Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 43

E3 REACHING OUT INSIDE PEOPLE Volunteers needed AIDS Education Guidance Information and Support Group needs assistance. To help, call 784-3063. Couples celebrate 50th wedding anniversaries, 4D Find out what's going on at your school on the High School page, 14D. SECTION i mm i 1 1 1 '1 SUNDAY, Feb. 16, 1992 Junior League's Tollies' return It has been called the "Hello Follies II" blitz and that is the perfect description for how members of the Junior League of Central and North Brevard are showering the community with information and advance events.

I tf, V- iv. 1 1 LI a 1 A Mi -J 5- One event is "A Black White Fashion Extravaganza" on Feb. 29 at the Cocoa Village Playhouse to support the league's commitment to the Salvation Army's Domestic Violence Program for abused and abandoned women and children. The fashion extravaganza will feature the latest in spring and evening wear provided by Rebecca's of Merritt AMY CLARX PEOPLE HAVE YOU SEEN TV tabloid show hopes its viewers might have Island. Emcee and commentator will be TV Channel 43 personality Dolores MacLaughlin.

Models will be league members CamiUe Barrett, Donna Buck, Shirley Buchanan, Gale Daly, Debbie Hendrix, Julie Irby, Beth Meny-hart, Susan Norwood, Lynne Orr, Pat Trasport and Paula Yardley. Other community members include Kelly Bennett, Leslie Caputo, Linda Doyle and Liz Hedleston. The grand finale will showcase the modeling talents of several prominent men including Larry Garrison, president of Cape Canaveral Hospital; Bryan Hedleston, owner of Atlantic Glass; Mark Turner, vice president of medical staff services at Wuesthoff Hospital; former state Sen. John Vogt; and Don Welsko of Premier Cruise Lines. At intermission, you will be treated to flowing champagne and an array of desserts, such as white chocolate hazelnut mini cheesecakes, chocolate covered strawberries, almond orange madeleines and mini raspberry tarts with pine cream filling.

Gourmet coffees also will be available. andor the personal problems Tami was experiencing," says Matt Kline-man, an "Unsolved Mysteries" researcher with Cosgrove-Muerer Productions in Burbank, Calif. "There are a lot of twists, a lot of turns. The deeper you look into it, the more you see it's a three-dimensional, problem, not one-dimensional. It's the classic kind of case we like to investigate." But can a 10-minute dramatization, tentatively scheduled for an April 1 broadcast on NBC, cover all the bases? Leppert's mother, talent agent Linda Curtis, thinks not.

"From what I've been able to tell, it's going to be a pretty generic story," says Curtis, who now lives in Orlando. "On the other hand, maybe having her picture out there will trigger someone's memory or conscience." What no one disputes is that in the months before she vanished, Tami-Lynn Leppert an extroverted blonde whose effervescent smile and precocious poise had been charming pageant judges since she was 4 was See TAMI-LYNN, Next Page By Billy Cox FLORIDA TODAY Eight-and-a-half years after her last public appearance, Tami-Lynn Leppert is about to become the nationally renowned star she always aspired to be. The mystery is, no one knows if she can even appreciate the irony. The last time she was known to be alive July 6, 1983 the unsteady, 18-year-old beauty queen from Rock-ledge had just been released from psychiatric observation, at a moment when her acting career appeared to be taking off. Fresh from cameo film appearances in "Scarface" and "Spring.

Break," Leppert's private life was sinking into a quicksand of fear that she was about to be murdered. And the puzzle behind her dread whether real or delusional paranoia lured an NBC "Unsolved Mysteries" production team to the Space Coast earlier this month. "There are a lot of compelling questions here concerning foul play 1 Craig Rubadoux, FLORIDA TODAY AN ACTRESS with the TV show 'Unsolved above, portrays a distraught, confused Tami-Lynn Leppert. Leppert from Rockledge, inset photo, disappeared in 1983. Top left, a NBC film crew shoots scenes at the Glass Bank in Cocoa Beach for an upcoming episode focusing on Leppert's disappearance.

The Brevard Symphony Orchestra quartet will perform at intermission. Chairing the Follies Extra-Revenue Committee are Debra Clarke, Beth Messersmlth and Patsy Morgan. On their committee are Terri Arnold, Darleen Barfield, Sally Cooper, Jene Henderson, Denise Jones, Vicki Kenaston, Denise Paige, Debbie Pearse and Kathy Williams. Helping underwrite the expenses are Bangs of Brevard County, Beasley's Tuxedo Shop, Catering With Flair, Stacl Hawkins and the Cocoa Village Playhouse, Dte Rock 99.3 FM, Tropical Flower Shop and artist Amy Reinhold. Tickets are $100, $50, and $25 per person.

If you did not receive an invitation and would like to attend, call 453-5718. Another pre-event is the Director's Debut on Feb. 25. The professional director of "Hello Follies II" will fly in from New York to meet the cast and begin work on the production. The Director's Debut is an open cast call at 7 p.m.

at the Cocoa Village Playhouse for anyone who would like to sign up for the Follies. The big days arrive March 20, 21 and 20 for "Hello Follies II," a giant undertaking that happens every four years. It is a musical comedy production with skits, songs, dancing, colorful costumes and elaborate sets. It is the league's major fund-raiser for 1992. Patrons' donations are at $1,000, $500, $250 and $125.

Regular tickets at $13.50 per person went on sale Thursday and are available through league members or at the box office at the Cocoa Village Playhouse. Treatment No. 1 concern of glaucoma sufferers HEALTH 4-i-t-Hf-H 4-i- flOTiLINri toll i -tfrn 'ill. tiZ'A j. I.

i J. TAYLOR ZORBIS McMANUS KODESCH Answers to your questions about glaucoma Planning luncheon crease, then lowering your intraocular pressure with additional eye drops, certain oral medications and, potentially, surgery could be vital in controlling your glaucoma and maintaining your present level of vision. I was diagnosed with glaucoma 20 years ago; I am now in my early 50s. I was the first woman in the United States to obtain marijuana for treatment of glaucoma from the federal government Could you comment on this treatment? Kodesch: Marijuana and several of its derivatives, usually administered by inhalation, has been shown to reduce intraocular pressure by about 30 percent within an hour of administration and last about four hours. The mechanism by which it reduces intraocular pressure is unknown.

Some data suggest that the central nervous system effects that is, rapid heartbeat and lower blood pressure may reduce the secretion of aqueous, the clear fluid in the eye, thereby reducing intraocular pressure. Would a regular eye exam to determine the strength of glasses also include a test for glaucoma? McManus: Determining the By Marilyn Meyer FLORIDA TODAY Glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, often does irreparable damage before it is discovered. With early treatment, progression of the disease can be controlled, according to the National Eye Institute. Last Sunday, Florida Today, in conjunction with the Brevard County Medical Society, opened its Health Hot Line to receive questions about glaucoma. Twenty-eight questions were called in.

Here, a panel of ophthalmologists answer some of those questions. The panelists are: Fred Kc-desch, M.D., Titusville; James McManus, M.D., Melbourne; Andrew Zorbis, M.D., Melbourne; and William Taylor, M.D., Melbourne. Question: What percentage of blacks have glaucoma? Why are blacks more severely affected? Kodesch: The prevalence of glaucoma is .5 percent in the general population. Blacks have an eight times greater chance of developing blindness from glaucoma than their white counterparts. It is the leading cause of blindness in blacks while it is the third leading cause of blindness in whites.

is best trained in its medical and surgical treatment and in potential side effects associated with these treatments. I was diagnosed with glaucoma about a year ago and have been using Betagan drops. I now find that I am losing my sight What can I do to prevent going blind? Kodesch: The most significant factor in glaucoma and the only one that ophthalmologists can control is intraocular pressure. It is imperative that your intraocular pressure be reduced to levels that no longer cause optic nerve damage or peripheral visual field loss. If other age-related diseases and degeneration, such as cataract, macular degeneration, diabetes and hypertension, are not causing any of your visual de more exaggerated variation during the day in their intraocular pressure.

Can an optometrist test for and treat glaucoma? Kodesch: Optometrists routinely test for glaucoma during a complete examination. These tests include intraocular pressure measurement, peripheral visual field or side-vision tests and ocular examination including examining the optic nerve for potential glaucomatous change. In some states, efforts are under way to allow optometrists to medically treat glaucoma patients with topical medications. However, optometrists may not surgically treat glaucoma patients and this includes laser surgery when applicable. It is best that your ophthalmologist treat your glaucoma as he The reasons for this are unknown but might reflect a more severe course and later discovery when therapy is less likely to stop its progression.

What causes the eye pressure to vary? Kodesch: In normal individuals, intraocular eye pressure varies over a 24-hour period. Variation in pressure is because of a number of factors, including time of day (usually higher in the morning), the season, blood pressure, heartbeat and respiration. Intraocular pressure also increases with age and this may be explained by the natural increase in blood pressure with age. Glaucoma patients have a Peg Zabinskl hosted a luncheon for members of the planning committee for the Melbourne Central Catholic Jubilee VI dinner auction coming up April 4. Co-hosting the luncheon were Darcia Jones-Francey and Sue Sorensen.

Guests were Catie Geist, Pia Mann, Paula Panton, Sunny Rudloff, Theresa Parrot, Nina Otremba, Connie Banks and William Weaver, MCC principal; and Sandy Bodfish, director of development. The black-tie affair to benefit scholarships will be at the Holiday Inn Oceanfront in Indialantic. The "Stars of the '90s" theme will showcase students of MCC, which recently was recognized by the United States Department of Education as a "School of Excellence." Call auction chairwoman Sue Sorensen at 259-1744 or Sandy Bodfish at 729-4367. See GLAUCOMA, Next Page HiiiMwiiiw mw iL Perry Cain ai Today's TV "Hot Country Dwight Yoakam hosts with special guests the Oak Ridge Boys, Pirates of the Mississippi and Barbara Mandrell. The show airs at 8 tonight on NBC Chs.

2 and 5. Coming op Art show: 50 artists will be showing their work from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Lake Washington Crossing at the corner of Lake Washington and Wickham Road. Sponsored by Space Coast Art League.

Call 727-0528. Todays Up You can sea clearly nowl if you add one-half cup of ammonia, one-half cup of white distilled vinegar and two tablespoons of cornstarch to a bucket of warm water for the perfect window-washing solution. Today's trivia Where did Art Deco get Its name? (Hlnf. It has nothing to do with Miami Beach.) The term originated at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industrials Modernes in Paris in 1925. But of course, cherie.

Cocoa. Spends free time: Woodworking and building furniture. Can't live without: God. Grateful for: "Having lived a decent, successful life." Pet peeve: People who park in front of Lives in: Titusville. Member of: Space Coast Habitat for Humanity board.

Best part: "Doing what God called me to do by helping others." Currently: Group is working on a home in stores. 'r.