By Rachel Galvin

Every year, Pompano Community Park is packed with people for the annual Brazilian Festival. This year’s event, Oct. 20-21, had the same elements as other years but seemed even bigger. Kids were riding on the zipline, hopping on a mini ferris wheel or other rides, or rock climbing and sliding down a large inflatable slide. Adults were partaking in adult beverages or snacking on plenty of the Brazilian cuisine available while mingling through vendor booths. Everyone was getting into the Brazilian beat listening to multiple bands on the stage.

The stage artwork was designed with pop art by Valter de Morais, a Brazilian artist, who has been working on his art for 38 years. Today, he lives in Pompano. This was his first time at the festival and was asked to not only create art on the stage, but also had his own booth showing off not only his pop art pieces, but also a catalog of pictures of murals and other portraits on canvas. He also brought his 1962 Renault Dolphin with some of his artwork on the side.

“I came from Brazil, lived in Boston for three years and then moved to Florida,” said De Morais. “I have exhibitions all over the world. CJR Fine Arts in West Palm Beach is my agent…” he said, adding of the event, “I love it. It is beautiful … so many Brazilian people.”

The Brazilian channel CBTV streamed live from the event.

Barbara Parreiras, who was helping out the crew, said of the event, “It’s really nice. Brazil has all kinds of cultures.most think just of Samba and Carnival, but it’s not just that. The fact we can do professional [networking here], it’s a good way to support Brazilians.”

Hugo Neira, of Vista BMW & VW Pompano, who sponsored the event, added, “This is fun. We are trying to get our neighborhood to know about us.”

For more information on this annual event, visit www.brazilianfestpompano.org.

By Rachel Galvin

If you have never ridden on Brightline’s high speed train before, you are in for a treat. From the beautiful architecture of its train station to its well-lit large parking structure, Brightline begins to impress before you even get aboard its train. The inside of the station is spotless with a modern seating area complete with a place to charge your phone and access to a cafe where you can buy something to eat or drink, and other items, before hopping on board. (Check out the bathroom with a high tech faucet that has water, soap and a dryer within it).

Brightline began serving passengers from Ft. Lauderdale (101 NW 2 Ave.) to West Palm Beach on Jan. 13 and from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami (600 Miami Central Ave.) on May 19, so now it is taking passengers daily tri-county. Next expansion will be from West Palm Beach to Orlando, and then extend beyond that. It is the only privately owned and maintained passenger rail system in the country.

They certainly have taken great care to maintain their trains. The inside is spotless with some seats facing each other with tables, to make it easier to do work with their onboard WiFi or eat snacks that are available for purchase. The staff is very friendly and accommodating.

They are going out of their way to come up with unique ideas to attract passengers. On Oct. 5, they had their second Tasting Train event. Passengers were greeted on board in either West Palm or Ft. Lauderdale. On the train, they were offered their choice of Antinori wines.

Family-owned, Antinori Wines is the oldest wine producer in the world. They control everything from seed to fermentation and beyond.

This reporter’s selection was the Villa Antinori Toscana Bianco 2016, which was a light and refreshing perfect first choice. They offered up a plastic container of snacks to pair with the wine consisting of crackers, cheese, brie, cheddar and walnuts. There wasn’t too much time for chit chat with fellow passengers as the train made it to Miami in about a quick half hour; time sped by and the ride was so smooth.

Once there, everyone left their seats and headed into the Miami station with a similar feel and setting, but with vibrant artistic murals by Typoe that screamed Miami with its color palette and design. Everything here was carefully thought out, down to the barely noticeable scent pumped in, which was vanilla with a hint of citrus. Guests were treated to a musical performance by Mr. Trombone and a DJ from My Party My Way while they mingled and snacked on more cheese, crackers and the like, as well as a cup with burrata topping chopped tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette, passed hors d’ oeuvres like rice balls, stuffed mushrooms, meatballs and more.

“We are focusing on creating a unique experience and re-imagining the way people think about trains. Where else can you have wine tasting with the oldest family-owned wines?” said Ali Soule, director of Public Affairs and Media Relations, who said the next Tasting Train will be scheduled sometime in December, but may not necessarily be centered around wines. Stay tuned…

On the way back to Ft. Lauderdale, another plastic box of treats awaited passengers, including dried fruits and nuts, and pretzels, and a bottle of water.

To find out more about Brightline, visit www.gobrightline.com.

By Rachel Galvin

From Sept. 28 to 30, the Pompano Beach Senior High School Class of 1968 held its 50th reunion, including a school spirit night ice breaker and dinner dance with music from 1965 to 1968. Mr. & Mrs. 50th Reunion were recognized – George Gardner and Sue (Colton) Franklin, said Cherryl Cook, one of the organizers of the event. Some of those attending the reunion also made a Sunday trip to the Hillsboro Lighthouse, leaving their home base of the Pompano Beach Marriott and heading by trolley over to see the landmark and take a tour happily provided by Ben, who portrays the Barefoot Mailman.

Visitors could also climb the 175 stairs up to the top to get a great view on a perfectly beautiful day.

The group who had assembled posed on the stairs to the entrance of the lighthouse, which have new railings that were just put in to match the original design (based on old blueprints, etc) from 1906, with materials donated by Skyline Steel. This was one such renovation recently made to the lighthouse. Among other things, they just replaced 48 tie rods and turnbuckles that were devastated by last year’s Hurricane Irma. They fixed it using a brand new process, said President of the Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society Ken Herman.

The lighthouse is the most powerful continuous public lighthouse in the world, according to Herman. Want to visit the lighthouse? Their next event is on Barefoot Mailman Remembrance Day, Oct. 13. Find out more at www.hillsborolighthouse.org.

By Rachel Galvin

On Sept. 1, America’s Got Talent’s own D.J. Demers delighted the sold-out crowd at the Comic Cure event at Mizner Park Cultural Center in Boca Raton. But he wasn’t the only comedian. There were also several local comedians from their comedy class, including Susan Bussell, Jim Story, Paul Margoles and Sharon Pfeiffer, who is brand new to comedy.

Pfeiffer is also an actress who has been in many independent local films and will be seen in the upcoming film Beach Bum with Matthew McConaughey, and also Zac Efron and Isla Fisher, which was filmed locally. She joked about her former life being married to the mob, literally. Her story has been told in I Married a Mobster in 2012. Today, she has escaped that world back in New York and made a home here in Boca Raton, where she has a huge group of friends, many of whom came out to support her in this milestone in her life.

Comic Cure has different comedians headline every month. They just completed their America’s Got Talent Summer Series. They will be taking a break and starting back up with comedians on Oct. 27 with comedienne Dana Eagle. Proceeds from each event go back to different causes. This night proceeds went toward several organizations, including B’not Hadassah and Festival of the Arts. Members of both organizations got up to speak briefly. [Festival of the Arts Boca will be held at Mizner Park Feb. 28 through March 10, 2019 and will include musical performances and book talks by authors.]

For more information on upcoming Comic Cure shows and classes, visit http://comiccure.com.

An interview with author Chris Clews

By Rachel Galvin

“Your career will be a journey. Enjoy the ride,” said Deerfield Beach author Chris Clews in his book What 80s Pop Culture Teaches Us About Today’s Workplace. With witty anecdotes, Clews takes his readers on a nostalgic trip back to the simpler time of the 1980s. He tells lessons that can be learned from 10 great movies from the time period, including gems like The Goonies, Back to the Future and E.T. Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation becomes a great example of why it is important to “know your audience,” when his ranting in front of Cousin Eddie leads a bad situation to go to worse. Stand By Me shows that teams work best when each person’s individuality is embraced. Ferris Bueller reminds people of the importance of stopping to smell the roses so Clews says it is important to take a day off from work and enjoy life. These are just a few examples in this book, which is a quick read. For fans of the ‘80s, this book is a treasure.

Asked why he decided to write the book, Clews said, “I was actually in a job that wasn’t fulfilling and I was pondering my future when the classic ‘80s movie, The Breakfast Club came on TV. Judd Nelson’s character says, ‘Screws fall out all the time. The world is an imperfect place.’ Something just clicked in my head at that moment and I thought, ‘Yeah, it actually is and so is the business world.’ And that was my springboard. I wrote an article that evening to post on LinkedIn titled ‘What The Breakfast Club Teaches Us About Today’s Workplace’ and, to my surprise, I received reactions from all over the world. So I wrote another on ‘What Ferris Bueller Taught Us About Today’s Workplace,’ which was also received well. At that point, I decided it might make sense to write a book.”

He recruited his friend Jim Zielinski to do the illustrations for the book and self-published it on Amazon.

When asked what he finds so inspiring about this “Me Decade,” he said, “The ‘80s seems to really transcend generations. I’ve met people who clearly didn’t grow up in the ‘80s but can quote the movies, know the songs and feel more of a connection to that decade then the one that provided them with their formative years. Shows like Stranger Things, The Goldbergs and The Americans have brought the ‘80s back to prominence and, of course, Adam Sandler movies are always good for a plethora of ‘80s references. Recent movies like Ready Player One, the Guardians of the Galaxy series and Deadpool all bow at the altar of 80s pop culture with references weaved in throughout.”

He added, “As far as the movies, it was really the last decade where you really had to tell a story and develop characters. You couldn’t lean on CGI (computer-generated imagery) special effects to make up for a thin plot line, lack of strong characters or poor dialogue. The story and the characters were the movie. The special effects were not. And, save for a few, I think movies are missing that today. Of course, there will never be another John Hughes so I guess we ‘80s kids were very lucky indeed.”

He added that the pop culture of the decade went beyond just movies, but included TV, music, video games, toys and fashion.

“It was a magical time for creativity, invention and, most importantly, the rise of the individual. And, ultimately, we learned a very valuable lesson from The Breakfast Club when Andrew, the jock played by Emilio Estevez, said, ‘We’re all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that’s all.’”

Besides being an author, Clews is the Head of Marketing for a software division within a large global brand. He also speaks about topics from his book at events and conferences. In addition, he is working on a second book in the series with 10 more 80s movies and their workplace lessons. For those wanting more information or to book him as a speaker, he can be contacted at cclews1@gmail.com, visit chrisclews.com, or find him on Facebook, LinkedIn under his name, or on Twitter @80spopculture. Find his book on Amazon.com.

By Rachel Galvin

On July 9, Luigi Di Roma Ristorante & Lounge, located at 718 S. Federal Hwy., in Deerfield, had its very first wine dinner. Luciano Castiello, an official wine ambassador and educator for Banfi Wines, came all the way from Italy to talk about the wines. Alan Siegel, Key Account Manager for Republic National Distributing Company, also was in attendance.

As people tried course after course, each was paired with a different Banfi wine and, with wit and charm, Castiello talked a bit about the different types and about the company history. Among the courses were Zucchini Blossoms and fried calamari, paired with Maschio Rosé Prosecco. Next was the delicious charred octopus salad, atop arugula and cannellini beans [the best octopus this reporter has ever had]. It was paired with a crisp and refreshing San Angelo Pinot Grigio. It was followed by the primo piatto (first course), which was Fungi Misti Pappardelle, a combination of rich wild mushrooms with a delicious sauce served over Pappardelle pasta, paired with a Rosso di Montalcino. Then came the secondo piatto (second course, usually a meat course). Guests were served a gigantic braised lamb shank, which had been slow-cooked over roasted potatoes, carrots and fennel. [This reporter tried a delicious chicken marsala. It was a huge portion!]. The night was finished off with a flaky pear tart with the last wine, a Cum Laude.

Luigi Di Roma’s owner’s Al and Kristine Bova were actually visiting Italy and elsewhere in Europe when the event took place. Managing Partner Johnny Vicari pulled off a wonderful night. Bravo to the whole staff, including Executive Chef Josh Welch!

Luigi Di Roma has a full menu, large wine list and a full bar. They often have live entertainment. See their website for entertainment calendar. They are open Monday to Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 4 to 11 p.m. and Sunday from11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

They plan on having another wine dinner on Dec. 10. For more information, call 954-531-6151 or visit www.luigidiroma.com.

By Rachel Galvin

Sanborn Square Park was packed for this year’s Boca Burger Battle on July 14. More people than ever found their way to vendor after vendor and stuffed themselves with taste after taste of delicious burgers, as well as craft beer, wine and other spirits. The night was made complete with well-placed mood lighting strung up high on the tall palm trees by Jan Van Der Baan (also of Birthday Comp.) and the musical stylings of the Gypsy Lights. They even had cornhole to play.

“This is my first time attending,” said Peter Wein (of WEI Network.) “I am amazed at how many incredible burgers we have to choose from. Unfortunately, only one is going to get an award.”

Each of the chefs was battling it out to win, judged by a long line of judges. In the end, the Best Grill Master was Funky Buddha Brewery. 2nd place was Tucker Duke’s and 3rd, Cheffrey Eats. People’s Choice for Best Battle Burger went to ROK: BRGR for the 2nd year in a row.

Burton’s Grill & Bar served up a Mediterranean stuffed burger slider, with feta and herb alouette, grilled zucchini, tzadeki and charred tomato ketchup.

“October will be our one year anniversary. This is our first time here,” said Stephanie Hammer, who marveled at how they had not slowed down the entire event. “Our Boca restaurant is the first in Florida… We are from New England.”

“I love it. This is our first year. We are having an amazing time,” said Ting Shen, director of training of Batch Gastropub, which is located in the Delray Marketplace.

Barrel of Monks Brewery owner Kevin Abbott said, “This event just makes sense for us. It is a Boca event and we are a Boca brewery,” saying he works with most of the restaurants in attendance. “We have been here [in Boca] for 3 ½ years. We have Belgian style ales, tours, food and beer pairings … We like to educate people that beer is just as complex as wine.”

The Voss,’ who seem to be at every event, participated here for the first time, bringing their coconut tool and fresh honey, along with their bees.

“It has been pretty good. The people are really friendly…” they said.

Flair for Fudge, which also seems to always be here yearly, created a fudge just for the event — Pecan BBQ Bourbon. But they have so many other flavors, including salted black truffle and Tropical Temptaton, made with coconut, pineapple, banana, and mango in dark chocolate. [This reporter really liked the chocolate peanut butter]. They also had samples of key lime pie and others…

“We ship all over the US. We customize products for corporate, gifts for holidays, realtors, financial advisors, etc.,” said Hilary Saporta, who runs the company with Bernie Diaz. You can find out more and order at www.aflairforfudge.com.

“We come every year. It has gotten bigger. Every year, there are more vendors. There are a lot more breweries,” said Natalie Batmasian, who attended with her husband, Jimmy.

This event may be over, but Russell Spadaccini, who runs the event, will have no time to rest. He is already gearing up for his next soiree, the Boca Wine & Food Festival, which will take place Nov. 10. Find out all the info., at www.bocaratonwineandfoodfestival.com.

Sprouts coming in

By Rachel Galvin

You may have noticed a big sign on Costume World announcing a liquidation sale. They are closing their location on 950 S. Federal Hwy. in Deerfield Beach after 27 years due to what they said was a dramatic increase in rent. But, they will be moving to a new location, a newly renovated production facility in Pompano Beach. After July 22, Costume World will be located at 2313 NW 30 Pl., in Pompano Beach. But they are opting out of the retail end of the business to a more specialized costuming experience. Sprouts Farmers Market will be taking over their Deerfield Beach location. [No word on when the actual opening of Sprouts will be yet. See more about Sprouts below].

“My headquarters has been in Deerfield Beach for such a long time, and while I’m disappointed that the new landlord has doubled the rent at our current home, forcing this move, I am extremely excited about creating a dynamic new home in an expansive state-of-the-art facility that will better serve our clients,” said Costume World Founder and CEO Marilynn Wick.

Did you know that behind the retail portion of Costume World, there is a huge inventory of costumes and accessories? This is where they pull from when theaters from all over the country look to them for wardrobe. They even have seamstresses on-hand to get the costumes ready for use. They have been in the business for 40 years and they house the biggest collection of Broadway costumes in the world. This aspect of the business will be moving to the new expanded location in Pompano. There, they will be providing a VIP costume experience for locals who want to create a “dazzling impression during the social season.”

“We are thrilled to centralize our costume business,” said Wick, “It is going to be an amazing experience, including 30,000 sq. ft. of hanging costumes, a costume production area, a wig production area and VIP rooms, in addition to a rehearsal hall for The Wick Theatre productions.” [The Wick Theatre & Costume Museum is located 7901 N. Federal Hwy. in Boca Raton].

“Our inventory will always be available to customers and event planners in our community. Our new home will have an impressive showroom where customers can consult with our expert costumers by appointment. The ‘packaged’ costume industry has been essentially taken over by Amazon, so we are adapting to highlight our unique strengths, including dramatic and unusual costumes and accessories,” said Wick.

The moving sale at Costume World’s current home on Federal Highway is in full swing, offering clearance prices on costumes, headpieces and accessories, including wigs, masks and costume lingerie.

“This is a great chance for local designers and event professionals to get some fabulous costume pieces at incredible prices,” continued Wick, adding that the sale will end when the doors officially close on July 22. Find out more about Costume World at www.costumeworld.com.

About Sprouts Farmers Market

You may not have heard of Sprouts Farmers Market. They are headquartered in Arizona but operate more than 200 stores in 16 states. They already operate five stores in Florida. They are adding stores in Naples, Clearwater, Oviedo, Winter Park and Wellington, in addition to this Deerfield location.

Their market specializes in fresh, natural and organic products at reasonable prices. They not only have fresh produce, but also a deli with prepared entrees and side dishes, a butcher shop and fish market, as well as vitamins and supplements, and more. Visit www.about.sprouts.com for more information.

By Rachel Galvin

After 17 years, Marlee’s Diner & Bakery (located at 699 S. Federal Hwy. in Deerfield Beach) is set to close. The last day will be July 29.

The family-owned restaurant was originally opened by Matthew Mavromatis, who named it after his daughter, in 2001. In 2008, he sold the restaurant, but the family ended up retaking the locale in 2011. His mom, Helen, does the books and dad, Steve, helps on the register and does PR. His sister Emmy Louvaris, who worked as a teacher in Broward County, took a leave of absence six years ago to help out and she has been here ever since.

Louvaris said closing is bittersweet for the family. Although her parents are looking forward to retirement, and she is looking forward to a much-needed break, she understands the hole being closed will leave in the community.

“ ‘Devastated’ is the word I keep hearing from customers,” she said. “I posted it on Facebook and have 1100 views. People are calling each other, calling us. I am keeping the Facebook up through next year because we have a lot of snowbirds who will be coming back. I have gotten e-mails from Canada.”

She said she is going to be doing a documentary with video and pictures of customers through the years, which she will post on YouTube probably.

“I am looking forward to being a family and not business partners,” she said.

Emmy hopes to focus more now on her passion — art. She has her paintings displayed all around the restaurant — pastels and chalk drawings mostly.

When the restaurant started closing at 3 p.m., she started doing art shows there and she also created and sold a calendar.

The waitresses are unsure where to go. They are currently putting out resumes, but they know they will never find a job like this.

Waitress Pamela Little said, “I have 32 years of memories, very good ones. I can’t imagine it being sold. I can’t digest it. I wake up in the middle of the night, [hoping to be] waking up out of this nightmare. You don’t find a crew and place to work like this.”

Deborah Carpenter, also a waitress, said, “I have been here around 34 years. I was here when it was Sambos, then Mike’s, then George’s, then Marlee’s. I am sick to my stomach. I could be a world traveler for all the people I have met. How nice the customers have been to me. I have met so many friends.”

She added, “I am scared. I have given my life here. I get up at 3 and am here by 4 in the morning. I have never missed work, even if I was sick.”

She said, “If customers don’t come in, I call them. There is a 91-year-old — her daughter called and said where is my mom going to go now? I have customers who come in who are in their 80s and 90s and I open crackers for them. I used to have a customer outside waiting for me at 4 a.m. He thought it was his job to put all the creamers out. He overslept and apologized for being late. He had a picture of me and him on his wall.”

She added, “[My daughter] used to sleep in the office. Guys used to put money for my daughter in the pay phone. She’d check the phone every day. They would leave a dollar. [She later worked here]. She is a teacher now at Boca Hammock. Everyone knows me and they ask about her”

She continued, “All of us have been here 15-20 years. I’ve been here the longest. It is too bad we couldn’t find someone to take over.”

The diner has been sold to an undisclosed property developer.

“This place means a lot to me,” said a tearful Liz Weyhknecht. “All my friends are here. They’re my family. I lost my son to Cancer. He was only 8 years old. This was one of the 1st jobs I had after that. All of these people know him through me. All grieving parents just want someone to remember. This was one of the places I healed. They know when his birthday is and I get extra special hugs that day.”

She added, “Besides being a waitress, I also do baking here. I hope to find somewhere to do that. I am putting feelers out.”

Carol Collins recalled times when she called hospitals or 911 to track down an elderly customer if they didn’t come into the restaurant for a while, saying one customer had put her name down as a contact on the board at the hospital.

“Servers don’t do that,” she said. “I have been here 18 years. I have customers that had babies who are now adults. The time the restaurant sold, everyone stayed. The customers stayed here for us.”

Louvaris said that when she knows where the waitresses are going next, she will post their new job location on Facebook so customers will know. She will be staying locally for awhile doing her art and her parents will be traveling to Greece, where they also have a home, and to Colorado, where her brother Matthew lives with his family.

Find Marlee’s on Facebook or visit www.marleesdiner.com.

By Rachel Galvin

On Feb. 14, 17 lives were lost in the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland. There are no words to really capture the heartbreak felt by the families and friends. Yet, our television sets are being bombarded by the graphic images captured that day, by the outpouring of grief and anger, and calls for action. We have heard the timeline of events. We have seen the disturbing social media messages from the shooter. We have seen the heroes who have died to save others. We know all this. But the question is what is being done today to stop this from happening again. Yes, there is talk of new gun regulation, talk about mental health. There are so many lessons to be learned, missed opportunities.

The incident led schools to scramble to take a look at their own security procedures.

Principal Baugh, from Deerfield Middle School, said, “We have drills a couple times a year – Code Black for a bomb threat, Code Red for a shooter or an unknown on campus. After [what happened in Parkland], we had an emergency facility meeting and reviewed procedures. We reiterated with students on the intercom… ‘Please do not open doors, make sure they are locked.’ We have students hide in the classroom during a lockdown with lights off. We had a meeting with the school resource officer Deputy Jimetta Williams that day and asked ‘What are the lessons learned?’ She felt very confident that our procedures are good.”

She added that grief counselors were made available for students and teachers and that many utilized them. They consisted of school counselors and social workers, who were set up in the media center.

Gordon Vatch experienced a lockdown at Deerfield Park Elementary recently when giving out dictionaries to 3^rd graders on behalf of the Kiwanis Club.

“Principal Reid said, ‘It’s a Code Red’ and took us into the cafeteria and we were in lockdown. We had many 15 to 20 of us in a closet. We were given the ok after 20 minutes. Someone had perpetrated the area. The way they did it was very professional and very quick. The kids listened and obeyed instruction,” he said.

This tragedy led the city to cancel their annual Pioneer Days activities, a controversial move, but one that Vatch said he agrees with.

“I am glad they canceled,” he said. “They could have been our kids.”

Some shared his sentiments; many others shared their disappointment about the cancelation of events. But everyone felt this tragedy strongly and many have reached out to lend a helping hand.

Joan Gould said she waited three hours to give blood, something the city encouraged people to do.

“I was there at 11:15 in the morning and people were already waiting. Deerfield Beach called for action. I was so proud to see one [Blood Mobile] bus after another. We all felt so helpless. What can you do? I gave blood so I could feel like I was doing something. “

Buddy Sparrow, who is known for spearheading the branding of Deerfield Beach Island (DBI), decided to lead a silent march where the parade would have been, from Pioneer Park to the beach. A few followed his lead.

“We would just like the victims, families and all of Parkland to know we stand with them and that Deerfield Beach cares. They bleed — we bleed… One human family. We know it cannot assuage the incredible anguish of these families but it felt wrong to do nothing,” he said.

Deerfield Beach Elementary School (DBES) art teacher Suzanne Devine Clark created the idea of “Stones for Stoneman” and, as of press time, was rallying volunteers to paint rocks with hearts and such to be placed in their memorial garden at DBES.

Gabriele Schlicht, owner of CrossFit Deerfield Beach, offered CrossFit classes to anybody they could reach using the money to fundraise to help the Parkland community.

“This was a very quick decision made on Thursday the day after the shooting and completed yesterday. We offered CrossFit classes to anybody we could reach in such a short time. We opened the doors at 5:30a.m. and offered 14 classes (hourly) to raise money. The news spread fast and we raised around $1500. (It is still coming in).

“The most amazing thing is that other fitness facilities are copying our workout and using it as a way to fundraise for Parkland. This is so very heartwarming how we all come together for the same reasons,” she said.

Coastal Community Church asked member Ed Taber, of Pompano Beach, to make the crosses that were set up in the makeshift memorial for victims of the shooting in Parkland in time for the vigil that was held on Feb. 15. The church is open for anyone who needs a prayer or to help in any way they can. (www.coastalcommunity.tv).

These are just a few of the members of the community that felt the need to do something in wake of this incident, but there are surely so many more. Perhaps, the thing most needed following this tragedy is just more kindness. Nerves are raw, hearts are heavy; a kind word or hug can make all the difference. The Observer offers its condolences to all those affected.