Alliance of Delray Board Member Nancy Brin, R.N. provides an update of her dedicated involvement in arranging for flu shots now in its sixth year.
Mort Mazor

By Nancy Brin, R.N., BSN, Board Director

In March, 2002 seniors in need of flu shots not available at most medical offices were waiting in lines at supermarkets from 3 to 5 hours in hot, humid conditions. Many required medical attention due to the circumstances.

State Sen. Ron Klein’s office contacted Alliance President Bob Schulbaum to send a representative to be a member of his ‘flu shot crisis task force’ to address this unacceptable situation. I represented the Alliance at the initial meeting March 27, 2002. Also present were vaccine manufacturers and distributors as well as the director of the Center of Disease Control; the director of Epidemiology, Palm Beach County Department Of Health, COBWRA (Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations), West Boca Community Council, and Easy Living representative, Pam Hapke.

Pam Hapke and I organized an orientation program. Alliance member communities were asked to appoint a chairman from each community and select volunteers in each community to administer the flu shot program. Volunteers were instructed how to physically set up a meeting room in their community clubhouse for the clinic and what their responsibilities were. Easy Living arranged for nurses to inject the vaccine.

Each community was assigned a date for the flu shots to be administered and told to make appointments for their residents to receive flu shots in the comfortable, air conditioned environment of their own clubhouse.

This year, thirty-three Alliance communities signed up. The first shots began on October 4 and the program will be completed November 13. Approximately 4,000 people will be immunized.
Our goal is to ensure flu and pneumonia vaccine accessibility to all of our communities in future years.

Medicare recipients do not have to pay at time of immunization; only provide a photo i.d., Medicare card and supplemental insurance card. Some HMO’s and specific private insurances do not charge.

Questions? Call me, Nancy Brin, at (561) 637-9898.

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Any time you get antsy about the quality of TV programs on the tube, think about the treasure trove of films that is close to home at the West Atlantic Avenue Public Library off Cumberland, which is part of the Palm Beach County Library System.

During recent summers when TV re-runs ran ad nauseam, we found DVD’s that provided wonderful viewing of BBC TV series, current flicks and golden oldie classics. Buster Keaton, anyone? How about “Angels with Dirty Faces” with James Cagney, Pat O’Brien, The Dead end Kids and Humphrey Bogart all in one Warner Bros. epic made in 1938? Ah, they don’t make movies like that anymore. Did I hear you say ‘Thank goodness’? Well, everyone to their own genre.

We spoke to Ms. Karen M. Spano, the Delray Beach West Atlantic Avenue Library Branch Manager recently.

“There are over 4,000 total DVD titles on the shelves of the library of which 1,400 are exclusively for children,” she said. (Remember this resource when the children and grandchildren are visiting.) “They are available for 7 day loans at no charge and you can take out 10 at a time.” What an opportunity for variety!

Janet Oberacker, Circulation Supervisor joined us. She’s been at this branch since 1993. Ms. Spano, relatively new as branch manager since October 2006, asked her to fill me in on history.

“When I started in 1993 we already had a rotating collection of approximately 200 videos we shared with two other branches,” said Janet. “They were rotated around every three months. At times we would have to wait a month to get another 200 to offer our patrons. DVD’s began coming into the system in the year 2000. Videos have a shelf life of about ten years, so they cannot be replaced. Their technology is supplanted by DVD’s.”

Karen Spano said they have an inventory of 81,000 books and films at West Atlantic. When the new Hagen Ranch Road branch opens to take the place of this branch sometime in the summer of 2008 there will be an increased number of books and DVD’s, as well as music CD's and books-on-CD for both children and adults.

Ms. Spano concluded with a nugget of information you will find helpful: “We have the capability to order any book from anywhere in the U.S. if requested by a patron. All they have to do is ask at the Reference desk.”

So don’t be mad at current TV fare. Get even! Enjoy movies from the West Atlantic Avenue Library branch right here in the neighborhood at 7777 West Atlantic Avenue.
Mort M.

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“Do you guys know what your children and or grandchildren are watching on the computer?”
The question was posed by Detective Cass Collins of the Special Investigations Division, Computer Crimes Unit of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office at a recent Boca Raton Computer Club meeting at the South County Civic Center.

The law enforcement officer presented a strong, clear message, providing examples of the dangers lurking not only in youngster’s computers, but on cell phones as well.

Born and raised in Mississippi, Detective Collins poses as a young teen ager on her computer to receive invitations from predators on line to engage in sexual acts; the goal being to arrest the perps whenever possible.

She encouraged parents and grandparents to let kids know what dangers are out there and pointed out the risks: Predators pose as other children on websites known to be frequented by youngsters. They can be male or female, any age and any profession. One in five kids is solicited on line. The predators engage in what is termed in law enforcement as “grooming”—on line enticement by offering attention and affection, sending money or gifts and persuading the children to keep their relationship on line with the predator a secret from their parents and others.

Detective Collins showed a film case history of a young girl who was retaliating against her parents. She became involved on line with a male who went from becoming a friend on line to her best friend. “I trusted him above anything,” said the child. When she ran away with him she discovered he was a 56 year old man. After spending three weeks with him she escaped and returned home. The predator was caught and sent to jail for 25 years. “I will never run away again,” the youngster said.

Detective Collins demonstrated how within 20 minutes of diligent searching of various sites available to everyone on the web a predator can locate the family name, address and phone number of anyone.

Collins also speaks at local schools and urges youngsters to “think before you post personal information on the internet. Be careful of the social networking sites such as Facebook, Bebo and internet bulletin boards.” She urged parents and grandparents to open their own My Space account so they can access their offspring’s account simply by entering their name to see what the youngster is placing on the internet in their space. There can be real life consequences to a child’s profiles and blogs on the web. Not only are they viewed by friends and relatives, but predators are also cruising the web to find their next victim.

“We run across every kind of malevolent material on the internet,” said Collins. “Besides pornography and hateful, racist, violent content; there are details of illegal activity, such as where to buy drugs, available to anyone.

Detective Collins concluded by citing success stories of predators caught. She recommends that parents establish rules for internet use for their children. “Communicate with your children. Specify which sites they can visit, and place the youngster’s computer in a family area where the parent can observe what the child is watching or participating in while on the internet.”

Take it to heart. This is a serious current problem.
Mort M.

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Oscar Segal, President of HLAA Boynton/Delray Chapter conducted the meeting of people with hearing disabilities at the South County Civic Center, Friday morning, October 19 to an audience of 65 people. This club meets the third Friday of each month at 9:45. Coffee “and” is provided prior to the presentation by a guest speaker. Anyone interested in this subject is invited to attend at no charge. Those wishing to become members of the chapter can join for the nominal annual dues of $15.

Segal offered an inspiring message: “Hearing Loss” is the “Invisible Disability.” Surviving with hearing loss is a challenge. Hearing loss is permanent and irreversible, but it can be alleviated. This chapter will provide information through education, advocacy support.”

“For example,” Segal continued, “there are inherent dangers in a hospital stay. At the hospital check- in desk, do you understand the clerk clearly? Can you understand critical questions from nurses and doctors if you become a patient? At a traffic stop can you communicate clearly? If you are injured in an accident can you give critical information to those Emergency Personnel attending you? Answers to questions like these will be provided at our upcoming meetings,” Segal concluded.

Philip Fleischer, a hearing aid technical specialist spoke next. Fleischer resides in Kings Point. He described how he has been helping people improve their hearing through his adult education class there for over 10 years. He invited members of the audience to a table he had set up in a corner of the meeting room for an immediate free consultation. Several people took advantage of his offer.

Ms. Merry Rubinstein, a Boynton/Delray Chapter board member informed the audience she provides a lip reading course every Tuesday from 1 to 2:30 at the Emmanuel Catholic Church on Military Trail, north of Linton Blvd. This is a free service to members of the Boynton/Delray Chapter of HLAA. She has been doing this for many years. Anyone who feels they can benefit is encouraged to attend.

Anyone interested in learning more can contact Oscar Segal at (561) 499-9873.

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Yesterday I thought it would be nice to take my wife for a drive over to the new West Delray Park to show her around the new facility. Covering the opening this past Friday morning impressed me with the beauty of the grounds and the facilities available for the model airplane flying field, power boating and archery.

I was particularly interested in getting closer to the airfield, as I have a long time friend that belongs to the club and flies his planes there.

Imagine my dismay when we got near the airfield, there was a gate being locked at 2:30 in the afternoon by one of the members of the Model Airplane club, preventing us from getting close to the facility.

As we sat in our car and watched this gentlemen lock the gate, I asked him “Is this restricted to members of the Model Airplane club?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Only the members of the club have a key to this lock and can get in.”
We took the road back and went around the other way following the sign that said “Archery.” We came to another locked gate. From there we turned around and went home.

I don’t think that’s right. I thought this was a public park open to all citizens of Palm Beach County. Is it only available to elite club members that fly model airplanes and practice archery? Can Dennis Eshelman or any of his staff offer an explanation?
Mort Mazor

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Drive to the end of West Atlantic Avenue—and I do mean the END. There you will find a brand new 313 acre park for all to enjoy. Commissioner Burt Aaronson served as Master of Ceremonies for the dedication this Friday morning, October 19.

After the invocation was given by Rabbi Richard M. Yellin of Temple Emeth, area residents were welcomed by Aaronson. Distinguished guests who spoke were: State Representative Richard Machek, South Florida Water Management District Governing Board Member Patrick Rooney, Jr., Robert Schulbaum, President of the Alliance of Delray Residential Associations; Sheri Scarborough, President of West Boca Community Council; Barbara Katz, President of Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations and Dennis Eshelman, Director, Parks and Recreation Department. Other guests attending: State Senator Ted Deutch and County Administrator Robert Weisman.

Earlier, Representative Machek told me “This park is an outdoor paradise—a true diamond in the rough. The best medicine for folks is to exercise in the fresh air and sunshine. This new park is perfect for hiking, cycling and jogging.”

The park has many unique features. There is an archery range where members of the Gold Coast Archers will be able to practice and hold archery events. Members of the Palm Beach Remote Control Power Boaters will operate their remote control boats on a lake in the park.

For model airplane enthusiasts, the Palm Beach RC Association will be flying their models from dawn to dusk seven days a week on a runway 600’ long and 50’ wide. Club members Stuart Rosenberg, Jerry Cohen and Bucky Winokur were among those attending the dedication, prior to putting their planes with wingspans anywhere from 50” to 108” in the air to demonstrate their flying skills.
“We will teach anyone interested how to fly a model airplane, free of charge,” said Rosenberg.

The club meets the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 P.M. at the South County Civic Center, and is part of a national organization The American Models Association.

So take that drive west on Atlantic the next time you yearn for some wide open space. You'll see the model airplanes fly and the boats streak and if the boys in the Archery club are around you can even watch their arrows fly! You'll find it all here in the new West Delray Regional Park.

Mort M.

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That was the question posed by Dr. Charles Bender at last night’s Boca Raton Computer Club meeting at the South County Civic Center.

“Which should you read? Which should you believe? There are so many out there,” said Charlie: “The Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Federal Drug Administration, National Cancer Institute, WebMD, Centers for Disease Control, to name just a few. How can we know what is fact and what is fiction?

Yesterday chocolate would clog arteries; today chocolate will protect me from a heart attack. Alcohol is good. Alcohol is bad. Eggs-the perfect food. Eggs have too much cholesterol. Spinach is wonderful, leafy green vegetable with lots of iron and vitamins—unless it is tainted with E. coli germs, in which case you will really get sick. You get the idea.”

Dr. Bender offered a few tips on how to sort through the ever growing number of websites seeming to be the authority on medical information. (Author’s note: Ask.com listed no less than 37,910,000 medical information websites currently on the web.)
“No matter how legitimate the web site sounds, check to see whose site it really is,” continued Bender. “If it comes from a university or a medical journal, take the time to see what it has to say. If it comes from a pharmaceutical company, understand it is biased information. If the site has a governmental affiliation it should be pretty reliable. When a website quotes from ‘experts’ ask yourself who those experts really are. It could be a Harvard faculty member or a physician from somewhere in California who may be receiving money from a drug company to conduct trials that turn out in a favorable way. And last, check multiple reliable websites and ask for the same information. If they agree, good! If you get differing opinions think about what it means.”

Using a power point presentation, Dr. Bender listed websites most of us are familiar with and then listed little known sites that are invaluable sources of medical help. You can access this information at the Boca Raton Computer Society site: www.brcs.org. Dr.

Bender serves as Program Chairman for the Computer Club.

We asked Ellie Lingner, Charlie’s wife who is a retired journalist to tell us about her 81 year old husband:
“Charlie Bender loves technology every bit as much as his five children and ten grandchildren. Show him a new “toy” (so called by his wife, Ellie Lingner), and he will want to know how it works and then own one.

In addition to his three computers, which he considers his most relaxing pastime, Charlie also loves movies, music, theater, science fiction, fierce Trivial Pursuit games with close friends, and the hobby he calls “Cora’s Words of Wisdom.” Nearly every day for the past decade, Charlie has e-mailed an inspirational quote to hundreds of friends and acquaintances around the world. The name comes from his cat named Corazon (“heart” in Spanish) whom everyone calls Cora or Corabeth, and across the bottom of the screen walks an animated cat.
“People love it,” he says, “and I love doing it—researching the quotes and passing them along. I might meet someone in a movie theater or at the public library and end up chatting about computers. The next thing you know,” says Charlie, “they’re on the Words of Wisdom list.”

Born and reared in South Philadelphia, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps after graduating from high school in 1943, and taught radio/electronics at Truax Field, Madison, Wisconsin. He was later stationed at the Radar School (BRAAF) in Boca Raton on which property now sits FAU.
After the war, he returned home and took advantage of the GI Bill to attend Temple University, Philadelphia PA, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in 1951. Charlie earned his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1958, interning in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He practiced family medicine in New Jersey from 1959 to1970 when he relocated to Florida and for the past 36 years has practiced in Broward County.

Charlie and his wife, Ellie Lingner, have been married for nearly 25 years, which, they both say may be his greatest accomplishment. He swears that she is the person he would most like to emulate, but she says she told him to say that. “

‘She has the qualities I admire most,’ he says, ‘a great sense of humor and a quick laugh, diplomacy, self-discipline, insight, and great organizational skills. I would still be sitting at my computer and she would have six tasks accomplished,’ he says.”

Coming up Saturday, October 27 is the Second Annual Kings Point Golf for the Cure Tournament to benefit SUSAN G. KOMEN FOR THE CURE.
Put a foursome together and tee it up in the shotgun scramble that will feature many great prizes. Call Bill Guimond, GM/Director of Golf at Kings Point (561) 499-3335 Ext. 156 or contact him by email at bguimond@crspoint.com and make your reservations now.

Kings Point established its supporting relationship with the South Florida Affiliate of SUSAN G. KOMEN FOR THE CURE in September 2006. Since that time the Kings Point community has donated ten percent of weekend golf revenue and all proceeds from the 2006 Golf for the Cure tournament to this worthy charity. Kings Point, through its continued financial contributions supports their mission statement: “to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to fine the cures.”

* * * * * * * * * * *
Palm Beach County’s western community is about to have a convenient new 313-acre passive park to enjoy—
County officials will dedicate the new West Delray Regional Park on Friday, October 19, at 9:00 am.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Burt Aaronson will be on hand to welcome area residents to the new County park, joined by Representative Richard A. Machek. Palm Beach County partnered with the South Florida Water Management District, who owns the property, to make the County park available through a lease agreement. Also instrumental in their support for developing the new facility: the Delray Alliance of Residential Associations, the West Boca Community Council, and the Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations.
Representatives of the Gold Coast Archers will demonstrate their skills following the dedication ceremony. An archery range was included in the development of the park, as well as a remote control airplane field where members of the Palm Beach Radio Control Association will display their planes, as well as their flying skills. The Palm Beach RC Power Boaters will be set up on a lake adjacent to the airplane field operating their remote control boats.
The new park also includes picnic tables with grills, a walking trail, and a canoe/kayak launching area, as well as an area for primitive group camping.
West Delray Regional Park is located off Atlantic Avenue west of US Highway 441 at 10875 Atlantic Avenue west of Delray Beach.
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Hearing Loss Association of America Boynton/Delray Chapter has its first meeting of the new season Friday, Oct. 19, 9:45 A.M. at South County Civic Center. Everyone Welcome!

Have a Great Day.
Mort M.

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It is my privilege to be one of the six writers selected to be Sun-Sentinel Bloggers for Palm Beach County. My goal is to write material for you that is interesting, informative and pertinent.
Here are some of the organizations and people I will be reporting about:

The third Wednesday each month year round the Boca Raton Computer Society meets beginning at 6:15 P.M. at the South County Civic Center. The October 17 meeting features Dr. Charles Bender who will examine medical web sites and tell us if they are good or harmful. This club’s membership is approaching 1,000 under the leadership of past president Oscar Segal and current president Bob Balogh. Their website: www.brcs.org.

Friday, October 19th at 9:45 A.M. at the Civic Center the Hearing Loss Association of America, Boynton/Delray Chapter will have their first meeting of the season. Oscar Segal is now president of this group. He has serious hearing problems. This group helped him improve his hearing and then drafted him to be President. He is developing a program to educate law enforcement and emergency response personnel how to communicate with individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing. People who have hearing deficiencies can benefit from attending the third Friday monthly meetings of HLAA.

The first Wednesday of each month the monthly meeting of the Alliance of Delray Residential Associations takes place at the Civic Center starting at 9:30 A.M. at the November 7 meeting, Mr. Robert Krieger, Chief Executive Officer of Delray Medical Center will speak about the extensive renovations to the Emergency Room section of the hospital. The hospital celebrated its 25 year with a dinner October 4th. Michael Wells, Battalion Chief of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue will also speak. Captain Martin Bechtel of the Sheriff’s Department provides a report on local criminal activity each month. The Alliance is comprised of 62 homeowner and condo associations in the Delray area representing 72,000 residents. The public is always welcome. Go to www.allianceofdelray.com for additional information.

Stand Among Friends is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization that promotes opportunities for people with neurological disabilities, such as Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, stroke and spinal cord injury to live a life without limits and experience the highest degree of independence and success in their communities. Founder, Shawn Friedkin was in a car accident in 1992 that left him paralyzed from the chest down. How he worked to open the Center for the Study of Neurological Disabilities on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in 2006 is a courageous and heartwarming story. Shawn’s wife Lisa, his sister Dawn and lots of dedicated relatives and friends work on fund-raising year round. Their next event will be a Stand Among Friends Night at Funkey Nutz, a piano bar at 303 SE Mizner Blvd. in the Royal Palm Plaza Shopping Center, Boca Raton at 6:30 P.M. For further information call (561) 297-4402. Click on their website www.standamongfriends.org.

Later in November and December we will write about activities involving swing and jazz music and a writing class.
We look forward to your regular visits to this site and welcome your comments.

Mort Mazor

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