Sebastian Sun Articles a digital text archive The Sebastian Sun July 4, 1997 c 1977 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. President: Darryl K. Hicks. Executive Editor: Larry Reisman. Editor: Louise Phillipine. Advertising Manager: Ellen Smith Account Executive: Doreen Dowell. (USPS) The Sun is published weekly by Treasure Coast Publishing Inc., a division of Scripps Howard Inc., 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. c 1997 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. All correspondence, including news copy, should be addressed to 717 Coolidge St., Sebastian, FL 32958. Phone: (561) 589- 6616; Fax: (561) 978-2386. News deadline, 5 p.m., Friday. All display advertising should be addressed to 1801 U.S. 1, Vero ach, FL 32960. Phone (561) 978-2383; Fax:(561) 978-2297. Advertising deadline, 1 p.m., Monday. FROM THE ARCHIVES TOP STORY FROM A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: Dennis "Randy" White, Madison's police chief for two years, was named Sebastian's new police chief. White replaces former Chief Earle Petty, who resigned from the post to serve with peace-keeping forces in Bosnia. White had more than 30 years of experience in law-enforcement oper- ations and management, most of it with the Duval County Sheriff's De- partment in Jacksonville. He retired as that county's director of police services in 1991. He would begin his new job in Sebastian at an annual salary of $46,000. CITIZEN OF THE DAY NAME: Clayton Brooks AGE: 76. OCCUPATION: Retired Southern Bell supervisor. BIRTHPLACE: Chicago, Ill. MOVED HERE: November 1984. COMMUNITY SERVICE: Member of Happy Hoofers, sponsored by the American Legion. We go to different nursing homes, civic organizations and clubs to demonstrate line danc- ing. Member of Marine Corps League. HOBBIES: Dancing and baseball. FAVORITE AUTHOR: William F. Buckley Jr. WHAT I LIKE ABOUT MY NEIGHBORHOOD: I live in the Se- bastian Highlands. I like its size, quaintness and friendly people. WEEKEND PICKS Sebastian's 24th annual festival, "Fourth of July on the River," kicks off the three-day holiday weekend. The Lions Club of Sebastian will present a full slate of activities all day long, including a pie contest, musical entertainment, exhibits and games in Riverview Park. The park is at the corner of U.S. 1 and County Road 512. The day will end with a giant fire- works display at 9 p.m. WHAT DID HE SAY? "I hope it's a help and not a hin- drance. Some people are not happy because it's going to bring more trat- fic. That's a bad intersection to begin with." - Flo Canham (Canham, president of the Barefoot Bay Homeowners' Association, made the statement in connection with the news that Winn Dixie officials have submitted a preliminary application for a proposed Winn Dixie store to go up at U.S. 1 and the north side of Barefoot Bay Boulevard in Barefoot Bay. The new store is expected to be about 46,991 square feet and will have 392 parking spaces. Plans also call for the construction of two addi- tional buildings. One of the buildings, which will be attached to the Winn Dixie store would house two retail stores and the other a bank.) Residents choose Smith and Willey Sebastian's Man and Woman of Year By DREW DIXON Of The Sun Jerry Smith and Edna Willey share a common gener- osity to the city of Sebastian in their donations of time and money to various efforts and organizations. They also now share something else in common. They have been selected in the Sebastian Sun read- ers poll as man and woman of the year, respectively. Willey, of Roseland, whose husband Harry, a retired general surgeon, died in an auto accident on Interstate 95 in 1992, has commissioned much of her late hus- band's financial resources to help out the Sebastian Po- lice Department. She's also made other notable contributions to civic endeavors. Earlier this year, Willey contributed $50.000 to es- tablish a trust fund for the Sebastian Police Officers As- sociation. "As far as the welfare and benefit of the officers, she's very important," said police Chief Randy White. The money she donated to the police will be used by officers if there's a sudden loss of a family member or some other hardship that could cause financial diffi- culties for the person. "She wants to see (the money) go where she wants before she leaves this earth. That's what she told me," White said. He's happy she's chosen the Police Depart- ment as a target for her charitable contributions. Willey's desire to take care of the police encourages White. "It sort of renews your faith in humanity. Because in this line of work, you can tend to develop a dim view of people sometimes. It's important to the officers," he said. Willey said she never had a second thought about donating to the Police Department so when she was named Woman of the Year for this and other deeds, she was flabbergasted. "All I did was write some checks in my husband's name." She said her inspiration and concern for police is rooted in the experiences she had while she was a nurse and her husband was a doctor during the 1930s in New York City. "We always had empathy for police because every time they put on that uniform, there's danger," she said. While working in New York hospitals, she saw many police officers come in with deadly wounds inflicted by violence from "gangsters," she said. And since then, she's never forgotten how difficult enforcing the law can be. "My husband left me well situated when he died. We don't have kids. So, I have to do something with the money," she said. Doing something also includes helping out her fa- vorite social setting. Willey, at 87, still plays golf and thoroughly enjoys an occasional round at the Sebastian Municipal Golf Course, She enjoys it so much that she improved the restroom facilities on the links. "I had the pit-stops done over. You wouldn't believe the condition they were in. The wood was rotting and they smelled. It was just the pits! , "When I go golfing, I go out for fun. I want comfort- able surroundings. If they aren't, I make them comfort- able," she said. Her days of giving are far from over. Willey said she foresees making additional contributions to other county agencies. Smith, of Sebastian, owner of Jerry Smith Tile Inc. and Floor Covering at 915 U.S. 1 in Sebastian, equally was surprised he was selected Man of the Year. "I don't look for recognition. I'm just me, I guess. I wasn't expecting it," he said. But some of his 60 employees who filled out the ap- plication forms in the Sun weren't surprised. Kathy Kragh, an estimator for Smith's business, sin- gle-handedly launched a campaign to get the honor for her boss. We have a lot of wayward souls who've had tough times and (Smith's) always there for them," she said. "He's a great supporter and motivator. Whatever it is, he's just a down-right wonderful guy. He's caring and generous to the hilt. "I saw the (Man of the Year) thing in the paper an I asked people to fill out the application and not one person said no," Kragh said. Smith, 54, sponsors the Sebastian Sun Devil fast-pitch softball team; has donated money to the Indian River County Crime Stoppers; is chairman of the Sebastian Construction Board; and is co-chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Home Show, which is an expo- sition held at Sebastian River High School to help dis- play the wares available in the Sebastian area to different businesses. "I do business here. It's a great community and peo- ple should be involved and a lot of people talk about that, but not many actually do," Smith said. "When you live in a community, you should support it. Hopefully you can make a difference in people's lives," he said. As far as his selection as Man of the Year, "It's a real surprise. I wasn't expecting anything like this." Photo Caption Jerry Smith, with his wife, Laura, at his tile shop on U.S. 1 in Sebastian. He says his successful business prompts him to give back to Sebastian, which is one of the reasons he was selected Man of the Year in the Sebastian Sun readers poll. Photo Caption Edna Willey said a soft spot in her heart for po- lice led to her donations to the Sebastian Police Department. Her giving spirit led to Willey be- ing selected as Woman of the Year in the Se- bastian Sun readers poll. Micco Park pond still providing fun in the sun By DREW DIXON Of The Sun There's nothing like a swimming hole with cool water on a hot summer day. Micco Park has one and area residents want to keep it very cool. Efforts are now under way to increase the flow of water from a well that feeds the pond on Riverview Drive. That pond has become a favorite swimming spot for children in the area, said Wally Kramer, vice president of the Micco Homeowners Associa- tion. "Kids are using it all the time. Parents sit on the bank and kids wade around and have a ball. It's only four feet deep (in the middle) and it's safe," he said. The biggest threat to the future of the pond is the flow of water from the new well that was drilled in late 1995. The in- take line from the well to the pond is only pumping out about 2,500 gallons of water per hour, Kramer said. That level should be much higher, said Todd Loadholtz, su- perintendent of parks in South Brevard County for the Depart- ment of Parks and Recreation. "The well is not producing the volume we would like to maintain the water level we want," he said. Because of the soft, sandy bottom in the pond, "water seeps through the ground faster than other areas," Loadholtz said. And that means the pond doesn't really maintain its minimal depth of four feet in the middle so it really becomes a wading pool. Because the pond is water level is lower, the water tempera- ture doesn't stay as -cool either, Krame@r said. The water comes out of the ground at 72 degrees, which is just right, Kramer said. But when it's too shallow, the water heats quickly, and that could lead to increased bacteria in the pond. Keeping the pond in proper shape is important because there are no public swimming pools in, Micco, said Bill McCready, chairman of the Micco Homeowners Association Park Committee. "It's an old-fashioned swimming hole. And some parents say they have been coming there because they can watch (their children). Not being that deep, there's not too much of a chance of someone drown- ing," McCready said. It's also one of the few things that's been around for a while in Micco, he said. According to McCready, it's been in existence since the 1950s and even McCready's children, now in their 30s and 40s, used to swim in the pond when his family moved to Micco in 1961. That tradition continues today as 7-year-old Cody Hume of Micco proved recently while hanging out on his boogie board in the pond. "I like it because you can just walk across it," he said. His friend, Shane Frey, 10, also of Micco, said he agrees as he was frolicking on his boogie board. "It's fun just to boogie board a lot in the summertime," he said. Meanwhile, Loadholtz said he's meeting with the contractor that installed the pump, D&E Pump of Bre- vard County, to discuss possible improvements to the pump leading to the pond. "We might put a new pump in, we might drill an- other (well). But we want to determine the simplest means to increase the volume of fresh water into the pond," he said. "If we can resolve that with the contractor on site, there won't be any more (tax dollars) spent at all. The contractor has said he's willing to resolve it," Load- holtz said. "It will be a lot less expensive than building new pool," he said, He expects to have the issue-re- solved by the end of this summer. Photo Caption Micco youngsters find a way to beat the heat as they frolic in the pond at Micco Park. Both parents and youngsters say they like the pond because it's shallow, making it a safe place to swim. Former Army Brigadier General now works to guide Sebastian's future By Drew Dixon During his years in the U.S. Army, Don Smith worked hard to rise to the rank of brigadier gen- eral. Now, less than two years after moving to Sebastian, he's working just as hard as a member of the Riverfront Committee to set goals for preserving the character of the area along the Indian River. "I think there's a tremendous opportunity here in Sebastian. We have a wonderful little village and we have been blessed with slow growth. We should have a vision for the future as to what Sebastian should look like instead of letting it develop willy-nilly," Smith said. When the Riverfront Committee was formed a year ago, Smith was one of the members who argued for an eight-point statement of principles. One of those principles included flexibility in the plan. Originally, there were plans calling for the riverfront area of the city to strictly resemble a fishing village. But through the flexibility of the committee, Smith said, "There's a lot of reality in the plan. I don't think it was done in isola- tion and it's not going to be this grandiose dream that will be handed over to the City Council." Smith said while the committee still is striving to have the river- front look like an old fishing vil- lage, the plan does allow for exceptions, such as allowing prop- erty owners to make individual im- provements and adjustments to buildings. The Riverfront Committee is putting the finishing touches on the plan and it should be reviewed by the City Council by the end of this summer. Meanwhile, Smith is settling into Sebastian after moving here only two years ago after retiring from the Army. His last military post was in Fort Hood, Texas. He and his wife moved to Sebastian because his parents lived in nearby Barefoot Bay. "We fell in love with this area. I truly love the hometown charm of Sebastian. On the one hand, we have all the amenities of a boom- ing area. Then we get to have all the charm of the riverfront and the charm of a small community," he said. He liked Sebastian so much, Smith said, he decided to get active in the community right away. He became an active and vocal mem- ber of the Sebastian Property Own- ers Association and often spoke at City Council meetings about issues facing local land owners. He said his early activism is what got him noticed by city lead- ers and eventually led to his ap- pointment to the Riverfront Committee. Smith hardly has settled into re- tirement. He's an account exec- utive for Metropolitan Life insurance and travels throughout the Treasure Coast for his job. Birthdate: Sept. 18, 1947. Birthplace: Danbury, Conn. Education: Bachelor of sci- ence degree,. in engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., Master of science de- gree in systems management from the University of Southern Califor- nia; graduate of the Industrial Col- lege of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C.; and fellow at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. Family: Wife of 25 years, Jane; son, Chris, 22; daughter, Cheri, 20. The best part of my job is: Being able to make a difference for the future of Sebastian. What I like least about my job is: Going to meetings without supper. The most recent movie I saw in a theater was: "The American President." The book I'd recommend ev- eryone to read is: The Bible. Of everyone in the world, the person I would most like to meet is: Former Education Secre-, tary Bill Bennett. My favorite food is: Soup and salad. If I was going on a trip to the moon, I would take along: My Bible and my family. When I was growing up, I al- ways wanted to be: In the mili- tary. If I were president of the United States, I'd: Like to take the country back to sound moral prin- ciples and to lead from the front by example. When I want to get away from it all, I: Take a long walk along the riverfront. The person I admire the most is: My father, the late Don Smith Sr., and my mother, Marge Smith. My proudest moment was: Be- ing promoted to brigadier general in the U.S. Army at the Pentagon in front of my family, friends and col- leagues. My favorite sports team is: The Washington Redskins. My favorite television show is: "Nightline." On my last vacation, I visited: Vienna, Va. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is: Turn on the coffeepot. The type of music I enjoy the most is: Contemporary Christian music. If I could do something over again, I'd: Try to spend more time with my family. People who know me the best know I: Have strong beliefs that are hard to change. The most exciting time in my life is: When I was leading troops in the U.S. Army while stationed in Germany. Photo Caption Don Smith, a member of Sebastian's Riverfront Committee, says he enjoys getting away from it,all by taking walks along the riverfront. Bookseller skims Internet to find rare manuscripts By DREW DIXON Of The Sun The storefront window bears the word "Books" and under it, in smaller print, are the words "previ- ously appreciated." But one stroll around the store at 1614 U.S. I in Sebastian and it's easy to see there's a deep apprecia- tion for the literature that changes hands in the business. A simple conversation with Michael Knox, the bookstore's owner, and it's easy to see he appreciates having the means to help people find their favorite book. "Personally, I have a love of old books," Knox said. "I try to have a selection of material that would in- terest a number of people. It's not just paperbacks." It's hard to call the Books book- store a used bookstore. While all the literature has been previously read, the store is organized to re- semble more of an interactive mu- seum set in a comfortable surrounding. Anything on the shelves is ac- cessible. And surrounding the hun- dreds of books are trinkets on the walls, including paintings, statu- ettes, even bookends, that previ- ously were appreciated by someone and are now up for sale. The store is designed "for many people who are on a limited income. It's helpful to have a source of recent paperbacks at rea- sonable prices," Knox said. That's the thrust of the business for Knox. But his passion, service to the serious book aficionado, is his specialty. His business card reads, "Michael J. Knox, Booksel- ler." It could read, "Bookhunter. Want book? Will find." It's the ability to track down a good book that thrills Knox, he said. "I've been collecting books for a number of years." The store carries some serious pieces of literature, including a set of leather-bound Charles Dickens volumes that date back to 1847. There is an equally impressive set of works by William Shakespeare. When Knox enters the dis- cussion about those works, the knowledge he has about such things, as bindings on the books, the editions they were run and the foibles and intricacies of each printing, cascade out of his mind. His ability to track down a book that's not in his shop is proof of his abilities. He said he often has cus- tomers come in who are looking for a book that may be out of print or may be a rare edition. Knox said he uses the Internet for much of his sleuthing in assist- ing customers find the text they want. "I find a great deal of my sat- isfaction is searching for a book for someone... . Maybe a book they en- joyed when they were a child." His most recent catch is an Aus- tralian book he tracked down for a woman from Pittsburgh, Pa. The woman was on vacation in Sebas- tian and went into Knox's store and wondered if he had heard of a book called "Kangaroo Twins," by Inez Hogan. He immediately went to work and was able to find a copy of the 1939 book for the woman so she could read the children's story to her daughter. "It's the thrill of the chase. I enjoy ferreting out these volumes that these people are looking for," he said. At 54, Knox said he enjoys run- ning the store. "It's a different concept for a bookstore that's never been done before here in Sebastian," he said. It's also a different line of work for the former professional photog- rapher. Knox took photographs for industries and architects for nearly two decades in Columbus, Ohio, until he moved to Sebastian in 1986. He opened his store about a year ago. He said his previous work has allowed him to live in moder- ate comfort. The store hasn't really turned a big profit for him, yet. "It can be profitable," he said. But the sheer enjoyment is motivation for now. "It's nice to appreciate fine bindings that are extremely good pieces of work," he said. Photo Caption Michael J. Knox says his appreciation for fine books and the work that went into them is his motivation for running the Books store in Sebastian. Barefoot Bay dance club glides smoothly into hearts By DREW DIXON Of The Sun After 24 years, the Barefoot Bay's Smoothies Ballroom Dance Club just keeps gliding along. "It's mainly a fun club. It's the sociability; nobody in Barefoot Bay has to be alone. It's a lot of fun," said Shirley DeWitt, membership chairman of the club. What's fun for the nearly 120 members of the club is the sheer enjoyment of ballroom dancing, said Robert Griffiths, president of the organization. "We like to dance and socialize. It brings back a lot of nostalgia." Griffiths said the music the group dances to usually is from the '40s and '50s and the dance steps range from waltzes to cha-chas and the jitterbug. "It's relaxing and very enjoy- able. Most of the dances are slow dances" he said. Beyond the dancing though, the social aspect plays an impor- tant role, DeWitt said. "We have ta- bles for couples and we have tables for singles. "Of course, couples and singles can mix at a table, but the singles table makes them feel like they're not butting in on the couples," she said. And what's really important at the singles table, DeWitt said, is that the men and women in the dance club can meet someone new. She said one couple met at a club dance and ended up getting married. DeWitt said another big draw for members is the entertainment at the club dances. "They used to dance to tapes and records. But now it's all live music. "It seems as soon as you adver- tise live music, the turnout is bet- ter," she said. The club holds dances every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Bare- foot Bay Community Center, Build- ing A during the winter months. That's scaled back to the second and fourth Thursday of the month during summer months through September. The dances have become more than just a habit for members, De- Witt said. "There's quite a few members that it's the only thing they go to. So they look forward to it. Even I belong to other clubs, but I won't miss the Thursday-night Smoothies." Another member who doesn't miss many Smoothies dances is 91- year-old Willis Lang. He's an origi- nal member of the Smoothies and was one of the first dancers to cut the rug when the club was formed 24 years ago. "I've been in it since the begin- ning. There were only nine of us couples back then. We used tapes and records and we danced in the afternoon," Lang said, He said he's glad the club has taken hold and never has gone away. "I like the idea. I (still) go and dance one or two numbers. What the heck, it's something to do," Lang said. If the Barefoot Bay Smoothies Ballroom Dance Club sounds like something you'd like to do, call DeWitt at 664-9305. Annual dues are only $4. Photo Caption Tom Morgan and Lise Marcaux, members of the Smoothis Ballroom Dance Club in Barefoot Bay, enjoy a dance during one of the club's functions. Sebastian bass player not singing the blues By DREW DIXON Of The Sun The rumbling rhythm of an acoustic bass played by Sebastian resident Dennis Lido happens to be the ironic anchor to the wildly electric rhythm and blues trio The Dhali Lamas. The band plays juke joints and roadhouses along the Space and Treasure coasts and is developing a following, but it's Lido's unusual bass which stands out. It's a 6-foot 5-inch tall stand-up bass made out of spruce, maple and ebony, "It's a dear friend," Lido said of the instrument that jets a half-foot taller than his 5-foot, 10-inch frame. The bass that he's owned for more than a decade is more than a friend as he leans over the instru- ment and swings into its body dur- ing any given gig. Often, a smile stretches across Lido's face that matches the shifty nuances of the smoke streaming from his plastic-tipped cigar he drags on during performances. He said, "This type of music we're playing, I'm in a situation now where I can play that bass and it fits." With a repertoire of cover tunes of blues traditionalists such as Wil- lie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters, plus a selection of original blues numbers, The Dhali Lamas have just enough room for a traditional bass. "You know the electric bass wasn't even invented until 1951. So, I'm going for authenticity in the music. It's got the sound of wood. It's a warmer sound, it's got soul," Lido said, Authenticity is only one of the elements of improvement that Li- do's bass playing adds to the band, said Dhali Lamas founder, vocalist and guitarist Mike De Reivera. "He's well versed in the major in- fluences (of blues). "He can really swing. It's im- portant that he can swing. (The music) has to be played in a cer- tain way. He comes to play and he doesn't putz around," De Reivera said. Lido said he simply wants to jam the best that he can and con- tinue the traditional style of acous- tic bass. He said he's a little surprised by the assessment of his colleague. "It's a nice compliment. That's pretty heavy duty." Lido's day job, and yes, he has one, is a salesman for a construc- tion materials company and he travels a similar area for his busi- ness as he does for his band. Lido, a native of South Florida, has been living in Sebastian for 12 years. He says he enjoys the quiet- ness of Sebastian living. At age 45, he's raising his 12-year-old daugh- ter, Katie, and 11-year-old son, Eric, in the city. The Dhali Lamas haven't played much in the Sebastian area during the two years Lido has been with the band. But he said the group's management is working on getting some gigs on his home turf, event he looks forward to. A blues bassist may get lost Sebastian since it's so far away from more cosmopolitan areas, some have told Lido. But he sees things differently. "People say, 'You're so isolated in Sebastian.' I say, 'Isolated? I'm only an hour and a half away from Orlando and an hour and a half away from Palm Beach. So what's isolated?' " he said. His description of the band could easily match his description and love for Sebastian. "We're not synthesized, digitized, pasteurized or homogenized. We're about as stripped down and bare-boned as you can get, he said. And he added he prefers to keep it that way. Anthony Davis is the drummer for the Dhali Lamas. Davis and De- Reivera are from Fort Pierce where Lido often has to travel in order to meet up with his colleagues for performances. Anyone wishing to catch the Dhali Lamas can see them perform Thursday nights at Pineapple Joe's Bar and Grill in St. Lucie County about two miles south of the In- diaa River County line. Photo Caption Dennis Lido enjoys playing his bass at a recent performance by The Dali Lamas blues trio at Pineapple Joe's Bar and Grill. Sebastian River Band offers music for all By Margaret Miquelon Four years ago, the Sebastian River Band wasn't even an idea. Then Tom Ingrao moved here from Connecticut and that all changed. Ingrao had played saxophone in one of the armed forces bands many years ago, but hadn't touched it since. He really wanted to play the banjo. When he retired and moved to Sebastian, he found an old banjo, fixed it up and started to play. He met Jim Palmieri, who manages the Sebastian Senior Center for the In- dian River Council on Aging, and together they turned an idea involving senior musicians into a reality. They put out a call for musi- cians of any kind. At first, the re- cruits played kazoos, but Ingrao wanted a Big-Band sound with real instruments that people could dance to. He figured there were many retirees who had played an instrument, and he was right. The result was the Sebastian River Band. The band started practicing at the Senior Center and has played for dances from 7 to 10 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. it really caugnt on and the place has been crowded ever since. The band rehearses every Tues- day morning from 10 a.m. to lunchtime, when the congregate meals are served at the Senior Cen- ter, and then plays for 45 minutes, or so after that. Anyone can go hear it practice. It is a part of RSVP of the Council on Aging. It has played concerts in River- view Park several times during tourist season that are free to every- one. It plays at the Knights of Co- lumbus, the Canadian Club in Barefoot Bay and for other organi- zations. When it receives donations, part of that money goes to the Council on Aging and the rest goes toward music, stands, amplifier sys- tems, etc. The group is made up of about 15 musicians. Some play for the, fun of it, some have been profes- sionals. Most have played one or more instruments most of their lives. Some of the group are snow- birds and group members always are looking for additional mem- bers. Right now, they desperately need a trombonist and someone to play keyboard or piano. The play- ers are not paid. The regulars are: Violins, Bill Auburn, Art Brown (who also plays sax) and Jerry Festa; mandolin, Iggy DiLeonardo; banjo, Larry Do- in and Ingrao; sax and clarinet, Joe Fontana and Ingrao; saxophone, Mike Soldani; trumpet, Al Huhn; drums, Jay Miller; violin and key- board, Bill and Jane Auburn; vocal- ists Jim and Gerry Cooney. Ingrao, Dileonardo, Dolan, Huhn and Fon- tana also can provide vocals. They put on spontaneous skits between Ingrao and some of the and members. Brown does magic tricks and surprises everyone, even the band members, for they never kow what's going to happen. Brown plays the part of a Spaniard, serenading the people at the ta- bles. Ingrao has a big plastic bat and a long stick with a big hook, to "discipline" errant musicians. They may be playing sedately along when Ingrao bursts in with washboard and thimbles, a la Spike: Jones. The Sebastian River Band has so much fun, they all look forward to their rehearsals on each Tues- day. Ingrao made the bandstand and director's stand. A few of the mem- bers have the hobby of wood-car- ving, especially DiLeonardo, and that will be the subject of another column. If you get a chance, go listen to the Sebastian River Band, for this is a most enjoyable group. I guarantee it. Photo Caption Sebastian River Band frequently entertains for various organiza- tions, as well as at the Sebastian Senior Center on Davis Street. Band members said they are always looking for new members to join the group. Couples should know what partners expect before marriage By Dr. Will Mosier Dear Dr. Will, I'm engaged to be married and want to start out right. I consider marriage to be for- ever. What does it take to make a good marriage? Anonymous Dear Anonymous, Most of us consider marriage a forever proposition. However, the statistics on marriage in America are quite humbling. One out of ev- ery two marriages end in divorce. Most people don't know how to be happily married. Unlike other types of licenses, a marriage li- cense is not granted on the basis of competence. If high schools rou- tinely offered courses in marriage education, as they do driver's edu- cation, perhaps more people would know how to develop work- able and loving marriages. Most couples enter marriage with impossible dreams and unrea- listic expectations. With such so- bering evidence that most marriages are not working, one would assume what it takes to make a good marriage is a mystery. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Since 1949, behavior scientists have been studying happy vs. un- happy married couples. Experts have been able to identify exactly why some marriages succeed and others fail. No longer is it a mystery to know what it takes to make a good marriage. The characteristics that distinguish happy from un- happy couples have been isolated and are well documented. Even though we now have available the tools that can ensure domestic tranquillity, marriage still remains the most difficult and de- manding of all human relation- ships. Learning the key traits of a happy marriage and being aware of the common misconceptions that can ruin a marriage can mark the difference between marital joy and marital misery. There are five traits that distin- guish happy marriages from un- happy marriages: * Happy couples exchange more pleasurable and fewer un- pleasurable verbal interactions with each other than do unhappy couples. * Happy couples use more constructive methods of attempting to change their partners behavior than do unhappy couples. * Happy couples use more constructive communication and problem-solving skills than do un- happy couples. * Happy couples enter their marriages with healthier self-es- teem than unhappy couples. * Happy couples share more quality time. Since a marriage is essentially a partnership that is intended as a lifelong occupation, a couple would be wise to compose "job de- scriptions" for their ideal marriage partner. They should then read each other's list of expectations be- fore they agree to getting married. If this were done, many mar- riages that are destined for failure could be averted. Unfortunately, bevond declaring they want to be "happy," manv couples aren't really sure what they expect out of a marriage. Happy marriages allow each partner mutual freedom and space and avoid rigid roles. It is a myth to assume a good spouse should make their partner feel happy. In a healthy marriage, each partner ac- cepts responsibility for his or her own happiness. It is an unfortunate error in rea- soning to assume that others are re- sponsible for your feelings. Happiness is not a state of content- ment. It is not achieved by pursu- ing it directly. Happy people are not focused on themselves. They take responsibility for their own feelings and seeing their own en- joyment in life. There is no place for mind- reading in a good marriage. A basic rule should be: Never tell your partner what he or she is thinking or feeling. It is a myth that you can be sure what vour spouse is think- ing and feeling. The romantic thought that your marriage partner should know what you are thinking and feeling also is a myth. The phrase, "If you really loved me, I shouldn't have to tell you what I'm thinking. You shouid know it without being told," is an unhealthy perception to maintain. The greatest threat to a healthy marriage is a low self-esteem in one or both partners. Positive self- esteem is an absolute prerequisite to a happy marriage. Self-esteem is not formed by a marriage, it is a product of early childhood experi- ences. Self-esteem is one of the key traits that must be brought into the marriage, rather than be created by the marriage. The stress that a low self-esteem puts on a marriage may not lead to divorce, but it will certainly lead to an unhappy mar- riage. More than any other single factor, self-esteem differentiates happy from unhappy couples. For a marriage to succeed, the partners must also share similar at- titudes. Although opposites may at- tract, it is a myth that two people with very dissimilar values can make a successful marriage. With- out considerable common inter- ests, tensions will build. Unless individual interests and activities are integrated, a harmoni- ous marriage cannot be main- tained. The more similar a couple's interests, the easier it will be for them to achieve mutually agree- able goals. It is totally inappropri- ate to attempt to change your partner. To maintain a happy mar- riage a couple must be willing to compromise. In a happy marriage, two people share in each other's lives, they do not run them. It is a myth that a happy mar- riage requires hard work to keep it together. It is certainly true that a marriage requires flexibility and adjustments, but that is different from what is implied by the phrase hard work. Happy marriages aren't work, they are an enjoyable chal- lenge. Dr. Will Mosier is diplomate of the American Board of Medical Psy- chotherapists and American Board of Forensic Medicine. ff you have a question about a family matter that you would like discussed in this column, write to him at P.O. Box 6836, Vero Beach, Fla., 32961- 6836. Police commended for quick action By Walter Barnes (Mayor of Sebastian) What's new in Sebastian? Many things. First and foremost, I want to congratulate our Police Depart- ment for the quick action involving the unfortunate murder that oc- curred recently. We did not experience the stress that would occur to many of our citizens had this case gone un- solved. We might want to consider having Sebastian's Police Depart- ment look into the Jon Benay Ram- sey case. Again, congratulations and our thanks. Under the better-late-than- never department, the city has started to meet with the Indian River County Emergency Manage- ment Department regarding the city's actions in the event of a hur- ricane or other national disaster. Indian River County has one of the best Emergency Response De- partments in the state. City Man- ager Tom Frame, Police Chief Randy White, Public Works Direc- tor Pat Brennan, Community Devel- opment Director Bob Massarelli and myself have spent about five hours with them and received ex- tensive information. Soon we will be in a better position to recover from a storm and deal with the state and federal departments involved. The city is making an effort to better coordinate recreation activ- ity with Indian River County. Some- time in July, representatives of the city will meet with Pat Callahan of the Vero Beach/Indian River Recre- ation Department to communicate and coordinate the city's needs with the county. The eventual re- sult hopefully will be an increase in available programs in such areas as crafts, dancing and activities geared toward our teen-age youth. Stay tuned. Most everyone seems to agree our roads are in sorry shape, gener- ally. The city has been patching roads and paving when funds are available. Patching is a very time- consuming and expensive process in the long run. The city has started looking into the feasibility of fi- nancing to resurface a large num- ber of streets in a short time. Everything is very preliminary at this point, but many of us are hop- ing to see this work done. Streets and drainage seem to be the areas that concern most of our citizens. Drainage work is progres- sing on a planned basis and it would be nice to see a quantum leap in our street-repaving effort. Time will tell. Notice how the temperatures up North recently are higher than ours? Remember that the next time someone tells you Florida is too hot in the summer. Invite your friends down to cool off. Don't forget our next public fo- rum at 7 p.m. July 30 in council chambers. It would be nice to see some of our teens show up to let us know what type of recreation ac- tivity they would be interested in. This is an excellent opportunity to give us your ideas to improve the city. Don't wait for us to act on something if vou feel you have a better way. Talk to us. Work will begin soon on the Barber Street Sports Complex to raise the field and provide ad- equate drainage. This work has been long overdue but the bids were accepted and awarded. With luck, the work will go quickly and the fields will have a much higher availability. Many of you probably have no- ticed the Hardee Park walking/run- ing trail has been resurfaced by our Public Works Department. Good job. Those of us who use it appreciate the smoother trail and it seems to be holding up so far. Runway 422 at the Sebastian Mu- cipal Airport has been resur- faced, drainage improvements in the Dempsey/Vocelle area should start soon, as well as the work on the police station to correct the air- quality problem. Sebastian is now a Tree City USA and thanks go to all involved in that project. As you can see, there is a lot going on in Sebastian. Please don't forget democracy is a spectator sport. Have a safe summer and be good to one another. Week In Review Sebastian planners nix subdivision Sebastian Planning and Zoning commissioners June 30 said no to a proposed 141-house development west of the North Indian River County Library, saying they wanted more information about the pro- posal than the developer had pro- vided in his applacation. More than 100 people who had attended the meeting erupted with thunderous applause when com- missioners unanimously voted to deny Sebastian Lakes Development Corp. President C. Ralph Cochran approval of the conceptual plans for the subdivision. The meeting was a continua- tion of a June 19 meeting, during which so many people spoke against the project that action had to be delayed until June 30. Cochran said after the meeting, he planned to appeal to Sebastian City Council. Three of the council members - Mayor Walter Barnes, Ruth Sullivan and Rich Taracka - attended the meeting. "It's in compliance with the comprehensive plan and the land- use plan," Cochran said. The commission's decision to, deny the plans was made after Commissioner Joseph Schulke said he wanted the developer to pro- vide more information about the development and what was planned for the area. Schulke asked Cochran if he would come back to a third commission meet- ing witn tne information he wanted. Cochran said he wanted an an- swer about the plans during the meeting. Schulke said he would have rather Cochran come back to the commission with the extra infor- mation than have to deny the pro- ject. Community Development Di- rector Bob Massarelli said plans met requirements set in the city's comprehensive plan, which set standards for developments, roads, and traffic. He said many of the is- sues raised in Schulke's recom- mendations had been raised by staff during preliminary meetings with the developer, but staff felt the plan met the comprehensive plan despite these issues. Plans called for the project to be built on 44.57 acres adjacent to 64 existing condominiums. Lots were to have been about 40-feet wide, with five-foot setbacks on each side. Cochran said the average house would cost about $80,000 and fit the market of three bed- room, two-bathroom homes. He said he would commit that home sizes would be at least 1,000 square feet and be required to have a garage. Residents who live in the area of the proposed development said they were opposed to the in- creased traffic the new homes would create as well as the small lot sizes. The average lot width in that area is 80 feet, some said. County gun range plans are unveiled It's been a long wait, but gun en- thusiasts finally got a glimpse of the shooting range in North County June 24 as officials praised them for perseverance. "We wouldn't have had any de- sire to do this had you guys not been so persistent for the past cou- ple thousand years," Indian River County Commissioner Fran Adams told a crowd of about 50. Adams exaggerated, but only by a little according to attendees who have been pushing for the range for about 10 years. About one year after a public meeting floated the idea of the gun range, Adams, State Rep. Charles Sembler, R-Sebastian, and FIorida Game and Fresh Water Fisl Com- mission Capt. Ed Tyre unveiled the plans to rave reviews. The 320-acre range will be lo- cated off 102nd Terrace north of County Road 512 near the intersec- tion with Interstate 95. It is on the Coraci Tract, the southeast qua- drant of the Sebastian River Buffer Preserve. Plans call for facilities for virtu- ally all shooting disciplines, in- cluding ranges of 15, 25, 50, 100 and 200 yards for pistols and rifles, a skeet range for shotguns and sep- arate ranges for air guns and ar- chery. The location of the range takes into account many of the concerns brought up during the initial meet- ing, including safety, noise and proximity to Sebastian River Mid- dle School and people hiking in the buffer preserve. The location, just north of the industrial area where XL Vision and Macho Products are located, is well away from the school and tucked in a corner of the preserve surrounded by wetlands, Tyre said. Sembler and Tyre stressed safety as the No. 1 priority in the range design. Sembler said the line item in the state budget funding the range included up to $750,000, but the project is expected to be in the neighborhood of $450,000. It will be paid for by federal money col- lected from sport gun and ammu- nition sales taxes, Sembler said, so no local tax money will be used. The county will hire someone to build the range and be in charge of its operations, Adams said. Con- struction is expected to begin in October or November. Building to be named for former chairman He was the first chairman of the Barefoot Bay Recreation District board of trustees. Now, Hubert "Bert" Winebrenner will become the first man to have a building in Barefoot Bay named after him. Earlier this year, former district member George Ritchie presented the board with the idea of recog- nizing Winebrenner's work and contributions to the community by dedicating building F, or the park's administration building, in his name. The board liked Ritchie's idea, and at 10 a.m. July 12 in building A, the trustees will have a special ceremony to officially turn build- ing F into the "Bert Winebrenner Administration Center." "Bert has played an important role in the community for a long time, even before his institution into the board of trustees," said istrict Vice Chairman John Oly- lager. Winebrenner, who now lives in The Fountains in Melbourne, could- not be reached for comment. According to Olyslager, Wine- brenner was elected to the board in 1984. In that same year he elected as the first chairman of the board. He served as a trustee until 1991 when he moved to Melbourne. Before that, in 1983, Winebrenn- er had been appointed by Olys- lager to serve with him in the Government Study Committee formed for the purpose of discov- ering how Barefoot Bay residents could control their future, which ultimately led to the park setting up a recreation district. Parking plans put on hold Sebastian City Council sent engi- neers back to the sketching pad June 25, asking for more details and less landscaping on the park- ing lot proposed for the CAV Corp. property on Indian River Drive. CRA Engineering, of Tallahas- see, had submitted plans for coun- cil's approval that would have turned the 2.2-acre property be- hind Spark-y's Shell Station into a 64-space parking lot. City officials were asking for council approval so site plans could be approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the project sent out for bids. But in a 3-2 vote and after about two hours of discussion on the matter, council decided to ta- ble the plans and asked for a sketch detailing the existing park- ing potential to see whether more spaces could be created. Coun- cilmen Larry Paul and Louise Car- twright, who liked the plans as submitted, cast the dissenting votes. Michael Scibelli, director of en- gineering for the CRA Engineering, said a rough pencil sketch would probably take about 15 minutes to do and he could send it back to the city. Mayor Walter Barnes said if that were possible, the issue could be placed on the July 9 meeting. The plan, as submitted, provided for 64 wheel stops to mark parking spaces on the west end of the prop- erty. The eastern portion was de- signed to be opened up when a need for overflow parking arose. News briefs Sebastian Panthers holding registration The Sebastian Panthers will be accepting football and cheerlead- ing applications at Panther Field off Barber Street from 5 to 7 p.m. July 7-11. Please bring birth certificate. For more information, call coach George Zaleuke at 388-5547. Volleyball camp starting July 14 All high-school girls are invited to participate in this month's In- dian River Juniors Volleyball Camp. The camp is scheduled for July 14-16, with daily sessions running from 9 a.m. to noon. The $35 regis- tration fee includes instruction, a T-shirt and awards. The camp size is limited to al- low individual instruction. Call Tabernacle volleyball coach Bob White at 567-5459 for more infor- mation. Swimming program to be offered The local American Red Cross branch and the Recreation Depart- ment of Vero Beach/Indian River County are offering "learn to swim" programs July and August at Leisure Square. The next is July 7 to July 17, followed by a session from July 21 to July 31. The final session goes from Aug. 4 to Aug. 14. One class is specifically for in- fants six months to three years old, with parental participation. Classes also will be held for toddlers, pre- schoolers and adults. The cost of the course is $35 per session, which includes eight lessons. Registration is being ac- cepted now at the Red Cross office at 2506 17th Ave. Chamber Notes (provided by the Chamber of Commerce) The Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce will hold the second round of its Summer Slam Golf Tournament on July 19th at the Indian River Club. Round two will be a "Best Ball" round with a 9 a.m. start. A third round is scheduled for Sept. 20th on the Harbor Course at Grand Harbor That round will be an afternoon round, to followed by a dinner/dance awards banquet that evening. According to Chamber President Ed Moore of the Ferndale Lodge, spots are still open for players and sponsors. The cost is $100 to play in either of the two rounds, $175 to play in both, and includes greens fees, cart, lunch and/or dinner, and the chance to win numerous prizes, including a shot at a $20,000 hole-in-one. Sign-up sheets are available at the Chamber office, 1302 U.S. 1, Sebastian. For more information, call 589-5969. The Chamber will host its Fourth Annual Mega-Media Auction from 6 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 12 in the Tiffany Room at Capt. Hiram's Restaurant. Described as a "Win-Win- Win" event, the Mega-Media Auction is the Chamber's most successful fund-raiser. This year's event will include a "silent auction" of items donated by Chamber Members. The "silent auction" will precede the regular media auction. Call 589-5969 for more about these events. Estock knows how to coach By Bill Valyo If you watched George Estock coach in the dugout of a Sebastian American Legion game this year, you would immediately know the man has a professional baseball background. He just knows the right buttons to push to get young teenagers in the right mode to play the game. It's a constant chatter that George banters about. At one game this year, his team was behind by six runs very early in the action. "We're not out of it," he shouted down the bench to his club. "There's plenty of time to get back in the game. Let's get a few runs right now," he bellowed to the team, most of whom wanted to believe along with him. That game ended with Sebastian winning big, scoring 19 runs after the horren- dous start. George is always telling his hit- ters to "keep in there. Don't pull off the ball!" He takes a player aside after a miscue in the field and gives the proper demonstra- tion to set the errant fielder straight on how to get in front of a ball hit in his direction. Throwing to the right base is the gospel to George. "You got to throw to the right base. Hit the cut- off man! " All this direction is from a guy who made his mark in the Philadel- phia Phillies farm system and the same dedication got him a season in the big leagues with the major- league team. The players he played with and against make up a litany of Hall of Famers. Before coming up to the majors, George did much of his mi- nor-league playing in the Interstate League, a circuit that consisted of teams from Wilmington, Del., Trenton, NJ., Lancaster, Pa., and Hagerstown, Md. Graduates from that circuit in- cluded hall of famers George Kell, Nelson Fox, Willie Mays and Robin Roberts. George has played with Andy Seminick, the former Phillies catcher who currently lives in Mel- bourne. If I were a young guy learning the ins and outs of baseball right now and George Estock was a coach on my team, I would do what all those people do on the television commercial. The parody would be, when George Estock speaks, you listen! Camps help players reach new heights By MATT GRIMISON For The Sun Sebastian River basketball coach Jack Hodge was a turned-ankle away from a hat trick when he took his players to camp recently in Lakeland. Playing against at least six other schools in three different divisions at the Florida Southern College camp, the Sharks came away with championships in the middle school and junior varsity competi- tions and a runner-up finish in the varsity. "It was almost a Sebastian River sweep," Hodge said. The varsity squad was compet- itive even with standout Jamaal Knowles sidelined by a sprained ankle he suffered in an earlier game. Knowles was playing well throughout the games, Hodge said, and the Sharks ended up losing the championship by just three points. The teams' success capped an excellent early summer camp sea- son for both boys and girls pro- grams at Sebastian River. Girls' coach Terrie Rogers took a group of six players to camp at the University of Florida ending June 26, where she said the squad of young players had a great time while eating, breathing and sleep- ing basketball up to 12 hours each day. It was the first outing to a col- lege camp for anyone in the girls program, and one Rogers said she hopes to repeat. "I definitely want to go every year," Rogers said. "I thought it was terrific. They found out what it meant to work hard; if they could stay in the gym for 12 hours, they can spend two hours at practice. All it was, was basketball, basket- ball, basketball." The camps were the first phase of the summer basketball camps lo- cally. They precede camps run by Hodge and Rogers at the high school, geared for local players from middle school up to age 18. Hodge's success comes in the fifth consecutive year he has taken his players to the Florida Southern camp for the tutelage of coach Gor- don Gibbons. The Sebastian River group con- sisted of 27 kids who were par- celed into the three teams for the camp competition. Playing in the B Division for smaller schools, the Sharks came out with two of three possible championships, and Jim Payne took individual honors as a mem- ber of the All-Camp team on JV and as the category's defensive Most Valuable Player. Middle-school team member Willie Wiles was named defensive player of the camp for that age di- vision and Shannon Lewis, Robert Bunker and Kenneth Carter Jr. were named to the middle school all-defensive team. Each day consisted of station drills first thing in the morning, followed by a lecture from Gib- bons on a specific drill, usually on defense since it was the theme of the camp. After lunch, the teams started competition, then broke in the eve- ning for another lecture. Hodge said the camp worked on several levels, from bringing the kids together as a team to under- scoring lessons he has taught. "I think it reinforces a lot of things we teach," Hodge said. "They hear a college coach say the same things you're saying. Also, you stay for a week, so obviously there's a lot of bonding going on. They play as a unit; that's why it's so valuable. They learn together as a group." Hodge said the group he takes has grown every year, thanks in part to the lure of Florida South- ern's successful Division 11 NCAA basketball program. Teams come from all over the state to work with Gibbons, an- other factor that helps Sebastian River players grow more mature, especially the younger players. "It takes them out of the co- coon mentality," Hodge said. "You may think you're real good be- cause you can beat everybody on the playground in Sebastian or Wa- basso, but that doesn't mean any- thing when you play a guy from Tampa." Senior guard Anwar Dudley said he has seen the skill level rise in the core group he has been attend- ing the camp with for the past four years. "As long as we've been going, we've been improving, especially in defensive skills," Dudley said. "Things like stance, how to be ag- gressive and how to be quick to the ball. A lot of guys have benefited." The camp is becoming a bigger draw to the kids mostly from the word-of-mouth reports from their older peers who have attended, Hodge said. The girls camp was on a smaller scale, Rogers said, with six girls participating in the individual pro- gram. It was not geared for teams, so concentrates on individual skills so important to young players. And the Shark players there were young. Five of the participants - Ro- berta Fairclough, Antrell Ealy, Jo- nethia Dawkins, Melissa Taylor and Kristen Giteles - will be sopho- mores next year, and Sonja Ealy will be a junior. They had four days of grueling, marathon workouts, including some instruction from Lady Gators coach Carol Ross. And many of the Gator players spent all week with the partici- pants, Rogers said. The workouts began at 8 a.m., and the girls did not return to the dormitories until 8 p.m. "Their spare time was spent shooting the basketball," Rogers said. "There was no lax time, it was four days of nothing but basket- ball.." The foundation laid by the small group should help Rogers bring bigger groups to camps in the fu- ture, she said, and move on to a team camp in the next two or three years. Rogers and Hodge are welcom- ing players from sixth grade to age 18 for their camps to be held in the Shark Tank. Cost is $50 for the girls' camp, scheduled for July 28-Aug. 1, and $60 for the boys' camp, scheduled for the week prior, July 21-25. Girls can pick up applications at the Se- bastian River athletic or guidance offices, and boys can call Hodge at 589-1141. Photo Caption Senior guard Anwar Dudley was one of 33 Sebastian River basketball players who attended college camps recently. Dudley has been to the defensive-team camp at Florida Southern College for four straight years. Panthers, SRHS officials working to marry two football programs By Matt Grimison There's a transformation taking place in North County where cats are changing into fish, but don't call the X-Files just yet. More specifically, officials with the Se- bastian Panthers youth football league are coordinating with the Sebastian River High School Sharks to marry the two programs into a natural, seamless progression. As the Panthers carry out the final week of registration for players and cheerleaders, league officials have an eye toward the fu- ture of their players through Sebastian River. League football coordinator George Za- leuke said this season marks the first time the majority of players on Sebastian River's team have come up directly from the Pan- ther program instead of beginning at Vero Beach at some level. "This is the first year the Sharks have seen the impact the Panther League can have on them," Zaleuke said. "We're trying to as- sociate Sharks with Panthers, and we're try- ing to build a good relationship with the Sharks." Zaleuke himself is one of the cogs of that relationship, since he is an assistant coach with the Sharks in addition to his Panther post. Plans in fostering the relationship have been visits from Sharks coaches and the Pan- thers going to the high school for clinics and to attend Sharks games. Cheerleaders also have had a healthy exchange. The relationship is a symbiotic one that will benefit both. The relatively new school has generated interest in North County that will undoubt- edly help keep kids coming into the Pan- thers system. And the value of fundamental football skills to new players coming into the Sharks program is immeasurable. Panthers officials are holding registration from July 7-11 to sign up new players and cheerleaders for all levels of the league in preparation for the July 14 start of practice. A large number of kids signed up during early registration last month, but more are needed to round out the teams in the six age and weight divisions, Zaleuke said. The categories are: * Flag, ages 5-7. * Mighty Mite, ages 8-9, maximum 90 pounds. * Pee Wee, ages 10-11, maximum 100 pounds. * Bantam, ages 11-12, maxiumum 115 pounds. * Junior, ages 12-13, maximum 130 pounds. *Senior, ages 13-14, maximum 150 pounds. League officials will be at Panther Field adjacent to the Barber Street Sports Complex from 5-7 p.m. each evening taking applica- tions. They have also been working on a new field house and are welcoming anyone wish- ing to help complete the structure before the season starts in early August. Starting this year, more attention will be given to getting the Panthers on the same page as the Sharks, Zaleuke said. Hopefully, it will go as far as having the oldest two or three age divisions running the same offen- sive and defensive sets as the Sharks, Zaleuke said, which would put kids way in front of the learn- ing curve once they reach Sebas- tian River coach Randy Bethel. "It would make a much easier transition," Zaleuke said. Another plus to the association of the two programs is the lengthy Panther season, which pits them against other teams in the Brevard County Youth Football and Cheerleading Association. Seasons can stretch up to 12 games with the playoffs, longer than the Sharks' season, and they go against traditional football hot zones such as Merritt Island and Rockledge. Not to be lost in the shuffle, the Panthers cheerleading program also is making inroads to align with its Sebastian River coun- terparts. And their competitions are just as tough as the football games. Anyone interested in registering or helping out the league can call league President Chuck Skala at 589-1074 or Zaleuke at 388-5547. Little League all-stars plit games at start of tourney By ED DALY For The Sun The Sebastian River Area Little League's all-star team managed a split of its first two games in Dis- trict 17 tournament play, beating Fort Pierce American 6-4 June 28 in Fort Pierce, and losing to Fort Pierce Northside, 9-0, June 29 at Thompson Park, Vero Beach. Pitcher Dave Tunstill showed his resiliency by pitching out of trouble in the early innings June 28 and keeping his team in the game until his teammates rallied for the win. Forth Pierce squandered a scoring chance in the first inning when Aren Griffin singled to open the game and Jesse Musgrave doubled with one out. Griffin was thrown out at home plate trying to score on a passed ball with Tunstill making the tag on a relay from catcher Bronco McDonald. Fort Pierce jumped out to a 3-0 lead after three innings on a solo home run by Usvaldo Solorazano in the second and a two-run rally in the third sparked by timely hitting by Musgrave and Ted Willems. Jeff Mabry started the comeback by opening the fourth inning with a walk and advancing to third when Eric Roux's hard grounder couldn't be handled by shortstop Andre Franklin. Tommy Painter drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to right and on the throw to the plate, Roux advanced to third and scored on a passed ball, closing the gap to 3-2. Fort Pierce scored another run in the fourth inning when Griffin reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and eventually scored on a single by Franklin. Sebastian es- caped further trouble when Don- nie Jobe grabbed Musgrave's hard line drive and threw to Mabry to double up Franklin at second base. Fort Pierce starting pitcher So- lorzano was lifted in favor of Arthur Franklin to start the fifth inning and Sebastian quickly jumped on him for four runs. Joe Edmiston got things going by singling to center as the lead-off hitter and advancing to second when Jobe was hit by a pitch. Mabry singled to left, scoring Edmiston and Jobe scored the ty- ing run when Roux's grounder could not be handled by the first baseman. Painter knocked in the go- ahead run with a single to center and Roux scored an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by McDonald. Tunstill flirted with danger by walking Eddie Curry to start the fifth inning, but escaped further damage by throwing him out at third on a nice stop of a come- backer by Arthur Franklin On June 29, a dominating pitching and hitting exhibition by Fort Pierce Northside's Martarius, Prince resulted in the Sebastian team losing its first game. Prince allowed Sebastian one hit, a clean single to right by Tommy Painter in the fourth in- ning, and struck out 14 batters in leading his team to a 2-0 record in tournament play Prince also homered in his first two at bats, with the second one clearing the fence in center field with plenty of room to spare. Except for the two blasts by Prince, Sebastian pitcher J.D. Rob- erts kept his team in the game by holding the rest of the team in check and he was backed by solid defensive play by Jobe and Edmis- ton on the left side of the infield through four innings. Northside broke the game open in the fifth when Dontallus Render singled to center and advanced to third on another single by Tyrone Reed. Jermaine Robinson's single up the middle brought in Render and the run parade started gather- ing momentum. A ground out by James Monds produced another run and an over- throw to home plate produced an- other. Devonzia Washington, pinch hitting for left fielder Jimmy Car- son, sealed the victory with a two- run homer to left field. Ryan Lavender relieved Roberts with one out and gave up another run on a single by Cedric Hayes. Sebastian tried to rally in the top of the sixth inning when Roux's hard smash got by the second baseman and Jobe walked. Prince settled down and struck out the next three batters to end the threat. With the loss, Sebastian dropped to a 1-1 record in the round-robin tournament. Sebastian was to con- tinue tournament play July 2, after the Sun's deadline, when the team was to meet Vero Beach American at the Thompson field. Obituaries Nevada Brennan Nevada Brennan, 87, of Micco, died unexpectedly June 26, 1997, at Sebastian River Medical Center. She was born Aug. 13, 1909, in Melrose Park, Ill., and moved to Micco in 1990 from Fort Lauder- dale. Mrs. Brennan was active with the Sebastian Welcome Wagon and its auxiliary. She was also a four-year mem- ber of the Welcome Wagon Alumni. Surviving are two daughters, Pat Hoover, of Micco, and Donna Bren- nan, of Palm Bay; four grandchil- dren; and three great- grandchildren. A memorial service was held June 28 at Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home, Palm Bay, with the Rev. Charles Turner officiating. Elizabeth Zubkoff Elizabeth Zubkoff, 82, of Sebas- tian, died June 19, 1997, at the River House Respite after a brief illness. She was born Aug. 27, 1914, in Buffalo, N.Y., and moved to Sebas- tian in 1994 from Los Angeles. Mrs. Zubkoff was a retired sec- retary and a member of Kashi Ash- tam, Roseland. Surviving are her friends at the Kashi Ranch, Roseland. A memorial service will be held at a later date at Kashi Ashram. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to River Fund, 11155 Roseland Road, Sebastian, Fla. 32958 in Mrs. Zubkoff's memory. Mrs. Zubkoff was a member of the Indian River Cremation Society. James Carlson James E. Carlson, 78, of Sebas- tian, died June 28, 1997, at his resi- dence after a prolonged illness. He was born June 12, 1919, in Chicago, and moved to Sebastian 12 years ago from Indianapolis. Mr. Carlson was a U.S. Army veteran of World War 11. Surviving are one nephew, Mi- chael Whitney, of Micco; and two nieces, Tish Sargent, of Sebastian, and Becky Hunter, of Okeechobee. At the family's request, there will be no repose or visitation. No services are scheduled. Mr. Carlson was a member of the Indian River Cremation Society. This obituary is being rerun due to an error in the original. Zelda Rosenkranz Zelda Ginsberg Rosenkranz, 84, of Roseland, died June 17, 1997, at the River House Respite, Roseland, after a brief illness. She was born Dec. 18, 1912, in Philadelphia, Pa. Mrs. Rosenkranz was an honors graduate of the University of Flor- ida. At age 16, she was the young- est member of the American League of Penwomen. She was a writer, teacher, inte- rior decorator, and directed pro- grams assisting the elderly and orphans for the Jewish Sisterhood of Jersey City, NJ. She attended services at Kashi Ashram, Roseland, and the Jewish Temple, Palm Beach. Surviving are one son, Richard Rosenkranz, of Roseland; one brother, Byron Gilbert, of Diego, Calif.; and one grandson. A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday at Kashi Ashram, with the spiritual director, Ma Jaya Bhagavati, officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family sug- gests donations be made to the River House, for people with AIDS and other life-challenging diseases, at 11155 Roseland Road, Unit 16, Sebastian, Fla. 32958, in Mrs. Rose- nkranz's memory. Mrs. Rosenkranz was a member of the Indian River Cremation So- ciety. END Sebastian Sun Articles a digital text archive The Sebastian Sun July 11, 1997 c 1977 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. President: Darryl K. Hicks. Executive Editor: Larry Reisman. Editor: Louise Phillipine. Advertising Manager: Ellen Smith Account Executive: Doreen Dowell. (USPS) The Sun is published weekly by Treasure Coast Publishing Inc., a division of Scripps Howard Inc., 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. c 1997 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. All correspondence, including news copy, should be addressed to 717 Coolidge St., Sebastian, FL 32958. Phone: (561) 589- 6616; Fax: (561) 978-2386. News deadline, 5 p.m., Friday. All display advertising should be addressed to 1801 U.S. 1, Vero ach, FL 32960. Phone (561) 978-2383; Fax:(561) 978-2297. Advertising deadline, 1 p.m., Monday. FROM THE ARCHIVES TOP STORY FROM A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: About 90 percent of Barefoot Bay residents heeded an order to evacuate July IO when it ap- peared that Hurricane Bertha might bear down on the Space Coast. About 2,000 residents of Brevard County spent the night in county shel- ters after Gov. Lawton'Chiles issued an evacuation order and County Commission Chairman Mark Good signed a local order mandating de- parture from beaches, barrier islands and mobile and manufactured homes. The storm eventually bypassed Florida and made landfall in North Carolina. CITIZEN OF THE DAY NAME: Helen Piereth. AGE: Old enough. OCCUPATION: Retired book- keeper. BIRTHPLACE: New York, N.Y. MOVED HERE: November, 1993. COMMUNITY SERVICE: Member of the Friends of the Library of South Brevard County, Inc., donates to the Salvation Army and Florida Sheriff's Youth Fund. FAVORITE AUTHOR: Rex Stout. WHY I LIKE MY NEIGHBOR- HOOD: I live in Barefoot Bay. I like it because it's friendly and everything's close at hand. It's still more or less countrified. WEEKEND PICKS The next Audubon-guided cruise to the Pelican Island National Wildlife Ref- uge will be July 12 from the dock at Capt. Hiram's in Sebastian at 6 p.m. In case of bad weather, the trip will be July 13. Those attending will be within binocular range of hundreds of birds, mostly waders. At this time year, Roseate Spoonbills may be seen along with the Magnificent Frig- atebird, (also called the Man-0- War), a glider, with a 90-inch wing- span that never gets wet. This will be a wine and cheese trip. For more in- formation, or to make reservations, call 567-3520. WHAT DID HE SAY? "The homeowners association is hemorrhaging at the checkbook." - James Dace (Dace, treasurer of the Barefoot Bay Homeowners Association, made the comment as the association's Exec- utive Board discussed the group's money problems. As of this year, he said, the association has spent about $28,000, but only brought in about $16,000. Most of the association's income prior to this year came from the annual $12,000 the association used to get from Avatar Properties Inc. from money collected from guest passes. After the Recreation District took over, the trustees halted the practice, saying there wasn't enough money in the fiscal 1998 budget to fund it. Association members now say they are looking at dropping insur- ance coverage for the park's clubs, and only insuring the association. Day camp in South Brevard County grants youngsters chance to have fun By DREW DIXON Of The Sun Happy campers are invading the Grant Community Center. "After school's out, we don't get to see each other a lot, so we come here," said 13-year-old Patrick Lisle of Micco. Patrick and his 11-year-old sister, Sarah, have been attending the camp every summer since they were about 5 years old. "It's a tradition. I can't imagine sum- mer without the camp," Patrick said. The day camp is chock-full of activities every week- day for children between the ages of 6 and 13. "It's really important, especially because there are so many activities. These kids have nothing to do in the summer," said Kerry Sutton, site supervisor for the Grant Summer day camp that's run by the Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department. There are about 35 children who take part in each day camp and Sutton said they have come to embrace the program. "Immediately, they want to know who their (camp) counselor is and at the end of the day. They don't want to leave," she said. Sutton credits the structure of the camp for the en- thusiastic interest by the children. "Their day is structured and scheduled so that they are doing something they want to do," she said. The programs appear to be having the desired ef- fect. "I like to be here," Sarah said. "Without this camp, we'd have to go to Vero Beach or Palm Bay to do any- thing fun. There isn't very much stuff (for children) in Micco or Sebastian." The children get to take part in indoor games, arts and crafts and various field trips around Brevard County. And each week of camp is centered around a theme. For instance, one week featured "Space, the Final Frontier" and all the activities, including a field trip to Spaceport U.S.A. at Cape Canaveral, focused on space exploration. Other themes include patriotic or environ- mental subjects. The camps are designed to be hands-on and interac- tive. "If you don't keep them involved, they might rather be sitting at home. But I've never had a child or parent say they (the childre) would rather be at home. We're too busy," Sutton said. Emily Twiford, 12, of Grant, likes the camp because of the involvement. "It's cool for our group. We don't get treated like little kids and it's more fun than sitting around at home. The thing I like the best is arts and crafts," she said. Emily also has been going to the summer day camp since she was in kindergarten and said she looks for- ward to coming back every year. "It would be really boring without it. I missed one summer one year and I had nothing to do," she said. The Grant Community Center itself is part of the success of the program, said Sutton. "It's a little house with a kitchen and floor. That's where we do all our arts and crafts. "It's perfect, there's a big playground and basketball courts. it's a lot homier than a school," she said. Patrick said he likes the facility and appreciates it. "It's very comfortable and there's a lot of room and (the building) is air conditioned." Sutton has been with the Parks and Recreations De- partment for six years, but this is her first year working in the center. She said she didn't know what to expect when she first got assigned to Grant, but she said it soon turned out to be a good program. "The children have fun. But I think I have more fun than the kids do," she said. The Grant Community Center summer day camp ac- tivities began June 9. Photo Caption Sarah Lisle, left, and her brother, Patrick, of Micco enjoy making trail mix at the Grant Community Center summer camp with fellow camper Bobbie Sue Allen and camp counselor Kerry Sutton. Library turns summertime into fun time By DREW DIXON Of The Su Summers can be downright boring for youngsters but officials at the North In- dian River County Library are hoping they've found a solution for the summer- time blues. Communication Station is a set of six programs designed to introduce chil- dren, from toddlers to teens, to the re- sources available at the library. "It introduces them to books, music and crafts centered around a theme and encourages them to use the library," said Lynn Walsh, the library's director. "Vacation can be boring for a lot of kids, I'm afraid. But (Communication Station) gives them an opportunity to use other things (besides) video and video games at home. it introduces them and keeps them in contact with other chil- dren during the summer," Walsh said. The programs are centered on recre- ational reading, said Shirley Wolsten- holme, the youth coordinator at the library. "I think we try to make programs a lot of fun for the kids and that's the key. Hopefully, they'll want to come back. " And come back they do. Communica- tion Station. began June 16 and Walsh said the library averages about 300 chil- dren in the programs each week. "I think we've had a very enthusiastic response. Obviously, it's a needed pro- gram or we wouldn't have such a great attendance," Walsh said. Kim Knotts is one of the parents who's interested in the program. Every Tuesday at 11:15 a.m. she brings her 4- year-old daughter, Tori, to the library for "Telephone Tykes." "She likes to read or trying to learn how to read," Knotts said of her daugh- ter's interest in the program. Knotts doesn't just drop her daughter off. She stays with the girl through the program. "I'm very interested in what they're doing. If she talks about some- thing, I want to know what she's talking about. It allows more interaction," she said. And young Tori talks a lot about what she learns at the library. "She keeps wanting to know what day it is and and when we're going to come to the library," Knotts said. Tori said she enjoys the program and particularly likes the stories about brush- ing your teeth. She pointed joyfully to the oversized toothbrush the children get to use as props when singing a song about brushing teeth. There also are open books that are read to the children from a small stage and there are many other stories and songs that make sense out of the world for the toddlers. The children are enth- ralled with each story as virtually every eye is trained on Wolstenholme during her presentation. That kind of interest is infectious among children and parents. "We have to turn people away. We have sign-ups as the summer goes on and when people go on vacation, we tell people (wanting to get in) of availabili- ties," she said. Different programs are scheduled for different weekdays, including Book Bud- dies for children 18 months to 3 years; Stories Together for children in first through third grades; Computer Kids for 6 to 12-year-olds; and calligraphy for children in 6 through 8 grades. The programs "try to use all the dif- ferent resources" available in the library, Wolstenholme said. There are some com- puters involved, but she said the pro- grams try to emphasize books and reading to the children. "They have a great time. We are doing things like keeping reading logs and word games," she said. The summer programs offered at the library have been offered for 14 years, even before the librarv took residence in the new building at 1001 County Road 512 in 1990. That's when interest in the program grew substantially, Walsh said. In addition to reading programs, communication Station also exposes children to different people in the com- munity through guest-speaker programs. Each Friday, different speakers come to the library to discuss different topics or perform in shows for the children. Special guests so far this summer have included puppeteers, mimes and a wildlife expert. Slated to speak later this summer are a martial-arts expert, a Native American storyteller, a clown and Ronald McDonald. The guest speaker special events do require tickets and anyone wanting tick- ets or other information on the programs can call 589-1355. Communication Sta- tion runs through Aug. 1. Photo Caption Shirley Wolstenholme leads many of the programs for children at the North Indian River Count Library in Sebastian. The programs are designed to get children interested in books and the library. Surfer fulfills dream of having own shop By DREW DIXON Of The Sun Surfers often have visions of owning their own surf shop - it would be just so cool. Steve Panchen is living that dream as owner of the Greenroom Surf Shop, 8789 U.S. 1, Wabasso. "It's always something I wanted to do pretty much since I started surfing," he said. Panchou, 29, grew up surfing the Wabasso and Sebastian Inlet area and, about 2 1/2 years ago, opened the Greenroom about a quarter-mile north of County Road 510. "I mainly picked Wabasso be- cause there's no (other surf shop) around between Sebastian and Vero Beach. I grew up here and fig- ured this is just as good a place as any other," he said. The location's good because many of the surfers making their way to the beach have to cross the path of his shop, he said. The Greenroom, named after the term for when surfers get in- side the barrel or tube of a wave, is literally a room. The shop is small, but does offer the necessities of surfing. The shop has surfboards, of course, plus wax for any board, magazines and surf apparel. While Panchou keeps at least a dozen boards in the shop ready for sale, he said the mainstay of his busi- ness is the surf clothing. He sells "a lot of things com- bined. T-shirts, flip-flops, shorts and surf shorts. But the hardest thing is guessing what people are going to wear next week," he said. "You get to see what compa- nies are going to sell, but custom- ers might not like a lot of things that come and go." While the clothing items may be his bread and butter, Panchou still relishes the sale of a nice surf- board "I keep boards in the shop in case anyone wants one. But most of my boards sold are custom or- ders," he said. That's when Panchou gets to help some of his customers design a board for their own desires and specifications. Then, he puts the order into the company that is his choice of "shaper" or board man- ufacturer. Panchou orders custom boards for his clientele through Buddha Shapes surfboards out of Daytona Beach. The custom board, which costs about $300 to $400, is a surfboard that conforms to a surfer's own body, weight, size and perfor- mance abilities. As far as running the business, "I really didn't know anything (when I started). I thought I could just throw a bunch of stuff together and get rid of it. But that's not the case. "It's a lot tougher than I thought. A lot of it's just learning the ropes. But I'm lucky, my new girlfriend has a background in re- tail management and that helps," he said. In the meantime, Panchou said, he's paying the bills and is "not getting rich." To fulfill his dream, he holds down a job as a grounds maintenance worker at Bent Pine Golf Club Inc. He said business is picking up, especially in the summer when more people are heading to the beach. His customers are mainly from the Sebastian area, but he has many people from Vero Beach that stop in his shop. Panchou said he doesn't really consider himself competing with other larger shops in Vero Beach or Brevard County. He said he'll often refer cus- tomers to other shops if he doesn't have, or can't get, an item for someone. Photo Caption Steve Panchou enjoys owning the Greenroom Surf Shop in Wabasso. It's a dream he's had ever since he started surfing. Sebastian woman considers city to be a rare treasure By Drew Dixon Taffi Fisher-Abt has never known much of anything else in her life except the pursuit of trasure. It's a life, she said, she partic- ularly enjoys and one she can't avoid since her father is world-fa- mous treasure hunter Mel Fisher. "I worked a couple of other jobs right out of high school. But pretty much all my life has been part of (treasure hunting)," she said. Now that she's area director of operations for the Mel Fisher Mu- seum, 8789 U.S. 1, and helps run her father's salvage company and conservation laboratory, Fisher-Abt said she wouldn't have it any other way. ,"I've done everything from typ- ing contracts to diving for artifacts to cleaning them. It's very exciting and it's full of romance and adven- ture," Fisher-Abt said of her work in the treasure-hunting business. She said she also relishes the fact the hunt for treasure has al- lowed her to settle in Sebastian with her family. A fleet of 11 Spanish galleons went down off the East Central Coast of Florida during a 1715 hur- ricane. Those wrecks prompted the area's name, "the Treasure Coast" and it has been a mainstay of hunt- ing for the Fisher enterprise. The group of treasure hunters, headed by Mel Fisher, used to fo- cus a lot on the wreck of the Ato- cha off the Florida Keys, but Fisher- Abt said she was happy to come back to Sebastian when the focus was shared with the Treasure Coast. "I wanted to get out of Key West and, having spent some time (in Indian River County) when I was growing up, I wanted to live here," she said. Her ambition to live perma- nently in Sebastian was part of the guiding force that convinced her father to open his museum here in 1992. "I really like Sebastian. It's a beautiful area and I like the schools, beaches and the river," she said. The history of the shipwrecks and treasure that fills local legend also makes for a good fit for the museum, Fisher-Abt said. "The his- tory - it's a good place for (the useum). It belongs here." And as far as being th edaugh- ter of Mel Fisher, "I love being his daughter. I've heard everyone call my dad everything from a hero, con artist and dreamer. "You really got to believe in people you admire. I guess it shows perseverance is a good quali- ty and it takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to achieve goals," she said. Birthdate: May 11, 1961. Birthplace: Torrance, Calif. Education: Attended Florida Keys Community College for two years. Family: Husband of four years, Michael; sons, Joshua, 15; Michael Jr., 3; and Melvin, 5 months; daughter, Nichole, 13. The best part of my job is: Seeing the faces of the youngsters when they walk through the mu- seum. What I like least about my job is: Bureaucratic red tape. The most recent movie I saw in a theater was: "Speed 2." The book I'd recommend ev- eryone to read is: "Captain of Castile," by Samuel Shellabarger. Of everyone in the world, the person I would most like to meet is: Colin Powell. My favorite food: Enchiladas. If I was going on a trip to the moon, I would take along: My husband. When I was growing up, I al- ways wanted to be: A writer. If I were president of the United States, I'd: Do away with pension plans for congressmen. When I want to get away from it all, I: Travel. The persons I admire the most are: My father and mother, Mel and Dolores Fisher. My proudest moment was: Giving birth to my children. My favorite sports team is: The Los Angeles Dodgers. My favorite television show is: "Cheers." On my last vacation, I visited: Key West. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is: Have a cup of coffee. The type of music I enjoy the most is: Country. If I could do something over again, I'd: Do almost everything the same. The most exciting time in my life is: My honeymoon and the year after the Atocha was found. Photo Caption Taffi Fisher-Abt, with a gold bar and silver coins recovered from the Spanish ship, the Atocha, that wrecked off the Florida Keys, loves the treasure-hunting business and the treasure museum her father, Mel Fisher, established in the Sebastian area. Sebastian Celebrates Fourth of July Photo Captions JUST AS MANY SEBASTIAN-AREA RESIDENTS did, Deyin Harris, left, Shannon Burtren-Harris and Jason Ferguson, got to Indian River Drive early to find a good spot to watch the parade. But instead of just sitting around, they played cards to pass the time. de. But instead of JOHN GREENLAND, a member of the Antique Automobile Club of America, proudly cruises the parade route in his 1932 Auburn Boat Tail Speedster. HEATHER BAIRD, of Fort Lauderdale, camm prepared with a com- fortable chair and her American flag to wave at the floats as they went by. AMARA SHRINER "Trashcan Pete" Williams clowns around as he pushes shopping cart in front of the spectators lined up along Indian River Drive. NICOLE BISSONNETTE, right, took home the crown after winning the Little Miss Firecracker contest on the Fourth of July. Runner ups were Mariah Salisbury, left, and Stephany Augustein. SEBASTIAN CITY MANAGER TOM FRAME fishes for sharks on the t tY @e""m@@ploye-e--s@.@T@e@ float built by city employees. The float won the employees a first-place prize for original group. Moss has no plans to sail off into sunset By Jerry Mekler For The Sun "I love Sebastian," were words Doug Moss recently was heard say- ing while at Disney's Vero Beach Resort at Wabasso Beach, where he and his wife, Carol, entertain. "Sebastian is a fantastic place which I feel will become a unique tourist attraction and economic-de- velopment focus in the very near future." The multi-faceted performer, who looks like Ernest Hemingway, sings and acts like Burl Ives and has the demeanor of a weathered old whaling captain, has had a love affair with the city since he arrived in the area in 1960 as a sailor on leave. After being discharged from the service, he found a job as a guitar- playing singer working for Waldo Sexton at the Driftwood Inn. It was here he met and fell in love with his wife, who was an entertainer at the Patio Restaurant, another Sex- ton business venture. For 37 years, Moss, 56, has made his mark in the area in a vari- ety of pursuits and has quickly be- come a colorful Sebastian personality who seems to know ev- eryone and everything about his beloved town. A pioneer restaurateur on the Sebastian River, he and a partner, Steve Mueller, built Hurricane Har- bor on Indian River Drive in 1975. The former 1927 tin building with a dirt floor, Moss said, was a leg- endary depot for contraband whis- key during Prohibition. "Fishermen came in with their catch in steel drums packed in dry ice, except the catch was mostly rum," he said. Hurricane Harbor opened in 1976 and was a success from the beginning. The combina- tion of its waterfront location, out- standing food and nightly entertainment supplied by Moss and his wife brought the people from as far away as Miami, Moss said. "This was a unique experience and everyone wanted to be a part of it," he said. Moss said that on one occasion, a wealthy business- man from Miami flew into Sebas- tian in a helicopter and landed in a field across the road from the res- taurant, much to the consternation of Jim Cummings, the police chief at the time. Moss sold Hurricane Harbor in 1981, and he immediately started thinking about a dream of his - to operate a small boat where he could serve a gourmet meal while serenading guests on a sunset cruise along the Sebastian River. Thus was born the "Bobo," a 35-foot stoop that he moors at Cap- tain Hiram's and from where he plays host to as many as six passen- gets a day for a two-hour lunch or dinner cruise. Word of mouth is the chief marketing tool for Moss' enterprise since he rarely adver- tises. Anybody wishing to book a cruise on the Bobo is asked to call him at his home in Summer Place near Wabasso Beach. "It (his number) is in the phone book," he said. Moss' fascinating personality and his varied talents were honed early in life in Westport, Conn., where his mother served as a town official and where Doug began de- veloping a love for music and ad- venture. An accomplished musician in his teens, Doug also managed to play high-school football and be- came an All-American swimmer. His swimming expertise enabled him to become a diver for the U.S. Navy following graduation and soon after, he became an instructor in the first school for Navy Seals. Following his Navy career, Moss went to work in the travel in- dustry, where he was employed by Tauck Tours, a large travel and hos- pitality organization that stationed him in Hawaii. It was this training that whet his appetite for owning his own restaurant and for enter- taining. In the ensuing years, Doug and Carol have entertained in virtually every major club in the area. in 1974, they opened the Cervantes Room in the Driftwood inn and be- came immediate hits. Engagements soon followed at the Vero Beach Inn, the Village South restaurant, Club 41 (now El- lie's) and others, as well as their own place, Hurricane Harbor, for five years. The Mosses have a devoted fol- lowing. Carol Moss plays the piano and performs a repertoire of classic show tunes, blues and love,songs, some in concert with Moss. Doug becomes Burl Ives when he gets on the stage, a bearded, burly troubadour who probably knows more folk songs and sea dit- ties by heart than anyone else in the state. Together, their duets are usually played before hushed audi- ences listening for a special song. A particular favorite duet of the Mosses is, "Still," by Lionel Richie. Doug's love of Sebastian often is performed in his music. An audi- ence favorite is a rousing folk song, "Sembler's Fish Train," written about a Sebastian fisherman named Gordon Sembler who had a fish house on the river in 1900. Carol Moss, who has recently returned from a three-year per- forming hiatus, performs with Doug Saturday nights at the Green Cabin Room of the Disney Vero Beach Resort. Doug performs solo on Thurs- day and Friday nights and enter- tains the youngsters in the hotel's lobby from 5-7 p.m. during the week. Photo Caption Doug Moss aboard his boat, the Bobo, that's moored at Captain Hiram's marina in Sebastian. Husband-and-wife duo active despite retiring to Sebastian By Margaret Miquelon What do you do when you re- tire? Sit down and watch the grass grow? Or become twice as active as you were when you worked hard to raise your family and make a liv- ing? When Russ and Carol McCon- nell built their home in Sebastian almost seven years ago, they left their three sons, daughters-in-law and five grandchildren in New Jer- sey. It was a case of instant iove with Sebastian and they say they wouldn't go back up North for any- thing. They plunged into things here with both feet. Russ bought a new computer, gave his old one to Carol and found himself vice-president of the PC Users Group and the Sebastian Fishing Club and treasurer of the Computer Club. He started an in- novative newsletter for the Fishing Club, with pictures scanned into the computer to be sent out on the Internet and printed for the news- letter. The pictures in the newslet- ter are in beautiful color. He became interested in the Ham Radio Club and now is its emergency coordinator; he's ready to provide emergency communica- tion for Indian River County in case of disaster. Last weekend, Russ worked at the Environmental Learning Cen- ter, where the radio club practiced simulated emergency conditions over a 24-hour period, using emer- gency power and communicating with other ham operators nation- wide. He has coordinated radio op- erator coverage of the March of Dimes and other various walka- thons, runs and bicycle races in In- dian River County. As a ham radio operator, he has talked to MIR and several of the shuttles. He has received numer- ous cards from Moscow and also from NASA confirming these con- versations. He is documenting all of these. A busy man? You haven't heard anything yet. Russ built a darkroom and has been developing and printing pic- tures in both black and white and in color. He does volunteer work at the North Indian River County Li- brary, providing aid to computer users. He taught computers in the Senior Net, a hands-on computer training course for beginning com- puter users at Vetrol in Vero Beach. He also takes time to play some golf and do a little fishing. Then there is Carol. She is pres- ident of the Stepping Stone Quilt- ers, whose membership has now reached 60. She has made at least 30 quilts to give to nursing homes, Head Start, SafeSpace and HIV-posi- tive babies. Each Monday finds Carol run- ning classes in quilting at the Yacht Club and then conducting the reg- ular meeting of the quilting club at the Senior Center in the afternoon. She also has compiled hundreds of recipes on her computer. The McConnells have been married 48 years and have moved 21 times over those years. Thet's why they are so happy to have moved for the last time abd be- come happily settled in Sebastian. It hasn't been all sunshine for Carol though, for she has under- gone six major surgeries since they came here and is facing another one soon. Carol and Russ have recently added another interest to their busy lives. They are both into gen- ealogy. Through the Internet, the main Indian River County Library and relatives, Carol has tracked her family back 10 generations and Russ has taken his back at least that many, to 1670. They are making a genealogy book for each of their sons and for Russ' sister. They also have a home page on the Internet. I would say this couple is not sit- ting and watching the grass grow. They are growing right along with it. Photo Caption Carol and Russ McConnell take time from their busy schedules to relax at home. Doctors now focus on treating obesity By Dr. Raymond Dean Do you remember the last time you saw someone who weighed at least 400 pounds? What thoughts came to mind? Did you think, "Oh, the poor soul!" Did you quietly thank God you didn't have that problem? Or worse, did you think negative thoughts about the individual and how lazy, gluttonous or undisci- plined they must be in order to get that fat? Many people react that way to seeing a severely obese individual. In fact, for decades many doctors have held similar sentiments. This has led to obese individuals fre- quently not getting the care they need and having to endure, at times, unbearable criticism from others. Other doctors have been more tolerant, but still have tended to believe that obesity is generally a self-induced condition that could be turned around if the patients simply dieted and exercised prop-. erly. These doctors then would typ- ically recommend the obese patient see a dietitian and begin a low-impact aerobic exercise pro- gram. The world of obesity manage- ment is now undergoing a revolu- tion. New research indicates many of whom doctors call "morbidly" obese people, or those who are in excess of 150 percent of their ideal body weight, truly do have defects in their metabolism or biochemis- try in some way. Further, they did not get obese just by gorging on food all of their lives, and they don't necessarily have an uncaring attitude about their problem. Many of them are truly and utterly miserable about their condition and have tried ev- erything imaginable to lose weight without success. So what does this all mean as far as new directions? First, a major change in the understanding of the relationship between obesity and other illnesses is occurring. We are learning that many cases of diabe- tes, high blood pressure, sleep dis- orders, and orthopedic problems are caused by obesity and can dis- appear with significant weight loss. Doctors for years have been treating individuals with these con- ditions, considering them to be primary problems and worthy of their attention. It has not been ac- ceptable, incredibly, in some doc- tors' minds to focus their clinical efforts on obesity instead. Newer thinking among many physicians is that through proper management of weight, people can be helped to avoid a whole host of medical problems. This is cost-effective, too. Second, we are entering an era in which "diet pills" are going to become accepted as legitimate medicine. Clearly, there are some concerns in this area, as for years, Dexedrine was over-prescribed and, at times, abused. More re- cently, the newer medicine Redux, but this medicine has potentially serious side effects and must be used cautiously. However, despite concerns from many quarters, including gov- ernmental officials who, in gen- eral, don't like these drugs because of a fear of abuse and black market dealing, these medicines are here to stay. There are eight new "diet drugs" in the evaluation and ap- proval stage that could be on the market in the near future, with more to come. I believe that, for severely obese people, these types of medi- cines could be lifesavers. Where we need to keep our sanity is with keeping perspective on all of the other ways obesity can be treated, and to look at when these pills are indicated and when they are not. The jury is not in as far as what point a person is overweight enough to consider these medi- cines. For instance, are diet pills OK for someone with a medium frame who is 30 pounds over- we,ight? At this point, I think the answer is still no, and that diet, exercise, lifestyle alteration and- possibly alternative medicine weight-loss aids are the way to go. In general, all non-medication interventions for obesity should be considered first at this point. How- ever, the equation may change in the near future. What if some of the new diet pills are considerably safer than the current ones, for in-. stance, with side effects on the level of Advil or Actifed? What the 30-pound overweight individ- ual already is beginning to develop, obesity-related illnesses as men- tioned above? Then, I believe we will see a new eagerness from doc- tors and patients alike to consider these pills. Lest you get the wrong impres- sion, I am not excited about the prospect of 20 million Americans eagerly wanting the next genera- tion of diet pills. I am excited about the prospect that instead of seeing obesity at all levels continue to statistically climb, we may just be entering a new era of total- weight management for everyone, where prevention, healthy lifestyle and safe, effective medical treat- ments coexist. Letters to the editor Visitors didn't ruin holiday I would like to thank all of the Sebastian residents and their guests who enjoyed the Fourth of July fireworks while viewing them from my riverfront property, across from my home and business south of Main Street. After picnicking and shooting off their own small fireworks, they carried away all of the paper cups and other wrappings, allowing my family to share their holiday plea- sures without the usual next-day cleanup. I love seeing the children and adults coming down to the river to enjoy the holidays with us. Councilwoman Ruth Sullivan Sebastian Citizens protest closing of stands To Brevard County Commis- sioner Nancy Higgs: We, the senior citizens of Barefoot Bay, wish to register a formal protest against your closing of the produce stands in this area. These people are our friends - decent, hard-working - just trying to make an honest living. If this is the "American Way," then it is shameful! Surely the two bananas and one tomato most of us buy will not put the "big" store out of business - they nick us for everything else. It is ever thus, "The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer, but it is wrong! Cleta Sawyer Barefoot Bay Council asked to reconsider ordinance Sebastian City Council is propos- ing a parking ordinance that is a thinly veiled substitute for a sub- stantive method of protecting the drainage and swales. There is no question in this writer's mind that whatever method the city decides on to pro- tect its swales, it is going to be ex- pensive and there is no question that there are other methods than creating a police state. Creating a situation that im- poses upon its citizens the neces- sity of notifying the police of visitors to one's home is an unwar- ranted invasion of the privacy of every citizen in this city no matter how well intended. It may also be unconstitutional. This writer requests that coun- cil rethink this onerous proposal, and come up with a realistic ap- proach to the swale and drainage issues. Harry Thomas President Sebastian Property Owners Association These club members are into gaining friends and losing weight By DREW DIXON Of The Sun Losing weight has always been a challenge, but there's a club in Se- bastian that makes the effort more enjoyable with friends rallying around the cause. Taking Off Pounds Sensibly, Chapter 641, now has about 40 members who meet once a week in the hope of helping each other shed pounds without shedding common sense. "We want to lose weight sensi- bly," said Beth Ann Reed, leader of the TOPS club. "It means we don't do (crash) diets, pills or artificial means of losing weight. We exer- cise and eat a proper diet." There are various programs that are offered through TOPS, an inter- national group with chapters all over the world. Reed said there are motivational programs from litera- ture to videos that help members keep on track toward their goals. "We sometimes have guest speak- ers, too," she said. Setting weight-loss goals is im- portant to staying with the group. Lin Kocher joined the club two years ago. "I set a goal to lose 43 pounds and I accomplished it. "The support of the people and the fact that we're all trying to lose weight and do it in the right way... That's important," Kocher said. The structure of the club meet- ings holds people to their prom- ises of losing weight and if those promises are broken, every club member will know. Each Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m., the club meets at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post home on Louisiana Ave- nue. They also step on a scale. "Every Thursday, I have to step on those scales; it keeps me in fo- cus that I have to continue to change my eating habits," Kocher said. Edra Young, a member of TOPS before there was even a @Sebastian,@ chapter formed four years ago, agreed the weekly weigh-in can the biggest motivator. "It makes you more aware of what you're eating because you're going to face those scales each week," she said. Young has become an elite member of TOPS. She's a KOP, that's Keep Off the Pounds mem- ber. It's tough enough to reach a goal of a certain amount of weight loss, but it's even harder to keep off those pounds, she said. The group is more than merely shedding pounds, Reed said. "We socialize. it's the compan- ionship that we enjoy with each other. Everybody's got the same problem so we relate. It's a support group," she said. It's that type of support that changes members' attitudes toward losing weight, Kocher said. "There's more to it than just diet. You got to want to do it and it starts within yourself. But re- inforcement from the group helps." Anyone interested in joining TOPS can call Reed at 664-6126. There is a club dues of $20 a year which helps to pay for the charter membership and each member gets a monthly magazine produced by the umbrella organi- zation of TOPS. There is also a $1 charge for each member of the Se- bastian club at each meeting to help pay for the rent of the VFW hall. Photo Caption Lin Kocher, left, Edra Young, Susie Johnson and Betty Ann Reed of Taking Off Pounds Sensibly offer club information at the Fourth of July Celebration at Riverview Park in Sebastian. Week In Review Thomas resigns Public Works post Sebastian Assistant Public Works Director Jerry Thomas has resigned after almost 10 years with the city, citing personal reasons. Since Thomas' resignation from his $37,544 position went into ef- fect June 20, Sebastian engineering technician Terry Hill has assumed his duties, Public Works Director Pat Brennan said. Thomas, who could not be reached for comment July 2, gave no reason for his resignation in his one-day notice other to say he was resigning for "personal reasons." Thomas began working for the city in April 1988 as a temporary engineer and Public Works direc- tor. He later was hired permanently as acting Public Works director. In October 1988, he became assistant Public Works director. City Manager Thomas Frame said he didn't want to comment on Thomas' resignation, other than to say a letter was submitted. He said Thomas was given 60 days' sever- ance pay, about $6,200. Human Resources Director Phil Bowers said Thomas gave his letter June 19. "There had been some dis- cussion about the management of the department. I think he felt it would be in his best interest to re- sign," he said. Brennan, who also declined to comment on Thomas' resignation, said he had recommended last month in his department budget proposal reclassifying supervisor positions in the department as a way of re-distributing duties more evenly. The assistant public works di- rector position, for example, would be downgraded to roads and drainage supervisor, he said. The superintendents for buildings and cemetery grounds would become supervisors and the parks foreman would become parks supervisor under the recommendation, he said. Brennan said the moves were proposed as a way to better orga-, nize the department. "It's got noth- ing to do with who's in (the positions)," he said. The recommendations have not been approved yet and will be dis- cussed during budget sessions with the council. Final approval of the budget is expected in October. Department heads ask for new vehicles Sebastian department heads have turned in their wish lists for next year. Now city officials have to see if those wishes fit in the fiscal 1998 budget. Interim Finance Director Janet Isman said, "We'll compare it to the revenue projected to see what the city can afford. If (the requests) exceed the revenue, then we'll start prioritizing." City department heads, who re- cently submitted their budget re- quests to City Manager Thomas Frame, weren't shy in asking for high-priced items. Big-ticket tractors, trucks and police cars were on the lists of many departments, most asking for replacement vehicles for their fleet. Requests included: * Police Chief Randy White asked for $114,375 for seven re- placement police cars and $72,066 for two new police officers, in ad- dition to $9,705 to replace emer- gency lights and sirens, and about $6,800 for building renovations. He also asked to spend about $5,- 000 toward getting the Police De- partment state accreditation. If approved, six of the cars would be unmarked for the detec- tive division and administrative use, while the seventh would be marked for patrol division. Three existing unmarked cars would be made into patrol cars. The police officers are nec- essary to keep up with the city's growth and to maintain the officer- to-population ratio of two officers per 1,000 residents, White said in his budget summary. "With our current demogra- phics, this staffing level provides good response time to calls for po- lice service and allows us to main- tain a lower-than-average crime rate for our community," he said in his budget summary. * Public Works Director Pat Brennan asked for money to buy a $16,000 chipper and $33,000 for two trucks all to replace current ve- hicles. He also asked for between $7,500 and $10,000 for a machine that would analyze engine prob- lems and exhaust leaks. In the Parks Department bud- get, Brennan is requesting four mowers, costing about $52,200, "to improve efficiency," his budget summary said. A $24,000 tractor with a loader and box blade also was requested to maintain the clay ball fields in the city and fertiliza- tion at all park locations. * Community Development Director Bob Massarelli asked for a $13,500 pickup truck to replace an existing truck and a $6,000 com- puter with mapping capabilities. The new computer would allow the use of map data available from the city's consultant, the budget summary said. * Sebastian Golf Course Direc- tor Pat Cerjan asked for a $10,000 truck to replace an existing truck and a $15,000 greensmower to re- place an existing vehicle. City police chief suffers heart attack The Sebastian Police Department was reeling July 2 after receiving news Chief Randy White suffered a heart attack while attending a con- ference near Jacksonville. The 53-year-old White, who came home July 6, originally was in critical but stable condition in the critical care unit at St. Luke's Hospital, officials said. White was attending a meeting of the Florida Police Chiefs Associ- ation in Ponte Vedra Beach. Lt. Scott Sherbrook, who is act- ing chief in White's absence, said he received a call from White's wife early July 2 informing him of the heart attack, but not offering many details. "We're shocked, worried and concerned," Sherbrook said. "We just hope he makes it out all right." The attack came early July 2 and White was admitted to the hos- pital at about 7 a.m. Whit@'s son, Patrick, a deputy with the Indian River County Sher- iff's Department, immediately headed north to be with his family, Sherbrook said. His other son, Randy, works with the Jacksonville Sheriff's De- partment. The heart attack comes just one day shy of the first anniversary of White being named to the chief's post. "Certainly we wish him well," Mayor Walter Barnes said. "All we can do is wait and pray. I think Chief White is generally pretty well-liked and respected ... so I know a lot of people feel tense about it." The news transformed the de- partment into a tinderbox of anxi- ety, Sherbrook said. White was supposed to return to work from the conference in time for the massive influx of visi- tors to the city for the Fourth of July celebration, Sherbrook said. It is unknown how long White will be off work. White has been working tireles- sly on improving the department in his 11 months on the job, Sher- brook said, and has put in long hours. It was not uncommon for White to put in extra time and take work home with him, Sherbrook said. "You couldn't ask for a better chief," Sherbrook said. "He's been taking it forward and advancing the department, and then you think, 'My God, is this going to make it so he can't come back?, The incident came on familiar ground for White. He grew up in Jacksonville and worked for the city's sheriff's office for 25 years, retiring as part of upper manage- ment in 1991. Group isn't giving up ship on artificial reef State officials have rejected pitching in money for an artificial reef project off Sebastian inlet, but proponents vowed not to let t scuttle the project. The Sebastian Inlet Sportsfish- ing Association was seeking a $25,- 000 grant to place artificial reefs on four sites, but fell just short of re- ceiving the money, said association member Michael Rowland, who is organizing the reef project. "We got a 'Dear John' letter," Rowland said about the notifica- tion from state officials. "They said they had less money than they originally anticipated. We're disap- pointed; we thought we had it in the bag. But yet we're encouraged because we were able to learn the process." The news, which Rowland got July 1, sent him scrambling for other ways to get at least one of the reefs before applying for the state grant again next year. The club wants to sink numer- ous reefs 7-15 miles off the inlet, mainly to provide habitat for fish and other marine animals. Members have been working on the project for years, and last year, the Department of Environ- mental Protection granted permits for the first four reef sites, two off South Brevard County and two off North Indian River County. They were going for a share of the $400,000 the DEP doled out this year for artificial reef projects around the state, and had two Flof- ida Institute of Technology grad- uate students work on the grant application. The effort came excruciatingly close. A total of 37 projects applied for the money, and the associa- tion's plan had a good showing in being ranked 10th. But only top eight projects ended up in money. "The impression they gave me was you've got to put time in be- fore you get funded," Rowland said. "They suggested multiple ap- plications next year." That may be a strategy the group employs, Rowland said, which would mean having local governments or organizations sub- mit requests for the identical pro- ject. But Rowland is not waiting un- til next year. There are several avenues the club can take. One is applying for not-for-profit status so people and businesses that may want to con- tribute to the project could take a tax deduction, which Rowland said he is pursuing. The owners of several busi- nesses have said they would like to kick in to the project, but were dis- couraged because they could not write the donation off, Rowland said. Another option is to spend the $5,000 the club has saved toward the reef project to buy material for at least one reef. The club could buy a derelict vessel and sink it, Rowland said. When a vessel or other material is sunk, barnacles and other small marine animals make it their home, attracting smaller fish and ultimately the large game fish an- glers covet. Association members hope the four sites permitted by the state are just the beginning of a project that will eventually entail up to 18 sep- arate reef sites. Chamber in no hurry to hire new director It may be months before the Se- bastian River Area Chamber of Commerce hires a new executive director, the chamber's President Ed Moore said July 7. "We won't be looking for an- other six months," Moore said, adding the chamber's top priorities now are moving into a new build- ing and working on fund-raisers. Virginia King, the group's for- mer executive director, was fired by the board July 1. Moore would not comment on King's dismissal. King had worked at the chamber for six years. Work at the chamber is now be- ing done by two Part-time employ- ees, who are capable of handling the chamber's daily operations, Moore said. He said board members are ex- pected to decide whether to ex- pand these employees hours, making them into full-time posi- tions; or hire more part-time em- ployees. Moore said the chamber also has many volunteers who are willing to work two or three days a week. In addition, the chamber will be sharing their new building, the for- mer Sebastian utility building on Main Street, with members of the Sebastian Area Historical Society. "The chamber is going to get a whole lot of friendly volunteers that will be there, people who are knowledgeable about Sebastian," Moore said. The chamber is leasing the building from the city for $1 a year. This building is about four times the size of the building the cham- ber is in now. Moore said they also plan to del- egate most of the projects that were being handled by King to different committees that will be composed from the more than 250 chamber members. One of those projects is the chamber's golf tournament, to be held July 19 at the Indian River Club in south Vero Beach. This is the chamber's major fund-raiser, Moore said. It's $100 for sponsors and $10 per person to play. Two-thirds of the ticket pays for the golf game, and a steak dinner, and one-third will go toward the chamber. So far they have 70 golfers signed up, Moore said. The cham- ber is hoping to have 100 golfers. In the next few months, the board is expected to form a com- mittee to look for a new executive director. Moore said they will conduct a local and nationwide search for the candidate. He said they would like he or she to have experience run- ning a chamber of commerce or someone who has had experience running a non-profit organization. Even though they haven't adver- tised for the position yet, Moore said, he has already received sev- eral calls from people interested in the job. Photo Caption IT'S MORE OF A MAKE OVER THAN A FACE LIFT, but the new designs on Sebastian police cars are taking years off their appearance. "Most people are coming up to us and saying 'you have new cars,' " Lt. Scott Sherbrook said, "We say they're not new, just redesigned. About half the force's patrol cars have undergone a transformation in the last two weeks, shedding the flat blue stripes running down their sides for a simpler look with three small stripes on their front quarter panels. Sherbrook is doing most of the work on the designs that have slanted blue and red stripes on the back of the front quarter panels and large lettering reading "Police" on the sides. The rear quarter panels have messages reading "Emergency 911," and the doors of higher-ranking officers have their rank displayed in small stripes. The redesign is saving a lot of money compared to previous years, Sherbrook said. In the past, the work on the cars was done at a business in Vero Beach at a cost of $280 each, he said. The new look is being done totally by city workers using a new piece of machinery in the city's sign shop called a laser cutter, which takes designs and lettering by a computer, and spits out the full-size lettering in a matter of seconds. It costs about $40, Sherbrook said. Local briefs Retired officers award scholarships The Indian River Chapter of the Re- tired Officers Association honored three outstanding high-school stu- dents at its dinner meeting June 18 at the Dodger Pines Country Club. Amy Bissonnette of Sebastian River High School and Matthew Vogeland of Vero Beach High School each were awarded a $1,- 000 scholarship. JROTC Cadet An- gela Maddox of VBHS received the TROA JROTC medal for sustained excellence and achievement. TROA raises funds each year to reward outstanding high-school students. The Retired Officers Associa- tion is open to all men and women who have served as commissioned officers or warrant officers. You do not have to be a retired officer to be eligible. For membership infor- mation, call call Lou Marckesano at 595-1559. Methodists holding pancake breakfast Grace United Methodist Church will serve a pancake breakfast 7:30- 10:30 a.m. Saturdav in fellowship hall, 8799 50th Ave, Wabasso. The cost is $3. Scrambled eggs, sau- sage, juice and coffee are included. The public is welcome. Chamber offers manatee signs The Sebastian River Area Cham- ber of commerce has free public awareness manatee signs in its of- fice at 1302 U.S.1, Sebastian. Unlike most regulatory signs, these signs are strictly for public awareness and do not have any law-enforcement powers behind them. The signs are to be posted in areas where manatees have been seen, so boaters passing through the area can see the signs and slow down for the manatees. The awareness signs are pro- duced by Save the Manatee Club and the Florida Advisory Council on Environmental Education, and are also distributed through Flor- ida Marine Patrol district offices. Residents who obtain a sign must fill out a form and send a pic- ture of the sign and its location, so the Save the Manatee Club can keep track of where the signs have been posted. Residents can call the chamber office at 589-5969 to obtfin a sign. Christmas craft show slated for Melbourne The fifth annual Christmas in July Craft Show presented by Shows Unlimited will be held at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 Hi- biscus Blvd., Melbourne, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 12 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 13. More than 100 professional de- signers will exhibit Christmas cre- ations for 1997. The crafts will include ceramics, greenware, flo- rals, wood furniture, folk art, shell art, wearable clothing and more. The door prize will be retired bea- nie babies Chops and Kiwi. See what the crafters have made to fit the beanie babies. Admission is $2; children under 12 free. Information, call 770-0317. Dolphins holdin junior training camp Miami Dolphins fans, 11-14 years of age, are invited to attend the Miami Dolphins Junior Train- ing Camp. The Vero Beach/Indian River County Recreation Depart- ment will provide transportation and supervision for this clinic. Participation will allow an op- portunity to attend a skills clinic with Dolphins alumni, plus partici- pants will receive a rulebook, camp t-shirt and goody bag. After the clinic, participants will be able to watch the Dolphins practice ses- sion, weather permitting. The clinic will take place at the Nova Southeastern University in Davie from 2 to 6 p.m. Aug. 7. The bus will leave Leisure Square at 11 a.m. and return at about 8 p.m. Please bring a bagged dinner snack. The fee of $12 will cover trans- portation costs. Camp admission and a boxed lunch is provided free by the Dolphins. For more information, call Mag- gie McChesney at 567-2144. Seminole boosters holding tournament The Indian River Seminole Boosters will hold a fund-raiser scramble July 19 at the Sebastian Municipal Golf Course. The entry fee is $50, with all proceeds going to a local scholar- ship fund. For more information, call Ke- vin Swards at 770-3708 or Brian Troutman at 567-6723. Soccer registration ends July 22 Sebastian Soccer Association will hold its final registration for recre- ational and competitive soccer from 6 to 8 p.m. andjuly 22. The registration session will be at the Creative Playground pavil- ion. This is the last chance to sign up for recreational or competitive soccer. Sponsors needed for junior tennis District 15 of USTA/Florida Sec- tion is looking for sponsors for its Junior Team Tennis and Junior Olympic Tennis Team, which will compete at the AAU Junior Olyni- pics, Aug. 5-9. Sponsorships are available for $150 for NJTL teams and $250 for JTT or Olvmpic teams and $400 to sponsor both teams. Each sponsor gets its name on the team T-shirt and a plaque with team pictures. For more informa- tion, call John Danise at 589-4278. Soccer camp slated for August Indian River Soccer Association has scheduled a week-long soccer camp this summer at the Hobart Soccer Complex. The week-long camp is sched- uled Aug. 11-15 and fees will be $75 for half days and $125 for full days. The camp will be conducted by noted instructor Bill Buren. For more information, call 589- 3319 or leave a message at 567- 1366. Fish dinner to benefit church Sebastian Highlands Chapel Church of God, 281 Delaware Ave., will serve a fish dinner at 5 p.m., July 12. In addition to mullet, the menu will include hush puppies, baked beans, coleslaw, grits, beverage and dessert. The cost is $6 for adults and $3 for children age 12 and under. All are welcome. Marines picnic July 19 The Marine Corps League will hold a family picnic from 3-7 p.m. July 19 in Riverside Park. Food and beverages will be provided. To make reservations, call Bill Hector, 778-2453; John Matthews, 770-4877; Clay Brooks, 589-7536; or Charlie Sack, 779- 9754. The picnic is open to all active or former Marines and their fami- lies. TOPS members hold meeting TOPS The morning chapter of Take Off Pounds Sensibly met June 19 at the American Legion on Loui- siana Avenue in Sebastian. A three-way tie for best weight loss winners included Cheryl Welch, Betty Reed and Deanie Tay- lor. To emphasize staying in con- trol, liberty bears, pens and pinw- heels in red, white and blue were presented to the members by Tri- cia Frankhuisen. The program of helpful hints was given by Ginger Wise and No- mie Tatro. On July 3, members started meeting in the VFW Post 10210, 815 Louisiana Ave., Sebastian. The meeting will start at 8:30 a.m. New members are welcome. For more information call 664- 6125 or 589-6719. Red Cross offering class for rescuers The American Red Cross, Indian River County Chapter, a United Way agency, is offering a course for the professional rescuer 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning July 19 at the Chap- ter House. This course includes cardiopul- monary resuscitation for adults, children and infants, plus two-man CPR and use of a bag mask; learn- ing the role in EMS systems; recog- nizing and response to providing emergency care and learning risk factors. There are no prerequisites re- quired, but a written test (80 per- cent) and all skills must be passed in order to be certified. A book, mask and use of materials are included in the $35 fee. Registration is required and taken at the Chapter House, 2566 17th Ave., Vero Beach. For more information, call the Red Cross at 562-2549. Seniors invited to play pinochle Pinochle is played every Wednesday at the Senior Center, 815 Davis St., Sebastian. Winners June 25 were: Marilyn mico, 793; Sarah Ferreri, 787 and osie Bermel, 781. All seniors are invited to play. Mensa chapter schedules test Space Coast Area Mensa, the lo- cal chapter of American Mensa Ltd., the high IQ society, will conduct an entrance examination July 26. SCAM testing coordinator Jon Warner wiii session in Conference Room C, Cape Ca- naveral Hospital Medical Plaza, 701 W. Cocoa Beach Causeway (State Road 520), Cocoa Beach. Participants should bring valid identification and plan to arrive about 12:30 p.m. and no later than 12:55. The test session will start at 1 p.m. and last until about 3. There is a $25 fee, payable by check to American Mensa Ltd., or cash, due at the time of testing. Warner encourages walk-ins. There is no registration for this ses- sion. The minimum age for testing is 14. Mensa is an international orga- nization with only one criterion for membership. Applicants must score at or above the 98th per- centile on a standard IQ test. Space Coast Area Mensa serves both Bre- vard and Indian River counties. For more information, call Warner at (407) 635-8581, or Ken Tuley at (407) 639-191 I. Eldoes plan dinner dance The Eldoes of Sebastian Elks, Lodge 2714, will hold an Italian Night dinner dance at the lodge July 19. Cocktails at 5 p.m. will be followed by dinner at 6. The menu will consist of pasta and chicken cutlets. The Melotones will provide music for dancing. The cost is $5 per person for Elks and their guests. Cut-off date for tickets is July 17. For more in- formation, call Lydia Zwick at 664- 2562, or the lodge, 589-1516. Bluegrass gospel concert on July 19 A bluegrass gospel concert will be held at 7 p.m. July 19 at Fells- mere Church of God, 99 N. Pine St., Felismere. The two featured groups will be Kissimmee River Boys of Lorido and the Blue Grass Minors of La- Belle. Everyone is welcome. A free- will offering will be received. Volleyball camp slated for July 14-16 All high-school girls are invited to participate in the Indian River Juniors Volleyball Camp. The camp is scheduled for July 14-16, with daily sessions running from 9 a.m. to noon. The $35 regis- tration fee includes instruction, a T-shirt and awards. The camp size is limited to al- low individual instruction. Call Tabernacle volleyball coach Bob White at 567-5459 for more infor- mation. Soccer group looking for players The Sebastian International Soc- cer Association is looking for play- ers for the 1997-98 season. Participants must be males age 17 or older with soccer experience. For information, call Robert at 589-8508 or 589-8784. TOPS group announces losers Take Off Pounds Sensibly Fla. 473 Sebastian met July 1 at the Roseland Fire Department. The best losers for the week were Beth Clark and Viola Herman. Ruth Gonzalez presented a pro- gram on cookouts, vacations and family gatherings and how to stick to your diet and still enjoy yourself. The best losers for the month of June were Gordon Loudermilk and Diane Morgan. For more information, contact Marion Kutch at 589-4243. Barefoot Bay club looking for recipes The Barefoot Bay Italian Ameri- can Club still is in need of recipes for the cookbook and newsletter. Submissions may be made by call- ing 664-3964 or 664-8000. Plans were made for the Sept. 28 meeting and a surprise meal is planned. Ticket sale dates will be announced in August. Entertain- ment for this meeting will be the Precisions from Palm Bay. The club is planning to see the show "Gypsy" at the Mark 11 Din- ner Theater on Nov. 12. Order tick- ets now for a great show and dinner. Holy land pilgrimage slated for @eg. 23 Rev. Edmund Szpieg of Our Lady Queen of the Apostles, will guide a 10-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land starting Feb. 23 from Miami. The price of $1,748 per person includes round-trip airfare, two meals daily, hotel accomodations and entrance fees. For information or brochures, call or write to Deacon Henk Tous- saint, 906 Canal Circle, Sebastian, Fla., 32958. His telephone number is 589-1430. Legion auxiliary holding social Charles L Futch Unit 189, Ameri- can Legion Auxiliary, will sponsor" the fifth annual Dorothy Matthews ice cream social from 2-4 p.m. Aug. 9. Dorothy Palow, chairman, can be reached at 589-0302 for tickets. The auxiliary installed its offi- cers for the 1997-98 years June 21 at a ceremony conducted by Debo- rah Wynkoff, 12th District presi- dent, and her staff, at the American Legion Hall. Barbara Wilder was installed as president; Ruth Ann Worthen, vice president; Alice Allard, secretary; Ethel Yanosky, treasurer; Arlene Baker, chaplain; Marion Meguin, historian; Palow, sergeant-at-arms; Flora Turner, assistant sergeant-at- arms; and Hazel Bond, Marguerite Hino and Doris Clancy, executive committee. Best foot forward -- Runners brave sun, heat to make Sebastian 5K race a success By Matt Grimison Talk to anyone who milled about Riverview Park or along the parade route on the Fourth of July and you hear similar woeful tales of heat and humidity, aching feet and sweat- sopping shirts. But most of them are wimps compared to a group of 175 people who took part in the earliest festivities of the city's Fourth of July celebration. They endured the direct sunlight and stifling humidity, but didn't duck under the nearest bush or oak tree for relief. Instead, they ran and walked in a 5K race sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, sloughing off the rising sun and raising money for the chamber in the process. Organizers were calling the race a success even though the number of participants was slightly lower than last year. "I think it came off real well," chamber President Ed Moore said. "I'm real happy with the turnout on it." The heat probably had something to do with the dip in participants - pre-registrations were about the same as last year, but day-of-race entries were down. Granted, the crack-of-dawn start pared the participants the full fury of the 100-degree-plus heat index the day would throw at holiday revelers. But they were traversing 3.106 miles on a day when one lap around the park looking at booths in the shade was tough. The two best that morning were Adam Schiff, of Satellite Beach, and Rebecca Sparks, of Cocoa Beach, who won the overall titles for men and women, respectively. Schiff, 17, edged out Melbourne Beach resident Tom Hoffman by just 7 seconds with his winning time of 17:35. Sparks won by a bit more comfortable a margin, besting Vero Beach's Valerie Quant by almost a full minute with her time of 19:50. The top honors went to out-of-towners, but locals were well represented in the winners of different age categories. Amon .g women, Vero Beach's Barbara Helpling won the masters division; Vero Beach's Morgan Sunderlin won 14 and under; Fellsmere's Kelly Felkey won 15-19; Barefoot Bav's Dawn Havnes won 20-24; Vero Beach's Pamela Nadeau won 25-29; Quant won 35-39; Vero Beach's Janet Reed won 40-44; Vero Beach's Lynn DeWolf won 45-49; and Annette Hibler, also of Vero Beach, won 55-59. On the men's side, Sebastian's Jonathan Cherry won 14 and under; Vero Beach's Moises Sztylerman won 35-39; and Spencer Crawfis, also of Vero Beach, won 45-49. And even though Sparks lives in Cocoa Beach, she is a familiar face on the local running scene. Sparks trained with Sebastian River High School Athletic Director Michael Stutzke in 1995 and 1996 in a bid to qualify for the Olympics in the 1500 meters that came up just short. The 5K race, a fund-raiser for the chamber, will make more money than previous years, said organizer Ray Conig- lio, thanks to a long list of local business sponsors who do- nated cash and items such as water and fruit. Although there is no final tally on how much money was raised, he said, it will almost certainly be enough to give some to the American Cancer Society in memory of Frank DeWolf, an avid local runner who died of leukemia. LL players gave it all this year By Bill Valyo To say that Sebastian River Area Little League baseball had a suc- cessful season this year might be a understatement. To step it up a level, we could say it was a tri- umph for the players who rep- resented this city in tournament action this year. Who can forget the great effort put out by manager Len Tunstill's L.A. Tile team as it battled valiantly in the finals of the Indian River County Little League Champion- ships this year, only to lose by one run. Players such as Tommy Painter, Tom Bissonnette, Dave Tunstill, Brian Augenstein and David Windel gave it their all in a stirring performance of determination. This past week, the Sebastian All Star team overwhelmed the host team, Vero Beach American, in a game that saw the locals score 14 runs in one inning to win 15-1. The players did everything right in that one productive inning, getting eight hits - two each from Donnie Jobe, Eric Roux and Jeff Mabry. This win in the District 17 tour- nament ended the season for Se- bastian, 2-1, in tourney play. The team's only loss came at the hands of the tournament winner, Fort Pierce Northside, which continues its quest for more honors. It's not by mistake that the play of Sebastian's Little Leaguers has shone brightly this year. They were coached well by Tunstill and his various assistants. They instilled a win" attitude in their players with the "at all cost" factor thrown out the window. When he isn't coaching the unger players, Tunstill can be een at American Legion games, rging on some of his Little League raduates to give "all they can give." This year has been a good one for baseball followers in Sebastian. Little League victories are not com- ing as surprises anymore. The teams have held their own against foes who usually treated them be- fore as unwanted stepchildren. Recently, the American Legion Post 189 team from Sebastian, in its first away game as an A team in the local legion league, beat long-time rival Vero Beach. The progress of the program has been swift and continued suc- cess will come again from all the good instruction the players have been getting over the years. Photo Caption SIX MEMBERS OF THE SEBASTIAN RIVER girls basketball team attended camp at the University of Florida in Gainesville in June. Pictured are (front row, left to right) Melissa Taylor, Jonethia Dawkins, Antrell Ealy; (back row, Feft to right) Roberta Fairclough, Kristin Gitelis, UF Coach Carol Ross, Sonia Ealy. Golf tournament will help drive chamber into new building By MATT GRIMISON For The Sun It's a fitting fund-raiser for a fit- ting cause. The Sebastian Chamber of Commerce will hold a golf tourna- ment at Indian River Club, a rela- tively new course, so it can move into new digs itself. Set for July 19, the tournament is the second installment of a three-part effort to raise money help pay for the chamber's move into Sebastian's former utilities building, said organizer Ray Conig- lio. "It's a new course; I've played it once and it's absolutely beauti- ful," he said. "It's very challenging, it has a beautiful clubhouse. The whole facility is new." The tournament has slots for singles or foursomes and can ac- commodate up to 140 players. There are four par threes that boast big prizes for a hole-in-one, Coniglio said, the biggest being a $20,000 cash prize and the others a watch, set of clubs or golf vacation. Play begins at 9 a.m. and the $100 entry fee includes a steak lunch, Coniglio said. Organizers are looking to aug- ment the $5,000 raised in the first tournament in April to help pay for the move. That first tournament was held at the Grand Harbor River Course, and the third and final tournament is slated for the Grand Harbor Har- bor Course in September. The chamber is offering pack- age deals for the two remaining events for $175, and the final tour- nament includes a dinner dance and silent auction, Coniglio said. Organizers purposely chose courses with stellar reputations in the county to give incentive for players to join, Coniglio said. There are also sponsorship packages for corporations to field a foursome and sponsor a hole. The chamber is looking to move out of its building on U.S. 1 because it has become cramped, Coniglio said. Raising enough money to pay for the move is the organization's highest priority. "It will help all the businesses in the area," he said. "The better we can showcase the businesses, the better off the businesses are." Potential players should pre- register no later than July 16, Con-, iglio said. That can be done by calling the chamber at 589-5969, calling Con- iglio at 388-1255 or by accessing the Indian River County/Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce World Wide Web page (http:// www.indian-river.fl.us/chamber/). Sebastian Little League Senior all-stars hold off rally by Gifford to win By ED DALY For The Sun The Sebastian River Senior all- stars wasted little time in jumping to a 5-0 lead in their first turn at bat against the Gifford all-stars and then managed to hold the team at bay to post an 11-9 victory and their first win in District 17 tourna- ment play July 6 at Northport field in Fort Pierce. Gifford fell to 0-4 in tourna- ment play. Bobby Klotzer was the player who got the rally underway by singling to center as the leadoff batter. Ryan Reed reached first base on a fielder's choice when Gifford failed to make the play on Klotzer at second base. Guy Tib- betts then singled to drive in the first run and Matt Turner worked starting pitcher Vince Parker for a base on balls to load the bases. Je- remy Jacobs delivered two more runs with his clean single to left field. Turner scored on a sacrifice fly by Justin Boyd and Dean Geste- witz singled to center to score Ja- cobs for the fifth run of the inning. Gifford answered with two runs in its half of the inning when Allan Johnson and Marvin Hope walked and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. Travis Norris singled to left to score both runners. Sebastian added another run in the second when Tibbetts reached on an error and took second on an overthrow on an attempted pick-off play and came home on Jeff Harshman's single up the middle. Sebastian hiked its lead to 9-2 on a three-run outburst in the fourth inning. Reed reached first base when the shortstop couldn't handle his scorcher. Tibbetts kept up his timely hitting with another single and @oth runners advanced on a passed ball. Jacobs then drove in his third and fourth runs of the game with a long double to center right field and he eventually scored on a balk by Parker. Gifford did not go quietly, however, and staged its own five- run rally in the fifth inning. A walk to Felix Torres, a single by Stephan Pinckney and another walk to Al Banner loaded the bases. Nick Footman was hit by a pitch to force in one run and Allan Johnson and Hope both walked to force in two more. Parker helped his own cause with a long drive to left center for a double, scoring Footman and John- son. The rally ended when Hope was tagged out at the plate trying to score on the same hit. On the play at the plate, Hope was ejected from the game for being overly ag- gressive in running into catcher Matt Autrey. Sebastian widened the lead with runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Autrey walked to open the fifth, ad- vanced to second on a walk to Klotzer and scored on two succes- sive passed balls. in the sixth, Joey Beach walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Danny Tessier singled to center. Gifford closed the scoring in the sixth when Norris walked, stole second and scored on Pinckney's single to left. Pitcher Justin Boyd got credit for the win, holding Gifford to three hits and striking out nine in four and two-thirds innings. Ryan Reed relieved in the fifth and got credit for the save. Tibbetts had three hits in the game and was robbed of an- other when left fielder Banner made a diving, one-hand catch of his line drive in the fifth. Sebastian was to play Fort Pierce Northside July 10 at the Northport school field. In the junior league play, the Fort Pierce Northside all-star team withdrew from tournament play just hours before taking the field against the Sebastian all stars on July 5, thereby forfeiting the game by a 7-0 score. Photo Caption The July 2 Little League District 17 Tournament game proved to be exciting for Sebastian residens as the home team whipped Vero Beach American 15-1 in the final game of the Area 1 round-robin. Local golf scores Sebastian Monday League June 30: Flight A (Maximum Handicap 37): Ed Meyer and Frank LaConte, minus-11; Bill Eyre and Jack Gnacinski, minus-10; Ed Snar- ski and Don Baker, minus-10; Joe Prokopiak and Don DeRobertis, minus-10. Flight B (Handicap 38-45): Ralph Diana and Ralph Turner, minus-12; Bill Shandor and John Ritz, minus-10; Ken Roth and Will Hamel, minus-9; Ralph wood and D. Johns, minus-9; Don O'Connor and Ted Sluzas, minus-9. Flight C (Minimum Handicap 46): Henry McHale and Tom Egan, minus-12; Joe Tatro and Denny McKinnev, minus-12-, Henrv Meyer and Pete Miller, minus-12; Rocky LaRosa and John Twerdak, minus 11; Gil Whitford and M. Villarose, minus-11. Sebastian Women's Association July 1, Double Your Better Nine. Flight A: Caroline Trillo, 66; Hilda Wangler, 68; Eileen Harding and Bert Jackson, 72. Flight B: Claire Whiteman, 68; Marie DeMeo, 7 1; Betty Egan, Jane Prokopiak and Pauline Hammond, 73. Flight C: Lucille Edmondson, 62; Betty Petteys, 70; Jinny Prues, 74; Sophia Hoey, 79. Barefoot Bay Ladies Association July 1: Low gross, low net. Flight A: Low gross, Helen Penci 75. Low net, Irene Donnelly 56. Susan Fields 57. Vi Grohusky 60. Flight B: Low gross, Ruth Kern 79. Low net, Joyce Wilson 58. Ruth Mistron 59. Liz Sanborn 60. Flight C: Low gross, Marie Yates 85. Low net, Edna Fox 57. Cookie Hannington 61. Jackie Nuern- berger 64. Flight C: Low gross, Phyllis Sa- lino 90. Low net, Buddie Thomas 58. Dot Blass 60. Elsie Emerson 61. Dolores Rose 61. Barefoot Bay Men's Association July 2: Four-man three best ball. Champion: John Layden, Bob Mazza, Frank Doughten, Bill Wil- son -23. Ron O'Keefe, Jim Eskew, Dave McAlister, Bob Greene -11. Flight A: Alan Atkins, Lewis Smith, Tony Maselli, John Fochi -21, Matt Trygar, Ray Ivone, John Engelhardt, Charles Carlton -15. Art McCormick, John Higson, John Meikun, Marty Hoover -14. Flight B: John Pritchard, Joe Sartori, John Gotsch, John McGov- ern -15. Vic Cantone, Frank Calise, Bob Moore, Gene Hirchbreck -13. Bernie Brennan, Connie Haynes, Bill McDermott, Bill Despagni -6. Flight C: Dan Bachman, Neal Shaw, Gower Delany, Frank Ve- trover, -19. Don Pudney, Tony Pel- liccia, Bud Miller -18. Jim Wood, Al King, Norman Lavoie, Paul Lindner -16. Gordon Boyden, Bill Beck- with, Tony Giorano, Marty Bartow -16. Obituaries Katherine Lambernedis Katherine Lambernedis, 77, of Micco, died June 30, 1997, at her residence after a prolonged illness. She was born July 17, 1919, in Clarks- burg, W.Va., and moved to Micco seven years ago from Homestead. Mrs. Lambernedis was a homemaker and a Baptist. Surviving are one daughter, Helen Conner, of Micco; one son,, Nick Lamber- nedis, of Clarksburg; three brothers, John Cogis, Paul Cogis and George Cogis, all of Aliquippa, Pa.; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held July 3 at Strunk Funeral Home Chapel, Sebastian, with the Rev. Ron Barber officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the American Heart Association, North Central Florida Area, 237 E. Marks St., Orlando, Fla. 32803 in Mrs. Lambernedis' memory. Nathaniel Lee Nathaniel W. Lee Sr., 30, 5759 85th Lane, Wabasso, died June 26, 1997, at In- dian River Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. He was born Sept. 15, 1966, in Newark, NJ., and moved to Wabasso 13 years ago from his birthplace. Mr. Lee was a nursing assistant at a lo- cal facility. Surviving are his parents, Alice Lee and Charles W. Lee Sr., of Wabasso; two sons, Nathaniel Lee Jr., of Gifford, and Daniel Lee, of Wabasso; two daughters, Lakeisha A. Lee and Angela Lee, both of Gifford; one sister, Beverly Shedrick, of Dade City; two brothers, Michael Lee and Bernard Lee, both of Wabasso; his grandparents, Norman and Inez Terrell, of Wabasso, Rob- ert Jones, of Buffalo, N.Y., and Bertha Gor- don, of Wabasso; and his great- grandparents, Henery and Quincy Jones Leonard, both of Buffalo. Funeral services were held July 5 at Al- len Chapel A.M.E. Church, County Road 510 and 85th Street, Wabasso, with Elder Arthur Sanders officiating. Interment will follow at Wabasso Cemetery, Wabasso. Stevens Gifford Funeral Home Chapel, 4301 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, was in charge of arrangements. George Orth George L. Orth, 75, of Sebastian unexpectedly July 1, 1997, at Sebastian River Medical Center. He was born March 22, 1921, in Grand Rapids, Mich., and moved to Sebastian in 1970 from Forked River, NJ. Mr. Orth was a member of the Ameri- can Rifle Association. He was a purple heart recipient, a veteran of World War II and the Korean Conflict, and a 30-year vet- eran of the U.S. Air Force. Surviving are his wife of 43 years, Mary; one son, George L. Orth Jr., of Enio, Mich.; one stepson, Jack T. Egan, of Live Oak; four stepdaughters, Jean Corsale, of Frank- lin Lakes, N.J., Patricia Capuano and Nancy Pullara, both of Sebastian, and Eileen Pop- plo, of North Lauderdale, two stepsisters, Bernadine Neff, of Muskegon, Mich., and Virginia Sorrells, of Gilmore, Texas; 19 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchil- dren. Sydney Smith Sydney G. Smith, 88, of Sebastian, died July 5, 1997, at Indian River Memorial Hos- pital after a brief illness. He was born Aug. 30, 1908, in Catawba Island, Ohio, and moved to Sebastian in 1973 from Mount Clemens, Mich. Mr. Sydney worked for Uniroyal/Goo- drich Tire Co. in Detroit, Mich., as a test engineer. He was a commander with the Power Squadron and a Seventh Day Ad- ventist. Survivors include his wife, Leona; and two grandchilden. At the family's request, there will be no repose or visitation. Entombment will be at Fountainhead Memorial Park, Palm Bay. Arrangements are under the direction of Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home, Pahn Bay. Donald Gregg Donald E. Gregg, 88, of Barefoot Bay, died July 1, 1997, at Sebastian River Medi- cal Center. He was born Feb. 20, 1909, in Have- lock, Neb., and moved to Barefoot Bay in 1974 from Sebastian. Mr. Gregg worked for the Burlington Northern Railroad for 46 years as a scale inspector. He was a Mason in the Cotner Lodge, Lincoln, Neb., for 50 years. He was a member of the Eastern Star for 40 years, American Legion, Disabled American Vet- erans and Veterans of Foreign Wars, all of Lincoln. Surviving are his wife of 69 years, Mar- jorie; one son, Elmo Gregg, of Lincoln; one grandchild; and two great-grandchil-- dren. There will be no visitation or services. Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home, Palm Bay, is in charge of arrange- ments. Clara Robson Clara Robson, 91, of Sebastian, died July 6, 1997, at Integrated Health Care of Palm Bay, Palm Bay, after a prolonged illness. She was born Jan. 3, 1906, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to Sebastian five years ago from Hollywood. Mrs. Robson was a retired waitress. Surviving are one daughter, Anna Sa- vone, of Sebastian; two sons, James Rob- son and John Robson, both of Sebastian; 17 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. Inurnment services will held at a later date. Strunk Funeral Home, Sebastian, is in charge of arrangements. On the record The basketball camp run by coach Jack Hodge at Sebastian River scheduled for July 21-25 is open to both boys and girls. Information on the camp in the July 4 issue of the Sebastian Sun was incorrect. END Sebastian Sun Articles a digital text archive The Sebastian Sun July 18, 1997 c 1977 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. President: Darryl K. Hicks. Executive Editor: Larry Reisman. Editor: Louise Phillipine. Advertising Manager: Ellen Smith Account Executive: Doreen Dowell. (USPS) The Sun is published weekly by Treasure Coast Publishing Inc., a division of Scripps Howard Inc., 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. c 1997 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. All correspondence, including news copy, should be addressed to 717 Coolidge St., Sebastian, FL 32958. Phone: (561) 589- 6616; Fax: (561) 978-2386. News deadline, 5 p.m., Friday. All display advertising should be addressed to 1801 U.S. 1, Vero ach, FL 32960. Phone (561) 978-2383; Fax:(561) 978-2297. Advertising deadline, 1 p.m., Monday. FROM THE ARCHIVES TOP NEWS FROM A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: Amid some controversy, Indian River County commissioners voted 4.71 to purchase 50 lots desig- nated as scrub jay habitat. The lots, owned by Atlantic Gulf Communities, were in the Sebastian Highlands. The $183,000 purchase, a cost- share with Florida Communities Trust, would cost the county $99,400. Com- missioners had to answer criticism that the residential lots did not fit the criteria of environmentally sensitive property. CITIZEN OF THE DAY NAME: Carl F. Genduso. AGE: 79. OCCUPATION: Retired U. S. Postal Service worker. BIRTHPLACE: Beverly, Mass. MOVED HERE: April 1988. COMMUNITY SERVICE: Member of St. Sebastian Catholic Church. Do- nates to the American Cancer So- ciety. HOBBIES: Working out and gar- dening. FAVORITE AUTHOR: Sara Pa- retsky. WHY I LIKE MY NEIGHBOR- HOOD: I live in the Sebastian High- lands. People mind their own business, neighbors are friendly, it's a growing community and it's nice. WEEKEND PICKS The Sebastian Volunteer Fire De- partment and Rescue Squad will hold a car wash from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 19 at the Food Lion parking lot on Fleming Street. The department is seeking a $3 donation for each car washed. The Indian River Seminole Boosters will hold a fund-raiser scramble July 19 at the Sebastian Municipal Golf Course. The entry fee is $50 with proceeds going to a local scholarship fund. For more information, call Kevin Swards at 770-3708 or Brian Trout- man at 567-6723. WHAT DID HE SAY? "My wife and I have invested our entire life savings in a business that just happens to lie 7,500 feet outside the legal city limits. We are residents of the riverfront and have invested both our time and money to improve our business and with it our small sec- tion of the town. I resent the implica- tions that only 'city residents' can have the best interest of the city of Sebastian in their minds when serving on city boards. " - Ed Moore (Moore, co-owner of Ferndale Lodge, made the statement in a resignation letter he submitted July 14 to Sebas- tian's Riverfront Committee. Moore resigned in protest of City Council's discussion July 9 about limiting ap- pointments to city boards to Sebas- tian residents.) Stiff competition cuts into turf of lawn-maintenance services By DREW DIXON Of The Sun The dog days of summer have the professionals in the lawn-maintenance business in the Sebastian area hounding each other. The veterans of the business say they're starting to get a little edgy about newcomers who have little ex- perience, no licenses and undercut and underbid more established lawn-care professionals. "It's competitive, that's for sure," said Adrian Crowley, who has owned and operated Beautiful Lawns for the last five and a half years in Sebastian. "It definitely picks up in the summer." The point of interest for the people who run lawn- care businesses is the fact there are always newcom- ers who aren't licensed. "The problem is (customers) don't understand that some people are licensed and insured and some people aren't," said Dave Pottinger, manager of Southern Lawn Maintenance Inc. for the last 11 years in Sebastian. "If someone hires someone to work on a yard that is uninsured, (the customer) could be facing a work- er's compensation lawsuit if something happens," Pottinger said. And that's where the real competition comes in. While Porringer, Crowley and others are insured and have business licenses issued by Indian River County, the casual lawn-maintenance worker can sneak in and perform a lawn job at a much lower cost. Buddy Odom, owner of Exoflora Landscaping of Vero Beach, holds several contracts in North Indian River County. He, too, is licensed and insured, a fact advertised on the company signs embossed on his company truck. But that still doesn't ensure him a job. "It's too competitive," Odom, in the business for 11 years, said of the lawn-care field. "A lot of people go in and give these 'mow and go' jobs. They just cut the grass and don't worry about weeds and trimming. "They don't know how to bid on a job and they don't know what they're doing. It's major cut-throat right now," Odom said. That means, according to Odom, a lot of people are approaching lawn care as a second job or a way to pick up some extra cash. He said the newer, unli- censed lawn-care workers undercut the professionals bv offering mowing jobs that are far less expensive, but hardly worth the money. "Businesses and people are looking to save money. So they don't really look at the quality and then when they get a bad job, they call (profession- als)," he said. The more competitive atmosphere has cut into his work. "I used to get calls left and right," Odom said, but his business has fallen off a little bit. He usually has about 30 accounts each week at both business and residential properties. Pottinger said he handles about the same amount of accounts each week, but he settles for mostly upscale jobs at homes and complexes on the barrier island. "We started out in Sebastian and it was so competitive, it came to a point where it was real tough doing (single-home) residential yards. We have to be real selective now," he said. That's fine with Crowley, who is willing to fill the void. But at the same time, "I try not to take on too much work," he said. He usually handles about 50 ac- counts a week. Crowley said he is finding that some lawn- main- tenance companies are getting so se4ective he gets a lot of calls and complaints from customers they can't get through to anyone at some companies. They al- ways get an answering machine and no return call. "That's why I got my phone number directed to my cell phone and not my answering machine," he said. "A lot of companies don't want to mess with res- idential and stay with commercial. I haven't figured that out because residential pays just as good as com- mercial. I'm definitely going to be there." Whichever area of business professional lawn- maintenance workers choose to focus on, they all agree there should be more regulation of the lawn- care trade. "There are no regulations or guidelines. I can get a license and never have cut grass before," Pottinger said. "You couldn't do that if you were an electrician or construction worker. They just don't look at (lawn maintenance) as a profession and they should," he said. "In a way I resent that. It kind of hurts because the competition could be more even if everyone was on the same level. You don't even have to show proof of a license or insurance," Pottinger said. Odom said he agrees the current state of lawn maintenance is hurting the true pros. "If it keeps going like this, I'll just be breaking even," he said, admitted he's doing better than that now. "But, I worry about the future because lawn main- tenance, everybody wants to get into it because it's so easy to get into. I could end up losing money," if competition continues to increase, Odom said. Photo Caption Adrian Crowley said the competition is makin it tough to keep contracts for lawn-maintenance jobs, such as the one he has at the Ocean Pearl housing complex near Wabasso. Sherbrook got into police work to make a difference in community By Drew Dixon A veteran of the Sebastian Police Department for a dozen years, Lt. Scott Sherbrook says he can't see going to any other city to serve as a police officer. "I'll be here until I retire," Sherbrook said. An interesting perspective for a man who once was an automotive painter and then decided to quit that vocation to become a police officer. "My dad thought I was crazy because (becoming a police offi- cer) reduced my income by about half" from what he was making in automotive bodywork, he said. "It's been worth it though. A lot of officers get into it to make a difference. I think I've made quite a bit of difference. I've saved a cou- ple of lives and I've received (sev- eral) community awards,' he said. One big difference in his job as of late is being thrust into the role as acting police chief after Chief Randy White suffered a heart attack July 2. White is recovering at his Se- bastian home now and is expected to remain on indefinite leave at least until August. Sherbrook said White's heart at- tack has created the biggest chal- lenge he's faced in his career. "He's not just my boss, he's also been my friend," Sherbrook said of White. He said with White's sud- den attack, "It's been very stressful. It's a lot of responsibility and it's very demanding. I look forward to Chief White returning," Sherbrook said. Meanwhile, he's taken the reins of the department, but he said it's hardly been a job he's handled on his own. "With the assistance of every- body, other people have been put into interim positions. If those people wouldn't have supported me it would have been much more difficult," he said. Sherbrook said he's dedicated to his job; but not just for the love of police work. "I have children growing up and things have turned around a little as far as drugs and crime. I don't want to see Sebastian get like Miami," he said. Sebastian's unique access to the water and the role nautical inter- ests play in the city anchor Sher- brook's personal interest in the area. "I love the water and the ac- cess. I fish, I (scuba) dive and I have a 21-foot Sportcraft open fish- ing boat." Sebastian "is a very nice com- munity. It has its ups and downs. But, overall, it's a very nice place to raise children," he said. Birthdate: Nov. 21, 1956. Birthplace: Baltimore, Md. Education: Attended St. Peters- burg, Indian River and, Brevard community colleges along with the Police Institute of Technology in Jacksonville for various law-en- forcement instruction and educa- tion. Family: Wife of two years, Sherry; sons Bryan, 9 and Shawn, 1; daughter Amanda, 12. The best part of my job is: Going out on the water with the police marine patrol boat. What I like least about my job is: Having to discipline subor- dinates. The most recent movie I saw in a theater was: "Men In Black." The book I'd recommend ev-:. eryone read is: "Supervisory Techniques," by Paul M. Whise- mand. Of everyone in the world, the person I would most like to meet is: Steven Seagall. My favorite food is: Seafood. If I were going on a trip to the moon, I would take along: My wife. When I was growing up, I al- ways wanted to be: A police offi- cer. If I were president of the United States, I'd: Try to make things tougher on criminals. When I want to get away from it all, 1: Go scuba diving. The person I admire the most is: Chief Randy White. My proudest moment was: The birth of my children. My favorite sports team is: Miami Dolphins. My favorite television show is: "Star Trek, the Next Genera- tion." On my last vacation, I vis- ited: Key West, The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is: Take a shower. The type of music I enjoy the most is: Country. If I could do something over again, I'd: Be a fireman. People who know me the best know 1: Am fair. The most exciting time in my life is: The birth of my children. Photo Caption Lt. Scott Sherbrook, left, acting police chief in Sebastian, meets with Sgt. Chanse Reardin to discuss daily duties at the department. Richard Fey lands new restaurant on Indian River By DREW DIXON Of The Sun The newest Sebastian waterfront diner and lounge rests at Fey's Landing and Windjammer Restau- rant on Indian River Drive. "It's kind of like a formal din- ing room and open patio," said Richard Fey, owner of the estab- lishment. While a restaurant and lounge is nothing new to the shores of the Indian River in Sebastian, Fey said he is trying to bring a new twist to the area through the decor. "It's a little bit more modern and things are changing. We're just trying to bring a little bit of West Palm Beach into Sebastian," he said. But Fey isn't about to turn his back on the nautical character that surrounds Sebastian. The bar he designed, made out of mahogany, is ship-shape... made in the shape of a boat, complete with a bow and stern. The bar and restaurant ran into a stiff test in the maiden voyage; Fey decided to open on the Fourth of July. "We did 840 dinners plus on the Fourth 'There was no dry run" to walk the staff through a basic dress rehearsal oo service, he said. "Under the circumstances, we did very well and we sold out all the food." That food includes an upscale menu of steaks and seafood, as well as offerings of appetizers for more moderate customer, he said. Meanwhile, the bar and the res- taurant are encased in glass walls that can slide open for a full rush of cooler breezes during the winter months and remain closed with full air conditioning during the summer. The building is sur- by a wooden deck. In addition to the restaurant and bar, there is a fully functional 55-slip boat dock that is just off the channel marker 68 in the Indian River. "It's excellent access," Fey said. That dock also will be the site of jet ski rentals and the mooring for a 36-foot sailboat that will pro- vide sunset cruises on the Indian River. "I'm trying to bring some excit- ement into the community," he said. The features of cruises and jet ski rentals are not particularly new to the shores of Sebastian. There are other establishments offering those amenities, but Fey said he doesn't see his new bar and restau- rant as competition for other res- taurants and bars already rooted on the banks of the Sebastian River. "It's just different nautical din- ing. This is an asset to the commu- nity, not a competition. We have a whole different atmosphere," he said. The desire to open a bar and restaurant on the water is some- thing Fey has had most of his life. "It was a dream of mine. I love it. It's a nice lifestyle. It can be de- manding," he said. Fey is still putting some fin- ishing touches on the building at 806 Indian River Drive. But, he said, he should have everything where he wants it by the end of the summer. He also said he's looking at hir- ing live entertainment. "Nothing too loud," but something along the lines of steel drum, reggae calypso music. He hopes to get a house band. Photo Caption Richard Fey, along with bartender Andrea Lewark, taps a beer at the bar shaped like a ship at Fey's Landing in Sebastian. Chamber Notes (article provided by the Chamber of Commerce) The Chamber will host its Fourth Annual Mega-Media Auction from 6 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 12 in the Tiffany Room at Capt- Hiram's Restaurant. Described as a "Win-Win-Win" event, the Mega- Media Auction is the Chamber's most successful fund-raiser. It offers an opportunity for media companies to reach customers they might not otherwise reach, for business people to explore new media opportunities at discounted prices and the proceeds from the auction benefit the Chamber. This year's event will include a "silent auction" of items donated by Chamber Members. The "silent auction" will precede the regular media auction. Call 589-5969 for more, information about the Chamber's Fourth Annual Mega-Media Auction. Photo Caption Kathryn Stough, of Sebastian, showed her patriotic spirit with an American flag as she watches the Fourth of July parade in Sebastian. A photograph in the July 11 edition of the Sebastian Sun incorrectly identified the youngster. Photo Caption Heather Baird and her moom, Lorraine, of Ft. Lauderdale,had a great time watching the Fourth of July parade in Sebastian. A photograph in the July 11 edition of the Sebastian Sun incorrectly identified the the toddler and her mother. Photo Caption Teacher Dee Thomas helped her summer school students at Se- bastian Private School learn about Native Americans re- cently. Students got a chance to make tepees ang Native Ameri- can jewelry and costumes. They also played games that were part of the Native American cul- ture. Fisherman still loves his job after many years By JERRY MEKLER For The Sun If Hollywood wanted someone to portray a craggy old man-of-the- sea, they need look no further than Coolidge Judah of Sebastian, be- cause he looks, talks and acts like fisherman right out of central cast- ing. In fact, he's been a commercial fisherman since 1940, when he and his father started fishing the waters of the Indian River in this area. Ten years later, they estab- lished their own fish market, Judah and Sons, on North Indian River Drive in Sebastian, where today, Coolidge and his two sons, Kevin and Bobby, valiantly try to carry on the family business. But life on the river has changed dramatically since those early days, with the passing three years ago of the gill-net ban in Florida, which has prevented com- mercial fisherman from using nets in their jobs; the bread and butter of their occupation. "They took away my life and my livelihood," Judah said. "I don't really know what the future will hold, but I can tell you that those of us who are left are very concerned as to whether we can stay in business." What once was a thriving retail- fish industry on the Indian River shoreline has now come down to three fish markets trying to com- pete for the dwindling business the modern supermarkets have cap- tured. One of the pioneer fishermen was Archie Smith, who now is a wholesaler, and Floodtide, a mile or so down the road, has expanded its focus into bait and tackle and other supplies. Today, Judah and Sons is about as close as you can get to the old- fashioned markets of decades ago. As the first fish retailer on the river, they continue to strive to maintain the quality and atmosphere they in- stituted more than 45 years ago, when Sebastian was proud to call itself a fishing village. A visit to their modest shop at 13390 Indian River Drive, immedi- ately captures the old-fashioned fish market feeling, with the water- soaked floors, the fish dressing ta- bles, and the pervading smell of fresh fish. "You can't get this atmosphere in A supermarket," Judah said, "but then again, we can't offer the vari- ety. " What they can offer the con- sumer, according to Judah, is fresh fish caught in local waters, some of it right out of the boat. As a result of the net ban, fish inventory has been drastically de- pleted, Judah said. The most popu- lar fish he sells is mullet, with some trout, snapper, butterfish and shellfish also on hand. Judah and Sons' customer base includes people from as far as Pierce, Melbourne and beyond, Ju- dah said. "We're kind of a curiosity and we can compete with most super- markets price-wise. But most im- portant, we sell fresh local fish which people want," he said. In reminiscing about the old days, Judah recalled when dozens of small commercial fishing boats were out on the river. He started fishing at the age of 18 and has ex- perienced squalls, hurricanes, boating emergencies and at least 30 stingray bites, one of which put him out of commission for seven weeks. Despite the disappointments and restrictions put on his beloved profession, the 73-year-old said he's going to stay with it to the end. If genes are any criteria, he will be around for a long time, since his mother lived to age 101 and his father to 91. Judah and his wife still live in the house across the driveway from the fish market, built by his father in 1950. This gives him a chance to keep an eye on things, he said. Judah and Sons is open every day but Sunday. Photo Caption Coolidge Judah scales a fish at his shop, Judah and Sons, on Indian River Drive. Self-taught Sebastian musician makes beautiful music on his mandolin By Margaret Miquelon Have you ever stopped to think how very many interesting people@ there are living in Sebastian righ now? Iggy and Gloria DiLeonardo moved here in 1989. Not only is Iggy a deacon at St. Sebastian Cath- olic Church, but he is a man of many talents. A turning point came in his life when he was six and his father got him a mandolin and he learned to play it by ear. The neighborhood barber played a mandolin and that fasci- nated Iggy. In those days, barbers would play an instrument until the next customer came into their shops. Iggy took six lessons from his bar- ber, bought a book and starte play, Here is a musician who never learned to play the piano. In the 1920s, there were man- dolin orchestras all over the coun- try. These were all plucked instru- ments made to play chamber mu- sic. The highest notes were played by the piccolo mandolin. Mando- lins were made to imitate violins. In these orchestras, the man- dola had the same tones as a viola, the mandocello was similar to a cello and a mandobass was similar to a bass viol. When radio was in its infancy, and everything was live, Mandolins orchestras were very popular. Do any of you remember Frank Del- monico's Mandolin Orchestra play- ing on KDKA, the first radio station in Pittsburgh? Well, Iggy listened to that orchestra. The greatest compliment was your mandolin sounds like a vio- lin," he recalls. Iggy's first mandolin was made by Charles Bauer in 1902 in Phila- delphia and his father bought it for him for $6 in 1929. He still has it. Mandolins are made from thin strips of maple, heated and glued in place over a premade wooden form to make the bowl. Then the top is usually made of spruce, for it resonates better than other woods. Iggy has a room full of mando- lins. One is a banjo mandolin he plays in a banjo orchestra made up of banjo-type instruments. He has a barjo ukulele, a country/western banjo with five strings that is played with three picks. His largest instrument is the Ba- zooki and the smallest is a mouth harp. His favorite is a 1927 F-4 mandolin by Gibson. Iggy also plays the violin. All of his musical ability is self-taught and he says he plays for his own enjoyment, but a lot of other peo- ple enjoy his playing, too. Iggy and Toni Ingrao, the leader of the Sebastian River Band, are collaborating for an exhivit for the North Indian River County Li- brary for November. Among the instruments dis- played will be banjos, a four-string Appalachian dulcimer, an eight- string mandolin, a Russian bal- alaika with three strings, a 10- string charanga from Peru and the Bazooki, which has eight strings tuned in octaves, made in Athens. Iggy plays them all. A month before this exhibit, Iggy will be displaying his collec- tion of crosses. He has many crosses in every room of his home. Some are ornate, some simple. All are important in Catholic history. He has one he treasures made from balsa wood by his son when he was small. His grandson made one out of clothespins. And Iggy himself has made unusual crosses out of cut nails in all sizes with rawhide laces. One cross in his col- lection is filled with water from Lourdes; another has relics of saints on the back. Iggy was ordained a deacon in 1981 by Arch Bishop McCarthy of Miami. He can give communion to everyone. The only thing he cannot do is consecrate at Mass. Ignatious DiLeonardo is an inter- esting man and a busy one. I haven't even mentioned his collec- tion of more than 200 pipes. We'll save that for another time. But when you see his Ukelin on display at the library, just think it was sold door-to-door for $12.95. It is very valuable now. It comes with a bow and the player picks and bows at the same time. It also plays chords and melody at the same time. And Iggy can play it. What a guy! Photo Caption When he's not collecting crosses and pipes, Iggy DiLeonardo ginds the time to play with a banjo orchestra. Helping children be successful isn't alway easy By Dr. Will Mosier I have a very difficult time getting my son to act responsi- bly. He tends to be sloppy and very disorganized. He doesn't seem to take life seriously. Whhat can I do to help him grow up to be successful. I'm fearful for my son's future. Scared Mom Dear Mom, Have you ever encountered a child who was docile, neat, did ev- erything he or she was told to do, never talked back, was well be- haved in school and always got good grades? This child has all the attributes of what many people would con- sider to be the ideal child. Sounds like a real success story in the mak- ing, doesn't it? Does this sound like the child you would envision as an example of one who will grow up to be the perfect adult? A successful adult is self-reliant, innovative, assertive, thinks things through on his own, makes logical decisions and doesn't always fol- low rules imposed by others. A suc- cessful adult sometimes is even abrasive and not always charming. In other words, what one might picture as the "ideal" child does not necessarily represent the image of what it takes to be a psychologi- cally healthy and successful adult. Parents must choose whether they want to have the ideal child or raise a child to become a success- ful adult; we can't have it both ways. Raising a child who is always neat, always does exactly as told, and never talks back sounds like the goal of perfect parenting. However, if your goal is to raise a child who will become a self-reli- ant, assertive and innovative leader, raising a child who fits the image of the "ideal" child is not the answer. What do we need to do to raise a youngster who's likely to succeed as an adult? It is no easy job. In fact, parenting is the toughest job you will ever have. Perhaps the fol- lowing thoughts might help you to deal with the challenge of raising responsible yet assertive children. Have you ever told your child you wish you were his age? Do you consistently give your child the message that being a child is better than being an adult? If being a child is the best thing in the world, why would anyone want to grow up? If you frequently tell your child how lucky he is to be a child and not an adult, don't be surprised when he is still living in your home and depending on you for money at age 30. We need to convince our chil- dren that growing up is an impor- tant and pleasurable experience. Having to accept responsibility for thoughts, feelings and actions may appear to have its downside. How- ever, realizing a sense of personal responsibility for one's life can make one feel that life matters, that his skills are valuable and that what he does can make a difference in the world. Parents need to make a con- certed effort to be consistent. Think before you speak. Too often, parents will blurt out some punish- ment or rule, in a fit of anger, that they later regret. Then, when they realize they overreacted, they change the rule. Admitting one is wrong is very important. However, changing rules from moment to moment is not a healthy child-rearing prac- tice. Practice the old "count to ten" approach. Think before you speak. Don't speak until you have thought about what you are going to say first. You might put your foot in your mouth. Even worse, you might be con- ditioning your child to think that words don't mean what they are supposed to mean. Encourage your child to try dif- ficult tasks by being a role-model and attempting difficult challenges in your own life. The more your child sees that you are willing to take chances and risk failure, the more you will be providing re- inforcement for facing the un- known and maintaining perseverance to reach a goal. A child's belief about himself is the single most important factor in determining his degree of success and, happiness achieved in life. More than innate ability, money, IQ, or the right opportunities, a child's sense of self-worth is the determiner of success potential. If you want a fairly accurate predictor of what kind of adult your child will become, ask the question, "What does my child think of him- self? Does he have confidence that he can complete any task that he attempts? "Does he feel good about the way he looks? Does he see himself as a person who is lov- able and capable?" As you think about your child's sense of self-worth in relation to his future potential for success and happiness, remember the only bar- riers to achieving one's goals in life are the internal ones that we erect ourselves, Subsequently, the way a parent can motivate a child to have greater aspirations in life is to help the child maintain a healthy sense of self-worth and a can-do attitude toward life. Dr. Will Mosier is a diplomate of the American Board of Medical Psychotherapists and the American Board of Forensic Medicine. If you have a question about a family mat- ter that you would like discussed in this column, write to him at P.O. Box- 6835 Vero Beach; Fla., 32961- 6836 SRHS graduate wins FFA honor By MISTY FORTNER For The Sun Members of the Sebastian River High School Future Farmers of America chapter attended the 69th annual state FFA convention last month in Haines City. The convention was four in- tense days of leadership training and awards. Mike Rovella, a 1997 graduate of SRHS and the chapter's 1996-97 president, decided to be "one of the few leaders" and climb the lad- der of FFA. At the beginning of the school year, he decided to run for Area VI state vice president. He knew it would take time, effort and pa- tience to achieve this goal. At the convention, Rovella gave a speech in front of 1,997 people. This speech allowed FFA members to know how serious he is about making FFA bigger and better in Florida. His speech earned him the po- sition. He will represent SRHS and Area VI with great leadership. His duties will be assisting the state president, Ben Butler, of Okeechobee, in every way possi- ble. He is a great leader and has al- ways shown this through his hard work in his previous office as pres- ident of the SRHS chapter. Michael Rovella will do a great job representing the Sebastian River area and Area VI at the 70th annual national FAA convention in November. Letters to the editor Councilwoman backs residents-only policy There is an important issue at stake in requiring "residents only" for political appointments to all city boards and commissions. These board and commission members can affect our taxes, our living conditions, the value of our property and set standards that di- rectly affect our people's daily quality of life. Non-residents cannot legally vite in city elections because the national philosophy supports gov- ernment by the people who will live under the decisions made by their elected-representatives. Council members Louise Car- twright and Larry Paul have argued they want out-of-town business- men appointed to boards and com- missions, "because they pay taxes." But there are plenty of business- owners who also live in Sebastian and also pay taxes on their homes as well as their businesses. These resident-businessmen can qualify for any political board and com- mission appointment. For years,"specialinterest" businessmen who do not live here have been appointed to city com- missions. Businessmen have one main concern: making a profit. Residents who also are businesses men have a greater concern and deeper commitment. They live here and, while they want a healthy business, they also want a good place to live for their fami- lies. Remember, government is the governing of the people by deci- sions made by our peers. In other words, government by our fellow residents. Ruth Sullivan City Councilwoman Week In Review Falcon Cable To raise rates Officials with Falcon Cable TV said July 8 they intend to raise ser- vice rates in October. Residents receiving the basic service, which offers 32 channels, will see their monthly bills in- crease by 38 cents, raising the rates from $25.09 to $25.47. That's a 1.5 percent increase. In addition, the company's tier package, which includes channels such as CNN and USA Network, is increasing by 20 cents from $2.50 to $2.70, an .8 percent increase. The cost of the satellite package, which includes The Disney Chan- nel and The Discovery Channel, will go up 48 cents from $7.08 to $7.55, for a 6.8 percent increase. Those residents who get the ba- sic service and the two packages will pay $1.05 more for that ser- vice, raising their bills from $34.67 to $35.72 per month, for an overall increase of 3 percent, said Ken Vickers, Falcon's regional manager. Rates of premium channels, such as HBO, Cinemax and Show- time, are not expected to increase in October, Vickers said. He said the increase in rates is expected to take effect starting Oct. 1. "The increase that we are showing here primarily relates to inflation and increase in program- ming costs," Vickers said. He said the increased rates are in compliance with Federal Com- munications Commission rules and regulations governing rates. The company's last rate in- crease of its basic and package ser- vices occurred in July 1996 when the company raised its basic rate from $23.34 to $25.09, its tier pack- age rate from $2.36 to $2.50, and its satellite package rate from $6.75 to $7.08. The increased rates this year are actually lower than what they were a year ago, Vickers said. That's because under previous FCC regulations, cable companies were allowed to recover the costs of providing service to residents only by looking back at any addi- tional costs already incurred. Last year, under new FCC regu- lations, cable companies not only could recover any costs incurred since the last rate increase, but they also could look ahead at any costs increases projected for the coming year. Now, the increase in rates is based only on projected costs. City Council voted July 9 to ex- tend the company's 15-year fran- chise for another 60 days under the same terms as the last extension. Council delays CAV property plan The CAV Corp. property on In- dian River Drive will remain un- touched for at least a little while longer as on July 9, Sebastian City Council held off deciding what to do with it. City Council members are con- sidering a proposed plan that would turn part of the 2.2 acre property at County Road 512 into a marked parking lot on the west side and an overflow parking area on the east side. The council postponed making a decision until its July 23 meeting because the issue didn't come up until the end of the July 9 meeting, after many of those who wanted to speak about it had left. The plan, which originally called for 64 spaces on the west side, had been tabled from the June 25 meeting when council sent it back to the engineers, CRA Engi- neering of Tallahassee, asking for less landscaping and more parking spaces. Those changes were made, and now the plans call for no landscap- ing on the north side of the prop- erty, with the landscaping on the south and east side consisting of flowers, short shrubs and short trees. The changes would allow six to nine parking spaces to be added to the lot. The parking lot will have park- ing spaces delineated by wheel stops buried in the grass, according to Community Development Direc- tor Bob Massarelli. He said according to the pro- posed plan, the overflow parking would have unmarked parking spaces and would be closed off with a chain. That area would be opened to boaters whenever addi- tional parking is needed. Other changes call for expand- ing the number of driveways into the property from four to six. In addition, the plan also calls for a sidewalk on the southern end of the property. Councilwoman Ruth Sullivan, who wants to keep the property as it is now, said she's concerned the changes will take away parking spaces. "It seems to me we're going in the wrong direction. When we be- gin to move boaters away from the river, away from the ramps, it makes a big difference in time spent walking the distance," Sulli- van said. "I talked to a police offi- cer today. He said sometimes you almost see fistfights because some- one is holding up the ramp too long." At the meeting, Mayor Walter Barnes recalled that when the property was purchased in 1991 for $750,000, there were plans to make a park with a bandstand. That never materialized, he said, and the property remained undevel- oped. When the city got $600,000 in Community Development Block Grant money to revitalize the river- front, a Citizens Advisory Task Force was reactivated to decide how to use the money. The task force decided to use part of that money to build the parking lot on the property. Barnes said the changes are a compromise for everyone con- cerned and it's time something was done with the property. Bids won't arrest police station project Bids to renovate the Sebastian Police Department's air-circulation system came in more than $93,100 higher than expected, but City Manager Thomas Frame said that doesn't mean the project will be scrapped. Instead, he said, city officials will try to work with the low bid- der and use unspent money from the city's capital budget and other funds to make up the difference. Mechanical engineers Ralph Hahn and Associates Inc., of West Palm Beach, which was hired by the city to oversee the work, esti- mated the bids should come in at about $213,000, said Paul Wagner, the city's purchasing director. Only two companies submitted bids: Hill York Corp., of West Palm Beach, with a bid of $306,100, and Mechanical Services of Orlando Inc., with a bid of $382,431. But instead of going out for bids again, which would mean tak- ing more time to get the system renovated, Frame said he will pre- sent the bids to City Council at its July 23 meeting, and ask council to make a decision. In addition to the cost of con- struction, Frame said, officials also expect to spend $7,000 for an inde- pendent company to test the sys- tem once it's renovated, and about $2,000 in miscellaneous expenses. The city already spent about $38,- 000 to have Ralph Hahn and Asso- ciates Inc., of Palm Beach, design the system. If the city works with the low- est bidder, the cost of the project would be $353,100 and city offi- cials have allocated $250,000 for it. The city would have to come up with an additional $103,100 to do the renovations. The work includes redesigning the station's outside air-unit sys- tem. Police Department employees have complained of eye and respi- ratory problems since moving into the $800,000 building in May 1992. In 1993, city officials ordered air-quality tests after several months of moisture and mildew problems in the building. A study said the surface molds were a re- sult of excessive moisture in the building. Ralph Hahn and Associates Inc. recommended installing a new outside air unit to reduce the op- portunity for mold and mildew growth. Frame said the city's main pri- ority is to have employees work in a building free of problems. "Our job is to get the building where it's considered to be a safe building. That's our No. 1 goal," he said. Frame said he wasn't altogether surprised by the high bids. He said one reason why the bids may have come in so high is because the work at the station will be done in four phases, so that per- sonnel from the Police Department won't have to be evacuated while the work is being done. Frame said he believes the city can pay for the additional costs with unused money from the city's capital budget and revenue coming in from interest and sales taxes. City police station shut after scare The Sebastian police station was closed for 2 1/2 hours July 10 after police officials thought a woman being fingerprinted in the station had spinal meningitis. County Health Department offi- cials later advised police to reopen the station because their fear of a contagious disease spreading was unfounded. Acting Chief Scott Sherbrook ordered the doors locked and for- bade anyone to enter or leave the station between about 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. after the woman com- plained of having spinal menin- gitis. "We closed the building up and made contact with the Health Department," Sherbrook said. "They called back at about 1:30 and said there was nothing to worry about." Jan Clark, a senior nursing su- pervisor with the Indian River County Public Health Unit, said po- lice officials had the right instinct in notifying her department, but sealing the building probably was unnecessary. "It was good they called me, but not closing down the build- ing," Clark said. "There is no sign of any exposure." A total of 15 officers and em- ployees were holed up in the building while it was closed. It did not interfere with the department's operations, Sherbrook said, since road patrol officers were already out and kept in contact over radios. Officials would not release the name of the woman, who was in the station for a background check and fingerprinting, a service the department provides for people who need it for employment. Health officials found out the next day the woman did go to the hospi- tal with a sinus infection. Meningitis is an infection caused either by bacteria or a virus that inflames tissue around the spinal cord and brain and can re- sult in seizures, coma and death. One of the bacterial forms of the infection is highly contagious. The incident began at about 10:30 a.m. when the woman ar- rived for the fingerprinting and background check, Sherbrook said. During the process she began coughing and sweating, and men- tioned spinal meningitis by name, Sherbrook said. "She said she had it before, and it was the sane symptoms," Sherbrook said. "Then she said she had to go to the hospital." Police employees stopped the fingerprinting process and re- ported what had happened, Sher- brook said. The woman became irate because the fingerprinting process was not completed and left before the doors were locked or police could try to keep her in the building. The symptoms the woman had may have been familiar to her, but they were not spinal meningitis, Clark said. Meningitis victims have a high fever, headache, stiff neck and problems concentrating, Clark said. Those symptoms lead to con- vulsions. "If she really had spinal menin- gitis she would have been lying prostrate somewhere, probably in a hospiiai getting a lumbar punc- ture," Clark said. Sebastian City Manager Thomas Frame said closing the doors of the building was Rood even if it turns out it was n6rnecessary. "I think the Police Department made the right decision," Frame said. He also said he was frustrated with the amount of time before Clark gave a definitive word on whether to re-open the building or not. Clark said she talked to three different people - Sgt. Greg Witt, Frame and Sherbrook - before noon, then told them she would call them back with an answer. She tried again right at noon and only got the department's automated call directing system, never reach- ing a person. Clark went to lunch, then con- tacted Sherbrook as soon as she got back, she said. No one from the unit went to the building to inspect it or run tests, but Sherbrook said he is con- fident there is no danger to em- ployees or the public. "I'm trusting the lady at the Health Department," he said. Satellite dishes get O.K in Barefoot Bay Barefoot Bay resident Gene Col- lins was happy July 11 to hear he soon may be able to put up a small satellite dish without getting into trouble. The Barefoot Bay Recreation District Board on July 11 unani- mously voted to have the district's lawyer, Mitch Barlow, draft an ordi- nance that will be in accordance with federal laws allowing property owners to put up satellite dishes that are about 39 inches or less in diameter. Board member Mary Vedder was absent from the meet- ing. "The law is the law and we have to abide by it," said board member Robert Preikschat. "Be- sides, TCI Cablevision has been less than up front with us when we ask for changes in their program- ming. This is a good way for peo- ple to get those programs they want instead of those silly car- toons." Other board members agreed. "You don't want them in front of the house, but if that's the only place where they can be, that's where they will be," Chairman Ben Krom said. Krom said he asked Barlow a few weeks ago to give the board a formal opinion whether the lan- guage in the park's deed of restric- tions legally could be used to prohibit satellite antennas on pri- vately owned residential lots in- Barefoot Bay. In a letter responding to Krom's request, Barlow said that last year, the federal government adopted the Telecommunications Act of 1996. When the act was adopted, the FCC established a rule that became effective in October and deals with local government, homeowners as- sociations and similar organiza- tions. In the rule, the FCC expressly says groups that enforce local rules, ordinances or deed re- strictions, may not prohibit direct broadcast satellite antennas that are 39 inches or less in diameter from being put on a homeowner's pri- vate property. The district, however, is allowed to implement reasonable restric- tions requiring compliance with such things as building and safety codes, reasonable set-backs, rea- sonable mounting locations and similar regulations, providing that those regulations do not prevent or unreasonably delay the installation, maintenance or use of the anten- nas, Barlow said. But if, for instance, a regulation says satellite dishes may not be vis- ible from the street and the only lo- cation available to comply with the regulation is unsuitable because trees block the signal, the regula- tion must allow the satellite an- tenna to be moved to a place where the signal can be received. The district's decision to draft an ordinance allowing the small satel- lites was good news to Collins, who had asked board members to look into the issue. "I think they're doing well by just acting on this," Collins said. Council postpones Wave Street plan Wave Street won't be turning into a one-way street any time soon. After listening to several resi- dents who spoke for and against turning Wave Street into a one-way street, Sebastian City Council post- poned making a decision Wednes- day on the matter until more traffic studies can be done, and other op- tions can be exolored. Councilwoman Louise Car- twright made the motion not to change the status of the street for the time being, and to revisit the is- sue during the first meeting of Oc- tober. Sebastian City Manager Thomas Frame said this will give his staff an opportunity to conduct speed anal- yses, and explore other options, such as placing advisory signs that would warn motorists to slow down, especially near George Street. Those who live on Wave Street near George Street said with the amount of traffic flowing through their streets and motorists' high rate of speed, the whole situation is an accident waiting to happen. But other residents who don't want to see Wave Street turned into a one-way street said all residents run the same risks of getting hit when backing out of their drive- ways, and that the majority of resi- dents in Sebastian should not be penalized for a small group of resi- dents who want the street changed. Photo Caption The WABASSO MAN WHO SEXUALLY ASSAULTED a 5-year- old girl last fall, was sentenced July 14 to two years in state prison and banned from having a computer, Internet access or a video camera. Mike Kelleher, right, also cannot live near schools, day-care centers, parks or playgrounds and cannot rent a post office box, as part of the conditions of his 10-year probation levied in court. Circuit Judge Robert Hawley made no comment about Kelleher or his crime when sentencing the frail, 63-year-old former insurance adjuster who pleaded no contest to lewd assault on a child the day before his trial last month. Prosecutors begrudgingly of- fered the plea deal last month at the behest of the victim's parents. Kelleher, who had volunteered as an assistant coach for a Sebastian youth football league, still faces a federal child-pornography charge, sentencing for his part in a multi-million dollar federal insurance scam and a civil suit for sexual abuse alleged by four of his daughters. Kelleher initially was charged with raping the girl in his 2025 Magnolia Lane house last September, when she visited him. After his arrest, detectives found hundreds of porn tapes, books and magazines, some allegedly containing child pornography. News briefs Fortner attends June conference Sebastian resident Jerra Fortner represented Beta Psi Chapter at Stetson University of Zeta Tau Al- pha fraternity for women at the or-, ganization's 1997 National Leadership Conference in India- napolis, Ind., June 25-29. Serving as the chapter's scholar- ship chair, Fortner joined ZTA col- legiate and alumnae members and national officers from across the United States and Canada for ZTA's Discovery Zone, as denoted by the theme. The four-day workshop fo- cused on enhancing educational skills and-@eveloping leadership ability. The closing ceremonies in- cluded the distribution of national awards. Beta Psi Chapter was awarded the Crown Chapter Award, which is the highest honor a chap- ter can receive, and a financial ex- cellence award. Program benefits TOPS members Take Off Pounds Sensibly, FL 473, Sebastian, met July 8 at the Roseland Fire Department, Kathy Gonzalez presented the program "Be Nice to Yourself." Gonzalez said members must put themselves first sometimes instead of second or third by taking time for meal planning, exercise and relaxation. Best losers for the week wer Jim Chambers and Marion Kutch. Diabetes screening set for July 24 The Medicine Shoppe, 14100 U.S. 1, at Baystreet Square, will of- fer a free diabetes screening from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 24. For more information, contact Tim Bailey at 581-0033. Sebastian pinochle winners announced Pinochle is played at 12:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Senior Center, 815 Davis St., Sebastian. Winners July 2 were: Lee Liguori, 774; Stan Bolton, 733 and Josie Ro- mano, 727. All senior citizens are welcome. Council reports veterans' affairs The Veterans Council of Indian River County held its monthly meeting at the County Administra- tion Building July 2. The council is putting out a plea for a person will- ing to take over the duties of re- tired treasurer Silas Crase. Call President Conway Austin at the Vet- erans Service Office, 770-5035, if interested. Funds from the sale of the cookbooks continues to be turned in. All books should be sold by the next meeting. The June transportation report was given by Vince McCann of the Veterans Service Office. Van drivers put in 212 hours, covered 4,227 miles in two vans and 162 veterans were transported, with eight de- pendents going when space was available, to the Veterans Adminis- tration Hospital in West Palm, Beach. Transporatation is available five days a week. Appreciation is extended to the Indian River Mall Wishing Fountain for donations of the coins. There is not a final figure at this time as they are being counted by hand. There is a need for the use of a ma- chine to count the coins. It is not too early to start mak- ing plans for the Nov. 11 program. Ideas are welcome as to route, lo- cation of program and type of pro- gram. The next meeting is at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6 at the Administration Building, 1840 25th St., in the first- floor conference room. Call 770- 5035 for information. Audubon Society holding program "Avian Adaptation: Birding for Kids" will be the next program of the Pelican Island Audubon So-, ciety. Adults and children alike will be entertained and delighted by this slide show and talk. Dr. Jonathan Day, a researcher et the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory and a member of the Pelican Island Audubon board, will share his knowledge and love of bird-watching. Learn about the birds that visit your backyard and enrich our life in in our County. This free program will be held July 21 in the Vero Beach Commu- nity Center on 14th Avenue. Social hour will begin at 7 p.m., and the program will begin at 7:30 p.m. Please note that these times are one-half hour earlier than usual. The evening will end with a ques- tion-and-answer period and re- freshments. For more information, contact the Pelican Island Audubon Society at 567-3520 or stop by the Audu- bon office at 1931 14th Ave., Vero Beach. Openings remain at KID Camp The Vero Beach/Indian River County Recre- ation Department has openings in KID Camp, a camp designed for children with special needs. Camp dates are July 28-Aug. 8. Parents can drop their children off starting at 7:30 a.m. All camp- ers must arrive by 9. Pickup is 4:30-5:30 p.m. The camp will a held at Wabasso School for- Exceptional Children, but a Vero Beach drop- off and pick-up site is planned. Campers must bring a lunch. Snacks and juice will be provided. A parent orientation is planned July 18 start- ing at 7 p.m. at Leisure Square, 3705 16th St., Vero Beach. Discussion will cover activities planned for the two weeks, and the children will get to meet their counselors. For further information, contact Charlene Lawrence at 567-2144 or Danielle Belanger, 770-6500. TOPS hears about visual aids "Reality and Visual Aids" was the program presented at the July 10 meeting of the morn- ing chapter of Take off Pounds Sensibly, which met at the VFW Post 10210, 815 Louisiana Sebastian. Program presenter Tricia Frankhui- sen handed out diet snacks as awards to Mem- bers answering diet questions. Best loser for the week was Jean Craig. A basket of flowers was presented to Ms. Frank- huisen in appreciation for the many things she does for the club. Members participated in a yard sale July 12 at the home of Betty Reed in Grant. New mem- bers are welcome. For more information, call 800-932-8677. Sebastian Lions installs officers The Lions Club of Sebastian Inc. held its in- stallation of officers and awards banquet cently in the Tiffany Room at Capt. Hiram's Restaurant. Elected president was John Ellis; first vice president, Tim Sandmeyer; seconf vice presi- dent, Joe Blair; third vice president, Cindy An- derson; secretary, Neal Henderson; treasurer, Ed Moore; tail twister, Doug Anderson; and Lion tamer, Al Zukowski. Directors are Ted Ahneman, George LaPorte and Walter Smith; membership chairman, Jean Crandall; Dick Pawlus, immediate past presi- dent; and Abel Chico, Sebastian River High School scholarship award. Awards were presented to Ellis for Lion of the Year and to Walter Smith, the Melvin Jones Award. The club is engaged in a membership drive. If interested, contact Jean or Bill Crandall at 589-3029. Joe Blair chaired a pie contest July 4. Win- ners were Caroline Corum, first; Pat Zukowski, second; and Roberta Hammond, third. A pie auction was conducted by Ellis with $225 raised to help defray fireworks expenses. Other Fourth of July individual winners were: Life for Youth Ranch, best youth group, Keith's Oil Can, best commercial; Sebastian River Junior Woman's Club, best marching group; city of Sebastian, most original; grand prize best overrall, Sebastian River JWC. SRHS coach holding camp Sebastian River High School Bas- ketball Coach Jack Hodge is hold- ing a camp for boys and girls at the high school from July 21-25. The camp will include a day of instruction from Billy Paultz, a Se- bastian resident who played in the NBA and ABA. Cost for the camp is $60. For more information, call Hodge at 589-1141. Elks holding ham dinner The Sebastian Elks 2714 will hold a Poor Man's Party Aug. 2, The ham dinner will be served 6-1 p.m.; music and dancing will fol- low, The cost is $6 per person and tickets are available in the lounge. Members and guests are wel- come and can call 589-1516 for tickets. TOPS group tells of best losers Take Off Pounds Sensibly, Sebas- tian Chapter 686, met July 7 at the United Methodist Church on Main Street. Best losers for the week were Peggy McNurlin, Edith Secor and Sandy Castile. Best losers for the month were Ann Hinsch and Pearl Williams. Ms. McNurlin was awarded the traveling gift. She has lost weight every week since she joined the group June 2. New members are invited to join the group. For more informa- tion, call 589-8808 or 589-1319. SummerFest '97 seeks exhibitors Arts and crafts exhibitors are invited to apply for space in Sum- merfest '97 scheduled Aug. 2-3 in Vero Beach. Situated under the oaks on the barrier island's Riverside Park, the event, in its seventh year, is spon- sored by the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce and attracts more than 25,000 visitors each year. The event also includes an in- ternational food court, classic car show coordinated by "Reelin 'N Rockin," stage entertainment, Kid's Korner and a sponsor's showcase of products and services. Artists can receive a mailed or faxed application form by calling the Chamber of Commerce at 567- 3491, or stop by the office at 1216 21st St., Vero Beach. The registration fee for a single space is $85 for both days. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. For more informa- tion, call the chamber. Local golf scores Sebastian Monday League July 7: Two-golfer scramble. Flight A: Don Wright and Gene Blome 54. Fred Bassler and Marian Bassier 56. Mike Muler Sr. and Jack Fredrick 58. Frank LaConte and Ed Mever 58. Flight B: J. Johnson and R. Lap- ort 52. Joe Tatro and Gil Acosta 56. Duane Crocka and Bob Campbell 56. Flight C: Bill Higdon and Vin Kirk 56. Rocky LaRosa and John Twerdak 57. Chas Burke and Steve Arienta 58. Bill Demeo and Walt Miller 58. Dan Melia and Tom Wojo 58. Flight D- Pete Miller and Henry Meyer 52. Ellis Jackson and Vic Jackson 55. Ralph Diana and Ralph Turner 56. Modell LaConte and Ray Andrews 56. Bill Smallridge and R. Rochett 56. Al Bixby and Barbara Bixby 56. Tom Lombardi and Denny McKinney 56. Barefoot Bay Ladies' 18-Hole Association July 8: Sebastian friendship day. Ist, tie, Susan Fields, Ruth Mis- tron, Jane Prokopiak, Fran Henry, Vi Grohusky, Polly Courchene, Sunny Bowers, Irene Berger 98. 3rd, Gaby Tardiff, Barbara Prit- chard, Betty Egan, Marilyn O'Keefe 99. 4th, tie, Alice Good, Irene Starr, Cookie Hanninngton, Fran Cairnes, Helen George, Sandy Thompson, Peg Coryell, Ann Burke; Linda Keith, Ruth Kern, Ann Vukovich, Lucille Warburton 101. 7th, Flo Radweller, Barbara Bixbv, Dolly Williamson, Lillian Weschler 103. Closest to the pin on No. 7, Hilda Wangler, Ladema Unger; on No. 15, Rita Tapasak, Marie Jack- son. Closest to the line on No. 1, Eileen Harding, Helen George. Low gross. Alice Good, Rhea Goodman. Low net, Ruth Kern. Soccer teams take to fields in Sebastian By Bill Valyo Move over baseball players, you had your time at bat. Football play- ers, watch out or you might get blindsided. Basketball stars, you better not get too complacent or you may just foul out. Heed the warning: The word from people in the know is that the game of soccer has taken over as the main sport for youngsters. Yes, soccer, It's been trying to grab the spotlight for as many years as I can remember and finally, it's been accepted by almost every young boy and girl in our country. When you talk to Jane Richter, the head honcho of the Sebastian Soccer League, she says "the sport now has some role models for kids to look up to." She added, "in Se- bastian, we want to give the kids something to do." So, this year, about 320 chil- dren will have something to do for about 12 weeks, beginning the first week of September. That's an in- crease over last year's roster and will allow young players between the ages of 4-18 to show their skills in six different divisions. For the first time, the league is calling for players ages 18-19 to sign up. "We had calls from kids in that age bracket who wanted us to set up a program for them," said Rich- ter. So far, the signups have been slow for that age group. The older age group teams will be able to travel anywhere from Ti- tusville to Vero Beach in competi- tion under the sponsorship of the Brevard County Youth Soccer League. Richter is putting out the call for young people to act as referees for the program and they can con- tact Cory Richter at 388-9341 for more information. Sponsors are already in place and the coaches and managers are being contacted to get ready to take their places on the sidelines for this year's action. The games will be played at the Barber Street Sports Complex as they have in-the past years. One of the things that sticks in my mind after watching the 4-year- old "Swarm Bees" play last year was that it was a very entertaining morning. This writer still says that you haven't reached the heights of a true sports fan if you haven't seen a little tike grab his mom off the sidelines and get her to help pass the ball around the field. Truly, it's a special moment in sports. Sebastian's junior golf program drives youngsters to love the game By JERRY MEKLER For The Sun More than 60 youngsters, ranging in age from 6 to 17, have become an integral part of the Sebastian Municipal Golf Course landscape these past few weeks, as the Se- bastian Junior Golf Academy is coming to a close. In its second year, the Junior Golf Aca- demy, initiated by Sebastian's Director of Golf Pat Cerjan, and Greg Gardner, Sebas- tian's head golf professional, to provide area youngsters with a basic understanding of the game, has been a "smash hit," according to Gardner. "We have an enrollment exceeding last year's by almost 50 percent," he said, "and from the interest shown so far this year, I'd say we should do even better next year." The Junior Golf Academy is an eight-ses- sion clinic that covers every aspect of the game from putting to driving. At $25 per person, this has become one of the premier teaching opportunities for youngsters in the area. Golfing in Indian River County has be- come very popular and with problems and higher prices at some other public course the Sebastian course has become more pop- ular than ever. As a result, youngsters are being encour- aged by their parents to learn to play the game, so hopefully, they can share a family experience on the golf course. A recent visit to one of the clinic's ses- sions, this one for children ages 6 to 11, proved the youngsters certainly don't have to be pushed to get interested. Here was group of youngsters, some barely 3 feet tall standing silently in a horizontal row, as Ce- jan explained the basics of the game. What followed was a game of "Simon Says." "Simon says, turn your body to the right, to the left, to the right..." and, looking pretty much as a well-rehearsed chorus line, t youngsters did as Simon said Gardner's explanation for this unique approach to learning the golf swing was sim- ple: "The basic idea behind this clinic is for the kids to have fun. They identify with games and especially Simon Says and it puts them in a happy mode while all the time, they are moving their bodies in close proximity to a golf swing," he said. Many of the older students hae gone long way past Simon Says. One intense 13- year-old, John Norris, who goes to the Sebas- tian River Middle School, said he eventually wants to become a golf pro. He said he got interested in the game because his parents play and he wanted to play with them. "This was a terrific experience for me be- cause I respect the teachers (Cerjan and Gardner) and they gave me the interest to do more," Norris said. He also takes private lessons on his own from Gardner. Norris, a slim young man barely over 5feet tall, said he plays baseball and other sports, but nothing interests him as much as golf. Obviously, this enthusiasm and dedica- tion already has paid off in terms of a solid 40 for nine holes recently. "When I hit a nine-iron 120 yards this year, I knew that golf is what I want to do with my life," he said. A returning Academy student, 14-year- old Robbie Neuberger of Fort Meyers who comes to the area for vacation, has enrolled again because, "I love to hit the ball." And hit it he does. He said a few weeks back, while playing with his dad, he drove a ball 200 yards. At 248 pounds, Neuberger looks more like an NFL tackle, but he does not want to play football. He'd rather play golf, he said. "I like the way Pat and Greg teach and they have given me a new interest," he said. The littlest would-be golfer in the class is 8-year-old Hayley Ihnen, a freckle-faced, strawberry blonde who is quite a bit shorter than an adult golf club. She has her own set of clubs, she said. One of a handful of girls at the academy, Hayley was very serious about her interest in golf and in the golf lessons. "I want to be a veterinarian when I grow up and I love watching the birds and the alli- gators on the golf course," she admitted. When asked what she likes about golf, she didn't hesitate. "I like everything about it, especially my teachers. They are so nice," she said. Photo Caption Joseph Ballante hits a drive off the first tee at Sebastian Municipal Golf Course during a session of the Junior Golf Academy. Roller hockey spinning ontl local sports scene By MATT GRIMISON For The Sun It may seem like the middle of summer, but in a few short weeks it will be that time of year again. The temperature will dip down in the low 80s, leaves will remain the same color and stay on the trees and hockey will rule the fancy of young players' minds. It may not be a winter wonder- land, but officials at the River School in Roseland are gearing up for the second year of their school's roller hockey team, the Skulls, with an expanded schedule. The team, made up of players from eighth to 12th grade, has four games slated for this fall against a team fielded by St. Edward's, the only other scholastic roller hockey team in the county. While officials are excited about the games - the teams met only once last year - they are looking for other opponents to put on their schedule, scholastic or not. "We would love for other schools or other youth groups to play," River School Principal Anjani Cirillo said. "It's just good fun." The team is continuing to grow from its origins in pickup games at the roller hockey rink near the River School, a converted tennis court. While about 10 kids play in the course of a game, there will be more than that number on the Skulls and many have been attend- ing a roller hockey developmental camp in Brevard County over the summer. The allure of the game is sim- ple to anyone who has either played hockey or strapped on a pair of in-line skates, players said. "It's fast and fun," said Wang Chun, a 15-year-old sophomore at the River School, "It's a way to re- lease your energy safely, but mostly I like it because it's fast." While adhering to the speed and intensity of ice hockey, the Skulls' brand of roller hockey shuns the violent checking and fighting usually associated with the sport, replacing it with finesse. Tightly officiated games and re- quired safety gear back up the phi- losophy, Cirillo said. "The attitude is to try to win the game, it's not an attitude of try- ing to rough up the other players," she said. "It's a different way to do sports. You don't have to be physi- cally imposing to win." All four games against St. Ed- ward's will be at the converted rink at the Kashi Ashram off Roseland Road, the site of the Skulls' 6-4 win over the Pirates last year. "It's really a wholesome activ- ity," Cirillo said. "We love it, and the kids love it." Photo Caption Goalie Shiva Kali Hausman, 14, stops a shot during a pickup hockey game at the rink near the River School. The school has a roller hockey team for grades 8-12. SRHS girls' volleyball team gearing up for successful season By Matt Grimison Sebastian River volleyball Coach Mike McCall came back from a vacation last week but was not confronted by heaps of mail, newspapers piled on his lawn or the realization his sprinklers have been on the whole time. The first thing on McCall's mind is a volleyball season that begins in less than two months and the holes in his lineup he has to fill. And what does McCall plan to do about it? Well, beginning July 28, he plans to sit around and do nothing. Specifically, he will be sitting at the gym at the Univer- sity of Central Florida during Coach Laura Smith's volleyball camp, carefully observing 19 of his players work out with other instructors. "We decided to go as a team for a change instead of going all over the place separately," McCall said. "The play- ers will have the benefit of listening to someone else be- sides me, and I'm going to sit back and evaluate how they're progressing." The volleyball Sharks join several others squads training over the summer, including football, baseball, and basket- ball. Like football, the team will go almost straight into train- ing for the fall season after two weeks of camps, one at UCF and the other hosted by McCall at the high school. McCall said he and his players chose UCF because some who had attended in the past said it stressed fundamental skills, exactly what they need going into the season. "You're never going to go anywhere without that foun- dation," he said. The team will have five days straight of volleyball and stay at a motel near the campus. Aside from working on specific-volleyball skills, the camp should help foster a spirit of togetherness among the players, an important component to successful squads. "Hopefully, going as a team will promote some early season team unity, which we seemed to be lacking the last couple of years." McCall also hopes to solidify a lineup that will see plenty of changes from last year after five seniors graduated. The most pressing hole to fill is setter, a crucial position in the Sharks' attacking offense that Amy Van Antwerp has filled for the last two years. McCall also lost veterans Jeri Silva and Cassie Darby, both his middle hitters last year, as well as back line player Kiera Kauffman and versatile Charlotte Sturgis. That's why McCall relishes his time on the pine in Or- lando. The camp should help him start placing players into their roles, especially when the camp undertakes team con- cepts later in the week. While the UCF camp is for team members, anyone inter- ested in advancing their volleyball skills is invited to McCall's camp at Sebastian River Aug. 4-8. It includes two sessions, one from 9 a.m. to noon for be- ginning players in seventh, eighth and ninth grades, and from 1-4 p.m. for 10th through 12th graders. Cost is $45, and those interested can call McCall at 571- 0932. Obituaries Leo Gabrault Leo Roland Gabrault, 70, of Micco, died unexpectedly July 14, 1997, at Sebastian River Medical Center. He was born Feb. 18, 1927, in Montpelier, Vt., and moved to Micco in 1989 from East Green- wich, R.I. Mr. Gabrault worked for Bos- titch Inc., East Greenwich, as a die maker. He was in the Merchant Ma- rines from 1945-69. Surviving are his wife of 47 years, Barbara; two daughters, Lynn A. Gabrault, of North Kingstown, R.I., and Barbara A. Smith, of Grant; three sons, Leo R. Gabrault, of Georgia, Vt., Steven P. Gabrault, of Platte City, Mo., and James R. Ga- brault, of West Greenwich, R.I.; and seven grandchildren. Funeral services were held July 16 at Fountainhead Memorial Fu- neral Home, Palm Bay. The family suggests donations be made to Micco Volunteer Fire Dept., 301 Barefoot Blvd., Barefoot,,@ Bay, Fla. 32976, in Mr. Gabrault's memory. Justin Loichytz Justin Mark "Jack" Loichytz, 66, of Sebastian, died unexpectedly July 12, 1997, at Sebastian River Medical Center. He was born May 24, 1931, in Plainfield, N.J., and moved to Se- bastian in 1991 from Islamorada. He worked for Rhodus Con- struction Co., Islamorada. He was a charter member of the Piscataway Elks Lodge, Piscataway, NJ., and a U.S. Marines veteran of the Korean War. Surviving are his wife of 45 years, Nancy; two daughters, Carol J. Tokach, of St. Petersburg, and Suzanne Weir, of Sebastian; one brother, Larry Lloyd, of Raleigh, N.C.; two sisters, Eleanor Pearson, Of Greenwich, Conn., and Gloria Dillon, of Matawan, NJ,; and five grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. July 22, at the First Pres- byterian Church Sebastian, with the Rev. Dr. Chris E. Zorn officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the First Presbvterian Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 781689, Sebastian, Fla. 32978-1689. Strunk Funeral Home, Sebas- tian, is in charge of arrangements. Edward Cesky Edward "Ed" Cesky, 90, of Se- bastian, died July 13, 1997, at Se- bastian River Me@ical Center after a prolonged illness. He was born Jan. 10, 1907, in Baltimore, Md., and moved to Se- bastian 18 years ago from his birth- place. Mr. Cesky was a machinist for the Maryland Cup Corp., Baltimore, for 19 years. Surviving are his wife of 60 years, "Dot"; one daughter, Carole Seibert, of Winter Springs; two brothers, Joseph Cesky, of Balti- more, and William Cesky, of Se- bring; one sister, Ethel Wolf, of Baltimore; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held at Strunk Funeral Home, Sebastian, with the Rev. Ralph Rivers officiat- ing. Joseph Gertzen Joseph F. "Bud" Gertzen, 82, of Wabasso, died July 12, 1997, at In- dian River Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. He was born Sept. 20, 1914, in Atlantic City, N.J., and moved to Wabasso from Northfield, N.J., 29 years ago. Mr. Gertzen was owner/opera- tor of Elephant Beach Concession in Margate City, N.J., for 50 years. He was a member of St. Sebas- tian Catholic Church, Sebastian. Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Kaye; one son, Joseph John Gertzen, Anchorage, Alaska; three daughters, Joanne Nation, Little Rock, Ark., Carolee McCardell, Mar- mara, N.J., and Beverly Gertzen, Vero Beach; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren, Private services were held. The family suggests that dona- tions may be made to VNA/Hos- pice of Indian River County, 1111 36th St., Vero Beach, Fla. 32960, in Mr. Gertzen's memory. Arrangements were by the Strunk Funeral Home, Sebastian. Halim Richard Halim Richard, 70, of Sebastian, died July 8, 1997, at Sebastian River Medical Center after a prolonged illness. He was born May 2, 1927, in Westport, Conn., and moved to Se- bastian two years ago from Miami. Mr. Richard was a U.S. Army veteran of World War 11 and a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars. Surviving are one daughter, Cynthia Ann Garcia, of Miami; one brother, Neil Richard, of Milford, Conn.; and two sisters, Connie Fermo, of Naugatauk, Conn., and Julie Butler, of Stratford, Conn. At the family's request, there will be no repose or visitation. A memorial service was held July 11 at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Sebastian. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the American Cancer Society, 1401 21st St,, Vero Beach, Fla. 32960, in Mr. Richard's memory. Mr. Richard was a member of the Indian River Cremation Society. Mary Shepar Mary Joseph Shepard, 80, of bastian, died July 8, 1997 at her residence after a prolonged illness. She was born Dec. 23, 1916, in Owensboro, Ky., and moved to Se- bastian 20 years ago from Fort Lau- derdale. Mrs. Shepard was a homemaker. She was a member of St. Sebastian Catholic Church, Sebastian, St. Se- bastian Women's Guild and Our Lady's Rosary Makers. Surviving are her husband of 57 years, Elwood; two sons, Thomas Shepard and Richard Shepard, both of Sebastian; one daughter, Mary Joanne Shepard, of Sebastian; one brother, Richard Tretter, of Coving- ton, Ky.; three sisters, Almeda Sicko, of Covington, Elsie Clinger, of Kentucky, and Leona Hazen, of Indiana; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated July 12 at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, Sebastian. Strunk Funeral Home, Sebastian, was in charge of arrangements. Band's melodious sound keeps drawing crowds By DREW DIXON Of The Sun The sound of big-band music is keeping a group of senior citizens swinging. Mary Corey's Melotones have been jazzing Up local dance halls and family events for the past two years, ever since Corey founded the Sebastian-based band in 1995. "We feel like we're a big band and we're enjoying it. We're just doing it for fun," she said. Corey, 84, who plays keyboards and piano for the group, is one of 11 members. She was a piano tea- cher for a decade of her life, but never performed in public. "I'm really living better now than I ever have before becuase I'm fulfilling a dream," she said. She organized the band out of basic boredom, but it has devel- oped into an exciting venture. "When I first moved her couldn't find anything to do," she said. Then there were parties at her 110th Place home in Sebastian and she said several people started bringing instruments and joining in musical jams around her piano in her living room. "It just started off with a bang," Corey said, and before she knew it, she had a band. Other members of the band take note of the development of the group. Charles Saraga, 67, who plays the mandolin, said, "I think it's great. My own playing is getting better by playing a lot. "We started off with 30 songs and now we have more than 120 different songs," he said. The diversity of tunes the band homes in on is much broader as time goes on as well, Saraga said. The Melotones are no longer lim- ited to just big-band sounds. "We have different songs for different occasions. If we're play- ing at the German Club, we play German music. If we play at the Italian Club, we play Italian music. We've added some polkas and some country. I'm learning more about music," he said. Charles Tavlor, the 79-year-old drummer for the Melotones, said he's thrilled to be part of the en- semble. "Playing with people, hitting the right note at the right time... I love it, I love it, I love it," he said. The big thing about playing in a big band today for Taylor is his connection with other musicians from the same area who have vary- ing talents. He said he's not sur- prised The Melotones have held together and are getting better. "You got a lot of musicians that have no place else to play," he said. The group usually performs twice a month at such functions as area dances, wedding receptions or anniversary parties. They practice every Wednesdav at the American Legion hall in Sebastian. "We usually give (the American Legion) two free gigs a year," for letting the Melotones use the hall for practice, Taylor said. Meanwhile, The Melotones continue to roll on, even though Corey said she originally didn't know how long to expect the band to continue playing together. "I know a lot of bands that have failed, but we just keep right on, going," she said. The group has become closely knit, as well, Corey said. "You can tell how much we love it. They're like my kids though they're the same age as me." Saraga agreed the 11-person- band is the perfect number for de- veloping their music and fun. "I was in another band that had a lot more players. But I think I'm more needed in this group. It's just enough," he said. The Melotones aren't in it for the money. They pretty much pay for the expenses of traveling and set- up, although they do ask for dona- tions at performances, Corey said. "I like to make people happy. My greatest joy is when people ac- knowledge the band and they tell me they enjoyed it," Corey said. The band is in synch with their style as much as the music. The members sport spiffy uniforms that include white shirts and black pants and they look professional. The men wear black bow-ties to performances as well. "I'm proud of my band and I'm proud of what we're doing," Corey said. Anyone interested in contacting The Melotones for a performance can call Corey at 580-1183 or band manager Sam Romano at 589-0388. The next performance for the Melotones is 6 p.m. July 19 at the Sebastian Elks Lodge, 731 S. Flem- ing St. Photo Caption Sam Romano conducts the Melotones during a recent practice. Following the lead are band members from left, Pat Pauley, keyboards, Jim Pauley, saxophone, Gale Matthews, guitar, and Charles Saraga, mandolin. On the record Mayor Walter Barnes recently urged residents to take part in city activities, saying "Please don't for- get democracy is not a spectator sport." Because of an editing error, his statement was incorrectly given in the July 4 edition of the Sebas- tian Sun. END Sebastian Sun Articles a digital text archive The Sebastian Sun July 25, 1997 c 1977 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. President: Darryl K. Hicks. Executive Editor: Larry Reisman. Editor: Louise Phillipine. Advertising Manager: Ellen Smith Account Executive: Doreen Dowell. (USPS) The Sun is published weekly by Treasure Coast Publishing Inc., a division of Scripps Howard Inc., 1801 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960. c 1997 Treasure Coast Publishing Inc. All correspondence, including news copy, should be addressed to 717 Coolidge St., Sebastian, FL 32958. Phone: (561) 589- 6616; Fax: (561) 978-2386. News deadline, 5 p.m., Friday. All display advertising should be addressed to 1801 U.S. 1, Vero ach, FL 32960. Phone (561) 978-2383; Fax:(561) 978-2297. Advertising deadline, 1 p.m., Monday. FROM THE ARCHIVES TOP STORY FROM A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK: A former Sebastian city councilman spoke out against turning the CAV Corp. property north of Riv- erview Park in Sebastian into a park- ing lot. George Reid, who had voted to buy the public property while in of- fice, said the purchase was made to extend Riverview Park. The 2.2-acre open field was bought in the fall of 1991 for $750,- 000 and Reid was one of three coun- cil members who voted to buy it. After his term as councilman, he was part of the five-member Citizen Advisory Task Force that provides recommendations to City Council prior to submission of the Community Development Block Grant application for projects for the riverfront district. CITIZEN OF THE DAY NAME: Maxim Bernardi. AGE: 74. OCCUPATION: Retired ware- house manager. BIRTHPLACE: Milwaukee, Wis. MOVED HERE: April 1984. COMMUNITY SERVICE: Member of the First Methodist Church of Se- bastian. HOBBIES: Fishing, biking, read- ing and cards FAVORITE AUTHOR: Sidney Sheldon. WHY I LIKE MY NEIGHBOR- HOOD: I live in Barefoot Bay. I like the variety of things to do and the relative safety. It's a decent park. WEEKEND PICKS Dive-in movie will be held 7:45- 10:15 p.m. July 25 at Leisure Square, 3705 16th St., Vero Beach. The event is open to all young- sters ages 11 to 15 and will include a movie, swimming, basketball and vol- leyball. The cost is $1 and the con- cession stand will be open. Transportation will be provided from North County to Vero Beach. Fellsmere youths will board the bus at the Fellsmere Elementary School at 6:50 p.m. Sebastian area youths will board the bus at Riverview Park at 7:15 p.m. The bus will return to Fellsmere at 10:20 p.m. and Sebastian at 10:40 P. M. In case of inclement weather, check the event's status, 770-6500. WHAT DID HE SAY? "I just wanted to do something dif- ferent. Other people get their influ- ence from movies and that's just not right." Andy Sorrell (Sorrell, 14, of Sebastian, made the statement in connection with his rea- son as to why he's going to the Na- tional Boy Scout Jamboree in Virginia starting July 26. Attending the jambo- ree along with Sorrell are Sebastian feens Brian Frank, 16, and Brian Bar- bour, 15. Sorrell's older brother, Matt, 18, is going along to supervise the youngsters.) Having the right frame of mind helps some beat summer's heat By DREW DIXON Of The Sun As temperatures continue to climb, more and more people in the Sebastian area are battling the summer heat with some favorite techniques. "These last few weeks have been really hot," said Rusty Crowther, a construction worker helping to build the new Gambro Health Care kidney dialy- sis center at 1424 U.S. 1. The trick to enduring summer activities, be it work or play, is careful planning and forethought. "We drink a lot of water," Crowther said. One of his co-workers, Kevin Foster, who's been putting the roof on the building, spends hours out in the midday sun. "You've got to block (the heat) out of your mind. I've been doing roofing for 15 years," he said. "It's been hotter this summer than last summer. But it's mostly mental" in beatin the heat, he said. While people who work in the heat have the hardest time in the blazing sun, there are standard leisurely activities that help beat the heat. Barefoot Bay residents have a selection of three swimming pools in the community. At the pool at the Community Center on Barefoot Boulevard, any given day during the summer,has hundreds of residents es- caping the heat with a dip in the water. "I'm here (at the pool) at least three days a week," said 77-year-old Andy Giard, a Barefoot Bay resident for more than 18 years. "This is what keeps me going. "I'm a sun worshipper and I get the good exercise that I need. I like the pool. lt's the closest place to heaven," he said. Carl Hacker, 22, is on leave from the United States Marine Corps and is visiting his parents in Barefoot Bay this summer. He agreed the pool is the place to be. "You can't beat this place" in the summer, he said. "The people are all friendly. You got the nice cool ocean breeze and a dip in the pool beats the hu- midity. It's the ideal spot," Hacker said. He said an added benefit is the nearby concession stand where he got a strawberry daiquiri to quench his thirst. "A nice cocktail out in the heat has that nice Ca-" ribbean atmosphere," he said. While a pool is cool during the summer, Barefoot Bay lays the only claim to anything close to a public pool in the area. So many people who don't live in Barefoot Bay take advantage of the Indian River to cool down in the summer. Dennis and Vicki Mecum designate one day of each week as family day. They travel from Palm Bay to the Main Street boat ramp in Sebastian with their 5- year-old daughter, Caitlin, and head out on the river in their boat. "We like the ramp down here," said Mrs. Mecum. "We like to go out to the (spoil) islands., It's much cooler (than the mainland). There's always a nice breeze, especially on the east side of the islands." Mecum said he and his family just enjoy the get- away that takes their minds off the heat. "It's re- laxing to get out and swim around in the river with the family." While there are a variety of ways to beat the heat, safety should still remain in the back of the mind for anyone going outside during the summer, said Dr Kathy Doner, an internal-medicine specialist with an office in Sebastian. But, "even people who are used to heat have to drink a lot of fluid. People in con- struction can tolerate heat better," but there still are risks. The group most susceptible to side affects of heat is the elderly, Doner said. "Someone who is not used to it will have more problems, but the elderly popula- tion has to be especially careful." Don Holmes is semi-retired and likes to ride his bicycle around town, even in the summer. "I just don't pedal too fast. Go slow and take your time and try to stay near the water where there's a sea breeze. I try not to stay out more than a half hour in the direct sunlight. I don't mind the heat. But you just have to be careful. The humidity is what gets you," Holmes said. That's good advice, according to Doner. "Every- one has to be aware of the heat and be careful and plan ahead. "Drink fluids before vou go out, and don't wait un- til you get thirsty (to get a drink). All you have to do is drink water. It doesn't have to be a sports drink," she said. Watch for warning signs that could lead to heat- stroke or heat exhaustion, she said. Some of the signs include feeling faint, dizzy and confused. People also may experience muscle cramps. Beyond drinking fluids, some simple steps can help reduce threats from the heat. She said wearing light, loose-fitting cotton clothing is the first step. "A lot of heat is absorbed through the head," Doner said, making a hat an important piece of apparel. And perhaps even a bigger threat than anything mentioned so far is medication. The combination of heat and diuretics - fluid pills for heart conditions or high blood pressure - can zap a person of their bodily fluids, Doner said. "The person urinates a lot of salt and water and that can easily lead to dehydration," she said. And one other great threat is obvious and that's sun- burn. Doner warned that if people are going to be out in the sun for long periods of time, they should wear sunblock with a high sun protection factor. Photo Caption The pool at the Barefoot Bay Community Center, and its concession area, is always a gathering point for residents seeking to beath the summer heat. Freedom to sail away at moment's notice is the main attraction of living on a boat By Drew Dixon Of The Sun Living on a boat is a fantasy for many people. For Joe Skinner, however, it's a reality. Skinner is one of those rare people who gave up everything, bought a sailboat and made it his home. His 30-foot ketch the Monkiland, moored in the Indian River near the channel leading to Capt. Hiram's in Sebastian, is more than just his home, it's his transportation to freedom. "I wanted to travel and see the world," Skinner said. "On an airplane, you miss a lot. With his wife, Marcia, along for the ride, Skinner said he's happy to be living on the Monkiland and sailing back and forth between the Bahamas and Sebastian. He spends six months out of the year in the Bahamas and the remaining time in Sebastian where his parents live. While the Skinners enjoy the boat life, it doesn't come without work. The two fashion different crafts with cocoa palm fronds to earn a living, both in the Baha- mas and in Sebastian. His wife is currently teaching the craft in Ocean City, Md. The boat is the anchor for their rela- tionship. Skinner bought the boat 11 years ago and five years ago, he met his wife in Sebastian. "She always wanted (to live on a boat) herself," he said. It's a similar story Chic and Anita Pyle, who've lived together on their trimaran, Conch Quest, for 20 years. Their 36-foot boat was moored in the same area as the Monikiland. But the Pyles are much more transient than the Skinners. "I work until I get enough money to go elsewhere or I don't like the job," said Pyle, who is a jack of all trades in diving and boat work. "I like the mobility. I like to travel around to different places." Pylewas preparing to pull up anchor and head to Alabama where more work is waiting, he said. But whereever the work is, his boat comes first. "The freedom and being able to pick up and go" is what drives him to live on a boat, he said. Despite all the freedoms and the wan- derlust that buoys boat dwellers, the life- style doesn't come without costs, the two couples agreed. For example,- the Skinners have no running water on their boat. "At first, it was a big adjustment be- cause you're used to running water. It takes some getting used to," Skinner said. "In the winter, it's cold and in the summer, it's hot," he said of the accom- modations. "We work and work pretty hard" to keep the boat life afloat, he said. "But our expenses are pretty low. What we make we put toward cruising. It's not for every- body." And there are some other serious in- conveniences, including not having a phone, having to run a dingy from the boat to land and having no land transpor- tation when vou get to shore. While Skinner and his wife have two cars that are kept at a friend's house in Micco, they don't have that luxury when they dock in other ports. Laundry is another consider- ation; it's often a chore just to find laundry facilities. "It's not easy," Mrs. Pyle said of boat life. There are no mi- crowaves aboard her craft, but, "I got a two-burner stove and we do have refrigeration," she said. She agreed the payoff in boat living is worth it. "I wouldn't trade it for anything," she said. The specter of permanent boat life is not something that seems likely for either the Pyles or the Skinners. "I would like a small house to have a base to work on the boat. Nothing elaborate and not perma- nent," Mrs. Pyle said. Skinner said he foresees be- coming a land-lover again some- day. "Eventually I would like to plant a garden one of these days. That's kind of hard to do on a boat. We're looking for a place. We're going to have some kids someday," he said. Matt Richter runs the Sebastian Parasail and Watercraft Rentals company that operates out of Capt. Hiram's. In his six vears of operation, he's seen "all kinds" of people who live on boats. I'd love to do it," he said. But in observing boat dwellers, he cautioned anyone who is thinking about it, "You have to maintain a boat like a house. There are hard- ships. "It's a big step," Richter said. "You have to sell everything, (when you decide to live on a boat). You have to get rid of all your' toys, everything, and get ready, to move into something that's a lot smaller. That's the big- gest transition," he said. While even a 50-foot boat might sound big, once people move into it, it seems a lot smaller, Richter said. "You have mobility, but you're restricted," he said. And then there's the weather. Skinner and the Pyles agreed that's the trickiest part about liv- ing on a boat. "I've been through three hurri- canes in the last three years," Skinner said. "It's hard when it gets rough," he said. That's why he and his wife cross the Atlantic from the Bahamas during the beginning of hurricane season in June and don't go back until the season is nearly over in late November. But no matter what adversity Skinner faces, he said, he still wouldn't give up his boat-life ex- perience. "The rewards are greater than the inconveniences," he said. Photo Caption Anita and Chic Pyle enjoy helping each other out and taking care of their boat, the Conch Quest. The couple enjoy the freedom and mobility of living on the water. Photo Caption Joe Skinner tends to a canvas aboard his boat and his home the Monkiland, moored in the Indian River just off Capt. Hiram's in Sebastian. Fish market has smell of sweet success By DREW DIXON Of The Sun Bill Boscobich says he's been able to extend a family tradition into a third generation through his store, Tony's Fish Market, in Grant. The market itself is named after Boscobich's late father, a local crabber who lived in Roseland. Seventeen years ago, Boscobich got into the wholesale seafood busi- ness and three years ago, he opened his shop at 4705 First St. With his new shop came sev- eral instant employees - his fam- ily. Three of his four sons help run the business. "It's nice to have a family busi- ness," he said. "If they don't work on the clock, they work hard. I have a lot of pride." His pride isn't just limited to his family. Boscobich, who lives in Grant, said he's proud to see his seafood market flourish. "We're building it up and we're doing better than I ever expected," he said. His clientele includes custom- ers from Orlando to West Palm Beach. On any given day there's a steady stream of customers. "You should see this place on Fri- day and Saturday, you can't get the door," Boscobich said. He credits fair prices and care for his shop for his success. "We try to keep our prices down and have a fresh product. If I won't eat it myself, I won't sell it," he said. The selection of seafood at To- ny's Fish Market ranges from live Maine lobster to live blue crabs straight from the Indian River. Also available is the selection of fish from area waters including grouper, snapper and flounder. He also sells farm-raised salmon from Chile. While Boscobich enjoys and re- lishes his walk-in customers, a large part of his livelihood is his wholesale work. "We supply restaurants, mar- kets and the Winn Dixie (super- market) district from Stuart to Homestead," he said. Boscobich said business is going well, but he has seen some changes in the seafood business in recent years. "It's a lot harder since they banned nets. It's a lot harder to get reasonably priced local fish," he said. But the fish keeps coming into Tony's Fish Market and so do the customers. Despite some occa- sional adversity in the seafood mar- ket, Boscobich said, "A lot of people come in here because they say it's clean and it's friendly. We're just happy to serve the peo- ple." Tony's Fish Market is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to p.m. Saturdays. Photo Caption Bill Boscobich says he stocks his display counters with the freshest fish at Tony's Fish Market in Grant. City's interim finance director cuts her old job from budget By Drew Dixon The numbers all are adding up for Janet Isman, the interim finance director for the city of Sebastian. Isman, formerly the city's assis- tant finance director, was ap- pointed to serve temporarily in the top financial position when her boss, Joel Haniford, resigned to ac- cept the job as budget director in Santa Rosa County in April. She had little time to adjust to heading the department before becoming im- mersed in preparing the proposed city budget for the fiscal year start- ing in October. "It's been hectic. But I'm get- ting used to putting everything to- gether. There was already an established format. I need to thank the staff here with putting up with me during this transition," she said. While Isman is serving in an in- terim capacity, she hopes it's a job she doesn't have to leave. "I just eliminated my own job (as assistant finance director in the proposed budget). So, I'm hoping it (her job as acting finance direc- tor) becomes permanent," she said. Even if she doesn't land the permanent finance director job, she'll still be able to work in the department as account clerk II. That's the position she created af- ter eliminating the assistant fi- nance director post. Whatever happens, lsman said, she wants to stay in government work. "I've always loved govern- ment work. My father was a fire de- partment chief in Fairfax County, Va., and I got to see government working. "When I got out of college I re- alized government work is what I really wanted to do," she said. Isman was hired in Sebastian in 1995, but served in several other positions before working for the city. Before to coming to Sebastian she worked for the Harris Corp. She also spent some time in the Florida Auditor General's office. Isman said she hopes to con- tinue her career in government work. "You get to make decisions based upon what's fair and benefi- cial for the population as opposed to a profit margin," she said. "It's great to see plans that you had a hand in developing going into affect," she said. In her spare time, Isman loves to love animals. She owns two dogs, five cats, a fish, frog and a snail. "They don't talk back and it's another form of nurturing," she said of her pets. Isman said she also enjoys her 19-foot motor boat which she often takes out on the Indian River. Birthdate: Jan. 6, 1965. Birthplace: New York, N.Y. Education: Bachelor of sci- ence in administration, bachelor of arts in arts and liberal studies and masters of science in accounting, all from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Family: Single The best part of my job is: Working with people. What I like least about my job is: Crunching numbers. The most recent movie I saw in a theater was: "Men In Black." The book I'd recommend ev- eryone to read is: "College Sports, Inc." by Murray Sperber. Of everyone in the world, the person I would most like, to meet is: Michael Jordan. My favorite food is: Bagels and lox. If I was going on a trip to the moon, I would take along: Absolutely no work. When I was growing up, I al- ways wanted to be: A singer. If I were president of the United States, I'd: Create a true progressive tax system. When I want to get away. from it all, 1: Go out on my boat. The person I admire most is: My mother, Dorothy McCawley. My proudest moment was: When I was an academic advisor at the University of Central Florida and I liked watching my students graduate. My favorite sports team is: The Universitv of Central Florida Knights football team. My favorite television show is: "ER." On my last vacation, I visited: The Florida Keys. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is: Walk my dogs. The type of music I enjoy the most is: Rhvthm and blues. If I could do something over again, I'd: I don't really have any regrets. People who know me the best know I: Love to socialize. The most exciting time in my life was: When I was in college. Photo Caption Janet Isman is happy to serve as interim finance director for the city of Sebastian. It's a job she hopes will translate into a permanent position for her. Sebastian group promotes patriotism all year By DREW DIXON Of The Sun While the Fourth of July may be over, there's one club in Sebastian, with direct ties to the American Revolution, that's determined to fan patriotic feelings year round. The Daughters of the American' Revolution, St. Sebastian Chapter, has been in existence for about four years and continues to flourish with members. "We promote patriotism to keep our heritage alive," said Bare- foot Bay's Constance Pearson, a founding member of the local chapter and current secretary of the club. Betty Bock of Sebastian also helped start the @Sebastian chapter and explained it came about in a revolutionary way. "We originally were members of the Vero Beach Treasure Coast chapter of the DAR. But we broke away from Vero, they didn't seem very happy about that, at first. "But I think it's wonderful," Bock said, about a Sebastian chap- ter being formed, There now are 26 regular members of the local chapter and 10 associate members who still belong to chapters in their hometowns but enjoy attend- ing the meetings in Sebastian. The DAR is somewhat of an ex- clusive group in that it does have restrictions on membership, Pear- son said. "'You have to be a descendants of a soldier that fought in the American Revolution," she said, Women who apply must prove their relationship to a soldier is au- thentic. "The difficult part is establish- ing genealogy," Pearson said. And once an applicant declares a cer- tain genealogy dating back to revo- lutionary times, the national office of the DAR runs a check as well. Pearson's connection to the Revolutionary War comes from both her mother's and father's sides of her family. Both of her great, great, great, great grandfa- thers fought in the revolution as part of the Continental Army. Bock's ties are equallv patriotic; one of her great, great, great grand- fathers was killed at the battle of King's Mountain in North Carolina while fighting the British. The DAR is of vital historical reference, according to Aloa Lor- ton, the regent - basically presi- dent - of the Sebastian chapter. "I feel it's very important. But I feel it will be awhile before people realize it. DAR is an organization that a lot of people don't know about," Lorton said. She explained that at the Fourth of July celebration in Sebas- tian, many people asked about the Daughters of the American Revolu- tion, but few had any idea what it was about. "We're trving to preserve our heritage," Lorton said. Her lineage dates back to a revolutionary who served in the Continental Army, as what now would be considered a medic. Lorton finally got around to joining DAR two years ago. Most of the other members had been part of DAR clubs in other cities and switched to the local chapter when the Sebastian organization was formed. "People should feel lucky we have this club (in Sebastian). I had wanted to be in it all my life. I en- joy it very much and there's a little feeling of pride. I really can't ex- plain all my feelings," Lorton said. Beyond the patriotic push, the DAR is tooted in tangible efforts, such as marching in local parades and civic events. But the group also is a charitable organization. "We offer scholarships for two Sebastian River High School stu- dents every year," Pearson said. She said there also are several contests every year - ranging from good-citizenship awards to patri- otic essay contests to helping raise funds for orphans. But the pet project, as far as Pearson is concerned, is keeping an eye out for the well-being of American flags. "We more or less police the area for American flags," Pearson said. She explained when members travel around town, if they see a flag that is tattered, flown the wrong way or anything they think is inappropriate for an American flag, they'll mention something or give a hint to the owner in hopes of instilling feeling of responsi- bility to fly the flag correctly. The DAR, St. Sebastian Chapter, meets the third Saturday of every month at 10:30 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian on Louisiana Avenue. Meetings are postponed in summer months and resume in September. Pearson said the club needs younger members, so anyone who believes they have family heritage dating back to the Revolutionary War should contact her at 664- 4532. Photo Caption Constance Pearson, of the St. Sebastian Daughters of the American Revolution, often sports the club's sign on her car when the group participates in parades and area civic activities. Barefoot Bqv woman finds happiness in art By DREW DIXON Of The Sun Dolores Rose finds herself escap- ing to other worlds at her Barefoot Bay home. Her passion for oil painting is the foundation for tranquil inter- ludes into areas she always wanted to go. She took up the brush and canvas seven years ago. "I finally had the time and I had been doing some sketching. I wasn't sure I had any talent and I went to an art class cosponsored by Indian River Community College, and it was if somebody woke me up," Rose said. She decided to take additional classes and, "I just went on and on," she said. Now she focuses her art on seascapes and still-lifes. "I fill my house with them and give them to my children," she said. One such gift was a landscape of a hot-air balloon race that she gave to her son, Edward, who is the manager of the Dutchess County Airport in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The picturesque painting dotted with the balloons hovering over the turned into the promotional poster for this year's Great Hudson Valley Balloon Race held June 6-8. Rose didn't know it, but her son liked her painting so much he convinced organizers of the race to feature her painting on an 18-inch by 22-inch poster that had 5,000 copies run and circulated to areas across the Northeast as an adver- tisement for the event. She said the honor was more than she ever expected. "I did it for him," originally, Rose said. "He had a graphic artist take a picture of the painting and made it into a poster. "I was so surprised, I couldn't talk. It was just great," she said. A great achievement for a 64- year-old woman who's never sold any of her paintings. "I don't have a chance to sell my paintings," she said. She has taken part in displays and art shows at local events, but her main pur- pose for painting is sheer enjoy- ment. "I think it brings out the best in me. I never dreamed a dozen years ago that I'd be doing this. I feel blessed. I'm very, very happy," she said. Rose likes to focus on portraits of her children and family mem- bers as well as the landscape paint- ings she favors. "I give six months to a year (on each painting). Otherwise, the painting is no good," she said. Her inspiration is "anything that I see that I like. I saw a basket of strawberries and it turned out to be one of my best still-lifes. "My frame of mind is very healthy. It allows me to see things I haven't really noticed before. I see beauty in a weed," she said. It's that type of approach that continues to garner Rose support from her friends and family. Pat Ly- sko, Rose's sister-in-law, said, "She's a very gentle person." Lysko has been watching Rose progress as a painter in recent years and said her art reflects her personal character. "There's nothing shown that isn't gentle. I think it shows a qui- etness. There's nothing malicious," she said. Lysko also said she admires Rose's pursuit of her love for paint- ing in retirement. "She's pursued it as a hobby and she's gone beyond that," she said. "That's something you can do when you get older. It's not just sit- ting around." Photo Caption Dolores Rose says she enjoys painting, a hobby she thought she'd never be able to fully explore. Above, she finishes an oil portrait of her dog, Max, a Yorkshire terrier. Game of baseball knows no age limit By Margaret Miquelon Six years ago, Art Pederquist and Fred Winninger were talking with a bunch of guys about their first love - softball. They got together, just a handful of players, shagging balls in the open field that is now the Barber Street Sports Complex. As more of their friends got in- terested in what they were doing, they had the idea of a ball team for Sebastian. There were Little League teams for the youngsters, the high school boys and young adults had there own teams and practiced there, but there was nothing for that group of fellows who were not really over the hill, but still were not young. What resulted from this bunch of players was The Sebastian Old Boys, a team of men who started playing every Monday and Wednes- day mornings at 8:30 a.m. at the complex. At first, they just played among themselves, hoping that enough would turn up for practice to have two teams. As the interest in the team grew, they scheduled games with a few of the neighboring towns that had teams. This spring, after playing in the Senior Good Life Games for three years, they won that competition's coveted ti- tle. To celebrate, they had a cov- ered-dish picnic at Micco Park and about 60 people attended, includ- wives. They ate, played horse- shoes and other games, and, of course, softball. Now they will en- ter the Good Life Games next spring as defending champions and are determined to keep their the title. Let me tell vou a little about the SOBS, as they call themselves. They must be more than 55 years years old to belong to the team. Each one provides his own glove, shoes, and sometimes his own bat. The rest of the equipment is provided by the Sebastian Old Boys from t@e $10 dues each member pays. Randy's Duds sponsors the team and provides the uniforms. So far, there haven't been any charges of discrimination by women over 55, and I can see why. Would you want to play ball on a dusty field in this heat? I wouldn't, even if I could hit the ball. But once a lady named Helen came and plaved in the summer- time for a month or more. She was good. She pitched, played the out- field and fit in well with the rest o the team. But she didn't come back. So maybe it is a guy's thing. The oldest members, Pederquist, Bob Howarth and Doug Owens, are, 79 years old. The star pitcher of the Good Life Games was Al Robinson, who is 75. Paul Owens has re- turned to play after two bypass op- erations. During the summer, 16-18 play- ers turn out and in the winter, the group will have up to 40 members. They all are all stars; one day, one player will shine and the next time, another. They play seven in- nings in the first game and five in- in the second. It's getting pretty hot by that time. Bob Malone is president, Merrill Cornell is vice president and Art Muenckler is treasurer. The group does more than just play baseball, however. it has plan- ted several trees at the complex. This is a great group of men who enjoy the exercise and camaraderie they get when they share in their favorite sport. And it keeps them young mentally. The team is like an extended family. Sebastian is proud of them. Photo Caption The Sebastian Old Boys brave the summer heat to pursue their favorite pastime - playing baseball. Attention disorder is hard to classify By Dr. Raymond Dean It seems there is no end to the debate and controversy about at- tention-deficit hyperactivity disor- der. The more we learn about it, the more complicated the situation be- comes. Today I want to address one specific key issue regarding this condition; whether this disor- der is, in fact, a discrete, defined illness, or whether it is more like cancer (either you have it or you don't) or high-blood pressure (you can have a little, a lot, or even just a tendency towards it). Without giving you the entire lecture on what the disorder is for those who don't know, I'll simply say we classify it as a psychiatric ill- ness involving difficulty focusing and concentrating, too high energy levels (hyperactivity) and the ten- dency to do things without think- ing about the consequences. The disorder is considered a common condition (5 percent or more of school-age children have it) and appears to persist into the on ongoing debate about the safety and possi- ble over prescription of stimulants medications for the disorder, par- ticularly Ritalin. The debate contin- ues, and I, I too, have concerns about overuse of Ritalin in some situations. Nevertheless, Ritalin been a "wonder drug" for millions of children and adults across the country, and, if used properly, car- ries minimal risk. But that is not the debate of to- day. The issue is how we look at at- tention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. in recent years, there has been a growing though still un- clear body of evidence to support it as being a brain disorder. Indeed, I know of no psychiatrists who look at the disorder as predominantly psychological or environmental problem. However, exactly what brain chemicals are imbalanced or what part of the bran is malfunctioning is still very, very unclear. We still have no definitive blood test or brain imaging technique that can conclusively diagnose the disorder. We have to rely on clinical impres- sions, histories from parents and teachers, and also some very good psychological tests to help make the diagnosis. For years I have felt uncomfort- able with the notion that children "either have this brain disorder or they don't." This is because my clinical experience has shown me that many children have mild prob- lems with distractibility and in- creased energy levels, while others are massively, critically disabled by incessant hyperactivity and mi- crosecond attention spans. There simply is no way that both groups of these children have the same exact illness. By neces- sity, I have recognized there is a certain point where these symp- toms become very disruptive to the children and anyone around them, and actually find that the textbook guidelines are useful in clarifying that point. However, I've always suspected the disorder clearly lies on a con- tinuum with many children and adults having some features that cause minimal disruption in their lives, others with moderate impair- ment and others yet with severe disability. For some individuals, the increased energy levels and high demand for novel stimuli has become an advantage if they chose careers paths that require these traits, such as emergency room physicians, policeman and Wall Street traders. Well, finally, some research to back up this viewpoint. In the June issue of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is a report on research involving a large-scale sample of twins. Twins traditionally have been one of the greatest ways for psychiatry to look at genetic underpinnings, but the most impressive finding of the studv was that the symptoms of the disorder that were passed down were inherited in a "trait" rather than a "disorder" type of transmis- sion. In other words, children in- herited traits of the disorder at all levels of severity, including mild traits that would be inadequate to classify them as having the disor- der. This might not strike you as earth-shattering news. However, there are far-reaching implications to this research in how we look at the disorder and other psychiatric illnesses. For starters, it implies treatment of attention-deficit hype- ractivity disorder really should be approached on a case-by-case ba- sis, closely looking the severity of symptoms and level of impairment to help decide appropriate treat- ment. This would not only elimi- nate the very real problem of some children automatically being la- beled with having the disorder and put on full-dose Ritalin, it would also bring up the consideration that some children with mild disor der traits might in fact be able to be successful in school and else- where without Ritalin at all. Further, we might be able to move away from the stigmatization of having the disorder. Some peo- ple readily accept their disorder and do the best they can with it, but others feel tormented by it and endure criticism and misunder- standing from others. If we now can begin to view the disorder as a continuum that starts with human traits that are not all that maladap- tive and only progresses, in some individuals, to a condition that causes substantial lifelong disabil- ity, then we can begin to have a fresh attitude about both the ill- ness and its treatment. Dr. Raymond Dean is a board- certified psychiatrist with an office in Wabasso. Parents should keep eye out for alligators when their youngsters play along the river By Wally Kramer The recent death of a 2 1/2-year old boy in an attack by a hungry al- ligator brings a few facts in to fo- cus. That unfortunate child was wading in water-lily-choked alliga- tor territory. That gator lay there with only his eyes and nose visible and prob- ably was well camouflaged by the lilies. The reptile's feet were on the bottom in a position giving it an opportunity to charge forward, grab a mouthful, twist and be gone in split seconds. The gator probably was stalking this boy's dog, but the child was closer. Without the boy in the wa- ter, that gator might have attacked the dog on the beach. I live on the C-54 waterway and on two occasions, warned neigh- bors with visiting small children to get those delicious morsels out of the water. On another occasion, I ob- served a Kashi Ranch group of grown-ups, children, toddlers and dogs cavorting in the shallow wa- ters of a wild secluded spot in the Sebastian River. I warned them of the gator dan- ger to kids and dogs wading to- gether, and I believe the warning was heeded. If it was not, then more prayers are needed. Gators rarely frequent saltwater but years ago, they were fed scraps of food at a Micco waterfront eating place. I had a sober friend tell me of a large gator swimming through a water-skiing haven in a cove on the west side of a spoil island off Sebastian. Could this gator have been a saltwater crocodile? Maybe. You can count on gators in the entire Sebastian River system. Walking or wading in the shallows is risky procedure. Your tasty children should be warned in no uncertain terms - if you observe children playing in this forbidding territory, urge them to get out. A stalking or resting gator wil show only its protruding eyes and a nose. It may appear to be an inno- cent floating branch or log. The closer it comes, the deeper it will submerge. The last killing surge will come like lightning at about 30 mph for a short distance. They can travel at this speed on land or shallow wa- ter, easily out running a dog, child or grown-up. On a weedy or brush-covered shoreline, you might encounter Mr. Gator in a situation where you block his path to deep water. Bad news. Gators occasionally will kill or stun a target with a mighty sweep of the tail. So the attack could come from teeth or tail in a blin- dingly fast movement. Gators have been developing their stalking, hunting and camou- flage skills for millions of years. Be alert to the fact they could indeed be watching you, your children or dogs. Keep your eyes peeled dil- igently. Know what to look for. Stay out of situations you cannot con- trol. This is Florida and it is still wild. We humans are pushing into this primitive world that does not belong to us. We are the invaders and we had better learn how and where to tread. We must educate parents so they realize the danger in Florida from fire ants, spiders, scorpions, sting- ing insects, poisonous snakes, sharks, man-o-wars and the celeb- rity of the day, the Florida alligator. Developers and realtors MAY cringe at the thought of negative publicity for Florida, but they should cringe more at the aspect of national TV featuring the gruesome details of the last seconds of life for an unsuspecting tiny childhood) Wetlands program to be held July 29 The Environmental Learning Center will present "Happy to You," a slide show and talk dealing with the hot topic of creating wet- lands and how these wetlands help populations. The class will be held 7-8 p.m. July 29 at the Environmental Learn- ing Center. The cost is $2/adult, $1.50/member). For further information regard- ing this class, additional ELC sum- mer classes and programs, special events and membership, call 589- 5050. The Environmental Learning Center is at 255 Live Oak Drive on Wabasso Island on the south side of County Road 510 between U.S. I and State Road AIA. Sebastian River Post 189 drops game to Port St. Lucie STUART - Port St. Lucie held off Sebastian River Post 189 to notch a 7-5 victory in the American Legion District 12 baseball tournament July 22 at South Fork High School. Sebastian River, which trailed 7-2, rallied for three runs in the eighth inning and had the tying runs on base in the ninth inning. The game started off as a pitching duel between Sebastian's Brent Selph and Port St. Lucle's Robert Sul- livan. Port St. Lucie, the No. 1 seed in the district, grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning, then Selph re- tired 14 batters in a row. Sullivan, however, matched the zeros. Port St. Lucie made it 3-0 with two runs in the sixth, but Sebastian came right with a pair of its own runs in the top of the seventh. With one out, Mike Di- amond walked and Matt Turner reached base on an infield single. The runners moved up to second and third on Josh Redman's flyball. Wilbert Shepherd de- livered a two-run double, cutting the lead,to 3-2. Four unearned runs in the seventh plagued Selph and gave Port St. Lucie a 7-2 cushion, but Sebastian River was not finished. Eric Skala and Brandon Sims opened the eighth with walks. Tom Siedelberg's infield single loaded the bases. Steve Harshman hit a checked swing ball back to the mound, but a throwing error allowed two runs to score and left runners on second and third. Diamond lofted a sacrifice fly to make it 7-5. In the ninth, Sebastian River had runners on first and second with two outs, but reliever Ryan Sneider got Seidelberg to hit a hard groundout to shortstop to end the game. Sebastian River (16-14), the No. 4 seed in the tour- nament, was to play a losers' bracket game July 23 at South Fork High School. The game followed the team's successful start on the tournament's opening day of the Ametican Legion District July 21 when Donnie Foxwell pitched eight strong innings and helped his own cause with a two- run double, to lead Sebastian River to a 10-2 win against Melbourne Post 81. In that game, Foxwell worked out a first-inning jam - bases loaded and one out - by getting an in- ning-ending double play. He did not allow Melbourne to score until a two-run homer by Tim Strange in the seventh, but by then Post 189 had built a 9-0 advan- tage. "He was the story of the game," Sebastian River coach George Young said. "He set the tone in the first inning." Foxwell gave up five hits to earn the victory. Paul Trotman pitched a scoreless ninth. After squashing the early threat, Sebastian River came right back with a four-run second. It added three more in the fourth - two on a Brandon Sims' single. Foxwell's double knocked in two in the sev- enth. Shephard went 2-for-2 with four runs for Post 189. Skala contributed a single and two stolen bases. Harshman and Redman each added a single for Sebas- tian, which took advantage of 14 walks and five er- rors. Week In Review City manager: taxes aren't keeping up Sebastian's property taxes aren't keeping up with the city's expendi- tures, and alternative sources of rev- enue such as impact fees and user fees may have to be found some- time in the future, city officials said July 21. During a workshop on the city's proposed fiscal 1998 budget, City Manager Thomas Frame said council needs to begin addressing ways to increase revenue for the city. Since 1993, the city has been using money left over in the city's fund balance from the previous year to begin the following year's budget, he said. The city will begin its fiscal 1998 budget with about $1.4 mil- lion in its fund balance for unde- signated expenses and about $218,585 for designated capital projects. At the end of next year, the city plans to have $948,695 in its undesignated balance and $75,- 500 in designated funds, interim Finance Director Janet Isman said. Only a handful of people at- tended the session. Two public hearings on the budget have been scheduled for Sept. 10 and 24. Both will begin at 7 p.m. Revenue could be raised by in- creasing property taxes, but Frame said he thought the proposed $6.9 per $1,000 of assessed property value already was "sinfully high." The proposed rate is the same as last year's rate and is expected to bring in $2.7 million of the $10.9 million budget. Other revenue sources include local utility taxes, franchise fees, discretionary sales tax and a share of the county gas tax. The city could save money by cutting items such as travel expen- ditures and education money, he said. But that still might not save enough money for the city to avoided going into the fund balance, he said. Cutting the city work force would be the quickest way to save money, but that would have an ef- fect on the city's services, he said. The city is seeing an increase in its share of the discretionary sales tax and half-cent sales tax this year, which Frame attributed to Indian River Mall and surrounding new re- tail centers. Frame said that money may not continue to increase but may eventually level off. In addition to impact fees and user fees for city services, Frame said the city may look into creating a better fee schedule in the com- munity development department to ensure developers were paying appropriate fees. "So the taxpayer doesn't pay the cost of the developer going through the process," he said. The revenue problems should be addressed sometime within the next three years, he said. As council progressed through the budget, few suggestions for cutting expenditures were made. A $4,000 typographical error was spotted in the legal fees part of the budget, when $4,100 had been al- lotted for maintenance on com- puter equipment instead of the $ 100 that had been planned. Police Chief Randy White had asked for two new officers to ab- sorb new growth in the city and keep the ratio of officers to 2 per 1,000 residents, as well as $114,600 for seven new cars, But Councilwo- man Louise Cartwright said she thought one additional police offi- cer would be sufficient for the Po- lice Department. Vice Mayor Rich Taracka said he thought two officers were needed. Death penalty sought for Hodges State prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Choya Hodges, the 18-year-old Sebastian man ac- cused of strangling his 76-year-old neighbor, then robbing her of her jewelry. The state's notice of intent was filed July 21. Prosecutors declined to detail why they decided to seek the electric chair for Hodges, who is charged in the May 19 death of Ann Marie Fischer. "We filed (the notice) because we feel with what we know at this time, there are certain aggravating circumstances that would warrant that penalty," Assistant State Attor- ney Ed Taylor said. State law requires prosecutors to prove there were aggravating cir- cumstances that made Hodges' al- leged actions especially heinous. The statute on the death penalty lists a dozen factors, followed by a shorter list of mitigating circum- stances. Aggravating factors could in- clude anything from the crime tak- ing place while the accused was trying to escape arrest, to the death involving a law officer performing his or her duties. More likely, the state would rely on one or each of three factors that seem to fit in the Hodges case: that the death happened while a robbery was being committed; that it was committed for financial gain; and that it was especially atrocious and cruel. Hodges, 949 Schumann Drive, was arrested May 23, three days af- ter Fischer was found strangled in her 806 Schumann Drive house. He is charged with premeditated mur- der and robbery. Police say he confessed to kill- ing Fischer during a disjointed, taped interview with two Sebastian detectives and two agents from the Florida Department of Law En- forcement. Hodges said he was in Fischer's house May 19 to pick up a package she wanted him to bring to his mother, who worked as Fischer's housekeeper. While there, he strangled her, took some of her jewelry and cut the phone lines, he told detectives. He initially said Fischer fell and, fearing people would think he had killed her, put his hands around her neck to check for a pulse. He later admitted he choked her and told detectives he heard her gasp for breath as he squeezed her neck, police said. Hodges, who often did odd jobs for Fischer, said he took the jewelry to make it look like a rob- bery, court documents state. Police found the jewelry in his bedroom. Fischer was found May 20, after her son called police, said he was having trouble reaching his mother by phone and asked officers to check on her. A circuit judge last month ap- proved a request by Hodges' public defender to have a psychologist ex- amine Hodges, who his attorney theorized may be incompetent to stand trial or may have been insane when the killing was committed. Hodges, who remains in jail without bond, is scheduled for a pretrial court hearing July 28. Assistant Public Defender Jim Harpring, who is representing Hodges, could not be reached for comment. Planners approve six-bay car wash Site plans for a proposed six-bay car wash for north Sebastian were given unanimous approval July 17 by the city's Planning and Zoning Commission. Ron Adamson, owner of Sebas- tian Car Wash on the south side of town, submitted plans for his sec- ond car wash on U.S. 1, across from Wal-Mart. The city gave Adamson a special-use permit for such a fa- cility in March but with the re- quirement the business close at 10 p.m. The car wash, to be located in the Riverfront District, is expected to comply with some of the stan- dards the Riverfront Committee has been working on for east of the railroad tracks, such as roof pitch, design and facade. The committee has not adopted its final plan of ac- tion yet. However, city staff wanted Ad- amson to put up a monument sign, as recommended by the committee instead of the freestanding pole sign now allowed in city codes. The committee, in its final plan, in- tends to eliminate pole signs and favor monument signs. Project engineer Todd Smith said the car wash would be depen- dent primarily on people seeing the facility from the road, a 50 mph speed zone. "With a smaller sign, traffic tends to be right on top (of the fa- cility) before they see the sign," he said. Smith said the sign has not been designed yet because Adam- son didn't know if the plan would be approved. Commissioners decided to ap- prove the plans as submitted and didn't require the monument sign. In other action, the commis- sion approved site plans for a mini- storage facility to be built on Sec- ond Street, west of the railroad tracks. The facility, owned by Jerry Smith, also would include recre- ational vehicle storage, project en- gineer Randy Mosby said. In their approval, commission- ers added the requirement that landscaping on the site be properly maintained. Massarelli said without a proper sprinkler system and maintenance, "nothing will grow there," he said. The commission also unani- mously approved Capt. Hiram's owners' request to enclose its up- stairs banquet facility. Commissioner Herbert Munsart requested a condition be added that the sidewalk near the business on U.S. 1 be repaired. That re- quested was voted down by the commission in a 4-3 vote. Commis-, sioners Jean Vesia and Larry Driver voted with Munsart. City Council tables ordinance Sebastian City Council decided July 16 to table most of its dis- cussion on a proposed telecommu- nications ordinance until City Manager Thomas Frame talks more with county and other cities about similar ordinances. Frame said at a workshop scheduled to talk about the ordi- nance that he plans to meet more with Indian River County officials as they draft a county telecommu- nications ordinance. He said he wanted to put together a document that was consistent with the coun- ty's. He said the workshop was to give council a general overview and update of the progress of the ordinance's status. The city's ordinance would set requirements for all telecommuni- cations operators, including cable operators, phone services and wire- less services. The ordinance also gives the city greater management of its rights of way because it al- lows fees to be charged of any op- erator who wants to lay wires there, Frame said. Now the city only charges operators a franchise fee. He also said he hoped to begin negotiations soon with Falcon Ca- ble, the city's only cable provider, but wouldn't want to sign any fran- chise agreement until after the telecommunications ordinance is adopted. "Once we cut a deal with a franchise, that kind of establishes the playing field for all time," he said. Frame said he may be looking into getting legal assistance for the negotiations because neither he nor City Attorney Valerie Settles are experts in that area. Ken Vickers, Falcon Cable's re- gional manager, said he thought having similar ordinances around the county would be easier on the cable operator. "I think I would applaud (the city's) efforts as they try to come up with an ordinance that is consis- tent with the county. As a cable op- erator, you'd pretty much know where you stand no matter where you are," he said. In other action at the work- shop, council discussed a proposed resolution clarifying procedures during quasi-judicial council hear- ings and how residents who want to speak on an issue should sign up. Separate lists should be set for affected parties, or those who live close to the property in question, and those who may be for or against the proposal, Settles said. Settles also suggested council could look into hiring hearing offi- cers on some items. Hearing offi- cers would hold separate hearings, and issue a nonbinding objectives recommendation, she said. A hearing officer's recommend dation could give the city legal standing in a court if a decision is appealed by a developer, she said. "(Quasi-judicial hearings) are a big burden on you as a local gov- ernment. You have to weigh evi- dence. it is a burden," she said. Several other cities in the state hire hearing officers as a way of reliev- ing some of the burden from coun- cils, usually made up of lay people, she said. "It gives an objective legal opinion," she said. A hearing offi- cer could be hired for about $75 to $ 100 an hour, she said. "I'm just giving you ideas you might want to consider. It's some- thing that might give you protec- tion," she said. Delta to add flights at Melbourne The pleas from local residents and businesses for more flights to and from Melbourne International Airport have not fallen on deaf ears. Officials with Delta Air Lines said July 16 they will be adding two new flights from Melbourne International Airport to Atlanta In- ternational Airport starting in Sep- tember. The first new flight is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, just four days after US Airways ceases its operation at the airport. "We regularly look at all markets and find markets that we feel are underserved ... We try to allocate our resources to places that will benefit the community and our air- line," said Kip Smith, manager of corporate communications for Delta Air Lines. Smith said the second flight will be added on Oct. 1. Officials with the Melbourne air- port said the airline's service ex- pansion shows its commitment to serving local residents and busi- nesses, and its commitment to the airport. "This is Delta's further commit- ment to this community. We're very pleased they will be able to add that service early on so passen- gets won't.be left without that ser- vice," said James Johnson, director of aviation for the airport. The first flight is scheduled to depart from the Melbourne airport at 12:50 p.m. and arrive in Atlanta at 2:20 p.m.. At night, there will be a flight departing from Atlanta at 10:32 p.m. and arriving in Mel- bourne at midnight. The second flight will depart from Melbourne at 6 a.m. and ar- rive in Atlanta at 7:29 a.m. The air- line also will have a flight that departs from Atlanta at 11:20 p.m. and arrives in Melbourne at 12:4 a.m. Smith said the airline will be us- ing an MD-88, a two-engine air- craft, to fly between Melbourne and Atlanta. With the addition of its new flights, Delta Air Lines will increase its flights from five to seven per day from Melbourne to Delta Air Lines' Worldport hub in Atlanta. For passengers, the service ex- pansion equates to an additional 284 seats per day from Melbourne, or about 208,000 seats per year, according to airport officials. Delta Air Line's decision to ex- pand its services at the Melbourne airport is good news for members of The Community Coalition, an organization recently formed to in- fluence airlines to provide and ex- pand their services to and from the airport. "It's a very good sign," said Penny Chandler, executive director of Indian River County Chamber of Commerce, a member of the coali- tion. However, from a business per- spective, Chandler said there is still a need for airlines to provide more flights that leave early in the morn- ing and return that same evening. "There is a need for business travel for this entire area," Chan- dler said. Photo Caption TOM JOYNER OF SIGNCRAFT OF WEST PALM BEACH carefully adjusts the new sign at Kmart in Roseland. The store will be converted into "The Big Kmart" store with an expanded selection of food items inside the regular store, said Dan Jarvis, media relations specialist for Kmart headquarters in Troy, Mich. The Roseland store's front sign was changed starting July 16 to indicate the remodeling of the store. The Big Kmart store is a new concept the company was implementing nationwide. Stores will be remodeled to allo w food items to be put near the front of the store, he said. The idea is to resemble a convenience store inside Kmart, with items such as milk, bread, cheese and cleaning products, but prices will be kept low, Jarvis said. Photo Caption THE EXCHANGE CLUB OF SEBASTIAN recently held its annual installation dinner at Sea Oaks Beach Club. Newly installed officers for the 1997-98 year are, from left, District Director Carolyn Peeler; Vice President Anthony Donini; President Marjorie Duffell; Secretary Nancy Flinn; District Vice President Ted Ahneman, and directors Diana Best, David Jamar, David Haile and Lynda Gibson. Not pictured are di- rectors Kithy Gutierrez and Rody Johnson. The club actively supports the Exchange Club Center for the prevention of child abuse. Local briefs Women's Guild to play cards The St. Sebastian Women's Guild will hold a card game and dessert party 1 p.m. Aug. 12. A $5 fee in- cludes dessert. Call 589-0325 for information. TOPS begins weight-loss contest Take Off Pounds Sensibly Fla. 289 met July 8. Elizabeth Bennett announced the weight loss contest is now in full swing with several members having the maximum number of points to date. This is a six-week contest and it is slated to end Aug. 5. Buddy cards were shared and the leader asked that everyone up- date her information in the binder, thereby giving a new member some insight into the monthly buddy. The TOPS winner of the week was Mary Ellen Latham. The Keep Off Pounds Senslbly monthly angel was awarded to Gernr Morgan. The program was presented by Faye Harless entitled, "Secrets of Weight-Loss Doctors." She reviewed 50 no-fail strate- gies which stressed on how to get started "right." Instead of thinking of dieting, you must change your eating habits - learn to eat sensi- bly. Another no-fail strategy is to change only one bad eating habit in your lifestyle at a time. When you become accustomed to this change and it is no hardship, start on another. Making slow, steady progress is the key to permanent weight loss. VFW offering line dance lessons The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10210, 815 Louisiana Ave., Se- bastian, offers line dancing at 10 a.m. Fridays, The cost is $2. TOPS 473 studies 'eating out' Take Off Pounds Sensibly, 473, Sebastian, met July 15 at the Rose- land Fire Department. Best losers for the week were Elvie Sanchez, Purina Player and Jim Chambers. A program presented by Jen- nifer Lanam focused on "Eating Out." She explained the do's and don'ts on what members should eat when eating out for breakfast or when at a Mexican or Italian restau- rant. For more information, contact Marian Kutch at 589-4243. Auxiliary schedules chicken dinner The Ladies Auxiliary of the Micco Volunteer Fire Department will sponsor a chicken dinner to be held at the firehouse Aug. 31. Tick- ets, $4 in advance and $4.50 at the door, will be available after Mon- day. Dinners will be served Aug. 31 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the fire- house. Take-out dinners will also be available. Ticket pick up for auxiliary members will be Aug. 7 from 9-10 a.m. at the firehouse, or call 664- 5042. The next meeting will be Aug. 28 at 9 a.m. at the firehouse. Elder Affairs group recruiting volunteers The Florida Department of Elder Affairs is recruiting volunteers for its health-insurance counseling program, Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders. SHINE volunteers provide eld- ers assistance with insurance claims, appeals and consumer edu- cation. Extensive training and tech- nical support is provided. The next training will be held Aug. 29-31 at Sebastian River Medi- cal Center, dining room 1. Call Edra Young at 589-5387 to register. Show off children in recognition quilt Let everyone admire those ador- able baby pictures of your grown or growing children by including them in the Indian River County quilt! Submitted photographs will be transferred onto individual squares of the In Recognition of Children quilt, a featured attraction at the Family Fall Frolic planned Sept. 27 from 10:56 a.m. to 3:42 p.m. (be- cause babies are rarely born on the hour) at Vero Beach Elementary School, 20th Avenue and 12th Street. The quilt also will be dis- played throughout the county after the event. Drop off or mail photographs, along with $10 for each, to: IRC Healthy Start Coalition Office, 3975 20th St., Suite D, Vero Beach, Fla. 32960 prior to Aug. 31. include names or a special message on a separate sheet. Photographs and message, if any, must fit into a 5x5 area. Be sure each photograph has your name and phone number on the back. The first 100 photographs submitted will be readv to display at the Family Fall Frolic. Photographs will be available for return the day of the event. Ice cream social slated for Aug. 9 The Charles L. Futch Unit, 189, American Legion Auxiliary, will sponsor the fifth annual Dorothy Matthews Ice Cream Social from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Sebastian American Legion hall, County Road 512 and Louisiana Avenue. Dorothy Palow is chairwoman of the event and can be reached at 589-0302 for tickets and more in- formation. Proceeds from this event and other auxiliary fund-raisers are used for the needs of veterans and civic and community projects. Men's flag football league to start Registration has begun for a men's flag football mini-league that will hold games beginning Aug. 4 at Kiwanis Hobart Park. The registration fee is $125 per team and $30 per player. Anyone from outside Indian River County must pay $55. The registration deadline is July 29. A mandatory managers' meet- ing is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. July 30 at the Recreation Department of Vero Beach/Indian River County's administration building. All inde- pendent players are encouraged to call the recreation department at 567-2144 for more information. The league also is seeking cer- tified football officials. Call Matt Sims at 567-2144 for additional de- tails. C.R. 512 widening: Stay cheap, pretty Indian River County Commission Vice Chairman John Tippin summed up the feelings of the County Commission July 22 when he said the County Road 512 wid- ening projeca should be "as inex- pensive as possible, but keep it pretty." Public Works Director Jim Da- vis told commissioners he needed to know how they wanted him to design the median along C.R. 512. Specifically, Davis wanted to know if commissioners wanted tall, canopy trees in the median. Putting large canopy trees in the median would require the county to acquire more road right- of way and put curbs and gutters on it, Davis said. That would probably increase the cost of the proposed $ 11 mil- lion project by about $1 million, County Engineer Roger Cain said. A less expensive alternative, which the commissioners sup- ported, would be to make a "soft" median with smaller vegetation and place canopy trees along the side of the roadway. Commissioner Caroline Ginn said she was confident that the less expensive alternative would be vi- sually appealing. "I think the idea is to beautify the corridor and I think that can be done in more ways than one," Ginn said. Blood drive Aug. 2 in Grant The Grant Community Club, in conjunction with Space Coast Blood Bank, will hold a blood drive Aug. 2 at the Grant Commu- nity Center. Blood donated at the blood drive will benefit members of the, community in need of a blood transfusion, said Robin Tibbitts, publicity coordinator for the Grant Community Center. In March, Tibbitts said, the cen- ter held a blood drive to help a Grant resident who was seriously ill. She said more than 100 people volunteered to donate blood that time. It was pretty impressive," Tib- bitts said. "Because of the response from that, we felt it was a good thing to do again." The blood drive will be held 9 a.m. to I p.m. at 4580 First St. ELC plans pond workshop The Environmental Learning center will feature an all-day work- shop "Ponds, Plants and People" 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 25. At the workshop, residents can learn how to build a pond in their yards, and all about aesthetics, in- sect control and pond care. A sack lunch is included in the cost of $25 for adults and $20 for members. For further information about the workshops, additional ELC summer classes and programs, spe- cial events and membership, resi- dents can call 589-5050. Storm aid being taken Residents who want to help the victims of Hurricane Danny can contribute to the American Red Cross. The Red Cross supplied people who were displaced by the storm with shelter and meals and will be providing further assistance. Those wishing to contribute can either call 1-800-HELP-NOW, or for Spanish-speaking residents 1-800-257-7575, or send a check made payable to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, P.O. Box 860938, Orlando, Fla. 32886- 0938. Residents also can contact the Indian River County chapter at 562-2549. Football tickets now available Season ticket renewal for Sebas- tian River High School football is under way at the school athletic of- fice. Season ticket holders may re- new their tickets between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. through Aug. 15. Orders for new tickets will be taken begin- ning Aug. 20. Reserved seats for the six-game schedule cost $30 and include the FHSAA, Kickoff Classic with John Carroll on Aug. 29. For more infor- mation, call 564-4362. Teen trip planned to Marlins' game A bus trip to the Florida Marlins- Pittsburgh Pirates game in Miami on Aug. 16, under the supervision of the Recreation Department of Vero Beach/Indian River County, is planned. The fee is $30 per person due upon registration, which is under way. The trip is for 13 to 18 year olds. It will be Floppy Hat Night promotion at Pro Player Stadium. Game time is 7:05 p.m. The fee in- cludes ticket, transportation and supervision. The chartered bus will leave Leisure Square at 3:30 p.m. and re- turn approximately 2 1/2 after the end of the game. To register, stop at Leisure Square, 3705@ 16th St. Hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call Maggie McChesney at 567-2144. Sharks physicals slated for Aug. 9 Physicals for all students planing to play sports at Sebastian River High School in the fall have been scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon on Aug. 9 at Sebastian River Medical Center. Physicals will be given free of charge, and students must have a physical to participate. Parents must accompany athletes to the physical. For more information, call 564- 4362. Soccer camp starts Aug. 11 Indian River Soccer Association has scheduled a week-long soccer camp at the Hobart Soccer Com- plex. The week-long camp is sched- uled Aug. 11-15 and fees will be $75 for half days and $125 for full days including lunch. Comp team enrollment is encouraged to bene- fit from a 10 percent discount. The camp will be conducted by noted instructor Bill Buren. For more information, call 589- 3319 or leave a message at 567- 1366. SISA looking for players The Sebastian International Soc- cer Association is looking for play- ers for the 1997-98 season. Participants must be males age 17 or older with soccer experience. For information, call Robert at 589-8508 or 589-8784. Miami Dolphins offering camp Miami Dolphins fans, 11-14 years of age, are invited to attend the Miami Dolphins Junior Train7- ing Camp. The Vero Beach/Indian River County Recreation Depart- ment will provide transportation and supervision for this clinic. Participation will allow an op- portunity to attend a skills clinic with Dolphins alumni, plus partici- pants will receive a rulebook, camp t-shirt and goody bag. After the clinic, participants will be able to watch the Dolphins practice ses- sion, weather permitting. The clinic will take at the Nova Southeastern University in Davie from 2 to 6 p.m. Aug. 7. The bus will leave Leisure Square at 11 a.m. and return at about 8 p.m. Please bring a bagged dinner snack. The fee of $12 will cover trans- portation costs. Camp admission and a boxed lunch is provided free by the Dolphins. For more, information, call Mag- gie McChesney at 567-2144. call 567-2144. Sebastian Elks celebrated July 27 Sebastian Elks 2714 birthday/an- niversary party is planned 3 p.m. July 27. Entertainment is planned. Admission is a covered dish. For more information, call Jim Caffray, activities chairman, at 388-5098. Disaster training offered by Red Cross The American Red Cross, Indian River County, will present a class for disaster education instructors 6- 10 p.m. Aug. 5-6 at the American Red Cross, 2506 17th Ave., Vero Beach. Experience in public speaking and/or education would be help- ful, but is not necessary. Commu- nity education is an important factor in disaster preparedness. If interested in helping the commu- nity get prepared, call 562-2549. Baby-sitting classes to start in August The Extension Service will offer free classes in baby sitting for youths ages 11-15 in four commu- nities in Indian River County in Au- gust. The course consists ot two 2 1/2-hour classes and includes care of babies, toddlers and young chil- dren; responsibility and safety; and handling emergencies. In Sebastian, classes will be held at the North County Library, 1001 Fellsmere Road, 1-3:30 pm. Aug. 11-12. To register in Sebastian, call the North Indian River County Library 589-1355. TOPS studies weight-loss goals Edra Young, best loser for the week, presented a program on goal-making decisions at the July 17 meeting of Take Off Pounds Sensibly, FL 641. Members met at 8:30 a.m. at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 815 Louisana Ave., Sebastian. Lin Kocher presented an article on making a commitment to be a friend to your body. Tricia Frankhuisen and Betty Walther will serve as co-chairmen of the committee planning a skit for the fall rally. After the meeting, a birthday breakfast was held for leader Betty Reed and secretary Walther. New members are welcome. Call 1-800-932-8677. VFW auxiliary to meet Aug. 23 The Ladies Auxiliary, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 10210, Sebas- tian, continues to meet throughout the summer on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. The next meeting is planned Aug. 13. Camp pays off for hurler By Bill Valvo Brent Selph went to a baseball camp two weeks ago in Bradenton to improve his skills in the fine art of hitting and pitching. The school was the famed Nick Bollettieri tennis establishment that has been the home of many up and coming racket stars, including Andre Agassi, the former No. 1 ten- nis player in the world. The fact it's a tennis camp with a baseball facility attached did not faze the Sebastian American Legion pitcher because the pool of in- structors were former big-league players. Before last week's game against Vero Beach, I asked Brent about the camp. He said, "I can feel an improvement in my hitting," after the week's stay. He did not elab- orate on his pitching skills. When I first met Brent this year during the opening day double- header that started off the legion season, he was the designated offi- cial scorer for the team and he took that very seriously. I even called him at home that evening to clear up a few missing facts about the games. Last week, however, he was slated to be the starting pitcher against Vero Beach, one of the toughest teams in the league. Brent had an 0-2 record and was anxious to get that first win on the board. The last time he pitched against Vero Beach, he left after six innings on the losing end of a 2-1 game. The game was a continuation game, stopped by rain in the top of the third inning a few days earlier. Again, Brent was behind right off the bat and Vero was leading 2-1. This time, the right-hander had the stuff and the determination. He kept his team in the game with a solid pitching effort and allowed only two earned runs, going five complete innings before giving the ball to reliever Donnie Foxwell, who protected a three-run lead. The game ended in a 12-9 win for Sebastian, its second victory in three games over their arch-ene- mies. Selph earned his first win of the year. But it was in the fifth inning that Brent's week at Bradenton really paid off. He leveled a waist- high pitch that took a one-bounce hop off the left field fence for a double and two runs crossed the plate. It was the most crucial hit of the game. Hoops proves to be popular sport for youngsters in North County By MATT GRIMISON For The Sun Matt Sims can't quite put his fin- ger on the reason youth basketball is in such demand in North County. It may have something to do with the opening of Sebastian River High School three years ago, giving young players an immediate goal to shoot for. Another possibility is the soar- ing popularity of the National Bas- ketball Association and the emergence of professional leagues for women. But when you get down to it, the reason may be the simplicity of the sport. All it takes is a ball, a rim and a net, and you're pretty much set. "People as a whole find partici- pating in it easier," said Sims, who organizes the North County sum- mer youth leagues for the Vero Beach/Indian River County Recre- ation Department. "The NBA might have something to do with it, but just playing it does as well." Whatever the reason, North County youngsters want to play basketball, and they want to play it often. Sims is in the midst of the sec- ond year of the summer youth league headquartered at Sebastian River Middle school for boys and girls ages 6 to 15. It is the only summer league in the county; there are leagues in spring in winter in both Sebastian and Vero Beach. "In the North County area, de- mand for basketball is very high," Sims said. A total of 118 kids have been participating in the league, which started in the end of June and runs throuuh the end of August. They are broken down into 13 teams in four age groups - 6 to 8 years old, the only league with four teams: 9 to 10; 11 to 12; and 13 to 15, all sporting three teams each. The summer league has come a long way in one year, Sims said, and not just in the swelling num- ber of participants to more than 100. Where Sims had to coach many squads himself last year, along with one other staff member, now virtually every team has a coach, plus an assistant or two. Growth has also come in the form of sponsorship. The recreation department had to foot much of the hill for last year's season, which pays for T- shirts and trophies for all the youngsters. But this year, sponsors have stepped up for virtually every squad, and some of the sponsors are from as far away as Vero Beach. And the stands are usually stocked with parents and support- ers, especially for the younger play- ers, Sims said "Overall, participation is what made this league so successful this year,," Sims said. "This is the best league I've ever seen in terms of parents' participation, and businesses have been willing to contribute." Each team plays a total of eight games, and trophies are awarded at the end of the season not only to the team with the best record, but everyone. Sims said that goes to the basis of recreational leagues as opposed to the competition of higher levels, such as middle school and high school ball. "It's designed for fun and sports- manship," he said. "The emphasis is not on winning or losing, but recreation." The league has been well re- ceived by both parents and young- sters While the scores may not get up in the triple digits as in the NBA, you could paraphrase that league's slogan - they love this game. "My daughter makes me come a half-hour early," said Sue Guy, whose daughter, Jaime, and son, Jake, both play in the league. "It's nice, especially in the summertime when kids are looking for things to do." Nancy Clarke also has a son, Roy, and daughter, Katie, in the league, and echoes Guy's sentiments. "They love it," Clarke said. "They're very eager to come. I keeps them busy." Sims said help at the games and companies looking to sponsor a team are always welcome. A business can pay for all the ex- penses of a single team for $125, and their company name will be printed on the team's shirts. Sims is also gearing up for the winter league, which begins regis- tration in October. For more information, call 567- 2144. Photo Caption Patrick Williams of the Sixers looks to pass or shoot while Quinton Douglas, right, and Robertino Guggeri of the Pacers swarm to defend during a summer youth league baketball game for 9-10 year olds. Looking on in the background are Jordan Keller (8), Chris Wheeler (1) and Anthony Williams (3). Youth football league still looking for players By MATT GRIMISON For The Sun if all the new improvements sur- rounding Panther Field at the Bar- ber Street Sports Complex are any indication of how well teams in the Sebastian Panther youth football league will do, expect a great sea- son. Platoons of youngsters have been working out in the first two weeks of practice for the Panthers under a sparkling new scoreboard and nearly completed concession stand/field house. And into the second week of practice, the rosters were filling up, but organizers are looking for holdouts. "The younger groups have been real good," league President Chuck Skala said. "The juniors and seniors have been slow, but it's like that every year." Those older youngsters, who often wait until pads are doled out before joining practices, will have some time, Skala said. The league will be continuing registration through the middle of August, welcoming stragglers weekday evenings at the field. About 100 kids have shown up for the football and cheerleading practices that began last week. The sessions concentrate on conditioning, including getting a lot of running in, as well as basic drills. An example of the superior turnout for the younger squads is apparent with the 5-to-7 year olds out for flag football, Skala said. They already have enough for two teams. The league welcomes boys from 5 to 14 years old for football, and girls the same age for cheerleading. There has been a lot of pro- gress on finishing improvements on the field, Skala said. A shiny new scoreboard is in place and was free after league offi- cials signed a five-vear advertisin contract with Pepsico Inc., saving about $8,000. And work on the field house concession stand is humming along and is probably about three weeks away from completion, Skala said League officials are planning to kick off the season with a Panthers jamboree on Aug. 23. That occasion also will mark the completion of work on the field house and its opening, Skala said. Anyone looking to register girls or boys for the league can go to the field just off Barber Street between 6-8 p.m. For more information call, Skala at 589-1074. * Sebastian River officials have begun accepting renewal orders for football season ticket holders from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursdav at the school's athletic office. Ticket holders can renew until Aug. 15, and the general public can purchase season tickets, beginning Aug. 20. Reserved tickets for the six- game home schedule cost $30, in- cluding the pre-season Kickoff Classic with Fort Pierce John Car- roll Aug. 29. For more information call 564- 4362. * The school is holding physicals for athletes for fall sports from 5 a.m. to noon Aug. 9 at Sebastian River Medical Center. Parents must accompany the athletes for the physicals, which are free of charge. For more information call 564- 4362. Photo Caption Youngsters ages 5 to 14 are gearing up for the fall football season after the Panthers youth football league started practice recently. Youngsters can register for the leaque through mid-August. New athletic trainer joins staff at Sebastian River High School By Matt Grimison A new face has joined the ranks of the Sebastian River ath- letic department, adding to the slew of changes for Sharks' teams in the off season. Alex Valeiras, a former Miami resident with four years of experience in South Florida, has been hired as the new ath- letic trainer for the school. He will begin work when the football team starts pre- season drills in a few weeks. Valeiras succeeds Bo Vechazone, the popular trainer for virtually all of the school's three seasons, who returned to college. Athletic Director Michael Stutzke said Valeiras should be able to pick up right where Vechazone left off - as some- one who can connect with the athletes. "I looked for someone who was personable," Stutzke said. "I get the feeling he can deal with young people and, at the same time, deal with coaches. He's a very outgoing, gregarious individual. I feel the students will feel as confi- dent with him as they did with Bo." Valeras comes from Miami Lakes High School in Hi- aleah, where he has worked as head athletic trainer since 1994. In that position, he oversaw the care of 600 athletes, coordinated physicals, covered home games and supervised college interns. Valeiras also implemented an intriguing program of mentoring high school students interested in athletic train- ing as a career, taught a training course and oversaw student trainers. He said he is looking forward to starting to work with the Sharks. "I know Bo did an outstanding job," Valeiras said. "All I want to do is continue to help the coaching staff and help with the future success of the programs." Valeiras met Vechazone several years ago at a national convention through an official with the company that holds the trainer contract with Sebastian River, Rehab Manage- ment. Valeiras told Vechazone he would be interested in the Sebastian River position if he ever left because he has family in nearbv Palm Bay and liked the area. When Vechazone decided to pursue a second college degree at the University of Central Florida, he contacted Va- leiras and gave him a recommendation to Stutzke, which was an important factor in the hiring. This year will mark the first time athletes at Sebastian River wili have to pay a fee for the trainer. Rehab Management has charged the school a discount rate for first three years it was opened. But now the rate jumps to $10,000 this year, and while the Sebastian Athletic Booster Association will still pay $5,000 of the fee, athletes will have to ponv up $12-50 per, sport season for the trainer. Obituaries Kathleen Stone Kathleen Stone, 64, of Wabasso, died July 10, 1997, at Deborah Hospital, Browns Mills, NJ., after a brief illness. She was born May 22, 1933, in Rising Fawn, Ga. Mrs. Stone was a homemaker and a Baptist. Surviving are four sons, Ralph Stone, of St. Augustine, and Randy Stone, Danny Stone and Ricky Stone, all of Wabasso; two daughters, Connie Singletary, of Sanford, and Janice Solis, of Fellsmere; four broth- ers, J.P. Morgan, Pat Morgan and Jimmy Morgan, all of Florida, and Sam Morgan, of Georgia; three sisters, Sue Gage, Jenny Simes and Barbara Rettenmiere, all of Flor- ida; 19 grandchildren; and three great- grandchildren. A memorial service was held July 20 at Winter Beach Cemetery, Winter Beach, with the Rev. Buddy Johns officiating. Eichel Funeral Home, Pennsauken, N.J., was in charge of arrangements. Willie Williams Willie Frank Williams Sr., 64, of Sebas- tian, died unexpectedly July 10, 1997, at his residence. He was born May 31, 1933, in Wright-. sville, Ga., and moved to Sebastian two years ago from New Orleans, La. Surviving are his wife, Beatrice, of Live Oak; one son, Willie Frank Williams Jr., of Live Oak; one daughter, Anita Evette Wil- liams Crawford, of Live Oak; two brothers, Willie S. Williams, of Vero Beach, and Frank Williams Sr., of Wrightsville; four sisters, Mattie Williams and Blondall Wil- liams, both of Wrightsville, Cora Anderson, of Fort Pierce, and Geneva Barnett, of Se- bastian; and five grandchildren. Funeral services were held July 19 at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Vero Beach, with the Rev. Leon Young offi- ciating. Interment will follow at Gifford Cemetery, Gifford. Sarah's Memorial Chapel Inc., Fort Pierce, was in charge of arrangements. Keith Williams Keith L. Williams, 65, of Sebastian, died July 17, 1997, at Integrated Health Ser vices, of Vero Beach, after a brief illness. He was born Nov. 15, 1931, in Beloit, Wis., and moved to Sebastian in 1988. Mr. Williams was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean conflict and Vietnam War. He retired in 1978 from the U.S. Army and then worked for the Department of De- fense. He was a member of Sebastian First Church of the Nazarene, Sebastian. Surviving are his wife, Carol; one daughter, Laura Lawfer, of Kenosha, Wis.; two stepsons, Michael Summers, of Baum- holder, Germany, and Mark Summers, of Watertown, N.Y.; one sister, Cecilia Ram- sey, of Beloit, Wis.; and three grandchild- dren. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Sebastian. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va. The family suggests donations be made to the building fund of Sebastian First Church of the Nazarene, 50 S. Wimbrow Drive, Sebastian, Fla. 32958, in Mr. Wil- liams'memory. Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home, Palm Bay, is in charge of arrange- ments. Thomas Comber Thomas E. Comber, 74, of Barefoot Bay, died July 18, 1997, at Sebastian River Medi- cal Center after a brief illness. He was born Sept. 11, 1922, in Phila- delphia, Paand moved to Brevard Co'untv in 1990 from Philadelphia. Mr. Comber worked as a plumbin' g ,subcontractor for Local 690 in Philedel phia. He served in the Army Air Corps dur- ing World War 111, and he was a member of the Philadelphia AmVets Post No. 100. surviving are his wife, Doris; two sons', Thomas E. Comber Jr., of Doylestown, Pa., and David A. Comber, of Delran, NJ.;, one daughter, Shirley A. Alturo, of Philadel- phia; two brothers, James Comber, of Phil- adelphia, and George Comber; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchil- dren. A service was held at Mater Delorosa Church in Philadelphia and burial was at Hillside Cemetery, Roslyn, Pa. The family suggests that any donations be made to the charity of on@'s choice. I Arrangements are urder the direction of Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home in Palm Bay. Grace Robinson Grace Sanders Robinson, 88, of Sebas- tian, died July 18, 1-997, at Daytona Beach Health and Rehabilitation Center after a prolonged illness. She was born Sept. 29, 1909, in Sumpter, S.C., and moved to Sebastian seven years ago from Queens, N.Y. Ms. Robinson was a homemaker and member of Bridge Street A.W.M.E. Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. Surviving are her daughter, Leola Rob- inson, of Sebastian, two brothers, Henry Sanders, of Sumpter, S.C., and Charles Sin- gleton, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; one sister, Susie Weeks, of Philadelphia; two grandchil- dren; 25 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. At the family's request, there will be no repose or visitation. Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. July 27 at Sebastian United Methodist Church, and 3 p.m. Aug. 2 at, High Hills, A.M.E. Church in Sumpter, S.C. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Alzheimer's/Par- kinson's Support Group, 2207 18th Ave., Vero Beach, Fla. 32960, or the American Cancer Society, 1401 21st St., Vero Beach, Fla. 32960, in Ms. Robinson's memory. Ms. Robinson was a member of the In- dian River Cremation Society. Jeannette Lajoie Jeannette A. Lajoie, 67, of Micco, died July 20, 1997, at her residence after a brief illness. She was born April 23, 1930, in Lewis- ton, Maine, and moved to Micco three years ago from Winter Haven. Mrs. Lajoie worked for McDonald's for 20 years in Maine and Winter Haven. She was a member of St. Sebastian Catholic Church, Sebastian. Surviving are her husband of 45 years, Robert; three sons, Richard, Lajoie, of Som- merworth, N.H., Daniel Lajole, of Polk City, and Steven Lajoie, of Winter Haven; one daughter, Susan Cote, of Sabattus, Maine; her father, Arthur 0. Bonneau, of Lewis- ton; two brothers, Bertrand Bonneau, of Lewiston, and Walter Bonneau, of Old Or- chard Beach, Maine; one sister, Leona At- senault, of Norway, Maine;, and seven grandchildren. A Funeral Mass was celebrated July 24 at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, Sebastian. Interment followed in Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations he made to Holmes Regional Hospice Inc., 1900 Dairy Road, West Mel- bourne, Fla. 32904 in Mrs. Lajoie's mem- ory. Samuel Moschella Samuel G. Moschella, 65, of Sebastian, died July 19, 1997, at Integrated Health Services of Palm Bay after a prolonged ill- ness. He was born March 9, 1932, in Marcus Hook, Pa., and moved to Sebastian in 1984 from Miami. Mr. Moschella was a member of the Se- bastian River Moose Lodge No. 1767, Se- bastian. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean conflict and was a Catholic. Surviving are his wife, Kathleen; and two sisters, Florence Alta Donna, of Sara- sota, and Maria Pettrucione, of North Mi- ami Beach. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. July 27 at Sebastian River Moose Lodge No. 1767, Sebastian. Marie Krapac Marie Krapac, 92, of Sebastian, died July 22, 1997, at her residence after a brief ill- ness. She was horn Nov. 23, 1904, in Czecho- slovakia, and moved to Vero Beach eight years ago from Chicago. Mrs. Krapac was a homemaker. Surviving are her husband of 48 years, Leo; one son, Otto Kapes, of Barefoot Bay; one grandchild and three great-grandchil- dren. At the family's request, there will be no repose or visitation. No services are scheduled. Mrs. Krapac was a member of the In- dian River Cremation Society. Marguerite Smith Marguerite Ellicott "Marge" Smith, of Sebastian, died unexpectedly July 19, 1997, at Sebastian River Medical Center, Roseland. She was born in New York City and moved to Sebastian in 1994 from Patter- son, N.Y. Mrs. Smith was a homemaker. She was a member of Christ Church, Patterson. Surviving are three daughters, Diane Nikola, of Carmel, N.Y., Nancy Baker, of Chesapeake, Va., and Terri Clark, of Van- couver, British Columbia, Canada; three sons, Kenny Nikola, of Hopewell Junction, N.Y., Barry Nikola and retired Brig. Gen. Don Smith, both of Sebastian; 16 grand- children; 11 great-grandchildren; and one brother, Ridgely Ellicott, of Sun Lakes, Ariz. A memorial service will be 2 p.m. July, 25 at First Presbyterian Church, Sebastian, with the Rev. Dr. Chris E. Zorn and the Rev. Tim Gault officiating. A service will be held 4 p.m. Aug. 12 at Christ Church, Route 311 and Maple Ave- nue, Patterson, N.Y. Inurnment will follow at Raymond Hill Cemetery in Carmel, N.Y. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Marguerite Elli- cott Smith Scholarship Fund, Scholarship Fund Administrator, Carmel High School, Carmel, N.Y. 10512, for a graduating young woman who is pursing a degree in a medical-related field. Strunk Funeral Home, Sebastian, is in charge of arrangements. Robert Thibideau Robert M. Thibideau, 88, of Barefoot Bay, died July 20, 1997, at Holmes Re- gional Nursing Center, Melbourne, after a brief illness. He was born April 20, 1909, in Strat- ford, Ontario, Canada, and moved to Bare- foot Bay in 1979 from Walled Lake, Mich. Mr. Thibideau was a retired self-em- ployed executive. He was a member of Roseland United Methodist Church, Rose- land. Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Mar- garet; two daughters, Martha J. Franchi, of Howell, Mich., and Nancy J. Wilking, of Farmington Hills, Mich.; three sons, Robert J. Thibideau, of Commerce Township, Mich., Charles R. Thibideau, of Novi, Mich., and David J. Thibideau, of Andover,, Minn.; one sister, Marjorie Geisel, of Southfield, Mich.; eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held July 24 at Roseland United Methodist Church, Rose- land, with the Revs. Carl. Bray and Ralph Rivers officiating. The family suggests donations be made to Roseland United Methodist Church Building Extension Fund, P.O. Box 15711, Roseland, Fla. 32957, in Mr. Thibideau's memory. Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home, Palm Bay, is in charge of arrange- ments. END