Issuu

OCTOBER 2026

TREASURE COAST SURFER LANCE OBRIEN 1

SURF

Lance “Lance-O” Obrien carves a line across the face of a powerful Nicaraguan wave. Photograph by Saul Madrigal

SCENE

Architect: Gregory Anderson, PA Photography: Daisy Burns

CUSTOM HOMES LUXURY RENOVATIONS COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION

www.Building2Last.com n (772) 794-9799

OCTOBER 2026

CONTENTS “JUST TAKE YOUR TIME—THE WAVE COMES. LET THE OTHER GUYS GO; CATCH ANOTHER ONE.” — Duke Kahanamoku (1890–1968), Olympic champion, pioneering surfer, waterman, ambassador, Hawaiian icon and global inspiration.

14 Editors’ Letter AMERICA AT 250

20 The Statue of Liberty

The French proposed a monument to celebrate American liberty and Franco-American friendship.

PIECES of the larger whole

22 The Writing Desk

An old idea finds new purpose in today’s home.

DESIGN HISTORY

26 Japan and Western Design Its influences helped shape modernism. DESIGN HISTORY

30 The Scotsman Who Helped Modernize Japan Bringing Western industry and technology to a changing Japan.

BLOSSOMS

34 The Radermachera ‘Kunming’ Commonly called dwarf tree jasmine, it is a graceful tropical shrub well suited to South Florida. HEALTH AND WELLNESS —SPECIAL REPORT

38 The Landing by Thrive

A 24/7-hour pathway from crisis to recovery serving Indian River County.

DESIGN HISTORY

32 Frank Lloyd Wright: Japan Comes West

The architect who translated Japan into American modernism.

Page 6

At Katsura Imperial Villa, framed views, disciplined geometry and natural materials anticipate principles that would later define Western architectural modernism.

Page

At The Landing by Thrive, clients will find safety, compassionate guidance, and a clear path toward lasting recovery.

UNCOMMON PERCEPTION Tocqueville Asset Management was established to manage the wealth of families and individuals for the long term. Our commitment to capital preservation and exceptional client service has not changed since we opened our doors.

OCTOBER 2026

CONTENTS VERO BUSINESS

54 ELGA and Marine Join Forces

Credit union partnership expands services, lending capacity and community investment. THE NIGHT SKY

60 The Ringed Planet

Finding Saturn in Vero Beach’s October sky. THE LIVING LANDSCAPE

62 Live Oak—The Tallest Tree in Vero Beach

The “other” landscape of Vero Beach. WINE AND FOOD

Page

(L-R) Bill Penney and Terry Katzur unite Marine Bank and ELGA Credit Union, expanding services, lending capacity and community investment locally.

71 A Summer Evening in Provence . . . Rouge Edition! Pour another glass, linger a little longer, savor the moments. REAL ESTATE TALK

74 A Market in Search of Balance

A more negotiable market shaped by affordability, insurance and location. SURF SCENE

80 Lance “Lance-O” Obrien

The older I get, the more stoked I become.

Page 8

Off the Treasure Coast, surfer Lance “Lance-O” Obrien carves through a breaking wave, transforming speed, balance and instinct into one fluid, exhilarating turn.

55 Royal Palm Pointe, Vero Beach - T. 772-559-0395 I www.lplcreations.com

OCTOBER 2026

CONTENTS TRAVEL

94 What We Bring Home

Faith, friendship and discovery on a mission through Asia. HEALTH AND WELLNESS

108 The Rise of Personalized Wellness

A primer on medicine’s evolution toward treating the whole person. HEALTH AND WELLNESS

114 Beyond the Human Hand How robotics is refining surgery. HEALTH AND WELLNESS

116 Robotic Surgery at Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital Interview with Joseph Bedway, MD, general surgeon.

Page

SPACE EXPLORATION

126 Artemis III: The Complex Rehearsal Before the Landing

NASA tests the systems needed to return astronauts to the Moon. SPACE EXPLORATION

134 What Can Go Wrong

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket explodes during a hot-fire test. SPACE EXPLORATION

135 The Universe in a Wider View

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope begins its mission to map the cosmos.

Lance “Lance-O” Obrien surfing Chastain Beach on Hutchinson Island. Photograph by Frank Moore.

Website: livvero.com. Instagram: @livveromagazine. Subscriptions: Go to livvero.com. Digital Edition: Access on livvero.com. Comments: Email to jim@livvero.com.

136 Endmark

Taiwan’s lush mountains and rural homes formed the backdrop for Analise McManus’s journey, shaped by faith, friendship, service and personal discovery.

Page

116

At Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital, Joseph Bedway, MD, controls the da Vinci system, translating his hand movements into precise movements inside the patient during surgery.

V E R O B E AC H

W h e r e E x t ra o r d i n a r y P r o p e r t i e s M e e t a n E x c e p t i o n a l Wa y o f L i f e vb291951.com

325 ESTUARY DRIVE THE ESTUARY

LUKE WEBB

786.546.9603

13110 HIGHWAY A1A AMBERSAND

vb294293.com

935 SEA WATCH INDIAN RIVER SHORES

CAROLYN LANGE 772.473.7982

SOMERSET BAY

772.321.8300

8050 HIGHWAY A1A BLUE AT 8050

BERMUDA CLUB

860.916.8505

26 INDIGO VERO DRIVE

LUKE WEBB 786.546.9603

vb294661.com

645 FLAMEVINE LANE CENTRAL BEACH

as ranked by

AMY MONTEMARANO 772.766.4964

vb294299.com

1453 W. ISLAND CLUB SQUARE ISLAND CLUB

LUKE WEBB 786.546.9603

1910 TARPON LANE, #202 TIDEWATER

vb299670.com

1666 5TH STREET ROYAL POINCIANA PARK

PHIL SUNKEL 772.538.2339

NANCY HARDY 772.321.8300

vb299115.com

574 EASY STREET SEBASTIAN

B e g i n y o u r n e x t ch a p t e r w i t h u s LUKE WEBB is the #3 Agent in Vero Beach

LUKE WEBB 786.546.9603

INDIGO VERO

vb299726.com

vb298902.com

9049 ENGLEWOOD COURT ELLYN MARSHALL

LANGE SYKES 772.473.7983

vb295767.com

vb295421.com

9049 SOMERSET BAY LN, #302 NANCY HARDY

INDIGO32963.com

vb296721.com

info@webbluxuryrealestate.com webbluxuryrealestate.com | @WebbLegacyRE 3341 Cardinal Drive | Vero Beach, FL 32963

PHIL SUNKEL 772.538.2339

SCAN FOR MORE INFO:

T H E U LT I M A T E P E R F O R M A N C E S PA C E I S A M AT T E R O F D E S I G N

Discover unparalleled luxury appliances at a local showroom

Capritta Appliance & Air Conditioning 2585 W New Haven Ave. West Melbourne 321-676-0111 www.caprittaappliance.com 12

This is Technicurean Living™ Cooking | Refridgeration | Cleaning

EDITORS’ LETTER

Genius loci—Latin for “the spirit of the place”—referred in Roman belief to a protective spirit inhabiting a particular location. Vero Beach. Photograph by Victoriya Knapp.

Latitude: 27° 39’ 11” N Longitude: 80° 21’ 23” W Coordinates for Sexton Plaza in Vero Beach Every Map Has a Center In our last issue, we explained what we mean when we say LIV VERO Magazine is “Made in Vero Beach.” But being local is more than a statement about where a magazine is produced. It is a way of seeing—and, increasingly, a reason for a magazine to exist. For centuries, the prevailing view of the universe was based upon the model described by the ancient astronomer Ptolemy. Earth stood motionless at its center, surrounded by the Moon, Sun, planets and stars. The magnificent illustration shown here was created by the Dutch-German cartographer Andreas Cellarius and published in his celestial atlas Harmonia Macrocosmica in 1660. It presents the Ptolemaic universe as an intricate series of celestial spheres, all encircling the world we inhabit. Science ultimately demonstrated that Earth occupies no such privileged position. Yet the image expresses something that remains fundamentally human: Wherever we live tends to become the center of our world. For those of us who live here, that center is Vero Beach—not because other places are unimportant, but because this is where the 14

larger world becomes personal. These are our streets, neighborhoods, institutions, businesses and natural surroundings. The decisions made here affect our daily lives. The people accomplishing important things here are our friends, neighbors and colleagues. This sense of place may also explain why local publications continue to matter at a time when so many general-interest magazines are struggling to define their purpose. Information about fashion, travel, food, culture and national affairs is now available everywhere, instantly and usually without cost. A publication offering only what can readily be found elsewhere must compete with a limitless supply of media. A genuinely local magazine occupies different ground. It reflects a community back to itself—recognizing people doing meaningful work, recording the evolution of local institutions, preserving stories that might otherwise disappear, and exploring decisions that will shape its future. This requires the familiarity and understanding that come from living in a place and genuinely caring about what happens to it. The future of magazines may therefore depend less upon how broadly they reach

than upon how deeply they belong. In an age of unlimited information, locality is not a limitation. It is a distinction. Every map has a center. LIV VERO exists to place this community—and the people who give it its character—at the center of the page. The Night Sky Our new feature, The Night Sky, offers another expression of that local perspective. Each month, it will identify a celestial event worth stepping outside to see and explain when and where to look. Although the night sky belongs to everyone, every view of it begins in a particular place. Our charts and viewing directions are calculated specifically for Vero Beach’s precise geographic coordinates—making this not simply a guide to the sky, but a guide to the sky as it appears from here.

JIM FIELD CO-PUBLISHER CO-EDITOR jim@livvero.com

DIANE FIELD CO-PUBLISHER CO-EDITOR diane@livvero.com

Scenographia Systematis Mundani Ptolemaici. Andreas Cellarius. Hand colored, 20 x 17 in. Amsterdam, c. 1708. Fine example of Cellarius’s chart illustrating Claudius Ptolemy’s earth-centered model of the universe. Andreas Cellarius was born in 1596 in Neuhausen and educated in Heidelberg. He emigrated to Holland in the early 17th Century and 1637 moved to Hoorn, where he became the rector of the Latin School. Cellarius’ charts are the most sought after of celestial charts, blending the striking imagery of the golden age of Dutch Cartography with contemporary scientific knowledge. The Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection. Stanford University Libraries.

“When I search into the multitudinous revolving spirals of the stars, my feet no longer rest on the earth.” —Attributed to Claudius Ptolemy, astronomer and mathematician, second century 15

OUR CIRCULATION AND REACH On Five Levels

MAIL

Magazines mailed to EVERY residence in Indian River County (all 8 zip codes) with incomes equal to or greater than $200,000.

DIGITAL

Electronic Edition sent to a curated list of 11,000+ email addresses in Indian River County with incomes equal to or greater than $150,000.

IN PERSON

Hand delivery of 1,500 copies to advertising partners, other businesses, organizations, individuals—including hotels, airport, restaurants, real estate offices, physician offices, country clubs, drop points.

WEBSITE

Electronic Edition, in full, is accessible to all on our website livvero.com.

SUBSCRIPTION

LIV VERO® Magazine is a registered trademark of Orchid Island Publishing Group LLC. © 2026 Orchid Island Publishing Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction or distribution of any content without express written consent is prohibited. CO-PUBLISHER | CO-EDITOR Jim Field jim@livvero.com Diane Field diane@livvero.com EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTING WRITERS John Stearns, Renee Morad, Amanda Blumberg, Diane Field, Jim Field, Analise McManus, Adam Schmitz ART CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Victoriya Knapp, Jim Field, Analise McManus, Frank Moore, Aaron Knapp, Adam Schmitz ADVERTISING AND EVENTS 703-851-0703 DIGITAL WEBSITE: livvero.com INSTAGRAM: @livveromagazine ORCHID ISLAND PUBLISHING GROUP LLC Vero Beach, FL 32963 President | Jim Field SUBSCRIPTIONS 10 issues: $45. Subscribe at www.livvero.com POSTMASTER SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: Orchid Island Publishing Group 3320 Cardinal Dr., Suite 648175 Vero Beach, FL 32963 LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED

Building list of subscribers locally and across country to primary/secondary residences. Subscribe at livvero.com. LIV VERO MAGAZINE: File No.: 440381.1 Serial No.: 98525418 (ISSN# pending) is published ten times per year by Orchid Island Publishing Group, 32963.

@livveromagazine www.livvero.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Free of charge to qualified residents of Vero Beach. Publisher reserves the right to determine qualifications. Annual subscriptions: U.S. and possessions $45, all other countries $125 U.S. funds (via air mail). Single copies: U.S. and possessions $5. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher does not warrant, either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy of any advertisements, articles or descriptions here in, nor does the publisher warrant the validity of any views or opinions offered by the authors of said articles or descriptions. The opinions expressed are those of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Orchid Island Publishing Group. Orchid Island Publishing Group makes no representation or warranties regarding the accuracy or appropriateness of the advice or any advertisements contained in this magazine. SUBMISSIONS: We welcome submissions. Unless otherwise negotiated in writing by the editors, by sending us your submission, you grant Orchid Island Publishing Group permission by an irrevocable license (with the right to license to third parties) to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish, and adapt your submission in any medium on multiple occasions. Submissions will not be returned.

SUPPORT INDEPENDENT LOCAL PUBLISHING

WHY ADVERTISE WITH LIV VERO MEDIA? A PRESENCE, NOT AN APPEARANCE ONE LOCAL AUDIENCE. MULTIPLE POINTS OF CONTACT Advertising should do more than place your name in a beautiful publication. It should reach the right people, in the right market, often enough to be remembered. LOCAL, NOT REGIONAL LIV VERO focuses on Indian River County, keeping advertiser exposure concentrated in the communities where our readers live, work, shop and make decisions—not dispersed across distant markets with little relevance to their business. TARGETED DISTRIBUTION Each issue is deliberately placed in front of affluent Indian River County households through direct mail, curated digital distribution and selected in-person delivery— not broad geography, random subscriptions, passive pickup or circulation left largely to chance. MONTHLY, NOT OCCASIONAL A single appearance creates awareness. Repeated exposure builds recognition, familiarity and trust. LIV VERO keeps advertisers visible throughout the year, reinforcing their presence as needs arise, decisions are made and buying opportunities emerge.

A MAGAZINE PEOPLE READ Original reporting, interviews, essays, community coverage and gorgeous photography give readers a reason to spend time with each issue, creating an engaging editorial environment where advertising benefits from genuine attention and sustained reader interest. ONE AUDIENCE, MULTIPLE CHANNELS. Print is only the beginning. LIV VERO reaches its audience through Instagram, curated local email, the Digital Edition and an expanding website—creating multiple opportunities to reinforce the same message across complementary points of contact. LIMITED ADVERTISING. INDEPENDENT EDITORIAL. We limit advertising, reject advertorials and maintain a clear separation between advertising and editorial content—protecting reader trust while creating a less cluttered, more credible environment in which every advertiser has greater visibility.

PRINT. INSTAGRAM. EMAIL. DIGITAL. Made in Vero Beach. Focused on Indian River County. Built for businesses and organizations that want to be known here. 2 17

Oceanic Wealth Management As we continue to serve founders, families, and business owners across the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach communities, our growth reflects our commitment to thoughtful and relationship-driven wealth management. Our team focuses on helping clients navigate major financial transitions, coordinate long-term planning, and steward wealth across generations. We are proud to continue growing our presence in Vero Beach and looking forward to serving our community together. Oceanic Wealth Management Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network

Razvan Ilie

Senior Financial Advisor

Jenna Suleman

Senior Financial Advisor

3387 Ocean Drive Ver0 Beach, FL 32963 772-200-3973

Chase Perez-Blanco Financial Advisor

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFAFN uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors.

FOUNDATIONS

ESSAYS AND DISCOVERIES

Green anole (Anolis carolinensis), Florida’s only native anole species. Photograph by Jim Field. Location: backyard.

AMERICA AT 250

The Anatomy of Greatness A Tapestry of Vignettes

14. STATUE OF LIBERTY

By Jim Field The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognizable monuments in the world. Standing at the entrance to New York Harbor, she represents freedom, democracy, opportunity, and America itself. For generations of immigrants arriving by sea, the sight of Liberty meant a new life was close at hand. Yet immigration was not the statue’s original purpose. That meaning came later. The idea originated in France in 1865 with Édouard de Laboulaye, a French legal scholar, abolitionist, and admirer of American democracy. The Civil War had ended, slavery had been abolished, and the centennial of American independence was approaching. Laboulaye proposed a French monument celebrating American liberty, Franco-American friendship, and the democratic ideals shared by both nations. French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi transformed the idea into Liberty Enlightening the World. France would create and finance the statue; Americans would provide the site and pay for its pedestal. Bartholdi visited America in 1871 and selected Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor, where the monument would greet ships entering the nation’s busiest port. Construction began in France during the 1870s. Craftsmen used a traditional technique called repoussé, hammering thin sheets of copper into enormous forms to create Liberty’s face, robes, arms, and body. Supporting the copper skin required sophisticated engineering. Gustave Eiffel, later famous for the Eiffel Tower, and engineer Maurice Koechlin developed an innovative internal iron framework that allowed the exterior to move slightly with wind and changing temperatures. Liberty was a remarkable engineering achievement for its time.

The colossal head of the Statue of Liberty dominates the Gaget, Gauthier & Co. workshops in Paris. Photograph by Albert Fernique, 1883. New York Public Library collection.

Completed in France in 1884, the statue was dismantled and packed into 214 wooden cases. The pieces crossed the Atlantic aboard the French vessel Isère, arriving in New York on June 17, 1885. There was one problem: the pedestal was not finished.

The Statue of Liberty rises above Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor in 1904. The broad view reveals how different the island appeared at the turn of the century, with the monument towering over the old star-shaped Fort Wood, modest waterfront buildings, trees, and a busy ferry landing. Detroit Photographic Co., 1904. Library of Congress collection.

Architect Richard Morris Hunt designed the massive pedestal within the old star-shaped Fort Wood, but American fundraising had stalled. Newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer used his New York World to appeal directly to ordinary citizens. More than 100,000 people contributed, many less than a dollar. The pedestal was completed, Liberty was reassembled, and President Grover Cleveland dedicated the statue on October 28, 1886. From ground level to the tip of her torch, she stands approximately 305 feet. The famous inscription associated with Liberty has a separate history. Emma

Lazarus wrote The New Colossus in 1883 to help raise money for the pedestal. It was not part of Bartholdi’s original concept, and the poem’s famous words, “Give me your tired, your poor,” were not placed inside the pedestal until 1903—17 years after the statue’s dedication. By then, Liberty’s meaning was changing. Ellis Island had opened nearby in 1892, and millions of immigrants passed the statue while entering America. A French monument celebrating republican liberty gradually became a symbol of welcome and opportunity. The statue and Lazarus’s poem began as separate

creations but became inseparable in the American imagination. Liberty underwent her most extensive restoration from 1984 to 1986, when deteriorating structural components were replaced and a new copper-and-gold-leaf torch was installed. The monument later closed following September 11, 2001, and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, visitors can enter the pedestal and, with advance reservations, climb to the crown. The torch remains closed to the public.

PIECES of the larger whole

THE WRITING DESK

a combination of materials. It can be antique or contemporary, expensive or surprisingly modest. It should not be fussy. Unlike many furnishings chosen primarily for appearance, the writing desk earns its place by being used. That distinction makes it especially interesting in today’s home. A writing desk can give new purpose to an underutilized part of almost any room. A bedroom corner becomes a place for morning correspondence. An alcove in a living room becomes somewhere to organize the week. A guest room becomes useful even when there are no guests. A landing, hallway, or quiet spot beside a window can become a small personal workspace. The desk doesn’t necessarily require a room of its own; it creates a room within a room.

Photograph by Jim Field.

An Old Idea Finds New Purpose in Today’s Home By Diane Field

There was a time when the writing desk was among the most personal pieces of furniture in a home. It was where letters were written, bills paid, household accounts kept, invitations answered, and thoughts committed to paper. Often tucked into a bedroom, library, sitting room, or quiet corner, it belonged to one person and had a particular purpose. The modern writing desk is different, yet in some ways it has returned to that earlier role. Today, a writing desk need not be the imposing desk found in a formal study or home office. It does not need to make a statement, dominate a room, or announce itself as an important piece of furniture. In fact, the best writing desks may do precisely the opposite. They quietly create a place to work, think, organize, and get things done.

Functionality should come first. The desk needs to be the proper height, with enough surface area for a computer, notebook, papers, and perhaps a cup of coffee without feeling crowded. A few drawers are useful for keeping pens, chargers, stationery, and other necessities out of sight. If space permits, a small filing cabinet nearby makes the setting considerably more useful. Good lighting is essential. A strong, directed desk lamp is preferable to relying entirely on overhead lighting, particularly when working in the evening. The chair matters just as much. It should be comfortable enough for an hour or two of concentrated work, supportive, and attractive enough to belong naturally in the room. Beyond those requirements, almost anything goes. A writing desk can be wood, leather, steel, chrome, glass, or

That personal quality should be reflected in what surrounds it. A framed photograph, a favorite book, an object brought home from a trip, a small piece of art, or something inherited can transform a work surface into a familiar and welcoming place. Perhaps that is why the writing desk feels both old-fashioned and thoroughly contemporary. Centuries ago, it provided a private place for correspondence and thought. Today, amid an entirely different kind of busyness, we need much the same thing: a quiet place of our own where ideas can form and things can get done.

PINCH Showroom 200 Ebury Street London SW1W 8UN +44 (0) 207 622 5075 Studio 5A Canterbury Court Kennington Park 1–3 Brixton Rd London SW9 6DE +44 (0) 207 622 5075

PINCH: Founded in 2004 by Russell Pinch and Oona Bannon, PINCH creates distinctive furniture and lighting defined by quiet elegance, exceptional materials, and meticulous craftsmanship. Working with skilled artisans throughout the UK and Europe, the London-based studio emphasizes simplicity, thoughtful detail, and enduring quality, producing beautifully crafted pieces designed to complement diverse interiors, transcend passing trends, and ultimately become treasured heirlooms.

Doyle Desk The Doyle desk combines elegant proportions with practical functionality. Crafted in solid North American black walnut or European oak, it features four dovetailed drawers and an integrated rear cable tray accessed through three desktop grommets. Protective finishes preserve the timber’s natural character while allowing it to age gracefully. Its restrained design provides a handsome, durable workspace suited to contemporary interiors.

Menton Desk The Menton desk combines a light, elegant silhouette with thoughtful modern functionality. Crafted from North American black walnut, it features an inlaid pure aniline leather writing surface, available in five colors. A concealed cable tray, three desktop grommets, and hollowed rear leg discreetly manage wires. Natural variations in the walnut and leather ensure each desk is distinctive and ages beautifully.

Foundations Discovery

MILES

THE NUMBER

The Horizon Is Closer Than You Think

THE OBJECT

7x50

BINOCULARS

The Classic Glass for Looking to Sea

Standing at the edge of the Atlantic in Vero Beach, the horizon appears impossibly distant. But for a person whose eyes are about 6 feet above sea level, Earth’s curvature puts the geometric horizon only about three miles away. Seamen on lookout watch scout the horizon for the first sign of approaching vessels. A puff of smoke by itself is a clue of a contact called “hull down on the horizon.” Eventually a mast or top of a stack may peep above the horizon, providing preliminary findings as to ship size, type, and heading.

Standard Issue On U.S. Navy submarines when I served. Lightweight and sized optimally to strap around neck and climb ladder to and from the bridge. Magnification Objects appear seven times closer than to the unaided eye–for comfortable handheld viewing. Lens Diameter Fifty millimeter objective lenses gather plenty of light for a bright image, even around dawn and dusk. The Balance Higher power brings objects closer but magnifies every tremor of your hands.

Looking east from South Beach Park, Vero Beach.

Photographs by Jim Field 24

At the Beach A good waterproof pair of 7x50s is nearly perfect for scanning the horizon and getting a closer look at boats, birds, dolphins, and whatever else appears offshore.

Trust Matters. For Comfort, Dignity and Peace of Mind. Choose VNA. At VNA of the Treasure Coast, our team is dedicated to helping patients and families navigate changing health needs with compassion, dignity and personalized support. Whether the goal is maintaining independence, recovering at home or finding comfort through life’s transitions, VNA walks with you every step of the way. We are proud to be a trusted part of Indian River County delivering care that honors dignity, eases burdens, and brings peace of mind when it matters most.

Explore what care at home can mean for you

772.567.5551 | www.vnatc.com

DESIGN HISTORY

JAPAN AND WESTERN DESIGN Its Influences Helped Shape Modernism By Jim Field Image source Wikimedia Commons

Later in this issue, there is a wonderful travel article by Analise McManus chronicling her mission trip to Taiwan, Okinawa and Japan. It provides the perfect pretext for a long-held desire of mine to write about Japan, specifically its extraordinary influence on Western architecture and design. In truth, many of the topics we have explored in this department—from Victorian and Art Nouveau design to the evolution of the open floor plan—have carried, sometimes quite prominently, the imprint of Japanese design. Its influence has been there all along, even when Japan itself was not the subject. Now seems an ideal time to bring that influence to the foreground and consider Japan’s outsized contribution in its own right: the principles, aesthetics, materials, and ways of thinking about space and nature that traveled from Japan to the West and, in the process, helped shape modern design as we know it today. To tell that larger story, this article will be followed by two complementary essays tracing the remarkable exchange of ideas between Japan and the West. The first turns to 19th-century Japan and Thomas Glover, the Scottish merchant and industrialist who arrived in Nagasaki in 1859 and became an important figure in bringing Western technology, industry, and design to a rapidly changing Japan. The second follows the exchange in the opposite direction, through Frank Lloyd Wright, who absorbed Japanese principles 26

of space, simplicity, nature, and form and translated them into a distinctly American architectural language. Together, the three articles tell a larger story: two cultures encountering one another, each recognizing something of value in the other, and both were ultimately transformed by the exchange. Western Pillars of Design The way we live today—the appearance and functionality of our buildings and homes, their interiors, furnishings, and amenities—can be traced through the great civilizations and cultural periods that preceded us, and to the discoveries, ideas, and accumulated knowledge that fueled their advancement. Each successive civilization built upon the contributions of those that came before it— adopting, refining, improving, and inventing anew. Over centuries, each contribution added a brick to the proverbial wall of human progress and, ultimately, helped shape our current built environment. If I were to describe and rank the major cultural traditions by the breadth and lasting significance of their influence on Western architecture and design, I would present them as follows: Ancient Greece. Single greatest intellectual and aesthetic foundation. Proportion, symmetry, columns and orders, pediments, geometry, harmony, concept of architectural beauty based on mathematical relationships.

Katsura Imperial Villa

DESIGN HISTORY

Katsura Imperial Villa

JAPAN AND WESTERN DESIGN restricted foreign contact. For more than two centuries, Japan remained largely closed to Western influence, although limited trade and exchange continued, most notably with the Dutch and Chinese at Nagasaki. During this period, Japanese culture and design continued to evolve along their own trajectory. Within that environment emerged or matured principles of simplicity, asymmetry, modularity, natural materials, flexible interior space, exceptional craftsmanship, and an unusually intimate relationship between buildings and nature. When Japan opened more fully to the West in the mid-19th century, Western architects, artists, and designers encountered a highly developed aesthetic tradition strikingly different from their own. Many of its ideas would prove remarkably compatible with the modern world then beginning to emerge. Here are Japan’s leading design concepts and innovations—and the ideas that would ultimately leave their mark on the West: Ancient Rome. Even more important technologically. Introduced the arch, vault, dome, sophisticated concrete construction, monumental civic architecture, urban planning, roads, aqueducts, courtyards, the architectural vocabulary that resurfaced repeatedly in the Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, and American civic traditions. Renaissance Italy. Beginning in the 15th century, Italians rediscovered and reinterpreted Greece and Rome. Architects such as Andrea Palladio had an extraordinary influence on European, British, and ultimately American residential architecture. Contributions of symmetry, central halls, classical façades, carefully proportioned rooms, villas organized around geometric plans.

Crafts, Tudor Revival, English countryhouse tradition. Uniquely Japanese Japan’s contributions to Western architecture and design came much later than those of the great civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean, but that is part of what makes them so remarkable. Over many centuries, Japan developed a distinctive design culture largely apart from Western traditions, shaped by its geography, history, religion, climate, and particular ways of thinking about nature and the built environment.

France. Highly influential in interiors, furniture, gardens, decorative arts, and concepts of luxury. Louis XIV, XV, and XVI styles; Rococo; Neoclassicism; Beaux-Arts architecture; French gardens; cabinetry; upholstery.

Japan was never culturally isolated from the rest of Asia. China and Korea, in particular, profoundly influenced Japanese civilization, introducing or contributing to Buddhism, writing, governmental systems, artistic traditions, building techniques, and other ideas that Japan absorbed and gradually transformed into distinctly Japanese forms. Its separation was principally from the West, where architectural traditions were developing along very different lines.

Britain. Outsized importance to American residential architecture. Georgian, Regency, Victorian, Arts and

That separation became especially pronounced beginning in the 1630s, when the Tokugawa shogunate severely

Wabi-sabi. Beauty in imperfection, age, simplicity, impermanence. Weathered wood, handmade ceramics, irregular surfaces, patina, natural materials. Ma. Deliberate use of empty space. Space between objects is part of the composition. Connection to nature. Blurred distinction between indoors and outdoors through gardens, courtyards, framed views, sliding walls, verandas, water, stone, vegetation. Shakkei (borrowed scenery). Garden or building incorporates a distant mountain, tree, landscape, or other existing feature into a carefully composed view. Engawa. Transitional space running along the exterior of traditional buildings. Neither indoors nor outdoors, creating a graceful transition between house and garden. Modularity. Rooms organized around standardized elements, particularly tatami mats. Proportioned into a modular system rather than arbitrary enclosed spaces.

Flexible space. Sliding shoji and fusuma panels allow rooms to expand, contract, connect, become private. Natural materials. Wood, bamboo, paper, stone, clay, straw, plaster. Grain, texture, aging. Restraint. Interiors favor relatively few carefully selected objects. Asymmetry. Compositions use deliberate imbalance, imparting informality while remaining highly controlled. Framing views. Windows, doorways, screens, structural openings are positioned like picture frames, turning a garden, tree, stone, or distant landscape into a composition. Light and shadow. Architecture favors filtered, indirect, changing light. Classic example: Shoji screen’s translucent paper transforms harsh sunlight into soft illumination.

Exposed craftsmanship. Woodworking joinery is beautiful. Connections and materials become part of the aesthetic rather than concealed. Katsura Imperial Villa Katsura Imperial Villa provides perhaps the most celebrated early expression of these ideas in a single place. Located on the outskirts of Kyoto, the estate was begun in the early 17th century by Prince Toshihito and expanded by his son, Prince Toshitada, with its principal buildings and gardens taking shape over several decades. Created as a country retreat for members of Japan’s imperial family, Katsura combined residential architecture with gardens, ponds, pathways, bridges, and tea houses into one carefully conceived environment. For centuries it remained little known in the West. That changed in the 20th century, when Western architects and scholars began studying Katsura and were astonished by how contemporary its centuries-old architecture appeared.

Its international reputation became so great that this 17th-century imperial retreat came to be regarded as an important historical precursor to modern architecture—before Modernism had a name. Ultimately, Japan’s aesthetic traditions spread rapidly, helping shape movements as varied as Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau. The larger historical distinction is worth emphasizing. Greece and Rome provided much of the foundation upon which Western architecture was built, Japan offered something fundamentally different. These ideas arrived in the West at precisely the moment architects and designers were beginning to question centuries of inherited convention and search for a new language appropriate to a changing world. Thus, Greece and Rome helped create Western architecture, while Japan helped Western architecture become modern.

Katsura Imperial Villa.

DESIGN HISTORY

THE SCOTSMAN WHO HELPED MODERNIZE JAPAN Bringing Western Industry and Technology to a Changing Japan By Jim Field Image source Wikimedia Commons

Glover House.

At the same time that Japanese aesthetics were beginning to influence the West, an extraordinary man was moving in the opposite direction—introducing Western technology, engineering, and industrial practices to Japan. Thomas Blake Glover (1838–1911) was born in Fraserburgh, Scotland, and arrived in Nagasaki in 1859 at just 21 years old, as Japan was beginning to open its ports after more than two centuries of restricted Western contact. He established Glover & Co., importing ships, weapons, machinery, and other Western technology for Japanese leaders eager to modernize. His influence soon extended well beyond commerce. Glover helped introduce steam-powered ships and modern shipbuilding practices, participated in the development of an early modern shipyard at Nagasaki, and helped transform the Takashima coal mine through Western machinery and mining techniques. He also assisted Japanese students in traveling to Britain to study Western science, engineering, and industry. Through his relationships with leaders of the Satsuma and Chōshū domains, he became an important intermediary between Japan and the industrialized West during the turbulent years leading to the Meiji Restoration of 1868. Glover continued to play a role in Japan’s extraordinary industrial transformation that followed. His mining and shipbuilding 30

interests became connected with the emerging Mitsubishi organization. The industries he helped advance— coal mining, shipbuilding, steam transportation, and heavy industry—would become central to Japan’s rapid emergence as a modern industrial power. Glover House.

His former Nagasaki residence, Glover House, built in 1863, survives today as the centerpiece of Glover Garden and is regarded as Japan’s oldest surviving Western-style wooden residence. Overlooking Nagasaki harbor, it remains an enduring symbol of the remarkable meeting of Japanese and Western cultures that defined Glover’s life. One intriguing footnote: Glover and his Japanese wife, Tsuru, have long been associated with theories surrounding Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, although a direct connection has never been established. (A personal note: I visited Nagasaki many times while serving in the Navy, making pilgrimages to Glover House, which commands an astounding view over the city and harbor. Glover’s life captivated me—a Scotsman doing extraordinary things in a foreign land, as Scotsmen so often seemed to do. The submarine on which I served, the USS Darter (SS-576), was homeported about an hour north, in Sasebo.)

Glover House.

DESIGN HISTORY

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT: JAPAN COMES WEST The Architect Who Translated Japan Into American Modernism By Jim Field Image source Wikimedia Commons

If Thomas Glover represents Western ideas traveling east to a rapidly changing Japan, Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) provides a remarkable counterpoint: A generation later, Japanese ideas were traveling west and helping transform American architecture. Wright’s fascination with Japan was neither passing nor superficial. He encountered Japanese art in the 1890s and became an avid collector and dealer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints. He traveled to Japan repeatedly and spent extended periods there, most notably while designing the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, which opened in 1923. Over the course of his life, Japanese art and architecture became an important intellectual and aesthetic influence on his work. What Wright discovered in Japan was an approach to architecture fundamentally different from the Western traditions that had dominated Europe and America for centuries. Japanese buildings emphasized relationships—between rooms, between materials, between a structure and its surroundings, and between the people inside and the natural world beyond. Wright absorbed these broader ideas rather than simply borrowing individual Japanese features. That distinction is important. Wright resisted suggestions that he copied Japanese architecture. He believed Japanese art and design confirmed principles toward which he was already moving. His achievement was not to 32

create Japanese houses in America, but to translate Japanese principles into an American architectural language. The results can be seen throughout his career. The Robie House, located in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago and completed in 1910, helped redefine the American home with its strong horizontality and flowing interior spaces. A quarter-century later, Fallingwater, built over a Pennsylvania waterfall beginning in 1935, carried the relationship between architecture and nature to an extraordinary conclusion. Neither building looks Japanese, yet both reflect an architectural philosophy with unmistakable affinities to Japan. The historical progression is extraordinary: traditional Japan influenced Wright; Wright helped shape modern American architecture; and Modernism transformed how much of the world builds and lives. In that sense, Wright became one of the most important bridges between Japanese design and the modern West.

Robie House.

BLOSSOMS

Vero’s Everyday Floral Masterpieces

RADERMACHERA ‘KUNMING’

The Radermachera ‘Kunming’ (Radermachera sp. ‘Kunming’), commonly called dwarf tree jasmine, is a graceful tropical shrub well suited to South Florida gardens. Its glossy green foliage provides a lush backdrop for delicate, bell-shaped flowers, typically white to pale pink with creamy-yellow throats. Most visitors to our garden are unfamiliar with the species. In our experience, it’s often difficult to find at local retail nurseries and few landscapers use it. We purchase ours from Edward Miller & Son Inc. in Palm City. By Jim Field Photograph by Jim Field 34

Finest Real Estate Worldwide

Engel & Völkers Treasure Coast Now Serving Indian River, Port St. Lucie, and Martin Counties

NEW - STUART

772.410.3644 600 SE OCEAN BLVD STUART | FL 34994

VERO BEACH

772.410.4155 821A BEACHLAND BLVD VERO BEACH | FL 32963

HUTCHINSON ISLAND

772.410.4140 4007 N HIGHWAY A1A HUTCHINSON ISLAND | FL 34949 35 ©2026 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

Foundations Discovery

AT THIS HOUR Vero, 8:01 p.m. Sometimes the show isn’t at the beach. It’s waiting in the driveway.

Photograph by Jim Field 36

aesthetics + wellness

Longevity is the new luxury From injectables and skin rejuvenation to IV therapy, wellness, body contouring, and regenerative treatments. Your personalized journey starts here. Mary Lynn Shambo, RN, MSN, FNP-C

Your Blueprint for a Longer, Healthier, More Vibrant You. Scan to Book Now!

Natural results. Advanced technology. Expert Providers. A comprehensive approach to aesthetics and wellness designed around you.

2101 Indian River Blvd, Suite 106 Vero Beach, FL 32960 772.217.8664 Injectables

Skin Rejuvenation

Wellness & IV Therapy

Body Contouring

Regenerative Care

alignmedicalaesthetics.com

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

SPECIAL FEATURE

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

SPECIAL FEATURE A New Door to Help, Hope and Recovery By Jim Field Photography by Victoriya Knapp

Introduction Open around the clock, The Landing by Thrive will provide a safe place for people experiencing a substance userelated crisis, often complicated by mental health needs. Clients will receive a safety screening and, when appropriate, have a place to pause safely, be assessed and identify the right next step. It will serve people leaving hospitals, jails or other settings without a coordinated plan, as well as individuals and families confronting a crisis at home with nowhere to turn. The dedicated campus has two buildings and two connected capabilities. Centralized Intake and Respite will provide safety screening, assessment, navigation and short-term respite. The Residences will provide supervised recovery housing while residents receive treatment and prepare to return to the community. A client may move from one building to the other or be connected with another appropriate resource. The Landing is a natural extension of Thrive’s core work, but it is also a community-wide service—a public good. Its need was rigorously identified through a community needs assessment, and its success will depend upon partnerships across the county. Community organizations will help identify people who may benefit from The Landing, while The Landing will connect clients with partner agencies providing the specialized services they need. Thrive Overview For more than 35 years, Thrive IRC has helped Indian River County address two of its most difficult challenges: substance misuse and behavioral health. Its work 40

spans prevention and education, early intervention, treatment and long-term recovery. Guided by five mission pillars—To Lead, To Create Awareness, To Educate, To Offer Help and To Heal—Thrive combines compassionate, person-centered care with evidence-based practices. Established in 1990 as the Substance Abuse Council, the organization began with prevention and education before expanding into treatment, adolescent programming, recovery support and housing. It later adopted the name Thrive IRC to reflect that broader purpose. Thrive also convenes agencies and community partners to examine local data, identify gaps and develop practical responses. Thrive reaches young people through school- and community-based programs that teach decision-making, communication, coping and refusal skills. Its prevention coalitions, public-awareness campaigns, community forums, Narcan training and distribution, and programs for families and seniors extend that work across the county. For young people already engaging in risky behavior, Thrive provides assessment, early intervention, pre-arrest diversion and adolescent treatment. Adults receive outpatient or structured day treatment, clinical therapies and recovery support tailored to their circumstances and readiness for change. Certified peer specialists carry the hope of recovery into hospitals, jails, behavioral health settings and homeless-service programs, while Thrive’s existing recovery residences provide men in early recovery with a stable, supportive environment in which to rebuild their lives. Thrive also assists

families affected by another person’s substance use and provides reliable drugtesting services for recovery, judicial, workplace and family needs. Because substance use and mental health challenges rarely occur in isolation, Thrive considers family relationships, housing, legal involvement and access to healthcare. Its coordinated services help people navigate a fragmented system, restore stability and find a clearer path forward. Nancy Lynch Board Chair As board chair and someone with lived experience, I believe The Landing by Thrive can be transformative for Vero Beach and our entire community. Consider what happens when someone is released from jail or discharged from an emergency room without a concrete plan. Where do they go? Do they return to the street without stable housing, transportation, compassionate support or a clear path forward? Without a coordinated place to turn, that may be exactly what happens—and at 3 a.m. on a Sunday, the chances of it happening are very real. What is missing in Indian River County is a place that can respond at that critical moment. When someone is facing a substance use-related crisis, often complicated by mental health needs, the hardest moment may be the moment they finally reach out.

Thrive leadership team (L-R) Jill Amos, Chief Clinical Officer, Nancy Lynch, Board Chair, Carrie Lester, CEO, David Flynt, COO, Kyleigh Motiwala, Chief Impact Officer.

I know; my family has been there, and it is incredibly painful to witness. In a matter of minutes, our loved one may change their mind and make a decision that will profoundly affect them and their family. Without a place such as The Landing, they can quickly return to the same circumstances that contributed to the crisis in the first place. Shame, exhaustion and fear can overwhelm sound decision-making. We cannot expect people in crisis to make calls, repeat their stories and determine which agency can help them. The family is in an equally delicate situation, and I know that I have not always made the wisest decisions when overwhelmed and frightened. The Landing by Thrive will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year—a place where people will be met without judgment. Clients will receive a safety screening and, when appropriate, an assessment of their needs. They will be heard, supported and connected with the right next step. If that next step is not immediately available, Respite will provide a safe place to remain until

an appropriate connection can be made. My lived experience tells me this is what we must do: treat people with compassion and meet them where they are. There is no wrong door—and, more importantly, this door will be open every day, around the clock. Vero Beach and Indian River County need and deserve a place such as this. One that says: You don’t have to know where to go. You don’t have to face this alone. You are safe, and we will treat you with dignity. This is a door to hope. I want everyone facing a substance userelated crisis—and every family struggling alongside them—to hear this loud and clear: Come in. You’re safe here, and we will figure out the next step together.

Carrie Lester, CEO Jim Field: How did The Landing by Thrive come about? Carrie Lester: The Landing by Thrive grew out of a community needs assessment. About two years ago, the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners asked Thrive to lead that process. When the assessment was complete, we knew it could not simply sit on a shelf. We needed to turn its findings into strategic priorities and organize the community around them. Following a Johns Hopkins model for planning the use of opioid settlement funds, we convened key stakeholders to examine the data. Two priorities emerged: addressing pervasive stigma and training needs, and improving access to care. The community lacked a central point where people could find help, determine what care they needed and learn whether they could afford it—especially at night and on weekends. 41

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

THE LANDING BY THRIVE The group that became the Indian River County Opioid and Substance Use Task Force recognized the need for a 24-hour resource and concluded that Thrive was best suited to operate it. Our board authorized us last June to develop the model. We now have a lease and a clear vision for The Landing. Jim: Indian River County has many resources, but the principal needs that surfaced were round-the-clock availability and help navigating a complex network of services. Is that correct? Carrie: Exactly. The emergency department is available around the clock, but it is designed for emergency care and stabilization—not for the longer process of helping someone understand and address a substance use disorder. It is also a highcost setting that may not match what the person actually needs. The Landing will be available 24 hours a day to help clients understand their individual needs and connect them with the appropriate services. At any given time, about 26,000 Indian River County residents struggle with substance use, including approximately 2,600 who are uninsured. Many others are underinsured. Those clients can have particular difficulty entering a complicated system of care. The Landing will provide navigation and what our field calls a “warm handoff.” Instead of simply giving a client a telephone number, we will help the client reach the appropriate provider and follow up afterward. Recovery may also depend on stable housing, benefits, food, employment preparation and other basic supports. We want to help create that foundation. Jim: How does The Landing fit into Thrive’s core mission and existing work? Carrie: It is a natural extension of what Thrive already does. We receive calls and referrals, conduct screenings and assessments, and determine whether a client needs a Thrive service or would be better served elsewhere. The Landing expands that work into a broader, 24-hour operation. 42

Even after years in this field, I sometimes struggle to navigate the system at night or on a weekend. With The Landing, I can say, “Go there. My team will help you.”

leave the Behavioral Health Center or a hospital floor at any hour. The Landing will give hospital care-management teams a 24-hour resource.

Just as important, The Landing adds a safety net. If I am sitting across from a client today, I cannot simply say that an agency will help tomorrow when I know that client may return home and use substances tonight. We need to keep the client safe and comfortable until the next appropriate service is available.

With consent, we can bring a patient from the hospital or Behavioral Health Center to The Landing, creating a true warm handoff. We expect to work closely with Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital and build relationships with Orlando Health and other North County providers.

During Respite, trained peers will encourage clients and prepare them for the next step. That peer-based model meets clients where they are and helps them remain connected to care. Jim: If an outside provider is identified, can a client leave Respite to receive that service? Carrie: Yes. Our staff can take the client to the provider and return with the client to The Landing, which remains the home base during the Respite stay. There will not be unrestricted coming and going, but clients can receive services in the community with staff support. Once a client is connected with treatment, that person may move from Respite into the Residences if housing is needed. Our staff will continue to provide around-theclock support while the resident receives appropriate care in the community. In simple terms, Respite provides a safe bridge until we can connect a client with treatment. The Residences can then provide a stable place to live while that treatment continues. Jim: Partnerships appear to be fundamental to the model. How will The Landing work with other community organizations? Carrie: The Landing was born out of a community process and will operate through partnerships with healthcare, governmental, educational and nonprofit organizations across Indian River County. The Landing can relieve pressure on higher-cost services. Someone may arrive at an emergency department because no alternative is available, or be ready to

Housing organizations are also important partners. When a resident uses substances, that person may no longer be safe in the setting or may have violated its rules. Yet sending someone into the street helps neither the individual nor the community. The Landing can provide screening, stabilization and reassessment, then connect the client with treatment, another placement or a supported return to the original housing. It offers a pathway back into recovery rather than only punishment and shame—serving as a reset button. The same principle applies in a family home. A family may need to say, “You cannot continue living here while using substances,” but the alternative should not be leaving the person with nowhere to go. The Landing can provide a safe place, conduct a safety screening and begin connecting the client with care. Jim: How will The Landing work with law enforcement and people leaving the county jail? Carrie: Thrive already works closely with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office and provides services in the jail. We plan to expand that work by adding a clinician and providing more clinical services before release. Our peer staff plant seeds of hope and help inmates build readiness for change. If clinical work begins in jail, The Landing can provide continuity upon release. The jail’s reentry team and Thrive staff will coordinate the transition. A client may come directly to The Landing for a safety screening, assessment, treatment connections and support.

View of the Centralized Intake and Respite Center.

People leaving jail face an elevated risk of overdose because their tolerance may have declined while they were not using. If they return to the quantity they used before incarceration—or encounter fentanyl—the result can be fatal. By building a bridge from the jail into care, we can save lives, reduce recidivism and give people a genuine opportunity to begin a new life in recovery.

Jim: How will you measure success?

Jim: Primary care and behavioral health practices would also seem to benefit. How can they use The Landing?

The second is human. There is tremendous pain in a family living with a loved one’s substance use disorder. Success means being there when an individual or family does not know where to turn—providing respite in a dark moment and offering the light of hope and recovery.

Carrie: A clinician may recognize a substance use disorder during a brief visit but lack the time and specialized knowledge to find an available provider and determine whether insurance or another source will cover the service. The Landing gives practitioners one number to call and confidence that we will determine what is needed and make an immediate connection. A referral two weeks from now is very different from knowing something is happening today. A central access point makes referral to treatment far more practical. We will educate practitioners about whom The Landing serves and what it does.

Carrie: I think about success in two ways. Objectively, our Chief Impact Officer, Kyleigh Motiwala, has developed an evaluation plan with outcomes, metrics and indicators. We will publish data, refine the model and examine possible reductions in emergency department use, rearrests and recidivism.

I recently toured the property with a mother whose son struggles with both substance use and schizophrenia. She became tearful several times and told me, “You are addressing every problem and system failure we have experienced as a family.” She described stigma, judgment, discharge without an adequate plan, falling through gaps and not knowing what to do when her son left a treatment program.

That is exactly whom The Landing is being designed for: the person and the family. We want it to be a warm, welcoming place people will return to if they struggle, relapse or leave a program that did not work for them. The message will be: Come back. We will still be here. Jim: The Landing could establish a new community standard for helping people enter care. Is that part of the ambition? Carrie: Yes. Standards exist for treating substance use disorders, including evidence-based therapies and FDAapproved medications. But our community lacks a consistent standard for helping people access that care. The Landing is intended to fill that gap. First, it will establish a better process for entering the system. Then it will help ensure that each client reaches the appropriate standard of treatment for his or her disorder—whether that involves medication, therapy, behavioral interventions or another level of care. Everyone should have access to the evidence-based options appropriate to an individualized treatment plan.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

THE LANDING BY THRIVE 12 beds—six for male clients and six for female clients—and a living-room service accommodating four to five. Some clients may spend less than 24 hours in the living room without needing a bed. Respite stays may extend to 14 days while we arrange the next step. The Residences will provide longer-term recovery housing for 20 residents, with separate areas for men and women. We plan for Level IV certification by the Florida Association of Recovery Residences, or FARR. Thrive’s existing sober and supportive houses are already FARR-certified.

View of the Residences.

Jim: Is the combination of services you are creating unusual? Carrie: We built a distinctive model by studying programs and lessons from across the country and identifying the components necessary for success. Centralized intake exists in some communities. We also visited a respite program in South Florida that has been operating for about seven years. What continued to pull at me was the need to combine access with a safety net. It is not enough to assess a client and identify a service if that service is not immediately available and the client has nowhere safe to go. The Landing brings Centralized Intake and Respite together in one model. In our research, we have not found another program that combines them in quite the same way. It was designed around the needs of Indian River County, but we hope it can also establish a model for other communities. 44

David Flynt, COO Jim Field: Before we follow a client through the process, describe The Landing by Thrive campus and how its two buildings will function. David Flynt: The Landing by Thrive campus has two buildings that serve different but connected purposes. The first is the Centralized Intake and Respite building, which includes our livingroom service and short-term Respite. The second is the Residences, which provides longer term recovery housing. Depending on a client’s needs, someone may come through Centralized Intake, remain briefly in Respite and then move into the Residences. Other clients may be connected directly with treatment or another appropriate service in the community. Centralized Intake and Respite will have

Both buildings will be staffed and supervised around the clock, but they will operate differently. Respite provides a closely managed, stabilized environment. Clients participating in Respite will remain on campus except when accompanied by staff to an appointment or community service. The Residences allow residents to come and go. Many will leave during the day to attend treatment at Thrive or another provider and return later. On-site mentors will maintain a safe, quiet and respectful environment, and residents will follow a curfew and participate in required meetings, peer groups and other recovery supports. We anticipate an average residential stay of approximately three months, often corresponding with intensive outpatient or day treatment. Residents can build sober support and practice recovery in a monitored environment before moving into community housing, with continued outpatient or peer support. Jim: With that framework in mind, how can a client come to The Landing by Thrive, and what happens upon arrival? David Flynt: Clients will reach The Landing in many ways. They may walk in on their own because they know they need help. A family member may bring them. They may be referred by a physician, an emergency department or another community provider, or they may come to us upon release from the county jail. The first step will be a safety screening to determine whether the client is medically

and psychiatrically stable enough to be served at The Landing by Thrive. We need to rule out an immediate medical or psychiatric crisis that requires stabilization at a hospital or another specialized facility. If the client is appropriate for The Landing but is intoxicated or otherwise not ready to participate in an assessment, we will welcome the client into the living-room service. This will be a warm, comfortable place to rest, have a cup of coffee and begin talking with one of our peer specialists. Peers bring lived experience of substance use and recovery. They show clients that recovery is possible and remain beside them until they are ready to consider treatment. When the client is ready, we will conduct a more complete assessment. Peers and a clinician will work together to determine the appropriate level of care. That might be detoxification or inpatient treatment, partial hospitalization, day treatment, intensive outpatient treatment or another form of outpatient care. Some services will be available through Thrive; others will be provided by community partners. The recommendation will depend on the client’s needs, insurance coverage and other resources. Nothing will be cookiecutter. Jim: Will The Landing by Thrive become the principal way clients enter Thrive’s services? David: The Landing will centralize much of Thrive’s screening and placement process. A client will be able to walk in or call a central telephone number. Some screenings can be completed by telephone, much as Thrive does now. If the situation is more urgent or the client may need Respite, we may ask the caller to come directly to The Landing. The screening will determie which Thrive service is appropriate, if any. A client may enter one of our housing options or require a level of treatment provided by a community partner. Clients will not have to enter a Thrive treatment program to receive help navigating the system. A resident could

receive treatment from another organization while living in the Residences. The purpose of Centralized Intake is to identify what each client needs and make the right connection—not automatically to place everyone in a Thrive program. Jim: Once the appropriate level of care has been identified, what happens next? David: We will make what we call a warm handoff. If a client with private insurance needs inpatient treatment, for example, we will identify a partner that provides the service and accepts that coverage. We will arrange transportation, make sure the client arrives safely and connect directly with the receiving provider. We will also remain involved. While the client receives treatment, we can communicate with the provider and help plan the next transition. When the client completes that phase, he or she may return to Respite temporarily, enter the Residences or move to another appropriate setting. Practical barriers can be significant. A treatment bed may not be available for several days, or a client may lack identification required for admission. The Landing gives us a safe place to resolve those issues. Jim: How does Respite work, and how long might a client remain there? David: Some clients may remain in the living-room area for only a night or less than 24 hours. After resting and talking with peers, a client may decide not to pursue treatment. Another may complete an assessment and be appropriate for outpatient care, with no need for a Respite bed. If a client needs to stay beyond 24 hours, we may assign a Respite room. The length of the stay will depend on the time required to stabilize the situation and arrange the next appropriate placement. The facility will be locked. Clients, however, may sign themselves out and leave against advice. But while participating in Respite, they will remain at The Landing except when accompanied by staff to an appointment or community

service. We want to preserve the safe, stabilized environment until we can complete the warm handoff. A Respite stay ends when we have an appropriate next step, whether that is treatment, the Residences or another destination. Jim: What staffing and services will be available in the Centralized Intake and Respite building? David: The building will be staffed around the clock by peer specialists and behavioral health technicians. Peers will provide one-on-one encouragement, share the hope that comes from lived experience and walk beside clients as they begin recovery. Behavioral health technicians will help maintain the safe environment and monitor clients’ condition and well-being. We will also have kitchen staff and a full-service kitchen providing three meals a day. At night, we expect a minimum of three staff members in the facility. During the day, staffing will increase to eight to 10 peers and behavioral health technicians, reflecting the amount of assessment, coordination and individual work taking place. Jim: Will inability to pay prevent someone from receiving help? 45

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

THE LANDING BY THRIVE

David: No. Thrive has a longstanding policy that we do not turn people away because they cannot pay. Thrive does not accept commercial insurance. For services such as day treatment, outpatient care and drug screening, we use an income-based sliding-fee scale. An individual service may cost from as little as $3 to as much as $125, with many of our clients paying at the lower end. We believe everyone should contribute something if they are able, even if that amount is only $3. Some people have no ability to pay, however, and they are still not turned away. There will be no charge to clients for Centralized Intake and Respite. Those costs will be supported by grants and state opioid-abatement funding. Recovery housing will have a structured service fee, essentially rent. Grant-supported scholarships will cover the first 30 days for eligible residents. After that, the fee 46

will begin at $50 a week and gradually increase. We want the housing to remain affordable while also helping residents assume increasing responsibility as they progress toward independent living. When a client has commercial insurance and needs a service Thrive does not provide, we will work with partner organizations that accept the client’s coverage. Again, our role is to find the right service and help the client reach it. Jim: Safety will understandably be important to clients, residents, staff and neighbors. How are you addressing security? David: We have approached security very seriously, with the safety of clients, residents and staff foremost in mind. Lawenforcement representatives and private security professionals have examined the property and helped us develop a comprehensive plan for access and building security.

Improvements include controlled, badged entry, segregated access to parts of the buildings and cameras monitored from Centralized Intake and Respite. No one will be able simply to walk up and open the door. Visitors will have to be seen on camera and admitted by staff. We will also have an area where staff can screen people and ensure they are not bringing prohibited items into the facility. The security plan has been reviewed by law enforcement and outside professionals, and the necessary building improvements are being made. Jim: How did Thrive acquire the property, and what will be required to secure it permanently? David: Through the generosity of the Indian River County Hospital District, Thrive entered into a three-year lease beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2029. We are not paying rent or a

Community Partners Include: • Cleveland Clinic Indian River • Indian River County Hospital District • I ndian River County Board of County Commissioners • Indian River County Sheriff’s Office • Vero Beach Police Department • Sebastian Police Department • Fellsmere Police Department • Treasure Coast Community Health • Vero Beach Recovery • Dynamic Life • Camp Haven • United Against Poverty • Mental Health Collaborative • Homeless Services Council • United Way of Indian River County outheast Florida Behavioral •S Health Network • School District Indian River County • New Horizons Treasure Coast • Whole Family Health • PUR Health • Communities Connected for Kids

Digital staging of a room at the Residences.

mortgage during that period, which allows us to launch The Landing without carrying that additional burden. Under the lease, however, Thrive is responsible for the property much as an owner would be. We will pay for utilities, maintenance, repairs, landscaping and most other operating expenses, as well as the improvements needed to prepare the buildings for their new use. We have also agreed to purchase the campus before the lease expires. Because the Hospital District is a state-created taxing district, it must follow specific requirements when selling the property. The agreement establishes a current minimum value of $4.1 million, although the final price has not yet been determined and may change with the property’s market value. Certain improvements and demonstrated community benefits may result in credits against the purchase price.

Jim: What is the goal of the capital campaign? David: We currently expect to launch a $5.5 million capital campaign. The largest share will be used to purchase the property. A small portion will cover the necessary costs of conducting the campaign. If the purchase price is ultimately less than the amount raised, the remaining funds will be restricted for future capital needs at The Landing. Buildings eventually need new roofs, air-conditioning systems and other major improvements. Establishing a reserve for those needs will protect future operating funds and help ensure that dollars intended for services continue to reach the people who need them. Owning the campus without rent or mortgage expense would be transformational over the long term. It would provide a stable home for The Landing by Thrive and allow Thrive to concentrate its resources on the clients, residents and families it serves.

We are deeply grateful to the Hospital District for giving us the opportunity to launch this program. The Landing responds directly to a priority identified through the community needs assessment. We believe its impact will be felt not only by people seeking recovery, but also by their families, law enforcement, healthcare providers and the wider community. When people do not know where to turn, The Landing will be the place where they can begin to find an answer.

BUILT FOR THE WAY VERO LIVES A coastal home should feel effortless, but getting there takes experience. At KMK Builders, we understand how Vero Beach families live, entertain, gather, and grow into their homes. From thoughtful renovations to ground-up custom builds, we create spaces that feel personal from the start and practical for years to come.

A HOME SHOULD NEVER FEEL TEMPORARY 48

Trends come and go. A well-built home should not. Our work is guided by the details that matter long after move-in day: how a room opens to the outdoors, how materials hold up in the coastal environment, how the layout supports everyday life, and how each decision adds lasting value. The result is a home that feels considered, comfortable, and built to belong.

MICHAEL & KYLE KONDZIOLA 3201 Cardinal Drive, Vero Beach, FL 772-643-1353 | kmkbuidersllc.com @kmkbuilders 49

Armor Screen

Colonials

Panels

Hurricane Protection from someone you’ve trusted for over 45 years. Panels • Colonials • Bahamas Armor Screen • Accordians • Rolling

Rolling

Accordians

Showroom & Factory • 1055 Commerce Avenue, Vero Beach Phone (772) 569-2200 • Toll Free (800) 741-2202 www.floridashuttersinc.com

Bahamas

ACROSS THE SPECTRUM

Photograph by Victoriya Knapp 53

VERO BUSINESS

ELGA AND MARINE JOIN FORCES

Credit Union Partnership Expands Services, Lending Capacity, and Community Investment By John Stearns Photography by Victoriya Knapp When Vero Beach-based Marine Bank & Trust Co. chose to merge with a Michigan credit union holding more than double its assets—among the latest deals nationally of credit unions increasingly acquiring community banks—it wasn’t done from a position of distress. Far from it. “We were always profitable and wellcapitalized; it’s just I had bigger plans beyond the capital we had,” Marine’s longtime CEO, Bill Penney, said from his office in the bank’s stately building fronting Beachland Boulevard, home to Marine’s headquarters and one of two Vero branches. Three other branches are in Fort Pierce, Melbourne, and Sebastian, and it has two loan offices, in Stuart and Port St. Lucie. The bank, with about $650 million in assets when the deal was announced, 54

averaged about $3.1 million in net income each of the last 10 years, with its best year in 2022, nearly $5.6 million, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC). The bank also ranked No. 7 in share of deposits in Indian River County, 7.59%, for the year ended June 30, 2025, according to FDIC data on the county’s 17 banks, trailing only national banks PNC, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Nos. 1-4, respectively, Stuart-based Seacoast Bank, No. 5, which had 8.43% of the county’s deposits, and TD, No. 6. Marine’s deposits in the county totaled $450.5 million. In strategic planning sessions with the board, Penney said Marine had weighed how it could continue to grow and offer a high level of service, whether it could do that alone or would need a partner.

(L-R) Terry Katzur and Bill Penney.

“WE DECIDED, ‘LET’S LOOK FOR A PARTNER,’ AND WE FOUND ELGA, AND THAT WAS IT,” SAID PENNEY, A 48-YEAR BANKER WHO’S BEEN AT MARINE SINCE 2004 AND ITS HELMSMAN SINCE 2010. ELGA Credit Union, based in Grand Blanc, about an hour northwest of Detroit, proved a symbiotic match. “I always say culture beats strategy all day long, and the cultures of both organizations were identical; I used to say similar,” said Penney, who’s now Florida market president for Marine—A Division of ELGA Credit Union, which retains all Marine branches and employees. “It really

is identical in that it’s a hyper focus on the employees, on the associates, to take care of the customers and the members and our community.” The Marine division, with ELGA’s broad financial products and heft, can now offer more to Florida customers across a wider socioeconomic population, Penney said. ELGA-Marine’s local philanthropy also will increase, including launching programs in nonprofits, businesses, and schools to help teach financial literacy, avoid scams, balance accounts, and more. “ELGA has developed some really cool tools to do that” and has been doing it successfully in Michigan, he said, citing plans to hire one literacy representative in each county Marine operates in by fall to implement the program locally. ELGA is short for electrical and gas—a nod to its founding as Consumers Power Co. (now Consumers Energy), whose employees started Flint Division Consumers Power Company Federal Credit Union in 1951. It was renamed EL-GA Federal Credit Union in 1959, with the name shortened to ELGA Credit Union in 1995. Its beginnings were humble, helping Consumers Energy employees who were paid below the average of other industrial workers in the 1940s and ‘50s, according to its website. With ELGA’s acquisition of Marine completed in March and Marine’s technology systems officially integrated with ELGA’s on August 3, the marriage is complete. In addition to its staff and branches, Marine kept its ship’s wheel logo. As part of the credit union, Marine is owned by ELGA’s member-customers and is a not-for-profit cooperative with profits returned in the form of member benefits that include lower interest rates on loans. ELGA also brings its own bit of oceanic flavor to Marine: credit and debit cards made of recycled ocean plastic, something ELGA provided its Michigan members before Marine sailed into the picture. ELGA’s Marine Division members have received the new cards. In addition to matching culture, ELGA brings more capital and greater focus

Bill Penney.

on consumer lending, particularly to lower-income consumer and business members, adding to Marine’s longtime focus on commercial lending, particularly small-business accounts and loans, plus mortgages. “ELGA brings a consumerbanking platform that we never had,” Penney said in August. “We’ve done more car loans in the last couple of months (since ELGA’s purchase) than we did in the entire history of Marine Bank, which is nice to be able to take care of a broader array of the consumer financial needs.” The combination also provides a wider mortgage offering, he said. Marine offered mortgages before, but its loan products differed from ELGA’s, sometimes greatly, “and we’ve combined the best of both worlds.” Important, too, in a region broader than the narrow band of wealth represented

on the barrier island, ELGA focuses on members of low to modest means. ELGA is a community development financial institution, or CDFI, and to retain that certification, 60% of its loan dollars must be provided to CDFI-qualified borrowers, said Terry Katzur, president and CEO of ELGA, who was in Vero Beach August 3 for the ELGA-Marine technology integration. “We have to have 60% of our lending within low-income households,” Katzur said, noting the 60% is measured across consumer and commercial loans, but the majority for ELGA has been on the consumer side. ELGA will seek to expand Marine’s commercial lending in Florida, reaching into CDFI-qualified communities on the commercial and mortgage side. “I think that was another reason why this 55

VERO BUSINESS

ELGA AND MARINE JOIN FORCES Terry Katzur.

number of acquisitions has nearly tripled, from roughly five per year in the 2010s to roughly 14 per year in the 2020s. From 2015 through 2024 alone, that represents 72 completed or approved community-bank charter acquisitions. ICBA data shows the average deal size has increased 71% since 2019, from approximately $207 million to $353 million. Florida has been the most active state for these transactions, ICBA said. Following the ELGA-Marine Bank announcement in June 2024, Florida has seen 16 credit union-bank deals since 2015. Another deal was announced later that year, and an additional transaction in 2025 brought Florida’s total to 18—the most of any state, it said. In August this year, Gulf Winds Credit Union of Pensacola announced an agreement with Madison County Community Bank based in Madison, Florida, to acquire the bank, with about $200 million in assets, and rebrand as TruWorth Credit Union next spring. There are a few reasons for Michigan credit unions’ interest in Florida banks, ELGA’s Katzur said.

was such a good fit for ELGA Credit Union to move into this space, because we saw an opportunity,” Katzur said. “We saw segments of the community that might not be fully represented in banking, and we have decades of experience serving low- to moderate-income folks. So we know that we can come into Indian River County, Brevard County, St. Lucie County, and serve those populations and do it very, very well.” With Marine added, ELGA had about $2.5 billion in assets as of June 30, and 117,308 members, plus year-to-date net income of $12.3 million, according to the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), an independent federal agency that insures deposits at federally insured credit unions, protects the members who own credit unions, and charters and regulates federal credit unions, notes NCUA’s website. Michigan-Florida Deals Michigan credit unions are no strangers to Florida. 56

Dort Financial Credit Union, also of Grand Blanc, in 2023 acquired Flagler Bank, based in West Palm Beach, and which had about $500 million in assets; Lake Michigan Credit Union of Grand Rapids, the largest credit union in Michigan with $17.3 billion in assets and 663,000 members today, in 2018 bought Naplesbased Encore Bank with its nearly $400 million in assets, and then Tampabased Pilot Bank, with assets of about $656 million, in 2021; DFCU Financial of Dearborn in 2023 bought Tampa-based First Citrus Bank with its roughly $670 million in assets, then in 2024 bought the Florida operations in Naples and Fort Myers of Iowa City, Iowa-based MidWestOne Bank, whose Florida loans totaled about $162 million, then Winter Park-based Winter Park National Bank, with its $794 million in assets, in 2025. Those deals are among many nationally where data shows a clear acceleration in credit union acquisitions of community banks, according to a spokesman for the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), adding the average annual

“I think there’s a familiarity between people in Michigan and Florida because it’s where all of us go to vacation,” he said with a laugh, “but also, there’s a really nice regulatory framework and reciprocity between the two states, which lends itself to being able to work with the regulators in both states to make these types of deals happen.” From its industrial roots in 1951, ELGA, too, has grown. It was a natural progression to see where else ELGA could take its brand of banking into new communities, Katzur said, “and it just so happens that some of those new communities are here in Florida.” While ELGA had members in Florida before buying Marine, the motivating force for the deal was expansion and diversification, Katzur said. “Being able to pick a partner like Marine Bank, that brought some of those additional skills (in commercial banking), was very important to us as well,” he said.

(L-R) Bill Penney, Terry Katzur, and author John Stearns.

But large credit unions’ acquisition of community banks has drawn criticism nationally from ICBA, which laments credit unions’ federal tax exemption, among other concerns, including reaching across state lines for deals. It’s imperative for policymakers to reconsider the outdated tax and regulatory treatment afforded to multibillion-dollar credit unions that increasingly operate more like large banks and financial giants than true nonprofits, the ICBA spokesman said. ICBA is concerned that big credit unions are exploiting their tax-exempt status to acquire taxpaying community banks, helping to fuel a trend that leaves families and small businesses with fewer choices, less access to credit, and weaker local accountability, he said. Katzur counters such criticism. “I think it might be fairly accurate (to say) that when we keep every single branch open, we keep every single job, and we expand the services to the communities that we come into, in fact, the community is better off because we’re bringing these additional services in that weren’t previously

offered,” Katzur said, calling it a net benefit.

common than what we do differences. We’re both community financial institutions.”

“When you look at a typical bank acquisition (that) happens, there’s significant job loss because there’s overlap and they want to create efficiencies, and that’s just not been the case with the credit union acquisitions of banks that I’m familiar with, and especially not ours,” Katzur said. “Every single branch and loan production office here in Florida is open, will remain open, and every employee has their job still, and some of the employees have even moved into executive positions within ELGA Credit Union as a whole.”

The NCUA also insures customer deposits up to $250,000, as the FDIC does for bank customers.

It’s a positive for employees and consumers, with ELGA’s consumer lending, automobile loans, credit cards, debt-consolidation loans—all those extra services and more, in addition to the CDFI work, he said. “So to me, I would say that credit union acquisitions of community banks are positive,” Katzur said. “When you look at community banks and credit unions, I always feel like we have a lot more in

Marine employees’ health benefits under ELGA also are better and much less expensive, Katzur said, and ELGA matches employee contributions to their 401(k)s dollar for dollar up to 10% of employees’ income, so if an employee’s 10% contribution is $100, ELGA matches it with $100. “I have a 100% return on my money before I ever invest it because the credit union is matching those dollars,” Katzur said. ELGA’s foundation also plans to be a significant donor to Marine communities and to advance its financial literacy education programs locally. Founded in 2020, the ELGA Credit Union Foundation for Impact is a nonprofit public foundation dedicated to helping people through philanthropy, financial education, 57

VERO BUSINESS

ELGA AND MARINE JOIN FORCES banker, but times change. He knew Marine needed to look for a partner “when you start to say, ‘OK, let’s move beyond, let’s look at all the financial institutions,’” he said. ELGA presented what he called a great opportunity. Judging from what he hears from customers, the combination has been well-received, and he’s thrilled for his employees.

The lobby inside the Beachland Boulevard branch of Marine–a division of ELGA Credit Union.

and supporting entrepreneurial startups. In addition to grants, the ELGA Foundation raises money and awareness to assist its nonprofit partners and also offers financial education programs in the community to help individuals make informed financial choices. In 2025, the foundation, in concert with partners, raised $354,000 for Michigan causes that included $158,942 to buy 954,000 diapers for the Flint Diaper Bank; $51,045 to benefit the Voices for Children Child Advocacy Center; $18,000 for Hurley Medical Center’s Breast Cancer Navigation Program; $10,000 for four students ($2,500 each) to pursue higher education; and financial education for 16,005 participants through 466 classes. Penney said Marine will increase its giving under ELGA. Katzur couldn’t provide an exact number, “but our plan is to really duplicate the things that we’re doing in Michigan here and to have those types of events and have that type of impact where we can make sure that we’re supporting nonprofits here in Florida as well.”

Penney’s Past, Future Reflections After graduating from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in business and finance, Penney got his banking start in 1978 with Jacksonville-based Barnett Banks Inc., Florida’s largest in the 1970s and 80s, working in Broward County. It was a great training ground in the industry, he said. In 1984, he moved to Vero Beach, covering the Treasure Coast for Barnett from Stuart to Vero until 1996, all as senior lending officer. After 18 years at Barnett, he launched his own financial consulting business for two years, helping borrowers get loans, banks underwrite loans, doing sales training and more. He was enticed back into banking, joining Enterprise National Bank in Palm Beach Gardens in 1998 as chief lending officer. He spent three years there, then two years at Big Lake National Bank in Okeechobee as chief lending officer, before joining Marine Bank in 2004 as executive vice president-chief lending officer, a role he held until 2010, when he became president and CEO. Penney never envisioned working for a credit union as a rising commercial

“These are my kids; this is my family,” Penney said of the roughly 75 Marine employees. “We’ve been together for so long. So all those jobs were retained and now there’s more jobs, there’s more growth, even better, so I couldn’t be happier with the outcome of this. Customers are being taken care of and all the employees have an opportunity to expand and grow.” Marine’s chief financial officer, chief credit officer, and deposit operations officer kept those same jobs within ELGA, “so it’s the same job in a much bigger organization, which makes me very proud,” Penney said. Ironically, Penney’s grandfather on his mother’s side was involved in a credit union more than 90 years ago, volunteering in the early 1930s as chairman of the Lawrence, Massachusetts Post Office Credit Union. At his home, Penney has a 1932 letter from the credit union thanking his grandfather for his service and a pen set on his home desk that his grandfather received as a thankyou gift. “It’s pretty tarnished, but it still means a lot,” Penney said. At 70, Penney said he’s in no hurry to close out his professional ledger. “They’ve asked me to stay around and I plan to stay around, and I’m having fun,” he said. “I love what I do; I love taking care of the customers, and supporting

ELGA PAID $43.75 PER SHARE TO THE ROUGHLY 450 SHAREHOLDERS OF THE BANK’S HOLDING COMPANY, MARINE BANCORP OF FLORIDA INC., MAKING THE DEAL WORTH $79.5 MILLION. 58

our employees, and being part of the community—and as long as I’m allowed to do that, as long as it’s fun, I’ll continue to work.” Among Penney’s banking highlights over the decades: the personal reward of helping a young couple buy their first house and helping businesses expand. Running into a businessperson 20 years later who says, “‘Hey, you helped me get my business off the ground and now I’ve got 50 employees’—I mean, how cool is that?”

didn’t want their money back, he said. “I thought everybody was so generous and helpful,” Penney said. The Center for Memory & Movement provides more than 45 programs and services to families in the county that are living with memory or movement disorders, all free for those in need. Programs and services include support

At 55, he rollerbladed 55 miles for the Red Cross and raised about $12,000. After that, he traded skating for biking. He skipped a fundraiser at 60 due to his daughter’s wedding. At 65, he rode for the Alzheimer and Parkinson Association of Indian River County, raising about $15,000. Turning 68 wasn’t a milestone, but he rode that year to raise money for the Brevard Zoo’s planned Bowen Aquarium and Conservation Center at Port Canaveral, raising about $18,000.

He recalled one late afternoon on a Friday, exhausted from a week of navigating the COVID uncertainties and light-night PPP processing when he started to read through a thick stack of thank-you cards and letters from customers.

One Mile Per Year Penney’s recovering well from a bicycle accident in the spring when, marking his 70th birthday, he crashed during training for a 70-mile ride between all the Marine offices to help raise money for the nonprofit Alzheimer and Parkinson Association of Indian River County, which does business as Center for Memory & Movement. He had a rod inserted in his leg to stabilize and heal his femur, which was broken in four places. While the accident halted the ride in May, donors who had committed $8,000

Penney, always into fitness, decided at age 45 to rollerblade his age in miles, which he did annually as a personal challenge. At 50, he attached a fundraiser to his exercise. He was chairing United Way of Indian River County at the time and did a rollerblade fundraiser for the nonprofit, raising more than $5,000. He kept up his birthday fitness challenges, attaching fundraisers to noteworthy birthdays.

The single greatest event that stands out to Penney is when COVID hit and the bank worked tirelessly, including through many nights, to help businesses secure Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to retain employees. The bank processed about 1,200 PPP loans worth roughly $98 million, he remembered.

Messages included, “‘Your team saved our business. Your team helped me keep my 20 employees,’ and it just went on and on and on to a point I had tears in my eyes,” Penney said. “You’re like, ‘Oh my, God; we did this,’ and it was so neat to be able to do that. And I still get that today, ‘Oh, you did our PPP loan for us, nobody else would.’ That was one of the greatest achievements and accomplishments in really turbulent times.”

Stories like that and what he calls the amazing work by Center for Memory & Movement inspire him to keep wanting to help by raising money.

The 70th-birthday ride? Penney hopes he’s recovered enough to do it before he’s 71. He and wife, Karen, who’ve been married 45 years, have three adult children in their 30s, a daughter in Atlanta, son in Jupiter, and daughter in Vero Beach. groups, educational classes, memory programs, movement classes, virtual programs, activity kits, a library, dementia training, memory screenings, resources, and more, according to its website. Penney is the nonprofit’s past chairman and its cause is personal. His mother had Alzheimer’s. When he attends events there, it’s not uncommon to sit with a couple and hear, for example, a wife say, “‘Oh my God, thank you so much. I can drop (my husband) off during the day for a couple hours and it gives me time to do what I need to do. Thank you, thank you, thank you,’” Penney said.

Starting out, he remembers his joy and fear with Karen of buying their first house. After closing on a Friday, they had $18 left for the weekend, he remembered. “We didn’t have any curtains or anything, but we hung up sheets in the windows and we figured out how to survive until the next paycheck and it all worked out well,” he said. “To me, the path to financial success is get a good job, spend within your means, max out your IRA-401(k), and buy a house,” Penney said. “If you do that, you’re going to be a successful member of the middle class.” 59 59

THE NIGHT SKY

THE RINGED PLANET Finding Saturn in Vero Beach’s October Sky By Jim Field

This Month: Find Saturn On Friday, October 23, step outside after dark and look for one of the most distinctive worlds in our solar system. Saturn reached opposition on October 4—its closest and brightest period of the year—and remains easily visible in the evening sky later in the month. BEST NIGHT Friday, October 23, 2026. BEST TIME About 9:00 p.m. Allow yourself some flexibility between 8:30 and 10:00. WHERE TO GO Choose a dark location with an open view of the sky. The beach and darker stretches of Vero Beach’s barrier island are ideal. You can also drive west into vast open stretches of the county. WHICH DIRECTION Face generally southeast. HOW HIGH Raise your eyes roughly one-third to halfway from the horizon toward directly overhead. Saturn will already be well above the horizon by 9 p.m. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Look for a conspicuous yellowishwhite point of light. Unlike many stars, Saturn’s light should appear relatively steady rather than noticeably twinkling. USE THE MOON TO FIND IT This month gives us an especially useful landmark. The Moon passes close to Saturn on October 24, so on the evening of October 23 the bright waxing Moon will be in the same general region of the sky. Start with the Moon, then look nearby for a bright, steady yellowish point of light. That is Saturn. 60

A New Monthly Feature: A New Way to Look Up We live in a place where the night sky is still visible. Along Vero Beach’s barrier island, especially near the ocean and away from concentrated artificial light, darkness opens a window onto a sky that many people rarely stop to notice. The beach offers something especially valuable for skywatching: a broad, unobstructed horizon and long views across the Atlantic. Standing there after dark, with sky meeting water and little to interrupt the view, we can look upon much the same horizon that humans have used to observe and navigate by the heavens for thousands of years.

BRING Nothing is required to find Saturn—you can see it with the naked eye. Binoculars will make it more prominent, but to distinguish Saturn’s rings you will want a small telescope.

With The Night Sky, LIV VERO will offer a simple monthly invitation to look up. Rather than an astronomy column in the conventional sense, it will be a practical guide to one compelling object or event that readers can actually walk outside and see for themselves that month.

WHAT YOU’RE SEEING Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and one of the great visual wonders of our solar system. To the unaided eye, it appears simply as a bright point in the October sky. But knowing what you are looking at changes the experience: that tiny light is an enormous planet surrounded by its extraordinary system of rings.

The question each issue will answer is simple: What should I look for in the sky this month?

Through even a modest telescope, the transformation is remarkable. The point of light becomes a world, and Saturn’s rings come into view. For a few minutes, from a dark beach in Vero Beach, something nearly a billion miles away becomes surprisingly immediate.

Our local angle is what makes the idea work. This will not be generic stargazing. The viewing instructions will be calculated specifically for Vero Beach, for a particular date and hour. We will tell you what to look for, when to look, which direction to face, how high above the horizon to raise your eyes, and which nearby stars, constellations, or other celestial objects can help you dial in on the target. We will also tell you whether you need anything more than your own eyes. In other words, we might tell you: on a particular evening, walk onto the beach, face southeast, look halfway between the horizon and directly overhead—and here is what you will see. That turns astronomy from something to read about into something to experience. The Night Sky is astronomy tied to Vero Beach’s precise location on Earth and its changing position beneath the universe at a particular moment. The goal is not to turn readers into astronomers. It is to make the sky above us more familiar, accessible, and extraordinary.

Sources: Astronomical data from NASA/JPL and the U.S. Naval Observatory. Editorial research by LIV VERO Magazine. Graphic generation assistance from ChatGPT.

Next Month in The Night Sky Uranus and a Supermoon November brings two very different reasons to look up. On November 24, the full Moon will appear as a supermoon, larger and brighter than usual. Then, on November 25, Uranus reaches opposition, placing the distant ice giant at its brightest and best position of the year.

Visible-light image of Saturn, captured Aug. 22, 2024, by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope as part of its long-running Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program, reveals the planet’s softly banded atmosphere and bright ring system. The image helps scientists track seasonal changes, storms, and evolving atmospheric features on the ringed giant over time. Image credit NASA.

THE LIVING

LANDSCAPE

LIVE OAK—THE TALLEST TREE IN VERO BEACH The “Other” Landscape of Vero Beach

By Jim Field Photography by Victoriya Knapp

THE LIVING LANDSCAPE

LIVE OAK TREES IN VERO BEACH

If you are new to Vero Beach, the first environmental element you notice is—of course—the ocean and beach. The second are the live oaks. Live oaks are by no means unique to Vero Beach. The Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) is native throughout much of the coastal Southeast, from Virginia south through the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida and west along the Gulf Coast into Texas.

Yet, in Vero Beach and particularly on the barrier island, live oaks can dominate the landscape, imposing on a street or neighborhood the look and feel of living within a densely wooded forest. What makes that especially remarkable is that the Indian River Lagoon may be only minutes away in one direction and the Atlantic Ocean equally close in the other. What Makes Them Unique The Southern live oak is an evergreen or semi-evergreen oak particularly well

adapted to Florida. Its name comes from its ability to remain green through winter. Live oaks do shed their leaves, generally in late winter or early spring, but new growth follows so quickly that the trees are bare for only a brief period. They are also extraordinarily long-lived. Live oaks can survive for many centuries, which means mature specimens were already substantial trees long before the neighborhoods, streets, and houses surrounding them existed.

Perhaps their most distinctive characteristic is their structure. Instead of directing most of their growth upward, live oaks growing in open conditions develop massive horizontal limbs and broad crowns that can eventually become wider than the tree is tall. To look at them, some horizontal branches seem to defy gravity, extending so far and growing so heavy that it is difficult to imagine how they remain attached. How They Grow Live oaks grow relatively quickly when young and more slowly as they mature. They begin life from acorns, which also provide an important source of food for squirrels, birds, deer, and other wildlife. Given enough space, a young tree gradually develops the enormous lateral branches and spreading crown characteristic of the species. Where live oaks grow close together, their crowns can eventually overlap and interweave, creating the continuous canopy seen along some Vero Beach streets. Like other trees, live oaks manufacture their own food through photosynthesis. Their leaves use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce the sugars necessary for growth. Their roots absorb water and essential minerals—including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium—from the soil. Beneficial fungi

associated with the roots can further help the tree obtain water and nutrients. Live oaks prefer sunlight and well-drained soil but tolerate a surprisingly wide range of conditions, including sandy soils, heat, drought, occasional flooding, and moderate exposure to salt. Once established, they are highly drought tolerant, one reason they are so well suited to Florida’s coastal environment. Beneath the Ground A young live oak may initially develop a substantial taproot, but as the tree matures its root system becomes dominated by large lateral roots and an extensive network of smaller absorbing roots. Much of this system remains relatively close to the surface, where oxygen, moisture, and nutrients are most readily available. The roots can extend well beyond the edge of the tree’s canopy. This enormous underground network is essential both to the health of the tree and its ability to remain standing. Protecting a great live oak, therefore, means protecting not just the visible tree but a substantial area of ground surrounding it. What They Host A mature live oak is more than a single organism; it can function as a small ecosystem. Its trunk and enormous branches

provide surfaces for Spanish moss, orchids, resurrection fern, lichens, mosses, and other epiphytes. Spanish moss, despite its appearance, is not a parasite. It uses the oak primarily for support, obtaining moisture and nutrients from rain, humidity, and material in the air rather than taking them from the tree. The canopy provides food, nesting sites, shade, and shelter for squirrels, insects, spiders, tree frogs, lizards, woodpeckers, owls, hawks, songbirds, and numerous other species. Even the environment beneath the tree is changed by its presence. The great canopy provides shade, moderates temperature, intercepts rainfall, and reduces wind near the ground. What appears to be one tree is actually a complex vertical habitat extending from the soil and roots to its highest branches. Maritime Hammock Much of the barrier island’s distinctive wooded character comes from an ecosystem known as maritime hammock—a dense coastal hardwood forest that develops on higher, relatively protected ground behind the dunes. Southern live oaks are among its characteristic trees and, where conditions are favorable, their spreading branches form broad, interlocking canopies. 65

THE LIVING LANDSCAPE

LIVE OAK TREES IN VERO BEACH dramatic. Walk from the hot sun into a mature hammock and the change can be immediate: beneath the dense canopy, the air can feel noticeably cooler as shade and vegetation create a more sheltered microclimate. A Vero Beach Giant One of Vero Beach’s most impressive examples stands in the gardens at Chris Runge’s home (known as “la casita de Dios”), where a Southern live oak has been officially designated by the City of Vero Beach as its “Largest Tree.” Its dimensions help convey its extraordinary scale: approximately 85 feet tall, 170 inches in circumference—more than 14 feet around—with an average crown spread of 109 feet. (Source: City of Vero Beach, Tree and Beautification Commission.) It is said to be 300+ years old—dating it roughly to a time when Georgia became the 13th colony. Caring for Them Caring for a mature live oak is particularly important in a hurricane-prone environment. Healthy live oaks are among Florida’s more wind-resistant large trees, but their strength depends upon maintaining sound trunks, branches, and root systems. Their strong wood, broad root systems, and relatively low, spreading form help them withstand high winds, but no tree is hurricane-proof.

Maritime hammocks are remarkably adapted to coastal conditions. They must tolerate heat, sandy soils, periods of drought, strong winds, salt carried inland by ocean breezes, and tropical storms and hurricanes. Live oaks are particularly well suited to these conditions, while the trees and dense vegetation of the hammock protect one 66

another, reducing wind and salt exposure within the forest. Live oaks share this environment with cabbage palms, gumbo limbo, red bay, seagrape, strangler figs, wild coffee, saw palmetto, and other native and subtropical vegetation. The result can be surprisingly

Periodic inspection by a qualified arborist can identify dead or weakened limbs, structural defects, disease, and other potential problems before a storm arrives. Pruning should concentrate on removing hazardous growth and maintaining a balanced canopy rather than aggressively thinning or “hurricane cutting” the tree, which can cause lasting damage. Similarly, construction, trenching, paving, soil compaction, and changes in soil level can weaken roots and reduce the tree’s ability to remain anchored when hurricane winds arrive and the ground becomes saturated. Living Beneath Them For all their beauty, living beneath a canopy of mature live oaks has its disadvantages. Their dense foliage can dramatically reduce sunlight, leaving homes and gardens surprisingly dark even on bright Florida days and making it difficult to grow grass and many sun-loving plants.

They can also be messy neighbors. Live oaks shed leaves heavily in late winter and early spring, followed by flowers and pollen that can coat cars, patios, roofs, and outdoor furniture with a fine yellow-green, almost pepper-like dusting. Spent male flower clusters, called catkins, add to the debris, as do acorns, twigs, and small branches throughout the year. Larger limbs can occasionally fall, particularly during storms or high winds, posing a hazard to roofs and parked vehicles (my car experienced numerous miraculous

near misses). As such, living beneath great live oaks involves tradeoffs: the shade, beauty, privacy, and extraordinary sense of place they provide come with a healthy amount of maintenance. When They Disappear Perhaps the most important thing to understand about a great live oak is that it cannot simply be replaced. A new live oak can be planted tomorrow, but replacing the presence of a tree that has been growing for 100, 200, or even several hundred years requires generations.

When an old oak disappears, we lose more than its trunk and branches. We lose its enormous canopy and shade, the habitat it supports, the character it gives a street or neighborhood, and a living connection to the landscape that existed long before the houses and roads surrounding it. Vero Beach’s great live oaks are not simply trees that happen to grow here. They are inherited pieces of the landscape. Caring for them is more a sacred act of conservation than mere tidy landscaping.

The crown of Vero Beach’s largest oak tree (at center) spans 109 feet.

WINE AND FOOD

A SUMMER EVENING IN PROVENCE . . . ROUGE EDITION!

Pour Another Glass, Linger a Little Longer, Savor the Moments By Michele and Rob Wayne, owners of Varietals and More Photography courtesy of Varietals and More

As we continue our summer series and prepare for our own return to France, we find ourselves thinking back to a very special chapter of our lives—the years we spent living in Provence. There was something magical about those cooler summer evenings. The heat of the day would finally soften, the sun would begin its slow descent, and dinner was rarely complicated. A table outside, something simple and delicious to eat, a bottle of wine, and time to enjoy it. So this summer, we’re recreating a little of that magic at home. We’ll fill the table with flowers, put on some music, and open a few of our favorite reds from the Rhône, wines of the region we once called home. Think Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre—earthy, generous wines that seem made for lingering over as the sun goes down. And the food . . . Keep it wonderfully simple. Grilled chicken thighs with rosemary and garlic, grilled sausages, a platter of ripe tomatoes with scattered herbs, olive oil and sea salt, good bread, olives. Nothing too fussy. And, of course, the cheese . . . A beautiful selection of cheeses needs very little alongside it. We serve ours simply, with perhaps a few light seasonal salads and plenty of crusty bread. Paired with a bottle of red, it’s effortless, delicious and wonderfully Provençal. The kind of meal meant to linger over as the evening cools.

Set everything outside. Use the mismatched dishes. Cut flowers from the garden. Light the candles before you need them. Pour the wine into pretty glasses. Because sometimes a bottle of wine does more than accompany dinner. It takes you somewhere. For us, these wines take us back to Provence, to warm days, cooler evenings, flowers dancing in the breeze, Rhône wine in our glasses, sunsets that seemed to last forever, and a little bit of magic. And with France waiting for us again just around the corner, it feels like the perfect summer evening to relive. La Grangette des Garrigues, Vacqueyras A beautiful expression of Vacqueyras, from vineyards surrounded by the wild garrigue of Provence. Grenache-led, with ripe dark fruit, spice, licorice and hints of rosemary and thyme. Rich and generous yet beautifully balanced—the kind of Rhône red made for simple food and long summer evenings. Domaine de Longue Toque, Côtes du Rhône From a historic estate at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail. Soft and generous, with ripe red fruit, spice, lavender and a touch of pepper. An easy, beautiful taste of Provence. Famille Brunier Télégramme , Châteauneuf-du-Pape From the family behind legendary Vieux Télégraphe. Grenache-rich, silky and aromatic, with ripe cherry, pepper, lavender and garrigue. Classic Châteauneuf with an approachable, elegant style.

WINE AND FOOD

A SUMMER EVENING IN PROVENCE . . . ROUGE EDITION! Black Bean & Pepper Salad 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 red bell pepper, diced ½ yellow or orange bell pepper, diced ¼ red onion, finely diced Small handful fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped Juice of 1 lime 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon cumin Salt and freshly cracked pepper Toss everything together and let it sit for about 20 minutes before serving so all those flavors come together. Fresh, colorful, ridiculously easy and even better made a little ahead of time. Fresh Cucumber & Red Cabbage Herb Salad Sliced cucumber Finely shredded red cabbage Fresh parsley, chopped Fresh mint, chopped Fresh dill, chopped Extra virgin olive oil Fresh lemon juice A splash of red wine vinegar Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper Toss the cucumber and cabbage with plenty of fresh herbs. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice and just a splash of red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and let it sit for about 15 minutes before serving. Crisp, bright, fresh and perfect alongside grilled chicken.

Provençal Summer Tomatoes Ripe summer tomatoes, thickly sliced Extra virgin olive oil Fresh basil, roughly chopped A little fresh thyme Flaky sea salt Freshly cracked black pepper A splash of red wine vinegar

Rosemary Garlic Grilled Chicken Thighs Boneless chicken thighs Extra virgin olive oil Fresh rosemary, finely chopped Fresh garlic, minced Juice of 1 lemon Sea salt Freshly cracked black pepper

Arrange the tomatoes on a platter, drizzle generously with olive oil and just a splash of vinegar. Scatter with the fresh herbs, sea salt and cracked pepper. Let them sit for 10–15 minutes before serving so all those gorgeous juices mingle. Simple, fresh and very Provençal.

Mix the olive oil, rosemary, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss with the chicken and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. Grill over medium-high heat for about 5–7 minutes per side, until beautifully browned and cooked through. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a little rosemary. Simple, rustic.

Here’s to slow summer evenings, simple food, beautiful wine and nowhere else to be. Pour another glass, linger a little longer, and savor the kind of moments that become our sweetest memories . . . a little Provence magic, wherever you may be! Stay tuned, we look forward to sharing our journey with you! Santé! Michele & Rob

Varietals and More 54 Royal Palm Pointe Vero Beach, FL 32960 772-217-2780 Instagram: @varietals Website: varietalsandmore.com

REAL ESTATE TALK

A MARKET IN SEARCH OF BALANCE A More Negotiable Market Shaped by Affordability, Insurance and Location By Diane Field and Jim Field Photograph by Jim Field

National Market The American housing market is no longer experiencing the buying frenzy of the pandemic years, but neither has it entered a broad collapse. It is gradually searching for balance. In July 2026, existing-home sales were 0.7% higher than a year earlier, although they declined 1.7% from June. The national median price reached $434,100— 2% above July 2025—while available inventory represented a 4.6-month supply. Mortgage rates near 7% remain the market’s greatest restraint, keeping monthly payments high and discouraging owners from surrendering older, lowerrate loans. Florida Market Florida presents a more complicated picture. The statewide median price for an existing single-family home was $425,000 in July, up 3.7% year over year. Singlefamily inventory stood at 4.5 months, close to a balanced market. Condominiums and townhouses had a considerably larger 7.8-month supply. Insurance premiums, association reserves, special assessments and building condition increasingly influence value—particularly for older coastal condominiums. Indian River County Indian River County has remained comparatively resilient. July’s median single-family sale price was approximately $396,000, nearly unchanged from a 74

year earlier. Closed sales increased 20%, pending sales rose 4%, and active inventory declined 8% to 1,069 homes. With 4.5 months of inventory, neither buyers nor sellers hold complete control.

and storm history. Fourth, negotiate: some sellers will consider repairs, concessions or closing-cost assistance. Fifth, buy for several years rather than depending upon rapid appreciation.

Vero Beach In Vero Beach, however, broad averages can conceal more than they reveal. A condominium west of the bridges, a newer home in a mainland community and an oceanfront property may share a Vero Beach address, but they do not inhabit the same real-estate market. One recent sixmonth analysis placed the overall median near $463,000, but the middle half of sales ranged from $245,000 to $950,000.

Five Insights for Sellers First, price from recent comparable sales, not the pandemic peak or a neighbor’s asking price. Second, address maintenance and insurability problems before listing. Third, present the property exceptionally well; buyers have more choices and less patience. Fourth, disclose assessments, flood history and major defects clearly. Fifth, remain flexible on timing, repairs and concessions.

The barrier island creates distinctions of its own. A property east or west of A1A— oceanfront or riverfront—renovated or awaiting substantial work may command very different interest. Flood exposure, elevation, insurance costs and proximity to the ocean or lagoon can matter as much as square footage. In Vero Beach, the most useful comparison is often not the citywide median but the house—or condominium building—down the street.

There is no single national, Florida or Vero Beach real estate market. National trends establish the climate, but value is determined locally—sometimes block by block and building by building.

Five Insights for Buyers First, calculate the complete monthly cost, including insurance, taxes, association fees and reserves. Second, obtain insurance estimates early. Third, investigate flood zones, elevation, drainage

One principle remains constant: A home should be priced to reflect its true market value and presented in excellent condition. Even in a changing market, accurately priced and attractively staged properties are the ones most likely to sell quickly. Sources: National Association of Realtors; Florida Realtors; Realtors Association of Indian River County; Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Realtor.com; Resideline Market Watch; Reuters.

NOW OPEN AT

NON-MEMBERS WELCOME “Explore for Free”

PRECISION PERFORMANCE MEDICINE INNOVATIVE WELLNESS & RECOVERY TREATMENTS WHOLE-BODY APPROACH HEALTH OPTIMIZATION AESTHETICS

hello@twsvero.com 1060 6th Ave VERO BEACH, FL 32960 772-567-1400

2026-2027 Concert Series For show details and ticket information, please visit musicworksconcerts.com stacey@musicworksconcerts.com

772-777-9321

The Emerson Center, 1590 27th Avenue, Vero Beach

THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS Joe & Denise Corr, Presenting Sponsor AC & Ann Starkey

John & Linda Colontrelle

Barbara Ruddy

Susanne & Douglas Sweeny

PLUS, A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR NON-PROFIT PARTNERS

BUY DIRECT, GET THE BEST PRICE.

musicworksconcerts.com THIS IS THE OFFICIAL MUSICWORKS TICKET WEBSITE. Third-party resale sites may charge inflated prices and additional fees. Purchase your tickets here for authentic MusicWorks tickets at the best available price.

Go Now! The Music of the Moody Blues The Tribute

MJ Live! Michael Jackson Tribute Concert

Free Fallin, A Tribute to Tom Petty

One More Night, The Music of Phil Collins and Genesis

Celebrating Meat Loaf

Jefferson Starship Runaway Again Tour 2027

Jay and the Americans

Eaglemania, The World’s Greatest Eagles Tribute Band

Moondance, The Ultimate Van Morrison Tribute

The FLOYD Experience with Special Guest, The Space Coast Symphony Orchestra

Brothers Again, A Celebration of the Music of The Allman Brothers

The Fab Faux, Performing the music of John, Paul, George and Ringo

Beginnings, A Celebration of the Music of Chicago

November 19, 2026 | 7:00 PM

February 11, 2027 | 7:00 PM

February 18, 2027 | 7:00 PM

March 13, 2027 | 7:00 PM

January 14, 2027 | 7:00 PM

January 21, 2027 | 7:00 PM

February 25 & 26, 2027 | 7:00 PM

The Drifters

January 28, 2027 | 7:00 PM

March 4, 2027 | 7:00 PM

The Docksiders A Yacht Rock Experience February 4, 2027 | 7:00 PM

March 11, 2027 | 7:00 PM

March 6, 2027 | 7:00 PM

March 19, 2027 | 7:00 PM

March 25, 2027 | 7:00 PM

April 8, 2027 | 7:00 PM

SURF SCENE The Big Island, Hawai’i. Photograph by Kate Casselli

SURF SCENE

LANCE “LANCE-O” OBRIEN

The Older I Get, the More Stoked I Become Interview by Jim Field Photography by Frank Moore

To Begin I was born and raised in Miami, in Coconut Grove, and lived there for most of my early life. I attended local schools, graduated from Coral Gables High School, and eventually enrolled at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Looking back, nearly every important decision I’ve made can be traced to two lifelong passions: surfing and music. Coconut Grove Back Then The Coconut Grove of my childhood wasn’t one neighborhood—it was several distinct communities, each with its own identity. On the west side was the historic Bahamian community, where many families could trace their roots directly to the Bahamas. To the south was a more affluent Grove, where successful people from the Northeast settled after trading cold winters for South Florida. I grew up primarily in the North Grove, a predominantly middle-class neighborhood that changed noticeably after the Mariel boatlift, when many Cuban families made the area their home. My family moved around Coconut Grove over the years, including periods when we lived with my uncle in the South Grove. He was a successful musician who worked with a number of well-known artists, and he became one of the biggest influences in my life. Whenever I was with him, surfing and music were always around. Coconut Grove had a distinctly bohemian character. It was full of artists, musicians, hippies, and free-spirited people. My parents were part of that generation, so I grew up around that whole peace-and-love culture. I think some of it stayed with me. Even today, people still joke that I’ve got a little hippie in me. And even as more affluent people moved in, the Grove never really lost that relaxed, free-spirited feel.

The First Wave When I think about what first drew me to surfing, I always come back to my uncle. When I was about five or six years old, my mother moved us to Kauai, where my uncle was living. We went there hoping to find a place to live, but there was already a housing shortage. We spent close to nine months camping and living in a tent before eventually returning to Florida. My uncle was surfing, and he started pushing me into waves when I was four or five years old. Later, when I was seven or eight, we spent time together near Seagrove on the Florida Panhandle, and we surfed there too. When I was 12, we lived with him for a time, and he would take us to the beach whenever he could. 81

SURF SCENE

LANCE “LANCE-O” OBRIEN

My uncle was killed the year after we moved out of his house, but, as surfers say, the stoke stayed with me. When I turned 16 and got my driver’s license, surfing really took over. My mother bought me my first real surfboard—an MTB twin-fin channel-bottom—and I was so stoked on that board. A friend of mine, Randy Beacham, also surfed, and nearly every weekend we’d head north looking for waves, usually ending up at Sebastian Inlet. At first I’d drive down to South Miami to pick Randy up, even though we were heading north. Eventually I told him, “If you want a ride, you’ve got to find a way to get to me. I’m not driving backward when we’re heading up the coast to surf.” Those weekends at Sebastian were really where I learned to surf. Randy became the guy who helped keep that passion going after my uncle was gone. He passed away 82

recently, but he was an important part of my surfing life. What initially hooked me was the feeling surfing gave me—the freedom of it, the energy of the waves, the ocean, all the elements coming together. It’s hard to put into words. There’s just something very human about it. That’s what attracted me in the beginning, and it has only grown from there. Discovering Reggae Surfing came from my uncle, and reggae did too. While we were living with him, he introduced me to Peter Tosh. The first reggae song I really remember hearing was Legalize It, and I was blown away. I remember thinking, What is this? I’d never heard anything like it. My uncle had this enormous projection television, with a projector that seemed almost as tall as I was. I can remember

sitting there watching the Olympics with the sound on the television turned down and the music turned up, reading every lyric to every song on that album. I wanted to understand all of it. That record changed me. What made it even more interesting was that my uncle had actually become involved with Peter Tosh and played harmonica on Legalize It. In Jamaica they called it the harp, and his nickname, “Yuck,” appeared in the album credits. So my uncle really instilled the two things I’ve loved most throughout my life: surfing and reggae. Both of them stuck. UNC by the Sea By the time I graduated from Coral Gables High School, surfing was such a big part of my life that it influenced where I went to college. UNC Wilmington appealed to me because it’s known as “UNC by the Sea.” It seemed like

SURF SCENE

LANCE “LANCE-O” OBRIEN the perfect place to be if I wanted surfing to remain part of my life. While I was there, I helped start the university’s first surf team. Our first year we made it to the collegiate national championships in California and actually did pretty well. Before college, I had also competed in Eastern Surfing Association contests, so competition had already become part of surfing for me. Music was just as important. I’ve always been a music person. I can remember my favorite songs from when I was three years old. At UNC Wilmington I majored in Speech Communications with an emphasis in radio and television. My mother always gave me one piece of advice that stayed with me: Make sure you do something you love, because if you’re going to live in this country, you’re going to have to work. I’ve tried to live by that ever since. Finding My Voice While I was at UNC Wilmington, I helped start a campus radio station. It was a great learning experience. I served as the program and music director for the station’s first three years and stayed on for a little while after I graduated to help the new staff make the transition.

I’m not doing as much radio anymore because radio has changed so much and there isn’t the freedom there used to be. These days I’m more involved in producing, writing, and arranging music. I’ve always loved the creative process.

I’ve also gotten more involved in the business side of surfing. I recently started Wave Wizards Wax, an all-natural, organic, non-toxic surf wax. I wanted something that was good for your skin and better for the ocean, the reefs, and the environment.

That led to a small job at the number-one station in the Wilmington market, basically a Top 40 station. I worked Sunday nights, and that’s where I started getting some real-world radio experience. The program director was very kind to me and taught me a lot.

Kulcha Shok is our record label, and we also have a reggae music publishing company that protects my own work as well as the work of writers who don’t already have publishing representation. Over the years, we’ve built a growing catalog while continuing to develop and release new music.

And I’ve been the DJ at Surf Expo for almost 25 years. A lot of people in the surf industry know me from doing that, so over time the music world and the surfing world have really become intertwined for me.

When I moved back to Miami, I became involved with what was then the only 24hour Caribbean radio station in the country. At the same time, I was working for Reggae Report magazine, which sponsored two hours on the station. I started hosting one of those hours and sometimes both of them.

Where Two Passions Met Eventually, surfing and my background in radio started coming together.

After almost two years, the station called and asked if I’d like to work for them. I ended up staying for almost 12 years. That really put me on the map in South Florida’s Caribbean market. I became a DJ and an MC, and I’ve pretty much stayed involved with music ever since. 84

After college I became involved with the Surfrider Foundation, and because of my broadcasting background I started announcing surf contests. That became another part of my life in surfing. Today I run the South Florida Board Riders Club, part of a movement that started in Australia more than 50 years ago and has spread around the world. We now have clubs throughout Florida.

More Than Surfing As surfing evolved for me, it became much more than the feeling I got from riding waves or the energy of the ocean. Surfing literally touches every element of my life. It helps me emotionally, spiritually, mentally, physically, socially, and even in business. The older I get, the more stoked I become. When I was younger—probably into my 40s—I would only surf if the waves were good enough for me to shortboard. Eventually I realized I just wanted to surf more, so I got a longboard. Now, if I can’t shortboard, I longboard. I just want to be in the water.

SURF SCENE

LANCE “LANCE-O” OBRIEN I have 57 surfboards at my house. Nine of them are in my regular quiver, and I’ve ridden all but three of them. Those three will be donated to kids who might not otherwise have the opportunity to surf. I also try to give back. Through Surf Rider, beach cleanups, donations, volunteer work, and other things I’ve been involved with, I try to take care of surfing and, ultimately, the ocean. That’s the most important thing. Every day I’m at the beach, I do what I call a one-handed beach cleanup. Whatever I can carry in one hand, I pick up. Sometimes I’m there twice a day, sometimes three times a day. I love the salt water. I love the sun. The sun, the salt, and the ocean all give life. The physical side of surfing helps keep you healthy, and mentally it’s just so positive. I’ve also seen what the ocean can do for other people. Look at programs like Surfers for Autism [nonprofit headquartered in Jensen Beach] and the way kids with special needs respond to being in the ocean. It can do wonders for people.

For me, surfing has become more important as I’ve gotten older, not less. The Right Board for the Right Wave I’m definitely interested in surfboard design. I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed with it, but I like learning about different designs and understanding what different features do. One thing that’s really caught my attention lately is asymmetrical boards. I’ve never ridden one, but I’ve always wanted to. Most of my boards now are shaped by somebody I work with personally, mainly Pfeiffer Surfboards. They’ll try different things, I’ll ride them, and then I’ll give him feedback. I don’t really have one favorite board because it depends entirely on the waves. I have nine boards in my regular quiver for different conditions. If it’s really small—knee-high or maybe a rare thigh-high set—I’ll ride my 10-foot Piercing Arrow spoon-nose noserider. If I’m in a longboard contest, I’ll ride something more

performance-oriented. As the waves get bigger, I’ll move into one of my fish boards, then my shortboard, and after that I’ve got step-up boards for bigger surf. I’ve even got one board that’s mostly been sitting in the quiver since I came back from Puerto Escondido in 2002. I keep it around just in case Florida ever gets really macking—which doesn’t happen very often. Every board has a job. The waves tell me which one I’m going to ride. The Treasure Coast Surf Community I started surfing the Treasure Coast in the 1980s, mostly at Sebastian Inlet. Back then, I really didn’t know any better. We’d drive up every weekend and basically paddle out wherever we wanted. That wasn’t always appreciated. The ‘80s were a pretty loud, aggressive era in surfing. If you weren’t a local, there was a pretty good chance you were going to get heckled. Sebastian’s First Peak had some heavy guys in the lineup and a lot of really good surfers. I got into an altercation there once and decided after that not to go back to First Peak. It wasn’t just Sebastian. You found that attitude all over Florida at the time. Lake Worth, South Beach—almost anywhere you went, if you weren’t a local, you could expect some kind of reaction. After high school, I spent most of my time in North Carolina. When I moved back to Florida around the beginning of the 1990s, I noticed a real change. There was less aggression and more friendly faces. People were a little more forgiving. I started surfing Fort Pierce consistently around the mid-1990s. It still had some of that old-school aggressive side, but I was fortunate because I already knew some of the local guys through Puerto Escondido. That made it easier for me when I started coming up here regularly. As time went on, the camaraderie just seemed to get better and better. By the 2000s, it was getting much more crowded. You had beginners coming in, you still had the regular crew of really good surfers, and you started seeing more people

building boards. Mike Hawkins with Sonic Surfboards, Walt Davis, Omar, Chip Pfeiffer— there are a lot of people involved in shaping around here now. Today, Fort Pierce has become a real focal point for surfing. Part of that is its location. It’s one of the first places coming north from South Florida where there’s almost always something to ride. Surfers come from the south, from the west coast, and even from farther north. It gets crowded, but the wave is fun. It’s a little more forgiving than some breaks, and there’s usually something there to ride. What I really love now is the community. I’m in the water almost every day, so I see the same people all the time. You naturally get to know each other, and that creates camaraderie. In Miami, we simply didn’t get enough consistent waves for that to happen in the same way. A lot of my surfing friends there were people I’d see outside of the water more than I’d see them surfing. Here, I see people almost every day. I’ve surfed in a lot of places, and I’ve been part of other surf communities, but this is one of the first times I’ve really felt like I’m part of my local surfing community. I feel connected to it, and I really appreciate that. Respecting the Lineup Surfers can definitely be protective of their local breaks, but to me it really comes down to respect. I’ll give you an example. We finally got a really good swell in Miami one day, and a group of professional surfers came down from farther up the coast with a professional photographer. They paddled out and started dropping in on people, cutting people off, and basically disrespecting everybody who surfed there regularly. It didn’t matter that they were professionals. Eventually, they were told to leave. A local surf break is kind of like a neighborhood. It’s where you surf. It’s where you spend your time. It’s where you bring your family. Everybody has a role to play, and there are unwritten rules.

Yes, we’ll share it. It’s not ours, per se. But this is where we live and where we go to enjoy ourselves. If somebody comes in and acts completely out of line, somebody is probably going to say something. Surfing was much more aggressive back in the ‘80s. People handled things differently then. Today, times have changed, and I

think the surf community has become much friendlier. But the expectation of respect is still there. A New Generation of Surfers I definitely see more young kids surfing here than I do in a lot of other places around Florida. 87

SURF SCENE

LANCE “LANCE-O” OBRIEN I travel throughout the state and surf all over Florida, and especially compared with South Florida, I see a lot more younger surfers here on the Treasure Coast—kids in their early teens and younger. A lot of them are the children of friends of mine, but I see plenty of kids I don’t know too. Some are local, some I have no idea where they’re coming from, but there’s definitely an increase in the younger generation. I don’t really know why it’s happening. I can’t give you the answer to that. But it’s obvious to me that it’s happening, and it’s great to see. Chasing Waves Around the World Travel has always been a great experience for me. You’re exposed to different languages, cultures, foods—everything is different. Surfing has given me a reason to experience a lot of those places. Puerto Escondido, Mexico, was one of the big ones for me. I first went there in 1989 and then went back every year for 13 or 14 years, usually for at least a month. The wave is just insane. Those were the biggest barrels I’ve ever gotten in my life, and they became addictive. After my first trip, I actually didn’t think I was going to go back. Then the next summer started getting closer and I thought, Where am I going to go and get waves like that again? I couldn’t think of anywhere. So I went back. And then I kept going back. At the time it was incredibly affordable too. I could go for two months, including the plane ticket, and spend less than a thousand dollars. It was hard to beat. These days, northern Nicaragua is probably my number-one destination. The barrels there are really good—clean, open barrels. It doesn’t usually get as big as Puerto Escondido, but the waves are very consistent. Costa Rica was another place I went to a lot, especially in the 1990s. Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side had some incredible waves. Some of the best barrels I’ve ever had outside of Puerto Escondido were there, although surfing over reef makes things a little more serious. I also spent a lot of time going to El Salvador, especially Punta Roca. I worked for the 88

Lance-O on the Big Island in Hawai’i. Photographs by Kate Casselli in Hawaii.

airlines for a while, so I could literally fly down on my days off, surf that day, surf for another couple of days, get up and surf the morning I was leaving, fly home, and go straight to work. That was awesome. I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Hawaii too. I went to the North Shore in 1988 and stayed for a month, sleeping on a friend’s couch and floor. I surfed most of the well-known spots from Haleiwa up toward Sunset. I didn’t get back again until 2001, when I stayed on the South Shore and surfed Waikiki, Ala Moana, Kaisers, Sandy’s, and a bunch of other spots. Then there was the Caribbean. I had a television show called Island Hoppers TV, and we traveled around the islands. I’ve probably been to 40 different islands in the Bahamas, along with Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago, St. Martin, and quite a few others. We’re actually hoping to bring Island Hoppers TV back. That was always a dream of mine, and we’re looking at ways of getting sponsors behind it and doing it again. Most of my surf travel has been relatively close to Florida—Mexico, Central America, Hawaii, the Caribbean. A lot of that was because of proximity and cost. I could get somewhere, surf great waves, and not have to disappear for months at a time. But Puerto Escondido will always stand out. Those barrels were something else. Back to Hawaii I just got back from Hawaii, and this time I went to the Big Island. It took forever to get there because of the layovers, but once I got there it was great. The Big Island is the least populated of Hawaii’s major islands, and at almost every spot we surfed, we either had it to ourselves or there were only a handful of people out. The people were incredibly friendly too. I stayed for two weeks with a friend of mine and his girlfriend. He’s an ex-pro surfer who still surfs really well, and he’s built this amazing life for himself about 4,000 feet up the mountainside. He lives off-grid. He catches all of his rainwater, uses solar power, grows some of his own food, and cuts wood for his fireplace. 89

SURF SCENE

LANCE “LANCE-O” OBRIEN He uses propane for cooking, but other than that he really doesn’t have utility bills. His biggest regular expense is probably gas for his car. He does odd jobs when he needs to, and otherwise he’s working on his property or he’s surfing. It was amazing to experience that firsthand. The thing that surprised me was that being off-grid didn’t feel any different. Everything worked. His place was comfortable. You didn’t feel like you were giving anything up. It showed me that you can live very simply and still live really well. Looking Ahead Right now, I just want to surf as much as I can for as long as I can. This past year, Sun Bum, who I work for, gave me its “Bum of the Year” award. That was a real honor because, honestly, that’s pretty much where I’m at in life right now. I want to surf. I’ve started doing contests again too, but now it’s just for fun. When I was younger, I was very competitive. I’m not really that competitive anymore. I enjoy the camaraderie and hanging out with everybody. Contests are one of the few times when surfers really get together. On a normal day, you paddle out, surf for an hour or two, talk to a few friends, and then everybody leaves and goes about their business. At a contest, everybody stays around. When I was younger, surf movies and surf films did the same thing. Everybody would get together to watch them. I miss that. I’ve always been a fan of surf films and have worked on a couple myself. At this point, that’s really what I want: to surf as much as I can, for as long as I can, enjoy the people I’ve met through surfing, and keep doing whatever I can to support the community around it. The older I get, the more stoked I become.

ALL YOUR GLASS NEEDS

• Custom windows, doors, and shower doors • Impact windows and doors • Window replacement specialists • Featuring Competitive Pricing and utilizing our own EXPERT INSTALLERS locally for over 45 years! • Professional Service Before, During, and After Every Sale!

I M PAC T W I N D OW S & D O O R S

Proudly Serving Florida’s East Coast Since 1973.

722 Third Place (Old Dixie & Third Place), Vero Beach

I M PA C T W I N D O W S & D O O R S 772.567.7461 • www.HBSglass.com

TRAVEL

Utagawa Hiroshige’s Kiyomizu Temple, created around 1834 as part of his celebrated Famous Views of Kyoto series, depicts the historic temple complex rising above Kyoto’s wooded hills. The elevated architecture, flowering trees and distant landscape reflect Hiroshige’s gift for combining human activity, architecture and the natural world. Utagawa Hiroshige, Kiyomizu Temple (Kiyomizu), c. 1834. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund, 1922.

The final view from our 14 mile walk through Kyoto.

WHAT WE BRING HOME

TRAVEL

Faith, Friendship, and Discovery on a Mission Through Asia By Analise McManus Photography by Analise McManus

A Calling to Go If you had asked me a few years ago whether I could see myself traveling through Asia for nearly a month of mission work, I probably would have thought you were crazy. Yet there I was. Japan was the centerpiece around which the journey was built. My home church, Calvary Chapel Vero Beach, in partnership with Calvary Chapel Laguna Creek in California, sends a team to Okinawa each year, and I was blessed to be part of its 2026 mission. The purpose was to help strengthen the church there while gaining a glimpse into Christian life on the other side of the world. Three friends from Calvary Vero— Nick Myers, Anthony Onorato and Jacob Silvey—were instrumental in making it possible. Nick initiated and nurtured the relationship with Calvary Chapel Ginowan in Okinawa; Anthony served as our team pastor and helped put the mission into action; and Jacob shared his deep passion for Japan’s Christian community, inspiring the rest of us to embrace that same spirit. The relationship between the churches stretches back more than two decades. In the early 2000s, Nick’s close friend Eder moved to Japan as a missionary. That friendship planted a seed that eventually grew into the partnership Calvary Vero now shares with Calvary Ginowan and other churches throughout Okinawa. Mission work often begins with the intention of serving others, only to reveal how much the people we meet give back to us. I first experienced this during a trip to the Calvary Chapel Bible Training Centre in Ghana, West Africa. This time, my younger brother, Ezra, joined us for his first mission. Watching him discover that same truth—and sharing the experience with him—was a gift I would not trade for the world. An in-between moment exploring Osaka.

TRAVEL

WHAT WE BRING HOME

Lighting our lantern in Shifen Village.

Destination Taiwan Taiwan was our first stop in Asia and set the tone for the month ahead. Since returning to Vero, many people have asked, “Which country was your favorite?” I always reply, “I cannot choose—they cannot be compared.” Still, a small part of me wants to say Taiwan. Because it came at the beginning of a much longer journey, Taiwan was also where I felt most homesick. I was excited about everything ahead of us, but aware that our return home was still far away. Pushing through that discomfort proved worthwhile, because what we experienced far surpassed it. Looking back, I have found that the uncomfortable periods of a journey often become some of its most meaningful and memorable. We devoted our first full day to sightseeing and becoming acclimated. Stepping out of our hostel and into the heart of Taipei, I was suddenly struck by the reality that we were in Asia. The sights, sounds and pace of the city were unfamiliar, and all of us felt the excitement of entering an entirely new world. After beginning the day in worship— with Eder carrying the acoustic guitar he brought nearly everywhere—we rode Taipei’s MRT to Taipei 101. From the tower, we looked out over the skyline and surrounding mountains. We then enjoyed a family-style lunch, visited the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and boarded a train for the Ruifang District. Although only about 40 minutes from Taipei, Ruifang felt like another world. Lush, mist-covered mountains surrounded a district rich in Taiwanese heritage, from its architecture to its morning street market. Everywhere we looked, there were new customs, traditions and stories to absorb. We spent two days there helping a growing church move its belongings from a warehouse into a new storage facility. The work required sorting through nearly everything and deciding what should be kept or discarded. Although tedious, it was fulfilling to know that our efforts were encouraging a church in a country where Christians remain a small minority. The streets of Ruifang.

TRAVEL

WHAT WE BRING HOME

The view from the top of our mountain climb.

The work itself was only one part of the experience. Sharing meals, stories and laughter with members of the congregation allowed us to know them as friends rather than simply as people we had come to assist. Those personal connections became one of the great joys of our visit. Our busy mornings gave way to slower afternoons. In Shifen Village, we hiked to a waterfall and released lanterns from the active railroad tracks running through Old Street. Visitors traditionally write their wishes on the lanterns before sending them aloft. We filled ours with messages of eternal hope—and, of course, greetings representing Vero Beach. Watching the lanterns rise above the village was so whimsical that it felt as though we had stepped into a children’s book. On our final night, we shared a traditional hot pot dinner with the church team, Pockets of beauty in Jiufen.

surrounded by views of both the ocean and the mountains. Afterward, we noticed Jiufen, a small town across the cove, illuminated high above us. The sight reminded us of the verse, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14)—a fitting image of the presence our new friends were establishing within their community. The next morning, several of us decided to walk to this “city on a hill” before breakfast. The six-mile round trip included three miles uphill, much of it on stairs. We reached Jiufen before the town had awakened and explored its quiet streets while looking out over the mountains and ocean. Experiencing a destination that is normally bustling with visitors while it was still quiet and almost empty made the early climb even more worthwhile. For me, reaching the top carried special significance. My history includes physical

The city on a hill.

infirmities, surgeries and relearning how to walk. I have rods inside one leg, while the other is slightly misshapen. Although I now live mostly free of pain, those conditions can place me at a disadvantage. I fell slightly behind the team, but I reached the top despite my own limited expectations of what my body could accomplish. The moment felt like a rejection of the story that might have been mine: a life defined by pain, complacency and settling for less. Taiwan was filled with moments when limitations gave way to unexpected strength—from pushing through homesickness to accomplishing things we did not know our bodies could do. It reminded me that what initially appears small or inadequate can become meaningful, particularly when offered in service to others.

TRAVEL

WHAT WE BRING HOME

Fishing off a cliff in Okinawa.

100

Luke baptized at a local beach.

Destination Okinawa After leaving Taiwan, we spent five days in Okinawa serving alongside Calvary Chapel Ginowan. Our leaders encouraged us to contribute according to our individual interests and abilities. Everyone had something distinctive to offer, from artistry and music to working with children. While the men on our team traveled across the island to help host a retreat, the women assisted with a conference. It was gratifying to watch each person find a place where particular gifts could be put to use. For me, that place was worship ministry. I serve in the worship ministry at Calvary Vero, so bringing what I had learned there to Japan was especially fulfilling. Worship ranged from organized set lists in group

settings to spontaneous moments when someone found a guitar or piano and we began playing together. Those unplanned, in-between moments became some of the trip’s greatest highlights. The relationships formed in Okinawa extended beyond our organized activities. Conversations over meals, shared music and ordinary moments between events allowed friendships to develop naturally. Despite differences in language and culture, we discovered how quickly people can connect through hospitality, humor and a shared sense of purpose. My friend and fellow team member Emma Grotke and I also shared our testimonies. It had been years since I had written my story on paper, and preparing it gave me fresh

eyes through which to consider my life. I used Kintsugi—the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery while honoring rather than concealing its fractures—as a metaphor. The practice reflects the possibility of taking broken pieces and patiently assembling them into something beautiful. Rather than erasing the damage, Kintsugi incorporates it into the object’s history, allowing its fractures to become part of what makes it distinctive. Our time in Okinawa reinforced something I had learned on my first mission trip: We may arrive hoping to give something of ourselves, but often leave having received far more than we expected. The love and hospitality shown by the people we met left a lasting impression. 101

TRAVEL

WHAT WE BRING HOME Destination Mainland Japan When our time in Okinawa ended, we traveled to Kobe, Kyoto and Osaka on Japan’s main island of Honshu. For Jacob Silvey, Anna Devane and me, this marked the halfway point of nearly a month in Asia. We would continue to Thailand while the rest of the team returned home.

Kyoto monkeys.

By then, several weeks of travel and ministry had left us weary, with much of Southeast Asia still ahead. Those moments of fatigue, balanced against the extraordinary experiences, made the journey richer and more human. Kyoto stood out most vividly. Jacob connected us with KIBO, a pilgrimage ministry that follows the story of the 26 Martyrs of Japan. During our first day, our guide, Emily, led us through the city while explaining the tragic history of Christianity in Japan and the spiritual climate there today. The experience was heartbreaking but illuminating, giving us a deeper understanding of the people we had come to serve. On our second day, we became tourists. We explored the Arashiyama district, encountered monkeys, walked through a bamboo forest, sampled unfamiliar foods and drank as much matcha as we could. We covered roughly 14 miles from sunup to sundown while still trying to notice the quieter beauty around us. Much of that beauty came in the form of water. Gentle streams and winding canals appeared throughout Kyoto, bringing a sense of peace and refreshment to even its busiest corners. Beauty seemed to be everywhere—in the abundance of green foliage, pockets of preserved history and hidden artisans quietly creating and selling their work. Walking through Kyoto also revealed the balance Japan maintains between preservation and modern life. Centuriesold temples, traditional neighborhoods and quiet gardens existed alongside busy streets and contemporary buildings. That coexistence made the city feel neither frozen in history nor disconnected from it, but continually shaped by both. These small wonders seemed to ground the city. They reminded us that a place is 102

Views of Osaka Castle turrets.

often revealed not only through its great monuments and famous attractions, but through the details encountered along the way. When the rest of our Calvary Vero team headed home, Jacob, Anna and I stayed one more day to explore Osaka. The city moved at an entirely different pace. Where

Kyoto seemed rooted in its carefully preserved past, Osaka felt modern, energetic and industrial—a striking contrast, but another important part of the Japan we were coming to know. From Osaka, the three of us embarked upon the next chapter, boarding a plane and heading farther into Asia—to Thailand.

Sunlit streets in Kyoto.

Returning Changed When joining a short-term mission, you hope that whatever you have to offer—however humble—will make some difference. Sometimes you are fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of that difference taking shape. We saw a few such glimpses in Japan. But perhaps the clearest change was the one taking place within us. Not everyone is called to long-term mission work or a life abroad. Yet even a short time spent serving far from home can transform the way we return—the way we see people, serve others and invest ourselves in our communities.

An artisan in Kyoto’s bamboo forest.

I will always be grateful for the opportunity to serve and share my faith in Asia, for the people who welcomed us so generously and for everything they taught me. The stories, friendships and lessons from this journey will remain with me for the rest of my life. 103

• Wine Cellar • Cheese Cave • Charcuterie • Gourmet | Epicurean • Unique Finds • Clothing | Jewelry • Gift Baskets • Charcuterie Boards • Wine Tastings

104

Safe, beautiful trees begin with Scott Tree Services

Your trusted tree care profesionals

Transform your landscape with our expert tree care services!

DON’T GET NERVOUS, CALL SCOTT TREE SERVICES! scotttreeservices.com

640 Old Dixie Hwy. Vero Beach (772) 569-3874 105

106

The Gross Clinic Thomas Eakins. c. 1875 Oil on canvas, 8 feet × 6 feet 6 inches

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Eakins depicts surgeon Samuel Gross directing an operation before students at Jefferson Medical College. Stark illumination, bloodied hands and concentrated faces transform a clinical demonstration into a drama of knowledge, authority and modern medicine, while confronting viewers with surgery’s reality. Philadelphia Museum of Art.

107

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

THE RISE OF PERSONALIZED WELLNESS A Primer on Medicine’s Evolution Toward Treating the Whole Person By Jim Field

A new approach to health is taking shape in America—and increasingly here in Vero Beach. We will call it Personalized Wellness.

much interest—it is useful first to consider the healthcare system from which it developed. What follows is a brief history of how we arrived here.

It reflects a growing desire among individuals to take greater responsibility for their physical and emotional wellbeing. Rather than relying exclusively on conventional medicine to treat illness after it appears, people are seeking ways to understand their risks, improve daily habits, measure progress and remain active and independent as they age.

The Age of Treatment I spent 30 years in American healthcare, helping to launch a major research and publishing enterprise where I served as researcher, writer, editor and, ultimately, president. My work encompassed cardiovascular and oncology services, healthcare finance, hospital operations, physician practices and consulting.

An expanding marketplace has emerged in response. Longevity medicine, advanced health testing, nutrition, weight management, fitness, sleep improvement, stress reduction, recovery therapies and complementary treatments are being delivered through new kinds of practices and consumer-oriented businesses. Some rest on scientific foundations; others are promising but still evolving.

This period coincided with the rapid expansion of medical technology and procedural medicine. Industry produced increasingly sophisticated devices, procedures and drugs. Medical campuses expanded to accommodate specialists, diagnostic equipment, operating rooms, invasive laboratories and intensive care units. Health systems developed cardiovascular, oncology, orthopedic and spine service lines into enormous enterprises.

LIV VERO believes this rapidly developing movement deserves sustained local coverage. We intend to explain its services, introduce the people and businesses bringing them to our community, and follow new developments as the market grows. To understand why Personalized Wellness has emerged—and why it is attracting so 108

Much of this was extraordinary. Diseases that had once been fatal became treatable. Blocked arteries could be opened, joints replaced and cancers attacked with increasing precision. American medicine’s ability to diagnose and treat disease is stunning. Genetics and molecular medicine have extended that prowess,

producing therapies tailored to individual patients and the genetic profiles of particular diseases. Yet these capabilities came at an extraordinary cost. Under fee-for-service payment, providers were paid for each visit, test, procedure or hospitalization. The more services delivered, the more revenue generated. Employers, Medicare and Medicaid financed much of the undertaking. With spending increases largely unchecked, healthcare consumed an ever-growing share of corporate and government budgets. The prevailing model was built around treating disease after it had already manifested itself—often acutely—in the body. Once disease appeared, the system brought every available technology, procedure and drug to bear against it. Early detection was valued because it permitted earlier intervention, but the operating principle remained straightforward: find the disease, treat it and hope it did not return. If it did, treat it again. Prevention occupied a far less important place. In my large circle of clinicians, executives, consultants, and pharmaceutical and medical-device representatives, those who emphasized prevention seemed to be speaking a different language. Preventive measures

Image source: LIV VERO Magazine.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

THE RISE OF PERSONALIZED WELLNESS

110

One example of American medical prowess (my favorite place to visit for work.) The Texas Medical Center in Houston is a medical district containing independent hospital systems, specialty hospitals, universities, medical schools and research institutions. Hospital systems and major patientcare institutions: Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, part of St. Luke’s Health/CommonSpirit Health; Harris Health System, Ben Taub Hospital, Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital; Houston Methodist, Houston Methodist Hospital; Memorial Hermann Health System, Memorial Hermann–Texas Medical Center, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, TIRR Memorial Hermann, Memorial Hermann Heart & Vascular Institute; Texas Children’s, Texas Children’s Hospital, Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women; Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Texas Children’s Heart Center; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center; Texas Heart Institute; Houston Hospice; St. Dominic Village; San José Clinic. Medical schools, universities and health-science institutions: Baylor College of Medicine; UTHealth Houston— The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Cizik School of Nursing, School of Dentistry; School of Public Health, MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biomedical Informatics, School of Behavioral Health Sciences; Texas A&M University Health Science Center— Houston, Texas A&M School of Engineering Medicine, Institute of Biosciences and Technology; University of Houston, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, College of Optometry; Rice University, BioScience Research Collaborative; Texas Woman’s University—Houston Center, College of Nursing. Health-professions programs: Prairie View A&M University College of Nursing; Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; Houston Community College Coleman College for Health Sciences. Research and specialized institutions: Houston Methodist Academic Institute, Houston Methodist Research Institute; Texas Children’s Research Institute; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; Texas Heart Institute research programs; MD Anderson research institutes and laboratories; Baylor College of Medicine research institutes; UTHealth Houston research institutes; Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center; The Menninger Clinic—a TMC member located elsewhere in Houston; The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD; Institute for Spirituality and Health; DePelchin Children’s Center. Image source: Wikimedia Commons.

can take years to produce measurable improvements in population health, while vast numbers of patients require treatment today. Prevention also depends heavily on changing human behavior— an undertaking requiring discipline, sustained effort and a willingness to accept delayed rewards. In short, hightech medicine ruled; prevention was a neglected stepchild. Prevention also did not support the financial model. Successful prevention might reduce demand for the services, procedures and products supporting that infrastructure. Few organizations had a compelling financial incentive to undermine the system sustaining them. Overshadowing primary care was the rise of the specialist: the exquisitely educated clinician equipped with advanced technology and capable of freeing us from the cold grasp of life-threatening disease. The specialist represented the promise, prestige, and luster of modern medicine.

per patient rather than payment for every service. Preventing unnecessary utilization could preserve resources and produce profit. HMOs promoted examinations, vaccinations and screenings. Many encouraged smoking cessation, weight management, nutrition and exercise. Employers and insurers priced HMOs at a discount for workers, hoping to combine better health with lower spending. The model contained several fundamental problems. Prevention takes time, while employers and health plans are under pressure to control costs immediately. Enrollees also change plans frequently; data suggested that an HMO’s membership could effectively turn over completely within five years. One plan might therefore invest in improving a member’s long-term health, only to have a competitor receive the eventual financial benefit—a classic “free-rider” dilemma.

The Promise of Managed Care As costs accelerated, employers, insurers, and governments looked for alternatives. Health maintenance organizations, or HMOs, offered an appealing promise: elevate primary care, encourage prevention, coordinate treatment and reduce unnecessary use of expensive specialists and hospitals.

Most visibly, HMOs restricted patients to provider networks and made primary care physicians “gatekeepers” to specialists. Plans scrutinized admissions, tests and procedures through utilization review and prior authorization. These methods reduced some unnecessary care, but patients disliked restricted choices and cost control increasingly appeared to be denial of care.

Instead of operating under the fee-forservice model, an HMO received a fixed monthly premium for each member and assumed responsibility for care. Under “capitation,” physicians or medical groups received a predetermined amount

Traditional HMOs lost appeal as consumers migrated toward preferred provider organizations (PPOs) offering greater choice at higher cost. Managed care did not disappear: networks, negotiated rates and prior authorization

The Texas Medical Center skyline.

remain embedded in healthcare. What faded was the promise that primary care and prevention could simultaneously improve health, satisfy patients and control spending. A Medication for Every Condition Another defining development was the proliferation of prescription medications. Antibiotics transformed infections; vaccines prevented suffering; cardiovascular drugs reduced risk; and treatments for cancer, transplantation, autoimmune disease, HIV and mental illness made previously unimaginable outcomes possible—another stunning application of science. Modern medicine could not function without pharmaceuticals. Yet medication sometimes became the first—and occasionally the only—response to illness. A prescription offers an immediate answer and fits within a brief visit. Discussions about nutrition, exercise, sleep, alcohol or stress require time and may produce uncertain results. Direct-to-consumer advertising reinforced expectations, encouraging Americans to identify with symptoms and “ask their doctor” about a drug. Benefits received center stage; risks became a rapid recital of side effects. The result has included “polypharmacy.” An older person may take 10 or 12 drugs from several specialists. Each may seem appropriate alone, yet together they can interact. Sometimes a side effect is mistaken for a new condition and treated with another drug, creating a prescribing cascade.

The consequences were especially severe in pain management, where opioids were prescribed too readily and for too long, contributing to dependence, addiction and overdose. The answer is not opposition to medication, but thoughtful prescribing, regular review and recognition that a drug should not substitute for understanding the whole person.

The cost is enormous. Obesity, inactivity and metabolic disease contribute to cardiovascular disease, cancer, disability and premature death. Diabetes alone cost the United States an estimated $413 billion in 2022. According to the CDC, 90% of the nation’s $5.3 trillion in annual healthcare expenditures is associated with chronic and mental-health conditions.

A Less Healthy Population While medicine became more technologically capable, the metabolic health of Americans deteriorated. A vast diet and fitness industry sold books, equipment, clubs, supplements, prepared meals, wearable devices and advice—but did not produce a healthier population.

The lesson is not that Americans need another diet, exercise machine or lecture. Information alone has not been enough. We created a healthcare system capable of treating the consequences of poor health with extraordinary sophistication—but not a society equally capable of preventing them.

Only about 24% of adults meet federal recommendations for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise; nearly half meet neither. Approximately 72% are overweight or obese, including 40% with obesity and nearly 10% with severe obesity. More than 40 million Americans have diabetes—most of it Type 2—and another 115 million have prediabetes.

Primary Care Overwhelmed Conventional primary care, as presently organized and financed, is not positioned to solve this problem. This is not a criticism of primary care physicians. They are being asked to manage a level of medical and social complexity that the traditional office-practice model was never designed to accommodate.

It is tempting to blame laziness or poor discipline, but human nature did not suddenly change. The environment did. Inexpensive, calorie-dense food became continuously available, portions grew and highly processed foods and sugary beverages became ubiquitous. Daily life required less physical effort, while exercise became a scheduled, optional activity. Stress, inadequate sleep, genetics, aging and medical conditions further complicated weight control.

An older patient may arrive with numerous chronic conditions and 10 medications from several specialists. During one 20-minute appointment, the clinician may need to assess symptoms, review drugs, monitor diseases, order screenings, discuss lifestyle, document the encounter and coordinate care. These patients are no longer exceptional. Meanwhile, the Association of American Medical Colleges projects a shortage of between 20,200 and 40,400 primary care physicians by 2036.

111

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

THE RISE OF PERSONALIZED WELLNESS Work continues after the patient leaves: test results, messages, prescriptions, prior authorizations and reports from other clinicians. Electronic records improved access to information while also turning physicians into data-entry clerks and inbox managers. A physician can recommend weight loss, exercise, sleep and stress management. But advice is not assistance. Lasting change may require repeated contact, measurement and accountability, supported by dietitians, behavioralhealth professionals or health coaches. Most practices lack the infrastructure to provide those services continuously. Despite delivering nearly half of all ambulatory services, primary care receives just under 5% of total healthcare spending. The model remains oriented toward episodic illness while patients increasingly require continuous health management. The Boundaries of Conventional Medicine Conventional medicine has also maintained an uneasy relationship with therapies developed outside its institutions. Acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, herbal medicine, massage, meditation and yoga were long grouped as “alternative medicine,” a designation that often implied they existed beyond legitimate care. Some skepticism is justified. The marketplace contains worthless remedies, exaggerated claims and potentially harmful treatments. Requiring evidence is one of medicine’s greatest protections: benefits and risks should be established and effects distinguished from coincidence or expectation. The problem is that the machinery producing evidence does not evaluate every therapy equally well. Trials favor standardized drugs, devices and procedures, while funding favors treatments promising financial returns. A company may invest heavily in a patentable drug with a huge potential market, but no company owns exercise, sleep, meditation or dietary improvement.

112

Conventional medicine has struggled with illnesses that do not produce obvious abnormalities on familiar tests. Patients with persistent fatigue, pain or cognitive difficulty have encountered skepticism. Long COVID shows that serious symptoms can persist even when conventional tests provide no complete explanation. Conventional medicine excels when disease can be localized, measured and attacked. It is less successful when illness involves complex interactions among physiology, sleep, stress, behavior and environment. Interest in alternatives does not prove that they work; it shows that a need remains unmet. The Emergence of Personalized Wellness The established medical system is indispensable—and we want worldleading care. People will continue to need physicians, hospitals, medications, surgery and emergency care. But alongside it, Personalized Wellness is developing as a more continuous, consumer-directed approach to health. Its roots reach back decades, but its present form emerged from smartphones, wearables, telehealth, consumer laboratory testing, subscription businesses and growing interest in longevity. The pandemic accelerated adoption by making remote care familiar. An economic sector has emerged: longevity and integrative-medicine practices, fitness and recovery studios, nutritional services, medical spas, consumer laboratories, virtual weight-management companies and wearable technology. Often delivered through attractive retail settings, memberships and virtual consultations, these services are designed around consumer expectations and schedules. The scale is substantial, though estimates include fitness, nutrition, beauty, spas and tourism as well as health services. The Global Wellness Institute valued the worldwide wellness economy at $6.8 trillion in 2024 and the American market at $2.1 trillion—evidence of the economic force developing around the desire to live healthier and longer.

Adoption is visible in consumer behavior. The proportion of American adults using at least one of seven measured complementary approaches rose from 19.2% in 2002 to 36.7% in 2022. Personalized Wellness encompasses overlapping disciplines. “Longevity medicine” seeks to extend healthspan— the years a person remains active and independent. “Precision health” uses individual risks, laboratory results, genetics and behavior. “Functional medicine” examines nutrition, metabolism, sleep, stress and digestion, although its evidence varies. “Integrative medicine” combines conventional care with complementary approaches. The “quantified-self movement” tracks activity, heart rate, sleep, glucose, weight and stress. “Biohacking” occupies the experimental edge: cold plunges, infrared saunas, red-light therapy, fasting, supplements and other attempts to improve performance. Some rest on credible science; others offer more marketing than medicine. Technology connects them. Watches and rings record activity, heart rate and sleep; glucose monitors show responses to food; and applications guide nutrition, meditation and exercise. The feedback loop is simple: Measure. Intervene. Measure again. Adjust. Data can convert general advice—exercise more, sleep better, lose weight—into a visible undertaking. But data do not automatically create health. Devices vary in accuracy, laboratory values can be misinterpreted. Evidence also varies: exercise, sleep and blood-pressure control rest on strong foundations, while many claims involving detoxification, hormone optimization, intravenous vitamins and anti-aging compounds exceed established research. Experimentation is both the movement’s energy and vulnerability. Even with these limitations, the direction is unmistakable. Health is moving beyond the examination room into daily life. It is becoming more personal, measurable and consumer-directed. Personalized Wellness does not reject conventional medicine. It fills territory conventional medicine has

often neglected and gives people tools to participate actively in their futures, asking “What kind of life do you want to remain capable of living—and what can you begin doing now to preserve it?” Why LIV VERO Will Follow It These changes are already visible in Vero Beach. New businesses are opening, established practices are adding services, and local physicians, therapists, nutritionists, trainers and health coaches are developing new ways to help people improve their health. This movement is particularly relevant in a community whose residents want to remain active, independent and engaged. People here swim, play tennis and golf, practice yoga, walk the beach, cycle, garden and travel. They are not merely interested in living longer. They want to preserve the abilities that make life enjoyable. Beginning with this issue, Personalized Wellness will become a continuing area of LIV VERO editorial coverage. We will profile local practitioners and businesses, explain their services and follow new organizations entering the Indian River County market. We will translate unfamiliar terminology, examine emerging technologies and explore the science—or absence of science—behind important claims. Most importantly, we will focus on the people introducing these ideas and the individuals trying to take greater control of their health. The movement is dynamic, imperfect and still being defined. That is precisely what makes it worth covering. LIV VERO intends to be at the center of knowing—and reporting—what comes next. (Note: sources are available by emailing jim@livvero.com.)

113

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

BEYOND THE HUMAN HAND

Training device demonstrates how robotic arms guide cameras and articulated instruments through access ports during simulated surgery. Image source: iStock.

How Robotics Is Refining Surgery By Jim Field

Progress in surgery has followed a path of incremental refinement. Over recent decades, many procedures have migrated from conventional “open” operations requiring relatively large incisions to laparoscopic approaches using cameras and slender instruments inserted through small access ports. Robotic surgery represents the next stage, adding magnified three-dimensional vision, articulated instruments, and computerassisted control. One impetus for its development is a physiological fact: surgeons differ in their ability to manipulate instruments, handle tissue and perform precise movements—and those differences can affect outcomes. Like pianists, miniature painters and craftsmen, clinicians possess varying degrees of manual dexterity. Robotic systems enhance that capability by filtering tremor, scaling movement, and improving precision within confined anatomical spaces. It is critical to understand that the “robot” neither decides what to do nor performs an operation independently. It remains under the surgeon’s control, translating hand movements into smaller, steadier and more precise movements inside the patient. 114

Modern robotic surgery emerged in the late 1980s from a Stanford Research Institute project supported by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Originally conceived for battlefield medicine, it was intended to allow a surgeon aboard a ship or at a distant field hospital to operate remotely on a wounded soldier near the front lines. In 2001, surgeons in New York used an early system to remove the gallbladder of a patient in Strasbourg, France. The celebrated “Lindbergh Operation” demonstrated that transatlantic surgery was possible. Among the pioneers of surgical robots, Intuitive Surgical achieved the greatest clinical and commercial success. Founded in 1995, it created the da Vinci Surgical System, cleared by the FDA for general laparoscopic surgery in 2000. Early applications included gallbladder and anti-reflux operations, internal mammary artery harvesting and mitral-valve repair. Its breakthrough came in urology, where magnified vision and wristed instruments proved particularly suited to radical prostatectomy, requiring delicate dissection and suturing deep within the pelvis.

A contemporary da Vinci system consists of a surgeon’s console, a patient-side cart carrying robotic arms and a vision tower. Looking through a magnified threedimensional viewer, the surgeon operates the camera and wristed instruments using hand controls and foot pedals. Software translates these movements in real time, filters tremor and scales larger motions into smaller ones. Robotic surgery expanded from prostatectomy into partial nephrectomy, bladder removal, hysterectomy, endometriosis surgery, colorectal resection, hernia repair, bariatric procedures, lung resection and selected head-and-neck operations. Newer systems permit entry through one incision or, in some applications, through natural airways. Clinical trials have compared robotic procedures with open surgery and laparoscopy, measuring blood loss, transfusions, operative time, conversion to open surgery, complications, hospital stay, surgical margins, recurrence, survival, pain, long-term function, quality of life and cost. Compared with open surgery, robotic procedures generally involve smaller incisions, less blood loss, fewer transfusions and shorter hospital stays. Against conventional laparoscopy, outcomes are generally equivalent for complications, surgical margins, cancer recurrence, survival, pain and long-term function. Robotic procedures may take longer and cost more (depending upon accounting method), although they may improve dexterity and reduce conversion to open surgery in selected complex cases. Importantly, the robot is only one factor influencing outcomes. Equally important are the surgeon’s experience and judgment, patient selection, the operating-room team, anesthesiology support and postoperative staff. A robotic system can improve visibility, dexterity and precision, but it cannot compensate for poor decisions, inadequate training or an inexperienced program. The robot is ultimately a tool; its value depends upon the people and clinical systems surrounding it.

Complete Women’s Health Exceptional, Personalized Care for Every Woman

Offering aesthetic treatments

to enhance and refresh your natural beauty. Services include:

• Neurotoxins- including Jeuveau, Dysport, and Letybo • Fillers- including Evolysse, Versa, and Restylane • Sculptra Located in the medical district at: 840 37th Place, Suite B, Vero Beach

772-918-9500

completewomenshealth.org Also offering primary care and comprehensive gynecological care for women, from adolescents to seniors.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

SEBASTIAN RIVER ROBOTIC SURGERY

Interview with Joseph Bedway, MD, General Surgeon Conducted by Jim Field Photography by Victoriya Knapp Board Certification. Dr. Bedway has been certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery since 2014. From Pennsylvania to Florida JF: Dr. Bedway, thank you for spending time with LIV VERO Magazine. We’re excited to bring your story and practice to our readers. Tell us about your background and the path that led you to surgery. JB: I grew up during the 1980s in Pottsville, a small town in Pennsylvania’s coal region. It was a close-knit community where everybody seemed to know everybody else. The Yuengling brewery

116

was about four blocks from my school, so we could smell the yeast every day. Mr. Yuengling sat about three pews in front of us in church. I was always outside building things, taking things apart and trying to understand how they worked. I made derby cars, constructed forts in the woods and tinkered with just about anything I could find. That instinct probably stayed with me and eventually found an outlet in surgery. I was also very involved in golf. I captained my high school team, finished sixth in the Pennsylvania state high school golf tournament and continued competing at Muhlenberg College in Allentown.

At Muhlenberg, I majored in economics and minored in chemistry, graduating magna cum laude. Economics emphasized systems and decision-making, while chemistry provided a foundation in laboratory science. I worked as a research assistant in the chemistry department, helping synthesize novel compounds. Our work was presented at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Los Angeles. I also conducted hematology and oncology research at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, studying fatty-acid ethyl esters as potential long-term markers of alcohol use in transplant and other patients.

From Muhlenberg, I went to Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia for medical school. I earned honors in anesthesiology, breast surgery and plastic surgery clinical rotations. I participated in orthopedic research involving osteosarcoma and later studied the recurrence of ventral hernias and techniques that might reduce recurrence rates. That work relates to an area that continues to interest me: understanding why some hernia repairs remain successful while others fail. Outside the hospital, I volunteered with JeffHOPE (Health Opportunities, Prevention & Education), a studentrun program providing medical care at homeless shelters in Philadelphia. We interviewed patients, developed diagnoses and treatment plans and participated in long-term follow-up. After medical school, I moved to Orlando and completed five years of general surgery residency at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center. I served as administrative chief resident and as a resident instructor of surgery at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. ORMC provided tremendous training and extensive experience in general, trauma and critical-care surgery. I subsequently served patients on Florida’s Space Coast for almost 15 years, including practicing at Health First Cape Canaveral Hospital beginning in 2014 and serving six years as chief of surgery. I have now returned to Orlando Health and brought my practice to Sebastian. I am certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery. The Scope of General Surgery JF: What types of conditions do you treat? JB: General surgery encompasses an extraordinarily broad range of conditions. I treat hernias, gallbladder disease, appendicitis, thyroid disease and conditions involving the colon, including hemorrhoid disease that can often be treated in the office.

My practice also includes comprehensive breast care, skin-lesion biopsies and skincancer removal. When I am on call, I treat emergencies such as perforations of the stomach or intestines. The work really can involve nearly the entire body, from head to toe. They are all interesting, but hernia surgery particularly intrigues me. Hernias involve a number of mechanical forces, and there are many reasons why one patient’s repair may do well while another experiences a recurrence. Determining how to produce the strongest, most durable repair is intellectually interesting. From Open Surgery to Laparoscopy and Robotics JF: How did surgery progress from traditional open procedures to today’s robotic techniques?

JB: One of the major transformations began in the mid-1980s, when surgeons started moving away from performing nearly every operation through a large open incision. Gallbladder surgery is a good example. Traditionally, removing a gallbladder required an incision six or seven inches long beneath the rib cage. It went through the abdominal muscles and could require eight to 10 weeks to heal. Laparoscopic surgery changed that. Instead of looking directly into the body through a large incision, the surgeon operates while viewing images transmitted by a small camera. Slender instruments are inserted through several small openings. Laparoscopy expanded from gallbladder surgery to appendectomies, colon resections, antireflux procedures and increasingly 117

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

SEBASTIAN RIVER ROBOTIC SURGERY JF: When did you begin using robotic surgery? JB: I first used a robotic system around 2010 while I was still in residency. During my training, the technology was used primarily for certain bariatric and thoracic operations. The early systems were bulkier and more difficult to position. During a colon operation, the team might have to move the entire robot from one side of the patient to the other. In some cases, laparoscopy was more efficient. Newer systems are much more adaptable. The arms can be positioned more precisely, and the instruments can operate across a larger area. Robotic surgery can now be used for gallbladder removal, appendectomies, hernia repairs, colon resections and many other procedures. At Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital, I perform minimally invasive procedures using the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System. How the Procedure Works

complex operations involving the chest and abdomen.

There is no software program deciding what to cut or what action to take.

A conventional laparoscopic instrument is essentially a long, rigid metal tube. Its range of motion is restricted, and the surgeon may have to apply torque against the abdominal muscles while maneuvering around blood vessels, nerves and other structures.

I am performing the operation. The robot is a highly precise instrument that translates the movements of my hands into movements inside the patient.

Robotic surgery retains the same basic minimally invasive approach, but the instruments have articulated joints and multiple degrees of movement. Their range of motion more closely resembles that of the human wrist and hand, making it easier to work at different angles and within confined spaces. The Surgeon, Not the Robot, Performs the Operation JF: What should patients understand about the term “robotic surgery?” JB: The most important point is that the robot does not perform the operation. 118

The surgeon sits at a console and views the operative field through a magnified, three-dimensional display. Hand controls direct instruments attached to robotic arms positioned beside the patient. The system can translate relatively large hand movements into much smaller movements inside the body. That precision helps me manipulate tissue gently, work in restricted areas, avoid nerves and blood vessels and place sutures accurately. The system enhances the surgeon’s capabilities but does not replace medical knowledge, judgment or responsibility.

JF: How do the instruments enter the body? JB: We begin by making small incisions and placing ports through the abdominal wall. A port is a small tube that creates a protected passage into the body. It allows us to exchange scissors, graspers, needle drivers and other instruments without repeatedly pushing them through the muscle. One port carries the camera, while the others accommodate the instruments. We generally use three or four, although a large colon procedure may require five. Each opening usually requires only a small stitch to close. Carbon dioxide is introduced through one port to gently expand the abdominal cavity. This process, called insufflation, creates working space between the abdominal wall and the internal organs so the surgeon can see and maneuver the instruments safely.

Benefits, Imaging and Recovery JF: What are the principal benefits for patients? JB: Depending on the procedure and the patient, the benefits can include smaller incisions, less postoperative pain, reduced use of pain medication, shorter hospital stays and a faster return to normal activity. Many elective procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis. Patients may go home the same day or remain overnight while postoperative nausea and discomfort resolve. Colon surgery provides a useful comparison. In my experience, when I performed colon operations laparoscopically, patients might remain in the hospital for four or five days. With the robotic approach, that stay may be reduced to approximately two or three days, depending on the patient and the operation. These advantages can be particularly important for patients

with obesity, diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Such conditions can slow healing and increase the risk of infection and other complications. A prolonged period of inactivity may create additional risks, so helping patients recover and become mobile sooner is an important objective. JF: Does the system offer additional imaging capabilities? JB: For certain operations, we can administer a fluorescent green dye and activate a special imaging mode in the camera. During gallbladder surgery, the dye helps reveal the biliary anatomy, including ducts emerging from the liver. During colon surgery, it can help determine whether the colon has an adequate blood supply before the two ends are reconnected. It may also assist in identifying the ureters—the tubes carrying urine from the kidneys to the bladder. The imaging does not make decisions for the surgeon, but it provides additional

information that can guide those decisions. Choosing the Right Approach JF: Can nearly every general surgery procedure now be performed robotically? JB: Most operations that can be performed laparoscopically can potentially be performed robotically. One limitation is whether there is enough space within the body cavity to position and operate the instruments safely. The availability of the technology does not mean it should be used in every case. If a patient has a colon tumor the size of a softball, we may perform much of the operation robotically, but we will still need an incision large enough to remove the tumor. The goal is to choose the safest and most appropriate approach for the individual patient. Depending on the diagnosis and circumstances, that may be robotic, 119

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

SEBASTIAN RIVER ROBOTIC SURGERY

laparoscopic or traditional open surgery. As robotic procedures expanded, surgeons tracked complication rates, pain, hospital stays and recovery times. Not every operation was studied through a separate randomized trial comparing all three approaches. In many cases, experienced laparoscopic surgeons adapted procedures to the robotic platform and evaluated their results. The relative advantages depend on the operation, the patient and the experience of the surgical team. More Than a Piece of Equipment JF: What does a hospital need to establish an effective robotic surgery program? JB: A successful program involves much more than purchasing a robot. It requires an experienced, coordinated operating room team. The anesthesia team must understand how insufflation and patient positioning affect the operation. Depending on the 120

procedure, we may tilt the patient to provide better access to a particular area. Once the robotic arms are positioned, anesthesia personnel may have somewhat less direct access to the patient, so preparation and familiarity are essential. The operating room nurse must know how to set up and operate the equipment. Surgical technologists must understand how to attach and exchange the instruments, and the sterile-processing team must know how to clean, inspect and sterilize them. There is a learning curve for everyone. Once the surgeon and operating room team are properly trained and experienced, however, the process can become highly efficient. The technology and its specialized instruments carry expenses, but a complete cost analysis should also consider hospitalization, postoperative care, pain management, complications and recovery time.

Training and the Human Element JF: What is the learning curve like for the surgeon? JB: The surgeon must become comfortable looking at a screen while coordinating hand movements at the console. In that respect, there are similarities to using computers, playing sophisticated video games or flying a drone. I remember when we first got a Nintendo and I played Mario. My mother thought it was corrupting my brain. As it turned out, that kind of hand-eye coordination may have had a practical application. That does not mean someone who is good at video games can automatically become a robotic surgeon. Medical knowledge, sound judgment and extensive surgical training remain fundamental. A surgeon also must know how to select appropriate patients, position the equipment, anticipate difficulties and recognize when another approach would be safer.

DR. JOSEPH BEDWAY AT A GLANCE Current Position General surgeon specializing in roboticassisted and minimally invasive surgery Board Certification American Board of Surgery—General Surgery Previous Experience Practiced at Health First Cape Canaveral Hospital beginning in 2014; served as chief of surgery from 2016 to 2022 Medical Training Completed a five-year general surgery residency at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center; served as administrative chief resident and resident instructor of surgery at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine Medical Degree Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia

The Next Advances JF: Where do you see robotic surgery going next? JB: I believe the mechanical technology is fairly mature. Today’s systems provide multiple degrees of movement, excellent control and outstanding threedimensional visualization. The next major advances may come through imaging. We already use fluorescent dye to identify bile ducts and evaluate blood flow. In the future, there may be markers that bind specifically to cancer cells and cause them to fluoresce, allowing surgeons to see small areas of cancer that might otherwise be difficult to detect. Hybrid technologies could eventually combine information from PET scans or other imaging methods with the robotic display. Artificial intelligence may also help highlight blood vessels, nerves, bile ducts or other anatomy. These technologies could provide additional information, but the surgeon would continue to make the decisions and control the instruments.

Bringing Advanced Surgery to Sebastian JF: What does your arrival mean for patients in Sebastian and the surrounding community? JB: The objective is to bring advanced robotic-assisted surgery closer to residents of northern Indian River County and southern Brevard County. Patients should be able to receive high-quality surgical care in their own community without automatically having to travel to Orlando or another distant location. The da Vinci Robotic Surgical System was already available at Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital. By bringing my experience and practice here, Orlando Health is expanding the range of general and minimally invasive procedures that can be performed locally. We want to provide everything that can be done safely within the community hospital. There will always be unusually complex cases, such as certain pancreatic cancers, that require treatment at a

Undergraduate Education Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pennsylvania; B.A. in economics with a minor in chemistry; graduated magna cum laude Clinical Interests Robotic-assisted and minimally invasive surgery, hernia repair, gallbladder disease, colon conditions, thyroid disease, breast care, appendicitis and skin-cancer removal Research Background Conducted research in chemistry, hematology and oncology, orthopedic surgery and hernia recurrence Personal Interests Hiking, mountain climbing, rock climbing, fly-fishing, running and travel

tertiary center. Our goal is to provide appropriate care locally while recognizing when a patient needs highly specialized treatment. Because I completed my residency at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center, I know many of the surgeons practicing within Orlando Health. Some trained me, some worked alongside me and some were residents with me who now specialize in complex procedures. If a patient needs an operation I do not perform, I often know the appropriate specialist personally. I can call that surgeon, discuss the case and help move the referral forward. Our office submits the referral through the Orlando Health system so the specialist receives the patient’s information and can coordinate the appointment. That gives patients two advantages: advanced surgical care close to home when appropriate and a direct connection to Orlando Health specialists when more complex treatment is required. 121

Let’s Avoid These

Recycling Horrors This Halloween!

Halloween can be a real nightmare for your recycling container too.

5 Halloween items that should never go in the blue cart: 1. Candy Wrappers: too small. 2. Pumpkins: Can’t go in your blue cart, but are considered yard waste and also can be composted.

3. Costumes: They can be reused or repurposed, but not recycled!

4. Makeup: Gooey tubes of face paint should be thrown away.

5. Spooky Lighting: These are considered tanglers and should never go in the blue cart. They can be brought to one of the 5 Customer Convenience Centers or the Main County Landfill for proper recycling.

Confusion at your cart? Download the

CARTer’s Corner app to see what goes where or visit indianriver.gov.

122

Expert Team in Dental Aesthetics • • • • • • • • •

Dental Veneers And Crowns Smile Makeover And Design Full Mouth Reconstruction Invisalign Gum Disease/Periodontal Care Dental Implants/All-On-4 Teeth Whitening Full And Partial Dentures Laser Dentistry

DR. EVA NAPOLES

772.567.2132 nuvadentalsmiles.com

www

.com

4000 Atlantic Boulevard, Suite 101 Vero Beach, FL 32960 123

SPACE

Gemini-Titan 10 Earth Sky Rendezvous Outer Space. July 18, 1966. Agena Target Docking Vehicle 5005 is photographed from the Gemini-Titan 10 (GT-10) spacecraft during rendezvous in space. The two spacecraft are about 38 feet apart. After docking with the Agena, astronauts John W. Young, command pilot, and Michael Collins, pilot, fired the 16,000-pound thrust engine of Agena X’s primary propulsion system to boost the combined vehicles into an orbit with an apogee of 413 nautical miles to set a new altitude record for manned spaceflight. Image and caption credit: NASA.

Criticality of Spacecraft Rendezvous and Docking

Gemini-Titan 10 Earth Sky Rendezvous Outer Space. July 18, 1966. The Gemini-10 spacecraft is successfully docked with the Agena Target Docking Vehicle 5005. The Agena display panel is clearly visible. Image and caption credit: NASA

EXPLORATION

The upcoming Artemis III mission will require NASA’s Orion crew module to rendezvous and dock with two different lunar-lander test vehicles, Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 and SpaceX’s Starship V3. Shown here is Apollo 10 in the process of rendezvousing and docking with Agena Target Docking Vehicle 5005 as part of a similarly challenging mission, July 1966. Read more in an article to follow.

SPACE EXPLORATION

ARTEMIS III: THE COMPLEX REHEARSAL BEFORE THE LANDING NASA Tests the Systems Needed to Return Astronauts to the Moon By Jim Field Photographs courtesy of NASA AT A GLANCE 1. Building the Core System NASA and its industry partners are assembling the many components of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis III mission, currently planned for 2027. 2. Preparing the Lunar Landers Blue Origin and SpaceX are building and testing versions of their lunar landing systems for demonstrations in low Earth orbit, including rendezvous and docking with Orion. 3. Planning an Exceptionally Complex Mission NASA and its partners are designing and coordinating one of the most technically challenging human spaceflight missions ever attempted—three major spacecraft, three powerful rockets and a precisely choreographed sequence of launches and orbital operations.

NASA’s official designation for Artemis III is “Crewed Demonstration,” and its stated objective is equally direct: “Demonstrate Critical Systems for Lunar Landing.” The mission is currently planned for 2027. Those few words describe an Artemis III substantially different from the mission NASA had been planning only a short time ago. A Mission in Motion Human spaceflight programs are fluid. They have to be. Rockets, spacecraft, propulsion systems, spacesuits, software and life-support systems are developed simultaneously by different organizations. Hardware is tested, problems are discovered, schedules move and lessons from one flight alter plans for the next. Artemis III provides a dramatic example. For years, it was intended to return American astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. Astronauts would travel aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft to lunar orbit,

“ARTEMIS III WILL CARRY OUT A SERIES OF OBJECTIVES IN LOW EARTH ORBIT DESIGNED TO DEMONSTRATE CRITICAL SYSTEMS NEEDED FOR FUTURE LUNAR LANDINGS, BEGINNING WITH ARTEMIS IV.” —NASA, ARTEMIS III MISSION 126

transfer to a commercial Human Landing System (HLS) and descend to the Moon’s South Pole. But as the architecture evolved, the mission accumulated an extraordinary number of major systems and operations that would have to work together—many for the first time. NASA ultimately separated some of that complexity from the landing itself. The lunar landing moved to Artemis IV, currently targeted for 2028. A newly conceived Artemis III was inserted ahead of it to demonstrate critical systems in low Earth orbit. The reasoning is straightforward: risk reduction. Rather than combine a lunar landing with an extraordinary collection of new spacecraft, docking systems, software, life-support systems and operating procedures, NASA can demonstrate many of them much closer to home. Artemis III has become the rehearsal before the landing.

Artemis III Orion Crew and Service Modules Mate. July 31, 2026. Engineers finish connecting the Artemis III Orion crew and service modules inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Now integrated, the team will power up the combined crew and service module for the first time then begin altitude chamber testing, which will put the spacecraft through conditions as close as possible to the environment it will experience in low Earth orbit. Caption and image: NASA.

127

SPACE EXPLORATION

ARTEMIS III: THE COMPLEX REHEARSAL BEFORE THE LANDING A “Highly Choreographed Dance” That does not make Artemis III simple. Quite the opposite. Artemis Program Manager Jeremy Parsons describes what NASA is attempting: “Artemis III will be a highly choreographed dance with a demanding launch sequence across multiple launch pads and equally demanding mission operations for our ground and flight crews, making it one of the most complex and ambitious missions NASA has ever undertaken.” The complexity begins on the ground. Artemis III requires three separate spacecraft and three of the world’s most

powerful rockets, involving NASA, SpaceX and Blue Origin. Orion will launch aboard the Space Launch System (SLS) from Kennedy Space Center; launch locations for the Blue Origin and SpaceX vehicles have not yet been confirmed for Artemis III. These are not independent launches. Their schedules, orbital destinations, and spacecraft readiness must converge. NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and commercial operators must coordinate launch ranges, airspace and maritime restrictions, tracking and communications networks, control centers and shared infrastructure. Even industrial commodities enter the equation. NASA specifically cites the availability of

gaseous nitrogen, extensively used in launch operations, as a resource that must be coordinated among co-located launch sites. Weather or a technical problem affecting one launch can ripple through the sequence. Blue Origin’s Blue Moon vehicle therefore illustrates how flexibility is being built into the plan: It is expected to launch first and can remain in low Earth orbit for up to 30 days, providing time for systems checks and schedule margin before Orion arrives. Four astronauts then launch aboard Orion. After Orion completes its Blue Moon operations, SpaceX’s Starship must reach the appropriate orbit for the second rendezvous and docking demonstration. Behind all three spacecraft are different engineers, flight controllers, computers, facilities, and communications systems. NASA describes the mission as requiring coordination of facilities, control centers, networking and data exchange at multiple locations. In effect, two Artemis III missions will be occurring simultaneously: one in orbit, where Orion moves between two radically different spacecraft, and another on the ground, where multiple organizations and launch facilities must operate according to a common timeline. To be sure, that is the “highly choreographed dance.” NASA’s Language Is About Safety NASA says the demonstrations are intended to support “astronaut safety and mission success for crewed lunar landings.” The philosophy has historical precedent. Before Apollo 11 attempted the first lunar landing, NASA had flown Apollo spacecraft in Earth orbit, sent astronauts around the Moon and conducted a lunarmodule rehearsal in lunar orbit. Artemis III performs a comparable function for a considerably more complicated generation of spacecraft.

Artemis III Orion Crew Module. June 23, 2026. The Orion spacecraft for the Artemis III mission is in view in the high bay of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Caption and image: NASA.

128

The architecture itself is also different. Apollo was largely a NASA-directed system. Artemis combines NASA’s Orion and SLS with commercially developed lunar landers: Blue Origin’s Blue Moon and SpaceX’s Starship. Those independently developed vehicles must eventually function as parts of one lunar

Artist’s Concept Depicts SpaceX’s Starship Version 3 HLS Test Article for NASA’s Artemis III Mission. July 16, 2026. These artist’s concepts depict NASA’s Orion spacecraft and SpaceX’s Starship human landing system test article during rendezvous and docking operations as part of NASA’s upcoming Artemis III demonstration mission in low Earth orbit. Caption and image: NASA.

transportation system. Artemis III begins proving that they can. Earth Orbit Instead of the Moon Four astronauts will launch from Kennedy Space Center aboard Orion, carried into space by NASA’s SLS. But instead of departing Earth for the Moon, Orion will establish a circular low Earth orbit. Over approximately two weeks, the crew will conduct the central demonstrations of Artemis III: rendezvous and docking between Orion and test versions of the commercial HLSs being developed for future lunar missions. That may sound routine after decades of spacecraft docking with space stations. It is not. These particular vehicles have never operated together. Their docking

Artemis III RS-25 Engine Processing at KSC. June 16, 2026. Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida offload the first of four RS-25 SLS (Space Launch System) rocket engines for the agency’s Artemis III mission inside the center’s Vehicle Assembly Building. The SLS rocket will use four RS-25 engines in the core stage to propel the Orion spacecraft into orbit providing over two million pounds of thrust at liftoff. Caption and image: NASA.

129

SPACE EXPLORATION

ARTEMIS III: THE COMPLEX REHEARSAL BEFORE THE LANDING Artist’s Concept Depicts Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 HLS Test Article for NASA’s Artemis III Mission. July 16. 2026. This artist’s concept depicts Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 human landing system test article in Earth orbit with NASA’s Orion spacecraft during rendezvous and docking operations as part of NASA’s upcoming Artemis III demonstration mission in low Earth orbit. Caption and image: NASA.

mechanisms, navigation systems, flight software, communications, propulsion and operating procedures have to function safely as an integrated system. NASA therefore intends Artemis III to test not merely whether two spacecraft can physically connect, but whether completely different spacecraft designed by different organizations can operate together reliably enough to eventually carry astronauts to the lunar surface. Two Very Different Lunar Landers Blue Moon and Starship represent radically different approaches. Blue Moon Mark 2 is a purpose-designed lunar lander. Starship Version 3 is an enormous multipurpose spacecraft being adapted for lunar operations. 130

Blue Moon is planned to launch first and wait in orbit for Orion. After docking, up to two Artemis III astronauts will enter its crew cabin, wearing their orange Orion crew-survival suits. The spacecraft will incorporate avionics, flight software, environmental-control and life-support equipment applicable to future lunar missions. It will also carry an instrumented lunar spacesuit mass simulator to collect data about conditions inside the cabin. Orion and Blue Moon are expected to remain docked for approximately two days. During that time, Orion’s software will control the combined spacecraft. Then comes an entirely different test. SpaceX’s Starship Version 3, approximately 171 feet long, will carry a docking system in its nose. Whereas Orion

docks along the side of Blue Moon, Orion and Starship will connect nose-to-nose. The control arrangement also reverses. With Blue Moon, Orion controls the combined vehicle; with Starship, Starship controls the Orion-Starship combination. Engineers can therefore evaluate two very different spacecraft configurations, including communications, software interoperability, and vehicle dynamics. Note: NASA’s current plan does not call for the astronauts to enter Starship. Why Low Earth Orbit Matters The location is itself part of the safety strategy. Around the Moon, astronauts would be hundreds of thousands of miles from home, with extremely limited rescue possibilities and a return journey measured in days. Low Earth

NASA Rolls Out Artemis III Moon Rocket Core Stage. April 20, 2026. NASA moved the core stage, or the largest section, of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket that will launch the crewed Artemis III mission in 2027 from the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility to the agency’s Pegasus barge in New Orleans. The barge will ferry the top four-fifths – the section containing the liquid hydrogen tank, liquid oxygen tank, intertank, and forward skirt – of the SLS core stage to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to complete outfitting and vertical integration. Caption and image: NASA.

NASA came close with Gemini 10 in 1966. John Young and Michael Collins docked with Agena 10 and later rendezvoused with Agena 8, although they did not dock with the second vehicle. Other missions have rendezvoused with multiple objects, but none has required the particular combination of separate launches, commercial spacecraft, crew transfers, and integrated flight systems contemplated for Artemis III.

orbit provides a much more forgiving environment for testing unfamiliar combinations of spacecraft and procedures. That is the central logic of the redesigned Artemis III: separate as many technological firsts as practical from the lunar landing, demonstrate them close to Earth, learn from them—and then go to the Moon. A Rare Historical Precedent There is little precedent for what Artemis III will attempt. In 1986, the Soviet Soyuz T-15 mission visited both Mir and Salyut 7, the only previous crewed mission to visit two separate spacecraft capable of supporting crews.

From Artemis I to Artemis IV The revised program now follows a logical progression. Artemis I, flown without astronauts in 2022, demonstrated SLS and Orion around the Moon. Artemis II, flown in 2026, carried astronauts around the Moon and returned them safely to Earth. Artemis III, planned for 2027, moves into spacecraft integration in Earth orbit. Then comes Artemis IV, currently planned for 2028—the mission NASA intends to return astronauts to the lunar surface. Seen this way, Artemis III is not a retreat from the Moon. It inserts another proving step between flying astronauts aboard Orion and asking them to transfer to another spacecraft and descend to another world. A Different Kind of Space Program Artemis also illustrates how profoundly human spaceflight has changed since Apollo. Apollo was essentially a NASA system. Artemis is an ecosystem. NASA provides major elements and establishes requirements, commercial companies develop other critical spacecraft, and

international partners contribute systems to the broader program. That approach may eventually produce a more sustainable lunar infrastructure, but it creates an enormous systemsengineering challenge. Artemis III is where much of that theory begins becoming operational reality. Stay Tuned One final point is essential: stay tuned. NASA’s plans are evolving, as they should. Hardware tests will succeed or fail. Engineering problems will be discovered and solved. Commercial schedules may move. Mission objectives and launch dates may change. That is the nature of developing machines that have never existed before and flying them in combinations never attempted. NASA’s strategy, however, is becoming increasingly clear: prove as much as possible close to Earth before attempting it around the Moon. Artemis III was once going to be the landing. Now it may perform an equally important role: making the landing safer. NASA’s official language and mission architecture cited here reflect agency plans available in August 2026. Artemis III remains under development, and specific objectives, participating vehicles and schedules are subject to change. Principal sources: NASA, Artemis III Mission; NASA, How NASA’s Artemis III Lander Test Will Pave Way for Moon Landings, July 15, 2026.

131

SPACE EXPLORATION

ARTEMIS III: THE COMPLEX REHEARSAL BEFORE THE LANDING Artemis III

The Mission Step by Step NASA’s current plan for Artemis III calls for an approximately two-week crewed demonstration in low Earth orbit. The mission will bring together Orion and test versions of two radically different commercial lunar landers, rehearsing many of the operations that will ultimately be required around the Moon.

ARTEMIS III SUMMARY: Blue Moon Launches  SLS/Orion Launches  Orion Docks with Blue Moon  Crew Enters Blue Moon  Orion Undocks  Starship Launches  Orion Docks with Starship  Integrated Systems Test  Orion Undocks  Deorbit  Reentry  Pacific Splashdown The Mission in Ten Steps 1. Blue Moon Launches First Blue Origin places its Blue Moon lunarlander test article into low Earth orbit, where controllers check its systems. The spacecraft is designed to wait in orbit for Orion for up to 30 days.

6. Orion Separates from Blue Moon The astronauts return to Orion, the hatches are closed and Orion undocks. The first major rendezvous, docking, and crew-transfer demonstration is complete.

2. SLS Launches Orion Four astronauts lift off from Kennedy Space Center aboard Orion, carried into orbit by NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS).

7. SpaceX Launches Starship SpaceX launches a Starship Version 3 test article into an orbit that will allow it to rendezvous with Orion.

3. Orion Establishes Low Earth Orbit Instead of heading for the Moon, Orion establishes a circular low Earth orbit. The crew and Mission Control check the spacecraft and prepare for rendezvous operations. 4. Orion Rendezvous and Docks with Blue Moon Orion approaches the waiting Blue Moon spacecraft and docks along the side of the lander near its crew cabin. The two independently developed spacecraft now become one integrated vehicle. 5. Astronauts Enter Blue Moon Up to two Artemis III astronauts open the hatch and enter the Blue Moon test vehicle. Orion and Blue Moon remain docked for approximately two days while the crews on Earth and in orbit evaluate the combined systems.

132

8. Orion Rendezvous and Docks with Starship Orion and the enormous Starship connect nose-to-nose. Unlike the Blue Moon demonstration, the astronauts remain aboard Orion while the two spacecraft operate together. 9. Orion Separates and Prepares for Home After completing the Starship demonstration, Orion undocks. NASA has now tested Orion with two completely different lunar-lander architectures during a single crewed mission. 10. Orion Returns to Earth Orion deorbits and enters Earth’s atmosphere, providing another important test of its upgraded heat shield. Parachutes slow the capsule for a Pacific Ocean splashdown and recovery.

Five Essential Accomplishments 1. Launch three extraordinarily powerful rockets. 2. Put Orion and two radically different lunar-lander test vehicles into compatible earth orbits. 3. Dock Orion with Blue Moon, transfer astronauts aboard, operate the spacecraft together—then separate. 4. Dock Orion with Starship, operate an entirely different spacecraft combination—then separate again. 5. Bring four astronauts home safely—and use everything learned to reduce the risk of the Artemis IV moon landing.

Assembly of the Artemis III SLS rocket RAC. August 12, 2026. In High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the left aft center booster segment for Artemis III is lowered onto its aft assembly segment to prepare for integration on the mobile launcher for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. The twin boosters, comprising of five segments each manufactured by Northrop Grumman in Utah, will provide more than 75 percent of the SLS rocket’s total thrust at launch. Caption and image: NASA.

133

SPACE EXPLORATION

WHAT CAN GO WRONG Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Explodes During “Hot Fire” Test

engine testing and is modifying the valve design. The photographs suggest an almost unimaginable release of energy, although Blue Origin has not published an official TNT-equivalent estimate. A rocket fireball also differs from the instantaneous detonation of a conventional explosive: enormous quantities of escaping cryogenic propellants ignite and burn rapidly, producing the spectacular expanding cloud seen in photographs. The accident also inflicted substantial damage on Launch Complex 36A. Blue Origin lost the lightning tower, transporter-erector and associated hydraulic equipment. Yet several important systems survived, including the propellant tank farm, integration facility and water tower. Rather than simply reconstruct the pad as it was, Blue Origin is changing how New Glenn will be assembled and raised for launch, using horizontal integration followed by crane-assisted erection. Reconstruction is underway, while a second New Glenn pad, LC-36B, is also being developed.

By Jim Field Spaceflight has always been an exercise in managing enormous energies with extraordinary precision. On May 28, 2026, Blue Origin received a dramatic reminder of what can happen when a single component fails. During an integrated hot-fire test at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the company’s New Glenn rocket suffered a catastrophic failure while restrained on the launch pad. Seconds later, the vehicle was engulfed in an immense orange fireball visible for miles along Florida’s Space Coast. No one was injured. New Glenn is Blue Origin’s heavy-lift orbital rocket, named for astronaut John Glenn. More than 320 feet tall, it uses seven BE-4 engines in its reusable first stage. Those engines burn liquefied 134

natural gas—primarily methane—with liquid oxygen. The upper stage uses two BE-3U engines fueled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Together, the seven first-stage engines produce roughly 4.5 million pounds of thrust. The May test rocket was fully fueled and its engines ignited while the vehicle remained secured to the launch structure. Such tests allow engineers to operate engines, valves, plumbing, computers and ground systems under conditions approaching an actual launch. In this case, something went badly wrong. Blue Origin later reported that investigators traced the initiating failure to the main oxygen valve on one of the seven BE-4 engines. Recovered hardware and subsequent inspections supported that conclusion. The company has since conducted additional component and

The explosion is an extraordinary illustration of what can go wrong in spaceflight—and why extensive ground testing exists in the first place. Discovering a weakness during a test is vastly preferable to discovering it during a crewed mission. For NASA’s Artemis program, the accident is significant but, at present, does not appear to derail Artemis III. NASA’s 2027 Artemis III mission is expected to include a Blue Moon Mark 2 lander launched aboard New Glenn for rendezvous and docking demonstrations with Orion in Earth orbit. Blue Origin says it intends to return New Glenn to flight before the end of 2026, providing time to repair the launch site, modify the engines and demonstrate the system again before Artemis III. Photograph attributed to Amberle Platts. With permission.

SPACE EXPLORATION

THE UNIVERSE IN A WIDER VIEW NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Begins Its Mission to Map the Cosmos By Jim Field Image courtesy of NASA

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in space. Artist’s rendering by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab.

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched on August 30, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Roman is designed to survey the universe with a field of view

about 100 times larger than Hubble’s. Operating from a gravitationally stable location roughly one million miles from Earth, it will investigate dark energy, map the distribution of galaxies and search for planets beyond our solar

system. Its 2.4-meter primary mirror matches Hubble’s in diameter, but Roman can photograph far larger areas of the sky in each exposure, revealing broad cosmic patterns for closer study by other observatories. 135

ENDMARK One Page at a Time

John Richardson’s monumental A Life of Picasso begins with Volume I. I’m working my way through it differently: one page a day—a few quiet minutes with Picasso, his art and his extraordinary world. There are more volumes waiting. At this pace, I’ll be here awhile. That’s rather the point. Photograph by Jim Field

136

Two Industry Leaders. One Shared Commitment: Your Success.

Combining decades of real estate experience, creative marketing, and strategic expertise, Diane Field and Vicki Antonio deliver exceptional service throughout Vero Beach and beyond.

Vicki Antonio, GRI, CIPS, brings more than 32 years of experience in luxury real estate, brokerage ownership, mortgage finance, and construction management. Her extensive market knowledge, negotiation skills, and strategic approach provide her clients with valuable insight and confidence in every transaction.

Diane Field, ASP, GLN, brings a unique blend of real estate, interior design, and marketing expertise. A broker, accredited home stager, golf home sales specialist, and co-owner of LIV VERO Magazine, Diane helps sellers maximize value through expert presentation while providing enhanced exposure through one of Vero Beach’s premier lifestyle publications.

Diane Field | Broker Associate +1 (703) 915-4236 Diane.Field@evrealestate.com

Curious what your home could sell for in today’s market? Let’s start with a confidential conversation and personalized strategy designed to help you achieve the highest return on your investment.

Vicki Antonio | Broker Associate +1 (954) 226-1717 Vicki.Antonio@evrealestate.com

Engel & Völkers Vero Beach | 821A Beachland Boulevard | Vero Beach | FL 32963

137 ©2026 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

Follow Your Dream, Home. FEATURING 3915 MOCKINGBIRD DR

Engel & Völkers Treasure Coast VERO BEACH | 772.410.4155 821A BEACHLAND BLVD | VERO BEACH | FL 32963 HUTCHINSON ISLAND | 772.410.4140 4007 N HIGHWAY A1A | HUTCHINSON ISLAND | FL 34949 STUART | 772.410.3644 600 SE OCEAN BLVD | STUART | FL 34994 138 ©2026 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.