The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 1174

wwwheraldcom ELY SOUTHWEST RANCHES mm LfoMnaR I Up City seals bond with Irish sister SIGNING ON: Killarney Mayor Sheila Casey left and Cooper City Mayor Suellen Fardelmann put their bond as twin cities in ink at Killarney Town Council this month in Ireland Casey participated in a ceremony in Cooper City in May ABOUT KILLARNEY Location: County Kerry Munster Province in Southwest Ireland County Kerry is smaller than the state of Delaware Tourism: More than 1 million visitors each year who come for the scenery as well as historic and religious sites Other industries: Water bottling footwear hosiery lace woolens ornamental ironworks Sources: County Kerry website infopleasecom and ciagov BY MANOUCHEKA CELESTE mcelesteheraldcom After two years of planning Cooper City and Killarney Ireland are finally sister cities Killarney a twin city with Spring-field 111 and also a sister city with Concord NC invited Cooper City to be a sister city went there in May 2001 and were invited to Mayor Suellen Fardelmann said we did our frequent flier She flew to Killarney for the ceremony this month Killarney Mayor Sheila Casey participated in a ceremony in Cooper City at a City Commission meeting in May At first glance Cooper City and Killarney are not obvious matches Cooper City is 44 years old and prides itself on its small-town feel Killarney almost 250 years old is one of major tourist destinations One thing they have in common is that both cities are environmentally conscious Fardelmann said important especially at this time that we understand people are GOOD GLOVES: Catchers Tanner Russell and Hunter Norman above helped Team Sovereign win the prep postseason title in Cooper City Optimist baseball at the Cooper City Sports Complex More youth sports Pages 18-19 TEAM PLAYER AWARD: The first recipients of The HeraldMarlins Team Player Spotlight Award were honored on the field at Pro Player Stadium before the Florida MarlinsCincinnati Reds game Group photo Page 19 different but still have things in Fardelmann said Cooper City can learn from Killarney Fardelmann added the youngsters that are still growing she said Although city officials said they are excited about the interaction few residents know about the program itself really know too much about said Steve Carl a resident think all kinds of benefits that City fostered their relationship independently others do so with the help of Sister Cities International which has more than 2400 affiliations among 122 countries Amy Kohlbrecher interim membership director of the citizen diplomacy network said when cities get together they should view it a little like a marriage mayors talk to each other about their goals and make sure they match up" can be gained from different Some of the ideas for inter-city activities are to have high school basketball teams play each other and a writing contest whose winners would exchange places can be a good lesson for all of Fardelmann said nations are joined together by two cities joining Although Killarney and Cooper Gunslingers ride into Sunrise monthly about 5 years old Auclair said the third-largest of 21 such clubs in the state and one of a handful that meet consistently in full cowboy costume More than 60000 members nationwide make up a larger association called the Single Action Shooting Society is super super friendly No one is macho No one acts like a Auclair said is a true historical sport and anyone with a desire to see the Old West heritage come to life is invited to join or The club has rules to ensure its top three priorities he said: safety and No one is permitted to walk the range with loaded weapons and no weapons not even empty ones are ever pointed at another persoa all the years the club has existed never been one Auclair said a blast from the past for Pat Gallagher of Hialeah Sallie Gun Nelson of Palm City and Wendy Wood of Pembroke Pines the one time guys give you any Wood laughed loading for the next shoot For information on the Gunslingers call 954-389-2005 BY EILEEN SOLER Special to The Herald and welcome to the June called Gerry Auclair of Pembroke Pines in a down-yonder Western drawl The middle school teacher could be called sheriff at the Markham Park Target Range in Sunrise on the one day a month when the Gold Coast Gunslingers meet Auclair is president of the group of nearly 70 South Florida folks dedicated to preserving the history of the Old West Members gather from 8 am to 4 pm on the first Saturday of each month at the park 16001 State Road 84 coming from as far as Palm City Tequesta and Lantana and as near as Hollywood Cooper City and Miramar Dressed in authentic Old West garb their single-shot pistols Wild West rifles and silver-embossed holsters are loaded for a gallery of metal coyotes runaway steers and even outlaws used to play golf every said Jim a sales executive from Port St Lucie whose great-grandfather made whiskey barrels I get to be 12 years old and play cowboys with the best people in the EILEEN SOIERFOR THE HERALD POTSHOTS: Gunslingers President Gerry Auclair of Pembroke Pines left watches guest Don Maines fire off a few rounds not yet a member of the group But he showed up recently with pal Victor Giannoble a retired rodeo cowboy and a member of the South Florida Trail Riders The Gold Coast Gunslingers is what the Gunslingers are about said Don Maines a Southwest Ranches town councilman dressed in much the same Western wear he dons most days Maines is DAVIE DAYLONG JULY FOURTH EVENT LIGHTS UP THE FAMILY FUN Celebrate Independence Day with puppets a magic show music and fireworks at daylong Fourth of July family event starting at 10 am with a swim party and military display at the Pine Island Park munity Center 3800 SW 92nd Ave Other events throughout the day include a fun foam spray with the Davie Fire Department at 1L30 anL a bounce house and petting farm at noon and fireworks at 9 pm Call 954-797-1166 DAVIE POSNACK JCC PHOTO EXHIBIT HONORS JEWISH WAR HEROES Hall of Heroes a photo exhibit of Jewish war veterans who have received Medals of Honor will be on display through July 18 in the Nat and Dina Sedley Indoor Sports Complex at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center 5850 Pine Island Rd Davie Call 954-434-0499 DAVIE MEETING PROMISES A MANGO PARADISE Mango lovers can sample dozens of varieties of the juicy treats at the next meeting of the Rare Fruit and Vegetable Council of Broward County at 7:30 pm July 7 at the Broward County Extension Education Division 3245 College Ave Davie Mango trees also will be sold The meeting is free and open to the public Call 954-424-0054 SPREAD THE NEWS SHARE YOUR SPECIAL OCCASION WITH US Is someone you know celebrating a bar or bat mitzvah a quince (a 15th birthday) or an anniver- sary? Hometown Herald wants to publish the good news for free For quinces and bar and bat mitzvahs send us the following: name including parents age city of residence school attended siblings date and place of event family traditions and a day and evening phone number For anniversaries send: names city of residence anniversary date years married how you met number of children celebration plans and day and evening phone number even publish your photo although it cannot be returned Mail to Hometown Herald 2010 NW 150th Ave Pembroke Pines FL 33028 fax to 954-538-7021 or e-mail hornet ownm heraldcom Inside Business 6 Real Estate 12 Program teaches kids the skills to stay safe i i -rs i Li safe" Protect Your Children founder David Hausdorff said at home at school to avoid bullying No matter what is when it comes to safety this is where learn The comprehensive program covers Internet safety escape tactics self-defense how to tell good situations from bad good touch versus bad touch and more The children do role-playing in different situations and are taught a color system of red for dangerous or uncomfortable situations and green for good situations Esther Werbin of Cooper City brought her sons Adam and Danny to the class She says learned the invaluable lesson of how to talk to them about safety opened up conversations My children are aware and I just know what to say and how to handle she said At the start of the program the children are evaluated on a scale of 1 to 10 on their vulnerability The BY JULIE LEVIN Special to The Herald It was graduation day at the Protect Your Kids Safety School recently and the students were ready for their final exams do you do if a stranger asks you if you want a asked instructor Debra Marlowe away and tell your parents!" shouted back the youngsters ages 5 to 8 An unsettling discussion for elementary-aged children but one their parents hope could protect them if they ever find themselves in a threatening situation The 15 children were the first to complete the seven-week safety school the latest program offered by Protect Your Children a Hollywood-based nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about child safety The class was at the Cooper City Police Department goal is for children to remain JULIE LEVINFOR THE HERALD SAFETY EXERCISE: Debra Marlowe instructor at Protect Your Kids Safety School puts Rachel Shulman 6 through a role-playing exercise instructors also develop what they call a "safety around each child give them DNA tests and develop a passport identification for them so from Day 1 safer even if they never come Hausdorff says Protect Your Children also is opening safety school locations in Holly wood Aventura and Coral Springs The next Cooper City session begins in mid-July The cost is $99 for seven weeks Children must be between 5 and 8 years old For details call Protect Your Children at 954-893-4014 or check out the website at wwwprotect yourchildrenorg czrzzz i i 1 t'.