Robert’s Community Report: 3/9
It was the final weekend for The Festival of the Arts. Bill Murray, Jan Vogler & friends presented an evening of music, poetry and prose on Friday March 2rd. In addition to being a fine actor a, Murray is a lover of poetry and prose. His passion for both, and his friendship with acclaimed cellist Jan Vogler, led to this singular evening of music and words. Performing with a chamber trio, Murray read various texts – poems by Whitman, and passages from Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast, and Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s– interspersed with instrumental pieces by Bach, Ravel and Piazzolla and classic songs by the Gershwins, Bernstein, and Stephen Foster. New Worlds was a fascinating encounter between great music and great literature, starring masters of their art.
Sunday was filled with community activities starting with the 15th Annual Walk With Us to Cure Lupus hosted by Lynn University. Lupus is a serious disease that can affect anyone. It is most often diagnosed in young women, between the ages of 15 and 44. While the cause is not known, lupus is an autoimmune disease – in which the immune system attacks healthy cells by mistake – that can potentially damage many parts of the body. There is no known cure for lupus, though effective treatments are available.
Next stop, the Boating & Beach Bash for People with Disabilites. Under the watchful eye of Lowell and Jay Van Vechten, the free event provided a wonderful day of activities for people with mobility challenges. Special guest, Kechi Okwuchi belted out several songs to a very appreciative audience. The setting for the Bash is Spanish River Park, Boca Raton’s most beautiful setting for an event like the Bash, is set between the Atlantic Ocean. EVERYTHING was free from the moment our guests reach the park. Admission, parking, lunch, boat rides, the concerts and all Bash related activities are FREE and always will be.
From Spanish River Park we headed northwest to Wellington to partake of a Day of Mallets & Chukkers, a fundraiser for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Foundation. This was the 5th annual event held at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. The independent, nonprofit foundation helps underprivileged children and supports local law enforcement. For the third year 10 students received scholarships Youth Scholarship Program, which gave out $25,000 in scholarships to 10 Palm Beach County high school seniors. A sworn member of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office nominated each student. The students’ scholarships can be renewed for up to four years providing the students maintain a 3.0 GPA.
The Unicorn Children’s Foundation held the Unicorn Ball punctuated by a special duet performance by Delicious Diamond Delight (a/k/a Foundation President, Gregory Fried) and Zuzu LaBelle (a/k/a Kurtis Lutz).
After the show, guests were whisked away to the Studio 54 dance floor and a scrumptious dessert buffet. Unicorn Children’s Foundation is dedicated to children and young adults with developmental, communication, and learning disorders through education, awareness, and research so that they have every opportunity to lead productive and fulfilling lives.
Unicorn Children’s Foundation’s key initiatives include: promoting early identification of symptoms associated with ADHD, autism, bipolar, dyslexia and other learning disorders; developing and disseminating worldwide ground-breaking and extensive evaluation and treatment guidelines; fostering communication and collaboration between parents, professionals and policy makers to promote learning and increased awareness; and to provide adequate tools and resources to better meet the needs of our beneficiaries.
.
Making International Travel Easier Than Ever! The City of Boca Raton – Economic Development and the Boca Raton Airport Authority are anticipating the imminent opening of the new United States Customs Service Border Protection (CBP) facility.
The new Customs and Border Protection facility will allow international flights to fly directly into the Boca Raton Airport (BCT) —saving time and making your travels more efficient.
It was a morning of encouragement and motivation as the YMCA of South Palm Beach County hosted their largest fundraiser of the year – the 16th Annual Inspiration Breakfast on March 7th. This year’s event featured Head Coach of the Miami Hurricanes, Mark Richt as the keynote speaker. The purpose of the Inspiration Breakfast event is to bring the community together for a time of encouragement and motivation while celebrating the Y’s spirited vision and commitment to promoting youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Proudly this event raises funds for the YMCA’s Financial Assistance Program and the Y’s Drowning Prevention Initiatives. Its purpose is to raise funds for the YMCA’s Financial Assistance Program and the Y’s Drowning Prevention Initiatives.
Coming up:
You are cordially invited to make a difference in a child’s life during the third annual “Eat, Drink, and Be Giving Gala” on Friday, March 9th, 2018 from 6 to 10PM. Taking place at the Marriott Hotel in Delray Beach, the inspirational evening will feature an elegant dinner, cocktails, a moving awards presentation and live and silent auctions. Purchase your tickets today! For questions, please contact events@childrescuecoalition.org
Join Florence Fuller Child Development Centers, Boca Raton Children’s Museum, and The Rotary Club of Boca Raton Scholarship Program as we Give Kids a Running Start to benefit the children in our community. This certified 5k/10k will be on March 10 at Spanish River Park at 7AM.
Grab your shopping bags and head on over to the Boca Raton Green Market held every Saturday, 8AM to 1PM, through May 13, 2018. Now in its 21st year of operation, the Market takes place at the south end of Royal Palm Place in the Monument Piazza parking area located at the intersection of S Federal Hwy and SE Mizner Blvd. Plenty of parking is available adjacent to the Market vendor site. Boca’s Green Market has continually been dedicated to local food production and consumption — produce that travels from farm direct to the dining table — and through the process supporting the Florida agricultural industry and the economy of our south Florida area. Each Saturday, fresh locally-grown fruits and vegetables as they become available in their individual growing seasons—along with fresh-read-to-cook chickens, eggs, fresh herbs, soaps & lotions, juices, potted orchids, ocean shells, fresh cut flowers, assorted variety of plants, fresh baked goods, prepared foods, oils & vinegars, gourmet foods, hydroponic and organic foods, fresh fish and seafood, fresh pasta, doggie treats —are available for purchase. Several of the vendors have participated since the Market began in 1996, with a few new vendors joining each year. Community service organizations participate from time to time to share information or to promote a special project. The Boca Raton GreenMarket is supported by The Boca Raton Tribune, Florida Health & Chiropractic Medicine, Aurora Nurses Home Health Care, Inc., Investments Limited, Inc., Palm Beach County, Happy Day Creations, Premier Productions LLC, LivingFLA.com, and “FRESH from FLORIDA,” a promotional campaign of Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs.
Also, Saturday morning, join in the 5th Annual Mayor/Council Member Bicycle Ride. The tour begins at 9AM at Mizner Park Amphitheater. Participants can choose from two routes. Afterwards, the Mayor and City Council will be kicking off the Health & Wellness Experience event.
The “must-see”, “must be-there” Health & Wellness event offers something for every age and interest. The FREE event is a day of engagement, education, entertainment and empowerment, designed to help families and individuals take actions and make choices to be healthier.
That afternoon the Boca Chamber is hosting a fun day of food and games for the whole family on the grounds at the YMCA. Chamber Members and Non-Members are invited to come celebrate this gorgeous community in which we live, work and play! There will be tons of food – including hot dogs, hamburgers, veggies, chips and much more. Fun games for family members of all ages, bounce houses, slides, DJ and the South Florida Sun! Admission to the Community Cookout is FREE! You can purchase a meal ticket for $5, which includes a burger or hotdog, cold salad, chips and a beverage. (Please register your family on-line) Children under 10 years old will receive one complimentary meal ticket.
Saturday evening you may choose from a variety of events:
- Enjoy a wonderful evening of silent and live auctions, happy hour, dinner & dancing at Best Foot Forward’s Bash benefiting children in the foster care system. The event takes place at The Polo Club of Boca Raton. For information call: 561-470-8300.
- Daniel Ulbricht, New York City Ballet principal dancer and founder of Stars of American Ballet, brings his troupe to join forces with Boca Ballet Theatre to present a dynamic concert showcasing iconic works of yesterday and today, highlighting a spectrum of different styles of music and dance. Featuring some of today’s most stunning and versatile dancers from New York City Ballet, Stars of American Ballet will present George Balanchine’s Apollo, as well as Sing Sing Sing and Red Angels accompanied by live music. https://www.facebook.com/events/126201204736814
- KidSafe Foundation is thrilled to announce “Gold Medalist and New York Times Best-selling author Aly Raisman to Keynote KidSafe Foundation’s 9th annual “Shine the Light” Gala. https://www.facebook.com/events/171269580140995
- You, your family, friends and neighbors are invited to attend the Concert for Douglas, a benefit hosted by Spanish River Church featuring Young Artists of South Florida, Saturday, March 10 from 7-9PM. The plan is to bring the students and families of the community together to raise funds for the families and victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Everyone is donating from their hearts, their time, talent and resources and we hope you will be able to join us for an evening of remembrance and music. All Proceeds will benefit the Stoneman Douglas Fund. Political agendas will not be permitted. SAVE THE DATE OR DONATE! Tickets & Donations are now live!
On Monday, the 12th, Join the South Florida Chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation for a memorable afternoon at the 28th Annual Book of Hope Luncheon on Monday, March 12, 2018 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club! Nicholas Perricone, MD will be the speaker at this year’s event. Dr. Perricone is a US board-certified dermatologist, world-renowned healthy aging expert, award winning inventor, educator and philanthropist.
DON’T FORGET TO VOTE – MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY MARCH 13TH
New Directions for Women Luncheon benefiting National Jewish Health will be held on March 16th. National Jewish Health is the leading respiratory hospital in the nation. The luncheon will raise funds to support research and treatment, including heart and lung diseases that affect women. Guest speaker, Jill Zarin first made a name for herself as an original cast member of the Bravo reality TV hit, “The Real Housewives of New York City,” which is now available on Netflix. Leveraging her business, marketing and retail savvy, she built several personal brands including the Jill Zarin Jewelry Collection and Skweez Couture shapewear. She wrote her first book, “Secrets of a Jewish Mother,” with her mother, Gloria Kamen, and her sister, Lisa Wexler, radio host of “The Lisa Wexler Show.” Zarin is a sought-after speaker and talk show guest, bringing motivation, common sense, humor and chutzpah to topics ranging from marriage and caregiving, to politics and pop culture. Zarin has a seasonal home in Boca Raton. Join hundreds of your fellow community members at a luncheon to support women’s heart and lung health. Proceeds benefit National Jewish Health, where patients receive cutting-edge, comprehensive, coordinated care from a team of medical professionals advancing the research and treatment of respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders.http://www.flnewdirections.com/
