Florida Agenda

It was a night of music, merriment, and tripping-the-light-fantastic on Monday, December 12, as The Manor Nightclub and Restaurant Complex in Wilton Manors hosted Dancing with the South Florida Stars, to support fitness and nutrition programs for individuals with HIV and non-HIV-related life-threatening conditions.

The event, sponsored by Stork’s Bakery & Coffee House in Wilton Manors, The Naked Grape Wine Bar in Wilton Manors, and Boardwalk Bar in Fort Lauderdale, benefited the Brian Neal Fitness and Health Foundation, a service organization that assists financially-challenged people living with HIV/AIDS through free gym memberships, group workouts, and ongoing lifestyle education classes which cover all aspects of living a healthy, balanced lifestyle: diet, exercise, physical and emotional well -being, positive life choices, as well as providing mentoring and life coaching.

Using a format familiar to fans of the hit television program “Dancing with the Stars,” ten partnered teams trained for over a month in the dance and aerobics studio at Wilton Manors’ Island City Health and Fitness to ensure they were at peak performance for the event.

The teams, culled from a Who’s Who of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s “gay-lerati,” included entertainers as well as business and community leaders. The couples were, in numbered order:  Jesse Durko and Andrea Lytle, John Zieba and Nicholette, Bobby Blair and Deja Devonair, Michael Driscoll and Cashetta, Bruce Bogan and Electra, Sean David and Dimitri, Reece Darham and Velvet Lenore, Billy Bowser and Misty Eyez, Dean Trantalis and Michelle Verdi-Knapp, and Vince Clancy and Liene Dilorenzo.

The Manor Complex’s Epic Nightclub dance floor served as both stage and battleground for the contestants, who performed to a varied song-list which included everything from “Dancing Queen” to the theme from “Dirty Dancing” and polka-esque “The Chicken Dance.” The airline pilot/flight attendant uniform-clad duo of attorney and former Fort Lauderdale Vice Mayor Dean Trantalis and his dancing partner, Michelle Verdi-Knapp, danced – appropriately enough – to Frank Sinatra’s “Come Fly With Me.”

When the final steps were danced, the panel of judges, consisting of Richard Hack, award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author; Danny Carter, owner and founder of DanceMoves Studio in Fort Lauderdale and a member of the National Dance Council of America; and former Miss Florida and Miss Black Gay USA Champagne Bordeaux, selected the winning the team of Bruce Bogan, owner of Copy This and Planet Press in Wilton Manors, and his partner, drag celebrity entertainer Electra, who danced to “You and Me” from the “Victor/Victoria” soundtrack.

Bogan says it was a great experience. “It was a terrific time. From rehearsals to the final performance, this was more than your typical night out. Electra, of course, is an amazing entertainer, but I knew that we had our work cut out for us. But when the lights went down and the music came up, it all came together. I am very pleased with the result.”

Chosen by the judges as First and Second Alternates were, respectively, the teams of Misty Eyez and Billy Bowser, and Reece Darham and Velvet Lenore.

Darham, chairman of the Rainbow Business Coalition (RBC) and owner of Island City Health and Fitness (ICHF), called the evening a “great success,” and added that it was “so much fun.” ICHF is the primary health club used by the Foundation, providing recipients of the Foundation’s grants with an infrastructure for the organization’s services.

Grant recipients also receive an online training program to document their journey to healthy living through exercise, diet, and a good emotional outlook, as well as materials to document their success.
Among its partners, the Foundation is working with the Pride Center at Equality Park in Wilton Manors, to assist in finding qualified applicants for 2012.

Funds for the event were raised to benefit the Foundation through ticket sales, which consisted of the contestants purchasing tables, as well as members of the community at large purchasing individual tickets. Donations from Foundation members and supporters, as well as local businesses and the event’s sponsors for the evening’s silent auction also added to the night’s proceeds. A signed guitar autographed by Chuck Panozzo, co-founder of the rock group Styx, was auctioned off for $1,750. Combined, the night’s projected total came to just over $10,000.

Brian Neal, Executive Director and founder of the Foundation was extremely pleased with the night’s results. “I want to thank the entire community for your incredible support. This will allow the Foundation to help many people living with HIV/AIDS and other life threatening illnesses with gym memberships, nutritional counseling, life-mentoring classes, and structured group work-out classes with qualified professionals.”

The community also expressed its pleasure at what a number of attendees called an “amazing” evening.

Charlize Angel, the evening’s emcee, said it was “an incredible night,” and called the event “a huge success,” adding that “it was an amazing show.”

“Great event,” applauded John Tanzella, President of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) on Facebook.
“I was robbed,” joked contestant Trantalis after the results, then added, “The people! The energy! The fun! And of course the Brian Neil Foundation cause.

The generosity of our community is overwhelming. And we all had a great time being a part of it.”

Videos from the evening have been uploaded to www.youtube.com Search words: Dancing with the South Florida Stars.

Interested applicants for the Foundation’s program are invited to contact Brian Neal for the 2012 enrollment. To qualify, individuals must be HIV positive and/or living with a potentially life-threatening    illness. Applicants must be able to show they cannot afford to pay for these services without assistance. A physician’s letter must also be    provided to clear all approved recipients to participate in an exercise program. To contact Brian  Neal: BrianNealFitness@me.com or call 954-816-0237.

The Brian Neal Fitness & Health Foundation is delighted to announce “Dancing with the South Florida Stars,” a holiday fund-raising extravaganza, which will take place on Monday, December 12, 2011.

The “who’s who” of the community, including business superstars and government officials, will be on stage in the Epic Theatre at The Manor, 2345 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors, to compete for your entertainment and for a good cause. Each contestant will be paired up with a local celebrity entertainer.

Each celebrity team will contribute $300.00 by filling a ten-seat table.

Every penny of the tax-deductible donation will go to the Brian Neal Fitness & Health Foundation, a 501(c) 3 corporation, offering health club memberships, group workout sessions, nutritional advice, as well as diet and mental awareness programs to financially challenged, HIV positive, and/or terminally ill patients.

VIP tickets are available at $40 each for special table seating on the nightclub floor and fans and admirers of the celebrity contestants can also purchase $10 general admission tickets to gain access to a prime balcony viewing spot!

An opening cocktail reception and silent auction will kick off the event at 6 p.m. The Manors’ award-winning kitchen will be open, serving an extensive menu throughout the show.

“Dancing with the South Florida Stars” is the perfect way to begin to celebrate the holiday season!”

Locations to purchase event tickets will be announced November 3rd.

For event sponsorship opportunities, please contact Bobby Blair, at 954-336-0436 or via e-mail at bobby@bobbyblair.com.

By Alex Vaughn

Florida resident and fitness expert Brian Neal launches a not-for-profit foundation and inks a three year LGBT Spokesman deal with supplement giant,  MusclePharm.

The Brian Neal Fitness and Health Foundation is targeting financially challenged people living with HIV/AIDS in Fort Lauderdale. The Foundation allows and encourages people to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle whilst continuing to fight HIV/AIDS.

The Foundation provides gym memberships at Wilton Manor’s Island City Health and Fitness free of charge, hour long group workouts three times a week and lifestyle education classes.

These invaluable classes cover all aspects crucial to living a balanced lifestyle: Diet, exercise, well -being, positive life choices as well as mentoring and life coaching.

“I decided to create the Foundation as I felt there was a void in the community for helping people live a healthy lifestyle through exercise and nutritional coaching,” Neal said. Brian had a successful training gym in Atlanta and moved to Fort Lauderdale five years ago, where he began offering personal training sessions at the Better Bodies Gym. He then opened a personal training studio, however, like many he suffered as the market and economy changed. “I let myself go and one day decided I needed to get back into shape. In the process of doing that, I realized I felt better and had more energy.” He said, “I realized my motivation for training people solely for profit was misplaced; I wanted to train them to benefit their lives. Which is why I decided to launch a foundation.”

He continued, “I also felt it necessary to help people who are less fortunate and who are HIV +. Medications are so expensive; Broward County has one of the highest rates of new cases of HIV in the country. With government cutbacks on funding, there is an extreme need to support those people within our community.”

The Foundation gives people support by leading the way to living a healthy and fit lifestyle, provides them an opportunity to meet other people in similar positions and helps them build friendships.

Gary Smythe is a trustee of the Foundation and the COO of the Fifth Street Counselling Center says, “I think the Foundation is a wonderful idea – another way we can contribute to the community in a positive way and bring something that promotes a healthy lifestyle to people who otherwise may not have the opportunity or access to it.” His sentiments were echoed by Ed Cook who works to support the Foundation by participating in the In the Biz Fitness Challenge, which will donate all proceeds to the Foundation. He says of the program, “It’s a way of giving back to those that have helped me over the years, to help them live a happier and healthier life and to be honest. It is incredibly gratifying and rewarding to watch people change their lives.”

The Law Offices of Dean Trantalis are handling all legal matters for the Foundation, which will be a 501 (c)(3) corporation, as the organization is offering a service and is educationally orientated. The application is in process and, once approved, all the donations made to the Foundation will be tax deductible for donors. Donations can still be made and classes may still go ahead prior to approval.

Dean Trantalis says, “I think it is a wonderful opportunity for people who fall within the mission statement and who suffer the challenges of their disease. The Foundation is there to assist. It will be a wonderful component in the vitality of the community.”
As stated above, Brian, along with Ed Cook, Melissa Binkley and Ernesto Caballero, run the In the Biz Fitness Challenge at Island City Health &?Fitness on Wilton Drive. The challenge encourages local businesses to create teams and compete to win the ‘most fit’ in eight weeks. With group one-hour sessions on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, this program has brought the community together in an extremely positive way. By promoting an In the Biz healthy lifestyle, the team has worked with many of the bartenders in the community, offering a healthy alternative to the dangerous lifestyle so often associated with those in the industry.

Russ Johansenn, a bartender at Atomic/Boom, says of the challenge, “I started back in January. I was part of the first session. I re-joined to do it in April because I lost 15 lbs. in 3 months. It’s a great program to aid people in keeping their lifestyle healthy and keeping them fit, allowing them to achieve their goals, whatever they may be.”

Reece Durham, owner of the gym, says “I?am proud to be part of such an amazing foundation that is giving back to the community in such a positive and much needed way.”

Melissa Binkley said, “I am excited because we have quite a few people who have returned; we have people that lost 15-20 pounds. It’s a great motivator.” Of the Foundation, she says, “I think it is a necessity and the best thing we can do for our community; fitness should not be just for people who can afford it. In fact, those with less money tend to need more information and help in the area of health and fitness.”

Brian Neal says of the challenge, “I am very proud of how the community has come together for this.”
Two weeks ago, Brian signed on for a three-year contract as the national LGBT spokesperson for MusclePharm, a healthy lifestyle company that develops and manufactures a full line of National Science Foundation approved nutritional supplements that are 100% free of banned substances, headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

He will be doing personal appearances across the United States at LGBT and gay-friendly gyms to promote the supplements and to make sure the LGBT market becomes aware of their supplements and life changing products, particularly friendly to HIV/AIDS wellness.

MusclePharm products are created through an advanced six-stage research pro- tocol involving the expertise of top nutrition- al scientists and field tested by more than one hundred elite professional athletes. The Company’s products address all categories of an active lifestyle, including muscle building, weight loss and maintaining general fitness through a daily nutritional supplement regimen. MusclePharm is sold in over 120 countries and available in over 5,000 U.S. retail outlets, including GNC and Vitamin Shoppe.

MusclePharm products are also sold in over 100 online stores, including bodybuilding.com, Amazon.com and Vitacost.com. The company is publicly traded under the stock symbol MSLP.

“It really brings me great pleasure to be a part of the team with Patricia Ware, Former Director of US Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, James Sapirstein, Former HIV Global HIV Head and Former Pfizer Senior Director, Dr. Richard Ogden who are all on the Scientific Advisory Board of MusclePharm. I am extremely honored. I think MusclePharm is great, their products are of such a high standard, it is something I feel very comfortable recommending to the LGBT community to aid living a healthier lifestyle,” Neal said of the deal

The Brian Neal Fitness and Health Foundation will have its official launch party at the Naked Grape on Wilton Drive on May 16th at 6pm for Foundation supporters, trustees and current fitness participants.

For more information on the company, visit www.musclepharm.com

Photo: Ernesto Caballero, Melissa Binkley, Ed Cook and Brian Neal

By BOB KESCKEMETY

The Lifeceutical Group, a company dedicated to improving a person’s quality of life, has joined forces with the Brian Neal Fitness Challege, a three 1-hour a week fitness boot-camp that is free and open to the public and held at Island City Health and Fitness in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors. The program lasts for a total of 12 weeks. Incorporated 16 months ago by founder Bruce Bertman, Lifeceutical’s main office is in Boca Raton with a satellite office inside Island City Fitness. Lifeceutical, itself, focuses on improving a person’s quality of life, with anti-aging and hormone balance and replacement therapy for its patients. Clients of Lifeceutical are generally men and women, 35 years old and up. Lifeceutical also offers a HCG diet plan that, they say, if you don’t lose a pound a day, you are most likely cheating. HCG is a prescription hormone that is taken once a day for 21 or 42 days as part of a custom protocol that allows for the reduction of stored body fat.

Lifeceutical’s Boca office is a full-service location, but the space occupied by Lifeceutcial in the Island City Health and Fitness space is more specialized. “We do mostly Botox there,” said Bertman. “We meet with the patients there three days a week and work out of that office. We discuss hormone therapies and we discuss our diet programs. It’s more of a screening environment.”

Bertman went on to say that they also hold Botox and filler parties and they bring the doctor (who has over 30 years experience) to the Island City location during the week where patients can make an appointment and meet with the doctor. Gym members can discuss with the Lifeceutical staff how they would like to be helped and if there is some interest, and the Lifeceutical staff feels there is a true medical need, the patients are then brought to the main clinic for blood tests and to see the doctor. Bertman and Lifeceutical got involved with the Brian Neal Fitness Challenge when they were informed of Neal’s program by the staff of Island Fitness.

“We had to get involved,” said Berman, “we’re all about longevity and improvement in quality of life. It was perfect for us. This is an older group and they are looking to improve their quality of life and make major changes and I love to be a part of that.” Recently, Lifeceutical held a contest with the Brian Neal participants and one lucky person won an entire 10-week testosterone protocol. Bertman got his start in Internet marketing and did work for some doctors in a similar field of expertise. “It seemed like a logical progression to get into it myself,” said Bertman. “If you take a look, there are 10,000 people a day turning 65. It’s the ‘baby boomers,’ so I felt it was a great opportunity and a great way to help people.”

Island City Health & Fitness
2270 Wilton Drive
Wilton Manors, FL 33305

Cancer Survivor Fights Insurance Company on Road to Recovery

By BOB KECSKEMETY

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“It turned my life upside down,” said Douglas Randazzo, 46 of Fort Lauderdale, originally in response to being asked what his first impression was when he found out he had cancer. “I’ve had 20 years of HIV and it never stopped me. This [the cancer] stopped me dead in my tracks.”

Randazzo was diagnosed with hip cancer in July 2009 and started treatment that September and has been having to fight his insurance company for coverage for most of that time.

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Randazzo graduated in the top 3% of his high school class. He obtained a Bachelors degree in both Spanish and French from Drew University where he graduated from in 1984. He worked in New York’s garment district where he sold women’s clothing and was a member of the Edward R. Murrow theater group. Randazzo met his current boyfriend in March 2009 shortly after he moved to Fort Lauderdale.

Like many Americans facing the healthcare crisis in the United States, Randazzo has had to fight his insurance company. He says that his cancer appears to be in remission and that the last time he was tested, his results came out clean. However, his insurance company, based in New York, has denied him retesting. Furthermore, since his insurance company is not based in Florida, any medical treatment he obtains in Florida is considered “out-of-system” and thus not covered as it would be if he obtained treatment up north.

“These couple of months have been a nightmare because the healthcare system down here is so bad,” stated Randazzo.

Florida, and each state, gets their money from the federal government and then each state distributes the money in their own way according to their own rules. Randazzo said that coming down to Florida was a “rude awakening” when it comes to dealing with insurance companies and it continues that way.

Randazzo’s partner, who has asked to remain anonymous, first noticed the ad for the 2011 Brian Neal Fitness Challenge. The Challenge, a 12-week boot camp to a better life, describes itself as the first step in a thousand-mile journey to a happier and healthier lifestyle, started last month. Randazzo said that he and his partner had only known each other a short time before Randazzo’s cancer diagnosis. Both used to be physically fit but Randazzo admits

to having put on about 30 pounds over the last few months.

“Brian has been a godsend,” said Randazzo who was raised Catholic. “I try to hold on to my belief in God and I believe in what I call ‘angels along the way’ and Brian is one of those angels. When you look into Brian’s eyes you can see genuine caring.”

Though Randazzo admits that he had never been very buff, but used to work out 4 to 5 times a week as it helped out with his HIV. When Randazzo moved down here, he moved into a complex with a workout room where he regularly took advantage of the facilities and equipment. Eventually he started to feel a pain and thought that he had been overdoing his workout. Over a period of time, the pain increased and his left leg and hip went out as he collapsed in pain. He went to the hospital emergency room and that’s when he was diagnosed with cancer.

Randazzo described his cancer treatments as being very difficult and painful mostly because of the underlying location of cancer.

One of his New York doctors recommended an associate of his in Florida who is working through Randazzo’s insurance company up north.

The main objective was to first get rid of the cancer but the side effects, such as the pain, will last up to seven years. He was eventually led to an acupuncturist to help with the pain and these treatments have helped immensely and helped get him back on his feet.

When Randazzo first met with Brian Neal, “he listened and was very compassionate,” said Randazzo. “I had some reservations about doing the program because I felt like my body was betraying me. I used to like to run and I couldn’t even do that anymore. I didn’t want to make matters worse.”

Neal assured Randazzo that he will be able to work at his own pace and at different levels. At times, according to Randazzo, Neal would pull him off to the side when he felt that the group would do something that may be risky to Randazzo’s hip and have him do something else.

“As I’m getting older, it’s certainly not healthy to be as out of shape as I was. I didn’t realize that during the two years I’ve been away from the gym I would have lost so much stamina, and the extra weight I had gained certainly didn’t help.”

Randazzo is also grateful to Island City Health and Fitness in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors for donating their space and staff to the participants of the Brian Neal Fitness Challenge. He realizes that, especially during these hard economic times that a commercial business should care so much about giving back to the community and helping with this lifechanging opportunity.

“I’m much better now,” said Randazzo, “though I’m still not 100-percent. Brian opened the door for me. I do believe that things happen for a reason and God himself led me to Brian who I feel took a personal interest in me. I’m trying to get my life back in order and working with Brian has been a giant step and I’ll always be grateful to him for that.