ROBERT E. LEONARD

PETER BORDI JR.

Cindy Whistler owns a florist shop on Selvitz Road where she also operates Nanny’s Fur Kids Cat Rescue

In his first year of teaching at JCHS, Jean Baptiste has been dubbed “Mr. J.B.” by his students.

A certified respiratory therapist, Rachelle Tetreault experienced the benefits of acupuncture and Chinese herbs herself when traditional medicine failed to help with chronic asthmatic bronchitis.

An interview with Michael “Spaz” McGoorty is an exercise in patience as well as humor. “I’m the best multitasker you’ll ever see,” he says while texting and answering a phone call. Well known throughout the Treasure Coast and beyond for his singing, acting and comedy, McGoorty — like many residents — was not always a Floridian.

Bob Lilley was 9, living in Elmira, New York — right on the border with Pennsylvania — when his 5-year-old brother, Wayne, was stricken with leukemia.

Nestled between Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce, a sewing machine hums, creating colorful peeks into nature by quilt artist Kim Georgina (“Geo”) Laffont. Her journey to the craft is as interesting and varied as her quilts.

“Kidpreneur” refers to a young person with a big idea. Nazhi (pronounced Nah-zhee) Forrest is that and more. As founder and CEO of a growing baking business, Nazhi Thee Baker, LLC, the 15-year-old hopes to raise awareness of a medical condition that her own family deals with: sickle cell anemia.