A Expert Eye For Equine Art
International Fine Art Photographer Irina Kazaridi Is A Master With The Camera

By Mike May

Every year during the winter season, Wellington is home of many specialists in the equestrian world — riders, owners, trainers, grooms, breeders, coaches, journalists and more. Among the visitors are world-renowned equestrian photographers, and this year, that group included Irina Kazaridi, a fine art photographer who specializes in equestrian and polo photography.

Kazaridi hails from Beaulieu-sur-Mer, a scenic town in the south of France located between Nice and Monaco.

Recently, Kazaridi spent two months in Wellington, and she was not alone.

“My family joined me on this trip, so we combined it with a holiday,” she explained.

During the trip, she was able to mix business with pleasure.

“The main reason for coming to Wellington was the Winter Equestrian Festival, a unique and beautiful event that reunites the most elegant equestrian society and their most amazing horses,” Kazaridi said. “I had two small exhibitions of my work planned. One was at the beautiful private equestrian property in Wellington, Double A Stables, and another at the Longines Global Champions Tour in Miami. It was a great opportunity to showcase my work.”

Kazaridi has been taking photographs and showcasing her unique work for more than 10 years.

“I’ve been in the equestrian photography business since 2013, starting with polo in Saint-Tropez, which is near my home,” Kazaridi said. “Over the past 11 years, I’ve traveled the world to the most beautiful equestrian events.”

She excels in taking pictures of a wide variety of equine subjects.

“I photograph all types of horses, including jumpers, dressage, polo and racing horses,” Kazaridi explained.

She specializes in taking pictures of horses because of the appeal of the unexpected.

“I am drawn to taking pictures of horses because of the unpredictability of shooting, and the excitement of chasing the perfect shot,” Kazaridi said. “It’s also satisfying to see my works adorn the most sophisticated interiors.”

While Kazaridi knows how to take great pictures, her ability to bring that photo to life, so to speak, is what makes her artwork uniquely special.

“My specialty is creating fine art portraits for interior décor, and I collaborate with designers worldwide,” Kazaridi said.

One of Kazaridi’s biggest fans is equestrian Ariane Stiegler, president of Double A Stables in Wellington.

“What caught my eye was how she reached into horses’ souls and photographed them in a very unusual way — portraying only parts of their anatomy,” Stiegler said. “Her prints are large, extremely powerful and decorative. I knew when I called her that her uniqueness would set her apart from all traditional photographers in the United States and worldwide. I truly believe she is one of a kind.”

Kazaridi’s latest project is a new and different kind of equine pictorial.

“Now, I’m working on my new book of fine art photographs of the white wild horses of Camargue,” Kazaridi said. “It’s in the Provence region, in the south of France.”

Stiegler knows that Kazaridi’s new project will be well received by the general public, especially by horse lovers.

“She is extremely creative and her new endeavor of shooting horses in Camargue and putting together a book will propel her to new heights,” Stiegler said.

To learn more about the equine fine art photography of Irina Kazaridi, visit www.horseprintcollection.com.

Managing The Mall
Asad Sadiq, General Manager Of The Mall At Wellington Green, Enjoys His Job Helping Retailers And Residents

Asad Sadiq has always had a knack for numbers, a thirst for technology and a fervor for marketing. So, it should not be too surprising that he ended up as general manager of Wellington’s largest shopping venue.

“Looking back,” Sadiq said, “it’s almost as if I was destined for this career path.”

Sadiq is the general manager of the Mall at Wellington Green, a 1.2 million-square-foot, two-level, regional shopping destination featuring more than 160 retail stores, dining destinations and entertainment outlets, anchored by Macy’s, Dillard’s, JCPenney, City Furniture/Ashley Furniture and CMX Cinemas. He has served in his current role since July 2021.

Growing up in Chicago, Sadiq was the oldest of three children. His father was a professional electrician and drove a limousine as a side hustle for 15 years. That side hustle would also help Sadiq pay for college at DePaul University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in finance and commerce.

“I would drive for my dad for a semester, save my money, then be able to pay tuition the following semester,” Sadiq recalled. “It was really a great gig.”

He also learned the value of customer service in that role, which is an integral part of his current position.

“Working in a retail environment and interacting with our tenants and guests can be challenging at times,” Sadiq explained. “But I often find it to be the most rewarding part of what I do. Helping our merchants — particularly our small, independent retailers — achieve their dream of opening a store is easily the part of my job I love the most.”

Sadiq has more than 15 years of C-Suite-level accounting experience in both the public and private sectors. He previously served as property accountant for Starwood Retail Partners, a division of Starwood Capital Group, then transitioned into property management, first as the assistant general manager of Southlake Mall in Merrillville, Indiana, then at Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn, Michigan, both Starwood properties.

The Mall at Wellington Green is managed by the New York-based Spinoso Real Estate Group (www.spinosoreg.com), which oversees operations of more than 74.9 million square feet of enclosed malls throughout the United States. Spinoso brings a creative, entrepreneurial approach to real estate development and management, delivering and sustaining successful projects across a wide range of property types across the country. This portfolio includes work on hundreds of enclosed shopping malls, lifestyle centers and large-scale retail projects.

When he’s not leading his management teams to achieve sales and NOI (net operating income) goals with the latest innovation and technology, Sadiq is likely to be found cooking; enjoying a polo match with his wife Sadfeen and two daughters, Summer and Ellie; or volunteering his time as the leader of Switch, a weekly mentoring program for high school boys at Life.Church in Wellington.

“I’m extremely blessed to have an opportunity to mentor these incredible middle school and high school kids,” Sadiq said. “Programs like these are essential to help these kids find and build strength in their mind and soul, especially in today’s world where there are so many negative distractions.”

Sadiq also recently returned from a humanitarian aid trip to Cuba with Gateway of Hope, a nonprofit organization that funds care centers that distribute medicine and vitamins to children and pregnant women, organizes athletic programs for youth and other services.

Sadiq and his family love living in Wellington and, aside from their go-to dining spots at the Mall at Wellington Green, they do have a couple of local favorites in the community — both not far from his day job at the mall.

“Kaluz has a great kid’s menu, and our girls just love it there,” he said. “Sicilian Oven also never disappoints.”

The Mall at Wellington Green is home to more than 160 stores. The regional shopping destination is located at 10300 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington. Mall hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information about the Mall at Wellington Green, call (561) 227-6900 or visit www.shopwellingtongreen.com.

Vision Zero Action Plan
The Village Of Wellington Has An Ambitious Goal Aimed At Eliminating Traffic Fatalities

The Village of Wellington is currently developing a Vision Zero Action Plan. This plan will guide policies and programs with the goal of eliminating traffic crashes that result in fatalities and severe injuries. Let’s learn more about what this means for residents.

I remember when automobile drivers and passengers could legally choose not to wear seat belts. Similarly, and almost unfathomably by today’s standards, automobile drivers were once able to consume alcohol while driving. Thankfully, legislators took away these choices. Additionally, in 2009, the law which makes it illegal to be unrestrained while riding in a car became a primary law. This means that you can be pulled over and issued a citation simply if you are not wearing your seatbelt. But the result — thousands of lives saved, and serious injuries prevented — has undoubtedly been worth giving up the dubious freedom to go beltless.

Better Vision
Today, as we see roadway fatalities rising and a disturbing 50-percent increase in pedestrian deaths during roughly the last decade nationwide, many transportation professionals are re-doubling their efforts using “Vision Zero,” an approach that has been successfully embraced in several states during the last two decades. This fundamentally new mindset envisions a transportation system in which most serious crashes are prevented. To achieve this, some of our cherished freedoms — especially the freedom to drive at maximum speeds — must be constrained.

First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has been adopted by the European Union with an intermediary target of a 50-percent reduction in deaths and serious injuries by 2030. Europe already has seen a 36-percent reduction in road deaths from 2010 to 2020.

Wellington’s Vision
The Village of Wellington is currently developing a Vision Zero Action Plan. This plan will guide policies and programs with the goal of eliminating traffic crashes that result in fatalities and severe injuries along Wellington’s roadways. The village’s Vision Zero initiative strives to improve safety for everyone traveling around the community, whether walking, cycling, driving, horseback riding or riding transit, and to improve the identified high-crash injury locations, all in an effort to prevent fatal and severe injury crashes. The Vision Zero Action Plan sets an ambitious long-term goal to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries from occurring along Wellington’s roadways. Vision Zero programs prioritize safety over other transportation goals, acknowledge that traffic fatalities and serious injuries are preventable, and incorporate a multidisciplinary Safe System approach.

The core belief of Vision Zero is that fatal and severe injury crashes are unacceptable and preventable. This approach to safety brings together education, data-driven decision-making and community engagement with context-sensitive, people-centric street designs that account for human error, promote slower speeds and improve mobility for all users. With this Vision Zero approach, Wellington’s departments and residents work together to make village streets safer and meet the goal of zero deaths and serious injuries attributable to traffic crashes in Wellington by 2030.

The Wellington Village Council formally adopted Vision Zero, an ambitious commitment to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2030, through Resolution R2022-15 passed in July 2022 mandating a safe systems approach and equitable action plan aimed at saving lives on local roads.

What Is Vision Zero?
Vision Zero is an international effort to eliminate all fatal and serious injury traffic crashes. Adopted by dozens of communities across the United States, it is a heartfelt belief that these crashes are preventable, and that changed attitudes and approaches will enable success.

Vision Zero is based on five key principles: Traffic deaths and severe injuries are preventable; human life and health are prioritized within all aspects of transportation systems; human error is inevitable and transportation systems should be forgiving; safety work should focus on systems-level change above influencing individual behavior; and speed is recognized as the fundamental factor in crash severity. The program encourages communities to adopt policies and implement programs and procedures that can eliminate the potential for serious injury and fatal traffic-related crashes to occur. Wellington’s goal is to eliminate all of these crashes by 2030.

How Does This Relate To You?
As you think about your family, friends and acquaintances, is there anyone you would be accepting of being killed or seriously injured in a traffic crash? Would you miss them and mourn them? You would not tolerate a baby product to remain on the market if it injured children. You would demand tainted foods that made people sick be removed from grocery stores. You expect that the water you drink is free from contaminants. You have zero tolerance for these and similar things. Yet, in the United States, nearly 40,000 people are killed each year on our roadways. Florida has one of the highest rates of fatal traffic crashes of any state. So, why is this considered acceptable? Frankly, it is not, and we individually and collectively should make changes in our attitudes, expectations and approaches to achieve the goal of no one being killed or severely injured when traveling along, around and across our roadways.

The village’s Vision Zero Action Plan will guide policies and programs with the goal of eliminating fatalities on local roadways. The plan focuses on providing near-term recommendations to rapidly implement safety improvements and begin the systemic changes needed to fully realize Vision Zero. Many recommended engineering treatments, enforcement directives and educational programs can and will be rolled out quickly over the first year. But we also understand that fundamentally improving traffic safety and ending senseless tragedies will require a generational commitment to changing culture, infrastructure and mobility planning.

Input From The Public
The Vision Zero Action Plan requires public outreach as it aims to improve road safety and reduce traffic fatalities, and gathering feedback from the community can help ensure that the plan addresses their concerns and needs. Your input is essential for the success of Wellington’s Vision Zero Action Plan. You can provide us with your concerns regarding traffic and safety on the village’s roads at www.wellingtonvisionzero.com.

With sustained vision and dedication to protecting human life as the top priority, the village believes this ambitious goal of zero severe injuries and death due to preventable crashes can become a reality over the next decade. This action plan provides a comprehensive roadmap to get Wellington to zero. It will require a massive community education effort and also necessitate a paradigm shift in how local government and drivers think about safety — like what we’ve seen with seat belts.

Early Restaurants In Wellington
Recollections From Longtime Wellington Restaurant Owners Gabriel Finocchietti And Dennis Witkowski

By Joshua Manning

This month, Wellington History features two longtime restaurateurs who have served up great comfort food to generations of Wellington residents — Gabriel Finocchietti of Gabriel’s Café & Grille and Dennis Witkowski of the former Cobblestones restaurant.

Today, Wellington is home to a wide array of restaurants, representing all types of cuisines. However, that was not always the case. In its early years, Wellington had precious little to offer those looking for a decent meal outside the home.

Gabriel Finocchietti owns the oldest continually operating restaurant in Wellington. His café in the Wellington Plaza was initially run by the mother-in-law of builder Alan Black, who developed what was then called Wellington Country Plaza, the young community’s first shopping center.

Known as Annamarie’s Café, she ran it for several years in the late 1970s and early 1980s before the Black family moved to Australia. The restaurant changed hands and was known for a time as Angelo’s Café. That was until 1990, when Finocchietti bought the place, and it became Gabriel’s Café & Grille.

“When I moved to Sugar Pond, my neighbor owned Mom’s Kitchen on Lake Worth Road. I worked at the Breakers. We knew each other for a while. He came to my house and said there was a restaurant for sale down the street,” Finocchietti recalled. “That’s what did it. The deal was good, and I bought it. That was 1990, and we are still here today.”

While the community has grown exponentially during that time, so has the competition.

“When I bought Gabriel’s, there were only three breakfast restaurants, and now there are at least eight,” he explained.

Nevertheless, the café has garnered many regular clients through the years, all of whom become part of Finocchietti’s extended family.

“People-wise, there is still a lot of connection because we have known them for 30-plus years,” he said. “We share the good and the bad. That is the main reason why I am still here to today — the people and the connections.”

And that includes the staff, such as server Laurie Purvis, who has been working there for 33 years. She was working at nearby Squire’s Deli, came for lunch one day and never left.

“Some of the old generation people are still here,” Finocchietti said. “Now there’s the second generation with the third generation coming in.”

The growth on State Road 7, particularly around the Mall at Wellington Green, has made business more competitive but also brought in more people.

“Now we are looking at Southern Blvd. also getting competitive with traffic and businesses. But the heart of Wellington, where Gabriel’s is located, has not changed that much,” Finocchietti said. “In season, we definitely see more traffic due to the horse industry from January until the end of April. At the same time, that gives 100 percent of the businesses in the community more business this time of the year. Every restaurant or shop or supermarket is increasing its volume.”

He is proud to have spent the last 30 years producing homemade, good quality food that people enjoy almost like it was cooked at home.

“Everything is made fresh, from soup to salads. On our menu, everything is cooked to order,” Finocchietti said. “The menu includes standard breakfast and lunch items, but also some Italian dishes and Hispanic influence to give people a little more variety.”

He particularly likes it when people compliment the food. Popular breakfast items are waffles, omelets and Mama’s Stuffed Egg Crepes. For lunch, people love the burgers, Cuban sub, turkey club, Reuben sandwich and the wide array of salads.

Like the owners of most small businesses, you’ll usually find Finocchietti at the restaurant when it is open.

“The key is dealing with every single consequence. If it was not for me dealing with it, I don’t think it would survive,” explained Finocchietti, who personally manages the restaurant with help from veteran staff members. “A manager, a cashier and a host would take most of the profit away. You have to be able to take care of problems. If the chef is sick, I can go back and cook if necessary. I know all the jobs in this place.”

Meanwhile, life goes on. His two children, Lisa and Gabriel, grew up in the restaurant. They still live locally, along with Finocchietti’s four grandchildren.

“People ask if I get a day off. No, I love to come here. The people who come here are my friends. We talk all about our town,” Finocchietti said. “My wife Darlene and I have redecorated the restaurant through the years. Currently, with a Carolina country décor. It makes the restaurant cozy and homey.”

Fellow restaurateur Dennis Witkowski was a fixture in Wellington during the community’s early years.

“I came to Wellington in 1979. I had just moved down from New York’s Long Island, where I had a saloon in Hampton Bays,” Witkowski recalled. “I got tired of the Long Island winters and moved to my dream destination of West Palm Beach.”

His first trip to Wellington had been the year before, in the winter of 1978. “A couple of buddies of mine invited me out to play a round of golf at the newly opened Palm Beach Polo golf course,” Witkowski said. “It was the middle of nowhere and seemed like an eternity driving out on Forest Hill Blvd.”

Yet, Wellington is where he ended up working, taking a job as a bartender at the soon-to-be-open Wellington Country Club, now known as the Wanderers Club.

“We opened that club at the end of 1979, I think on New Year’s Eve,” Witkowski said. “It was a remarkable bar. It was the centerpiece of the community of Wellington, which had about 3,000 people at the time.”

Witkowski, who is quite tall, remembers his time as a bartender there fondly.

“It was a sunken bar. It was three feet below the area. My head could barely clear the glass rack,” he said. “People got a look of amazement when they realized how tall I was. Everyone from the community of Wellington gathered there. I particularly remember the newly formed Exchange Club. Everyone who was anyone was a member.”

The club had its weekly meetings and always started with cocktails at the bar, he said. “I got to know all of the who’s who of Wellington very quickly,” Witkowski said, specifically noting early Wellington leaders Frank Gladney, Frank Glass and Bink Glisson. “I held that job a couple of years until I got the opportunity to open Cobblestones.”

Witkowski’s new restaurant was one of the first businesses at the new Town Square shopping plaza when Cobblestones opened on Dec. 3, 1982.

“Up to that point, all we had was one shopping plaza in Wellington,” he said. “At the end of 1982, we had the opening of the original Wellington Mall and Town Square, nearly simultaneously. I was caught with the decision of where to open my restaurant. I chose to go where Publix was opening, which turned out to be a terrific location. We had an instant hit on our hands.”

Witkowski operated the restaurant until 1994, when he sold it to the Murphy family and, for a while, switched careers to become a financial consultant.

“I’ve had half a dozen restaurants in my life, but that was the star of all of them,” he said of Cobblestones. “I remember it fondly, and so does the community. It was Wellington’s finest restaurant in terms of the community. Everyone in Wellington embraced it and used it.”

Before the place even opened, Witkowski recalls going out to the site and drawing out its layout in the dirt.

“I enjoyed the whole building process — creating something from the ground up,” he said. “It was such a wonderful gathering place for the community. It was a place where we had the owners of the polo teams, polo players and the grooms. It encompassed everyone in the community, and the equestrian aspect was definitely significant.”

Through Cobblestones, he became friendly with polo royalty, such as Memo Gracida and the entire Gracida family. The place also had its fair share of celebrity sightings.

“We certainly had a huge number of celebrities that came to Wellington back then, particularly due to polo,” Witkowski said. “One of my favorite customers was Zsa Zsa Gabor. She became a great customer and friend. She returned and brought Fifi, her chihuahua. We made an exception and let her bring the dog in. Later, she brought her good friend Merv Griffin, back then the No. 1 TV producer in the world. He became a friend, and we got to play tennis together. Perhaps even more famous was the day Paul Newman came in with his wife Joanne Woodward. He was probably the top movie actor at the time. I was totally awestruck to have him in the restaurant.”

During his time in Wellington, he saw the community grow quickly from 3,000 to 20,000 residents.

“It had such a wonderful, small-town feeling. Everyone just knew everybody. We were all coming off the ark onto this new land together,” Witkowski recalled. “Everybody was in the same boat coming into this brand-new community. It had little to offer, but it gave us a chance to create a sense of community.”

After Cobblestones closed, the site later became a Mexican restaurant called La Fogata. “I went to the Mexican place a few times, but there were too many ghosts for me,” Witkowski said.

After a major health scare, Witkowski returned to the restaurant business in the early 2000s with support from his longtime friend, developer Bruce Rendina.

“In 2001, I suffered a brain tumor, and as I was lying in JFK Hospital in recovery, Bruce came to my bedside and told me that we would open a new restaurant in Abacoa,” Witkowski said. “Soon thereafter, we did just that. In 2001, I opened Stadium Grill with Bruce as my partner, and I have remained in that restaurant until today.”

Nowadays, he operates Stadium Grill with his son, Ryan Witkowski, who grew up at Cobblestones in Wellington.

 

 

Fallen Firefighter Memorial Project
Retired Firefighters Group Raising Money To Honor All Those Who Have Made The Ultimate Sacrifice

By Joshua Manning

The Retired Firefighters of Palm Beach County have a long history of projects that give back to the community, and that includes the nonprofit’s current effort toward creating a memorial to honor fallen firefighters.

The Fallen Firefighter Memorial Project will create a Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park at Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue headquarters on Pike Road. Included at the memorial park will be a statue honoring those who have given their lives in service to the community.

“We are always giving back to the community,” said Vicki Sheppard, president of the Retired Firefighters of Palm Beach County. “We looked at what would be our fundraiser this year, and we have decided to give back to our fallen firefighters, creating something local to honor them.”

This unique project serves two purposes: design and designate the Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park, which will contain a Fallen Firefighter statue, and to provide financial assistance for the families of fallen firefighters to attend national and state ceremonies honoring their heroes.

“The fallen firefighters’ statue in a memorial park seemed like a wonderful, lasting tribute to the fallen firefighter families,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard noted that many Palm Beach County firefighters have given the ultimate sacrifice while serving their community. To honor them, the Retired Firefighters of Palm Beach County partnered with the Professional Firefighters/Paramedics of Palm Beach County Local 2928 I.A.F.F. Inc. to create this memorial project, which will honor fallen firefighters from all departments in the county. The organizations have held fundraisers to bring this project to fruition but are also reaching out to the community for financial support.

Fallen firefighters are those who have died as a result of occupational injuries or diseases, including heart and lung issues, and specific types of cancers. The local Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park will provide a central venue for ceremonies where fallen firefighter families will be honored and recognized for their sacrifices.

Firefighting is recognized globally as one of the most dangerous professions. In the United States, about 45 percent of firefighters’ on-duty deaths are due to cardiovascular events.

In addition, firefighters have a nine percent higher risk of an occupational cancer diagnosis and a 14 percent higher risk of dying from an occupational cancer than the general population.

Meanwhile, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation estimates that there are between 100 and 200 firefighter deaths by suicide each year. While there has been a renewed emphasis on prevention, occupational deaths still occur at an alarming rate.

The Retired Firefighters of Palm Beach County acknowledge the dangers of firefighting and the unacceptably high rates that active and retired firefighters are passing away and believe that these sacrifices need to be memorialized locally.

“This project is important because the fallen firefighter families have given so much. Their spouses have given so much to serve the community. They lost their spouses at relatively young ages. The average age for our firefighter cancers deaths is 58 years old,” Sheppard said. “We try to make sure that they are remembered.”

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue is the primary agency providing lifesaving services for residents here in the western communities. A number of local families have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

In 2008, PBCFR Capt. Butch Smith, who worked in The Acreage, was diagnosed with Stage 4 multiple myeloma and was initially given two years to live.

Smith took his cancer fight public, determined to raise awareness on firefighter cancers through fundraising events. For nearly nine years, he fought through stem cell therapy, hospital admissions and releases, rounds of chemotherapy and other procedures. Meanwhile, his annual fundraiser provided more than $250,000 to local charities. In 2017, Smith passed as valiantly as he lived.

In Royal Palm Beach, firefighters who merged into PBCFR from the village’s independent fire department in 1999 included Fire Marshal Tom Vreeland and Training Capt. Dave Haggerty. They passed away in 2011 and 2017, respectively, from occupational cancers.

In Wellington, fallen firefighters to heart disease and occupational cancers included Capt. Earl Wooten in 2019. Prior to his death, Wooten and his wife Mary donated the Fallen Firefighter Remembrance Table that the Retired Firefighters use at their gatherings to remember “those who have gone before us.” Mary Wooten is now supporting the Fallen Firefighter Memorial Project. “A lot of people don’t have contact with fire-rescue families and don’t know what has happened to these guys,” Wooten said.

She urged people from across the community to support this worthy project. “During their lives, the retired firefighters have given their all to help the community,” Wooten said. “They run in as people run out to help people and save lives. It is about time that everybody learns what these gentlemen did.”

Carrying on the family legacy, Wooten’s son, Earl II, is the fire chief at Okeechobee County Fire Rescue, while another son, John, works as a firefighter at Highlands County Fire Rescue.

Heart disease and cancers can affect all firefighters, regardless of department. In 2012, Eric Patrie from Delray Beach Fire Rescue passed away at age 37 from brain cancer. In 2023, Capt. Brian Wolnewitz passed away at the age of 44 from lung cancer, even though he never smoked.

Wolnewitz, a father of four, was a 20-year veteran of Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue and was told by his doctors that his cancer came from breathing in toxins while on the job as a firefighter. During his two-year battle with cancer, he raised awareness of firefighter cancers and fought to advance treatments so that others might benefit from his journey.

“These heroes selflessly gave everything they had to protect us and our neighbors,” his widow Julie Wolnewitz said. “By building a memorial here in Palm Beach County, we ensure that no one forgets the courage, bravery and dedication of our firefighters. It also gives the families and friends of the fallen a place to honor their loved ones. Many of these firefighters have young children, including mine. A local memorial is something that our children can be proud of, knowing that their dad or mom was a true hero that the community respects and will never forget.”

PBCFR’s Battalion 2 covers the western communities and is led by District Chief Amanda Vomero.

“The Fallen Firefighter Memorial Project is unlike any other memorial we have in our area,” Vomero said. “The lifelike statue holding a folded flag over the kneeling or fallen firefighter is a constant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who chose to serve their community. They chose to put the safety and needs of their neighbors over their own.”

She believes this is a great way to honor those who gave their lives.

“Every time the family, friends and co-workers of the fallen look at the memorial, they will feel pride and gratitude, knowing the community they served supported them and are thankful for the sacrifices made,” Vomero said.

In 2014, PBCFR took the lead on firefighter cancer prevention by organizing a new cancer prevention and research team called FACE (Firefighters Attacking the Cancer Epidemic). FACE formed a successful partnership with the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami.

Departments from all over South Florida came on board, and the first Florida firefighter cancer study was launched, known as the Firefighter Cancer Initiative (FCI). FCI was the catalyst to what is now the Firefighter Cancer Law, adopted in 2019 to provide assistance to firefighters with specific cancers. Firefighter cancer prevention now includes standard procedures such as post-fire decontamination, fireground air monitoring and annual medical screenings.

Firefighter occupational cancer deaths are now recognized on the state and I.A.F.F. fallen firefighter memorials, resulting in approximately eight firefighter names a year being added to the wall from Palm Beach County fire departments.

There is a national fallen firefighter memorial statue in Emmitsburg, Maryland, at the National Fire Academy, as well as a fallen firefighter memorial statue in Ocala at the Florida State Fire College and in Tallahassee at the Florida State Capitol. The I.A.F.F. Inc. has a fallen firefighter memorial statue in Colorado Springs. But there is currently no statue or memorial park in Palm Beach County to honor the sacrifices of fallen firefighters and their families.

The Retired Firefighters and Local 2928 plan to donate a fallen firefighter memorial statue to Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue, the county’s largest fire department. To accomplish this, they worked with Art in Public Places to design the Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park with a bronze statue at the entrance to PBCFR headquarters at 405 Pike Road, located at the roundabout in front of the Chief Herman Brice Headquarters and Regional Training Center.

“We thought that was a great spot with so many people coming to it. They can see the dangers of firefighting and pay tribute to those who have already fallen,” Sheppard said.

The Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park will provide a centerpiece and visual reminder to the fallen firefighter families, current fire service members and the community to recognize the dangers of firefighting, strive for health and wellness prevention, and reinforce the solemn oath to never forget those who have been lost.

Sheppard noted that Florida Power & Light, the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Baptist Health South Florida are key supporters of the project, and she invited others from the community to get involved as well.

“The firefighters are there to protect everyone in their time of need, and I think it is nice when the community can support firefighters in their time of need,” she said. “This is a great opportunity to support your firefighters and the community.”

The project is expected to be complete in the last quarter of 2024 or the first quarter of 2025. Donations to support the project are being accepted through the Retired Firefighters of Palm Beach County, a nonprofit organization.

To learn more about the Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park and how you can become involved, visit www.ffmemorial.com.

HSS Donation To Support Florida Trauma Care
Contribution By Marina Kellen French And Wellington’s Annabelle Garrett Will Boost Growth In The Palm Beach Region

The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) recently announced a $2 million contribution from HSS Trustee Marina Kellen French, and her daughter Annabelle Garrett of Wellington, to endow the trauma directorship at HSS Florida in West Palm Beach, as part of its growth plans.

The announcement of the donation was made earlier this year during a cocktail reception hosted by Palm Beach residents Nick and Barrie Somers with HSS physicians and notable members of the community in attendance.

As a leader of excellence in orthopedics, HSS is dedicated to bringing its world-class musculoskeletal care closer to home for Florida residents. Since the opening of HSS Florida four years ago, the facility has become a top choice for care in sports medicine, joint replacement, hand and upper extremities, physiatry, radiology, trauma and rehabilitation. Clinical leaders at the forefront of orthopedic research and care ensure a high level of expertise from diagnosis through treatment and recovery.

Most recently, spine surgeon Dr. Zachary J. Grabel and hand and upper extremity surgeon Dr. Matthew A. Butler were welcomed to the team. Continued collaboration among colleagues across the organization to pioneer cutting-edge treatments with the use of robotics, machine learning, regenerative medicine and wearable technology allows for continued optimization of patient outcomes.

“Our growth strategy underscores our commitment to providing accessible, high-quality healthcare to Floridians in new ways and in new places,” said Tara McCoy, CEO of HSS Florida. “We will utilize our knowledge and expertise to establish clinical collaborations and partner with other organizations, like the new HSS partnership at Naples Community Hospital, to extend our reach and impact across the state and southern region.”

HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is the Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics, No. 2 in rheumatology, and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Founded in 1863, the hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics and among the lowest infection and complication rates. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida.

In addition to patient care, HSS is a leader in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through the prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration.

In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.

The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices, while the HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees and consumers in over 165 countries.

Learn more about HSS at www.hss.edu. For more information about HSS Florida, visit www.hss.edu/florida.

Historic Council Bids Farewell
Transformative Wellington Village Council Remained Unchanged For Eight Years

By Mike May

This month marks the end of an era in Wellington government. For the first time in village history, the Wellington Village Council remained unchanged for eight solid years. They were blockbuster years with major changes, led by a panel of leaders who were unusually cohesive — and almost always got along well, even amid a few significant disagreements.

Meanwhile, the Village of Wellington has garnered some special recognition in recent years, such as an All-American City finalist, Money Magazine’s Best 100 Places to Live in the USA, listed as one of the Top 10 Safest Cities in Florida in 2022, and the Eighth Best Place to Live for Families, according to Fortune.

Many of those accolades came due to policies put in place by the five individuals who made up the Wellington Village Council over the past eight years — Mayor Anne Gerwig, Michael Drahos, John McGovern, Michael Napoleone and Tanya Siskind.

The outgoing council is a quintet of dedicated, diverse, driven and dynamic individuals who are diehard advocates of Wellington with a goal to serve the best interests of the residents and the village, even if there is always some disagreement on how best to accomplish that monumental task.

They have worked closely together, effectively and efficiently, to guide and oversee Wellington’s growth and expansion, and sometimes redevelopment. Not only have they served and worked well together, they have also been able to cooperate, communicate and compromise in an effort to serve the best interests of the village.

“It has been a hardworking group of people,” said McGovern, and those sentiments were shared by his fellow council members.

Nothing — whether hurricanes or a pandemic — has impeded the ability of this five-person delegation to meet on a regular basis to successfully conduct the business of the Village of Wellington. For the last eight years, whenever the clock struck 7 p.m. on a meeting night, Gerwig, Siskind, Drahos, Napoleone and McGovern were almost always sitting in their seats on the dais.

“We worked hard to work together,” Napoleone said.

“We never rubber-stamped any issues,” Drahos added.

“We have made many decisions with the best interests of the Village of Wellington in mind,” McGovern explained. “I call it community unanimity.”

This council came together after a tumultuous time in Wellington history, following a council that was sharply divided on many significant issues, but more importantly, did not get along.

“We restored a sense of order to the council,” said Gerwig, who has lived in Wellington for more than 30 years, where she and her husband run a business and raised their three children. “Before us, the council had become dysfunctional.”

This council, which includes the first two council members (McGovern and Drahos) who actually grew up in Wellington, was determined to strike a different tone.

“We’ve listened to the residents of the community and made decisions which were in the best interests of Wellington,” said Siskind, who considers herself a public servant, not a politician.

“We brought an unprecedented era of calm, collaboration, cohesion and continued success to the council,” McGovern added.

According to Drahos, “We brought credibility and stability to the council. We showed how to properly behave as elected officials.”

Napoleone referred to it as “bringing civility back to council meetings.”

If you look at this council’s list of achievements, it’s impressive and worth reviewing. It includes, but is not limited to, the construction of the new Wellington Town Center, which included the expansion of the Wellington Amphitheater and Scott’s Place playground, as well as the creation of the new Lakefront Promenade. Behind the scenes, they oversaw a $50 million modernization of Wellington’s water and wastewater utilities. They expanded the Wellington Tennis Center and have approved the construction of a new Wellington Aquatics Complex be built at Village Park, replacing an aging and outdated facility.

The council also approved and funded the acquisition of 45 acres of land for the expansion of the Wellington Environmental Preserve at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Everglades Habitat located off Flying Cow Road. This adds significantly to what was already a huge passive park and natural area. They also approved, funded and constructed the new Greenview Shores Park at Wellington High School’s campus, which features the largest non-collegiate artificial turf field east of the Mississippi River and is being used by dozens of local sports teams.

After decades of discussion, the council passed Wellington’s first golf cart ordinance.

“It was a safety issue,” Drahos said. “It was not an easy issue. It was very complex and difficult. But it’s critical to our way of life in Wellington.”

Possibly the most high-profile decision by the council was its recent approval of the Wellington Lifestyle Partners project, which while controversial for allowing the removal of some land from Wellington’s signature Equestrian Preserve Area, it will bring two significant recreational improvements that will benefit all residents.

Wellington will gain control of 55 acres just north of Forest Hill Blvd., which will become a new passive park on former golf course land that has been repeatedly suggested for development.

More importantly, the approval paves the way for the construction of an expanded equestrian showgrounds to be completed by 2028, allowing Wellington to continue to shine as the Winter Equestrian Capital of the World.

“That was a super hard, intense issue,” Gerwig recalled.

The council has also looked into the future of the village-owned K-Park property and settled longtime litigation issues affiliated with the land around the Mall at Wellington Green.

“Making those decisions was essential for the next decade of Wellington,” McGovern noted.

Supporting public education has been another priority of the council, which has increased the village’s Keely Spinelli grant award amounts given annually to each public school in Wellington, which has helped to keep Wellington’s schools A-rated.

The council also made decisions that have positively impacted the lifestyles of Wellington residents, such as the approval of new events like weekly outdoor concerts, the inclusion of food trucks, an expanded green market, and special events like the Wellington Classic Brew Fest and Bacon & Bourbon Fest.

There were significant policy initiatives, too. “We designed, passed and funded the first paid parental leave policy in Palm Beach County, supporting our employees that are new mothers and fathers,” McGovern noted.

All these improvements and upgrades to the quality of life in Wellington have been achieved without raising the millage rate.

“Our ability to maintain our way of life without raising the tax rate was not easy,” Drahos said.

Gerwig pointed out that while the council made decisions that provided direct and tangible benefits to Wellington residents, these “big picture” decisions also positively impacted residents of nearby communities.

“Our amenities are also enjoyed by those living in the surrounding communities, such as Royal Palm Beach, Greenacres and Boynton Beach,” Gerwig said. “We don’t live in a bubble.”

While this diverse council often had different points of view, they all voted based on what they felt were in the best interests of Wellington. After each vote, they would transition to the next topic. For Drahos, Napoleone and McGovern, that behavior is second nature, since they are all attorneys.

“We are all trained to be prepared, and we never carry with us the baggage of disagreement,” Drahos said.

“We are trained to take input, assess the issue, make a decision, cast a vote and then move on,” Napoleone agreed.

“We may have agreed or disagreed, but we were never disagreeable,” McGovern added. “We know how to properly behave as elected officials.”

Siskind also has a tendency to think like an attorney. “I am married to an attorney,” she noted.

While Gerwig may have been Wellington’s elected mayor, her goal was to be a team player.

“I was just one of five votes,” Gerwig said. “I was always a critical thinker. You should always care about every issue equally, whether it’s parks, schools, education or business.”

Despite the success of the eight years, changes are imminent. When the council next meets on Tuesday, April 9, Napoleone will take over the gavel from Gerwig after being elected mayor. Two new faces will join dais, but who they are will not be known until after an April 2 runoff election.

The swearing in ceremony on April 9 will be a Wellington watershed moment.

“Because of term limits and staggered terms, this will likely never happen again,” McGovern said of having an unchanged council for eight years.

Moving forward, Siskind and McGovern will be part of a new council team, as Napoleone learns the ins and outs of being mayor. While Drahos is stepping back from public life, Gerwig is currently running for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives.

Drahos said he will always cherish his time serving on the council.

“I will be looking back at these last eight years for the rest of my life,” he said.

Gerwig, who was Wellington’s sixth mayor and served a total of 14 years on the council, takes a pragmatic perspective.

“Everything will be perceived in hindsight,” she said. “My focus has always been on the residents of Wellington. Only time will tell.”

Napoleone knows that having the chance to work alongside Gerwig, Siskind, Drahos and McGovern was a special experience.

“It was such a privilege to spend the last eight years together,” the new mayor said. “We had a great run.”

Siskind said that serving on the council is an important assignment and not an easy task.

“We always set the bar high,” said Siskind, who works as a Realtor. “We all brought professionalism to the council. We agreed to disagree, and we always respected other people’s perspectives.”

As one of the two council holdovers, McGovern pledges to continue serving Wellington for today’s residents and future generations.

“We as a village cannot be stagnant, so we must modernize and advance while remaining true to our core principles of being the premier place to raise a family with great schools, great parks programs, dedicated programs for seniors and continuing to be the Winter Equestrian Capital of the World,” McGovern concluded.

GPL Brings Global Grandeur To Wellington With The International Gay Polo Tournament

The 2024 Lexus International Gay Polo Tournament, presented by Douglas Elliman Real Estate, will bring together players and spectators from around the globe from April 4 to April 6, for a weekend that is equal parts competitive play and joie de vivre. For the first time, the Gay Polo League (GPL) will hold the tournament at the exclusive Patagones Polo Club in Wellington.

The annual tournament has become one of Wellington’s most anticipated events of the spring season, known for creating a culture of togetherness, equality and high fashion, to inspire and empower lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in sports and beyond.

“While this event is fun and competitive, it is the desire for equality that pushes us to do more each year,” GPL founder Chip McKenney said

The Flagship For International Play

While the GPL produces polo tournaments worldwide, Wellington has been the site of its flagship tournament since 2010. Players and allies from all over the globe descend upon the village each year for the highly engaging, multi-day event where everyone is welcome.

During the three-day event, celebrity players and novices mix with international polo aficionados and local entertainment-seekers. Creativity, energy and positivity are the vibe for players and spectators alike.

The tournament’s wildly popular Polotini Wigstock charity party on Friday, April 5, kicks off the weekend with a “hair-raising extravaganza” to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Wigs are the accessory of choice at this annual event, where partiers try to top the previous year with their elaborate and colorful hairpieces and compete for prizes. Live entertainment will be the highlight of the evening.

The merriment continues the next day at the tournament’s tailgating party and competition in anticipation of the main event. Whimsical tablescapes and décor add to the fun-spirited competitiveness that lines the polo field. Coveted awards for best in show, best cuisine, best cocktail, best single tailgate and best multiple tailgates are all up for grabs.

“Anyone who comes to the tournament will see that we are a community that shares a love for adventure, fun and the beautiful, challenging sport of polo,” McKenney said.

 

 

Fast And Open Polo Play

As the only LGBTQ+ polo organization in the world, the GPL is changing the perception of gay athletes and providing a place where all can come together around a competitive, international sport, and promote inclusion and diversity at the same time. How the four teams come together is a prime example, McKenney explained.

“Most polo teams play consistently as teams,” he said. “Ours don’t. GPL teams combine players from other countries — gay and non-gay — who have not played together before. Players have one day of practice, and then we put together the teams based on skill and experience. Over the years, we have attracted more experienced players, and now our games are fast and open.”

The polo field will be new to the players and spectators as well this year. The Patagones Polo Club is the new home for the 2024 tournament, a location that fits the spirit of the GPL, according to McKenney.

“The Patagones Polo Club is the perfect, chic and intimate environment for our players and the camaraderie that happens along the sidelines,” he said. “We are grateful and excited for our new venue.”

Four teams will compete for two GPL perpetual trophies: the Senator’s Cup and the Founder’s Cup. Confirmed players to date include Gus Larrosa (Argentina), Tyler Thompson (England), Tony Natale (United States), Jesse Lee Eller (United States), Adrian Pia (Argentina), Eva Marquard (Germany) and Juan Diego Patron (Peru).

McKenney is quick to acknowledge the number of polo pros who donate their time and knowledge to the tournament both as players and consultants.

“We are fortunate to have so many generous professionals and advocates supporting the tournament,” McKenney said. “The international world of polo is embracing the GPL and setting an example for how we can all come together to promote acceptance, on the field and off.”

Learn more about the 2024 Lexus International Gay Polo Tournament at www.gaypolo.com.

International Gay Polo Tournament Sponsors A Perfect Match For LGBTQ+ Luxury Consumers

The 2024 Lexus International Gay Polo Tournament, presented by Douglas Elliman Real Estate, bears the names of two luxury brands known for their support of the LGBTQ+ community.

“Lexus and Douglas Elliman have offered extraordinary support since 2021,” said Chip McKenney, founder of the Gay Polo League. “They have made it possible to create the high-end event our audience expects. We are all about the luxury experience, and so are they.”

Lexus, while known for luxury and innovation, has also been recognized for its support of the LGBTQ+ community and for promoting diversity in its advertising campaigns. McKenney sees the far-reaching impact that the prestige brand has on inclusivity. “We are grateful for Lexus’ unwavering commitment to enact change,” he said.

Many other sponsors have come together at all levels to support the tournament. Cherry Knoll Farm, known for high-performance horses that compete internationally in dressage and show jumping, is the sponsor of the VIP tent and one of the teams. Goshen Hill is a team sponsor as well. 3 Graces Dressage is a silver sponsor. U.S. Polo Assn. and John Greene Real Estate are the tournament’s grand sponsors.

The crowd-pleasing divot stomp is sponsored by Equity Performance Equine. Both the United States Tennis Association, sponsoring the GPL Tailgate Competition, and Lauracea, a luxury brand of leather goods handcrafted in Italy with equestrians in mind, are new sponsors this year. RBC Wealth Management, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, Discover the Palm Beaches and the Village of Wellington have all signed on as sponsors as well.

“Our sponsors are not only reaching an incredible audience for their brands, but they are also sharing their core values of inclusivity and equity,” McKenney said. “That’s the message that is remembered by our community.”

Learn more about sponsorships at www.gaypolo.com/our-sponsors.