American Health Society founder and CEO J. R. Gordon returned recently from a trip to Baghdad as an ambassador for the Orphans of War Campaign, and he was horrified by what we saw.
“If 'Mad Max' was a movie, Baghdad is reality. Grass does not exist and desert sands cover everything, often making moving around near impossible,” he said.
Gordon was invited to the Iraqi Orphans Conference due to his efforts over the past six years to provide Iraqi children with teddy bears and stuffed animals through the Orphans of War Campaign.
“If they were in the United States, most of these orphanages would be closed due to code violations. There were children lying naked on floors, and parents are dropping children off in droves because they cannot sustain families,” he said.
There are orphanages run by Catholic nuns that are well kept, but those run by the Iraqi government are in shambles.
“They’re languishing in nothing short of prisons, and you look in their eyes and see no hope. The estimated number of orphans in Iraq is close to 5 million, and in time you will see the future breeding ground for Islamic extremists,” he said.
Gordon said the Middle East is in complete upheaval and that Americans need to realize the situation could become much worse.
“There is a pervasive sense of hopelessness that permeates the population, and these are a very prideful people. The real danger is that Iran is lurking in the background much like a Black Mamba snake,” said Gordon.
The Black Mamba is one of Africa’s deadliest snakes, and it lays in wait patiently for its prey, and Gordon said it is the perfect analogy for the relationship between Iraq and Iran. For more information, visit www.orhpansofwarcampaign.

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The West Boca Community Council recently launched a new Web site, www.WestBocaCC.com. The council’s digital newsletter, which covers items of interest to West Boca residents, is embedded within the site, along with periodic reports from elected officials. There is also a calendar of West Boca events and council meetings, a listing of partnerships with sister organizations, and photos will be uploaded in the near future.
“Several features will be added later this year, including sections on emergency resources prior to the start of the hurricane season and West Boca public schools in early August. Allan Kellock deserves a special thanks for overseeing the building of the new Web site,” said council president Sheri Scarborough.

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The deadline for entry into the Boca Festival Days 2009 poster contest has been extended to May 29. Boca Festival Days runs the entire month of August and features several events throughout the city and is designed to raise funds and awareness for nonprofits. The winning poster will be unveiled at the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce June membership breakfast, and the winner will receive $150. For information about submission guidelines, visit www.bocaratonchamber.com.

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Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services recently hosted its third annual EMS Challenge, and 13 paramedic teams from Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Flagler and St. Johns counties competed
. “It’s about much more than just the competition, although that is nice. We network, learn about new technologies and techniques, and all of these are filtered down,” said public information officer Frank Correggio.
City Council members Anthony Majhess and Michael Mullaugh stopped by to check out the action and sang Boca Fire Rescue Service’s praises.
“One thing we never hear is that emergency services took too long to arrive. It is actually quite the opposite, and our residents are continually stunned by the rapid response time,” said Mullaugh.
Correggio said due to their hosting, the Boca team did not compete. Florida Medical Training Institute took top honors, followed by Delray Beach Fire Rescue and third place went to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Team A.

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The National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s South Florida Chapter is hosting its 29th annual MS Golf Tournament at 11 a.m. May 15 at the Boca Lago Country Club, 8665 Juego Way. There will be a buffet dinner, awards ceremony and a silent auction/raffle following the tournament. Mercedes Benz of Pompano is putting up a luxury vehicle as the tournament prize for the hole-in-one contest. For more information about sponsorship and the golf tournament, call Monica Whiting at 954-731-4224 or e-mail at monica.whiting@fls.nmss.org. For information about the MS Society, visit www.nationalMSsociety.org.

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Michael Pertnoy is a recipient of a Carl Wilkens Fellowship, which is a program of the Genocide Intervention Network, and he spoke to students in Boca Raton High School’s Holocaust elective class April 27. Pertnoy is in the process of editing his documentary, "The Last Survivor," a film that explores genocide in the 21st century.
“The idea is to go from intervention to prevention. People are aware of Darfur, but there are so many areas marred by genocide including the Congo, Somalia and Burma,” he said.
Students from the class have been creating awareness and raising funds through a project called Triangles of Truth.
“Each donation is only $1, and we have collected over $27,000 so far. These students are so amazing; I tell them we need 500 new triangles, and they are ready the next day,” said class teacher Sharona Kay. For information about the film, visit www.righteouspictures.com. For information about Triangles of Truth, visit www.trianglesoftruth.org.

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Fellow (L) and Madden (R).
Nine members of West Boca Raton High School’s chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America competed recently at the statewide competition in Orlando, and two of the budding business leaders did quite well.
Senior David Fellow, 19, took top honors in the computer problem solving category, and junior Joseph Madden, 17, placed third in the spreadsheet application competition.
Fellow will compete in the national competition in Anaheim, Calif. June 25 to 28 and said he gravitated toward technology at an early age.
“It was something that just came easy to me. The test at the competition was 100 questions, and I scored the highest out of the close to 40 competitors,” he said. Technology also appealed to Madden at an early age, and he said it had nothing to do with parental influence.
“When it comes to anything to do with computers, I usually teach them. During the competition, I had to create spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel in a certain time frame, and it was fairly easy,” he said.
Fellow is fairly certain about his career path, and Madden is still weighing options.
“I will begin attending Florida Atlantic University in August, and will be pursuing a career in information technology,” said Fellow. “I’m not really sure about the school I will attend, but I know I want to be an engineer for sure,” said Madden.
For more information about the Future Business Leaders of America, visit www.fbla.org.

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Due to financial shortcomings, the New Vista Theatre Company has canceled the premiere of "The Shop on Main Street." In its place, the company is putting on a series of benefit performances from April 30 to May 10 titled "The New Vista Variety Hour (and a half)." The 90-minute performances will be hosted by artistic director Avi Hoffman and will feature some of South Florida’s top actors, singers and dancers. Tickets cost $20, and all proceeds will benefit the New Vista Theatre Company. The performances will take place at West Boca High School’s Performing Arts Center, 12811 W. Glades Road. Dates and times vary. For more information, call 561-482-4144 or visit www.newvistatheatre.com.

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The Boca Town Center Mall is participating in the inaugural "National
Mom’s Nite Out" from 6 to 9 p.m. May 7. The event is sponsored by
Simon Property Group and several Web sites dedicated to motherhood.
The social networking event will feature live entertainment, prizes,
hair and makeover demonstrations, discounted shopping, food and more.
“With mom’s controlling between 85 and 90 percent of household
spending, Town Center at Boca Raton is excited to give them the
recognition they deserve by taking part in National Mom’s Nite Out,”
said Town Center director of marketing and business development Ellen
Korelitz. For more information, visit www.momsniteout.com.

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The fifth annual "Israel Under the Stars" concert is at 6 p.m. April 29 at the Mizner Park Amphitheater, and thousands are expected at Israel’s Independence Day celebration. The free event is sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council and will feature entertainment by Yehudah Katz with Reva L’Sheva.
“We have an amazing opportunity as a community to come out, join together in unity and celebrate Israel” said JRCR chairman Rabbi David Steinhardt.”
There will be limited chairs available, but attendees can bring lawn chairs and blankets. For more information, call 561-852-3159 or visit www.jewishboca.org/juts.

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St. Paul Lutheran School, 701 W. Palmetto Park Road, is hosting a parenting seminar from 7 to 8 p.m. April 30. The guest speaker is national author Dr. Bob Barnes, and the discussion is titled "Parenting on Purpose: Who’s in Charge," and St. Paul admission officer Tonya Haberlein said the event is open to the entire community.
“Dr. Barnes is a down-to-earth Christian man who provides practical parenting solutions to everyday parenting issues. He does so with humor, but also with a very real approach that both moms and dads can relate to,” she said. Dr. Barnes book, "Who’s in Charge," is available online at www.sheridanhouse.org. For more information about the event, call 561-395-8548.

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Electric cars on display outside the symposium.
Florida Atlantic University hosted the "Focus the Nation" symposium this past weekend, which is a nationwide event held in 435 Congressional Districts designed to address pressing environmental concerns. Local politicians, academics, students and business leaders discussed sustainability and reducing our collective ecological footprint during the town hall-style discussion.
FAU President Frank Brogan discussed the future of the green movement and initiatives implemented at the university that have reduced the campus’ collective ecological footprint.
“Simple actions can have profound impact. We got rid of trays in our cafeteria and are saving untold amounts of water, and food waste was also drastically reduced,” he said. Boca Raton Mayor Susan Whelchel talked about city measures and the intersection of thinking green and finance.
“Through our reclaimed water system, we saved 3 billion gallons of water last year, and Boca leads Palm Beach County in residential recycling. In the old days, we didn’t really talk about the connection between cost and going green, but we now know cost effectiveness and the green movement go hand-in-hand,” she said. For more information, visit www.focusthenation.org.

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The city is hosting a community awareness meeting to address residents' concerns related to the Spanish River Boulevard construction project from 5 to 8 p.m. May 13 at the Marine Safety Headquarters, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd. The $500,000 project is set to begin in the fall of 2010 and conclude by spring 2011, and will entail the following improvements: milling and resurfacing of pavement, installation of new signage and pavement markings, upgrading the guardrail attachments to the Spanish River Bridge and pedestrian facilities to meet ADA requirements. For project related questions, call FDOT project manager Mr. Thue Le at 954-777-4552 or e-mail thue.le@dot.state.fl.us.

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Prime Management Group recently donated $500 to the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce’s Golden Bell Education Foundation to honor Frank Barbieri’s contribution to West Boca. Barbieri has been the president of Loggers’ Run for 20 years and was the first vice president of the West Boca Community Council.
“Prime Management believes in giving back to the community and we couldn’t think of a better way to honor Mr. Barbieri than a donation to the Golden Bell Education Foundation. This is a charity very dear and close to Mr. Barbieri’s heart, and it will go right back into our local public schools,” said vice president of business development Sheri Scarborough.
Barbieri has retired from the Loggers’ Run board of governors to serve on the Palm Beach County School Board.

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Close to 100 hundred people attended the recent housewarming for the opening of the Jewish Association for Residential Care’s four new group homes at the HSBC Plaza, Yamato Road and U.S. Highway 441. Several in attendance brought much-needed items including towels, flatware and vacuums, and director of community outreach Nancy Freiwald said they are still in need. To donate, visit
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/regGiftRegistry.asp?order_num=-1&wrn=%2D1555916435, then input the registry number 8045879.

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Florida Atlantic University’s Jack Miller Forum is hosting a lecture featuring James Ceasar of the University of Virginia at 1 p.m. April 17 in the Majestic Palm Room of the Student Union, 777 Glades Road. The free lecture is titled "The Future of Conservatism," and will focus on the different forms of American conservatism and its relationship to the current administration. Ceasar is a professor of politics at the University of Virginia and a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. For more information, call 561-297-3212 or visit www.fau.edu/jackmillerforum.

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The YMCA of Boca Raton, 6631 Palmetto Circle South, is hosting Healthy Kids Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 18. The event is free and open to all, and it is the largest nationwide health day for families and children.
“As families struggle to balance life’s daily demands and persevere during an economic downturn, it is important that we reach beyond our YMCA facility to the entire community,” said Richard W. Pollock, president and CEO of YMCA of South Palm Beach County. There will be a Y family walk, water slide, obstacle course, rock climbing and a "Yathalon" for kids. For more information, call 561-395-9622 or visit www.ymcaspbc.org.

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The home students will be living in.
A group of Lynn University students will spend the week living the Haitian experience. Students from the campus group Students for the Poor, which was formed to support the international nonprofit Food for the Poor, have spent their last two spring breaks in Haiti and Jamaica, and the idea was born.
"So many of them come back changed by these experiences, and they're hungry to help their fellow students see what they saw and experience what they experienced. They can't do that from here necessarily, but I think with this week they're hoping to give them at least a glimpse,” said Lynn University associate dean for student wellness Gary Martin. The students began construction on a pre-fab home at 10 a.m. April 13, and four students will live in the house without electricity, running water or cell phones until April 17. Food for the Poor is an international nonprofit predicated on alleviating hunger and suffering. To donate or for more information, visit www.foodforthepoor.org.

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Wheeler Brown, 14, is an eighth-grader at A.D. Henderson University School and he recently represented the Boca Raton area at the 2009 Florida Geographic Bee. The event is sponsored by the National Geographic Society and is open to students in grades four through eight, and Brown won the competition at his school.
“He’s always been a fantastic student, and there has never been a need for an extra push. He took to geography at an early age and always had an interest in maps and things like that,” said Wheeler’s mother Kimberly. To qualify for the state-level competition, Wheeler had to take a test and place in the top 100, which proved no trouble at all for the geographic whiz.
“I remember looking at maps when I was little and it just made sense. When I got to middle school, I knew this is what I wanted to focus on and study,” he said.
Want to test your knowledge against fourth- and eighth-graders? Here are a few sample questions: About 40 percent of the population still lives below the poverty line despite an oil and gas boom in which country where Baku is the capital? The port of Rotterdam is built on the delta of which major European river?
Considering Wheeler’s career trajectory, questions like this probably pose little challenge to the burgeoning special agent.
“I want to join the CIA as a special agent and investigate in other countries. Seeing the world is something that is very important to me,” he said.

Question Answers: Azerbaijan, Rhine River

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Florida Atlantic University’s Department of Sociology is presenting a free mini-film festival from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. April 15 in the DeSantis Center and the Performing Arts Center, 777 Glades Road. Six films will be screened during the “Thinking Films Showcase: A Sociological Journey through Film,” and each film will be followed by a discussion. The films cover a range of topics including Iraq/Afghan veterans dealing with injuries in civilian life and pornography in everyday life. For more information, call 561-297-3720 or e-mail jknibb@fau.edu.

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J. Robert Gordon, founder/president of The American Health Association

What is the Orphans of War Campaign? We provide overseas troops
teddy bears that they distribute to local children, and we have sent 1.2 million toys to date.
Why do you feel this is important? These conflicts cannot be won
with bullets and aggression. We have to focus on friendship and love,
and that is what these animals symbolize.
How has the campaign been received in Iraq? It is amazing the bond
that develops. There have been instances where the children warned
service men and women about IEDs, and lives have been saved.
You were invited to Iraq, what will that trip entail?
I will be speaking at the Iraqi Orphan Conference, which is designed to address
the needs of millions of orphans and widowed mothers.
What are you hoping to accomplish? I really hope to lay the
groundwork for building volunteerism in the area like we have in the
United States.
This do not exist?
No, they have no concept of volunteering to
better the community. Ideally, I would like to form partnerships
between Boca-based organizations and Baghdad.
Are there additional plans on the horizon?
Yes, we will be branching out to Afghanistan as well. The plan is to collect another million toys and soccer balls to send to those troops. We need to double our efforts and do everything we can to protect our service men and women.

Donations should be sent to The American Health Society, c/o Orphans of War, P.O. Box 1772, Boca Raton, Fl 33429. For more information, visit www.orphansofwarcampaign.org or call 561-361-9091.

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The debate over whether to extend University Drive north of Broward County into West Boca has been brewing for years and looks to be nearing resolution. West Boca residents and community leaders opposed the extension, which they argued would dump 70,000 cars a day into an area rife with schools and children.
“You would be looking at tens of thousands of cars coming into the area being dumped in front of at least a half-dozen schools. We promised a long time ago that we would not stop until University Drive is off the maps with the Department of Community Affairs, and that looks to soon be the case,” said West Boca Community Council President Sheri Scarborough. The new plan calls for making U.S. Highway 441 a transit corridor and increasing mass transit service availability in the area.
West Boca resident Rachel Schappel said that seems like a much better option than potentially placing children in harm’s way.
“My children are grown and gone, but if I had school-aged children I would be vehemently opposed to that idea. We should be prioritizing mass transit and less commuting in cars anyhow,” she said.
The terms of the agreement will be placed on the agenda for a future county commission meeting.

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Boca Raton Police Department detectives are warning residents about a common theft trend at the Town Center Mall. Customers making purchases often leave for nearby dining and leave purchases in the vehicle. The vehicles are broken into and the purchases are stolen, and detectives believe the victims were targeted after leaving the mall. The department’s crime prevention unit suggests the following safety measures:

Go directly home after big-ticket item purchases.
Never leave valuables in the vehicle and make sure it is locked.
Park in well lit areas and be aware of your surroundings.
Call 911 if you see suspicious people or incidents.

Anyone with information about the crimes is asked to call Detective
Mark Horowitz at 561-338-1392.

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Fire Chief Tom Wood, Lisa Gomez (Liberty Mutual Branch Manager), Todd Stewart, Donnie Horn, Tomas Martin and Heidi Dadoush (Liberty Mutual Sales Representative).
Liberty Mutual recently presented its Firemark Award to three Boca Raton firefighters for their heroic efforts during an incident at sea. The award was presented to Capt. Todd Stewart, driver Donnie Horn and firefighter/paramedic Tomas Martin.
“The three firefighters were given the award for their act of heroism in rescuing victims whose boat capsized in the ocean near Boca Inlet,” said public information officer Frank Correggio.
The award was created 20 years ago to honor firefighters risking their lives to keep communities safe.

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The Boca Children’s Museum, 499 Crawford Blvd., is hosting its 15th annual Spring Fling Family Fun Day from noon to 3 p.m. April 11. It is the museum’s biggest event of the year, and there will be an egg hunt, arts and crafts, face painting, magicians and a range of child-centered entertainment. Admission is free. For more information, call 561-368-6875.

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The Florida Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee was set to debate a controversial bill that would have permitted sectarian prayers at noncompulsory school activities, and the Boca-based chapter of the Anti-Defamation League has come out in vehement opposition. SB1360 was set for debate March 26, but has been temporarily deferred and could reappear in the coming weeks.
“Some advocates are suggesting it is a First Amendment issue or involves matters of free speech, which is simply not true. Students are free to pray alone or in clubs during non-curricular time, and this bill would go much further,” said ADL Southern Area Counsel David Barkey.
He continued by saying the notion of noncompulsory events is also problematic. “Often times, there is tremendous peer pressure to attend football games or other school-related activities. This bill would allow the dominant religion of a particular institution to be imposed on the rest of the student body,” said Barkey. A recent case, Santa Fe Independent School v. Doe, is nearly identical to SB1360 and was ruled unconstitutional, said Barkey.

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Local nonprofit Boca Helping Hands recently introduced its new Job Mentoring Center. The center provides a space for job mentors to meet privately with clients and several computers for job seekers to search independently online.
“In the future, the program will advance to an even a higher level by hosting seminars to help clients in such areas as interviewing skills, dressing for success and financial training,” said executive director Linda Gove. T
he number of clients has spiked due to high unemployment levels, and Gove said they are in need of donated computers. For more information, visit www.bocahelpinghands.org or call 561-417-0913.

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Karen Freire, Robin Mayer, Kristen Mager and Arnalie Fleishman learn how to fend off a potential attack from Boca Raton Police Sgt. Eric Lawrence.The Boca Raton Police Department is offering a free self-defense class for teenage and adult women. The S.A.F.E. (Self-Defense Awareness & Familiarization Exchange) class was developed by the Miami Beach-based National Self-Defense Institute and is designed to educate women on ways to avoid, escape and survive an assault.
Boca-based NCCI Holdings recently coordinated a special class for its employees, and the program was well received.
“One topic that was emphasized is having an awareness of one’s surroundings. Things like parking in well-lit areas and paying attention to anyone in the area were recurring themes,” said Arna Lie, 58.
Lie said the focus was mainly on awareness and different phrases to yell in the event of an attack, but there was also instruction on defense moves.
“If it is at all possible, you should absolutely run away. But in the event that is not possible, we were shown different physical techniques that I have been practicing,” she said. The next class is from 10 a.m. to noon April 18 at the Boca Police training facility, 6500 Congress Ave. For more information, visit http://www.bocaviper.com/safe.shtm.

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Temple Beth El, Boca Helping Hands and The Wayne Barton Study Center are joining forces for the third annual Pearl City Easter Dinner from 1 to 4 p.m. April 12 at the Barton Center, 269 NE 14th St. About 100 volunteers are donating dishes for those in need, and there will be an Easter egg hunt and a visit from the Easter Bunny. Temple Beth El member Jack Jaiven organized the first two dinners and is leading this year’s effort.
“The response from temple members has been fantastic, and as a result we have many of the food items for the dinner, but can always use more,” he said. For more information, call Rabbi Jessica Spitalnic Brockman at 561-391-8900.

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