Local Business Owner Commissions Guy Harvey to Paint a Tribute to Navy Sacrifice and Bravery 
by: Paul Ripa

On Feb 10,2007,the "USS Gridley" a new navy warship will be commissioned in Miami. Since childhood, I have been enthralled with the armed forces of the United States, especially the Navy. I have been working on a WW 2 novel about the naval battles in the Pacific. From this novel, I had a vision of a Tribute to the United States Navy, its every sailor, airmen and marine. A tribute honoring Navy sacrifice and bravery. The tribute came to me in a dream. It would be a huge painting. I was determined to do two things. Commission Mr. Guy Harvey to bring my dream to life via the painting, and Gift the painting to the United States Navy. And my dreams have come true! Guy Harvey accepted my commission to paint the Tribute and I am to present the painting to the United States Navy at the Captains Gala at Viscaya, the Friday before the commissioning of the Gridley! My final dream is that it will be hung in the United states Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The painting will be donated thru my business, Rippy's Big Reef, Sub Shop, Deli and Sportfishing Adventures!

A lot will be happening on the corner of "1 NE 167 Street" in the coming months. I will be moving Rippy's To the 3600 sq ft site of the former "Rippy's Italian Market". I am going to build a wonderful Deli restaurant, surrounded wall to wall by a spectacular saltwater aquarium. I also have two Grady White 30 foot Sportfishing boats being built my Pompano Beach Marine Center that will be put out for "Sportfishing Adventures".The boats will be at Haulover Marina and Bayside. The 3000 sq ft building where Rippy's Subs currently resides will become "Big Rips Bait and Tackle Shop".The focus of the two businesses will be on the Children of our Neighborhoods. Rippy's will have fishing and aquarium seminars for children and will sponsor a charity Fishing tournament each Summer. The theme of Rippy's Big Reef, Sub Shop, Deli and Sportfishing Adventures and Big Rip's Bait and Tackle will be "God, Family, Country, Flag, and the preservation of our environment and its precious wildlife"

" I want to thank my lifelong friend and mentor, Councilman Kenneth DeFillipo for his help and enthusiasm with the "Gridley" project and for his initiative to protect our Children, of which I have many, the "Rippy Kids".