Donor Involvement Fuels Community Support Philanthropy From Wellington Supports Exceptional Care At Bethesda Hospital West

Serving patients in Palm Beach County since 1959, Bethesda Hospital has been at the forefront of healthcare in an area that has expanded rapidly over the past six decades. In 2013, the hospital opened the doors of its second campus, Bethesda Hospital West, to meet the needs of a growing population in western Boynton Beach.

Bethesda Hospital West is an 80-bed, state-of-the-art, medical/surgical and ICU community hospital, with a 24-hour emergency department for adults and children. The facility provides general medical, surgical and intensive care services, as well as diagnostic imaging and rehabilitation. It offers all private rooms; a 10-bed intensive care unit; advanced cardiac CT imaging; and an advanced endovascular and interventional surgical suite for minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures.

“We are very proud of the range of services we provide at Bethesda West,” said Nelson Lazo, CEO of Bethesda Hospital. “But it’s the personal, compassionate care we give our patients that makes this hospital such a valued part of the community.”

Bethesda Hospital West is part of Baptist Health South Florida, the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 12 hospitals, 25,000 employees, more than 4,000 physicians, and more than 150 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America and by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies.

From its inception, Bethesda Hospital West has been designed for growth, and the hospital can eventually expand to become a 400-bed facility in the future. This expansion will help support the wide-ranging healthcare needs of the county’s growing western suburbs in Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Wellington, Royal Palm Beach and beyond.

Philanthropy has always played an essential role at Bethesda Hospital. Donors have supported the development of new facilities, state-of-the-art equipment for minimally invasive cardiac procedures, COVID-19 emergency response needs, education programs at the Bethesda College of Health Sciences and much more.

“Philanthropic support is absolutely vital for us,” said Barbara James, vice president of development and development support at the Baptist Health Foundation. “As more people move to the county, there is a growing need for premium healthcare. Fortunately, we’ve been able to expand our donor base over the past several years, for which we are very grateful.”

This dedicated community of donors includes Marie and Steve Bedner of Wellington, who are among South Florida’s leading vegetable growers. They are owners of an 80-acre farm that produces about 50 different types of vegetables, as well as three Palm Beach County farmer’s markets.

The couple, who have been supporting Bethesda Hospital West since 2011, were part of the hospital’s initial building campaign.

Marie is a former foundation board member and a current hospital trustee who is an enthusiastic advocate for her community.

“Few things matter more than the health of our loved ones and friends, along with the well-being of the community where we live,” she said. “That’s what prompted us to step forward and fully support Bethesda Hospital West. We need to keep nurturing this first-rate facility and continue to support its mission.”

As any business owner knows, a company’s success is largely based on the dedication of its employees. Marie has been impressed with how Bethesda Hospital West has been able to recruit and retain its exceptional staff.

“In my first year as a trustee, I was asked to give out the five-year pins at the employee appreciation party,” she recalled. “They didn’t warn me ahead of time not to wear heels — I stood there for so long! There were so many team members who had been there five years and longer. It says a lot about an organization that people want to stay, and that they’re well taken care of.”

The Bedners are also helping support the hospital’s caregivers with vegetable giveaway days, which began during the early days of the pandemic and are still greatly appreciated.

Marie believes that the involvement of donors like herself and Steve is having a positive impact on philanthropic support for Bethesda Hospital West, which will continue to build in the future. “It puts a face on the hospital, and people in the community respect that,” she said. “Therefore, they’re happy to lend their support — and that makes a big difference.”

For more information about the Baptist Health Foundation and supporting Bethesda Hospital West, visit www.baptisthealth.net/giving, e-mail giving@baptisthealth.net or call (561) 737-7733, ext. 84445.

From Our Village To The World Wellington Born Entrepreneur Jake Seltzer Aims To Revolutionize The Banking System

Story By Julie Khanna |  Photos By Abner Pedraza

Jake Seltzer might be the person who changes the way the entire world banks.

Born and raised in Wellington, the 26-year-old entrepreneur first realized how his extensive futuristic knowledge of blockchain, cryptocurrency and web3 could change the world during a visit to India in 2019.

While there attending his best friend’s wedding, Seltzer took notice of the disparity in banking services offered abroad. He ended up extending his trip by a month to further survey the banking process, to better understand systems in low and middle-income countries and assess financial literacy.

The day he returned, Seltzer got right to work on his blockchain financial technology startup company, Finance Blocks, and now the Wellington native finds himself at the forefront of worldwide impact.

Seltzer and his family have longevity in the Village of Wellington. His late father, Jerry Seltzer, served as president of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce and the American Heart Association, while his mother, Lisa Seltzer, spent her time working with the PTA and Temple Beth Torah. During his own time volunteering at soup kitchens and with the Special Olympics and watching his parents serve the community, Seltzer believes that’s where he learned the importance of helping others and realized that his purpose was bigger than himself, and Wellington.

Self-described as an empathetic and driven person who believes in karma, Seltzer enjoys finding ways to connect with people from all walks and places of life. He feels these traits and his experiences growing up play a key role in his business.

“My greatest memories in life happened here,” he said. “Like during my senior year as runner up in Mr. Wellington, or playing roller hockey at Village Park with the lifelong friends I made. Wellington shaped who I am and how I think. No matter how far I travel, it will forever be my home.”

The Wellington High School graduate always wanted to study politics or government. But perhaps it was his experience in DECA, a club that prepares emerging leaders in marketing, finance, hospitality and management, combined with his parents’ example for helping others, that best prepared him for his role today. Having won districts and representing Wellington in state competitions three times, Seltzer began to imagine his future as the CEO of a company that would make a global impact.

He co-founded Finance Blocks to digitize rural financial institutions, known as RFIs, in emerging markets and promote accessibility, transparent banking services and financial inclusion, especially for the 25 percent of the world’s total population that does not have access to basic financial services, known as the “unbanked.” The unbanked face exploitative repayment terms from informal moneylenders and lack credit scores, identity documents and awareness about financial products. Historically, the sophistication of blockchain-powered digital products has not reached RFIs and the unbanked.

In its simplest form, Seltzer’s company is a platform that helps RFIs, or banks, switch from paper-based legacy systems to a secure, easy-to-use and efficient digital system for all their processes. It creates unique digital identities, computes credit scores, manages financial data, loans, savings accounts and more on a single platform.

Users, or the formally unbanked or underserved, have an app that helps them stay instantaneously updated about their financial activity, like withdrawals, deposits, transactions, loans and interest. Based on the age of their account and financial activity, users are given smart credit scores computed by blockchain-powered smart contracts.

Blockchain technology is an integral component of the solution Finance Blocks presents. “Blockchain technology plays a crucial role in lifting people out of poverty and providing better services to the populations of low and middle-income countries,” Seltzer explained. “It is a system of recording information that makes it difficult or impossible to change, hack or cheat the system. Think of blockchain as an incorruptible digital ledger of transactions that is duplicated and distributed across the entire network of computer systems on the blockchain. This process can be transformative for low and middle-income countries, as corruption is the single largest issue affecting the unbanked.”

Seltzer believes this technology will directly impact the global economy by way of the youth. Referring to them as “innovators of tomorrow,” Seltzer thinks financial and investing literacy will encourage higher education and break generational debt while creating new generations of the middle class all over the world.

The future of Seltzer’s company is also soaring.

Finance Blocks recently got the attention of GEM Digital Limited, a Bahamas-based digital asset investment firm that actively sources, structures and invests in utility tokens globally. They committed a capital investment of $25 million to help propel Seltzer’s company into even the most rural corners of the globe, such as India, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya and Ghana.

“These funds will allow us to continue developing our technology, expand our development team, onboard over three million users, raise awareness about financial products and services, and allow charitable contributions of water and power to the areas in which we operate,” Seltzer said.

The path in getting Finance Blocks to the forefront of the global banking landscape wasn’t without its challenges. Seltzer faced institutional red tape, a lack of identity documents, insufficient resources, corruption, illiteracy and geographical barriers.

However, everything paled to the sudden death of his father, Jerry, who was his mentor and best friend. Still, in his father’s name, Seltzer found strength during his grief to build and innovate, and it is paying off.

Seltzer predicts that Finance Blocks will become the world’s largest rural financial banking platform and enable financial inclusion for up to five million users within the next 36 months.

“I see us becoming a top 200 crypto project. But, more importantly, I see us changing the landscape of rural finance and creating change around the world,” Seltzer said.

Learn more about Seltzer’s company Finance Blocks at www.financeblocks.io.

Promoting Optimal Bone Health In Horses BoneKare Supplement Is Making Its Mark In Wellington’s Equestrian Community

BoneKare, first made popular by breeders and equestrians throughout Europe, is an edible bone health and soft tissue vitamin supplement suitable for horses of every age and discipline. The supplement is FEI competition safe, and daily use of BoneKare promotes optimal bone and soft tissue health for horses.

Jay Golding, who first encountered BoneKare on one of his annual trips to Europe, believes the supplement to be the “holy grail” of horse health products, which isn’t recognized as much as it should be.

Golding is the United States’ sole distributor of BoneKare, where he has developed a stellar roster of equestrian ambassadors across a variety of disciplines and continues to advocate for the value of BoneKare for every horse.

Jennifer Papiernik is a lifelong horsewoman whose business completely changed when she was introduced to BoneKare. Papiernik trains out of To-Kalon Farm in Wellington, where she has had her horses on BoneKare since the beginning of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival season, when she ran into Golding.

After incorporating the BoneKare supplement into her barn’s nutrition program, Papiernik strongly believes in the power of the product and has seen significant improvements to her horses’ health.

“I’m currently using it on my show horses who are having some down time right now, my racehorses, young and growing babies, and broodmares with foals at their sides,” Papiernik said. “This season, I have had two horses with soft tissue bruising. It’s not something I have had to deal with much, but when I put these horses on BoneKare, I saw a change in their soundness within 30 days.”

Papiernik has even received complimentary feedback on some of her younger horses after starting them on BoneKare.

“We have two young colts — a yearling and a two-year-old,” she explained. “I hadn’t seen them through the winter season, and after two months of being on BoneKare, they looked like mature horses. The first thing everybody says when they see them is, ‘Wow, great bones on these babies!’”

So, what’s in the secret sauce? The answer is BoneKare’s advanced formula that consists of a blend of nutritious supplements and vitamin K1, given to horses orally in their grain. K1 is an important vitamin that horses absorb when they are allowed 10 to 12 hours of pasture grazing, and hay is not necessarily the solution for a lack of pasture grazing.

When grass is cut and made into hay bales, they are left to cure in the sun. As a result of the UV rays, the K1 compound is almost completely degraded, leaving horses without natural access to the much-needed vitamin. That’s where BoneKare comes in, backed with the right science and studies to prove it really works.

Not only has Golding witnessed BoneKare’s efficacy through first-hand experience, but veterinarians in both the United States and Europe have submitted multiple case studies demonstrating the success of the product.

“When I see a significant difference in multiple horses for different reasons, I’m a true believer in the product. I don’t use a lot of supplements, but when I see something that works, I use it,” Papiernik said. “I knew I was missing something. I just couldn’t pinpoint it. With BoneKare, I think I’ve found the missing link.”

Visit www.bonekareusa.com to try out BoneKare on your horse or in your program.

Arle & Ken Adams Scholarship Winners
Wellington Community Foundation Presents Annual Scholarships To Three Talented Students

Story by Deborah Welky  |  Photos by Denise Fleischman

The Wellington Community Foundation’s Arle & Ken Adams Scholarship recipients were named at this year’s Thank You Soirée held Thursday, May 12 at the Boynton Financial Group offices in Wellington. This year’s winners are Ryann Bierman, Miles Wang and Isabella Whedbee — three outstanding candidates, noted scholarship chairs James Seder and Joanna Boynton.

The foundation created this scholarship to serve those in need who can benefit from a helping hand in order to become one of tomorrow’s leaders. The scholarship is awarded annually to Wellington students who either live in or attend high school in Wellington.

The scholarship was named in honor of former Palm Beach County Commissioner Ken Adams and his wife Arle Adams. Longtime Wellington residents, Arle and Ken Adams made great contributions to the growth and development of the Village of Wellington, dating back to the late 1970s.

Key figures in getting Wellington incorporated as a municipality in the 1990s, there are few aspects of Wellington’s story that cannot be attributed to some kind of involvement or assistance from Arle and Ken Adams. The foundation voted to create this scholarship in their honor to ensure their legacy lives on.

Ryann Bierman recently graduated from Wellington High School with a grade point average of 3.9. She will be attending the University of Florida in Gainesville, where she plans to major in geology — at least that’s the plan for now.

“It may eventually change,” Bierman said. “I’ll have to see how much I like rocks once I start studying them full time.”

She may even check out UF’s new Gator Glaciology Lab, where Associate Professor of Geological Sciences Mickey MacKie, together with a team of undergrads, use machine learning tools to study the conditions under glaciers to better understand movement and melting in order to help ascertain the impact of the world’s glaciers on rising sea levels.

“Once I get my degree, I can work in the paleontology field, although I may have to go beyond my bachelor’s degree to get there,” Bierman explained. “I’d like to go out and find fossils. I think that would be an amazing thing to do, although not forever. Eventually, I’d like to work in a museum or in labs on research projects.”

If her love of rocks does dim while in school, Bierman said she may pivot to a major in anthropology or archeology.

Providing the impetus for her all-round love of science is Bierman’s mother.

“First and foremost, it’s my mom,” she said. “My mother was in the science field during her career, and she’s the one who got me interested in it. Then dad pushed me to pursue what interested me.”

Bierman wants younger students to share her drive.

“Keep working on it,” she offers as advice. “If you’re having trouble with something, ask for help. At the end of the day, you’ll get to where you’re going if you keep trying — and that’s the most important thing. I was told this myself when I entered high school: ‘Have fun but work hard.’”

Receiving the Wellington Community Foundation’s Arle & Ken Adams Scholarship was not something Bierman had anticipated.

“When I first got the call, I was completely surprised,” Bierman said. “It truly means the world to me. It’s going to help me so much to reach my dream.”

During the check presentation, Bierman got to meet the other two winners. “They are lovely people,” she said.

In addition to the $2,500 she received from the Wellington Community Foundation, Bierman also has a few more applications pending, not that she’s dwelling on that. She’s already looking ahead to college.

“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and being in a new place — being out of my comfort zone,” Bierman said.

Miles Wang graduated from the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts with a 4.0 grade point average. While there, he majored in communications and joined the debate team in his sophomore year. By his senior year, he was serving as captain of the USA Debate Team for the National Speech & Debate Association.

Now, he’s packing his bags and heading to Harvard University.

“I loved growing up in Florida and attending Dreyfoos, but I also realize it’s a bubble of people formed by their environment,” Wang said. “I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of new people from every background and place possible — people who are passionate about whatever they are interested in.”

While Harvard offers more than 3,700 courses in 50 undergraduate fields of study, Wang has chosen to focus on applied mathematics as well as economics, part of the university’s quantitative social sciences program.

It seems like a perfect fit. Harvard’s economics program begins with the premise that individuals have goals and that they pursue those goals as best they can. Wang will learn the behavior of social systems such as markets, corporations, legislatures, and families, ultimately being able to make recommendations that will serve to make people better off.

“Harvard University is very well known for their well-renowned economics department, their economics professors and the resources they direct there,” Wang said.

And, although it’s a bit early to make a final decision, Wang has a few ideas on how he is going to put his education to use. “I’m looking at the fields of either politics, technology or finance,” he said.

While a Harvard education can cost upward of $50,000 per year before financial aid or scholarships, Wang is going to have a lot of help, including the Wellington Community Foundation’s Arle & Ken Adams Scholarship.

“I’m so grateful for it,” Wang said. “I’ve grown up in Wellington my entire life, attending the Little Place and Binks Forest Elementary School, and to have some of my hefty college tuition supported by the scholarship, I’m very grateful for this opportunity.”

Wang has also received a Coca-Cola scholarship, a Kovner Opportunity scholarship, a U.S. Senate Youth Program scholarship, a George Snow scholarship, a Community Foundation of the Palm Beaches & Martin County scholarship, and a National Merit scholarship, some of which are renewable.

“My parents and family were always pushing me,” Wang said. “They loved, encouraged, and supported me. I have a brother, Michael, who is five years older than me, and he has been a great mentor and role model. It takes a village to raise a child.”

Wang recommends that future graduates focus on what they enjoy.

“Pursue activities that you are truly interested in, that you’re truly passionate about,” he said. “You’ll do better at them, and it’ll be better as far as helping you get into college.”

Isabella Whedbee recently graduated from Palm Beach Central High School with a 4.0 grade point average and will be attending the Burnett Honors College at the University of Central Florida.

The college was designed to attract and challenge students who demonstrate an ability to achieve academic excellence and prepares them to enter the best graduate and professional schools. It offers a small college experience within a large research university.

There is also a two-to-four semester program, Honors Undergraduate Thesis, which allows UCF juniors and seniors to conduct original and independent research under the supervision of a faculty committee, culminating in a thesis or related creative project.

“I submitted a separate application and was fortunate enough to be invited to attend,” said Whedbee, who needed to list her volunteer activities and test scores as part of the process. “I’m looking forward to the smaller class sizes and working with a more-connected group of students.”

Whedbee plans to major in communications or advertising and credits a former teacher for steering her in that direction. “I had a high school newspaper teacher named Ms. Joanne Biferie,” Whedbee said. “I was one of her editors on the paper, and she inspired me to continue writing and growing my knowledge of world events.”

After college, Whedbee’s chosen path is clear.

“I would love to manage or own an advertising agency that is able to help businesses and nonprofits that help serve the community and underserved students,” she said. “I’d love to intern during college with a nonprofit or advertising agency and work my way up to help manage it over time.”

Receiving the Wellington Community Foundation’s Arle & Ken Adams Scholarship was a memorable experience for Whedbee. “It was a great moment,” she said. “It is amazing that they selected me, and an empowering feeling to be noticed by such a prestigious nonprofit as the Wellington Community Foundation. I’m very grateful.”

Whedbee is also grateful for having received the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship, which will cover her tuition.

For those college hopefuls still working their way through high school, Whedbee has some advice.

“Block out all the noise and really try to focus on what you can help the community with,” she said. “Colleges will really appreciate it, and you’ll have a new sense of gratification for what you were able to have in your own life.”

The Arle & Ken Adams Scholarship is just one of the many ways the Wellington Community foundation continues to provide support to Wellington students to help them achieve educational success. Again this year, the foundation will be providing 650 new school uniforms and 650 backpacks filled with much-needed school supplies.

If you would like more information about the foundation, or this ongoing initiative, contact WCF Chair Tom Wenham at (561) 333-9843, or visit www.wellingtoncommunityfoundation.org to become involved and help “build a stronger community.”

 

Protecting America’s Vulnerable Horses
The Equus Foundation Works To Educate People On The Importance Of A Horse’s Life Both In And Out Of The Show Ring

By Sydney Jones

The lives of horses are not only measured by how high they jump or how many ribbons they win. There comes a time when a horse can no longer compete and is in need of a next chapter or deserving of a long-term, relaxing retirement life.

Unfortunately, many horses don’t get that chance, which is where the Equus Foundation steps in. Founded in 2002 by Lynn Coakley, the foundation exists to place emphasis on horse care both during and post competition.

Driven by a mission to safeguard the comfort and dignity of America’s horses throughout their lives, the Equus Foundation focuses on empowering equine charities to operate at the highest standards for horse care and service, inspiring horse lovers to become horse protectors by simulating advocacy and volunteerism, and by educating the public on the value of horses through stories of their achievements and contributions.

Coakley founded the Equus Foundation after realizing a staggering statistic. “Over two million horses have been shipped across our borders for slaughter, most of which were young, healthy and had untapped potential,” she explained.

The transition period between competing and retirement is when the horses are most vulnerable. It’s a time when their owners can no longer care for them, so the foundation helps to provide financial support to ensure these horses go to a good home and live out their lives.

“The Equus Foundation has awarded over $5.2 million in grants to equine charities nationwide that rescue, rehabilitate, retrain, re-home and retire horses, and charities that partner with horses to improve the well-being of people,” Coakley explained.

The foundation also prides itself on education about the significant impact of horses. The foundation does this through several initiatives to help spread awareness about horse care both in Wellington and nationwide.

This year, the Equus Foundation initiated its 2022 “Stepping Out for America’s Horses’’ campaign to coincide with the Winter Equestrian Festival and held two major events in Wellington this season.

The campaign provides the opportunity for horse lovers to directly impact the lives of horses at the Equus Foundation’s Guardian charities by selecting a horse from a list of 120 horses to fundraise for. The fundraiser provided the opportunity for equestrians to share their “Stepping Out” page with their family and friends, furthering the reach of the foundation.

The foundation will also be supporting America’s Wild Horses through the Stepping Out Campaign. On March 30, the foundation held an exclusive live screening in Wellington of the documentary The Mustangs: America’s Wild Horses, produced and co-directed by Steven Latham. The Equus Foundation has vouched to match the first $25,000 raised during the campaign. There are more than 80,000 wild horses on federal lands and more than 50,000 in government corrals.

Another prestigious event held this season was the Robb Report’s Horsepower Gala, which took place March 31 at the farm of Helgstrand Dressage in Wellington. The event was created by the Robb Report to increase awareness surrounding the issues of horse abuse, neglect and slaughter and support the mission of the Equus Foundation. The foundation was the beneficiary of the live auction, receiving more than $110,000 to go toward protecting America’s horses.

Aside from the fundraising initiatives and financial support that the Equus Foundation provides, many well-known riders have stepped in to support its mission and serve as athlete ambassadors throughout the country.

“The Equus Foundation Athletes program recognizes equestrians who demonstrate that success is measured not only by winning but by making the quality of life of their equine partners paramount,” Coakley said. “They serve as inspirational role models in the world of equestrian sport to help raise important awareness on behalf of the horses we all love. These athletes exemplify that the horse should always come first — and what happens to them after their sport careers are over is just as important.”

Two local top-level riders, Catherine Tyree and Victoria Colvin, have taken a stance alongside the foundation to be a voice for America’s horses both here and nationwide. Colvin is proud of her work as an Equus Foundation athlete ambassador.

“I am proud to support the Equus Foundation as an athlete ambassador and support the work they do in bringing awareness to the abuse horses face across the world,” she said. “We are privileged to work with and rely on such incredible animals for our careers, so it’s important to me to give back in any way that I can and champion organizations like Equus that are making such a big difference.”

Tyree agreed. “Working with Lynn and the entire Equus Foundation has been a wonderful experience,” she said. “We are all fueled by one thing: our love for the horses. What Lynn has built is truly special. The foundation’s commitment to making sure each and every horse has their forever home with the proper love and care is admirable. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with such a special group to give back to the animals that give us so much on a day-to-day basis.”

Moving forward, the Equus Foundation wants to continue to spread awareness about abuse and neglect to America’s horses and provide financial and educational support to help keep horses an important part of American life.

“Informed giving is more important now than ever before — which is why we ensure donor dollars are invested in programs that have the greatest impact. We believe boundless opportunities exist for thousands of horses to contribute positively to the cognitive, physical, emotional and social well-being of all people,” Coakley said. “There are 61 million people in the United States with disabilities, yet only 69,000 are benefiting from the powerful healing ability of horses. Many more at-risk and transitioning horses could be serving people with disabilities. We need to embrace a fundamental shift in our attitude toward horses — from the horse as a commodity to the horse as an athlete, companion, teacher and healer.”

Learn more about the organization at www.equusfoundation.org.