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Thursday, FEBRUARY 9, 2012
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NEWS
sports
Haile singer Jordan Performers take Boyer releases her stage at Lakewood debut song, video. Ranch Ovation.
Shane Rice shares his passion for polo.
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OUR TOWN
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love stories By Pam Eubanks | News Editor
WOULD YOU BE MINE?
Two East County couples share their incredible paths to long-lasting love. File photo
+ Car show to rumble onto Ranch Main St.
The Lakewood Ranch Town Hall Operations Department is replacing old irrigation controllers with new technology.
It’s a car lover’s dream Valentine’s Day gift. Muscle cars, imports and, of course, classic autos will rumble into Lakewood Ranch for a Car Show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 12, on Lakewood Ranch Main Street. Ed’s Tavern is hosting the event, which also will feature live music, food and more. For more information, visit edstavernlwr.com.
Pam Eubanks
Bob and Peggy Donaldson say they don’t yet have any specific plans for Valentine’s Day, but they expect they will stay home and enjoy fresh seafood for dinner.
Bob and Peggy Donaldson + Honor Animal Rescue seeks help Calling all critter-lovers: Here is your chance to help. Honor Animal Rescue will host a volunteer recruitment meeting at 6 p.m. Feb. 13, at the Hampton Inn, 8565 Cooper Creek Blvd., University Park. “We found loving homes for 750 dogs and cats last year, and we’d like to save at least 1,000 this year, but if we don’t get more volunteers, we’ll have to save fewer, rather than more,” said Honor Animal Rescue President Rob Oglesby. Oglesby said that volunteers are needed at Nate’s Place, an adoption and education center at 8435 Cooper Creek Blvd., University Park; at The Ranch, 4951 Lorraine Road, Lakewood Ranch; and at Honor’s satellite adoption center at the PetCo at 131 N. Cattlemen Road, Sarasota. To RSVP for the recruitment event, email volunteer@ honoranimalrescue.org or call 302-0933.
Irrigation upgrades improve efficiency
Nothing reaffirms life and love with such alarming clarity as a near-death experience. And although it happened more than 25 years ago, Lakewood Ranch couple Bob and Peggy Donaldson can recall every minute detail of that day on Lake Erie. In August 1975, the couple had set sail from one marina to another. But once on the water, waves as tall as 8 feet pushed their vessel over. Because of the sheer power of the waves, the Donaldsons could not upright the boat and realized they would exhaust themselves in the fight. They attempted to flag down help but were unsuccessful. Clinging to their overturned boat and fighting
for every minute of life, Bob and Peggy spent time re-evaluating their relationship and priorities in life and eventually tied themselves to the boat, in case they lost consciousness and died. “It was a very scary discussion, but we had to have it,” Peggy says. Nine hours after they capsized, another boat, which was blown offcourse, found them. Both Bob and Peggy were suffering from hypothermia, but Bob told the sailors to take his wife to seek medical attention, if she needed it, and to rescue him later. Fortunately, the men were able to take them both to shore. “He has bought me
DONALDSON / PAGE 11A
Courtesy photo
Husband-and-wife team Dr. Maria Galimidi and Ilan Kazmirik say they complete each other.
Ilan Kazmirik and Dr. Maria Galimidi Everything happens for a reason. And no couple knows that better than Ilan Kazmirik and Dr. Maria Galimidi. After Ilan and Maria started dating, they learned their families had known each other since the 1940s, when both lived in Alexandria, Egypt. During World War II, the families, both Jewish, fled to escape being deported to Germany. Maria’s father’s family fled to Uruguay, while Ilan’s mother’s family escaped to Brazil. Ilan’s father lost his family in the war and later lived in Germany, Sudan and Israel. He moved to Brazil in the 1960s. Maria’s family im-
migrated to the United States in 1981 to New Jersey and then to Miami in 1989. Ilan’s family emigrated from Brazil to Miami in 1987. While Ilan attended a local public high school, Maria attended a Jewish school, at which Ilan’s sister and Maria’s mother became friends. However, it wasn’t until their first year of college at Florida International University that Ilan and Maria met. Ilan was studying business, while Maria was preparing for a career in medicine. The two dated briefly before deciding to part ways.
GALIMIDI / PAGE 11A
LAKEWOOD RANCH — Lakewood Ranch residents can expect to see improvements in commonarea irrigation and landscaping, as the Lakewood Ranch Town Hall Operations Department continues its efforts to update Lakewood Ranch’s irrigation system. Town Hall staff members are working to replace old irrigation controllers and valves with newer equipment that will allow the district to reduce overall water usage, make sidewalks more usable during evening hours, and reduce the amount of manual labor required for managing water, including programming and scheduling. “System improvements will conserve water, save money and decrease watering during peak traffic hours,” Lakewood Ranch Town Hall Operations Director Ryan Heise said. “Each of our (community development) district boards has done a great job in
IRRIGATION / PAGE 10A
Pam Eubanks
Lakewood Ranch operations staff member Will Brown checks on one of the new controllers.
INDEX Classifieds ........ 17B Cops Corner..........7A
Crossword.......... 16B Opinion.................8A
Real Estate........ 14B Neighborhood...... 1B
Sports................ 13A Weather............. 16B
Vol. 13, No. 6 | Two sections YourObserver.com