Published On: Sun, Mar 31st, 2019

South Palm Beach County Social Scene

By Pamela J Weinroth

Where were you this past week?

The newest inductees into the Palm Beach County Hall of Fame were honored at a dinner this past Monday, March 25th. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission has been involved with this event since 2004, developing it into the successful program it is today.

Nominations are made by the general public and members of the Hall of Fame Committee. Candidates must have been born, attended school, or achieved their major sports accomplishment in Palm Beach County in order to be considered for the Hall of Fame. Nominations are reviewed and committee members and past inductees select the individuals welcomed annually into the Hall of Fame.

Their lifetime of outstanding contributions in sports is recognized as they are inducted into the elite membership of the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame.

For 36 years, the Levis JCC has been proud to make a truly positive impact in our community every day with preschool and camp programs, rich and exciting cultural arts offerings, health and wellness classes and special needs programming. But, something was missing … Board of Director member, Emily Grabelsky reached out to Eliot Popper and suggested he chair a new initiative, JCC EASTSIDE. It was an instant success and Tuesday evenings event was no exception.  Over 100 people attended and enjoyed Tanzy’s hospitality. Board President Lori Fineman and Executive Director, Randy Colman gave aspecial thank you to the EASTSIDE Host Committee, Chaired by Eliot Popper and David Serle!

The Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton event, Honor Your Doctor Luncheon, was held at Boca West Country Club. Proceeds from the event provide scholarship funds for deserving medical, nursing, and healthcare students who attend the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at FAU, Lynn University, and Palm Beach State College.

The Honor Your Doctor Luncheon was founded by Helen Babione, a longtime resident and philanthropist in the Boca Raton Community.

The Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton has produced the event for the last five years;

The 21stAnnual Honor Your Doctor Luncheon was chaired by Alan Kaye and Janice Williams, two founding members of the Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton. Janice Williams has been involved in the event for twenty-one years and was very instrumental in bringing the event to the Club. As the Club is dedicated to Health & Wellness, this was a perfect fit as the Club continues to grow the event each year. We applaud all the honorees and special congratulations to Jeffrey Stein MD for being chosen the overall winner.

This year’s Women of Distinction event, themed “Emerging Leaders of the Community: Women Connecting Women,” was held at the Boca Raton campus of Palm Beach State College. The event highlighted women’s contributions to the world and the community and features participants of the 2018 class of Leadership Boca.

Dr. Bernadette Russell, vice president of e-learning and Boca Raton campus provost, and Sarah Pearson, executive vice president of the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, the event co-sponsor, served as moderators. Panelists were Judy Farmer, human resources director, Florida Peninsula Insurance Company; Alison Miuccio, membership development manager, Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce; Susan Bronstein, associate director of Graduate and Online Admission, Lynn University; Farideh Farazmand, director of COBM Graduate Programs and professor of International Business, Lynn University; Rashanna Henderson, founder, I-Launch, Inc.; Dr. Sheri Goldstein, dean of Student Services, PBSC Boca Raton campus. The panelists spoke about the unique bond they formed as a result of a chance meeting through Leadership Boca. They support each other to further their career goals as well as their life passions.

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Tholl

Since 1970, Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) School of Social Work has provided well-regarded, highly sought academic degrees. Students are attracted to the programs because of the ethical, practice-relevant, rigor with which the graduates are prepared for employment. Robin Rubin is the driving force behind the Phyllis Sandler Heart of Social Work’s signature community event.

The event involves extensive community participation and allows our stakeholders to support student scholarships and to learn about the School’s contributions to student life, as well as the contributions made to our broader communities through the activities of students, faculty, and friends. Robin also founded the Community Advisory Board, with Jan Savarick as its chair, for the School of Social Work in 2011.

After ten amazing years producing events in south Florida, Russell Spadaccini, introduced the newest event that brought the aroma of barbecued chicken wings to Sanborn Square Park on Saturday for the Inaugural Florida Wing Battle, A Blazing Affair! and Dessert Battle, A Sweet Affair! competition.

The event helps benefit PROPEL, People Reaching Out to Provide Education and Leadership, a 501(c)3 non profit organization in Boca Raton. PROPEL’s goal is to address the needs of youth and be a catalyst for change, one life at a time. They offer weekly programming and special events in the areas of arts, education and recreation to best forward the future of our youth.

Wing contenders were:

  • Chef George Patti is Chef/co-owner of M.E.A.T. Eatery and Taproom. 2015 / 2016 CHAMPION for Judges’ 1st Place pick for “Best Grill Master” and 2017 3rd Place Judges’ pick for “Best Grill Master”!
  • Chef’s Choicefood truck specializes in farm to table cuisine, partnering with the Florida Fresh Meat Company, proudly serving locally sourced grass-fed pasture-raised proteins, all hormone, pesticide and antibiotic free.
  • Chef Brian Cartenuto is owner and creator of Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox.
  • 2014, 2015, 2016 1st Place People’s Choice pick for “Best Battle Burger” and 2018 CHAMPION for Judges’ 2nd Place pick for “Best Grill Master”
  • Papa Beesis a family owned restaurant and has been part of the historic Longwood, Florida community for nearly 30 years!
  • At Eathai, they strive to be the premier Thai restaurant in the Delray Beach area!
  • Teddy’s Wing Shack, whereWings are the Thing! Teddy’s has been the ‘go to’ place for wings back since Military Trail in West Palm Beach was a two lane dirt road.
  • Bru’s Room’s Brandon Brudzinski is the Director of Beverage and his favorite menu item is their Char-Grilled Smoked Wings.

Judge’s Choice went to Eathai and People’s Choice was Bru’s Room.

Dessert Contenders were:

  • J&D Cakes is a specialty bakeshop with founders Joel P Basco and Daniela Borquez Holch.
  • Sweet Delight Cheesecakesbaked by Nadia Decius. 
  • Sherrell’s Sugar Shack with concepts and creative design by Sherrell Nelson.
  • Veanie Moreland, mastermind behind Sweet Boxes Etc,
  • Sweet Heaven, a combination of Maya from Bulgaria and Paulina from Peru.

Judge’s Choice was awarded to J&D Cakes and People’s Choice was Sherrell’s Sugar Shack.

Established in 2015, Theatre Lab is the professional resident company of Florida Atlantic University. Housed on the Boca Raton campus in its intimate 99-seat Heckscher Stage theatre space, Theatre Lab’s mission to “inspire, develop, and produce new work, audiences, and artists” engages the South Florida community with world-class professional theatre performances, workshops, and conversations with leading playwrights and theatre artists.

We joined Louis Tyrrell, Founding Director, and Matt Stabile, Artistic Director, for the world premier of HARLOWE, written by Jennifer Lane. After suffering a potent physical trauma, Harlowe loses her sense of touch. When her sister brings her home to convalesce, she retreats to the bathroom and spends hour after hour languishing in the tub. HARLOWE is a story of sisters and bodies; it is a story of how we heal.

The play runs through April 14th.  For tickets, please visit www.fauevents.comor call 561.297.6124.

Coming up quickly:

Boca West Children’s Foundation announced the schedule of events for its “Battle for the Kids Foundation Days.” The Foundation will host its 7th Annual Golf Challenge on April 1st and will present its Concert for the Children featuring a “Battle of the Bands II: The Fab Four and Remember When Rock Was Young” on April 2ndat Boca West Country Club.

Gates open at 6PM and performances begin at 8PM. Tickets are $150.  All ticket proceeds directly aid partner organizations.  The concert will be held rain or shine.

Funds raised will benefit at-risk children and their families in Palm Beach County.  Each day, Boca West Children’s Foundation serves more than 5,000 children. Its volunteers give 45,000 hours of their time annually to the 24 partner agencies with which the organization works.  All tickets sold directly benefit the participating organizations.

“Each year our Concert and Golf Challenge helps kids in our community by raising funds for projects at our partner agencies,” said Jennifer Bate, executive director of Boca West Children’s Foundation.   “The festivities are a fun way for people to get involved with our organization and help underserved children in our community.”

The partner programs include American Association of Caregiving Youth, Boca Helping Hands, Boca Raton Children’s Museum, Boca Raton Police Athletic League, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Boys & Girls Club, Caridad Center, Florida Atlantic University’s TOPS Summer Band Camp, Florence Fuller Child Development Centers,  Jewish Adoption & Foster Care Options, JAFCO Children’s Ability Center, Jewish Federation of South PBC Children’s Services, Junior League of Boca Raton Diaper Bank, KidSafe, Nat King Cole Generation Hope, Place of Hope-Rinker Campus, Rotary Club of Boca Raton, SOS Children’s Village, Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education, Sweet Dreams Makers, Unicorn Children’s Foundation, Viner Community Scholars, Wayne Barton Study Center, and Youth Activity Center.

A Formula for Love fundraising event to support the Mas is More Foundation will be held on Monday, April 8th at 6pm at the Boca Raton Children’s Museum, 498 Crawford Boulevard in Boca Raton. 

Mas Is More Foundation, created by Rayma Suprani and Katherine Gruber, was born due to the lack of formula in Venezuela and the high percentage of newborns with malnutrition. In Venezuela, babies up to two years old lack essential medical care and are suffering nutritional deficiencies that are harming their physical and intellectual development.

Formula for Love which will help raise crucial funds and collect baby formula, will also feature an evening of delicious food, live music, and an enticing silent auction. A special art piece will be auctioned off as well. For more information email Mary Sol Gonzalez at MaryGonzalezBoca@gmail.com.

Chair Pamela Weinroth cordially invites you to join her for the sixth annual ChildNet Care for Kids Luncheon, presented by Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, on April 9th. This year, ChildNet is proud to honor Laurie Silvers for her outstanding support of children. CBS12 News Anchor Liz Quirantes will emcee the heart-warming event and Foster and Birth Parent, Aline Silva, will be the keynote speaker.  The luncheon will benefit the 1,600 Palm Beach County children in foster care.

ChildNet has been chosen by the Florida Department of Children & Families to serve as the Community Based Care (CBC) lead agency in both Broward and Palm Beach Counties. As such, it is the single private non-profit entity responsible for managing the local system of services and supports for the communities’ most vulnerable children.

ChildNet’s mission and vision is to protect abused, abandoned and neglected children in the community and lead every child in our care to safety, permanence, and stability. 

Boca Helping Hands will host the 13th Annual Monopoly Event & Casino Night on April 13that 6 p.m. at The Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club, 2425 West Maya Palm Drive, Boca Raton. Co-chairs for the event are LouAnn Such and Dale Workman.

Guests will vie for the Boca Helping Hands title of MONOPOLY® Game Champion, and the evening will include hors d’oeuvres and dinner, a silent and live auction by auctioneer Neil Safer, casino gaming and a DJ.  Two-time National MONOPOLY Champion Gary Peters will serve as the MONOPOLY tournament mediator.

“This event is both fun and something different,” said Gary Peters, Boca Helping Hands Board President.  “Most everyone loved Monopoly as a kid, so this is their chance to come out and enjoy the game again.”

The Event Sponsor is Michelle & Michael Hagerty. The Dinner Sponsor is Tandy and Joe Robinson. The Auction Sponsor is JM Family Enterprises, Inc.  Park Place Sponsor is Oasis Championship, A Paychex® Company

Tickets start at $150.  For more information, contact Karen Swedenborg at 561-417-0913, ext. 202 or visit bocahelpinghands.org/monopoly.

For event more events and activities in our community visit my website: www.BocaCal.com

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