|
Golden
Lakes Village
Love
in Action
By
Ruth Tschudin |
|
(8-26-21)
As
August draws to a close, so does the read-ing of our chapter-a-day
in the Book of Proverbs. This time I’m reading the 31 chapters
in two translations: the Revised Standard Version used by my
parents (given to Mom by Dad on Christmas Day, 1957) and "The
Message" (a modern paraphrase by Eugene Peterson). Every
chapter of Proverbs is a wealth of wisdom well-worth our while. I’m
always admonished by the verses that refer to talking too much.
Here’s a good one from Chapter 21 in Peterson’s vernacular:
"Watch your words and hold your tongue; you’ll save
yourself a lot of grief." ("And others, too!"…
that’s my own 2-cents based on my own experience.)
On
the other hand, I’m always inspired by verses that speak of
generosity… like my longtime favorite: "One man gives
freely, yet grows all the richer… one who waters will himself be
watered (chap. 11 in RSV)." I bet LIA members and supporters
could add a lot of fascinating two-cent comments to this truth!
When we sow seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness,
kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (called fruit
of the spirit) they increase in our lives, too. And the
"icing on the cake" is that we draw closer to our Maker
by serving Him with gladness while gaining lasting friendships
along the way. Here, for example, is what Sydelle wrote in honor
of a very special, recently-deceased LIA friend:
ODE
TO A DEAR FRIEND, LENORE STEIN
by
Sydelle Banks
"Truly
one of a kind. Always a smile and a warm greeting for me—and a
happy, cheerful demeanor whenever others joined us. Earnest with
her question "How are you today?" and sincere when she’d
say "I do hope you feel better. Always a pleasure to be in
her company, as she was eager to help anybody in whatever way she
could.
"Cooking,
her favorite hobby. Recipes gladly shared. An overall generosity
that knew no boundaries. Missed by her many friends here in Golden
Lakes. A dear and treasured friend. May she rest in peace."
And
here is what David, an LIA friend and supporter, said about Lenore
when he helped us Zoom into her memorial service. Obviously he,
too, was:
TOUCHED
BY LENORE
by
David Barbieri
"I
got to know Lenore shortly after arriving at GLV in 2009. My first
encounter with her was at the computer club where she was the
program chairperson.When she found out I was a computer person she
was always after me to speak at a meeting. I joined and began to
learn that Lenore was much more than just a fellow computer club
member. I gradually found out how much she had done for Golden
Lakes over the years and was still doing as a member of almost
every organization.
"My
next encounter with Lenore was when my wife and I received a
handwritten anniversary note from Lenore, a personal note written
in a loving style that touched our hearts. Then I found out that
she sent birthday greetings, get-well notes, sympathy cards and
was the Board's Condolence Committee. It was much later that I
learned the full extent of Lenore's influence on Golden Lakes
Village (GLV) and its residents. She was an involved, loving, and
caring person."
I
(Ruth) will now add an additional "4-cents" because I
was close to Lenore and think of her each time I pass her street
en route to our condo (which is almost every day.) I, too, first
met her at the Computer Club and her welcoming, affirming outreach
to Hugo and me as newbies to GLV meant a lot to us. I also
fondly remember her positive, enthusiastic response to my idea of
a Love in Action group in Golden Lakes. From day one she was
active in our group—in fact, she was the first secretary of our
fledgling all-village organization. And after retirement from that
leadership position she made up for it by still being a faithful
and active member. She supported many of our activities; always
brought something for our pre-Covid refreshment table and gladly
jumped right in whenever we needed help at the refreshment or
sign-in tables. She also gave containers of her homemade soups to
her LIA friends and to the housebound.
We
end with a lovely poem (also written by Sydelle) that’s all
about friendship. I can just hear Lenore adding her 2-cents of
appreciation as she often did by saying: "Thank you,
kindly!" You’re welcome, dear friend. We look forward to
honoring you and others who have gone before at LIA’s November
"Celebration of Lives" Memorial Gathering. |
LOVE IN
ACTON (LIA) THANKS GUEST WRITERS... |
|
GOOD
FRIENDS
by
Sydelle Banks, 2018
Good
friends are worth more than mere words can say.
They
brighten and lighten and lift every day.
When
our world seems in ruins they comfort and care,
They
listen, advise and simply "are there."
And
as we grow older with each passing year
Good
friends of all types become much more dear.
So
hold on to the "oldies" and welcome the new
You’ll
be glad that you did—and they will be, too! |
(Above)
Sydelle Banks: gifted singer, actress and writer, and longtime LIA
member. Sydelle started the "Still Young at Heart Club"
in GLV, which brought people together for all sorts of fun
activities. She did a fabulous job interviewing the nonagenarians
(those turning 90 or more) who were honored at LIA's 2019 Birthday
Bash. And most of all, she’s been a great friend to so many.
Even during Covid, Sydelle visited her friend Lenore (right) every
week, even when it meant standing outside, just waving to her and
mouthing "I love you!" |
|
|
David
Barbieri: well-known on the GLV campus and loved by all who know
him. LIA is especially grateful for his help in running big-event
slide shows on the auditorium screen. After completing a tour of
duty in the Air Force and retiring from a 38-year career in
Connecticut as a computer programmer and manager, he and his wife
Mary moved to GLV in 2009. He served on the Board of Directors for
a number of years, first as President, and now, as the web site
administrator. He is also on the interview/orientation committee
(welcoming newbies into the community) and active in Golden Lakes
Phase A Italian-American Club. He and Mary enjoy traveling and
visiting family. |
"98th
birthday celebrated by longtime LIA member, Florence Laudicina" |
|
Enjoying
a grand celebration
in
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL,
with
family. |
Surrounded
by son and grandson,
both
Anthony.
|
|
|
In
her honor great-grandchildren Angelina and AJ proudly wear special
shirts that say: "It took me 98 years to look this
good!" |
(8-12-21)
Let’s
go on a Treasure Hunt! Let’s see how many hidden treasures we
can find in those whose paths cross ours. Things like talents,
interests, hobbies, accomplishments, stories to be told and wisdom
to be shared.
The
great thing about this Treasure Hunt is that we don’t have to go
somewhere else or do anything special; the "acres of
diamonds" are right in our own backyard. We only have to
adjust our sights and keep in mind that what we think we know
about ourselves and others is just the tip of the
"iceberg" of who we really are. There’s lots to learn
about each other that is well worth sharing.
With
this in mind, Love in Action (LIA) invites you, dear readers, to
join us as we grab our imaginary "goodness geiger
counters" for a fun challenge to search out the best in
others. Each new treasure brought to light makes a positive
difference by warming hearts, softening stances and changing both
thoughts and actions for the better.
Let’s
also turn the geiger counters on ourselves to magnify and mine
those wonderful memories, experiences, dreams and desires just
waiting to enrich our and others’ lives. I think of Harold
Sussman, our periodontist friend who wrote the LIA column last
October telling about when he and his wife, Jackie, moved
from NY to Golden Lakes Village (GLV). I recently found out that
he and Jackie produced a book back in the 80’s, along with a
related DVD, for teachers and students in NYC Public School
District 75 (where Jackie was working as a Special-Education
Speech therapist at the time). Not surprisingly, the topic is the
care of our teeth. Here is his story:
"A
Smile for Samara"
(A
Children’s Book about Oral Hygiene)
by
Dr. Harold I. and Jacqueline S. Sussman
Cast
of Characters: Samara Squirrel, Mother Squirrel, Rebecca Rabbit,
Bradford Beaver, Daddy Dentist, Teacher Turtle, Clifford Crocodile
and Tamatha Tiger
Drawings
by Richard Kushner
Voiceover
on DVD by Joseph Sirola
Book
Design by Samara B. Sussman
"I
spent over 20 years on the teaching staff, as a Clinical Professor
of Periodontics at New York University School of Dentistry. This
was in addition to my private practice in Manhattan. My wife
Jacqueline was employed by the New York City Board of Education as
a speech therapist in special education at a pubic school in the
Bronx, NY. She worked with special-ed students that were autistic
and/or physically and mentally challenged.
"In
1985 she asked me to write a children’s book to teach oral
hygiene techniques to her students. We collaborated and went on to
produce a book entitled " A Smile for Samara." It had a
cast of animal characters and contained the names of our four
children: Bradford (Beaver), Clifford (Crocodile), Samara
(Squirrel) and Tamatha (Tiger). Guess who Daddy Dentist is!
"The
main character, Samatha Squirrel, did not brush her teeth after
eating and when she went out to play, Rebecca Rabbit said to her
"Your teeth look dirty and your mouth smells." Samara
felt bad and went home to sleep—without brushing her teeth then
or upon awakening and eating breakfast.
"That
next day Bradford Beaver’s daddy, who was a dentist, came to
their school and taught the children about oral hygiene
techniques. He gave the children disclosing tablets to chew, which
showed up red on their teeth where they had not brushed. He then
gave each of the students a toothbrush and some toothpaste, and
showed them how to brush using a giant toothbrush on a huge
plastic mouth.
"The
children then brushed their teeth at individual sinks. Afterwards
he showed them how to use dental floss, too. Samara Squirrel
brushed her teeth so thoroughly that she no longer had anymore red
stain on them! The story ends with Samara taking good care f her
teeth, eating better foods and being more popular with her
classmates. As Teacher Turtle says: ‘Your smile is the most
important sign of friendship you have.’
"This
original book was illustrated by a patient of mine, Richard
Kushner, who was an artist. Another patient of mine, an actor
named Joseph Sirola (noted for the Wendy and Boar’s Head
voiceovers) agreed to supply the voices for a DVD of our book for
the NYC Board if Education.
"I
sent a copy of the DVD to the America Dental Association and they
awarded us a $5,000 grant to create a book version of it for
challenged children. My wife Jacqueline, along with our daughter
Samara created a velcro, interactive book for use by the children.
The creation of an interactive book for children with speech
deficits was considered very innovative at that time. About five
dozen of these were hand-crafted, which was a very laborious task.
"We
then went out to various public schools with Special-Education
classes. We showed the DVD to them, and gave them a copy along
with copies of the interactive Velcro books for use in their
classrooms. I still have one copy left of the original Velcro
book, which uses Meyer-Johnson symbols. If anyone is interested in
perusing it, please contact me and I will show it to you." |
LOVE
IN ACTION (LIA) THANKS: |
Harold
Sussman for sharing with us his story about a little squirrel
who had a lot to learn about caring for her beautiful teeth—and
ended up helping Special-Education youngsters in NY Public schools
also learn about oral hygiene. Harold was born in Manhattan,
attended City College of NY for his BS in Biology and Chemistry,
then earned his DDS in dentistry from Columbia U. After a stint in
the Navy (stationed in Norfolk, VA and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba) he
got his MSD in periodontics at NYU. He then taught in NYU for 23
years and Columbia U. for 7 seven years—and he still travels to
lecture, etc. |
Jacqueline
(Jackie) Sussman who suggested the book idea for her Special-Education students
and was an integral part of the team that put the entire project together. You
can read about it in the attached column. Jackie was born in Brooklyn, attended
Brooklyn College for her BA and Xavier U. inNew Orleans for her MA in early
childhood |
education.
She was in the Peace Corps for 2-and-a-half years, serving in
Liberia. She met Harold through her cousin (who was a summer-camp
counselor along with her). The couple lived near Washington Sq. in
Greenwich Village, then in a Brooklyn brownstone, then Scarsdale
(Westchester) NY. They have four children and are also proud
grandparents and great-grandparents. Now, unfortunately, Jackie
has severe rheumatoid arthritis. She is a profile in courage,
battling the constant, unbearable pain by exercising at least six
hours a day: swimming, biking, walking several miles per day (on
softer, grassy surfaces when possible), and working out in the
gym. Harold also walks their dog Dolly, swims and bikes. "The
Secret to a Happy Marriage" says he, "is
COMPROMISE." Without it, he explains, no union will last.
Good advice from one who knows what it takes, with 52 years
together and counting… |
|
Harold
and granddaughter Cora (visiting this week from Maryland) hold the
book which inspired the DVD, and the interactive book made by
Samara Sussman for the Special-Education students in the NY public
school system. |
Jackie
has been a lifelong artist and their home is filled with her
creativity. Hubby Harold caught the spirit with creative art
projects of his own (such as carving decorative walking sticks,
shown in photo). Here he and Jackie display their award ribbons
from this year's S. Florida Fair competitions—where they won
best-in-show in more than one category. |
|
(7-29-21)
The
Book of Proverbs has always been a favorite of mine. What’s
not to like about consolidated wisdom, insightful observations,
practical suggestions and divine inspiration—with a little humor
thrown in, to boot? If you’d like to read it for the first or
umpteenth time, the month of August is a perfect time to do so.
Its 31 chapters are ideal for the 31 days in August. I’ll read
along with you. Let’s see if "A chapter-a-day keeps
stupidity at bay!" After all, it’s wisdom from King Solomon
himself! And at this stage in my life I’m ready to see things
through new and deeper perspectives.
I
have already thrown caution to the wind and let my hair go gray
during the pandemic. What do you think of my new column-head-shot?
I know… it’s a change that will take some getting used to. But
I’m in good company: Rabbi Gelman of the God Squad
recently updated the photo on his syndicated column, which appears
weekly in the Palm Beach Post. I miss the younger rendition
of this great man, but I admire more than ever the man I see him
as now.
At
this stage in my life I need to slow down and listen to some of
those cute little ditties and sayings we grew up with (such as
"A stitch in time saves nine" and ‘Beauty is as beauty
does" etc.). It seems there was an apropos saying for every
occasion—great reminders that we’re not alone. Many have trod
where we are now treading and this is what they gleaned from their
everyday experiences. Ben Franklin is a good source of helpful
sayings ("Early to bed and early to rise, make a man healthy,
wealthy and wise") and Shakespeare gifted the world with
countless quotes cloaked in gorgeous Elizabethan language
("Striving to better, oft we mar what is well," a
favorite of mine.)
Also
during the COVID I learned passages by heart from each of the 66
Books in the Judeo-Christian Scriptures. The one from Proverbs is
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your
own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will
direct your paths." I look forward to facilitating a group of
Scripture Searchers (sponsored by my charitable non-profit, Open
Doors an Amazing Grace Foundation) to join me in 2022 as we walk
through each of the 66 Books that comprise the Greatest Love
Letter Ever Written—from the One who loves us so. But before I
have time to do that, I must simplify, declutter and "slow
down to catch up" as my dear friend Batya often
advises. During August I will concentrate on getting rid of the
backlog of important to-dos that so easily get pushed aside by the
multitude of small but urgent things that crop up constantly and
often unexpectedly. I must get out of the middle of things and be
content to do just those things that the Lord leads me to do. Like
Solomon when the Lord asked what he would like, I too ask for
discernment so I know when to lead and when to follow, what to do
and what not to do.
For
now, I will follow a simple a-b-c that comes to mind. A:
Appreciate who I am, where I am and what I have, as well as who
others are as we experience life together on a worldwide level
never before possible. B: Believe… in a Creator who is
omnipotent and omnipresent; in myself and in others as
uniquely-created persons so fearfully and wonderfully made—and
dearly loved. C: Celebrate the goodness, the blessings and the
miracles that are ours when we open our hearts to them.
We
just had the most wonderful Love in Action (LIA) Gathering! We so
appreciated being able to socialize without masks and to see that
winning smile of the talented young man who entertained us (and
whose story is told in the photos that accompany this article.) We
also appreciate the many good people in our village who before,
during and after the COVID restrictions, have helped LIA to make
good things happen both here in GLV and beyond. These were
possible because we believed in the LIA vision and in each other,
and together we made a positive difference in our own lives as
well as in others’.
Finally,
we love to celebrate and will continue to do so because of the
many blessings we have received, shared and freely given. Two of
my Dad’s favorite sayings were "Don’t worry, the Lord
will provide" and "You can’t out-give the Lord—He
has a bigger shovel (to shovel more blessings your way.)" In
the famous words of Tiny Tim in Dickens’ "A Christmas
Carol," we leave you with this prayer: GOD BLESS US EVERY
ONE!
Photos
courtesy of Love in Action unless otherwise noted: |
|
In
March of 2017 Yvonne and her 8-year-old friend, Jacqueline King
(right), joined Ruth and her 7-year-old granddaughter Jessica for
a fun time in downtown WPB, eating in the "dining car"
at the Mellow Mushroom. By fall 2017 Jacqueline was receiving
chemotherapy for leukemia. |
In
November of 2017 Ruth and Hugo celebrated their 50th wedding
anniversary as a benefit for the King family and for POST (the
Pediatric Oncology Support Team) that was helping the family as
Jacqueline (center-right) fought the cancer.
Photo
by Jimmy Shirley |
|
|
LIA
member Bill Jackowski and his friends from American Legion Post
#367 fell in love with Jacqueline and supported her throughout her
ordeal. |
At
our July 13th Gathering this past month Christopher, invited by
family friend Yvonne, entertained us once again, in celebration of
his sister’s full recovery and his amazing mastery of the piano.
Photo
by Jimmy Shirley |
|
|
His mom, Marlene,
took off from work to surprise and attend, too. He started playing
at age four and since age seven has been church pianist. Now, at
age 16, he is entering his junior year at the Sun Coast High
School as a computer science major.
Photo by Jimmy Shirley |
Christopher
with
POST
Natalie Cremean.
Photo
by Jimmy Shirley |
|
When
asked what charity Love in Action should donate to in his honor,
Christopher immediately chose POST, the Pediatric Oncology Support
Team that helped his family so much. Special guest from POST
Natalie Cremeans, pictured above with Christopher, accepted the
LIA check presented by Christopher and thanks us for supporting
their good work. During the pandemic they found new ways to help
families of kids with cancer: delivering over 3,000 hot meals,
drive-through holiday parties and so much more. She also thanks Condo
News for running ads in each issue to get the word out about
what their non-profit does: helping local families courageously
fight childhood cancer by offering compassionate emotional and
financial support. |
Today Jacqueline (above) is a
healthy, happy cancer survivor! Because of hospital stays and
strong doses of chemo she lost a year of school (grade 4).
Although chemo is known to affect the brain’s |
ability to learn,
Jaci was not only able to pass the year-end tests for grades 4, 5
and 6 but received recognition from Duke U. for earning such high
grades in so doing. Most recently, she studied on her own to take
the 7th grade test a year ahead and scored 100 on it enabling her
to skip grade 7 and enter this school year as an 8th grader!
school honors classes completed. (Hearty congrats to her, too.)
Says
mom Marlene: "Our family is thriving.Our faith and love for
each other carries us through life’s obstacles." The family
thanks the many people who have been a part of their heartwarming
story! And that includes Condo News, LIA, GLV and American
Legion Post #36, especially the late beloved Bill Jackowski. |
(7-15-21)
It’s
time for Love in Action (LIA) to take a restful, relaxing,
reflective, restorative respite! And it starts this week with a
special "Appreciation Gathering." Instead of our usual
informative speaker and old/new LIA business, we’ll have music,
gratitude, joy and camaraderie on the agenda. The presenter of
honor will be our teenage friend and gifted pianist, Christopher
King. He entertained us at LIA’s 2018 Christmas-in-July
party for families of kids with cancer when his sister Jacqueline
had leukemia. The good news is that she is now free of cancer and
brother Christopher has continued with his mastery of the piano.
The concert is dedicated to his sister and will benefit POST (the
Pediatric Oncology Support Team), a non-profit organization that
helped his family so much during that time of need.
We’ll
have tables instead of chairs-only to create an elegant nightclub
ambience, and after the concert we’ll enjoy getting to know each
other better as we’re treated to a super spread of snacks served
by the Leadership Team. An open mic will invite folks to share
talents and words of inspiration & appreciation. We’re
encouraging all friends, members and readers to join us during the
rest of July and throughout August in being still, pondering our
best and highest thoughts and counting our blessings. I have
already started doing this as I write this column.
Gratitude
wells up in my heart as I recall myself as a pre-schooler wanting
so much to write that I took a sheet of an older sibling’s lined
paper and drew a long, wavy line in each space, then held it at
arms length to admire my "story." As a fifth- and
sixth-grader I lapped up our English teacher’s creative
assignments, like writing limericks and stories with lots of
imagination (such as from the viewpoint of an inanimate object).
In junior and senior high school I’d write stories and poems
about other blessings in my life, thereby expressing my
appreciation of them. I’ve written about faith, cats, kids and
here is a favorite called…
MUSIC
(written in 1959 at age 15):
Music,
oh music! What would I do if my life didn’t
revolve around you?
Band
7th period, 4 days out of 5; two nights a
week I’m hep to the jive—
The
Jazz Band rehearses "September in the Rain,"
followed
by "Stardust" and then "Night Train."
Wednesday
afternoon 2:30-3: the orchestra meets and that includes me.
Evening
rehearsals again and again Tuesday and
Thursday 7:30-10:.
During
football season we march till we’re lame
in
preparation for Saturday’s game
Pep
assemblies, of course, are right up our alley,
so
we’re ready to play for the Hackensack rally.
Tours,
concerts, programs and such
keep
us away from homework too much.
Teachers
give zeroes for homework undone,
but
who gives a hoot—we have lots of fun!
I
kept diaries for years starting at about age 12—unfortunately I
haven’t kept them in the other sense so I can’t enjoy them
now. But the daily writing practice over the years has given me a
priceless payback in self-expression through the written word. As
an elementary teacher I’d write or adapt plays for the kids to
perform, including a school-closing tribute with all classes
taking part. For seventeen years I led the kids choir at church
and wrote annual shows for them to perform. Somehow music and
inspiration were always an important part of any of my
productions.
In
hindsight I’m so thankful that I grew up in a faith-filled
family and have a husband who always encourages me to follow my
passions. Thanks to Hugo I wrote my first book, further encouraged
by a year’s sabbatical at half-pay from my school to write it.
It was published by Parker, a subsidiary of Prentice Hall.
Hugo
is also a writer and still edits my work. He had two business
books published by a German company, and in later years we
self-published our own books and booklets. Now, here I am, 77
years old and still writing. In fact, I have what every writer
dreams of—a column in which to write from the heart, which is
exactly what I’ve had these past five years, thanks to the great
folks at Condo News. Every two weeks I’m reminded of
important truths, such as: it’s never too late or too early to
pursue interests and utilize talents, joy follows gratitude rather
than vice versa, and there’s so much good in the world and in
people if we just look a little closer. The great love, support
and inspiration that GLV and LIA give me on regular basis is
beyond words—even loquacious me/myself/I cannot express the
depth of meaning these dear folks give to my life. Here, for
example, is an inspiring story shared by Barbara Stein,
friend and LIA member:
"The
only bird that dares to peck an eagle is the crow. The crow sits
on the eagle’s back and bites his neck. The eagle does not
respond, nor fight with the crow; he does not spend his energy on
the crow. Instead, He just opens his wings and begins to rise
higher in the heavens. The higher the flight the harder it is for
the crow to breathe and eventually the crow fall off due to a lack
of oxygen.
"Learn
from the eagle and don’t fight the crows, just keep ascending.
They might be along for the ride but they’ll soon fall off. Do
not allow yourself to succumb to the distractions… keep your
focus on the things above and continue rising!" |
LOVE
IN ACTION (LIA)
Now
through August: A Time for the Three (or more) R’s:
RELAXING,
REFLECTING, RE-ENERGIZING…
Meaning
different things to different people: |
For
Ruth, it’s REMEMBERING her lifelong love of writing, her happy
childhood and those who lifted her along the way. This early poem
(at age 9-photo below) was written spontaneously upon request by
her Aunt Margaret and Uncle Bill: |
|
"I
WONDER" by Bam (Ruth’s nickname) Olnowich
Always
when I look up high
I
wonder what is in the sky,
It
could be a planet
or
it could be a moon
and
I’m still looking up
when
it comes afternoon.
I’m
still looking up
when
I hear my mother call
Hurry
up in!
There’s
going to be a rain fall
I
asked my mother
what’s
that in the sky
Hurry
up in!
You’ll
get a drop in your eye. |
|
For
Vincent (our master artist, storyteller and writer of previous LiA
columns) it’s RECUPERATING in the Luxe Rehab Center, due to a
recent accident. He expects to be back home soon and thanks for
our prayers. |
For
Candi it's REMINISCING and dancing with her 96-year-old dad on
Father’s Day at a phase A dinner
&
show event. |
|
|
For
Jean it’s REJOICING that Phase B renovated the dilapidated old
bench (that was replaced by LIA’s new red bench) and moved it
into his neighborhood, just as he had requested. |
For
sisters Pat and Carmen it’s RE-PURPOSING their adult trike by
donating it to LIA so a needy GLV resident can enjoy it. |
|
|
For
Arlyne and David it’s REACHING OUT as part of a team that gets
donated food to those villagers who most need it. |
For
Jeri it's RECEIVING many "Thank-You’s" for introducing
her acupuncturist, Dr. David Schnitzer, at an LIA Gathering. He
explained how his own quest for health led
him
to holistic, natural approaches.
He
led us in trying some qigong exercises for posture, movement and
breathing, then spoke on how acupuncture can improve
our
quality of life. |
|
|
For
Barbara, it’s RIDING
her
bicycle around the village
and
helping people as she can.
It’s
she who contributed the
"Lesson
of the Eagle and the Crow" story, the concluding highlight of
the LIA column. |
For
Doreen it's READING and RETURNING thoughts in sign language. Here
she and Ruth's grandson, Dionisio, communicate via sign language. |
|
Meet
our Guest Columnist, Vincent Daddiego |
|
Vincent
"hit he ground running" five years ago when he moved
from NY to Golden Lakes Village. He enjoys playing pool with his
buddies, painting and creating works of art in his upstairs-unit
studio, walking and exercising, and taking part in dramatic and
musical groups in the village. He has also taught many art
classes, organized art shows, and led a discussion group on the
topic of the great movie classics. |
|
Our
beloved artist and storyteller, Vincent Daddiego, points to the
palm tree in his painting of Morocco. Read his column to find out
why… |
(7-1-21)
THE
DARK AND THE LIGHT
The
Dark:
"And
Now a Word from Our Sponsor"
There
is not enough space in this newspaper to recount even a partial
list of the shameful, brutal events that the world has suffered
through during the past year and a half. Just trust your eyes and
ears, and fasten them to your TV screen—which is what most
people are doing for most of their day.
Television:
Our highway to reality and unreality; and our side road to an
endless stream of television commercials each and every day—and
relentlessly during the nights as well. With our world in turmoil,
there is one facet of our daily lives that is as sure as the Rock
of Gibraltar—television commercials. No matter what catastrophe
is taking place it is unfailingly certain to be followed by
commercials.
You
may recall it happening during the tragedy of 9-11. More recently,
TV commercials quickly followed events like mass shootings, mass
riots and the January storming of the United States Capitol. Well,
what’s more important—learning about such events or knowing
what’s available as toppings for you favorite pizza?
Of
course, if you get your news from commercial-free TV channels or
on an electronic device of one kind or another, you are spared the
incessant TV advertising.
Another
thought: presently, over 65 percent of commercials advertise some
form of medically-related products for acne, diabetes, diarrhea,
prostate, and post-nasal drip. And, we are all enticed into
believing they work.
By
way of example, we’ll see a person with COPD, barely able to
breathe, and a moment later, he or she is preparing for the Boston
Marathon. So force yourself to stay tuned to those commercials–and
hide your zapper in the microwave!
The
Light:
"Palms
Up!’’
As
a teenager growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, it was
my custom—more often than not—to take a leisurely, solitary
stroll through the captivating quiet canyons of the Wall Street
area. And quiet it was, since the walks always followed my
attendance at church on Sunday morning.
My
love of great architecture was fully quenched by street after
street of marvelous buildings, most of them erected In the late
1800’s and 1930’s. The Municipal Building, the exquisite
Woolworth Building, Foley Square that appeared to me as a flawless
replica of the Roman Forum. These countless marble and stone
wonders are mostly gone, wantonly replaced with monstrosities of
flat steel and glass.
My
special attention to these stone and marble monuments always
focused on the tops of these buildings which revealed intricate
designs, scroll work and often rows of Angels!
When
I relocated from New York to Golden Lakes five years ago, my
memory carried visions of my buildings, and reality offered me…
palm trees.
Yes,
I have always had a special, life-long affection for palm trees,
indulging that affection on various trips to Florida, the Keys,
the islands of the Caribbean, and finally right here in our own
backyard.
My
Google tells me that there are close to 2600 varieties of palm
trees right here in Florida. If I knew a botanist, he or she could
rattle off their Latin-scientific names, and give you chapter and
verse.
When
you’re out for a walk, look up at these soft and mellow beauties
that surround us. Scan the tops of these trees. Tell them how you’re
feeling. Ask them how THEY are feeling. Touch their trunks (No one
will try to have you institutionalized, I promise.) And remember,
when most of the trees of the North are naked and cold, we have
our palm trees—all 2600 varieties of them.
So
promise yourself to look up at the palms. Perhaps you may even see
an angel or two… or three. |
OUR
JUNE 25TH OUTDOOR SPRING-FLING FLEA MARKET |
There
were twenty-three tables of treasures (LIA’s, GLV Temple’s and
individual vendors'), a snack table, and more. Great weather,
priceless camaraderie and a good time was had by all! |
|
Vincent
displayed his "Turn Over a New Leaf" art pieces (aka
designer grape leaves), "Time to Come out of your Shell"
with cartoon Shelly inside, "Pick Me Up Pods"—upcycled
poinciana pods—and orchid-tree squiggles. All are made from
Nature’s discards here our village. |
|
REBECCA
enjoyed Mr. Balloon Man, John Watkins, who kept her laughing as he
made an adorable doggie balloon just for her. A line of kids
waited patiently to talk with him. Parents and grandparents had a
blast, too, as he made a special balloon masterpiece for each
child. John also donated large balloon sculptures for the event |
LIAer, Batya, took
part in the event by preparing a "Save the Manatee"
donation table. Using the materials from our adopted manatee, she
laid out the info and painted the backgrounds for both the sick
manatee (to the left of the poster) and the healthy, happy one (to
the right side). This on-going project will provide gift
certificates to schools, churches, boy & girl clubs/scouts,
etc. to bring attention to the manatees’ plight and encourage
people, especially the new generation, to team up and help them. |
|
|
Above
are some of those who helped to make the event such a success. |
|
Willi,
Ruth and Marilyn transported LIA's unsold merchandise to the
nearby Hospice Thrift Shop on Okeechobee Blvd. Other remaining
treasures also found happy homes locally through St. Ann Place’s
outreach to the homeless and needy, and to Resource Depot (www.resourcedepot.com).
The GLV Temple donated its unsold items to a veterans group. |
Photo
at left:LIA Member Monika Dietlin, earned her United States
citizenship last month. She was born in Switzerland, where she was
educated, married and raised her family. After her husband died,
in 2015, she came to the US to be near her son and family, and
chose Golden Lakes because of its proximity to Grace Fellowship
Church and the Berean School (which her grandchildren were
attending). She has worked long and hard learning English and
preparing for her citizenship test, which she passed with flying
colors. She is a super-energetic and big-hearted villager, and can
be seen riding her motorized trike, swimming early in the morning,
walking a dog, taking Phase A exercise classes, baking and sharing
tasty European recipes, dancing endlessly at village events and
playing drums in the GLV Players concerts under the direction of
Marlene Shane. "I miss my son and family, who now live in
Chicago, and my two daughters still in Switzerland," says
Monika, "but the music, drumming and great friends keep me
smiling!" Photo at right: Monika, Samantha (Sammy) and David
riding around the village delivering goodies and watching for ways
to help others. |
Meet
our Guest Columnist, CS Stern |
|
CS’s
expertise, experience and example in the field of health fits
right in with the philosophy of Love In Action (LIA): to be our
best and give our best as we journey through life together. It’s
also in line with the most recent speakers at our monthly
Gatherings. In May Dr. Schnitzer, acupuncturist, spoke about
natural approaches to health; and this month Devin from Conviva
spoke on how to understand the ingredient information on packaged
foods so we can purchase and eat healthier. |
CS
and Alice, married 73 years, have a flair for life that’s as
amazing as it is contagious. They do almost everything as a couple
and often dress to complement each other, as shown in the pre-COVID
photograph (above left) and as boy-and-girl scouts (above right)
during last October’s Phase B Halloween party. |
(6-17-21)
Growing
up, I was the youngest in my family and I considered everybody
around me to be "old folks." I observed many of them and
their friends complaining about stomachaches, headaches, rashes,
fevers, and other health challenges. Being a curious person and
not wanting to become like them, I wondered how I could prevent
some of those things from happening to me.
In
the early 1970s I came across a small booklet about weight loss.
It presented information on how to get and stay healthy through
exercise and a proper diet of mostly plant-based foods. It made a
lot of sense to me, so my wife, Alice, and I followed that advice,
and even bought lifetime memberships to Bally's Health Spas. We
got pretty religious about using their facilities, and our energy
levels and general health benefitted substantially.
The
"health bug" affected me enough that I walked easily the
one- mile-plus to and from work, five days each week for about
three years.
In
1982 we moved to Tampa, walked every day, and maintained pretty
much the same food choices. In 1987 we attended classes on good
health practices taught by Susan Stockton, who authored a few
health-related books—and we both still have diplomas certifying
our completion of her course.
In
1996, Alice and I attended a three-week natural-health program at
the Hippocrates Health Institute. It featured daily exercises,
organic foods only, no television, no newspapers, no alcohol, no
tobacco, no fried foods, no animal foods, and no cooked foods
except for soup one day weekly. I sincerely believe the experience
was well worth the expense because it further enhanced our ability
to protect our health.
After
completing the program, we moved to Golden Lakes Village,
conveniently located right next door to the Health Institute. We
soon volunteered to pick up newly arriving and departing
Hippocrates guests. We also gave occasional talks, and attended
several lectures that were complimentary to us as volunteers. Of
course, we learned even more about natural health during our
volunteer work.
At
Golden Lakes, a 55+ community, I observed many residents afflicted
with poor health. I believed that with increased knowledge and
better lifestyle choices they could improve their health and even
prevent some illnesses. So I volunteered to write a monthly column
for the village newsletter/magazine entitled "Help Yourself
To Better Health." It was a challenge which required ongoing
research to be accurate, and to never offend or cause harm. My
only wish was to help folks to learn some positive ways to
benefit, so I created 111 monthly columns, each about one full
page and sometimes a little more in length.
For
over nine years, my column was quite popular, and I received many
positive compliments. People rarely share their personal health
matters with anyone other than their doctors, so I can't evaluate
the overall results of my efforts. I do, however, feel gratified
that many of my readers got the opportunity to "Help
Themselves to Better Health" and utilized that knowledge
beneficially.
Of
course, we don’t now live the extreme practices we were engaged
in during the 3-week course at Hippocrates, but we and our family
do incorporate many of the wonderful health-enhancing and
health-protecting benefits we learned there. Alice and I are
careful about our food purchases, and almost never miss eating a
large daily salad containing a variety of fresh veggies. We are
careful about our health, drink lots of fresh clean water, and
exercise vigorously and often. We are very careful to examine the
content labels on all packaged foods; many contain health-damaging
substances. We minimize sugars and animal fats such as cow's milk,
cheese, etc. Hippocrates guests are generally there to get rid of
serious ailments mainly by eliminating intake of all
health-negative "foods" and other health-harming
practices, while adding highly healthful foods and activities. I
sincerely believe the closer folks anywhere can practice that
lifestyle, the healthier they will become.
So,
how is our health now compared to most people? Well, I am 95 years
old and Alice is 94. Both of us are very healthy, and dance
vigorously whenever we hear suitable music. We laugh heartily each
and every day, and exercise far more than most younger folks. We
visit our doctor twice a year and he keeps saying: "I'm not
sure how you do it, but just keep doing what you're doing!"
Neither of us have any chronic health problems. Our blood and
urinalysis lab tests have never been outside normal ranges. We
never have headaches, use no prescription drugs, and are very much
in love with each other. We are both a little underweight and our
number one challenge is needing cushions to sit on because of our
bony butts!
We
have no doubt that regular good health practices really pay off.
We very highly recommend it to everyone. It's not that hard to
accomplish.
It's
too bad that even though most doctors tell their patients to eat a
healthy (most plant based) diet, drink plenty of water, and get
enough exercise many of us ignore his/her expert (and expensive)
advice.
Please,
everybody, help yourself get and stay healthier. Life is fun ...
when you feel good! |
DANCE,
DANCE, DANCE:
NOW
A MONTHLY HIT IN PHASE A
"Dance,
Dance, Dance" event, socializing and "tripping the light
fantastic!" (an old expression meaning to dance nimbly and
lightly. It has its roots in the poem L'Allegro written by John
Milton: "Come, and trip it as you go / On the light fantastic
toe." In this case, the word trip means to dance nimbly and
the word fantastic means extremely fancy. |
|
Left
to right: Tony, Judy, Michael, Andrew, Karen (featured in our
previous column, instructor of the GLV Line Dancers, hosting this
event), Russ and Lisa. |
Nellie
and Toni (seated) celebrated their June birthdays with friends
Maggie and Janis (standing) |
|
|
Theresa
and husband |
Virginia
and Harry |
|
|
And
here they are:
Alice
and CS ! |
FATHER’S
DAY CELEBRATION |
|
(Above) Hugo (no longer needing his
upwalker) holds up the keys to his and Ruth’s latest leased car
(a Toyota Venza) which arrived just in time to celebrate Father’s
Day. He wanted a certain color both inside and out. A salesman at
Palm Beach Toyota, Laurent, was able to locate and obtain the only
one in the US to fit that description! PS: Hugo attributes his now
walking without assistance to a tip given to him during his first
physical therapy session: "Walk with head up, shoulders
relaxed and back, and follow your nose—glance down with eyes
only." CS’s tip for senior walkers is "Be sure to lead
with your heels first to avoid many of the tripping hazards." |
(6-3-21)
Let’s
join together in getting "in tune with June!" And how we
do that? By enlarging the boundaries that have hemmed us in for so
long. With the CDC restrictions eased it’s the perfect time to:
Get
out of our shells and turn over a new leaf. During the COVID our
master artist Vincent encouraged us to do just that with
his uniquely– and colorfully-painted shells and leaves (just a
few left at $10 each). And in tune with June he’s once again
offering his free art class on Mondays at 2:30 in the Phase B
Multi-Purpose Room. Everyone is welcome, both residents and
friends.
Be
sure to thank those who kept things going throughout the COVID. In
our village it’s been our two highly-regarded social directors, Gina
and Silvia. We enjoyed take-out meals, breezeway events,
limited exercise classes and poolside activities. Today, Memorial
Day, both phases are having full indoor events!
Love
in Action (LIA) kept things going with its Angel Network, helping
to get food and meds to those stuck at home, praying for those
requesting it, providing home-cooked meals to residents in need,
and keeping people informed via our monthly email blasts. The
"tuning for June" got an early start with full LIA
Gatherings starting in March and large all-village charitable
events in May (Walkathon and Cereal Drive for children in need.).
A
very special individual who comes to both mind and heart for
keeping us happy and healthy before, during and after the
lock-down is our featured writer for this issue, KAREN
MASSINELLO. Here is:
Karen’s
Story
"I
moved to Florida from Westchester County, NY, 50 years ago at age
sixteen. I finished high school and college here, so I consider
myself a Florida girl and love living in the Sunshine State. I
worked as a licensed Lab Technician for over 30 years, then during
Hurricane Wilma I studied and obtained my real estate license
which led to the opening of my own company, Massinello Realty, LLC,
which I am presently running.
"My
truest love, however, has always been dancing. My parents were
terrific dancers and, while growing up, my whole family loved to
dance. I trained with Arthur Murray in Pompano for six months in
my early 20’s but due to a broken ankle I had to quit. Though I
did not return to the class, I never forgot what I learned there
about dancing. Ten years ago, after a divorce, I finally rekindled
my love of dancing and after several years of training I began
teaching beginner’s Ballroom and Latin Dancing at two high
schools here in Palm Beach County through the Adult Education
program.
"Trying
to bring Ballroom and Latin Dancing to Golden Lakes Village (GLV)
presented some challenges, so I decided to start a Line Dance
class since it requires no partners or experience. And just an
hour a week of fun-filled music and movement pays big dividends to
participants in terms of both health and happiness.
"‘The
Line Dancers of GLV’ started off slowly, but as word got around
and people saw our group dancing together at various village
events, interest grew—and so did the class size! What makes me
the proudest about this class are the friendships that began to
form among the students who might never have met if not for their
common love of dance. The camaraderie grew so fast among the
class, it did not matter, age, race, religion, experience—only
the new friendships that were being made. We laughed together, we
cried together, we mourned together, and we helped one another as
our new family grew.
"Not
only do we love to dance together, but we also enjoy performing.
We have performed several showcase dances as a group and were
invited to dance at a nursing home in Wellington during the
holidays before COVID. We featured Tony and Lisa (father
& daughter) in our Waltz showcase—boy, how I wish I could
have done that with my dad!
"During
COVID, when everything was locked down, we continued to dance each
week outside in the parking lot of the Phase A clubhouse, six feet
apart until the heat became too much and we were allowed back in
the auditorium under CDC guidelines, but we never stopped dancing!
"I
am so proud of these people who have truly become my family. I
volunteer my time to teach this class but the gift I’ve gotten
back from them all is far greater than any monetary payment I
could have ever received."
And
here are a few comments from her dancers:
Sharon:
I have been a member of Karen’s line dancing class for the past
few years. I look forward to Monday nights and the opportunity to
dance with all the amazing people who attend the class. We became
great friends who danced through the tough COVID times, able to
forget about what was going on in the world for at least one hour
a week.
Judy
H: Dancing is so therapeutic and has
increased my confidence both on the dance floor as well as in
other areas of my life (social and work). I love Karen and my
dance family and I am extremely thankful for them all! Line
dancing keeps us young and flexible. I am so glad we have it here
at GLV.
Kim:
Karen teaches line dancing in our community every Monday night.
She does not get paid for teaching, she loves to dance and wants
to share the joy of dancing with others. I have been going to line
dancing for the past three years. It’s great exercise and makes
me smile. I have met wonderful friends through line dancing and am
very grateful for this activity.
Lisa:
Having Karen teach our villagers line dancing with such patience
and grace has fostered a great camaraderie among the dancers. She
has brought a terrific group of people together through dance. I
would never had made as many friends through line dancing if not
for Karen.
Judy
D.: I have been coming to GLV Line Dance
group for a few years. The line dance group got me doing something
that I have always loved, dancing. I have made wonderful friends
that I might not have met if I had not taken the class. I love the
class, the dances, and all the dancers. Karen is an excellent
instructor. She and some of the other dancers (Kim and Sharon)
have helped me master the dance steps. I still make mistakes, but
I can laugh at myself and keep on dancing. Dancing is good for my
soul. It’s a fun cardio that I never get tired of. I’m so
grateful for the class and my dance family. Happy dancing! |
Love
in Action Thanks:
Karen
Massinello, Our Featured Writer |
|
Karen
has lived in Golden Lakes for nine years, is a highly-respected
GLV real estate broker and is renowned for bringing line dancing
to the village. She is also bowls with the GLV bowlers, is on the
Phase A Social Activities Committee and a member of the
full-village Woman’s Club and Love in Action. Her big-hearted
company sponsored the veterans’ meals for the Phase A Memorial
Day event. Read her story in this issue to learn more about her
and the line dancing group. |
AT
"DANCE DANCE DANCE" EVENTS.
On
Saturday, June 12th, the Line Dancers will sponsor their third
event to showcase the joy of getting out on the dance floor and
just moving to the beat! At the first one (before COVID) Karen and
her professional dance partner Damien Maloney demonstrated
the waltz, the quick-step, the foxtrot and the pasodoble. She has
competed in a number of pro+amateur dance contests over the years.
The $5 GLV dance events include DJ music, bring-your-own edibles
and a relaxing evening of fun with other dance aficionados. Read
the accompanying column to learn more about Karen and the dancers. |
|
DURING COVID
(dancing in the
parking lot) |
The
2021 LIA Leadership Team: Dorinda,
Kim and Joy. |
|
For
the great job they’re doing initiating and overseeing this year's
LIA activities. Kim (center) headed the May 23rd "LIA Walkathon
2021" which benefits special-needs kids. All three women are
active in cooking meals for, and distributing food to, GLV residents
as needed—and they are busy making a variety of other good things
happen both in our village and beyond. |
|
Approximately
30 walkers (including canines) gathered on May 23r for the small or
longer walks. |
|
Walker
ages ranged from
Maia
(age 5) shown here with her family, (l-r): Malakai 9, Ricky, Lindsey, (Maia
in front), Altin (10) and Dorinda … |
|
…
...
to Hugo (age 92) shown here ready
to go, go, go with wife, Ruth. |
(5-20-21)
The
beautiful and fragrant May flowers bring with them a contemplative
month filled with emotion. We honor our moms on Mother’s Day,
and on Memorial Day we grieve those who died serving our country.
There are also special days to recognize and thank our armed
forces, our teachers and our nurses.
This
is the ideal month to solidify plans for an upcoming Love in
Action (LIA) event called "Celebration of Lives." It
will honor GLV residents (and close relatives of residents) who
have recently died. The program will include organ music by GLV
resident Mark Goldhirsch, a formal reading of honorees’
names and a display of photographs and stories about each. There
will also be words of inspiration and sign-ups for a variety of
small-group activities to help those who are grieving. I, for
example, still grieve for my grandmother who died when I was just
two years old.
In
this issue of Condo News we are featuring two of the event
honorees: Bill who died in January and Lenny who
passed on in March. Lenore (a dear friend who did much for
our village over the years) slipped away from us just this month.
She will be featured in an upcoming issue.
BILL
JACKOWSKI was born in 1944 in Syracuse,
NY. He joined the US Air Force at age 18 and for six years worked
in Strategic Air Command at the Anderson Air Force Base in Guam.
For several years he served as a volunteer fire-fighter and was
employed for 35 years by US Air to work in the commercial airline
industry. He married Catherine, the love of his life, in 1968 and
they settled in Camillus, NY, where they raised four wonderful
children. In 1988 he requested a US Air transfer so he and his
family could leave the frigid northeast and settle in sunny
Florida.
Their
home in Royal Palm Beach included a swimming pool where friends
and family gathered for holidays and special occasions. Bill’s
hobbies included golf (a "natural" since his wife Cathy
worked for PGA for decades), watching sports and rooting for the
Buffalo Bills, and displaying his 100+ Lionel train-and-track sets
which filled his garage. But family was always his top priority
and he was totally devoted to his wife, children and
grandchildren.
Bill
was a member of the American Legion for over 20 years and brought
it to Golden Lakes Village (GLV) when he moved here after his wife’s
passing. He started the Veterans Connection, a breakfast meeting
for village veterans that grew into large monthly meetings with
neighboring Post #367. He also brought together the veterans and
LIA for charitable projects like the Bahamas Hurricane Relief
Drive and the "Christmas in July" party for kids with
cancer. He mentored 7-year-old Jaqueline, one of the cancer
children, for years as she fought and conquered leukemia. She held
a special place in his heart—and he in hers!
Bill
loved to laugh and make others laugh. He was on the LIA Board and
gave generously of his time, talents and treasure. He enjoyed
giving a flower to each lady in our group for Mother’s Day and
at the annual Valentine’s Day Friendship Buffet—and buying
extra LIA raffle tickets for those who couldn’t afford them. For
this and so much more, he was given LIA’s first "Giver
& Doer Award." Needless to say, he is greatly missed!
LENNY
ESPINOZA and his wife Millie brought
a ton of musical joy to our village. She sang and did most of the
announcing while he worked the DJ controls. They provided all
types of music (for listening, dancing, karaoke, etc.) for a
variety of American Legion, LIA, and GLV events—as well as for
"off-campus" private parties, outdoor weddings, etc.
Lenny
was born in Santiago, Chile. He was a child prodigy with a
gorgeous soprano voice, and was paid to sing on Chilean radio from
the ages of 12 through 15 or 16—until his voice changed. He
enjoyed playing bass guitar in bands, and watching or playing
soccer. His four years in the Merchant Marines brought him to many
fascinating places: Japan, Greece, Peru, the Panama Canal, etc.
These were great experiences he cherished throughout his life.
In
1969 he left his immediate family in Chile and headed for the US.
He lived in the Bronx for several years doing landscape work in
the Far Rockaway area. Then he moved to Florida where he met his
lovely wife, Millie. They lived in Palm Beach Gardens for 29
years, where they raised their two great kids, Leonardo and
Melanie. Seven years ago they moved to Golden Lakes.
MILLIE
was born in Puerto Rico, the 9th of eleven children. At age five
she came to the the US and grew up in Connecticut. After high
school she moved to NY and worked in the financial world of banks,
stocks and municipal bonds. In 1977 she signed up for two years in
the US Army.
While
home on leave one Sunday evening Millie went to a Queens club
where she met a fabulous bass guitarist named Leonardo (Lenny) who
was playing in the band. The duo clicked immediately and on their
first date (the very next day) he asked her to marry him. Since
she had to return to her military base on Friday there was just
enough time for a Thursday wedding! Millie’s sisters took bets
on how long it would last, with a month being the longest
estimate. For the next 43 years, on their anniversary, Millie
would call her sisters to say "Guess what! We’re still
together!"
Lenny’s
sudden and unexpected battle with cancer has left Millie
heart-broken, but she (now Vice Commander of the American Legion
Post #367) will "soldier on" and reach out to family and
friends who loved him and are missing him terribly, too. We will
always remember his vibrant and friendly smile, his extraordinary
warmth and kindness, and his example of a life truly well-lived!
Says Millie, "Lenny was and always will be the love of my
life. He was a great father, a loving husband and great friend. He
will forever be my ‘always’." |
Golden
Lakes Love in Action (LIA) honors: |
BILL
JACKOWSKI (1944-2021)
Photos
courtesy of Shelby Walcher |
|
(Left)
Bill Jackowski during his Air Force Days (ages 18-24)
(Right)
Bill Jackowski in the American Legion (for 20 years) |
|
(At Right) Passing
on his Giver & Doer legacy ... following in Bill's
footsteps is his granddaughter Lauren (shown here as a junior
member of LIA, collecting shoes, books etc. for children in need). |
|
LENNY
AND MILLIE ESPINOZA
A
TEAM IN MARRIAGE, MUSIC AND MAKING FRIENDS
Photos
by Millie Espinoza |
|
(Left)
Millie in the US Army.
(Right)
Lenny, her young husband
Read
their amazing love story in the accompanying column. |
|
|
Millie and Lenny
(1948-2021):
The famous and
beloved DJ couple of Golden Lakes. Enjoying each other and
bringing joy to countless!
[New Year’s Eve
December 2019—one of 43 new years they celebrated together.] |
|
In
Golden Lakes with daughter Melanie (left) and Lenny (right),
Millie
(center) is now Vice Commander of American Legion Post #367. |
(5-6-21)
Love
in Action’s first large indoor event took place in the phase B
auditorium last week. It was both a great piano concert and a
major learning experience rolled into one. We tried Zoom for the
first time, but both the in-person and Zoomer audiences were far
too modest. We were late in publicizing it and residents are still
reluctant to attend large gatherings while COVID is still a
threat. I also suspect that our providing the ID and code wasn’t
sufficient. Please let me know (info@GLloveinAction.com) if
any of you were able to attend it by Zoom—or tried but it didn’t
work for you.
We’re
already applying the lessons learned as we keep in mind our LIA
mantra for 2021: Preparation, Communication, Teamwork! We’ll
definitely be better prepared for the summer and fall "Music
for All Seasons" concerts. We’ll be honing our Zooming
skills by attending a special Learning-to-Zoom class at Phase B
this week. And in the meantime Batya and I succeeded in Zooming
into a memorial service for her very dear friend up north. It was
a deeply-appreciated and priceless experience for Batya—and
me, too!.
With
better preparation, the communication and teamwork will fall right
into place, too. I’m now working with Vincent to be MC for the
next concert. We’ll work on the script together with the
performer and do at least a virtual rehearsal together before the
event. I chose Vincent because of his amazing speaking
voice, his work with the drama group and his love of the arts. He
is the creator of the up-cycled each-one-uniquely-painted Pick-Me-
Pods, Time-To-Come-Out-Your-Shell shells, orchid-tree Squiggles
and his latest, CleoCatra (the artsy reincarnation of Cleopatra,
highlighted in our last column). He is also a great storyteller.
In fact, here’s his latest Tall-but-True Tale gleaned from his
rich and varied past:
SING
IT AGAIN!
by
Vincent Daddiego
An
opera is a beautiful thing. When you are surrounded by a luscious
aria from Tosca, Madam Butterfly, or the Barber of
Seville, for example, you are hearing the Voice of God and
feeling your spirits soar. (You don’t get that from the electric
guitar.).
A
love of the opera was sparked by my grandfather, during the 1940’s,
while three generations of our family lived in "Little
Italy" on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Grandfather
nurtured his passion for the opera with records played on a
hand-cranked gramophone with a wooden sound-horn the size of a
tuba—state-of-the-art technology at that time. He would also
frequent a social club of sorts where he and his fellow opera
lovers would chew on little black cigars, sip espresso laced with
anisette, and argue vociferously regarding the vocal merits of one
tenor or another.
Grandpa’s
main indulgence in his pursuit of the perfect opera was when he
attended performances at the metropolitan Opera House—then
located on West 38th street. On such visits—always on Saturday
afternoons—he was accompanied by several members of the club.
And on one particular occasion I was included in that group.
"I’m giving you a birthday present you will never
forget!" he announced proudly.
And
thus, at 12 years old, I found myself sitting in the front row of
the balcony, surrounded by rows of men of all ages speaking
quietly in every conceivable dialect of Italian. Gazing up at the
crystal chandeliers and the ornate extravagance of the place, I
waited anxiously for "The Marriage of Figaro" to begin.
During the second act, the tenor performed the main aria to the
opera—the show-stopper, which tested his range and the quality
of his voice. Upon concluding his performance, to scattered
applause, the men surrounding me blared: "Encore! Encore!
Sing it again!"
And
so he did. And again the front row balcony rang out with:
"Again! Encore! Sing it again!" After the third encore,
the tenor threw up his arms in confusion and resignation, until
several voices from the balcony commanded: "You’re gonna
sing it again and again, ‘until you get it right!’"
POST
SCRIPT: This story is true. I witnessed
it. The story has found its way into opera legend. Also, it was
quite typical of the behavior of opera audiences at the time to
practice the freedom of loudly voicing their displeasure at what
they considered an inadequate performance. The opera house now at
Lincoln Center, is simply glass and steel without the passion. |
Lots
of Love in Action (LIA) at
Golden
Lakes Village!
ANNUAL
FUNDRAISING WALKATHON |
Last
year’s event raised funds for two village benches, one of which
is shown in the picture. Teaming up to head the May 23rd event are
(l-r) Joy with four-legged walker Honey, Kim (standing) and
Dorinda, whose canine walker, Bunny, is reading the inscription on
the bench ("Come sit awhile, compliments of Love in Action
2020") Four-legged walkers, obviously, are welcome, and
six-footed ones like Hugo are also taking part. If you would like
to walk or sponsor the event with a donation please leave a
message at 561-657-6251.
Proceeds
this year will benefit special-needs children. |
|
CEREAL
DRIVE
"Because
Breakfast Doesn’t Take a Summer Break." LIA is joining St.
Mary’s and Palm Beach Children's Hospital in their annual cereal
collection to feed PB County children during the summer break.
Cereal boxes can be dropped at the Phase A auditorium any day of
the week throughout the month of May. Here, project manager Kathy
shows some of the cereals already dropped into the bins. Watch for
those BOGOs… for the kids |
|
FUN
AND ENRICHMENT
"He
really made that piano sing!" said Nancy of LIA. The first in
our "Music for All Seasons" was a piano concert
presented by "Donald’s Piano Artistry" of West Palm
Beach. The summer concert will feature a GLV resident, Mark, on
the triple-keyboard organ in the B auditorium, which was donated
to LIA last year. |
Dante
and wife, Lucy, enjoyed the "Dance, Dance, Dance" event
which highlighted the Line Dancers of GLV. Watch for the line
dance instructor, Karen, who will soon be a featured writer in our
column. |
|
(4-22-21)
We’re
in luck once again! Vincent Daddiego, master-artist of
Golden Lakes Village and longtime member of Love in Action, has
written another of his uniquely true stories. And this one, #3, is
purr-fectly timed to lead us into May, which just happens to be
National Pet Month. In honor of our beloved pets, past and
present, here is Vincent’s story about a man and his pet:
Hail
Tiberius! (A True Cat Story)
We
all called him Flashy because he had style, flair, sparkle—and
because he was the most gifted fashion photographer in New York
during the 80’s and 90’s. If you scanned any of the leading
fashion magazines of that period, you had to be captivated by his
virtuosity.
Flashy,
however, was unlucky in love; ask his three ex-wives and they will
nod their gorgeous heads in enthusiastic agreement.
Working
with Flashy, while I was an executive art director for one of the
largest advertising agencies on Madison Avenue, also created a
close friendship between the two of us. And it didn’t take me
long to realize that if he was devoted to anyone or anything, it
was his cat, Augustus.
In
my eyes, Augustus was the quintessential cat. Since I am not
well-versed in the various breeds of cats, Augustus seemed to be
All of God’s Cats rolled into one. Flashy, who studied Roman
history as a hobby, named his cat after the first Emperor of the
Roman Empire—Octavius Augustus.
Flashy’s
relationship with Augustus was filled with affection, warmth,
sensitivity and joy. And I was struck by the ways Augustus
returned those feelings to a smiling, loving Flashy.
One
late autumn afternoon I received a telephone call from Flashy and,
in a voice filled with deep sadness mixed with anger, he bid me to
come to his studio. Sipping a brandy, his eyes moist with tears,
he softly uttered the fatal words: "Augustus is dead."
It
was growing dark beyond the windows of his office, and amid the
silence of the room he explained, as briefly as his emotions
allowed, the circumstances of the death of his beloved pet. An
accurate repetition if his words stay with me even now. Said
Flashy…
"We
had this ritual—Augustus and I—that went on for years. I would
roll out of the sack every morning, leaving Augustus curled up at
the foot of the bed. I’d go into the bathroom and start to
shower and yell "Hail Augustus.’ He’s come bolting from
the bedroom, jump onto the toilet seat and we’d talk about what
we were going to do that day. This morning, when Augustus didn’t
respond to my call, I hurried back to the bedroom only to find him
dead."
Tears
began to flood Flashy’s eyes as he recounted the moment of his
soulful sorrow. "I’m going to bury him tomorrow morning. It’s
somewhere special and I need you to come with me."
That
"somewhere special" proved to be Flashy’s country home
in Upper New York State. I knew it well from past visits and his
garden was alive with a stunning variety of perennial flowers, in
the middle of which was placed a 4-foot-high marble statue of
Octavius Augustus, which he had acquired in Rome on a recent
visit.
Flashy
dug a hole at the foot of the statue and on it he placed a piece
of Pierre Cardin luggage. "Top of the line," snapped
Flashy. "And why not?" I responded, "Augustus had
class. What else would you bury him in?"
"No
plastic bag for MY cat," declared Flashy.
Post-Script:
One week later Flashy’s three ex-wives appeared in his studio,
and presented him with a kitten, which promised to mature into a
replica of Augustus. Smiling for the first time in a week, Flashy
declared: "I’ll call him Tiberius—the Second Emperor of
Rome! Hail Tiberius!"
The
End
Will
all the cat lovers now please stand up! Right away, I think of
Love in Action members Willi, Gail and Louise—and
of course Kay, who is our go-to person for all-things-cat.
You can count me in, too. I don’t have any pets at the moment
but as a child I aspired to having a cat ranch. That hasn’t
materialized (for which Hugo is most grateful) but we have
been happily owned by several over the years.
Let’s
count Vincent in as a cat-lover, too, because of his
colorful and charming CleoCatra. This museum-worthy feline was
created to be…
Cleopatra
Reincarnated! |
Arts-Related
News from Golden Lakes Village
|
|
Vincent
Daddiego, featured writer and GLV artist, is now introducing his
CleoCatra Collection to brighten up cat lovers’ lives. He can be
contacted at his West Palm Beach, FL, studio: 919-480-9496. |
The
whole world knows the legend of the powerful and beautiful Queen
of Egypt: Cleopatra. Now, after thousands of years, she has been
reincarnated as CLEOCATRA !!These extraordinary collectibles are a
fanciful tribute to the Queen of Egypt, who believed that all cats
were sacred and spiritual—and a precious gift to cat lovers
everywhere. Each piece is unique in design and color, and
meticulously hand-painted by renowned artist Vincent Daddiego.
|
|
CLEOCATRA
is now available as enamel paintings on 5x7 art board with
attached stand, and as small, high-quality 2x3-inch stones. Most
are sold on consignment, but GLV residents and Condo News readers
are given his "family" (half-price) discount.
Vincent
is a lifelong multi-media artist known for his "Art of
Feeling Good." His long list of gallery exhibitions in both
the US and Europe have included canvas paintings, collages, wall
hangings and sculptures. Even his more serious works evoke
uplifting feelings in the viewers. CLEOCATRA is sure to elicit
warm smiles as she captures the hearts of countless admirers.
Ideal gifts for cat-lovers everywhere. |
Donald
Covert, master pianist and conductor, will be performing at
Clubhouse B from 2:00-3:00 on Friday, April 23rd. Donald will play
a variety of music types including jazz, show tunes, cocktail-hour
arrangements and of course a fabulous classical piece. He earned
his degree in Vienna, Austria, and won a conducting competition
while studying there. He has conducted in Holland, Norway,
Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and in Florida (Tampa, Miami
and locally.)
He
started his musical career as a 6-year-old student of Harris Music
on Clematis Street. |
|
He
has performed on the piano in most S. Florida communities for the
past 25 years. He can now be contacted at Donald's Piano Artistry.
2266 Avenida Alhambra, W . P. B., FL 33415. Cellular # (561)
403-3991) Emails: pianistpb@aol.com. The photo above was taken
when he performed at St. Andrews Country Club in Boca Raton. His
performance on the 23rd at Golden Lakes will be more informal.
Please join us via ZOOM ID: 820 8198 5035, Passcode: 368226. |
(4-8-21)
This
is the month that the Lord has made; let’s rejoice and be glad
in it! This customization of Psalm
118:24 comes to mind as I bask in the afterglow of the Passover
and Lenten/Easter holy seasons and jump with joy into this lovely
month of April. It’s so full of promise and hope! The birds are
flitting about, searching for just the right materials to build
their nests. Annually-flowering bushes are once again in full
bloom. The daylight hours give us more bang for our buck. And more
and more of us are getting vaccinated. We surely have much to be
thankful for!
Here
in Golden Lakes Village we’re flitting about, too, with lots to
do and many willing hands to help us do it. The clubhouses and
Wendy’s Café have kept us safely active throughout the pandemic
and every month their services and activities increase. Love in
Action (LIA) was active throughout, too, with our Angel Network
and email blasts to keep us connected and helpful.
We
had a big Gathering last month (the first in over a year). Over 40
members and friends attended the outdoor event which featured a
speaker from the Good Samaritan off-campus ER. As our blessings
overflow, so does our roster! We have 100+ members so far for 2021—giving
generously of their time, talents and treasures. One new member
(who prefers to get no accolades) suggested and headed a fabulous
food drive to benefit GLV residents who are homebound or facing
hard times. A team of 20+ volunteers packed and delivered dozens
of bags filled with shelf-stables and some fresh items, too.
Upcoming
LIA activities include a piano concert on April 26th for nine
masked and socially-distanced guests—to also be Zoomed to those
preferring to watch from the comfort of their own homes. Our
pianist will be Donald of Donald’s Piano Artistry, who started
playing piano at age six as a student of Harris Music on Clematis
street, and earned his degree in Vienna, Austria. Next month will
be our 2nd Annual Walkathon, organized once again by Kim Morris
(our new Vice President). And after that, we’ll honor those
who have gone before us with a Celebration of Lives, remembering
residents and their close relatives who have died in recent years.
And
now, I’m honored to introduce our featured writer for today: the
amazing and much-loved Clarence (CS) Stern! He and his wife
Alice (married 73 years) have been a major blessing to GLV
over the years (and they still are). This will be the first of
what we hope to be a series of vignettes from his marvelously
lengthy and active life. Over and out,
Captain CS!
"On
March 3, 2021 I enjoyed my 95th birthday with 17 immediate family
members at a ZOOM party. It was a wonderful experience,
with all my children, cousins, nephews, and nieces relating
and reminding me about past experiences they had with me. I
instilled in them what I thought were important values.
Among them were intelligence, humor, generosity, responsibility
and more. During the party, they gave me great happiness by
sharing many details of our many varied experiences.
"When
I was very young, I always had a passion for airplanes. My
hobby was building and flying many small model airplanes. I
took flying lessons when I was 16, became a pretty good stunt
pilot, and got my Commercial Pilot’s license at age 21. I never
did accept the occasional airlines’ letters and telegrams
offering me additional training.Their offers included $125.00 per
month to become an airline pilot, which I considered to be an
"airborne bus driver". I always was a bit adventurous,
and that seemed too boring for me.
"During
the expansion of our family, I took Alice and our three kids on
many exciting and enjoyable trips in my various single engine
planes which I purchased; always improving them, and trading up
for larger and more comfortable ones for the five of us. The kids
especially enjoyed our many day-long outings, from Bridgeport,
Connecticut. Most of them included fishing outings at Block
Island, Rhode Island, and Atlantic City boardwalk matinee shows,
featuring TV’s popular star singers and bands. I even
demonstrated weightlessness to the kids, by having them remove
their seat belts before I abruptly nosed the plane down. They
floated up off their seat and laughed hysterically at their rare
experience, usually attained only by astronauts.
"Being
a bit adventurous, traveling, cruising, moving to Florida, and
changing careers; I always welcomed the changes. We made travel a
major part of our family’s life, enjoying new people and new
adventures.
Always
thinking about our family’s future, I took and saved over 50
small films of our activities, ordinary and/or exceptional from
1960 through 1989; copied the 50 8mm tapes to video
cassettes (VCR). I narrated every activity, transferred
them to DVDs, and they are now on 2 little flash-drives. We,
and each of our children (all now seniors) enjoy 30 full years of
our family’s wonderful history. Now, any of us can enjoy viewing
all of those wonderful years in our personal "time machines’’!
"To
Alice and me, family always comes first. And because we believe
planning ahead is usually a good idea. I am so pleased I made the
effort that brought about the above results. All our family
believe and are rewarded by planning in order to achieve any
desire. That is why our family believes in what we call ls
"The 5 Ps"= Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance." |
A
HEARTY GOLDEN LAKES LOVE IN ACTION (LIA) THANK-YOU TO:
Our
Featured Writer: Clarence (CS) Stern |
|
Talented,
energetic, and big-hearted are three of the many good adjectives
that describe this longtime GLV resident and active LIA member. He
and his equally active wife, Alice, moved to Ft. Lauderdale in
1972, then to Tampa in 1982 and finally to Golden Lakes in WPB in
1996. For nine years CS wrote the monthly healthy living column
called "Help Yourself to Better Health" in our Village
Talk magazine. He was also a featured speaker at two of Love in
Action’s health-related events. To show his versatility, he also
took his generations of home movies from 8mm and VHS into the DVD
format—with him narrating them to describe the what, when and
where of the treasured memories. |
CS
and Alice, married 73 years
Here
they are, dancing at Phase B's New Year event that welcomed in
2021. The couple has been in charge of GLV's dancing club for the
past 10 years and have become close friends with its members.
After the lockdown they have been able to get together once in
awhile to dance and enjoy each other’s company. They also
support LIA activities by reaching out to neighbors, donating to
our food and clothing drives, and participating in events (such as
when they were elves at the Christmas in July party for kids with
cancer). |
Clarence
in the 40’s
Details
on his love of flying are in the accompanying article. |
(above
left) CS the day after Navy discharge. Flying home, July 1946,
during a short stop in Philadelphia. Changing planes used for
airborne "hitching" rides to home town.
(above
right) Clarence’s 4th airplane: Clarence (guy on left) and two
friends—showing off his new airplane. Photo taken during 1949. |
|
The
fabulous team of 20+ volunteers that helped to collect, bag and
deliver food to special GLV residents
Here
are some of the volunteers who sorted and bagged the donations:
(l-r) Penny, Joan, Linda, Madeline, Robin and Ann Frances). Dozens
of bags were distributed by April 1st. |
|
Dave
Long (at right) who heard via an LIA email blast that Mark
Goldhirsch needed a bicycle. Dave responded with this generous
donation. Mark (on left) can now be seen breezing around our
village and his bike is often "parked" at Club B where
he can be found at the café, the tennis courts or at LIA’s
newly-acquired organ in the B Auditorium practicing for his May or
June concert. |
|
The
Condo News print newspaper is published every other Wednesday. It is circulated throughout Palm Beach County, from
Delray to North Palm Beach, and from Singer Island, Palm Beach and
South Palm Beach to Royal Palm Beach, in Condominium, Cooperative
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