's 81, and when they find out, they say, "Who are you kidding, 81?" But he keeps up with his younger partners and credits improved equip- ment with keeping him a 200-yard driver. "I can stay with them," Grange said. "I make money every time I go out there." Golf is one of the few games a person can play for a lifetime, Grange said, and after the loss of his wife, it brings a little happiness into his life. "What other sport can you play at this age? Running?" Grange said. "It makes a difference for a guy to have something like this to do." In a league of his own: Grandpa coaching team By LINDA ROTHSTEIN Of The Sun Sebastian resident Vernon Barnes practically introduced the sport of soccer to the small city of Aurora, Ohio, more than 20 years ago. He started a recreational youth- soccer program in the city and three years later helped residents success- fully lobby to create a team at the school. "It was tough because not that many people knew anything about it" Barnes said. He also was the president of the local Little League, coaching his son, Scott, through the ranks of the orga- mzation. So when he moved to the area recently, Barnes couldn't resist coaching a Sebastian Soccer Associa- tion team when his 7-year-old grand- son, Matt Gehrke, asked him to. That invitation extended to the Sebastian River Area Little League, when Matt began playing on a Mi- nor B team this year. "The main thing that I want to teach these kids is to try their best," Barnes said. As the only grandfather coach- ing, the 68-year-old Barnes holds a somewhat unique position among the coaches in those leagues, most of whom are mothers and fathers of the players. What he brings to those leagues is years of coaching experience and a wealth of knowledge about soccer, which for many other coaches is a relatively new sport. "It's a healthy sport," Barnes said. "It's a chess game on your feet. It's not like football where you have set plays and runs. You've got to be thinking all the time." The other seniors who volunteer in youth sports programs often take behind-the-scenes roles such as um- piring, refereeing or serving on the board of directors. Sebastian resident Randy Snyder has been involved in the Sebastian River Area Little League for more than two decades, from before the Barber Street Sports Complex was even a dream for the city. He accepted yet another presi- dency this season, even though his children are grown with children of their own. His granddaughter, Shayna Snyder, however, does play on a Little League softball team and his daughter, Beth Murphy, coaches. For many of the seniors who do volunteer, it's often their second time around. They frequently stop being involved after their children grow up and get back into it when it's time for their grandchildren to play. What older volunteers bring to the sport can be a lifetime of playing and coaching the sport themselves as well as a gentle touch and a lot of patience as Barnes' 7-8-year-old soc- cer team proved this season, finish- ing with no losses and one tie. "It's like making a recipe," Barnes said of coaching the youngest play- ers. "You start from scratch and you hope it comes out well." They not only share their expertise with the children but can serve as a good resource for the other coaches. Although many older volunteers, such as Barnes and Snyder, are still working, coaching can be a way for retired people to stay active. "You've got to stay active when you get older," Barnes said. "And it's fun. As long as I can do it, I'll do it." Photo Caption Sebastian Soccer Association Coach Vernon Barnes talks to player Rory Mueller during the spring season. SRHS' Stutzke joins ranks of elite LINDA E. ROTHSTEIN Sebastian River High School Athletic Di- rector Michael Stutzke's job just got a little easier. He recently was designated as a Certified Athletic Administrator by the National Inter- scholastic Athietic Administrators Association after nearly a year of reading, research and study, evaluation of his educational back- ground, experience and professional contribu- tions and a rigorous, comprehensive written examination. "It was the opportunity to be able to say to the community that I think enough of my pro- fession to become certified," Stutzke said. "I hope there will be those that realize I do take my job seriously and that I'm qualified to be part of select group." The certification process not only gives Stutzke the prestigious designation, it also arms him with new skills and strategies de- signed to make his job easier. "I think that what I learned is that the pro- fession, being an educator and an athletic/ activities director, is becoming far more com- plicated," he said. "For example, funding is far more complex than when I started five years ago." The course covers a variety of issues faced by athletic administrators, especially those that are taking up more and more of their time lately such as legal issues, efficient administra- tive procedures, leadership styles and the ever-present risk management. "(Srutzke is) an outstanding person," Frank Kovaleski, executive director of the NIAAA, said. "Earning this distinction is an indication of his dedication to being the very best he can be in his profession." Every state has an association for athletic directors united as the NIAAA. The associations offer resources and net- working on the state and national level to help athletic directors serve the complex needs of their sports programs, as well as continuing education and certification in athletic adminis- tration. But with almost 6,000 members nation- wide, only about a third have participated in the voluntary process to earn the title of Certi- fied Athletic Administrator. In fact, Stutzke was the only athletic direc- tor in the state to sit for the certification exam given last month at the Florida Athletic Ad- ministrators convention. Running a high-school athletic program sometimes can be a thankless job. "It's a very difficult job," Kovaleski said. "You have to deal with all those things while living in a glass house." Athletic directors are acclaimed when their programs do well and take the heat when they don't. If a major team has a series of, or even one, losing season, athletic directors may have to make tough recommendations about firing and hiring coaches, all the while worrying about the security of their own jobs. They're the ones who often have to make unpopular decisions in order to balance a limited budget or to maintain gender equity. With the help of coaches, athletic directors have to discipline irresponsible athletes and worry about how their actions might affect the lives of young people. They're often the first on campus and the last to leave, putting in countless weekend and holiday hours. And at the high-school level, athletic administrators are usually responsible for all the on-campus extra-cur- ricular activities from football games to choral concerts. "I think (being certified) brings a degree of profes- sionalism to what I do," Stutzke said. "(As an athletic director) I've never worked so hard in all my life. High-school athletic programs today are far more com- plex than the community realizes." Kovaleski said the turnover rate for athletic adminis- trators, especially among those new to the profession, is about 30 percent. But with these heavy responsibilities also comes a great deal of satisfaction. Seeing teams improve or excel, observing the per- sonal triumphs of individual athletes, participating in the camaraderie of the locker room, cheering from the side- lines and knowing exceptional student-athletes, coaches and school personnel can make an athletic director's dif- ficult job worthwhile. So with all the pressures and pleasures, it's not sur- prising athletic directors need a little help from friends. "For the citizens of the school district, (certification) is a good indication that their athletic administrator takes their job seriously and is concerned about profes- sional development," Kovaleski said. "They're elevating themselves to the highest level of their profession." Obituaries William Leighton William D. Leighton, 75, of Se- bastian, died June 18, 1998, at Car- negie Garden Nursing Home, Mel- bourne, after a prolonged illness. He was born Jan. 9,1923, in Quincy, Mass., and moved to Sebas- tian three years ago from Boston. Mr. Leighton was a member of the Indian River Cremation Society. Surviving are his wife, Joann; one brother, Jack Leighton, of Wakefield, Mass.; four children and four grandchildren, all of Massachu- setts. At the family's request, there will be no repose or visitation. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Massachusetts. Bernard O'Brien Bernard Patrick O'Brien, 79, of Sebastian, died unexpectedly June 19, 1998, at Palm Garden of Vero Beach. He was born March 17, 1919, in Bound Brook, N.J., and moved to Sebastian 12 years ago from Somer- set, N.J. Mr. O'Brien was the owner and operator of O'Brien's Tavern, Som- erset, N.J. He was a U.S. Army vet- eran of World War II. He was a member and former commander of American Legion Post No. 0363, South Bound Brook, N.J. He was a member of Sebastian American Le- gion Post No. 189; Sebastian Moose Lodge No. 1767; and Eagles Sebas- tian Inlet Aerie No. 4067. Surviving are two sons, Bernard O'Brien, of Sebastian, and Dennis O'Brien, of South Bound Brook, N.J.; three sisters, Anne Long, Lor- retta Rash and Sister Mary Ellen O'Brien, all of New Jersey; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Mr. O'Brien will be transferred to the Conroy Funeral Home, Bound Brook, for services and inter- ment at Cedar Hills Cemetery, East Millstone, N.J. Strunk Funeral Home, Sebas- tian, is in charge of local arrange~ ments. Harry Mills Harry "Sug" Mills, 84, of Wa- basso, died June 19, 1998, at Sebas- tian River Medical Center after an extended illness. Mr. Mills was born Sept. 12, 1913, in Richmond, Ind., and moved to Wabasso 26 years ago from Indiana. Mr. Mills was a commercial or- chid grower and a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Wa- basso. He was also a past president of the Vero Beach Orchid Society. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Surviving are his wife of 26 years, Patricia; one sister, Jeanne Witherby, of Melbourne; and one brother, Lowell P. Mills, of Green- ville, Miss. A funeral service was held June 23 at the Cox-Gifford Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. James C. Isaac- son, of Grace United Methodist Church, officiating. Donations can be made to the Grace United Methodist Church Fund, P.O. Box 55, Wabasso, Fla. 32970, in Mr. Mills' memory. Rosanne Bissaillon Rosanne Bissaillon, 74, of Bare- foot Bay, died June 21, 1998, at In- dian River Memorial Hospital after a prolonged illness. She was born Aug. 17, 1923, in Omaha, Neb., and moved to Bare- foot Bay six years ago from Dallas, Texas. Mrs. Bissaillon worked in the personnel department for various hospitals in Pittsfield, Mass. She was a member of the Indian River Cre- mation Society. Surviving are two sons, Barry Bissaillon, of Oak Bluffs, Mass., and Michael Bissaillon, of Bonney Lake, Wash.; two daughters, Kathy Aus- tin, of Allen, Texas, and Cherrie Francis, of Vero Beach; two sisters, Mary Dietrich, of Minneapolis, Mn., and Kate Schutz of Omaha; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. At the family's request, there will be no repose or visitation. A private service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family sug- gests donations be made to VNA Hospice, 1111 36th St., Vero Beach, Fla. 32960, or to the American Can- cer Society, 1401 21st St., Vero Beach, Fla. 32960 in Mrs. Bissail- lon's memory. END