Preferred Care Partners has named Guido Gonzalez as Vice President of the new Social Services Department which provides eligible seniors at no additional cost assistance in applying for State and Federal benefits.

The new Department at Preferred Care Partners offers plan members whose income and assets are below a certain level, to obtain assistance to secure aid from state and federal government programs to help with Medicare out of pocket expenses.

Gonzalez, 20 years in the Healthcare Industry, was previously Director of Social Services, Government Programs at Vista Health Plan, and prior to that, Eligibility Manager in the Medicaid Department at BCC Financial Management. Gonzalez holds a Business Administration degree from Queens College in New York.

A certified patient account technician, he resides in Kendall and is actively involved in community action groups for seniors such as the Alliance for Aging and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Preferred Care Partners’ provider network includes 27 hospitals and more than 2,600 physicians in Miami-Dade, Broward, Lake, Sumter and Marion Counties in Florida.

On Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Anta’s Fitness and Self Defense will be celebrating our “Grand Re- Opening Open House and Kick-A-Thon” for the Doral’s Relay for Life.

Our special event will be the appearance of the UFC truck that will provide participants, family and guests with free UFC items, emblematic of the most exciting contact sport and the fastest-growth sporting event in the world today.

Anta’s Fitness and Self Defense teamed up with Humility Now to participate in the Doral Relay for Life, helping the fundraiser by hosting a Kick-a-thon.

Plan to watch this historic event as our students will attempt to see who can throw the most kicks in 15 minutes.

Our martial arts students, the three-yearold “Little Ninjas,” Kung Fu, Muay Thai Kickboxers, MMAs and students in our XFT Fitness classes have been asked to collect donations for the amount of kicks that they execute at the event. All donations will go to the American Cancer Society, Doral Relay for Life. Winners in each division of the Kick-A-Thon will receive a handsome championship trophy.

The Grand Opening and open house will highlight the remodeling of our state-of-theart martial arts and fitness center and our new programs during a fun and exciting afternoon for the entire family with music, raffles, free martial arts and fitness classes and exciting demonstrations at Anta’s Fitness and Self Defense 10721 NW 58 St.

On the east side of Publix, those attending will see fitness and martial arts demonstrations representing the different disciplines from around the world that we teach in our martial arts and fitness center, including Kung Fu and Lion Dancing, Muay Thai Kickboxing, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), Olympic Wrestling, kids fitness, Pilates, and Kettlebells.

For the kids, a “13 Wheels” truck will be parked outside the center to offer a. party that you’ll never forget with music, disco lights and videos. Next to 13 Wheels, the UFC Truck will be providing free UFC merchandise.

Doral cheerleaders and other local entertainers have been invited to perform and local Doral businesses may participate by giving out free samples along with raffle prizes. We are looking for local entertainment to participate in this event dance groups, cheerleaders etc. “! 3 Wheels” is donating the mobile party and the UFC truck merchandize for our raffle.

To participate in this charitable event, call Anta’s Fitness at 305 599-3649. To date, sponsors or participants include Humility Now, UFC Truck, 13 Wheels, Spin City DJ, Metro Life Church and 180 Church.

Julio Anta is the head Instructor at Anta’s Fitness and Self Defense, 10721 NW 58 St in Doral since 1998. For details, tel. 305-599-3649 or visit www.antakungfu.com or email: fitdef@aol.com .

I began my senior year of high school at Miami Lakes Educational Center wondering what accomplishments I would achieve. I never thought that I would be sitting on a plane destined for the nation’s capital, Washington, DC.

When deciding whether or not I should apply to the GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) advocacy summit, many thoughts ran through my head. What if I get chosen? What are my chances of making it?

Upon receiving an e-mail notifying me that I had been accepted into the 2010 Safe Schools Advocacy Summit (SASS) program, I was overwhelmed with joy and couldn’t wait to let everyone know that I was on my way to Washington to represent Florida. SSAS brings together high school students and adults for an action-packed four days of learning and advocacy.

Arriving in Washington March 20,. I was very anxious to begin working and networking with other participants. The journey had begun and I was ecstatic knowing I would be able to speak up for myself and other students across the nation who do not have the opportunity to have their voices heard.

The trainings were long and filled with an extreme amount of information. Our main goal as students and adults was to get more senators to co-sponsor our two bills: Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA) and the Student Non- Discrimination Act. Both bills would not only ensure safety for the LGBT community but for all students so they would feel secure in their schools and community.

Alexander Arce in the office of Senator George S. LeMieux.

Through a series of workshops and discussions, we developed an understanding of the legislative process, the ways to influence it, and how to acquire tools and skills for effective school and community based organizing. On the final day, all of us put our training to work, meeting with our state legislators and talking about the SSIA and the SNDA policies that will help protect all students from bullying and harassment.

I believe the most important lesson learned from this experience was that no matter where you come from nor how different you are, we can always come together, share the same goal, and make a difference.

As I get closer to graduating from high school, I consider myself being very fortunate in having this opportunity granted to me. SASS 2010 was definitely a moment of a lifetime that I will cherish dearly.

I can now look back and see all the wonderful achievements I have accomplished and how I am slowly making my dream come true to make my mother, Teresa Arce, proud of me. “We Don’t Sweat, We GLSEN”

Alexander Arce can be reached by email at < ara3mar@aol.com >.

The Miami-Dade County Commission approved an additional allocation of $344,000 on Mar. 2 for Lakes by the Bay Park for development of interpretive nature trails.

The funding for Lakes by the Bay Park was part of a larger package of countywide projects funded by the last allocation from the popular and successful Safe Neighborhood Parks bond referendum originally sponsored by Commissioner Katy Sorenson and passed by the voters in 1996. The bonds have funded $212 million in improvements for parks throughout Miami-Dade.

“I am grateful to the Safe Neighborhood Parks oversight board for seeing the value of investing in the educational trails in the nature preserve portion of Lakes by the Bay Park,” Commissioner Sorenson said. “Parks are for everyone and always a worthwhile investment of our community.”

Earlier this year, county commissioners passed legislation sponsored by Commissioner Sorenson that transferred 49.3 acres of the Lakes by the Bay Park property to the Town of Cutler Bay and associated funding for a long-awaited local recreational park for residents. The county will retain the remaining 55.24 acres of natural preserve area.

The additional $344,000 will go toward nature trail development in the preserve. Commissioner Sorenson has worked for the past 15 years to secure funding for the park and to resolve environmental issues that have stymied its progress.

“This will be a great park for everyone,” Commissioner Sorenson said. “I will continue to work closely with Cutler Bay officials to ensure that Lakes by the Bay offers various activities while preserving the natural surroundings.”

The county received 73.11 acres of land from the developer of Lakes by the Bay for a community park in 1991. Approximately 20 additional acres were purchased by the county in 1998 to expand the park and buffer environmentally endangered lands.

This acreage included lake bottoms, which the county intended to use for boating and fishing. By 1999, additional land transferred from the Solid Waste Department formed the 95.2-acre Lakes by the Bay Park, which the county planned to use for playing fields, aquatic activities, picnicking, natural trails, nature/recreation center, and a gateway into the adjacent Biscayne Coastal Wetland properties. When the Town of Cutler Bay was incorporated six years later, some of the land was included within the municipality.

For information, contact Commissioner Sorenson’s office at 305-378-6677.

Bill Pacetti, the manager of Publix Super Market at Old Cutler Town Center in Cutler Bay, was honored with a Certificate of Appreciation on Mar. 4, presented by Miami-Dade County District 8 Commissioner Katy Sorenson and her fellow commissioners.

During the special ceremony in the Commission Chambers, Pacetti’s wife, Brenda, and son, Tony, also were present, as were other family members and friends. Also attending were Cutler Bay Councilmember Peggy Bell; Jeff West and William Meiklejohn, president of the Cutler Bay Business Association.

Commissioner Sorenson addressed Pacetti and everyone assembled in the chamber as she handed him the document.

“As commissioner and on behalf of the mayor, the board of county commissioners and the residents of Miami-Dade County, I take great pleasure in presenting this certificate of appreciation to you in recognition of your valuable contributions to our community,” Sorenson said.

The certificate was signed by Commissioners Sorenson and Dennis Moss, and Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez.

Bill, whose full name is William A. Pacetti III, has been a Publix manager for 18 years and has been with the company for more than 38 years, being hired as a bag boy in 1971.

Publix, through Publix Charities, is the prime sponsor of the July 4 Fireworks at Black Point Marina each year, one of the few remaining fireworks shows in Miami- Dade County. That enables the PBSA and Commissioner Sorenson to provide the fireworks.

Pacetti has been supporting many community events and organizations over the years, including fundraising for local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, community baseball and football teams, Cutler Ridge Presbyterian Church, St. Faith’s Episcopal Church, the PTAs of Gulfstream Elementary, Whigham Elementary, Whispering Pines Elementary, Cutler Ridge Elementary, Richmond Middle, Centennial Middle, Coral Reef High School and the policing units of Cutler Bay and Palmetto Bay.

He is on the board of the Palmetto Bay Cultural Council, Pinecrest Police Department Citizen Oral Board and the Breakers Homeowner Association Board. Pacetti works with the March of Dimes Annual Walk, United Way and Feed the Hungry.

“Bill, with the full support of Publix, has provided generously to many events in the community,” Meiklejohn said. “He has reached out to many needy individuals and organizations throughout the years at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and other times. Publix has a policy of giving back to the community and Bill is an excellent steward of this corporate program.”

Pacetti’s family has been making a difference in South Florida for many years.

His father, Dr. William A. Pacetti Jr., was a well-known pediatrician in the Miami area, and his mother, Rosa Wells Pacetti, RN, was a head nurse in the ICU at Jackson Memorial Hospital. His grandfather, William A. Pacetti Sr., was a Miami business entrepreneur who opened a pharmacy in downtown Miami that was known at the time as Byron’s Red Cross and later became Jackson Byron’s.

Pacetti was married for 30 years to his first wife and high school sweetheart, Cynthia Carole Starling, whom he lost to breast cancer in 2003.

In addition to his son, Tony, 30, Pacetti has two other sons, Joseph Robert Pacetti, 27, and William A. Pacetti IV, 17, and a step-son, Brandon Phillip Garcia, 15.