Wellington Regional Medical Center Opens Wellington Center Of Internal Medicine Supporting Patients

Once patients are discharged from the hospital, being quickly readmitted is not high on their list of upcoming goals. Providing appropriate care while in the hospital and follow-up care after discharge can help to reduce the need for readmission. In fact, that follow-up care can be critical in making sure that the progress patients make in the hospital continues after discharge.

With the changing model of dedicated hospitalist-based care, the hospitalist physician has become standard practice in medicine. For patients who do not have a primary doctor, or at the request of a community physician, an internal medicine physician assigned to the hospital provides care for patients while they are hospitalized.

The hospitalist follows the patient throughout the stay, and when the patient is well enough to be discharged, patients are referred back to their primary care physician. But what about patients who do not have a primary provider? To help address this gap and to provide the continuum of care from the hospital bedside and beyond, Wellington Regional Medical Center has opened the Wellington Center of Internal Medicine located on the hospital’s main campus.

The new clinic provides patients discharged from WRMC the opportunity to have the important follow-up care with physicians who were part of their care team while in the hospital.

As a teaching hospital, the physicians at the Wellington Center of Internal Medicine have access to the latest medical education, clinical research and up-to-date clinical practices. All that expertise is now available in an outpatient setting through the new clinic.

“The Wellington Center for Internal Medicine is committed to providing exceptional adult primary care,” said Dr. Alejandro Biglione, associate program director of the Wellington Center for Internal Medicine. “Our goal is to ensure that our patients feel comfortable with their health knowing that they have a medical provider for life.”

The Wellington Center of Internal Medicine is a full-service outpatient internal medicine practice with five exam rooms, an onsite lab and a procedural room.

The clinic is located 10111 W. Forest Hill Blvd, Suite 231, in the building located directly east of the hospital’s main entrance. It specializes in the treatment of patients age 18 and over. Some of the services available at the clinic include wellness checkups, sick visits, post-hospital follow-up care, diabetes maintenance, management of chronic conditions, immunizations, sports physicals and chronic medical condition management.

“Your health is important to us. That is why our physicians follow the latest guidelines and treatments when caring for our patients,” Biglione said. “Whether it is for a routine physical or a serious illness that requires a hospital stay, the team at the Wellington Center of Internal Medicine is committed to providing quality adult primary care.”

The center can accommodate walk-ins and same-day visits for urgent patient care needs. To schedule an appointment, call (561) 472-2590. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and accepts most health insurances.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society To Host 2020 Light The Night Event Nov. 12 Going Virtual

In a world of uncertainty, one thing is for sure — cancer doesn’t stop during a global crisis. Individuals and communities nationwide are tapping into their inner creativity and survival skills to pivot to, at least for now, a virtual way of living. This year, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) will host its signature community fundraising campaign, Light The Night, as a virtual event.

Given the ongoing health risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, LLS determined that a virtual Light The Night is the most responsible approach. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be the most inspiring and impacting Light The Night ever, because just as blood cancer sees no boundaries, this year’s Light The Night can be everywhere and anywhere. LLS’s Palm Beach-Treasure Coast chapter will host its 2020 Light The Night virtual event on Thursday, Nov. 12.

“Blood cancer patients need us now more than ever. We will gather virtually to bring light to the darkness of cancer, creating memorable moments across the country, through an exciting, interactive virtual experience for LLS staff, volunteers, patients and all supporters,” said DeAnn Hazey, LLS executive director of the South Florida Region. “As we’ve done throughout our 71-year history, LLS will ‘virtually’ reinvent the peer-to-peer fundraising category through our unparalleled ingenuity, resourcefulness, innovation and relentless drive to deliver our mission.”

Light The Night is a fundraising event benefiting LLS and its funding of lifesaving research to find blood cancer cures. Coming together for a common goal, friends, family and co-workers form fundraising walk teams. Culminating in inspiration and memorable evening walks every fall, participants in communities across North America join together carrying illuminated lanterns to take steps to end cancer — white for survivors, red for supporters and gold in memory of loved ones lost to cancer.

LLS’s signature fundraisers like Light The Night have helped LLS invest nearly $1.3 billion in cutting-edge research worldwide, fueling nearly every critical advancement in blood cancer treatment that spans the most promising treatment approaches now being tested in clinical trials for other cancers and diseases.

“Light The Night’s virtual platform will be an interactive and engaging experience allowing LLS supporters and volunteers to enjoy the same iconic elements of Light The Night — illuminated lanterns, Circle of Survivors and the Remembrance Pavilion — in a different format but with the same passion to bring an end to blood cancers once and for all,” Hazey said. “Join us as, together, LLS will be the voice that speaks up, the hand that reaches out and the light that cures cancer.”

Last year, there were almost 200 teams registered for the Palm Beach and Boca Raton walks combined. The virtual event is expected to grow that number, as the walk is more accessible to not only fundraisers and sponsors, but patients and survivors, who would not otherwise be able to attend this year’s event.

Teams participate in the event from all over the Palm Beach-Treasure Coast region, coming from Boca Raton to Wellington up to Vero Beach. The interactive web site features a virtual Circle of Survivors, Remembrance Pavilion, Opening Ceremony, Kids Zone and more.

To form a team or to learn more about how you can become involved in this year’s virtual Light The Night campaign, visit www.lightthenight.org/sofl.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a global leader in the fight against cancer. Its mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.

The LLS Children’s Initiative is a $100 million multi-year effort to take on children’s cancer through every facet of LLS’s mission: research, patient education and support, and policy and advocacy. The LLS Children’s Initiative includes more pediatric research grants, a global precision medicine clinical trial, expanded free education and support services for children and families, and driving policies and laws that break down barriers to care. To learn more, visit www.lls.org/childrens-initiative.

Founded in 1949 in New York, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.lls.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Tasty, Unique Dishes In A Quaint Atmosphere At Mole Cantina Mexicana Authentic Mexican

The Mexican cuisine is as diverse as the sauce behind the name at one of Wellington’s newest restaurants, Mole Cantina Mexicana on State Road 7.

“It’s a melting pot,” owner Nick Cervera said. “Mole is a special sauce. It has got a chocolate base and is made with about 30 different ingredients. It’s used primarily for very special events. It’s got dried chillies, nuts, dried banana, spices and it comes in a paste form. It’s a very complicated sauce — an ancient sauce that originated in Puebla.”

It’s that integration of ingredients that served as inspiration for Cervera and his wife Maria Elizalde, who is the chef and creator of the cantina’s cuisine.

“We opened our first location back in 1991 in New York City, where I’m from. We were first dating. She’s Mexican, I’m Italian American. It was like a metaphor for New York — a melting pot of many different ingredients. It was a ‘mole’ of sorts,” Cervera recalled.

Three New York locations later and now one in Florida, the duo brings with them a broad range of cuisine, much based on their travels throughout Mexico, as well as Elizalde’s native Mexico City. Her mother creates the blend for their unique mole sauce and ships it to the restaurant, where it’s then completed, homemade in-house.

Their specialty Enchiladas De Mole Poblano is one of those dishes with the sweet, nutty, yet subtly spicy delicacy. It’s made with three shredded chicken enchiladas smothered in the artisanal homemade mole poblano sauce topped with melted cheese, sesame seeds and avocado slices. It’s hugely popular, as are a number of other authentic dishes.

“We have different dishes from all different regions, like the Cochinita Pibil. That is a dish from the Yucatan and the surrounding regions. We have carnitas, which is from Michoacán,” Cervera said. “Sometimes we do barbacoa, which is from Hidalgo. So, all the dishes come from different regions. We also do beautiful nightly specials, and not something that is leftover. They’re specials because we want to show the regionality of the food that you wouldn’t find anywhere else.”

The two do all their own shopping locally and base their specials on what they find. “If we’re at the market and find a nice piece of meat, we’ll do, for instance, a prime New York strip steak grilled. So, we’ll do steak fajitas. We also found oysters, so we did oyster tacos Baja-style from the west coast of Mexico,” Cervera said.

Their ceviche is a delicacy dripping with freshness, served cocktail style. “There’s the shrimp ceviche, or ceviche Campuzano served with shrimp and octopus. Our ceviches are phenomenal,” Cervera said.

Another favorite appetizer is the Queso Fundido, a fondue made with Chihuahua cheese that comes out on a sizzling, cast-iron plate. “We also do the Americanized version of Mexican food, like burritos and hard-shell tacos and chimichangas,” Cervera added.

The cantina truly is a unique blend with all the feelings of Mexico and a design Cervera created for each of his restaurants with the intent to bring customers on a trip with him.

Warm golden walls surround the dining area. Black and white photos tell unique stories of roads less traveled. Bold chandeliers create a subtle elegance, as do petite, colorful papier-mâché flower centerpieces dotting every table. Each table is also unique, handcrafted with 200-year-old reclaimed wood.

The open kitchen and serving area archway is filled with authentic Mexican tiles. “That’s our look. It’s designed from an ancient tile from Puebla, Mexico,” Cervera said.

Those tiles can also be seen at the bar, which offers 125 different tequilas and mezcals. They’re housed overhead in unique tequila cages.

“Our margaritas — we use a fresh squeezer. We don’t mix, and we use 100 percent pure lime juice. We offer our tequilas and mezcals by the glass. You can make it into a margarita or have it on the rocks,” Cervera said.

There’s also a wide variety of beer, as well a scotch and bourbon list. Cervera even has his own brand of tequila, “Don Reyes,” which is a tribute to Elizalde’s father. “It has a creamy, caramelly nose with a strong agave finish,” he explained.

The bar extends to the outdoor patio, creating an open-air space connecting the two. “The bar is set up so you can sit outside or inside,” he said. “The back bar and cabinetry behind the bar is made from centuries-old white pine, all brought down from New York.”

In all, there is seating for 130 between both the dining room and 12 outdoor tables. It’s a perfect atmosphere night or day, including weekends for Mexican brunch, which includes a variety of huevos dishes, Bloody Mary specialty drinks and mimosas.

Opening in early February, they’ve been working hard on their labor of love through the pandemic. As restrictions are lifted, Cervera plans to add entertainment, like a salsa night. He’s also an avid car collector and hopes to host a car event, as well as tequila tastings.

For now, they’re focused on filling their customers with their unique cuisine. “My portions are huge,” Cervera said. “No one has ever complained in my restaurant in 30 years that my portions are small.”

It’s that spirit of fulfillment and diversity of flavor that they hope will keep their customers coming back and bring new ones to explore Mexican culture through their cuisine. “Who else has mole made by hand?” Cervera asked.

Mole Cantina Mexicana is located at 2557 S. State Road 7, Suite 150, near Whole Foods Market in Wellington Green Commons. Hours are Monday through Thursday noon to 10 p.m., Friday noon to 11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Carryout and delivery are available.

For more info., call (561) 355-5322 or visit www.molecantinamexicana.com.

Newly Completed Promenade Transforms  Village’s Lake Wellington Waterfront
Town Center

Have you taken a stroll along the new Wellington Town Center Promenade? If not, head on over to the Wellington Community Center and look behind the building for the newly renovated and expanded Lake Wellington waterfront.

Once bordered by weeds and rushes, Lake Wellington now features a lit, paved walkway that runs the length of the shore from behind the great lawn near the Wellington Community Center to the Lake Wellington Professional Centre.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the view — it’s still stunning, especially at sunset.

The concept of a “town center,” a place of gathering for all of Wellington’s residents, has been a key consideration in long-term strategic planning for most of the past decade. In August 2017, the Wellington Village Council first began discussing “activating the waterfront,” specifically referring to the lakefront area behind the community center. The council approved the final promenade design in May 2019.

Work on this highly anticipated project started in October 2019 with the construction of an 800-foot retaining wall. Once the retaining wall was complete, it was time for the 20-foot paver promenade, as well as concrete posts and railings along the water’s edge.

Special lighting for the columns, along with light poles, benches, trash bins and water fountains followed. The dog-friendly promenade runs the length of the 800-foot retaining wall ranging from 20 to 30 feet in width.

The lake’s existing gazebo and dock were incorporated into the plan, and the entire project was completed in July 2020, although additional docks for boaters may be added later, pending a U.S. Department of the Interior Land & Water Conservation Fund grant.

Once the grant is finalized as hoped, fabrication and installation of the additional docks could be completed by late October.

“What we’ve created here is a place for families, children and seniors to come together and enjoy all the great things that our village has to offer. When we think of Wellington, we think parks and green spaces,” Mayor Anne Gerwig said. “With the completion of this new promenade, we’ve added a new feature to our community’s list of highlights — an inviting way to take advantage of this beautiful waterfront.”

The area has already become a getaway spot for joggers, families and people just seeking a quiet place for reflection.

“This boardwalk and the Town Center project concept, as a whole, reinforces our commitment to enhancing the quality of life that makes Wellington a great place to live and raise a family,” Vice Mayor Tanya Siskind explained.

The next addition to the lakefront will be a children’s playground, to be located near the promenade just north of the existing pavilion. With funding provided through another grant, the site plan and engineering design contract for this Phase 2 edition came before the Wellington Village Council last month with other possible concepts, including expansion of the nearby Wellington Amphitheater grounds and Scott’s Place playground.

“As a Wellington resident and a father, I am excited for the future of the village’s Town Center,” Councilman Michael Drahos said. “The new playground and boat docks will cater to residents of all ages and will provide additional opportunities for recreation and leisure activities on the waterfront.”

Further additions to the Town Center area, which also includes the Wellington Municipal Complex, the Patriot Memorial and the Wellington Aquatics Complex, are expected in the years to come.

“This is just the beginning for our Town Center,” Councilman John McGovern said. “Years from now, when Lake Wellington becomes our village’s go-to spot for events and gatherings, we will look back at our promenade project and be thankful for the forethought and planning that made it all possible. I commend village staff and my fellow council members for their dedication to preserving and enhancing our Lake Wellington waterfront.”

A summer of activities had been planned to unveil this new gem to the Wellington community. Due to the pandemic, those plans are temporarily on hold and a “virtual grand opening” was held instead.

Nevertheless, this new amenity is destined to become a future gathering spot for green markets, festivals and more.

“We’ve often used the phrase ‘a place of gathering’ when discussing this project,” Councilman Michael Napoleone said. “Well, that is exactly what we’ve built here. A place where we can bring our children to play and explore, a place where our seniors can take a sunset stroll and a place that will serve as a backdrop for creating memories for years to come.”

Boating Has Become A COVID-19 Coping Mechanism For Many In The Community Lake Wellington

The lives of Wellington residents — as well as people all around the world — have been restricted and adversely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The global virus-driven restrictions have had negative ramifications — financially, physically, mentally and emotionally.

To cope with the downsides of the lockdown, people have resorted to watching more television, reading more books, doing more gardening, baking and engaging in more exercise. But some local residents are spending more time on Lake Wellington as a way to mentally cope with the lockdown.

For that very reason, Lake Wellington may well be the best-kept secret and coping mechanism in the community.

The appeal, allure and attraction of lakefront living in the heart of Wellington is one of the main reasons why many people choose to live in this community. While Wellington is well known for its many parks, ball fields, green space, horse trails and spacious sidewalks, which are appealing to walkers, runners, skaters, riders and bicyclists, one of the most underutilized recreational options in Wellington is its aquatic centerpiece — Lake Wellington. And the fact that there’s free and easy access to the lake should make it even more enticing.

Yet many people don’t use it, think about it or even know about it. But, then again, there are also many Wellington residents who can’t imagine life without access to this man-made body of water that is actually bigger and wider than most people realize, until they are in the middle of the lake in a pontoon boat, sailboat, kayak, rowing skull or paddle board.

One of the appealing aspects of Lake Wellington is that gasoline-powered engines are not allowed on the water — only battery-powered motors and, of course, human-powered boats.

Wellington residents who live in the area consider access to Lake Wellington as an extension of their back patio and an integral part of their daily lives, 12 months a year. And when everybody is in their own boat, it’s easy to practice social distancing.

“It’s very calm and peaceful on the lake,” said longtime resident Joetta Palumbo, who grew up in West Virginia. “There’s nothing like morning coffee on the lake during the weekends, and I’ve always loved the sun. This is the life. It’s good, clean fun. Boats bring me so much joy.”

For others, Lake Wellington is a haven of tranquility and a safe refuge, a necessity during the pandemic.

“It’s so peaceful on the lake, and I enjoy meeting up with friends while out on the water,” said Jennifer Davis, a native of Long Island.

“It’s our happy place,” agreed Alicia Maggio, who grew up living along New York’s Hudson River.

“It’s so relaxing to be on Lake Wellington,” added Pam Pazzaglia, whose childhood home was Buffalo, N.Y.

On many occasions, usually in the early evening, Palumbo, Davis, Maggio and Pazzaglia will cruise around the lake in a convoy while sharing thoughts on their lives or their days at work.

In fact, earlier this summer, the four of them decided to mix time on the lake with a meal. They actually had a cookout in the middle of the lake on two of their boats, which were tied to one another and then anchored. A good time was had by all.

“We had hot dogs, shrimp, coleslaw, potato salad, potato chips and all the fixin’s for the hot dogs,” Palumbo said. “We had a few drinks, too.”

Fellow Wellington resident Myrna Delguercio spends her time on the water while navigating a kayak, which allows her to reap mental and physical dividends. When she paddles her kayak, she gets exercise and some much-needed peace of mind, which have helped her manage the mental and emotional hurdles that have impacted her life during the age of the pandemic.

“Kayaking is relaxing. It eliminates stress and allows me to get away from it all,” Delguercio said.

Gary Swedenborg owns and operates one of the bigger pontoon boats on the lake. He’s a regular on Lake Wellington and has been for the last 15 years. He didn’t let the lockdown negatively impact his boating time on the lake.

“I try to get out on the lake about three or four times a week,” said Swedenborg, who also enjoys spotting wildlife on the lake. “I see Muscovy ducks, otters, bald eagles, ospreys and blue herons. I also see squirrels along the banks.”

When he’s in the mood, Swedenborg will grab his fishing pole and attempt to catch and release any of the fish that live in the lake, such as bass, oscar, carp and clown knifefish.

Swedenborg also likes the economic benefits of boating on Lake Wellington.

“At the end of every trip, you don’t have to fill up, just plug in,” he explained.

Having access to an aquatic way of life along Lake Wellington may be one of the village’s best-kept secrets and has emerged as a great way to cope with the negative ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wellington Honors PBSO Deputy Scott Poritz And PBC Fire-Rescue Capt. Craig Dube
First Responders

Among the many standout professionals who work as local first responders, the Village of Wellington annually honors the best of the best when it presents its “Top Cop” and “Top Firefighter” award.

When Wellington’s Public Safety Committee discussed the naming of this year’s award recipients, the consensus was about how hard the decision is every year because there are such good candidates nominated by officials from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue.

This year, the honor for Top Cop went to PBSO Deputy Scott Poritz, while PBCFR Capt. Craig Dube was named Top Firefighter.

Nominated by PBSO Sgt. Andrew Porath, Poritz has been in law enforcement for 18-and-a-half years, the last 14 in Wellington.

“Poritz has become an integral part of the successful programs implemented throughout Wellington,” said Porath, who cited several programs that Poritz has started that benefit residents.

“He helped create the annual Child Safety Experience and continues to coordinate it.” said Porath, explaining that Poritz partnered with Wellington Parks & Recreation along with PBCFR and helped with fundraising to ensure that the event was free to the community. “The event has vendor booths and educational information associated with child development. The event also has an area where kids can experience the different PBSO and PBCFR vehicles. There’s also free [bicycle] helmet fitting and giveaway, along with a child car seat install station.”

Poritz also goes out of his way to help Wellington residents in need, such as aiding an elderly couple age in place when too much stuff in their garage prevented repairs to the ceiling and electrical system. He organized the removal, storage and return of the items.

Poritz also coordinated a partnership between the PBSO, PBCFR and the village with the Center for Autism & Related Disabilities on the annual Day for Autism: Building Bridges with Law Enforcement Picnic. This event seeks to deescalate any future interaction between law enforcement and people with autism by providing a foundation of positive interaction.

Poritz has also taken a lead for the last six years in the massive effort to coordinate law enforcement resource activities for the annual holiday parade in Wellington.

“Poritz has an extensive background in crime prevention in which he is a certified crime prevention practitioner for the State of Florida,” Porath said. “He also advises on the Neighborhood Watch program, which includes 23 groups in Wellington.”

Poritz has worked in road patrol, community policing and crime prevention in Wellington. He enjoys serving in the community.

“What’s not to like about Wellington? There are the residents in the Village of Wellington, the staff of the village… the good people,” he said. “All my years here have been positive experiences.”

With hobbies that are encompassed by the phrase “fatherhood,” Poritz is the proud parent of a four-year-old son.

“I worked my way into the career,” he explained.

While in college, he had several choices for a major and then took a “Policing in America” course. “It snowballed from there, and I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” he said.

Poritz finds it difficult to pinpoint one thing that he likes most about his job. “It’s hard to choose one, but I would say the ability to work with people and problem-solve,” he said.

Poritz also enjoys the coordination of the PBSO resources with the events he handles, and he noted that the agency gets a great amount of support from the Wellington Village Council and village staff with the many events he oversees.

Nominated by PBCFR Battalion Chief Ken Wooldridge, Dube has been a Palm Beach County firefighter for more than 25 years.

Assigned to Wellington, where he has been a resident for almost as many years, Dube worked as a medic and certified driver before being named to the lieutenant short list, then bypassing it to be promoted to captain.

“I have known Craig since my earliest days at fire-rescue,” Wooldridge said. “He is a good friend.”

Wooldridge described Dube as a model employee and supervisor. “He takes an active role in the lives of those he works with both on and off duty,” he said. “His crew at Station 20 has been together for quite a while and are loyal to him, citing his excellent leadership abilities and willingness to constantly improve on the basics of the job.”

Wooldridge particularly noted Dube’s humility as he works to get the job done.

“He is quiet, mild-mannered and always ready to work hard to meet the department’s goals and objectives in the areas of training, education and consistency,” Wooldridge said.

This is evidenced by his always positive attitude and willingness to respond to whatever needs to get done during the shift, whether it be a job task or helping out a fellow crew member.

“What I like most about Craig is his ability to maintain a cool head in the most challenging of emergency incidents,” Wooldridge said, adding that he has the strength and courage to make the right decision even when it might not be the most popular one. “This quality alone makes him an exceptional leader in the fire service and in the community.”

Dube is a family man with five daughters. His wife had three, including a set of twins, from a previous marriage. She and Dube have a set of twins of their own.

“It has been exciting. The youngest just turned 18 and is graduating from high school,” said Dube, who loves living in Wellington because it has such a great family environment. “It’s the place I wanted to settle down and have a family.”

His life in Wellington predates his time as a parent.

“When I moved out here, I was still single,” recalled Dube, who decided to become a firefighter in his early 20s after studying business at Palm Beach State College and working as a sales and service representative.

“I had been working out since I was 18 in a gym, and some of my workout friends we’re becoming firefighters,” said Dube, who explained that their career path got him interested in community service. “I am about five years behind those friends in my career.”

When he is not helping people, saving lives and property, Dube and his family have gotten into camping in recent years. Concentrating their trips in Florida so far, he just returned from 10 days of camping in the Keys. “We try to go to a different place each time,” he said.

Dube enjoys his ability to help those in need.

“I like the job because I like helping people, the excitement of the job, never knowing what the next call will be,” he said, explaining that it might be an elderly person who fell down or it might be a three-car pileup requiring extrication.

Dube noted that an exciting call in his line of work is also probably somebody’s worst nightmare coming true.

“We strive to have those positive outcomes. That’s why we train so much, so we can do our best every single call for any kind of emergency,” Dube said. “We try and do a good job every single time and do it right. There’s not a better job in the world.”

Gareth Johnson Uses His Impressive Musical Abilities To Help Celebrate Life’s Milestones
Violin Virtuoso

Classically trained concert violinist and Wellington resident Gareth Johnson believes that people don’t have to let their special occasions go uncelebrated in the COVID-19 era — and he has been using his impressive musical abilities to help.

At an age where most kids might grasp a favorite stuffed animal, Johnson was putting his arm around a violin, working toward becoming a virtuoso player.

At age nine, he saw famed violist Itzhak Perlman perform and discovered his true passion. “I bought my own violin at a pawn shop for $80,” he recalled.

A year later, he was taking master lessons with Perlman. By age 11, he was jetting around the world performing and was in the Juilliard pre-college program receiving the best training available.

At age 16, Johnson moved with his family here to Wellington, with several boxes of worldwide awards, and the family would have to find space for the many more to come in his career.

Johnson has won numerous competitions and prizes throughout the United States and Europe. He was the 2002 junior winner and the 2010 senior winner of the international Sphinx Competition, and he earned the International Career and Business Alliance (ICABA) Salute to Living Black History Makers Award in 2016.

Today, Johnson holds a master’s degree from the Lynn University Conservatory of Music in Boca Raton and attributes much of his success to his mother Linda, who holds a doctoral degree in music education. “She was always there sitting at the piano,” Johnson said. “You find that the greatest musicians all had that parent musician spurring them on.”

Today, at 34, Johnson is director of The Parlor Series in Lake Worth, which is devoted to developing and showcasing both world-class and local artistic talent. He has two studios for private lessons, one in Lake Worth and one in Wellington, and he is regarded as one of the most technically superior violinists of his generation. He currently plays on an 1840 J.B. Vuillaume violin and has performed with his catalyst, Itzhak Perlman, as well as Joshua Bell, Pinchas Zukerman and other world-renowned string virtuosos.

Before COVID-19, Johnson traveled the world as a soloist, master teacher and educator. He is an accomplished arranger and gifted composer of classical, contemporary, new age and hip-hop music. While he is waiting for things to return to normal, he has been teaching and playing.

“Not everyone who is a great performer is a great teacher,” noted Johnson, confident, yet humble, as he is empirically both. “I have been thinking, and I don’t think people should let special occasions get away without a celebration — and that celebration needs music… I want to open people’s minds to things that can occur with music, even now.”

Picture this, a mother’s 80th birthday in a nursing home, sealed due to the virus emergency. “We couldn’t go in to visit her, so they arranged for me to set up outside, and they opened the drapes and the windows, and everyone, especially the mom, could hear violin music played outside on the sidewalk,” Johnson said.

When performing, Johnson is fully COVID-19 compliant.

“I set up with my mask in a taped-off area, most have been outside, often on the beach, just me and the instrument, with a custom-designed program, fighting what comes, to keep the music alive,” he said. “My mom says I am the lone violinist fighting for a good cause like the Lone Ranger.”

With all the great concertos in his fingertips, Johnson has a huge repertoire from Bach to pop to hip-hop. Maybe it should be Bach to Zeppelin? “I take recommendations, and I can play almost anything,” said Johnson, who has played for weddings, anniversaries and birthdays. “It is so important not to skip special occasions with loved ones.”

Another recent situation was arranged for Johnson to play some favorite songs to a 10-year-old girl who was ill in a hospital in Washington, D.C. Johnson played an online concert just for her. “She was so happy after I played for her,” he said. “She came out all right. That’s the power of music. I like to think it helped put her in a positive frame of mind.”

Another recent recital was for a Heat basketball coach’s 10th anniversary. “They had seven or eight people on Zoom, and I played for the family, and now we are all friends,” Johnson said. “The kids want to play violin.”

And as a former artist-in-residence, distinguished lecturer and master string instructor, who better to provide those private lessons?

Johnson also works with children who are less fortunate. “I enjoy assisting kids who are talented, practice and work hard,” he said.

Critically acclaimed for his playing, Johnson served as artist-in-residence and distinguished lecturer at Albany State University. He has performed as a soloist and held residencies with numerous orchestras in the United States, including Annapolis, Atlanta, Baltimore, the Boston Pops, Cincinnati, Detroit, Hartford, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Rochester, Seattle and St. Louis, and he has had several performances at Carnegie Hall.

Johnson also performs for major market international corporate events as an electric violinist. In recent years, he has taught and performed in Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa, as well as England, the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe. Past tours have included mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, as well as El Salvador, Germany and Austria.

To arrange to have Gareth Johnson perform, he can be reached through his web site at www.garethjohnson.org, where you can also check out his videos.

 

 

Daring To Be Different: Wellington’s  Spotted Sporthorse Dani A Sight To See Unique Horse

When you venture to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, one thing may stand out to the casual observer: few horses actually catch your eye, at least in terms of coloring.

Bays, chestnuts, grays and blacks are the widely seen coat colors, even in the jumpers, where the only judges are the clock and the rails. In fact, in most of the upper echelons of equestrian sports, traditional colors seem to be favored over bright palominos, flashy paints and especially leopard spots.

But that paradigm seems to be shifting toward the colorful, even in the more conservative hunter and dressage worlds, where human judges can be biased or favoring toward solid, traditional coat colors.

In show jumping, scope, speed and staying power have always taken precedence over coat color, but even then it is somewhat rare to see a Grand Prix horse with a bald face and high stockings like Paulo Santana’s Taloubet, or a brilliant tobiano paint like Brianne Goutal’s Mon Gamin.

In dressage, where tradition and decorum reign supreme, James Koford’s Friesian paint mare Adiah HP was crowned Grand Prix National Champion in 2017, signaling an acceptance of the more colorful coat patterns. However, if a paint horse’s bright splashes are rare at the Wellington show grounds, it’s reasonable to say that spots are even more unconventional.

But that hasn’t stopped Laura Reece and Palm Beach Sport Horses’ Danash’s Northern Tempest from daring to be different. Known as Dani around the barn, the mare’s unique leopard print with dark points coloring is the result of her Appaloosa Friesian heritage and is actually a lack of white pigment on a dark coat versus black spots on white.

In addition to her dam’s spots, Dani also inherited her father’s size and movement, which contributes to her success as a sport horse. But while her color may be a show stopper, especially in the green and rusty stirrup hunters in which she competes, Reece has discovered that her spots are just a bonus to her willing attitude and sweet personality.

“She’s exceptionally smart, forgiving and a pleasure to ride,” Reece said. “Showing in Wellington is always going to be intimidating for an amateur like me, but sitting on Dani makes me confident. It’s hard not to adopt her positive attitude once you’re in the saddle.”

In the hunters, judges rank horses and riders based on the collective presentation of their ride: taking off from the perfect distance, maintaining the correct lead, the rider’s position and the horse’s jumping style are all taken into consideration. In theory, coat color should not be a factor in a horse’s score, but spots are indicative of a horse’s breeding, and can sometimes be a hindrance to a hunter. But Reece puts her focus on Dani’s performance, and their enjoyment of the sport, rather than solely on scores and trophies.

“Dani has already opened so many doors for me, getting a ribbon or score is really just a bonus,” Reece said. “She has gotten me back into riding, given me confidence, partnership and enjoyment. What more can I ask?”

Despite competing only against themselves, Dani and Reece have racked up a few wins at the Winter Equestrian Festival, as well as other shows, including a circuit championship during Equestrian Sport Productions’ Holiday Series at the end of 2019. And while her 2020 winter show season was cut short by the pandemic, 2021 is already looking exceptionally bright.

“We already have big plans in the works for 2021, which should get Dani some time in the national spotlight,” Reece said. “We are hoping to use her widespread appeal to develop a scholarship fund and other initiatives to help promote equestrian sports and horsemanship. Everyone should have the chance to experience riding a horse of a lifetime, and all of the amazing things that come with that experience. Dani has already given me that, and we think the best thing to do is to pay it forward. Whether your horse has spots, or feathers, or jumps the 1.50M, it’s all about enjoying the ride and spreading that joy when you can.”

Learn more about this unique horse at www.danithewonderhorse.com.

Wellington Club Presents Scholarships To Students With An Environmental Eye
Garden Scholars

For the past 40 years, the Wellington Garden Club has been committed to the beautification of the community while also supporting local students studying horticulture, environmental science or related fields of study.

Since the inception of its long-standing scholarship program, the Wellington Garden Club has awarded a total of $34,175 to promising students, and in this most unusual of years, that tradition continued.

“The scholarship committee accepts the applications, and then we interview all of the candidates and make our decisions. Usually, we conduct face-to-face interviews. Of course, this year, interviews were done virtually,” said Maria Wolfe, first vice president of the Wellington Garden Club.

Under the leadership of Scholarship Chair John Siena, the Wellington Garden Club chose three recipients to receive $1,000 each for the current academic year.

Lauren Miles began her education at Palm Beach State College in what would have been her eighth-grade year. She excelled in her studies, making it to both the President’s List and the Dean’s List, then matriculated to Florida Atlantic University to continue her studies in environmental science.

Raaz Bhatia, an incoming freshman at the University of Central Florida, graduated from Wellington High School with a 3.98 GPA. While there, she served as vice president of the National Technical Honor Society and was a member of the math, technical, science, social studies and Spanish honor societies, as well as band and chorus. When not studying, Bhatia works with disadvantaged children through her church.

Georgia Brooks successfully completed two years of coursework at Santa Fe College in Gainesville and has now matriculated to the University of Florida to complete her education in the field of environmental science. In fact, she was a previous recipient of a scholarship from the Wellington Garden Club.

“We expect Georgia will have a positive impact in stewardship of our environment,” Siena said. “Her determination to further her education in environmental science is commendable.”

Brooks is proud of her association with the club.

“The Wellington Garden Club scholarship is very important to me because I really am invested in the environment,” she said. “Initially, I was involved in the garden club at Palm Beach Central High School, and it was there that I got introduced to the Wellington Garden Club. This is actually my second year getting the scholarship because I graduated high school in 2019. Now, I’m majoring in environmental engineering at the University of Florida. I do have Bright Futures, which takes care of my tuition, but there are a lot of other fees. I’ve been using the scholarship mostly for textbooks. With the coronavirus, a lot of extracurriculars have been put on hold, but I hope to get back to gardening and recycling soon.”

This year’s honorees are expected to do great things in the future.

“Each of the scholarship recipients has qualities that bode well for the potential impact they will have on our community,” Wolfe said.

Since its founding in 1981, the Wellington Garden Club has worked to educate its own members as well as the public in the fields of gardening, horticulture, botany, floral design, landscape design and environmental awareness through the conservation of natural resources, civic beautification and nature studies.

This year, a plant exchange was safely held at a local park where members could swap plants, perhaps adding something to their garden landscape that had not been there before.

Perseverance through adversity is the lesson being offered to the scholarship recipients.

“Our members are getting an opportunity to spend time in their home gardens,” Wolfe said. “When many return from their second homes up north, we will resume our meetings, although I assume the September and October meetings will be held virtually.”

No one knows what the next year will bring, but it certainly will include another class of Wellington Garden Club scholarship honorees.

“We intend to continue our commitment to helping worthy scholars further their education,” Siena said. “The Wellington Garden Club is proud of its efforts to instill in youth the love of gardening and the respect and protection of the environment.”

For more information about the Wellington Garden Club, visit www.wellingtongardenclub.org.

The Crowned Pearls Of Wellington Support A Wide Variety Of Local Causes Community Service

The Crowned Pearls of Wellington is a new community service organization that has stepped up to the plate over the past year to help a variety of local causes.

The Crowned Pearls is an official interest group of the international organization Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., the nation’s oldest sorority for African American women.

Wellington resident Jenny Hassell, now retired from her position as director of employer and labor relations in North America for Johnson & Johnson, is the president of the Crowned Pearls, which aims to become a fully recognized chapter within the Alpha Kappa Alpha organization.

Founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 15, 1908, the sorority is a worldwide sisterhood of approximately 300,000 college-educated women operating more than 1,000 chapters in communities across the United States and around the world.

“Our mission is to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, promote unity and friendship among college women, to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women to improve social stature, to maintain a progressive interest in college life and to be of service to all mankind,” Hassell explained. “We are committed to helping each other and positively impacting the communities in which we live and work.”

In January 2019, Hassell and seven other Alpha Kappa Alpha women living in the community founded the Crowned Pearls as a social club.

“Over time, we succeeded in significantly growing our membership. Members bring expertise from the fields of medicine, law, business, education, social work and more,” Hassell said. “All are talented women who commit their time and effort in support of those less fortunate and all work tirelessly to uplift those in need through volunteering. At the time of the social club’s inception, we were individually providing community service to help those in need.”

As operations expanded, so did the sphere of focus for the Crowned Pearls.

“Once the social club was formed, we became a community service partner with the Village of Wellington,” said Hassell, who spends much of her free time doing social work. “We have provided volunteer services on food drives, holiday toy collections and back to school backpack events, and we have served as mentors to students participating in the Village of Wellington’s Students Working to Achieve Greatness (SWAG) program.”

The goal of establishing an official Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter takes time and effort.

“As an initial step, members of Alpha Kappa Alpha must first demonstrate the capability to organize and operate as an interest group of the sorority,” Hassell said. “We must also commit to supporting the international organization’s program targets, which includes supporting historically black colleges and universities, women’s health and wellness initiatives, building economic legacies, the arts, as well as global impact initiatives.”

After developing a deep understanding of the approval process for pursuing the establishment of a chapter based in Wellington, the social club was ready to further its goal.

“We requested approval in December 2019 to form an official interest group under the umbrella of the international organization, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.,” Hassell explained. “We also asked to continue the use of the name Crowned Pearls of Wellington.”

Approval was granted to begin operating as an official interest group in February 2020 and to continue the work of providing volunteer support to Wellington and the surrounding communities. Its community service target areas are Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, The Acreage, Loxahatchee Groves, suburban Lake Worth and Westlake. “We must continue to demonstrate our capabilities to the international organization over time and then be evaluated to determine if we have met the standards for chapter operations approval,” Hassell said.

The Crowned Pearls of Wellington continues to serve as a community partner by volunteering time to causes, which helps to improve the lives of others.

“Today, we partner with the Village of Wellington and the Wellington Rotary Club on the Feeding South Florida initiative, and we are proud to have been a contributing partner to the Grab-N-Go Pantry at local hospitals to support the healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Hassell said. “We have also committed a significant amount of time to the SWAG program mentoring students and supporting other local community initiatives.”

The group has several more community service initiatives planned for the coming months throughout its target areas. “We are committed to bringing our talents and efforts to strengthen the community and in helping to improve the lives of others,” Hassell said.

For more information about the Crowned Pearls of Wellington, e-mail crownedpearls@gmail.com or write to Crowned Pearls of Wellington, P.O. Box 211553, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33421.