ALPINE, N.J.—On Sept. 26, the Englewood Health Foundation Breakfast Club hosted its fall gathering at Montammy Golf Club in Alpine with featured speaker Mike Karantonis.
Karantonis is a famous Specialist Game Ranger from South Africa who has led spectacular wildlife journeys for 22 years.
Established in 1995, the Englewood Health Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that develops private resources to support the capital, endowment and annual operating needs of Englewood Health.
As guests entered the ballroom, they purchased raffle tickets for wonderful prizes: A Wild Discovery Tour at the Bronx Zoo with Karantonis, a $500 Neiman Marcus gift card and personal shopping appointment plus lunch for two in the store’s Zodiac Restaurant, and a Braverman Family Executive Wellness Program package.
When everyone was seated, Lindsay Maurer, executive director of philanthropy operations, extended a warm welcome and invited Ulrike Berth, MD to the podium.
“Like many of you, I was invited to join the Breakfast Club for morning conversation…and I was hooked!” Dr. Berth said. “I joined the committee last year as physician liaison, and it is an honor to work with a dedicated group of volunteers who are passionate about furthering Englewood Health’s reach in our shared communities.”
Berth then welcomed Michael Gutter, chairman of the board of the Englewood Health Foundation.
“We have an incredible team of physicians and clinicians who provide the highest quality care for countless patients and families throughout this region,” Gutter said.
He extended thanks to all in attendance.
“Thank you for your support. It is your generosity and commitment that enables our health system to deliver quality care each and every day,” Gutter said.
Jamie Ketas, vice president of quality at Englewood Health, took the podium next and provided insight about her team’s ongoing work in the community.
“With many of our patients hailing from the City of Englewood, we placed special focus on our neighbors and assessed trends in our community to identify areas of need as it relates to health and wellness,” Ketas said.
Among a number of initiatives is an education program at Dwight Morrow High School. Englewood Health introduced experts including diabetes educators and mental health clinicians to the school curriculum to educate and inspire students to take a proactive approach to health. Funds raised through the event will benefit programs—including this education initiative—at Englewood Health.
Berth then introduced featured speaker Karantonis, who enthralled the audience with stories about his spectacular journey as he showed vivid wildlife scenes using PowerPoint.
“I always had a natural draw to nature,” the South African native began. “I grew up in White River, which was about 20 kilometers from the Kruger National Park. As I grew up, I spent a lot of time on game reserves and in the bush and I fell in love with that environment from a very young age. When I was in school, I’d climb over the fence of a game park with a sandwich and do my homework there.”
He explained that from a very young age, he knew that he wanted to be a big game ranger.
“Currently, I run Africa Direct, a company that offers safaris with private guides for small groups from one to six people. I am also involved in conversation initiatives. It is very important that people, especially children, see and learn to love animals. Not everyone can afford a safari, so zoos are also important. When children see an animal up close, it sparks something in them that can change their future.”
Karantonis described the training it took to become a senior ranger, and spoke about how he met and traveled with his first tracker.
“It’s a combination of art and science that is handed down from generation to generation,” he said.
Karantonis filled the room with excitement as he recounted jaw-dropping excursions that have earned him numerous industry accolades. From hair-raising stories of bush encounters to mind-blowing birdlife in Botswana to gorilla trekking in the dense forests of Uganda, Karantonis has seen it all and has earned a reputation as one of the world’s leading experts in exotic tourism.
The audience was in awe when Karantonis described some of his dangerous encounters, such as being attacked and tightly entwined by a giant python, and finding himself in a standoff with a lioness.
He concluded with a passionate accolade to wildlife: “I have had an incredible and unique life, surrounded by magnificent animals, exotic birds and trees, amazing starry nights, vivid smells and peaceful silences. I am so lucky in the life I lead, and there is no way that anyone will ever put a white shirt on me and put me in an office!”
After Karantonis’ presentation, there was a question and answer session, and he was presented with a gift by the Breakfast Committee Chairs.
Besides Karantonis, The Breakfast Club has hosted many outstanding speakers since it began in 2012. Previous guests have included celebrity chefs, a NASA astronaut, noted medical experts, television personalities and bestselling authors. Each breakfast raises funds to support one of the hospital’s departments. The Sept. 26 event was sponsored by Northern Center for Plastic Surgery, Town Audi, Town Porsche and Subaru of Englewood.