Revista Palmas 67 - July 2022

P A L M A S
JULY | AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2022 VOL 14 NUM 3
PHA

• • ••• ••• • •••Coming soon!
lot
www.maranatharealtypr.com
SALES | RESALES | REPO’S
| FREEORIENTATION
@willia_santiago

Contact us:
787.519.8220
info@greenwindowspr.com
http://greenwindowspr.com
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CHEF DANIEL VASSE
New menu
& special events...
CHEZ DANIEL
at the Club
6 - 9pm
Wednesday & Thursday
6 - 10pm
Friday & Saturday
CLUB
LOUNGE
11:30am - 7pm
Tuesday through Sunday
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
PAC MEMBERS:
15% discount on food & beverage
DON’T MISS...
our Sunday Brunch!
Country Club Drive #1, Palmas del Mar
787.850.3838
chezdanielpr.com
Z

33
We have it all!
THE ESTATES... Harbourview Haven, your dream home!
Just reduced!
to $3.6 million
Port Road perfection.... $3.5M
Fairway Courts Penthouse.
New listing!
LUXURY LONG TERM RENTALS...
HOMEOWNERS...
Call us for a free
comparable analysis on your
buyers looking for their
Carribean homes!
Crescent Beach
Ocean view 3
bedroom & 2
bedroom available
Sea Castle Townhouse
3 bedrooms and generator
787.364.6140 www.palmasdelmarmilliondollarlistings.com

Sirviendo nuestra comunidad desde 1993
Un equipo de primera
Plaza del Mar, Carr 3 Km 85.6, Candelero Arriba, Humacao (next to Palmas Bake & Deli)

3C

3C

CHELAS 70’S CELEBRATION
Los 70 de nuestra amiga y pionera
Palmeña... Chela Roig se celebró
con el torneo “ 2 Ladies Scramble”.
Chela es uno de nuestros pilares
Palmeños. Una mujer fuerte y dulce,
de grandes principios y
de Palmas. Fue un día hermoso de
grandes satisfaciones! Las ganadoras
“Gross” con un 81 fueron: Norka
Morales y Chela Villafañe Ganado-
ras neto con un 76 fueron: Marilyn
Hernández y Mari Prado
“Celine y Daniel Vasse de Chez
Daniel at the Club así como su
equipo de trabajo, se esmeraron y
además de estar todo lindo estaba
todo muy sabroso, El representante
del PAC, Rafa Flores, nos trajo dos
se rifaron entre otros premios. “ dijo
Chela Roig.
70’s
Sunrise
Asking Price $675,000 | One Level | 4 bedrooms | 2.5 bathrooms - 2,175 sqft - 887 sqmts
high ceilings | open concept | gated neighborhood
Adriana Portilla
(787) 633-1011
C-18911
Claudia Rosario
(787) 364-4924
C-12490
Blue Waters Realty

Hacienda Paso Fino Carabali Asking Price: $5,900,000
Panoramic views of El Yunque National Rainforest & the Atlantic Ocean | Custom built in 2015
3 master suites | 5.2 bathrooms | wine cellar | terrace with outdoor bar | pool
basketball court | 3 car garage and double gated entry | 13 horse stables
guest house: 1 bedroom | 1 bathroom | kitchenette.
Scan QR Code for additional pictures
Peninsula de San juan Asking Price 1,295,000
3 bedrooms | 2 full bath - 2 half bathrooms | fully furnished & equipped | wine cellar 175 bottles
rooftop terrace | private pool | rooftop lounge & custom built bar area | 2,051 sqft - 166 sqmts
Boat slip for 46ft boat
Harbour Lights - Asking price $1,400,000 | 3 bedrooms - 2.5 bathrooms
completely remodeled | new appliAnces and power generator
|
Harbour Lakes - Asking price $425,000 | 3 bedrooms | 2.5 bathrooms - 1,842 sqft | lake views
Adriana Portilla
(787) 633-1011
C-18911
Claudia Rosario
(787) 364-4924
C-12490
Blue Waters Realty

AT THE TENNIS CENTER
Open every day (except Tuesdays)
8:30am-10:00pm
787. 656.3020
By Chef Fernando Jose Rivera

the
happy feeling
of living in a
community
By Ginnette Rosado
Very often people think of Palmas Del Mar as a vacation
resort with luxury homes and facilities. But Palmas
Del Mar is more than just homes and apartments. We
are a community of neighbors who support and take
care of each other.
Recently, I had surgery on my leg and in less than a
week my neighbors brought me crutches and a wheel
chair. They have brought me meals, desserts and fruits
for both myself and my husband. When they go to the
grocery store they ask if I need anything and deliver to
my front door. For entertainment, they have brought me
books and magazines.
It’s not easy to be sitting all day long; but, the support
of family, friends and neighbors made it much easier to
handle.
Thanks to everyone for all your kindness and special
attention. Enjoy community life!!
At our get together at Volea,
an impromptu concert by a
young man who was at the
restaurant. The reunion of our
dance group was held in part
to celebrate my recovery! Life
is good!

GOODVISIONO
FUNDADA DESDE 2009
••••••••
Humacao 787.665.0333 | Fajardo 787.655.0400
Río Grande 787.655.7555 | Carolina 787.701.5566
San Juan 787.777.5566 | San Lorenzo 787.715.3744
Fabricamos
nuestros lentes
aquí en PR.
Examen de la
vista en todas
nuestras ópticas
lunes a viernes
¡Compra
1 par y el
2 gratis!
OPTICAS GOOD VISION

TARGET

VISIT
THE YACHT CLUB MARINA!
Marine Retail Stores
We have two marine stores equipped with
maintenance and recreational supplies
for your boat!
retail@theshipyardatpalmas.com
Enjoy lunch and
dinner at
Ladi's Restaurant
or a cocktail at our
legendary Tiki Bar
with the best views!
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Full service dry stack and repair
haul out services for your boat.
Fuel and ice sold on site.
The Concierge at The Yacht Club
Need something special?
Want to plan a trip or night out?
Contact our concierge team
concierge@theyachtclubmarina.com
Women's & Men's Fashion,
Accessories & Gift Boutique
Coco's at The Yacht Club welcomes
the Sandrysabel Collection
to our Shop-In-Shop!
Store Hours:
Wednesday - Sunday
1:00 pm - 8:00 pm
shop@cocosattheyachtclub.com
787-718-9922
Follow us on Instagram! @cocos.at.the.yacht.club
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!
370 Harbour Drive, Humacao,
Puerto Rico 00791
info@theyachtclubmarina.com 787-656-7300

Call Muñeca
Flores at
787.364.0205
Floristeria
Cala
Any occasion is good...!!
Flower Arragements
Weddings New Borns
Special Occasions
Funeral Arragements
Delivery Service
Gourmet baskets
Carr.#3 Cataño de Humacao a
Yabucoa
Humacao, P.R.
787.850.9900
Open 7 Days
www.floristeriacalapr.com
venta y alquiler
East
RENTAL LLC
HUMACAO PR
tel 787.342.7280
A
clean
home is a happy home !
Helping you make the right move since 1990
787-367-4293
CPM & REALTORS
787 637 7945 and 787 850-4401
www.cpmrealtypr.com
L 04534
WWW.THEHEALTHYHOMEPR.COM

SINCE 1990
...dando servicio de Alta Calidad
a Palmas del Mar por 32 años.

Fresh rosted
pork & turkey
bake every day!
Monday to Thursday 6am to 10pm
Fridays & Saturdays 6am to 11pm
Sundays 6am to 9pm
ONEstop
MARKET
&DELI
Palmanova Plaza
787.719.5730
OVER 250 LABELS!

PALMAS DEL MAR...
Great place to raise your kids!
By Maria Cristina-Robinson Brown
My husband was raised in Germany and I was born
and raised in Ecuador, so for us, it was important to
raise our kid(s) in a multicultural environment. We had
moved from Ecuador to Miami, Fla., to San Diego,
CA to Henderson, NV and then we heard from some
friends about this place they called Paradise: Palmas
del Mar in Puerto Rico!
We had never been to Puerto Rico, but it was in the Caribbean so
it already sounded exciting! When looking for the best place to raise
your kids, some things that come to mind are safety, home prices,
schools, family activities, and diversity, but one thing that makes Pal-
mas del Mar stand out is the amazing community. Sure, it is comfort-
ing to know that you live in a guard-gated communi-
ty, and that school is just a short golfcart ride away.
Still, there are also many other school options within a
10-20min drive and if you decide to Homeschool,
we have a thriving homeschooling/unschooling
group that’s organized by age group. We joined
the homeschool group during the pandemic/lockdown
in 2020 and it was great to have that support;
to join a POD so kids could learn but also
socialize, and explore different parts of the island.
My oldest son enjoys going to school at The Palmas
Academy, especially because they go to different
classrooms for special classes like Music, Comput-
ers, Art, and Physical Education, where they practice
different sports like volleyball, tennis, basketball, and
soccer. In addition, some of the extended-care classes
they offer are karate, chess, dance, and cooking classes. Once
your child is in the third grade, there are even more sports they can
practice, as well as the joining the drama club and the school band.
We love that our kids can grow up in a place where they can speak
English and Spanish every day. The community is so diverse that
we’ve met people, not only from different areas in Puerto Rico and the
United States, but also from Mexico, Poland, Ukraine, Colombia, India,
New Zealand, and Sweden, among other countries. I like that we
can be exposed to this diversity while learning more about Puertorrican
culture. I think that this diversity has translated also into different
entertainment options for kids, where people share their talents and
volunteer to coordinate these exciting activities. Some of the activities
neur
faire for kids, chess club, and unlimited playdate opportunities at

the park, the Pterocarpus forest, Beach club, or any one of the community
pools. One thing that captured my heart is to see how in all
of these activities you see parents really care and go the extra mile to
keep an eye not only on their own children, but all of the kids. Also,
I was positively overwhelmed when I had my baby and some friends
organized a MealTrain where different people from our community
were bringing us a meal every day to help us focus on caring for our
newborn and for mommy (me!) to heal. I’ve seen this act of kindness
being extended to other mothers, people who have lost a loved one,
and people who became sick or injured and therefore needed some
help.
If you like being outdoors and enjoying nature, then you will love all
the opportunities your kids will have in our community, which extend
from playing on the beach, hiking trails, biking, skateboarding, and
even horseback riding. We have signed up our kids for almost all of
the activities to see which one they develop an interest in. Part of the
amenities in Palmas del Mar is the Palmas Athletic Club where, even if
you’re not a member, you can enroll your kids in tennis, golf, or swimming
lessons. Our son also is part of the Boys & Girls Scouts Group
that meets at the forest on Saturdays, and he’s been able to explore
and learn while having fun.
I have young kids, so most of the activities we’ve experienced are
focused on that age group. I talked to a couple of friends who have
teenagers, and one of them told me that she feels at peace knowing
that we live in a community where it feels like we are all part of a big
family. Knowing that if her son is out with his friends and needs help,
she is certain that someone will be there to help him. At the same
time, it’s great to see kids grow up and excel in different areas
of their lives like sports or academics and become mentors, tutors,
babysitters, and other community service helpers. I vividly
remember when we moved here 4 years ago and I was taking my
son to play tennis. Now my friend’s teenage son is an assistant
coach and that’s a great way to develop their leadership
skills too. The little ones also feel proud to see
an older “friend” as the “teacher”. As kids grow,
going to Palmanova Plaza for ice cream/pizza
and hangout with friends, or going for a Golfcart ride becomes
some of their activities and it’s good to know that they’re still within
the Palmas “bubble”. Younglife & Wildlife is a great way for
them to connect with other middle schoolers and high schoolers
while playing fun games and learning about Jesus.
“ We love that our kids
can grow up in a place
where they can speak
English and Spanish every
day. The community is
so diverse that we’ve
met people not only
from different areas
in Puerto Rico
and the United
States, but also
from: Mexico,
Poland,
Ukraine,
Colombia,
India, New
Zealand, and
Sweden, among
other countries”

Our Little Free Library
at Palmas Del Mar for kids was inaugurated!
By Maria Cristina-Robinson Brown
“I’m so happy to share a project we’ve been working
on with some members of our community.
This is our Little Free Library at Palmas Del Mar. Thanks
you, Palmas Athletic Club Tennis, for letting us use the
to the Dog park and Children’s park. We have books for
adults and children in English and Spanish,” said Maria
Cristina Robinson, the motor behind this beautiful initiative.
Maria Cristina also thanked Jorge “ Yoyo”
Rivera and Marilyn González for building and
donating the mini-library. Also, special thanks
to Maressa Berlingeri, Sales Manager at LP
Universal Printing, Inc. for designing, printing
and donating the sign. Lots of love and
appreciation to the Cub Scouts Troop 32 for
helping us paint the little library and to the
friends who donated books: Cristina Guerra,
Katie Jorgensen Gray, Vanessa Alvarado, Stacey
Borkowski, Myriam Mercader, Keta Tito
Ortiz, Kim Lower Farina, Marcie Ann Sparrow ,
Jenna Barnett, and Jillian ‘Mace’ Leone.
“Take a book/Share a book”
You can take a book to read at home and
you can bring it back, or keep it and
donate another book. Books need to
be in good condition and they can be
either in English or Spanish (no academic
books please).
You can contact Maria Cristina Robinson
at Macrisbrown@gmail.com if
you have lots of books
to donate; she can pick
them up. Also, message
her if you’d like
to volunteer to help us
keep it clean and tidy.
This is a project for the
community that was
put together with lots
of love from our community
members. Enjoy!
No doubt, Palmas
de Mar is a wonderful
community!

friends!!
Our models...our clients...our
.
FULL SERVICE SALON AT PALMAS DEL MAR
Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm
Palmas del Mar
787.719.5411
787.299.7640
AT ECONO HUMACAO!!
939.428.1140
787.852.2125
787.266.8855
877.496.5503 (fax)
email:
asoptical@live.com
asopticalvisualclinic
Díaz

Medical Aesthetics
Dra. Grolamis Burgos-Monseratte
Aesthetics Physician
Tel. 787-200-7598
Cel. 787-409-7799
Legacy Medical Center
50 calle Victoria Suite 11
Humacao PR 00791
Servicios
Botox y Neuromoduladores
Rellenos Faciales
: Tratamientos con tecnología IPL E light para
depilación rejuvenecimiento de piel elim-
inación de varices tratamiento de rosácea
cicatrices de acné Vella Pro Shape para
reducción de pulgadas y
Próximamente
Vella Pro Shape para reducción de
Coming soon!!
We are pleased to announce that very soon
we will be operating from our new facilities
located at 125 calle Font Martelo in the
town of Humacao. The “Casa Pereyo” is
a house from 1930s renovated in the style
of the times, preserving the elegance and
beauty of our regional architecture.

THE PRESIDENT SAYS! ERASMO REYES
Hi everyone:
The summer has arrived and it will be a very hot
one. We will have plenty of sunshine and summer
fun. At PHA we are hoping that the sea currents don’t
bring up too much of sargassum for all of us to enjoy
the beach. But as we all know that is in the hands of
Mother Nature. We will continue our efforts on the
cleaning of the beach in accordance with our budget
Our renewal and maintenance plan is in effect and
being performed. Finally, our main gate entrance has
been completed with the structural renovation and
the repair of the entrance and exit roads. We also
performed the repair of Port Road. The Pterocarpus
Forest is also undergoing maintenance and repair to the tower and
at an advanced stage. We have also been trimming tree branches and
performing electrical repairs for the improvement of our security and
surveillance system and many other tasks to provide our members, the
homeowners, with the best quality of life.
Hola a todos y todas:
El muy esperado verano ha llegado y este aparenta que va a ser
uno muy caliente en temperatura y al parecer no tendremos escasez
de sol. Las altas temperaturas históricamente ocasionan que grandes
cantidades de sargazo lleguen a nuestra playa. Esperamos que las corrientes
marinas nos favorezcan y no nos traigan cantidades de sargazo
que causen que nuestras playas sean inutilizables sino que al contrario
estén listas para nuestro uso y disfrute. Esto a pesar de que como todos
sabemos es un asunto de la Madre Naturaleza. No obstante, nosotros
en PHA continuaremos con nuestros esfuerzos de limpieza de playa en
Nuestro plan de renovación y mantenimiento se ha estado llevando
a cabo. Ya hemos terminado con la estructura de nuestra entrada
principal y la repavimentación de las vías de entrada y salida. También
hemos repavimentado a Port Road y estamos inmersos en obras
de mantenimiento y reparación en nuestro bosque Pterocarpus. Las
dos rutas de caminos y ejercicios se encuentran en los escritorios de
dibujo y diseño en etapa avanzada. También estamos realizando el
desganche de árboles, corte de arbustos y reparaciones eléctricas para
mejorar nuestro sistema de monitoreo por cámaras. Estas y muchas
otras cosas se hacen para proveer a nuestros miembros y propietarios
con una mejor calidad de vida.
Hurracane preparedness
and emergency contingency plans
By José Quiñones, Esq., PHAExcecutive Director
The month of June marks the start of Hurricane Season 2022, which
will take us all the way to the month of November, a total of six (6) months
to maintain unprecedented readiness and preparedness levels. In order
to successfully undertake any potential natural adverse weather condition,
as individuals, foremost as a community, prior preparation is of
paramount importance.
PHA has already published within our website the 2022 Hurricane
Preparedness and Emergency Contingency Plan, outlining readiness
guidelines for our community, contractors and regimes operators, following
the general preparedness model from municipal, state and federal
emergency management agencies. This plan will be promptly activated
sibility,
providing processes and procedures geared towards a successful
recovery phase.
Immediately upon activation of referenced plan, normal operations at
Palmas del Mar will be altered, and guidance contained in the plan as well
as the directives issued by the Emergency Committee becomes standing
operating procedures to be implemented. As the Emergency Plan is put
into effect, all residents, business and entities operating within Palmas
driven instructions and information pertinent to readiness and potential
response operations before, during and past hurricane impact.
As part of the Emergency Plan, an Emergency Operation Center (EOC)
will be established at PHA Building, to coordinate all activities and issue
instructions and guidance geared to protect
property, foremost the safety and security of
Palmas residents. This Emergency Center is
organized by PHA staff in coordination with
the Hurricane Emergency Committee and
can be reached through the (787) 852-7775/45. All responses, incidents
and emergency calls will be channeled through this Emergency Center.
Lastly, to successfully handle any emergency or contingency operation,
each stakeholder shall understand the operational, logistical and
is expected from residents, business operators, service providers, work
centers, employees and managers. Such understanding is essential to
a successful implementation of referenced response plan. As a matter
safety and security precautionary measures, residents must have a clear
understanding that once this plan goes into effect, normal operations at
Palmas will be are altered, with guidance imparted by the Emergency
Committee and security personnel to be followed.
and business will be provided, to include table top
Documents will also be translated to Spanish language.
SCAN FOR MORE INFORMATION

Community safety and security responsibilities
By José Quiñones, Esq., PHA Excecutive Director
There is a unique drive from our Municipal, State and Federal Law Enforcement
Agencies to engage 100% within their respective communities,
driving neighborhood safety and security matters to be undertaken
as a crime preventive method, rather responsive events. This engagement
can be seen with increased interaction and patrols within communities,
with full engagement at neighborhood security councils, or surveillance
coordination with private security staff.
Rico, well established within an security action plan in coordination with
the Municipal, State and Federal law enforcement agencies, in which numerous
stakeholders contribute their essential part. It is not perfect but it
problems surface and are addressed for immediate action when needed.
The Palmas del Mar Security Council was developed by Palmas del Mar
Board of Directors, established as a tool to coordinate and implement
preventive measures to avoid crime related activities, and to provide ap-
been established with seasoned members from our community, as well
as interaction with local law enforcement agencies, coordinated by PHA’s
Private Security staff, who oversee PHA’s Security Plan and Protocols.
In addition, PHA’s Security Staff has incorporated security tools like
innovative AVI passes, Visitors and Employees Entry/Exit Cameras, peripheral
video surveillance, digital checkpoints, etc., all intended to prevent
and deter any particular crimes from our covered area. However, we are
not exempted from a encountering a potential gap within our preventive
measures, leading to an unfortunate responsive mode once a crime is
committed. Video surveillance, community watch initiatives, gate entry
restrictions, AVI passes, essential tools and outstanding security initiatives
as a community, but, we need each neighbor, at each regime, or residence,
fully engaged with security matters in order to function properly.
Our local Municipal, State and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies
are predicating the fact that safety and security preventive measures
commence at the community level, each regime or resident becoming
a primary stakeholder. This changes any security complacency status at
the lowest operational level, allowing each residential owner now to become
part of a solution, action preferred over a response when a crime
has been committed.
PHA’s security systems includes State of the art surveillance cameras,
gate entry restrictions, security patrols, service animals, amongst others
ter
criminal activity, as they constitute increased security measurements.
Regardless, the upmost increased security measures are to be taken as
Home Owners, and as residents of a larger community, to include at a
minimum, locked doors/windows, locked vehicles, residential alarms
and video surveillance/monitor. These tools have been highly recommended
within our community by local law enforcement agencies, as we
and respond to criminal acts within our premises.
Lastly, residents must be cognizant of what constitute “Suspicious Activity”
within our Palmas del Mar premises, and must take the initiative to
report matters to our security staff immediately. Suspicious activity has
be involved in a crime or about to commit a crime” which requires immediate
reporting and appropriate entity response. At Palmas del Mar, our
security staff will respond to any reports of suspicious activity by calling
(787) 852-7775/45, or will coordinate with 911 Operator for an active
response.
As a PHA community we will drive forward toward implementing
a state of the art, and legally compliant, security measures/software/
hardware within our premises, as preventive and deterring tools against
criminal activity. Security patrols will be increased within the upcoming
months with checkpoints in order identify suspicious activity within our
premises, and our current Security Plan and Private Contract will be revisited.
Additional measures will primarily impact Visitors and Employees
entry points, assuring accountability of vehicles and personnel at various
access points, remaining cognizant of legal compliance for a community

H A P P Y
10TH ANNIVERSARY PTERO
In March 2023, we celebrate the 10th anniversary
of the opening of the Pterocarpus Forest
nature reserve in Palmas del Mar. The unique
51-acre swamp forest is one of the largest remaining
in Puerto Rico and serves as habitat
of fauna, of which 13 are considered endemic.
It is also unique because of its accessibility and
the multiple ways in which we teach about the
ecology of Pterocarpus forests to the public,
physically and virtually. The forest is a unique
“outdoor classroom” that explains in layman’s
terms the functions and value and roles of Puerto
Rico’s increasingly rare Pterocarpus, the ecology
of herbaceous wetlands and the variety and
This celebration would not be possible, were
it not for the vision and invaluable support of
the Palmas del Mar Homeowners’ Association,
which committed to restoring a once-dying wetland
with a dilapidated infrastructure into the
gem that the Forest is today. Since that time primary
responsibility for the preservation, protection
and promotion of the Pterocarpus Forest,
including its infrastructure has been carried out
in close collaboration with PHA Pterocarpus For-
as the Friends of the Forest.
The Friends work to ensure that the Forest
remains available to all as a place for passive
recreation, environmental education and as a
center for invaluable research on this rare ecosystem.
The Friends also raise the money that
is used to maintain and improve the interpretative
signage, provide tours, promote research
and manage the Forest’s website, social media
presence and Tour application.
The Friends are taking the opportunity of
this milestone in the Forest’s history to launch
a number of important initiatives in order to
sustain the appreciation and existence of the
Pterocarpus ecosystem, for present and future
generations. We want to share these with you,
our friends and neighbors, and all lovers of nature
and welcome your ideas and support.
Over the next three years, with the help of
our current benefactors and new friends of this
unique ecosystem and ecotourist attraction we
will:
Update the Palmas del Mar Conservation
Easement Supplemental Baseline Documentation
Report. The new report will update the
previous report by the Puerto Rico Conservation
Trust (Fideicomiso de Conservación de Puerto
Rico) from December 2010. The revised report
will be on-line and provide detailed descriptions
of the geological and natural features of
the Forest. It will also contain an updated in-
2010, including changes that might be attributable
to the devastation caused by Hurricanes
María and Irma in 2017.
Update the Forest Tour App. Our app was created
2 years ago. To enhance the app’s content
we will periodically update it with “seasonal”
changes within the Forest, such as the appearance
and disappearance fungi and mushrooms,
increases and decreases in water levels and the
incursion of turtles from the nearby pond
Broaden our fundraising initiatives. The
Palmas del Mar Homeowners Association generously
provides most of the Forest’s funding
maintenance. Annually, however, the Friends of
the Forest augment the budget with tax-deductible
donations from generous people like you.
The fundraising efforts are directed toward the
Forest’s education programming and long-term
conservation management and is a task that the
Friends of the Forest have embraced, as demonstrated
by their individual gifts in support of the
Forest. To continue and augment that support,
our initiatives for 2022-2025 include:
ATH Móvil Donate to facilitate giving As of
May 2022, supporters of nature and the Forest
can make their tax-deductible contributions
through ATH Mobile “Donate”: /BosquePterocarpus
[or (787) 718-1447, or scanning the QR
code below].
Forest Online Store. In the early fall 2022
we hope to open the Bosque’s online “store”
where hats, water bottles, tote bags and other
items for personal use and gifts will be available
for purchase while supporting the Forest.
“Night in the Forest”. At this event,
planned for November 2022, benefactors will
Forest and discover another, darker but equally
beautiful and enchanting side of this unique
ecosystem.
Melodies of Love concerts. After the hiatus
forced upon us by Hurricane Maria and subsequently
Covid, we hope to resume the annual
Melodies of Love concerts in February 2023.
The Pterocarpus Forest Conservation
and Education Fund. Finally, the Board
will follow up on a proposal to create an endowment
fund through which the Forest’s educational
and community-oriented initiatives and
in perpetuity. With the help of the community,
cal
businesses and corporations, our goal is to
launch the Fund with at least $100,000.
As with any such fund, the corpus will remain
intact and only the interest will be used
for expenses. The Endowment fund will actively
solicit, accept and welcome gifts of cash, appreciated
stocks, planned gifts (including will and
legacies) and gifts of insurance, among others.
The Friends of the Bosque are looking forward
to another 10 years of successful forest
conservation, education, passive recreation,
you will visit the Forest soon and realize the importance
of supporting this unique Pterocarpus
Forest.
Additional Forest information is available at
Pterocarpus.org. Keep abreast of our activities
and educational programming at https://www.
facebook.com/PterocarpusPR/, https://www.instagram.com/pterocarpuspr/,
and https://www.
youtube.com/. Or write to us at bosquepterocarpus@gmail.com.

CARPUS FOREST
AT PALMAS DEL MAR!
Ahora puedes donar al
Bosque desde tu teléfono
celular con la ATH móvil.
conviértase en Amigo
del Bosque al donar. La
preservación del
Bosque Pterocarpus
cuenta contigo.

Opens: Wednesday to
Saturday 8 AM-5 PM
By appointment only
Redken & Pureology
products available
for sale
Specialists in color
& color correction
Custom design hair cuts
Retexturicing treatments:
Bioionic, Keratinas,
among others
Make-up, Hair styles,
Extentions
Manicure - Pedicure
Carr. #3 K 8.5 (half mille of the Deli & Fa. Candelero, four entrance to your left)
TalentoSalon
TalentobeautySalon
salon
#1 Redken
Certified Colorist
25 years in the East Coast
Redken
biggest
color bar
in the
Caribbean
CREATIVE TROPICAL CUISINE
meat
pasta
seafood
Happy Hour
every day
Drinks from $5.
Beers 2 X $6.
(no handcraffted
beers included)
Wine $7 by glass,
bottle from $25.
Open Monday to Thursday
4:00 pm to 12:00 pm
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
11:30 am to 12:00 pm
Palmanova Plaza Suite #128
787.914.0316

P A L M A S
by Lissette Rosado, Editor
The Rancho Buena Vista started with a dream in 1998 with a trailer
and 10 cages; the actual paddock was inaugurated with 64 cages in
2004. This project is the dream come true of Dr. José “Chequie” Benítez,
Ophthalmologist, and wife, Darlene Bajandas, both long time
Palmeños. Both are horse lovers who passed on their passion
for the equestrian life to their children and now to their grandchildren.
As everything that is created with love and passion,
Rancho Buena Vista has been a big success and part of our community.
Nowadays, the Rancho has more than 89 cages with
20 more in the pipeline. The horses are divided into “Paso Fino”,
Paseo (a lateral step horse) and “Trote y Galope” (a diagonal step
horse).
THE NEW ADMINISTRATION
René Rivera Díaz has been administering
Rancho Buena
Vista for the past two years. René is not a newcomer;
he has been working at the Rancho for nine years and
has been surrounded by horses since he was a kid.
You can tell how comfortable and enthusiastic he
is about this ranch. Unfortunately, he began administrating
Rancho Buena Vista at the begin-
ning of COVID
lock downs. But,
despite all the limitations,
he has done a great job.
The rancho has been growing:
more cages; René brought back
the horseback riding rental (now called
Buena Vista Trails); equine therapy for
kids; special pony rides for children; a souvenir
shop; bicycle rentals and many many
animals--the ranch has become almost a
en,
geese, turkeys, beautiful horses, and a
macaw called Rio, who is a character!! I love
just to walk around and see the animals interact
with the kids and some adults, like me.
I always say that I personally visit the ranch
to have my equine and animal therapy.
And next to a successful man, there
is always a woman and that’s the case
of René’s wife, Loraine, who has a background
in the hotel industry. “I didn't
know anything about horses, but life
brought me here and I have learned

to love the equestrian life and the horses.” I saw her riding and she does
it very well and elegantly. She is also in charge of the Souvenir shop,
bicycle rentals and the administration of the ranch in general.
The ranch also has a dedicated and enthusiastic equestrian following
that ride often and holds amazing events like when, for Loraine’s birthday,
a truck brought all the food and drink so by the time the riders arrived
at the camp, everything was ready. Riders enjoy breathtaking views
while on events like the ones held by Rancho Buena Vista--a very familiar
atmosphere with great camaraderie.
I don’t ride (because I’m a coward and because I have weak bones), so
to taking so many photos and writing our magazine, LOL! But I always say
that riding a horse is on my bucket list for when I reincarnate. In the meantime,
I just love to see them.

the views

a kids paradise
equino therapy horseback riding classes pony tours petting zoo
Hacienda Buena Vista is a true paradise for children because in
addition to the many animals it has, it has programs aimed for kids
such as equine therapy, riding classes, the Pony Club, the pony
tours, and the bicycle Rental among others.
Equine Therapy - Equine Therapy, is intended for children with
a broad variety of conditions, from Autism to dyslexia, to speech
problems etc. But what is equine therapy? It is horse-assisted therapy
that includes various therapeutic modalities. The objective of
the therapy offered will depend on what the therapist believes is
the best method to achieve the proper development of each participant.
The therapy can range from Hippotherapy, therapeutic riding,
adapted riding, therapeutic turning, horse-assisted learning or
coaching, psychotherapy or counseling assisted with horses and
therapeutic dressage.
Riding lessons - These lessons are intended for kids 5 years and
older, but they are also available for adults.
The Pony Club - Once a month they bring the ponies so that
the children get to know and interact with them; they brush them,
walk them etc.
The Pony Tour - for kids ranging from 2 to 6 years old - 15 minutes
to an hour around the facilities.

Riding & bicycle tours
tours & rentals
Hacienda Buena Vista has 60 rental
horses and offers 3 riding tours daily -
9am, 11am and 3pm. They also offer private
Sunset Tours at 4pm. You can make
a reservation on their web page www.
haciendabuenavistapr.com
BICYCLES
You can rent bikes or take a bike tour;
rent for half a day, full day, weekly or
monthly.

El Picadero
Bar & Grill
El Picadero Bar & Grill will open its doors in the next couple
of months with a great terrace overlooking the “picadero”
(horse riding arena) where patrons will have the opportunity
to enjoy different events and competitions such as:
Paso Fino, dressage, and show jumping. The restaurant will
dishes. This is great news for our community, and we wish
them great success!

Our Palmas riders
and Amazons

Our new Pickleball Coach...
MIGUEL “MIKE” VÁZQUEZ
“I have been fortunate to
become very involved with the
for Pickleball in the Caribbean.”
Palmas Athletic Club is glad to welcome our new Pickleball
coach, Miguel “Mike” Vazquez to our team.
Mike is a life-long tennis player with a passion for the
sport. During his college years, he became a tennis
coach, teaching kids of various age groups in the summer.
He has been happily married for 3 years to wife Sandrysabel
Ortiz, who has been a Palmas del Mar resident
for 30+ plus years. Mike has more recently undertaken
the sport of Pickleball, excelling at it as a tournament
competitor. Moreover, the sport has become a family affair
since his very active 7-year-old son, Mikolas, enjoys
every activity that Palmas del Mar has to offer, including
Pickleball.
As the captain of the men’s National Pickleball team,
his aspirations are to represent Puerto Rico in the highest
level of competition and develop the best Pickleball
players in Palmas del Mar to represent the island in the
near future.
Offerings
International Pickleball Teaching Professionals
Association (IPTA)
International Pickleball Teaching Professionals
Association (IPTA)
“As one of the most advanced Pickleball players on
the island and in Palmas del Mar, I have been fortunate
to become very involved with the local community and
-
leballers to become members here at PAC; thus, making
Palmas del Mar the hub for Pickleball in the Carib-
bean.
With the full weight of the Palmas Athletic Club
(PAC) behind me, I intend to make this dream a
reality and am fully vested in making it so.
I thank you in advance for considering my
skills, interest, and commitment to the sport. I
hope to be “tearing it up” at the courts daily very
soon.” –Mike Vazquez

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26 calle Cristóbal Colón
Yabucoa, PR 00767
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FisioMed-Group

WWW.PALMASPAC.COM

787.850.4429
787.850.4048
Lunch Special
every
day!
Días y horas
Lunes cerrados
Martes a jueves 11-9 pm
Viernes 11- 9:30pm
Sábado 9 am- 9:30 pm
Domingo 9 am - 6 pm
BANDEJAS TO-GO
Para tu oficina, tus fiestas
y eventos especiales.
¡Llámanos, pídelas
y pasa por ellas!
787 850 4429
787 850 4048
Brunch a la carta todo el dia sábado & domingo!!!
Sandwiches - with the best bread & ingredients Premium Coffee Pastries (fresh quesitos & mayorcas
among others) Croquetas Canapés trays to go Paella de carne, mixta, negra y Fideuà Caldo Gallego
Spanish Omelet Sangría Wine & Liqueurs breakfast, lunch & dinner. bocatabycampillo
Stay connected with Palmas..................
The time is now.
Discover Palmas—
one of Puerto Rico’s
prime destinations.
@clubcarpr
Anchor’s Village Marina
Sales, rentals, and service.
+1 787-850-3260
Royal Park Club Cala
Golf car rentals.
+1 787-718-0144
Reserve at bestgolfpr.com

QA & ...with David Hurwitz
’s
Master Developer
Palmas del Mar Property, Inc.
Q: There has been a lot of buzz about the Town Center,
what details can you share?
A: The Town Center will be located on Palmas Drive between Country Club Drive and
Candelero Road. Leasing is going on now, major tenants are expected to be a gour-
will also feature over 100,000 sq ft of open space, outdoor dining and gathering areas
and will also have a pedestrian path on the east side of the property. Groundbreaking
is expected to take place late this year.
David Hurwitz
Q: Do you have any updates on The Palmas Academy?
A: Things are going very well at the school. We’re on track to have a record increase in
enrollment this year, we’ve interviewed some truly excellent permanent head of school
candidates, we’ve raised teacher pay and plan to continue doing that, we’ll be bringing
in new teachers, adding new programs and upgrading the entire curriculum. We
search we’re looking for bold and innova-
be part of TPA. Our goal is to make TPA
the best school in the Caribbean – but
we need everyone’s help! Please volunteer,
buy bricks for the library campaign,
attend our great fundraisers and please
donate!.
Q: What can you share about
the new cell tower?
A:
gets published - target date is the end of
from many residents that cell service
needed to be improved. So we found a developer (QMC Telecom) and a well-located
parcel for them to build. The initial service provider will be Claro, but they’re expecting
to get all of the major carriers. Once fully operational, cell service should be sub-
generator so cell service can work even during extended blackouts.
Q: Many residents in Palmas have expressed interest in modernizing ARB
guidelines, what’s your stance on this?
A: signs
in Palmas. A proposed update was recently released and we’ll be working hard
to make sure that the new guidelines incorporate modern design elements and an
understanding that most building materials, like windows for example, have improved
substantially over the last few decades and can be incorporated into homes without
compromising safety. We want to make sure homeowners and developers have much

Q: Are there any ongoing
efforts to control sargassum?
A:
working a lot with Jose Quinonez,
who’s doing a fantastic job, to re-think
how all of our sargassum remediation
how to prevent it from reaching shore
a group who’s doing a lot of on-thewater
sargassum removal in the Do-
a visit from a global marine engineering
company headquartered in Denmark.
We’re exploring many other
ideas as well.
SITE PLAN
TOWN CENTER:
Villa Franca
Park
Q: What other real estate developments are underway?
A: This Q&A is happening in May but won’t be published until July so this all may be out of date come publication,
healthcare/concierge medicine options, a self-storage facility and we are in discussions with third party developers for
for which plans have been submitted for permitting. Plans are underway
Community Church near the PHA building and we have recently renewed the lease for The Pescaderia – we’re glad to
have this popular restaurant is secured for another 5 years.

CALL 609.506.5604
Península de San Juan...living the dream!
Maralago...were the green meets the ocean!
Don’t miss the opportunity to live in paradise.... Palmas del Mar.
Lynnette Collazo
Lic C20384
609.506.5604

GOLF
TOURNAMENT
homeowners
week
week 2022

And the
winners
are...
WANT TO SEE MORE?
SCAN ME!

OPEN NOW!
PALMA REAL,
HUMACAO
Just in time for the Summer
Here come the sun... and your eyes need protection as well as your skin.
Try the polarized lens that protects your eyes and lets you see with clarity.
For appointments call 787. 850-0310
www.pearlevision.com
40 %
DISCOUNT
on eyeglasses
with the purchase
of frame

PHA Kids Easter Party
What a wonderful PHA Easter party for
our kids. A truly beautiful show with some
of the most beloved Disney characters -
Mickey, Daisy, Donald Duck and the Easter
bunny. The kids were mesmerized (and
also some adults) It was a very very very
good show! The activity also included:

PHA Kids Easter Party

PHA Kids Easter Party

PICKLEBALL…
By Bill Daily
wh
wh
knew?
From its humble beginnings on
Bainbridge Island near Seattle in
1965, Pickleball slowly gained momentum
before exploding around
2010. There are now nearly 5 million
people playing Pickleball in
the United States and it is rumored
to be on track to become an Olympic
sport.
With two professional tours and
fanatical clubs and leagues around
the world, it is impossible to deny
that Pickleball is, well—a thing. A
really big thing!
And Puerto Rico is no different.
with the Puerto Rico Pickleball Association
(PRPBA), interest in Pickleball
here on the island is skyrocketing.
And, of course, Palmas Athletic
is the epicenter of all things Pickleball
on the island. Thankfully, Jose
“Pepito” Vazquez and Vicky Lopez
saw the potential that Pickleball
could offer and, together with
General Manager Seth Bull, set to
converting two tennis courts that
had been badly damaged during
Hurricane Maria into six sparkling
new Pickleball courts which
opened in February 2021. Soon
after, lights were installed to take
advantage of the cooler evening
temperatures for players, especially
for those who work during the day.
We have built an amazing com-
morning and evening.
The inaugural Palmas Pickleball
Open, organized by Jeanine Lavergne
and her team, was contested
March 19-21 of this year and
proved to be the largest and most
successful Pickleball Tournament
ever on the island with 142 unique
participants and 225 total entries.
With great sponsors and a wildly
successful Saturday night party at
showed the island that Palmas del
Mar knows how to run an event.
Next year’s event will be even bigger
and better!
I am so very proud that I was able
to have a hand in training more than
300 people to play Pickleball here
in Palmas, as well as to create and
build the largest and most enthusiastic
community here on the island.
So now, I will turn my attentions,
along with my wife Marilyn, to helping
to grow the sport island-wide
with our new endeavor called Pickleball
Del Pueblo, which seeks to
jumpstart Pickleball programs in
high schools and in concert with
municipalities across Puerto Rico.
We have already provided equip-
The Palmas Academy.
So, armed with my new mission
as a USA Pickleball Ambassador, I
Mike Vazquez, who I am sure will
continue the tremendous growth of
the sport here in Palmas.
If you are one of the few Palmenos
who hasn’t yet tried Pickleball,
I recommend you stop by the
courts any Friday evening at 5:00
and participate in Dinks ‘N’ Drinks,
a very lively open play opportunity
where one of the gang will be happy
to show you the ropes. You will
be addicted--just like the rest of us!

Las Amigas
Spanish Circle
by Amaryllis Alsina
295 Palmas Inn Way.
Suite 123.
Palmanova Plaza.
Humacao, PR
Sheila Camacho González, President
Management & Consulting Group
for 25 consecutive years!
Lisa Feazel, Rose Kessler, Amaryllis
Alsina, Veronne Bustos,
“ I’d like to learn Spanish!
Can you teach us?”
This is what got this started amongst a group of new girlfriends
who regularly got together to play tennis. So the idea of a combo Tennis-Spanish
group came to be and I agreed to help out with the Spanish,
although I don’t pretend to be a Spanish instructor.
So we set up weekly Tennis and Spanish “dates” sometimes followed
by dinner and drinks. Well, why not? I was excited about helping my
friends learn the language and happy to see their interest and motivation
in learning our culture and our native tongue. I also looked forward
to spending time with them and getting to know my new friends. Also
our spouses joined in on the extra-curricular activities and so the experience
only got better.
At our Spanish meetings we work on conversation and grammar exercises.
Although my background is in science, I’ve been able to teach
them some basic language skills that should help my friends carry on a
conversation in Spanish. We have been doing this on and off for about
a year and a half and I can see the improvement they have made in
their quest to learn Spanish. Plus they are so appreciative and sweet
that they make me feel really important! They also claim that I’m strict
and demanding and the truth is that I do like to push them to get better
and learn more. Plus I also like surprising them with quizzes and special
guests that make them nervous and excited!
Palmas Del Mar is a happy place with many possibilities. Palmas
brings together people from different cultures, backgrounds and nationalities.
It’s great to see this culture integration and how this merging
opens up the opportunity for new experiences and learnings. It’s
exciting to interact and socialize with everyone and to learn from each
other. It’s also very rewarding to be able to contribute to the learning of
others and to build new relationships in the process.
Las Amigas, as we call our group, are all very dear to me, and I’m very
proud of their efforts!
PALMAS
Computers
Wire & Wireless Network Instalations
info@palmascomputers.com
787.413.7070

The
Mango
Tree
PALMAS
DEL MAR
VILLA FRANCA
an animal lover who has rescued many stray dogs and has found them forever homes.
Let me tell you about the tree in Villa Franca Palmas del Mar.
This tree is not only the most famous tree for Palmas’ residents, but also for Palmas’ visitors. This tree bears the most
delicious mangoes I have ever tasted and gives the most amazing shade and needed breeze in such a hot and humid
country. Mango season begins in May and ends by September, so visitors and neighbors pretty much enjoy mangoes for
kistan
and the Philippines. Mangoes are rich in nutrients like vitamins and antioxidants, and is extremely refreshing for a
typical hot day in Puerto Rico. Mangoes make a great snack for everyone and anyone who passes by. I live across the street
from the tree and I see people, not only climbing the tree to pick the mangoes, but taking the fruit home by the buckets.
Some of the neighbors who live across the street from the tree have taken ownership of it, and get extremely jealous
when they see anyone else picking the mangoes. I think it is so funny because the tree is here in Palmas so that everyone
can enjoy delicious mangoes.
If this tree could talk, it would tell romantic, sad and funny stories. When I spoke to the neighbors, they were able to name
those couples who met under the tree and got married. Elderly residents who have gone out for a walk and gotten lost, know
to wait under the tree until they are found. It also serves as a GPS for people where they can meet up in Palmas. It is said that a
mango tree lives for nearly a hundred years, making it a silent witness to change. This mango tree has survived hurricanes,
such as Maria, and small earthquakes but, thankfully this year, it is growing delicious mangoes for everyone who passes
by to enjoy.

Doña Brava
Dona Brava offers a fast
ride to Vieques or Culebra for snorkeling
and the beach. A perfect day trip!
For more details, visit www.donabrava.com
A new, beautifully made 39ft. boat built by
the experts at Bertram Yachts.
Sleek, fast, &
powerful, Doña
Brava is captained by
a young, experienced
fisherman, who we call the
“Fish Magician”.
We specialize in sport
fishing for Wahoo,
Swordfish, Mahi
& Tuna.
Needaride? We will take you
anywhere on the island!
golf cart NEW
$20,000
Reservations o s available, give
usa a call!
l!
(939) 418-9358
Fiat 2015 $9,000
For more information call Sara Durman

At last the
Tennis Palmarino
A great story by Myria Munoz
TENNIS HIGH again!
This is a good photo of my group
For the last 5 years, my husband
Gary Penna and I, have been snow
birds in our new home at Harbour
Lakes. We started for 3 months, then
6 months per year, which I guess
makes us snow-spring birds or 50-
50 “locals”. Gary is well known in
the golf circles and has made great
friends and business contacts. I play
golf with a group of wonderful women
from the US and Boricuas, which
I baptized The Sisters of the Perpetual
disorder. The name, which they
love, gives you an idea of the informality
of the league. We have had
good times and new friendships.
tennis. I played informally but consistently
for years, and loved my
stress relieving, invigorating TEN-
NIS HIGH. But we “matured,” they
transitioned into golf and I lost my
group. When I met my golf obsessed
husband 17 years ago, he
coached me to start golf and I even-
skills.
As much as I enjoy golf, the parties
around it, and the friends, golf
feels like hard work to me. I feel
punished looking down at a tiny ball
with no inertia, which expects me to
distracted by the beauty of the sky
and the glorious landscapes of the
nitely
have never felt a golf high.
Every time I went to Volea I felt
the nostalgia for my beloved tennis
days, but did not think I could play
at the level of performance of the
young and vigorous players here.
About 6 weeks ago I was at the
Beach Club Grill and a group of
about 8 couples, about my age
peared
full of life and were having
a good time. I told Gary: this is my
league. I mustered enough courage
to introduce myself and told
love. They generously invited me to
play on Sundays and explained that
plenty of rest and party time. I knew
then that if I brought some food and
“happy juice”, I would be alright.
my 15 year oversized racket, feel-
day of school. I have lost my overhead
serve shot, but to my surprise
I found myself chasing the ball, hustling
for net points, and occasionally
winning a set. I even got good reviews
for a tough volley. Ahh! At last
the TENNIS HIGH again.
But most important has been
meeting this extraordinary group of
people, full of energy, intelligent,
living life joyfully, world travelers,
but above all, kind and caring of
each other, as family and friends.
Hasta pronto, mis nuevos amigos
y gracias por lo que nunca creí volver
a sentir: A TENNIS HIGH

home
owners
week
2022
The Palmas Homeowners’ party at the Beach Club! It was a
spectacular night under the stars— a nice tropical breeze,
pleasant music, good food and great camaraderie.
Here are some photos of the night.
the
party

home
owners
week
2022

the
party

the
party

the
party

By Carol Arant
Baby Showering in Style..
An Unforgettable Day
Living in Palmas del Mar and throwing a good party go hand-in-hand; and throwing an unforgettable baby
shower for a lovely mom-to-be is no exception! With the perfect breeze blowing off the coast, guests arrived at
Abby Mida’s baby shower greeted by harpist Efrain, who set the joyful, peaceful mood for this special shower.
Friends gathered in the beautiful backyard, overlooking the ocean as they celebrated the stunning mom-tobe.
The elegant, long table set up in the yard, cozy pillows, pristine decor, and intimate place settings complemented
the picturesque, sunny day. Not a detail was missed by the talented Yavelardo, who provided a
seamless decor for the event. Pinks and whites created a soft, light, airy feeling, which paired beautifully with
her, Abby felt honored and loved beyond measure. We all can’t wait to meet Baby girl Bella. It was truly an
unforgettable day in Paradise... Palmas!

EasterEggHunt
It was a beautiful @ the cLub
were excited to see
the Easter Bunny
arrive in the golf cart.
All of them wanted to
have a picture taken
with the bunny. As
always, the Beach
extra mile for our
kids!

EasterEggHunt
@ the cLub

At Palmanova Plaza
A truly musical banquet with William Cepeda’s Puerto Rican Big
Band Jazz Orchestra.
The exclusive performance is a part of the prestigious South Arts:
Jazz Road Creative Residencies Grant, recently awarded to famed art-
musician to receive the coveted grant.
Thanks to the South Arts award, the four-time Grammy nominee
will bring to life one of his most ambitious music endeavors, the
band” format with 22 musicians. Under Cepeda’s masterful direction,
the initiative will establish precedents of great importance for the local
jazz scene, featuring an exciting repertoire that fuses main traditional
folk genres with jazz.
“The [South Arts] grant has afforded me the opportunity to create
greatest passions, jazz and Puerto Rican music. By touring the island
with the big band and my AfroRican Quintet, I hope to energize communities
through music and inspire future generations of musicians
with our extraordinary music and culture,” expressed William Cepeda,
adding that the June 4th concert will be a memorable evening of
Puerto Rican jazz under the stars.
A cultural icon in his own right, Cepeda is the creative genius of
the music genre known as Puerto Rican Jazz. Trombonist, caracolero
and producer within the jazz and folk music of Puerto Rico, he has
poser
of more than 150 original compositions for different types of
ensembles, including chamber ensembles, big bands, symphony
Cepeda, who studied jazz composition and arrangement at the
Berklee College of Music in Boston and Music Education at the Puerto
laureate Dizzy Gillespie, who invited him to join the United Nations
Orchestra.

Steve Santiago, Kathy Burleson, Esteban Santiago, Cecilia Virsida,
Rafael Nigaglioni your local Insurance brokers
Hurricane season
Hurricane season is upon us once again. But, as we have learned by experience,
those who do not make the necessary preparations are the ones
who struggle the most with getting back to normal after a catastrophic
event. Let’s go over a few suggestions that can make your life easier and
help prevent further complications other than the ones brought on by an
atmospheric event.
Check your windows and doors for crevices, loose sheets or separations
which might let water in. As we have mentioned before, water damage
caused by water that seeps through windows or under doors is not covered,
unless there is a breakage. If you have storm shutters, see to it that
they are properly anchored, so they don’t vibrate and become loose, or get
breached by strong winds.
Another aspect is your responsibility as a policy owner to make sure your
property value is up to date. As real estate properties values go up, it is up
to you to make sure your policy reflects those changes. Why is this important?
Because of coinsurance penalties. For example, if your property is
insured for $1,000,000, but the property value went up to $1,250,000 and
you did not raise the limits on your policy by the time of a loss, the company
will state you are underinsured, and will pay up to only 80% of the
damages (1,000,000/1,250,000=80%).
As for your personal property (contents), make sure you understand the
limit that insurance companies apply to the value per item that can be
covered under this coverage. If you have jewelry, fine arts, an expensive
set of golf clubs, or any other high valued item, your best option is to talk
to your insurance representative to prepare a schedule of those items with
the respective evidence of their value.
If you own an apartment, you should take the time to check with the
condo’s administration or association the type of master policy that the
complex has. If the policy is “Barewalls”, then it’s up to you to insure the
property inside the apartment that is attached to the floor, walls, or ceiling.
This property is known as original private elements.
While on the subject of apartments, you need to inform your insurance representative
about any changes in structure you make or any renovations.
Once the property inside the apartment is changed, it stops being original
private elements and must now be covered as Betterments & Improvements.
Now if you own a house, you should include in your policy any type of system
that provides alternative electric power, such as generators or solar
systems. It is very important to provide pictures and invoices of the cost
you incurred installing said systems. If you have patio furniture or any
other property outside the house that may be affected by a windstorm, it is
your responsibility to secure it inside the house or any other safe structure.
This, in the language of the policy, is called preservation of property.
If you’re going to travel or won’t be present at the residence at the time of
an atmospheric event, please make sure you leave your property secured
and with properly installed storm shutters. Also, coordinate with someone
to check on your property from time to time.
For more information about this and other coverages
you can stop by our office at Palmanova Plaza Suite 119-C, call us at
787-850-9209, or email us at palmasinsurance@outlook.com.

Microplastics are small particles
from a wide range of manufactured
goods and frequently wind up in our
rivers and oceans. Long-term exposure
to physical, chemical, and biological
processes reduces bigger pieces
of plastics into microscopic trash.
There are six categories of microplas-
ment,
and others. The application or
tic,
often transparent in color, usually
derived from polythene bags of food
packaging. Foam is used for thermally
insulated jugs, jars, food packaging,
or storage containers. Pellets are residual
of, for example, plastic bottles or
toothbrushes. Fragments are complex
angular pieces of plastic formed from
the degradation of more oversized
plastic items.
It is imperative to create awareness of the consequences of microplastic
pollution in the marine environment. Environmental pollution
caused by uncontrolled human activity is occurring on a vast and unprecedented
scale around the globe. Every year, more than ten million
tons of plastic trash enter the oceans in practically all marine layers.
Those microplastics denser than seawater will accumulate in the deepest
part of the ocean. The oceans are potentially becoming a collection
ground for microplastic waste. Microplastics could be ingested by marine
animals, potentially ending up in the human food chain, affecting
the health and wellbeing of every living organism. Microplastics need
caused. Furthermore, microplastics accumulated in the sand and acted
as an insulator preventing heat from reaching more profound layers
of the beach and affecting the temperature of the deeper sand layers.
This, in turn, affects some coastal species,
such as the leatherback turtle, that reside in
sand nests.
Stopping the spread of microplastic contamination
requires each of us to act. Eliminate
the use of single-use plastics. Almost
all plastic degrades into microplastics over
time. As a result, reducing the amount of
plastic you use in your daily life can have a
teraction
with plastic by purchasing a reusmicroplastics
Imperative to create awareness!
By: Astrid Lázaro, Palmas Academy Student
able water bottle, grocery tote bags, and multi-use straws, buy fresh
food and bulk items at the grocery store to minimize plastic packaging,
among other things.
However, if you prefer single-use plastics, always recycle them. Only
9% of plastic gets recycled globally now, and recycling keeps plastic
out of the ocean and cuts down on the amount of "new" plastic on the
market. Participate in, or organize, a beach or waterway cleanup to help
remove plastics from the ocean and prevent them from entering in the
ocean waste is volunteering. Visit a beach or a river on your own or with
friends or family to collect plastic debris or participate in a cleanup effort
hosted by a local organization.
Changing the way you do your laundry is one method to help reduce
microplastic contamination. A single load of laundry can discharge over
water
generated by washing machines and the exhaust from dryers.
can also use a lower setting on your appliances so that the garments
utilize natural materials like cotton, silk, wool, hemp, and linen. If you
only wear clothes made of natural fabrics, you reduce your risk of microplastic
pollution to zero.
Purchase non-plastic cosmetics. Plastic is commonly found in personal
care items and lotions and skin creams to aid absorption, while
microbeads are commonly found in tubes of toothpaste and exfoliators.
Most of these items are packaged in small plastic containers that
eliminating plastic components and investing in alternative packaging.
Education is vital for everyone, not only for beachgoers because every
time trash is discarded near any body of water, but it also reaches the
ocean. As important as changing our behaviors, such changes alone are
all community members to reduce plastic production, improve waste
management, and make plastic manufacturers responsible for the
waste they generate.

ABOUT Astrid Lázaro
She has been working on this project since 7th grade. I started by analyzing the presence and characteristics of microplastics in the
sand, taking sand samples at different distances from the seashore. Then the next phase was to take sand samples from 4 different
beaches in the northern area of the island and compare the presence of microplastics. The most recent phase was to compare the
presence of microplastics on the seashore versus their presence at a depth of 10 feet on 4 beaches in the north, south, east, and west
areas of the island. Has won the following awards: Broadcom Masters International 2020 First Place Environmental Science
Middle School Year 2021 Best Videos 2021 Naval Science Award Recipient 2021 Grand Prize: Intermediate PR Metropolitan Science
Fair Year 2021 US Air Force Outstanding Science Project PR Metropolitan Science Fair 2022 Naval Science Award Recipient
2022 Place Environmental Sciences Higher Level year 2022
do your part...
Using reusable cutlery!
Order yours at
palmasacademypto@gmail.com
Buy them and
keep it on your purse
or in your car.
Blue Hawaii
AsianCuisine
(787) 8520897
PALMAS DEL MAR
PALMANOVA PLAZA
Open from Monday to Sunday
From 4:00pm – 10:30pm
Closed Wednesday
Chicken Tangerine
Lobster Garlic
Cheese on Grill
Serving you for more than 30 years
Fried Rice
Sushi

THE PALMAS ACADEMY
By Maria Fernanda Vega
Eight students from The Palmas Academy
participated in “Berklee en Puerto Rico 2022”.
Berklee College of Music offered a camp from
Caballero, Adriana López, Carolina Berrios, Savian
Molina, Amanda Pérez, Juan Carlos Devarie,
and María Fernanda Vega participated. On Sun-
student performed with different ensambles. The
ensambles varied in music styles, from jazz, salsa,
rock, and gospel. Most of the students had
incredible solos throughout the concert, which
lasted four hours. At the end of the concert, they
gave out special awards to students that had auditioned
for such awards. They started presenting
the awards, and we were all so happy and proud
when we heard Alejandro Caballero’s name being
called out from the microphone, a soon-to-be
12th grader from TPA. Alejandro Caballero won a
$30,000 annual scholarship to attend Berklee College
of Music. Alejandro started his music career
in the TPA when he was elementary school and
he entered the rock band “Galactic Rebels.” We
look forward to seeing where this journey takes
him. We are extremely proud of all of the students
that participated and of Alejandro Cabello
for all of their accomplishments. Go Dolphins!
Students Corner
Palmas Academy in the
International Academic
Competitions
Last April 20, a group of students from the Palmas Academy
went to the International Academic Competitions in Washing-
level. On Thursday, April 21, Diego Collazo and Alanis Morales
participated in the category of Political Sciences Bee. On
Friday, April 22, Isabel Vega and Ava Bitler participated in the
US History Bee and Andres Ortiz and Marlon Rivera participated
in the Geo Bee. On Saturday, April 23, Alejandro Campillo
(11th grade), Drew Dillingham (11th grade), Andres Ortiz (11th
grade), Isabel Vega (11th grade), Gabriel Negron (11th grade),
and Camila Andrea Rivera (11th grade) participated in the History
Bowl Varsity and Maria Fernanda Vega (10th grade), Alanis
Morales (9th grade), Julianis
Segarra (9th grade),
Isabella Rodriguez (9th
grade),Gian Rosario (9th
grade), and Ava Bitler (9th
grade) participated in the
History Bowl Junior Varsity.
On Sunday, April 24, Drew
Dillingham and Ava Bitler
participated in the History
Bee. The students got to
meet people from all over
the country, and an interesting competition was Puerto Rico
vs Hawaii even the readers had a blast on this one. It was a
great experience where the students got the opportunity to
learn new values. They learned how to support each other and
had an amazing time. They visited the Capital, monuments,
museums, and even had time to go watch an MLB game. Two
students from the Palmas Academy Drew Dillingham and Ava
Bitler passed to the International Academic Competition in
the categories of History Bee Varsity and History Bee Junior
Varsity which will be held in Princeton University. I asked these
two students how they felt about representing Puerto Rico
Competition in Princeton University, and these were their re-
here in Palmas. It’s very exciting to experience new competitions
and participate in the school in general.”(Drew Dilingham,
2022). “ It’s very exciting! I’m incredibly honored, and
I hope it inspires more students to compete next year.”(Ava
Bitler, 2022).

first PAC PickleballOpen

first PAC Pickleball
Open

the fans...

first PAC Pickleball
Open
mi amor,
ganamos!
2 medallas...
bien merecidas

and the Winners are...

the Party...
at the Beach Club

party the raffle biographical sketch
Jeanine
BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCH
By Jennifer Rand
Jeanine, Jeanine,
you’re always there
with a smile on your face
like you haven’t a care
But behind the scenes
that’s far from true
as a barrage of Picklers
start coming at you
Emails and texts
from every direction
Requiring your time
to make a correction
Must collect unpaid fees
A
player drops out
‘cause he hurt both his knees
Deadlines are posted,
but always missed
For those who are waiting,
you must make a list
you diligently sent
You still will be asked,
“What time’s the event?”
Though others might crumble,
you never do
Our Mother of Pickleball,
know that we love you!!!
want to see
more photos...
Scan here
winners

TASTE COLLECTIVE
Battle of the Chefs was the second installment of the Taste Collective Series.
The event was organized by Cristina Colón, Raúl Cosculluela, and
Jason Maddox from The Palmas Academy Board of Trustees’ Fundraising
Committee. The goal of this event is to raise money for The Palmas Academy.
The event offers a unique and memorable
experience to the Palmas del Mar community.
Battle of the Chefs consisted of a culinary festival,
where the audience was able to enjoy cuisines from
10 different restaurants and had the opportunity to
vote for their favorite. The event also included an
intense live chef battle, where Chef Fernando Rivera
from Volea, Chef Yia Medina from Trova, and
Chef Luis Gómez from La Burguesía squared off
for the title of Chef Champion. Palmas’ own Chef
Fernando came out victorious!
AND THE WINNER IS...
Fernando José Rivera (Fernan)
SUMMARY
Attendance:
Fund Raising:
Chef Fernando Rivera
Restaurant Popular Vote Winner: Trova
Mr. José Álvarez (TPA Athletic Director), José Quiñonez
(PHA Executive Director), Sandrysabel Ortiz
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
Palmas Athletic Club, Wyndham Palmas, Plaza Cellars, PHA, Live an Life in
PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS
Trova, Volea, Café de la Plaza, La Burguesía, La Pescadería, Verbena,
Bocata, Pura Vida, Blue Hawaii, and El Zócalo
Sitting:
José Alvarez (Mr. José), Sandrysabel Ortíz
& José Quiñones,
PHA Exceutive Director.
Standing:
Raúl Cosculluela, Cristina Colón,
Oski Morales and Jason Maddox
SPECIAL THANKS TO TPA FACULTY VOLUNTEERS
Maritere Cardona, Myrna Rodríguez, Gloribel Ortiz, Magaly González,
María Lomba, Maggie Pizarro, Gabriela Álvarez, and our student
volunteers, María Emilia López and Mariana Lafuente Lomba

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS
PURA VIDA
bocata
LA PESCADERIA
VERBENA
LA BURGUESIA
CAFE DE LA PLAZA
BLUE HAWAII
TROVA

14 YEARS
JULY | AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2022 VOL 14 NUM 3
PHA
P A L M A S
IN PALMAS
JULY | AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2022 VOL 14 NUM 3
Live & Life in Palmas is a quaterly publication
intended to reach the Palmas del Mar community
and its visitors with the purpose
to inform and communicate.
You can send us your comments to
live.lifeinpalmas@gmail.com
www.seepalmas.com
live.lifeinpalmas@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/seepalmas
Lissette Rosado, Editor
Live.lifeinpalmas@gmail.com
787.433.1022 |
Assistant Editor | Zenaida Sanjurjo
Editorial Colaborators
Obed Borrero |
Luis Rosado, golf corner |
Luis Rivera Flores | María Fernanda Vega
Maria Cristina Robinson Brown | Amaryllis Alsina
Ginnette Rosado | Astrid Lázaro
Accounting & Receivables
editors
LETTER
Dear Palmeños
Here is a new edition of our magazine— a magazine
whose intention is to collect our history as a community,
communicate relevant issues, entertain and have
fun while documenting all the activities and events
that take place here; which are not few! On this occasion,
our cover story is the equestrian world of Palmas,
an unknown world for many. Rancho Buena Vista is a
well-kept secret by a wonderful team of people who
love horses and know how to have tons of fun. I want to
take this opportunity to congratulate René Rivera Díaz, the new administrator of Rancho
Buena Vista; a young man with great passion and knowledge of the equestrian
world. Although René has only been in charge of the Hacienda for 2 years, he worked
for Dr. Chegui Benitez for many years. I hope you enjoy the story.
On the other hand, as many of you may or may not know, I am running a serious
campaign against the use of plastics— a message that I want to emphasize. Together
we can do it! A plastic free community!! Let’s serve as an example to the rest of Puerto
Rico. I call upon restaurants, businesses in general and Palmeños to eliminate their
use of single-use plastics from their lives. Don’t buy water bottles (our water is good),
don’t use cutlery or plastic straws, and don’t use plastic plates. Let’s do this Palmas!
I truly believe we can do this!
Use reusable cutlery!
Order yours at
palmasacademypto@gmail.com
$20
a set
Sales & Marketing | Lissette Rosado
Graphic Design | Sandra Rodríguez
Cover photography | Alfredo León
Printing | Model Offset Printing (MOP)
Live & Life in Palmas is a co-production of
Palmas del Mar Homeowners Association
and Live&Life in Palmas LLC.
All rights reserved. Reproduction without
permission is strictly prohibited.
Palmas del Mar Homeowners Association
170 Palmas Drive. Apt 36 Humacao, PR 00791
To advertise, contact us at 787-433-1022
or live.lifeinpamas@gmail.com

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