The light is streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Lois Pope’s new home in Manalapan. She has water views in every direction, but that’s not the only reason she just moved back to Manalapan from Delray. “I bought the house because I thought the dogs would love it here. There is more land here for them to run—although they seem to want to stay inside getting exercise running up and down the stairs like me,” says Pope, who looks and moves like someone a good quarter century younger than her 81 years.
Pope had been a longtime resident of Manalapan, having lived with her husband Generoso Pope, publisher of the National Enquirer before his death. The company was sold for $412 million following the passing of her husband, and Pope began her philanthropic life.
Lois Pope at home in Manalapan
“This area has a lot of meaning to me, it is where I brought my children up.” The decision to move back was made when Pope found the house, which faces the Atlantic Ocean and backs up to the bay. “I think it was a good idea,” she says looking around as one workman is putting up wallpaper and another is unloading some oversize artwork that has just arrived. Clearly, this is a woman who is not afraid of a project.
Until last week, Pope was best known for her $10 million gift to the University of Miami to establish the Lois Pope LIFE Center, which raises funds for neurological research. It was a gift she made in 1996 after actor and friend Christopher Reeve, became paralyzed, just months after they had danced together at her LIFE gala. The center is now the top catastrophic neurological research facility in the world and home to the renowned Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
As we sit with Mrs. Pope, she has just returned from Washington D.C. where she saw a lifelong dream realized: the dedication of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial.
The memorial rests on two acres in view of the capital and features granite walls, a black granite reflecting pool, and ceremonial flame surrounded by trees. It is a beautiful, moving and reflective place that never would have been built without Mrs. Pope’s determination, or her funds, which include a $10 million personal donation and the millions more she raised for the cause with her LIFE Foundation.
The event that put all this into motion took place back in 1968, when Pope was an aspiring Broadway actress and singer in New York City. She had even been called “the next Grace Kelly.” A friend who had been stricken with polio as a child, had asked her to perform at a benefit for disabled veterans in 1965 at the Rusk Rehabilitation hospital in New York.
Lois was unprepared for what she would see that day. “When I walked into that room, it was jammed with men who had been so horribly burned, multiple amputees, in wheelchairs,” she recalls. “There were men with empty sockets where eyes used to be, with no noses or ears. It was pretty shocking for me. I had come prepared to sing “Somewhere” from West Side Story, and when I got to the line ‘Hold my hand and I’ll take you there,’ I reached out to a young man lying on a gurney and realized he had no hand for me to hold.” The experience was heart wrenching for Pope.
“I left there shaking and promised God that if I was ever in a position to help, that I would do something.” But like most people Pope went on and lived her life, got married, had children and as she says, “forgot.”
She didn’t “remember” until years later when she finally mustered the courage to visit the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C., to pay tribute to a cousin who died in the war. As she put her hand on the wall, she says, “There was a multiple amputee next to me in a wheelchair struggling to lay some flowers by the name of his loved one. I was crying, he was crying.” Her mind snapped back to that day at The Rusk.
As Pope exited the memorial, she asked a park ranger if there was a memorial for disabled veterans. He said there was not, even searching the map to confirm. “That sparked a 16-year journey to create one—so none of us ever forgets.”
Of course, it was one thing to dream something, and quite another to actually get it done. “We called the VA every day for five months, trying to figure out how to get the process started,” she says. When she told them she wanted to build a memorial, they didn’t know what to do with such a request because she didn’t fit neatly into their usual boxes.
Then, she tried the Battle and Monument service “They told me to ‘Get a life!’” she says. Eventually, one day, in 1997, she got a hold of Jessie Brown, Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the ball finally got rolling. “I asked them why there was no memorial for disabled veterans, and he said ‘That’s a good question,’ and agreed to help.”
Lois Pope with President Obama in Washington DC
It was a proud moment for Pope when Bill Clinton signed the legislation authorizing the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in 2000. “I framed the copy of the signed legislation,” she says.
The American landscape changed drastically in the time that followed. 911 occurred in 2001 and took over the nation’s consciousness. “Our federal government had its hands full,” reflects Pope. But as war was declared in Iraq and Afghanistan, the number of vets with disabilities skyrocketed to a staggering number of four million. The need for the memorial became all the more pressing even as Pope had many restless days and nights, wondering if she would ever see the memorial come to light.
For many years—Pope’s Lady in Red Gala, which takes place at Mar-a-Lago—served as the primary fundraising arm for the Memorial. “Palm Beachers are the most generous people in the world. We raised $18 million right here in Palm Beach and, without them, we would still be working on this.”
Jay Leno and Lois Pope at The Lady in Red Gala
Now that Pope has accomplished her goal for veterans, the gala raises money for her other passion: animals. Funds are donated to the American Humane Association, which works to end animal abuse and neglect.
“I believe there is a direct connection between humans and animals,” she says, holding her 5-month old Yorkie named Nathan Detroit for a character in Guys and Dolls, a Broadway show in which she once performed.
The Lady in Red Gala is known for kicking off the Palm Beach social season and is always attracts great talent. “The gala is always a lot of fun,” Pope says. And how could it not be? She really does pull the best—last year the event featured Jay Leno and for this year’s “A Night in Shanghai”-themed affair on December 6, she’s scheduled Martin Short, who will be performing a little show for the audience.
Of course, whether they support is wounded vets or at-risk pets, it’s hard to say “no” to Lois Pope’s causes. This year, the two will collide as she will be specifically funding an AHA program that reunites military dogs that have served in Iraq and Afghanistan with their solders who have returned home. The veteran K-9s will continue to serve by acting as therapy dogs and service dogs. The program will undoubtedly bring joy to veterans both human and canine.
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A first-of-its kind memorial honoring America’s disabled veterans will open Sunday near the National Mall.
The idea and a significant contribution came from Lois Pope, the Manalapan philanthropist who has lent her name and financial support to a wide number of causes in Florida and around the world.
The two-acre site features a memorial of granite, bronze and glass, showing images of Americans who returned from war forever changed.
As a Broadway actress in the 1960s, Pope performed for military returning from Vietnam. She remembers the day she walked into a hospital room of recovering veterans.
“It was jammed with young men lying on gurneys, toddling on crutches and amputees in wheel chairs,” Pope, now 81, said Friday. “I saw young men— disabled veterans — burned so badly that they had no noses, no ears. There were sockets where eyes used to be.
More than a decade later Pope traveled to Washington to see the name of her 21-year-old cousin on the wall honoring veterans who died serving in Vietnam. She watched as a man missing limbs struggled to place flowers near the name of a comrade who had died.
When she left the wall, Pope asked a park ranger where the memorial was for disabled veterans. She learned there was none. Pope vowed to change that.
She began placing calls five days a week to the Department of Veterans Affairs. After five months of phone calls, the secretary finally answered the phone. The now deceased Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown agreed to meet Pope, she said. The two of them began working with Disabled American Veterans National Adjutant Arthur H. Wilson to create the Disabled Veterans Life Memorial Foundation.
Sixteen years later, the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial will be dedicated Sunday at a ceremony in where President Barack Obama will speak. The memorial’s design features a star-shape fountain embedded in reflecting pool. A flame calls to mind injury, loss and renewal, according to the designer. The water around it is meant to signify hope springing from adversity.
The memorial is a testament to the estimated 4 million living disabled American veterans.
The foundation raised about $80 million from more than 1 million donors. Pope donated $10 million herself, and estimates she raised another $8 million to $10 million more. Pope is heiress to the National Enquirer fortune, which she inherited when her husband, Generoso Pope, the tabloid’s founder, died.
The memorial’s location – about 1,000 feet from the U.S. Capitol was important to her.
“I want our elected representatives to know about the human cost of war,” she said. “I want them to think twice.”
Raising money for the memorial was not easy, in part because so many Americans seem oblivious to the struggles of disabled veterans, Pope said.
“It might seem easy for me to call on a few of my wealthy friends in Palm Beach. It just didn’t happen that way,” Pope said. “One lady said: ‘well they volunteered didn’t they?’ In other words it’s OK to come back without arms and legs.”
The largest contributions, Pope wants people to know, came from disabled veterans and organizations representing them. The donations arrived sometimes in $5 and $10 increments.
“I want this memorial to be a call to action to give these veterans the care they need, deserve and have earned,” Pope said. “I want people to know these are unsung heroes. And by golly, on Sunday, they’re going to be unsung no more.”
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — 80 dogs are being rescued from a dog hoarder in Jefferson County, according to Peggy Adams Animal Rescue Shelter in West Palm Beach.
7 of the 80 dogs have been brought to Peggy Adams with hopes of finding new, loving families to adopt them.
Rich Anderson, CEO of Peggy Adams Animal Rescue, says the 80 dogs were living outside and had to fend for themselves. Food was thrown at them but they did not receive regular care, according to Anderson.
The dogs range from 2 months to a couple of years in age.
The dogs will be checked by a veterinarian and could be ready for adoption in just a matter of weeks.
This is the second time this year that Peggy Adams has made room for dogs in a hoarding situation.
Anderson says about 20 dogs were brought to the shelter in April from a hoarder in the Acreage.
The Humane Society of the U.S says they expected to find about 30 dogs at the home in Jefferson County, but found much more.
“It’s one of the worst cases the Humane Society has ever seen and they do these rescue operations nationwide,” Anderson said.
Anderson says the area where these dogs were found is very rural, without a well established animal control to investigate these cases.
In Palm Beach County, he says, there are many more regulations in place to prevent this.
“A lot of things can happen under the radar in parts of the state where they just don’t have the facilities or the resources to enforce laws,” Anderson said.
Some of the dogs do have skin rashes and heart worms, which is typical for dogs left in these hoarding situations. Anderson says otherwise, they have great demeanors and will make good pets.
Some of the dogs are also being taken to Broward County and to other rescue shelters around the state that have extra room.
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There is no loneliness as deep and as painful as that felt by a pregnant youth with no one to turn to. Bringing a child into this world as a child yourself is an experience that most will never understand, but with groups like The Open Door, we can actively reach out in support of those who feel exiled and alone.
Deana Cerniglia, founder of The Open Door, is no stranger to the journey of teen motherhood. At sixteen, her mother became pregnant with Deana. Confused and abandoned, she was forced to drop out of high school at seventeen. Deana knows from the heart wrenching stories of her adoring mother the uneducated decisions and hopelessness teen moms and their children experience. Through all of her mother’s hardships though, the church never extended a helping hand. Deana decided to change this. As Christians, we are called to help those who walk alone, without regard to the path that got them there. Deana is determined to show teen mothers that God is still with them, and that there is way to break two generational cycles at a time. Putting all her trust in God, she founded The Open Door/Mentors For Teen Mothers, a nonprofit organization in Palm Beach County serving young mothers and their pro-life decision.
“Our mission is to encourage, equip and develop mothers with the love, grace and accountability of Jesus Christ toward independent living,” shared Deana.
As with any great endeavor, starting The Open Door was not a walk in the park. With no knowledge in fundraising, starting a nonprofit or building awareness for the organization, Deana let God do the work. She has been amazed at the provisions, guidance and support He has provided every step of the way.
The Open Door matches every teen mother with a Christian Mentor who walks through the three-year program. The program consists of Life-skill classes, including parenting, budgeting, healthy relationships, job skills, other skills necesessary to prepare the participant as she embarks in a God-centered life with her child. Accountability is important with The Open Door. Every participant must sign a contact binding her to completing her education, setting up goals and working to achieve those goals. This accountability obliges the participants to attend Life-skill classes and delay further pregnancies while preparing them to be independent from government assistance. The Open Door organizes fundraising activities to supplement the high cost of day-care, which is one of the biggest hurdles teen moms face in attaining their independence.
With God’s guidance, The Open Door was able to partner with Christian organizations such as the Housing Trust Group (HTG) and Wheels From the Heart. The generous contributions from these partners allowed The Open Door to provide affordable housing to their participants. The participants are able to stay on budget, graduate from high school, start college, attain driver’s license, build resumes, and even drive used cars so they don’t have to use public transportation which can eat up to four hours of their day.
“If money was no object and the sky were the limit, we’d financially help churches run their own programs, market more and help train/facilitate more churches to do what we are doing,” said Deana Cerniglia, President and Angela Ball, Vice President of Open Door.
In addition to First Presbyterian of North Palm Beach, Deana revealed that they would be opening two new charters: Christ Fellowship of Palm Beach Gardens and Calvary Chapel of Lake Worth.
The Open Door is a fairly new nonprofit and they want to continue building awareness about their program and help as many motivated mothers to break generational cycles. Hopefully, through God’s grace, they could get this program into as many churches as possible, with the guidance of Teen Mothers Choices International.
Having been born to a teen mother forty years ago, Deana became passionate to help others break generational cycles. In her memoir, The Open Door, she tells her personal story of dysfunction, addiction, sexual abuse and abandonment. She also shares how God’s Word helped her overcome some horrific trials from her past and live a healthy, peaceful existence through God’s love and through accountability. When you buy Deana’s memoir, you are helping The Open Door with part of the proceeds helping to support The Open Door/Mentors For Teen Mothers. You can visit www.breakingcycles.net to get your copy.
For donation information and to start an Open Door Charter at your church, please visit www.mentorsforteenmothers.org and discover how you can change the lives of young mothers and their children through The Open Door.
Open Door Charters
First Presbyterian: Executive Director, Deana Cerniglia
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WEST PALM BEACH —Bahar Daryaee, 15, was not planning to take home a dog Saturday when she accompanied her mother to an adopt-a-thon .
But everything changed when she laid eyes on a blue-eyed, all-white husky. Her heart had been stolen by a walking and barking fluffy cloud.
“This is the one,” she said when she saw him. “This dog is for us.”
The husky was one of more than 600 animals looking for homes during the Countdown 2 Zero adoption event, held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
Countdown 2 Zero is a collaborative effort between 30 local animal rescue centers with a combined goal of finding at least 300 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens homes.
The event, which was the first of its kind in Palm Beach County, was initiated by Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, Board of County Commissioners and Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League.
The overall mission is to end euthanasia and make Palm Beach County a no-kill zone. Every year, more than 10,000 healthy pets are put down at the county’s shelter due to over-population.
Rich Anderson, executive director and CEO for Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, attributes the problem to not enough animals being spayed or neutered.
“There are too many litters of kittens and puppies being born and not enough homes for them,” he said. “The objective is that by the year 2024, there will be no more healthy, adoptable animals losing their lives.”
Diane Sauve, the director at Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, said in addition to a lack of sterilization, there is a problem with society often viewing animals as disposable.
“When situations change in a household, sometimes the first thought that people have is ‘Oh, I’ll just take it to the shelter and they will find a good home for it,’ ” she said. “But the reality is that we have over 20,000 unwanted animals a year coming in.”
During the event, hundreds of people peeked through cages, played with dogs and held kittens in search for the newest addition to their families.
Erica Cuascut, from Boynton Beach, had taken a pet break after her last cat passed away. While she thought she was the one deciding on a new cat, it was her that was chosen by a 5-month-old orange kitten.
He immediately clung to his new mother. He couldn’t get enough of her, as he cuddled lovingly toward every stroke she gave him.
“He’s so affectionate and playful,” Cuascut said. “I just fell in love with him.”
The event featured a “Take Me Home Zone” where every new parent received a gift bag stocked full of items such as toys, treats and an instruction guide on how to care for your new pet.
Each shelter featured its own discounted adoption fee. Furry Friends Adoption was placing animals for $25 instead of its usual $90 adoption fee and Peggy Adams held a “name your own price” special.
During the first four hours of the event, 176 pets were adopted. By the end of the day, that number surged to 313 lives saved.
It was clearly a success, said Sauve, who hopes to start hosting the event at least twice a year.
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Six hundred cats and dogs of all sizes and colors will pack the Palm Beach County Convention Center on Saturday. By the end of the day, county animal advocates hope, half of them will be headed to new homes.
The free event, a collaboration between 30 local shelters and Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, is aimed at creating a one-stop shop for those looking to adopt. It’s also the kick-off of “Countdown to Zero,” a countywide initiative to end the euthanasia of adoptable dogs and cats within 10 years.
“It’s really the first event of its kind where we’ve worked together as an animal welfare community to be in one place at one time and work closely together to save this many lives,” said Rich Anderson, executive director of Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League.
Countdown to Zero was approved by county commissioners in February. It calls for bringing the number of animals awaiting adoption in Palm Beach County down to zero by 2024. Currently, Animal Care and Control euthanizes about 9,000 of the 20,000 dogs and cats it gets each year.
The problem can only be solved with support from the entire community, officials say.
“We simply can’t think of these animals as disposable,” said Dianne Sauve, the county’s director of Animal Care and Control. “We don’t think about children as disposable, and these animals are just as helpless. The creatures in our world that are helpless are children and animals.”
Cats are most at risk. Of the about 10,400 the county shelter took in last year, only 21 percent were adopted. Dogs typically fare better, with about 80 percent finding homes, but “square-headed dogs” – what some call “pit bulls” – are also difficult to adopt out.
To save the county’s dogs and cats, the shelters collaborating on Countdown to Zero are planning an approach that includes sterilizing free-roaming cats, offering training to pet owners and urging them not to abandon their animals, and re-educating the public about the purpose of shelters.
“What we’ve done is, we’ve taught an entire nation that if you don’t want something, you just take it to an animal shelter and then you don’t have to think about it anymore,” Sauve said.
Saturday’s mega adoption event is another piece of the solution. Suzi Goldsmith, executive director of Boca Raton-based Tri-County Animal Rescue, which is also part of Countdown to Zero, said the county’s shelters should have teamed up to start doing it years ago.
She said it’s a way to expose lots of people to the many animals that need to be adopted.
“There’s a lot of animals that deserve to go to homes that for whatever reason they don’t get to them,” Goldsmith said. “And this way we have a huge audience that will be able to come out in one day, whereas they otherwise come into shelters by bits and dribbles.”
Anderson said he wants to see it happen every year as part of the countdown. He’s hopeful that cars full of people will be lined up outside the convention center to check out the event.
“I don’t think they will have ever seen anything like it,” he said.
The Countdown to Zero Adoption Event will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday inside the Palm Beach County Convention Center, 650 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. Call 561-472-8873 or visit countdown2zero.org for more information.
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Super Philanthropist Lois Pope and Her Dedication to Disabled Veterans
by CaraThe light is streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Lois Pope’s new home in Manalapan. She has water views in every direction, but that’s not the only reason she just moved back to Manalapan from Delray. “I bought the house because I thought the dogs would love it here. There is more land here for them to run—although they seem to want to stay inside getting exercise running up and down the stairs like me,” says Pope, who looks and moves like someone a good quarter century younger than her 81 years.
Pope had been a longtime resident of Manalapan, having lived with her husband Generoso Pope, publisher of the National Enquirer before his death. The company was sold for $412 million following the passing of her husband, and Pope began her philanthropic life.
“This area has a lot of meaning to me, it is where I brought my children up.” The decision to move back was made when Pope found the house, which faces the Atlantic Ocean and backs up to the bay. “I think it was a good idea,” she says looking around as one workman is putting up wallpaper and another is unloading some oversize artwork that has just arrived. Clearly, this is a woman who is not afraid of a project.
Until last week, Pope was best known for her $10 million gift to the University of Miami to establish the Lois Pope LIFE Center, which raises funds for neurological research. It was a gift she made in 1996 after actor and friend Christopher Reeve, became paralyzed, just months after they had danced together at her LIFE gala. The center is now the top catastrophic neurological research facility in the world and home to the renowned Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
As we sit with Mrs. Pope, she has just returned from Washington D.C. where she saw a lifelong dream realized: the dedication of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial.
The memorial rests on two acres in view of the capital and features granite walls, a black granite reflecting pool, and ceremonial flame surrounded by trees. It is a beautiful, moving and reflective place that never would have been built without Mrs. Pope’s determination, or her funds, which include a $10 million personal donation and the millions more she raised for the cause with her LIFE Foundation.
The event that put all this into motion took place back in 1968, when Pope was an aspiring Broadway actress and singer in New York City. She had even been called “the next Grace Kelly.” A friend who had been stricken with polio as a child, had asked her to perform at a benefit for disabled veterans in 1965 at the Rusk Rehabilitation hospital in New York.
Lois was unprepared for what she would see that day. “When I walked into that room, it was jammed with men who had been so horribly burned, multiple amputees, in wheelchairs,” she recalls. “There were men with empty sockets where eyes used to be, with no noses or ears. It was pretty shocking for me. I had come prepared to sing “Somewhere” from West Side Story, and when I got to the line ‘Hold my hand and I’ll take you there,’ I reached out to a young man lying on a gurney and realized he had no hand for me to hold.” The experience was heart wrenching for Pope.
“I left there shaking and promised God that if I was ever in a position to help, that I would do something.” But like most people Pope went on and lived her life, got married, had children and as she says, “forgot.”
She didn’t “remember” until years later when she finally mustered the courage to visit the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C., to pay tribute to a cousin who died in the war. As she put her hand on the wall, she says, “There was a multiple amputee next to me in a wheelchair struggling to lay some flowers by the name of his loved one. I was crying, he was crying.” Her mind snapped back to that day at The Rusk.
As Pope exited the memorial, she asked a park ranger if there was a memorial for disabled veterans. He said there was not, even searching the map to confirm. “That sparked a 16-year journey to create one—so none of us ever forgets.”
Of course, it was one thing to dream something, and quite another to actually get it done. “We called the VA every day for five months, trying to figure out how to get the process started,” she says. When she told them she wanted to build a memorial, they didn’t know what to do with such a request because she didn’t fit neatly into their usual boxes.
Then, she tried the Battle and Monument service “They told me to ‘Get a life!’” she says. Eventually, one day, in 1997, she got a hold of Jessie Brown, Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the ball finally got rolling. “I asked them why there was no memorial for disabled veterans, and he said ‘That’s a good question,’ and agreed to help.”
It was a proud moment for Pope when Bill Clinton signed the legislation authorizing the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in 2000. “I framed the copy of the signed legislation,” she says.
The American landscape changed drastically in the time that followed. 911 occurred in 2001 and took over the nation’s consciousness. “Our federal government had its hands full,” reflects Pope. But as war was declared in Iraq and Afghanistan, the number of vets with disabilities skyrocketed to a staggering number of four million. The need for the memorial became all the more pressing even as Pope had many restless days and nights, wondering if she would ever see the memorial come to light.
For many years—Pope’s Lady in Red Gala, which takes place at Mar-a-Lago—served as the primary fundraising arm for the Memorial. “Palm Beachers are the most generous people in the world. We raised $18 million right here in Palm Beach and, without them, we would still be working on this.”
Now that Pope has accomplished her goal for veterans, the gala raises money for her other passion: animals. Funds are donated to the American Humane Association, which works to end animal abuse and neglect.
“I believe there is a direct connection between humans and animals,” she says, holding her 5-month old Yorkie named Nathan Detroit for a character in Guys and Dolls, a Broadway show in which she once performed.
The Lady in Red Gala is known for kicking off the Palm Beach social season and is always attracts great talent. “The gala is always a lot of fun,” Pope says. And how could it not be? She really does pull the best—last year the event featured Jay Leno and for this year’s “A Night in Shanghai”-themed affair on December 6, she’s scheduled Martin Short, who will be performing a little show for the audience.
Of course, whether they support is wounded vets or at-risk pets, it’s hard to say “no” to Lois Pope’s causes. This year, the two will collide as she will be specifically funding an AHA program that reunites military dogs that have served in Iraq and Afghanistan with their solders who have returned home. The veteran K-9s will continue to serve by acting as therapy dogs and service dogs. The program will undoubtedly bring joy to veterans both human and canine.
For tickets to The Lady in Red Gala email: life@life-edu.org
Photography by Nick Garcia of Blindlight Studio
Why did National Enquirer heiress spend $10 million on a memorial?
by CaraBy Laura Green – Palm Beach Post Washington Bureau
A first-of-its kind memorial honoring America’s disabled veterans will open Sunday near the National Mall.
The idea and a significant contribution came from Lois Pope, the Manalapan philanthropist who has lent her name and financial support to a wide number of causes in Florida and around the world.
The two-acre site features a memorial of granite, bronze and glass, showing images of Americans who returned from war forever changed.
As a Broadway actress in the 1960s, Pope performed for military returning from Vietnam. She remembers the day she walked into a hospital room of recovering veterans.
“It was jammed with young men lying on gurneys, toddling on crutches and amputees in wheel chairs,” Pope, now 81, said Friday. “I saw young men— disabled veterans — burned so badly that they had no noses, no ears. There were sockets where eyes used to be.
Lois Pope
“I was absolutely shocked. Then a piano started to play, and I nervously began singing,” Pope remembers.
She sang “Somewhere” from West Side story. When she got to the lyric, “hold my hand,” she reached for a young soldier’s hand.
“He had no hand for me to hold,” Pope said. “As I left there, I promised God and I promised myself I would do something for them.”
More than a decade later Pope traveled to Washington to see the name of her 21-year-old cousin on the wall honoring veterans who died serving in Vietnam. She watched as a man missing limbs struggled to place flowers near the name of a comrade who had died.
When she left the wall, Pope asked a park ranger where the memorial was for disabled veterans. She learned there was none. Pope vowed to change that.
She began placing calls five days a week to the Department of Veterans Affairs. After five months of phone calls, the secretary finally answered the phone. The now deceased Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown agreed to meet Pope, she said. The two of them began working with Disabled American Veterans National Adjutant Arthur H. Wilson to create the Disabled Veterans Life Memorial Foundation.
Sixteen years later, the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial will be dedicated Sunday at a ceremony in where President Barack Obama will speak. The memorial’s design features a star-shape fountain embedded in reflecting pool. A flame calls to mind injury, loss and renewal, according to the designer. The water around it is meant to signify hope springing from adversity.
The memorial is a testament to the estimated 4 million living disabled American veterans.
The foundation raised about $80 million from more than 1 million donors. Pope donated $10 million herself, and estimates she raised another $8 million to $10 million more. Pope is heiress to the National Enquirer fortune, which she inherited when her husband, Generoso Pope, the tabloid’s founder, died.
The memorial’s location – about 1,000 feet from the U.S. Capitol was important to her.
“I want our elected representatives to know about the human cost of war,” she said. “I want them to think twice.”
Raising money for the memorial was not easy, in part because so many Americans seem oblivious to the struggles of disabled veterans, Pope said.
“It might seem easy for me to call on a few of my wealthy friends in Palm Beach. It just didn’t happen that way,” Pope said. “One lady said: ‘well they volunteered didn’t they?’ In other words it’s OK to come back without arms and legs.”
The largest contributions, Pope wants people to know, came from disabled veterans and organizations representing them. The donations arrived sometimes in $5 and $10 increments.
“I want this memorial to be a call to action to give these veterans the care they need, deserve and have earned,” Pope said. “I want people to know these are unsung heroes. And by golly, on Sunday, they’re going to be unsung no more.”
80 dogs rescued from hoarder in Jefferson County; Some finding homes in Palm Beach County
by CaraSource: WPTV 5
By: Meghan McRoberts
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — 80 dogs are being rescued from a dog hoarder in Jefferson County, according to Peggy Adams Animal Rescue Shelter in West Palm Beach.
7 of the 80 dogs have been brought to Peggy Adams with hopes of finding new, loving families to adopt them.
Rich Anderson, CEO of Peggy Adams Animal Rescue, says the 80 dogs were living outside and had to fend for themselves. Food was thrown at them but they did not receive regular care, according to Anderson.
The dogs range from 2 months to a couple of years in age.
The dogs will be checked by a veterinarian and could be ready for adoption in just a matter of weeks.
This is the second time this year that Peggy Adams has made room for dogs in a hoarding situation.
Anderson says about 20 dogs were brought to the shelter in April from a hoarder in the Acreage.
The Humane Society of the U.S says they expected to find about 30 dogs at the home in Jefferson County, but found much more.
“It’s one of the worst cases the Humane Society has ever seen and they do these rescue operations nationwide,” Anderson said.
Anderson says the area where these dogs were found is very rural, without a well established animal control to investigate these cases.
In Palm Beach County, he says, there are many more regulations in place to prevent this.
“A lot of things can happen under the radar in parts of the state where they just don’t have the facilities or the resources to enforce laws,” Anderson said.
Some of the dogs do have skin rashes and heart worms, which is typical for dogs left in these hoarding situations. Anderson says otherwise, they have great demeanors and will make good pets.
Some of the dogs are also being taken to Broward County and to other rescue shelters around the state that have extra room.
Palm Beach County Churches Implement Mentoring Program for Teen Moms
by CaraSource: One Christian Voice
By: Joyce C. Dimaculangan
There is no loneliness as deep and as painful as that felt by a pregnant youth with no one to turn to. Bringing a child into this world as a child yourself is an experience that most will never understand, but with groups like The Open Door, we can actively reach out in support of those who feel exiled and alone.
Deana Cerniglia, founder of The Open Door, is no stranger to the journey of teen motherhood. At sixteen, her mother became pregnant with Deana. Confused and abandoned, she was forced to drop out of high school at seventeen. Deana knows from the heart wrenching stories of her adoring mother the uneducated decisions and hopelessness teen moms and their children experience. Through all of her mother’s hardships though, the church never extended a helping hand. Deana decided to change this. As Christians, we are called to help those who walk alone, without regard to the path that got them there. Deana is determined to show teen mothers that God is still with them, and that there is way to break two generational cycles at a time. Putting all her trust in God, she founded The Open Door/Mentors For Teen Mothers, a nonprofit organization in Palm Beach County serving young mothers and their pro-life decision.
As with any great endeavor, starting The Open Door was not a walk in the park. With no knowledge in fundraising, starting a nonprofit or building awareness for the organization, Deana let God do the work. She has been amazed at the provisions, guidance and support He has provided every step of the way.
The Open Door matches every teen mother with a Christian Mentor who walks through the three-year program. The program consists of Life-skill classes, including parenting, budgeting, healthy relationships, job skills, other skills necesessary to prepare the participant as she embarks in a God-centered life with her child. Accountability is important with The Open Door. Every participant must sign a contact binding her to completing her education, setting up goals and working to achieve those goals. This accountability obliges the participants to attend Life-skill classes and delay further pregnancies while preparing them to be independent from government assistance. The Open Door organizes fundraising activities to supplement the high cost of day-care, which is one of the biggest hurdles teen moms face in attaining their independence.
With God’s guidance, The Open Door was able to partner with Christian organizations such as the Housing Trust Group (HTG) and Wheels From the Heart. The generous contributions from these partners allowed The Open Door to provide affordable housing to their participants. The participants are able to stay on budget, graduate from high school, start college, attain driver’s license, build resumes, and even drive used cars so they don’t have to use public transportation which can eat up to four hours of their day.
In addition to First Presbyterian of North Palm Beach, Deana revealed that they would be opening two new charters: Christ Fellowship of Palm Beach Gardens and Calvary Chapel of Lake Worth.
The Open Door is a fairly new nonprofit and they want to continue building awareness about their program and help as many motivated mothers to break generational cycles. Hopefully, through God’s grace, they could get this program into as many churches as possible, with the guidance of Teen Mothers Choices International.
Having been born to a teen mother forty years ago, Deana became passionate to help others break generational cycles. In her memoir, The Open Door, she tells her personal story of dysfunction, addiction, sexual abuse and abandonment. She also shares how God’s Word helped her overcome some horrific trials from her past and live a healthy, peaceful existence through God’s love and through accountability. When you buy Deana’s memoir, you are helping The Open Door with part of the proceeds helping to support The Open Door/Mentors For Teen Mothers. You can visit www.breakingcycles.net to
get your copy.
For donation information and to start an Open Door Charter at your church, please visit www.mentorsforteenmothers.org and discover how you can change the lives of young mothers and their children through The Open Door.
Open Door Charters
First Presbyterian: Executive Director, Deana Cerniglia
Christ fellowship: Executive Director, Angela Ball
Calvary chapel: Executive Director, Aimee Nelson.
First animal adopt-a-thon a doggone success
by CaraSource: Palm Beach Post
By Linda Santacruz
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
WEST PALM BEACH —Bahar Daryaee, 15, was not planning to take home a dog Saturday when she accompanied her mother to an adopt-a-thon .
But everything changed when she laid eyes on a blue-eyed, all-white husky. Her heart had been stolen by a walking and barking fluffy cloud.
“This is the one,” she said when she saw him. “This dog is for us.”
The husky was one of more than 600 animals looking for homes during the Countdown 2 Zero adoption event, held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
Countdown 2 Zero is a collaborative effort between 30 local animal rescue centers with a combined goal of finding at least 300 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens homes.
The event, which was the first of its kind in Palm Beach County, was initiated by Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, Board of County Commissioners and Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League.
The overall mission is to end euthanasia and make Palm Beach County a no-kill zone. Every year, more than 10,000 healthy pets are put down at the county’s shelter due to over-population.
Rich Anderson, executive director and CEO for Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, attributes the problem to not enough animals being spayed or neutered.
“There are too many litters of kittens and puppies being born and not enough homes for them,” he said. “The objective is that by the year 2024, there will be no more healthy, adoptable animals losing their lives.”
Diane Sauve, the director at Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, said in addition to a lack of sterilization, there is a problem with society often viewing animals as disposable.
“When situations change in a household, sometimes the first thought that people have is ‘Oh, I’ll just take it to the shelter and they will find a good home for it,’ ” she said. “But the reality is that we have over 20,000 unwanted animals a year coming in.”
During the event, hundreds of people peeked through cages, played with dogs and held kittens in search for the newest addition to their families.
Erica Cuascut, from Boynton Beach, had taken a pet break after her last cat passed away. While she thought she was the one deciding on a new cat, it was her that was chosen by a 5-month-old orange kitten.
He immediately clung to his new mother. He couldn’t get enough of her, as he cuddled lovingly toward every stroke she gave him.
“He’s so affectionate and playful,” Cuascut said. “I just fell in love with him.”
The event featured a “Take Me Home Zone” where every new parent received a gift bag stocked full of items such as toys, treats and an instruction guide on how to care for your new pet.
Each shelter featured its own discounted adoption fee. Furry Friends Adoption was placing animals for $25 instead of its usual $90 adoption fee and Peggy Adams held a “name your own price” special.
During the first four hours of the event, 176 pets were adopted. By the end of the day, that number surged to 313 lives saved.
It was clearly a success, said Sauve, who hopes to start hosting the event at least twice a year.
Major pet adoption event to kick off plan to end euthanasia
by CaraSource: Sun Sentinel
3:18 p.m. EDT, September 1, 2014
Six hundred cats and dogs of all sizes and colors will pack the Palm Beach County Convention Center on Saturday. By the end of the day, county animal advocates hope, half of them will be headed to new homes.
The free event, a collaboration between 30 local shelters and Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, is aimed at creating a one-stop shop for those looking to adopt. It’s also the kick-off of “Countdown to Zero,” a countywide initiative to end the euthanasia of adoptable dogs and cats within 10 years.
“It’s really the first event of its kind where we’ve worked together as an animal welfare community to be in one place at one time and work closely together to save this many lives,” said Rich Anderson, executive director of Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League.
Countdown to Zero was approved by county commissioners in February. It calls for bringing the number of animals awaiting adoption in Palm Beach County down to zero by 2024. Currently, Animal Care and Control euthanizes about 9,000 of the 20,000 dogs and cats it gets each year.
The problem can only be solved with support from the entire community, officials say.
“We simply can’t think of these animals as disposable,” said Dianne Sauve, the county’s director of Animal Care and Control. “We don’t think about children as disposable, and these animals are just as helpless. The creatures in our world that are helpless are children and animals.”
Cats are most at risk. Of the about 10,400 the county shelter took in last year, only 21 percent were adopted. Dogs typically fare better, with about 80 percent finding homes, but “square-headed dogs” – what some call “pit bulls” – are also difficult to adopt out.
To save the county’s dogs and cats, the shelters collaborating on Countdown to Zero are planning an approach that includes sterilizing free-roaming cats, offering training to pet owners and urging them not to abandon their animals, and re-educating the public about the purpose of shelters.
“What we’ve done is, we’ve taught an entire nation that if you don’t want something, you just take it to an animal shelter and then you don’t have to think about it anymore,” Sauve said.
Saturday’s mega adoption event is another piece of the solution. Suzi Goldsmith, executive director of Boca Raton-based Tri-County Animal Rescue, which is also part of Countdown to Zero, said the county’s shelters should have teamed up to start doing it years ago.
She said it’s a way to expose lots of people to the many animals that need to be adopted.
“There’s a lot of animals that deserve to go to homes that for whatever reason they don’t get to them,” Goldsmith said. “And this way we have a huge audience that will be able to come out in one day, whereas they otherwise come into shelters by bits and dribbles.”
Anderson said he wants to see it happen every year as part of the countdown. He’s hopeful that cars full of people will be lined up outside the convention center to check out the event.
“I don’t think they will have ever seen anything like it,” he said.
bshammas@tribune.com, 561-243-6531 or Twitter @britsham
The Countdown to Zero Adoption Event will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday inside the Palm Beach County Convention Center, 650 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. Call 561-472-8873 or visit countdown2zero.org for more information.
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