Dave Magrogan, owner of Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar in Delray Beach, lives in coastal Delray. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

As Dave Magrogan has learned, spending the first eight years of his professional career as a chiropractor proved to be excellent preparation for his move into the restaurant business.

Magrogan, 45, owner of  Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar in Delray Beach, developed a passion for a healthy lifestyle that he’s transitioned into a “farm to table” approach to serving meals to a like-minded clientele.

“I work out every day; I don’t use drugs and medications and surgeries and things, so I’ve always kept my chiropractic philosophy of natural health and living alive,” he said. “Harvest is sort of coming full circle: It allows me to express myself in the restaurant business with my health and physical beliefs I’ve gained through chiropractic.

“People think it’s funny that you spend 71/2 years going to school to become a chiropractor, and now I own restaurants, but all of that chiropractic foundation certainly helped create the foundation for Harvest, and the healthy lifestyle that Harvest is wrapped around.”

Magrogan, who said he has opened “22 or 23” restaurants in all and still runs six in the Northeast, came to Delray just two years ago but has quickly come to love the lifestyle.

“It’s radically different from the Northeast,” he said. “At 8 in the morning I can be on my boat in the Intracoastal, and by 11 o’clock I can be at my restaurant getting ready for lunch. I enjoy it a lot; it’s a good place to grow a business, and the business environment is pretty positive.”

People often misjudge him, he said.

“When you are the CEO of a company with 600-plus employees, people often can think you are tough, cold or calculating,” he said. “To the contrary, I am a very fun-loving, loyal and caring person. I love to see people become successful in our company or on their own outside of our company. I believe firmly that helping others always comes back in a positive way and I look for opportunities to help others around me grow.”

One of his favorite charities, one with which he has worked closely, is the Palm Beach County Food Bank and its Empty Bowls event.

“I believe that every person should have access to an adequate meal, “ he said.

Magrogan says his fiancée, Melissa, and his children never fail to put a smile on his face.

“Melissa and I love to travel, visit restaurants and go to concerts together,” he said. “We always have fun wherever we find ourselves. My kids are my inspiration. Watching them grow and evolve into caring and intelligent adults is the greatest feeling in the world.”

— Brian Biggane

Q: Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?

A: I grew up in Brookhaven, Pa., with a single mother who moved around a lot. My mom worked long hours to make ends meet and always told us we too had to work hard to get somewhere in the world. I graduated from West Chester University in Pennsylvania with a pre-med degree, and received my doctorate in chiropractic from Life University in Atlanta.

Q: What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?

A: I did work in restaurants early on in my career, while I was in high school and college. However, once I completed my chiropractic education, I built two of the largest and most successful family practices in Pennsylvania, treating over 800 patients a week. During this time, I explored its connection with holistic nutrition and eventually left to pursue my passion for the restaurant industry.

During this time I developed about six different restaurant concepts, got involved with real estate development, wrote my book Do It Rhino Style and started public speaking on business and goal-setting internationally. I am most proud of my “rhino-style” approach to business that eschews complaining in favor of optimism and facing problems head-on. Today I am laser-focused on the success and quality of our Harvest brand. The Harvest concept is the professional accomplishment I am most proud of.

Q: What advice do you have for a young person seeking a career today?

A: I began my professional career as a chiropractor and when it got to a point where I started watching the clock and feeling trapped in an office, I didn’t have the passion for it anymore. Follow your dreams, no matter how out of reach they seem. Passion will create persistence, which will help you persevere during the difficult times in growing your career.

Q: How did you choose to make your home in Delray Beach?

A: The Delray Beach community has been so welcoming and inviting to both Harvest and Local Greens that it only made sense. Plus, it’s absolutely beautiful! There is a palpable energy in Delray, a positive vibe that inspires creativity and growth.

Q: What is your favorite part about living in Delray Beach?

A: I wake up every morning and walk on the beach; it’s truly an amazing place. The energy in South Florida and in Delray is contagious. The amount of time you can spend outdoors running, walking or boating makes it a fantastic lifestyle.

Q: What book are you reading now?

A: The Start-Up J Curve, by Howard Love. It is an excellent book for the entrepreneur or business owner.

Q: What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax?

A: I have always been a huge fan of the Grateful Dead.  The new Dead and Company tour with John Mayer in the band has been fantastic.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?

A: One of my favorites: “Leaders are visionaries with a poorly developed sense of fear and no concept of the odds against them. They make the impossible happen.” — Dr. Robert Jarvik

Q: Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?

A: My mother taught me the value of a dollar and helped shape me into the motivated person I am today. I also have a very dear friend in Philadelphia, Bernie Spain, who built several successful businesses during his career. He has been a trusted adviser and mentor during the past 15 years.

Q: If your life story were made into a movie, who would play you?

A: I’m not sure of the exact answer, but the movie The Founder, about Ray Kroc, starring Michael Keaton, reminds me a lot of the difficulties one faces as an entrepreneur in any business. I tell every entrepreneur they need to watch that movie.

By Jane Smith

Boynton Beach plans to finish moving city services in September to make way for the 16-acre Town Square project.

City Hall staff moved in the last two weeks of August to a temporary site at 3301 Quantum Blvd., Suite 100. Phone numbers and office hours will be the same for all departments, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, said Eleanor Krusell, city spokeswoman.

Customer service staff moved to 209 N. Seacrest Blvd., just south of the Post Office branch at the southwest corner of Seacrest and Boynton Beach boulevards.

The City Library opened in its temporary location at 115 N. Federal Highway.

In mid-August, the City Commission approved a lease for extra storage space for the library of 8,700 square feet in the same Quantum Park building as the temporary police headquarters.

Starting Sept. 6, City Commission, city board and Community Redevelopment Agency meetings will take place at the Intracoastal Park Clubhouse at 2240 N. Federal Highway.

The Police Department is moving to 2045 High Ridge Road over the third weekend in September. Its public records and internal affairs also will move that weekend and reopen Sept. 24 at 209 N. Seacrest Blvd.

The Fire-Rescue Department will be the last to leave the area. Plans call for the staff at Station 1, which serves Ocean Ridge and Briny Breezes, to be split between Fire Station 4 on South Federal Highway and Fire Station 5 on High Ridge Road.

Krusell cautioned people against digging up plants around the vacant city buildings because they could disturb utility lines.

The plants will be evaluated for their ability to thrive if transplanted to medians and parks and the costs of transplanting them.

The $250 million Town Square is a public-private partnership between Boynton Beach and E2L Real Estate Solutions. The area, bounded by Boynton Beach Boulevard on the north and Southeast Second Avenue on the south, will create a downtown for Boynton Beach.

When the project is complete in about 18 months, the city will have a renovated historic high school building that can be used for recreation classes on the first floor and a ballroom that can be rented on the second floor, a City Center building that will house city hall and the library, new Fire Station 1, parks, garages and an amphitheater.

E2L will develop a hotel, office buildings with stores and restaurants on the ground floor, and apartment buildings.

In early August, the City Commission approved borrowing $6.85 million from Dougherty Funding to finish renovating the high school instead of using money from its share of the penny sales tax proceeds. The three-year loan carries a 4.85 percent interest rate and has a prepayment penalty if repaid in the first  year.

Meeting dates altered to allow budget hearings

Boynton Beach commission meetings will be held on Thursdays instead of Tuesdays in September to meet the county budget requirements. The first budget hearing will be 6:30 p.m. Sept. 6 and the second budget hearing will be 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20.

The city’s fire-rescue assessment rate resolution will be heard at 6 p.m. Sept. 11, just prior to the city’s CRA meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Other public meetings will keep their same days and times. 

By Jane Smith

Boynton Beach is moving closer to allowing dogs on the beach at Oceanfront Park.

A majority of city commissioners agreed Aug. 21 to a trial event proposed by Wally Majors, recreation and parks director.

The event will be free and open to all dog owners, from 9 a.m. to noon on a Saturday in late October or November. “We want everyone to have fun,” Majors said.

The exact Saturday will depend on whether the county’s Environmental Resources Management Department allows the activity to take place during the turtle-nesting season, which ends Oct. 31. Majors did not have a date as of press time.

In addition, two part-time park rangers recently approved in the city’s budget will start Oct. 1. They will need to be trained. The earliest they will be ready is Oct. 13, Majors said.

The park rangers will monitor the dogs and their owners. They will ensure the dogs have Palm Beach County licenses, which show their rabies vaccines are current. Owners won’t have to preregister.

The rangers also will monitor the temporary fencing that will extend from the dune to the high-tide line, if the county approves, Majors said. “People can still walk across the beach on the wet sand,” he said.

Three parks maintenance workers will set up the site on 450 feet at the north end of the beach starting at 7 a.m. The workers also will take down the temporary fencing at noon and clean up dog feces left behind.

The fencing will aim to keep dogs from property to the north, which is county beach and does not allow dogs; and to the south, away from other Oceanfront Park guests and the private beaches in Ocean Ridge.

While Boynton Beach owns the beach, it is in the town of Ocean Ridge and subject to its ordinances. Ocean Ridge does not allow animals, including dogs on leashes, on the public beach. Owners of private beaches can allow dogs on their beaches.

Majors said he planned to call the Ocean Ridge town manager in late August.

Ocean Ridge is waiting for a proposal to review, said Jamie Titcomb, town manager. The Town Commission will meet on Sept. 6.

“We will work with them if they want to do it as a special event,” he said. “Otherwise, we will enforce our ordinances.”

Vice Mayor Christina Romelus was the lone dissenter at the Boynton commission meeting.

“I was against it in the beginning and I’m against it now — waste of resources and staff time,” she said. “We just closed after-school programs because of lack of staff. Now we’re hiring staff to pick up dog poop?” 

Price, logistics of starting own department might prove too much, expert says

By Rich Pollack

Surprised by an increase in the cost of fire service for the next fiscal year, Highland Beach commissioners are again wondering whether it would make sense for the small community to have its own fire department.

Currently, Highland Beach has a contract with neighboring Delray Beach to staff the town’s small fire station and provide fire and emergency medical services.

For the coming fiscal year, the cost jumped 8.6 percent to about $4.22 million, causing commissioners to worry about increasing costs for the remaining seven years of the 10-year agreement. Commissioners  budgeted $4.28 million total for fire services next year, which includes maintenance costs.

“If we want to keep this agreement, it’s going to go up for the next seven or eight years,” said Vice Mayor Alysen Africano Nila, one of the strongest proponents of looking into the feasibility of starting a fire department.

Africano Nila said she discovered that Broward County’s Lighthouse Point, a city of a little more than 10,000 residents, operates its own fire department at a reasonable cost.

“Obviously, it’s feasible for a small town to have its own fire department,” she said.     

In fact, according to Lighthouse Point City Administrator John Lavisky, the city runs its 26-person department for slightly less than what Highland Beach pays Delray Beach for fire service.

Lavisky, Lighthouse Point’s fire chief from 1995 to 2003, oversaw the operations of 26 U.S. Air Force fire departments prior to coming to South Florida. He said the town’s Fire Department budget for the upcoming fiscal year is $4.1 million.

To cover the 2.3-mile town, Lighthouse Point has two EMS vehicles, a ladder truck and an engine.

With a fire station located in the center of the city, the department has a response time of between three and four minutes.

“Our department is very lean,” Lavisky said. “We have 26 people and we make it work.”

Should it need additional resources, Lighthouse Point has an agreement with neighboring Pompano Beach to provide backup.

While there are similarities between Lighthouse Point and Highland Beach, there are differences as well, especially in the types of structures. Lighthouse Point has several businesses, while commercial properties are almost nonexistent in Highland Beach.

Another big difference: Lighthouse Point has a four-story height limit, while Highland Beach has several high-rise buildings, which would require additional apparatus and staffing.

While it may be possible to operate a fire department at a cost similar to what Highland Beach is paying Delray Beach, starting from scratch might be a different story.

In addition to what could amount to millions of dollars in costs, there is a range of issues that has to be considered.

“You can’t just flip a switch and have a fire department,” says Robert Finn, a senior manager at the Matrix Consulting Group and a former fire chief. “It would be a big task for any agency. There are a lot of steps and a lot of things to consider.”

Finn, whose company was hired three years ago to study the feasibility of a barrier island fire department in south Palm Beach County — which would have included Highland Beach — says too often communities find the challenges and potential costs overwhelming.

“Most times they decide to continue to contract with whoever they’re working with,” he said.

Finn said it could take as long as a year for a community to start its own fire department and during those 12 months, the town would have to continue paying its current contractor while also paying a fire chief and any additional personnel on board prior to a conversion.

“You want to get an administrative staff to develop policies and then begin recruiting staff,” he said. “In South Florida, there is some difficulty in hiring people who are already certified.”

In addition to paying training costs, Finn said, a startup department has to worry about equipment, including additional trucks to ensure backup vehicles are available during maintenance.

There’s also potential station remodeling issues as well as providing equipment for the firefighters and paramedics.

“Each firefighter has to have their own gear,” he said.

Besides direct costs, indirect costs also have to be considered.

Starting a fire department, Finn said, has an impact on a town’s departments for human resources, finance, technology and legal affairs, which would be needed to negotiate union contracts.

“For some departments, when you lay all those cards on the table, it becomes too large a task,” he said.

To help municipalities with the decision-making, Finn’s company provides extensive feasibility studies, which typically run between $40,000 and $50,000.

“It gives them a blueprint and an implementation plan,” he said. “It has all the information needed to make a decision.”

For Lighthouse Point and Lavisky, startup costs weren’t much of a problem. The city’s Fire Department started as a volunteer department in the 1960s and was converted to a full-time department in the 1970s.

The department added emergency medical services in 1999 and now has a part-time medical director who is paid $18,000 a year.

“Starting a department takes time and you have to have someone who can plan it out,” he said.  

By Jane Smith

Jeff Goldman has traded his badge and Delray Beach police chief uniform for a suit-and-tie job as acting assistant city manager.

He was tapped by City Manager Mark Lauzier to spend the remaining months of his police career overseeing the operations and budget of the police, fire-rescue, parks and recreation, and community improvement departments.

Goldman’s first business suit day was Aug. 1.

“When I first arrived, I noticed the Police Department was well-run,” Lauzier said. “It will give Goldman a chance to do something else while we test his two assistants.”

Assistant Police Chief Mary Olsen will run the department until Dec. 21. Even though Goldman worked on the Police Department budget, he let Olsen give the presentation on Aug. 14 to city commissioners. After presenting the facts, Olsen, ­following the style of other department heads, then pointed out that five police officer positions were not funded, creating an $875,210 gap.

Olsen served as acting police chief in West Palm Beach three years before moving to the Delray Beach Police Department in 2014.

After her stint is over, Assistant Chief Javaro Sims will take over for 4½ months until May 15. Sims was hired in 1992.

Goldman, who joined the department in 1989, is enrolled in the state retirement program for government workers. His police career is one filled with promotions: sergeant, lieutenant, captain and assistant chief before being named police chief in 2014. His last day will be in May.

He likes to tout his community-police relations as one of his successes. Goldman attends community events where he moves around on a Delray Beach police scooter.

At the first Budget Town Hall on Aug. 2, Goldman said he looks forward to working with the department heads to see whether that career path interests him.

“It will give Goldman a chance to see if he likes working for me,” Lauzier said on Aug. 14. “And whether I like how he works.”

If it works out, Goldman could move over to the city manager’s office next year, Lauzier said.

Goldman will be Lauzier’s third assistant city manager.

Previous city managers had two assistants. 

An aquatic- themed mural may soon cover this building on Ocean Avenue. Rendering provided

By Mary Thurwachter

Not everyone saw eye-to-eye on the artistic allure of a proposed mural to cover a new boutique at 228 E. Ocean Ave., but the plan squeaked by with an approval from the Lantana Town Council.

Ryan Cordero, owner of the iconic Old Key Lime House next door — and the petitioner for the mural — said the “aquatic scene would be a nice addition to Ocean Avenue.”

The shop, whose name will remain secret until opening day (also not revealed), will be “painted with an aquatic scene using vibrant pastels for a Lily Pulitzer-inspired dream scene,” Cordero said.

But not everyone at the Aug. 27 town meeting was feeling the dream.

“I’m not an art critic,” said council member Malcolm Balfour, “but it’s a little jumbled up. It’s kind of shock and doesn’t blend that well with the nice coloring of the Old House.”

“But it also has all the colors of Olde Village Pointe right across the street,” Cordero countered.

Vice Mayor Ed Shropshire, who voted against the mural, said his wife loved that sort of style, and, “on a building, it definitely is eye-catching.” Not necessarily his cup of tea, though. He worried about how well the mural would withstand weather and what it would look like after a year or two.

Mayor Dave Stewart, who also voted against the mural, said it reminded him of something you’d see in the ’60s on the side of a Volkswagen van.

“I think there were many vehicles that looked very similar at Woodstock and other places,” Stewart said. “I think Janis Joplin had a Porsche that was painted very similar. I’m sure someone’s trying to do something nice, but it’s just too much. I can’t be in favor of it.”

Council members Phil Aridas, Lynn Moorhouse and Balfour voted to approve. 

By Dan Moffett

Despite having a hefty list of unresolved issues, the South Palm Beach Town Council has signed off on a rollback of the property tax rate for the 2019 budget year.

Council members have agreed to drop the current millage from $4 per $1,000 of taxable value to the full rollback rate of $3.79, which keeps tax revenues flat year-over-year.

Because taxable values are up about 5 percent on property in the town, Mayor Bonnie Fischer and Town Manager Mo Thornton said revenues should increase about $80,000 over the last fiscal year even with the lower rate.

The council has much to decide that will affect the town’s budget.

Council members must choose someone to fill the vacant police chief position and find a town clerk. The council is waiting on an architect’s report to decide whether renovating the Town Hall is possible.

Then there is the controversial project with Palm Beach County that proposes installing concrete groins on the beach to combat erosion. That plan, originally conceived 12 years ago, is moving slowly through the state and federal permitting process, and faces tough opposition from the town’s southern neighbors, Manalapan and Ocean Ridge.

Thornton said she expects to receive the report from architect John Bellamy by early September. The findings could determine whether upgrading Town Hall costs tens of thousands or significantly more.

“My plan is to schedule a workshop to go over his report,” Thornton said. “It’s too much to take up at a regular meeting.”

To avoid conflicts with the Rosh Hashanah holiday, the council has rescheduled its regular meeting to Sept. 12, immediately following a 7 p.m. hearing on the proposed 2019 budget. A second budget hearing is scheduled for 5:01 p.m. on Sept. 24.

In other business:

• South Palm Beach police gave out their first written warning last month under the new ordinance prohibiting dogs on the beach.

Sgt. Mark Garrison, the town’s interim police chief, told the council during its Aug. 21 meeting that the department will begin recording violations in a database as part of the law’s implementation. First offenders receive written warnings, but then for each subsequent violation within a calendar year they face $100 fines.

“Parking citations and town ordinance violations imposing a fine will now be completed on our computer-based reporting system,” Garrison said. “Citations will be tracked by year and number for payment.”

Garrison said an officer responding to the scene of a possible dog ordinance violation will be able to determine quickly whether the offender should receive a warning or be fined.

Councilwoman Stella Gaddy Jordan said officers need to be especially vigilant for dog offenses on the southern beaches, near the Imperial House and Palm Beach Windemere condominiums, where residents have frequently complained about irresponsible pet owners.

Garrison told Jordan that officers are “trying to do five or six beach checks per shift.”

• Thornton said IT contractors are making “good progress” fixing internet and phone problems that have dogged the town for more than a year.

In June 2017, the town’s system was hit with a ransom-ware attack that paralyzed business at Town Hall. Officials paid no ransom and were able to get computers and website back online with the help of an outside contractor. But problems have persisted. 

By Mary Thurwachter

Although it’s making  progress, Intercounty Engineering Inc., the firm hired to install water main pipes on Hypoluxo Island’s South Atlantic Drive, remains behind schedule and now has a projected Sept. 30 completion date. The contractor is being fined $500 a day by Mathews Consulting Inc., Lantana’s engineering firm.

“The contractor completed the installation of the water main and is installing fire hydrants,” Linda Brien, Lantana’s director of operations, said in mid-August.

The project, along the island’s main street, begins at East Ocean Boulevard and South Atlantic Drive heading south to Lands End Road, where it turns east to the end of Southeast Atlantic Drive.

The contractor at times has used double crews to catch up, Brien said. “The projected completion date is Sept. 30. The daily fines started on July 9.”

Lantana officials withheld payment to the contractor after it fell behind schedule and wasn’t doing a satisfactory job of cleanup after work each day, something residents said created a safety hazard.
Rebecca Travis of Mathews Consulting said about half of the million-dollar contract has yet to be paid.

The original scheduled completion date was July 3. However, “due to rain and unforeseen conditions, the town extended the completion date to July 23,” Brien said.

During a Town Council meeting in July, residents who live in the construction area expressed dismay with messy work and the lack of progress.

Mathews Consulting sent two notices of noncompliance to the contractor for the asphalt trench repair. 

By Rich Pollack

DELRAY BEACH — Kevin McCarty loved serving his community and helping others.

Mr. McCarty, who died early last month at the age of 69 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, chaired the South Florida Water Management District in 2005, served on the board of Enterprise Florida and held seats on the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and the city’s Housing Authority.

Throughout it all, he kept a surprisingly low profile, often remaining content to be in the shadow of his more well-known wife, former Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty.

“Kevin was a quiet leader,” said former Delray Beach Mayor Jay Alperin, a longtime friend and golfing buddy. “He would stand back and do things and then let other people take the credit.”

A successful stock broker and public finance banker who worked at the Raymond James Financial office in Delray Beach and later was managing director of the Bear, Stearns & Co. Boca Raton office, Mr. McCarty is remembered for his generosity and kindness and for his willingness to always lend a hand.

“Kevin was always happy not to be in the spotlight,” Mary McCarty said. “It was always about other people — me, his mother — and about the community. There was no ego involved with him. He was just very gracious.”

In addition to his civic involvement, Mr. McCarty was very active in politics, serving as a Palm Beach County Republican state committeeman for 12 years and a delegate to four Republican national conventions.

Although Mr. McCarty and Alperin had vastly different political views, they were able to talk politics and have friendly debates.

“He was always a gentleman, respectful of the opinion of others,” Alperin said. “We’d have some tough discussions, then we’d go and get a drink.”

An avid golfer who played with Alperin every Sunday for many years, Mr. McCarty also loved the water, often finding time to go fishing.

His favorite place, however, was home, to spend time with his wife and the couple’s dogs.

Married for 38 years, Mr. McCarty and his wife remained devoted to one another during a federal investigation that led to both receiving prison sentences.

Caught up in an investigation a decade ago that led to Mary McCarty’s being convicted of charges related to misuse of office, Mr. McCarty was sentenced to eight months in federal prison for failing to report that his wife illegally benefited from her elected position.

“Never once was an ill word said to me in this situation,” Mary McCarty said. “If there was something in the universe that thought it would tear us apart, it just cemented us closer.”

She said Mr. McCarty’s experience in prison and with the judicial system likely helped him prepare for a 17-month battle with cancer.

“In both situations there are things you can’t control, so you manage around the edges, working with things you can control,” she said. “You find the best doctors and get the best treatment.”

Throughout the battle with pancreatic cancer, Mr. McCarty tried to lead as much of a normal life as possible.

“He never complained, he just wanted to do whatever he could to survive,” Mary McCarty said. “He was an inspiration.”

Mary McCarty was at her husband’s side when he died in their Delray Beach home during the early morning hours of Aug. 5.

Mr. McCarty is survived by his wife; a sister, Mary Conklin of Winsted, Conn.; and cousins Christine and Paul McCarty of Jensen Beach, Marie Stuart of Vernon, Conn., and Paul Raymond of Canterbury, N.H.

A memorial Mass was held on Aug. 17 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Boynton Beach.

Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Suzanne Wright Foundation, Code Purple Now for pancreatic cancer research, www.suzannewrightfoundation.org.

By Ron Hayes

BOCA RATON — As a girl, Andrea Kornblue traveled the world. The daughter of a career military police officer with the U.S. Army, she grew up living in Japan, Germany and various assignments throughout the U.S.

From her father’s service, she learned to serve, and brought that spirit of volunteerism to her many years in Boca Raton.

Mrs. Kornblue served on numerous hospital gala committees during the early days of Boca Raton Regional Hospital and was a life member of the Debbie-Rand Memorial Service League. She volunteered for the Boca Raton Historical Society, the Gulf Stream School, Boca Raton High School, St. Andrew’s School, and was a longtime member of the Junior League of Boca Raton.

Mrs. Kornblue died Aug. 18 after a brave battle with cancer. She was 70.

“My mother was an amazing lady who lived a full life,” recalled her son, Brandon Kornblue of Bonita Springs. “She loved my sister and I, and we’re just really thankful for her and loved her a lot.”

Mrs. Kornblue’s daughter is Paige Kornblue Hunter, a former anchor at WPTV-NewsChannel 5.

Andrea Jayne Berry was born on Sept. 18, 1947, in Norristown, Pa.

Her volunteerism first surfaced at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Pa., where she was a member of the student council, captain of the band front and a four-year member of the basketball team — “the only member with perfect hair,” she would boast.

At Shippensburg University, where she majored in sociology and criminology, she was the college’s social chairman, booking bands for campus events.

After college, she worked as a probation officer and a waitress on Martha’s Vineyard. She taught dance at an Arthur Murray Dance Studio and spent two years in Germany, working in hotel gift shops and at an Olympic ice skating rink.

While visiting family in South Florida, she met Dr. Edwin B. Kornblue, Boca Raton’s first full-time dentist, and the couple were married at the Boca Raton Resort and Club in 1975. Dr. Kornblue, her husband of 43 years, survives her.

Mrs. Kornblue’s life of service locally began soon after her arrival in the city.

“Andrea Kornblue was one of the most beloved Junior League members and she was an outstanding volunteer,” said Debbie Abrams, a board member of the Junior League of Boca Raton. “Her beauty and kind spirit made her everyone’s favorite. More than 30 years later, I still recall walking into my first League meeting and being graciously welcomed by her.”

In the days after her death, Brandon Kornblue said, he and his sister had each received more than 300 messages of sympathy and comfort from people who had known Mrs. Kornblue through her volunteer work.

“It wasn’t just us she impacted and brought joy to,” he said, “but a lot of people in a lot of different places.”

At a celebration of her life held Aug. 25 at the Chapel of Saint Andrew in Boca Raton, Paige Kornblue Hunter eulogized her mother.

“Remembering back to when my mom’s mom passed,” Mrs. Hunter said, “my mom told me, ‘I just miss sharing everything with her, visiting her and telling her about my day and you kids, or just picking up the phone and talking about everything and nothing.’

“That’s what she missed most about her mom, and I already miss that about her.

“My heart ached before I even lost her.”

In addition to her husband, son and daughter, Mrs. Kornblue is survived by six grandchildren; a brother, Ronald; a niece, Dawn; and seven cousins.

Contributions in Mrs. Kornblue’s memory may be made in her name to either the Debbie-Rand Memorial Service League or the Junior League of Boca Raton.

By Ron Hayes

DELRAY BEACH — When President Barack Obama brought his re-election campaign to the Delray Beach Tennis Center on Oct. 23, 2012, one sign caught his eye.

“I’m 103,” the sign said, and an elderly black woman got a warm hug from the nation’s first black president.

Eula Johnson was already 51 years old when Obama was born in 1961. She was 14 when Delray Beach was incorporated in 1923, and 60 in 1969, when she moved to the house on Lake Ida Road where she would live for nearly another half century.

Miss Johnson died at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 8, two days after her 109th birthday, the matriarch of a huge family and the city’s oldest resident.

“She had fallen and cracked her wrist, but she was still sharp,” said her grandson Anthony Perez, who cared for Miss Johnson in her final months, along with her daughters, Mildred Perez and Mazetta Coleman. “She stayed in the Bible from beginning to end, always quoting scripture. A couple of weeks before she passed, I heard her humming hymns. She couldn’t sing, so she was humming.”

Eula Mae Johnson was born Aug. 6, 1909, in Bartow, Ga., the granddaughter of a slave. She left school in the seventh grade, rode wagons, picked beans, worked a mule plow and married at 19.

In 1935, she arrived in Boca Raton to pick beans on Butts Farm. She was 26. Boca Raton was 10.

After spending the 1950s and ’60s in Brooklyn, N.Y., Miss Johnson retired to Delray Beach and a house she had built for $17,000.

Married three times, she divorced two husbands and was widowed by a third.

“I birthed 16 children into the world,” she told The Coastal Star last year. “Seven sons and nine daughters. They were all pretty … pretty good.”

In her younger years, she had visited Canada, Detroit and Las Vegas, but was hard-pressed to name a foreign land she’d like to see.

“England,” she said at last, but without conviction. Her life in retirement centered on her family, fishing, and the elaborate backyard garden where she raised her own greens, sweet potatoes, cabbage and cantaloupe.

“I’d have a drink, but I’m not a drinker,” she said. “I never smoked, and I eat whatever my taste calls for. That’s what I eat.”

She favored ribs, collard greens, burgers and biscuits, but had given up on macaroni and cheese.

“Cheese will bind you up,” she warned.

At 92, she gave up driving after receiving a ticket for going 42 in a 25-mph zone.

“I just quit,” she insisted, “Nobody stopped me.”

She loved old TV reruns of The Andy Griffith Show, and butter pecan ice cream, but her Christian faith was her lifelong source of spiritual nourishment and celebration.

“I’ve learned a lot,” she said. “Be kind to everybody. I read the Bible and pray every day.”

What, she was asked, does she pray for?

“I pray to live to see tomorrow,” she said.

In addition to seven surviving children, Miss Johnson leaves behind 35 grandchildren, 65 great-grandchildren, 52 great-great-grandchildren, and more than a dozen great-great-great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held at Johnson’s Memorial Chapel in Boynton Beach on Aug. 18, followed by burial in Delray Beach Memorial Gardens.

By Christine Davis

El-Ad National Properties, an Elad Group company that develops, manages, sells and administers operations for 4,372 Florida properties, has moved its headquarters from Plantation to downtown Boca Raton in the Bank of America building, 150 E. Palmetto Park Road, Suite 400.

     From its new location, it plans to hire additional employees to manage its $500 million ALINA Residences Boca Raton, a luxury condominium community with up to 384 units that will replace the Mizner on the Green townhomes on Southeast Mizner Boulevard. One building of the old complex has already been demolished to make room for a sales center for the project, which debuts its new name this month.

“We have long had a real estate presence in Boca Raton and are now pleased to officially call Boca Raton and Palm Beach County home,” said El-Ad National Properties executive director of development Noam Ziv.

In line with the project, El-Ad National Properties is partnering with businesses and nonprofit groups that include a programming collaboration with the Boca Raton Museum of Art, memberships in the Boca Downtown Business Alliance and Boca Raton Chamber, and support of the Golden Bell Education Foundation, Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County and the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine.

Elad Group, a real estate company with several billion dollars in assets, focuses on the acquisition, development and conversion of architecturally significant residential and commercial properties in markets throughout the United States.

Douglas Elliman Real Estate has acquired the Boca Raton firm Pink Palm Properties that was led by Rochelle LeCavalier and specialized in properties in Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club. LeCavalier and her team will work out of Elliman’s Boca Raton office at 444 E. Palmetto Park Road.

Sales of homes priced at $600,000 and above saw an unprecedented rise in July compared with the same month last year, according to the Realtors of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale.

Sales of homes priced at $1 million or more rose 30.6 percent, and home sales in the $600,000 to $999,999 range showed a 26.6 percent increase for the same month.

The median sales price of single-family homes increased 4.2 percent to $350,000; active inventory decreased 5.1 percent.                            

Sales numbers are looking especially good for Corcoran Group agent Steven Presson.

As of Aug. 2, Presson had completed 15 residential sales for his clients in 70 days, with combined sales totaling more than $36 million.

Presson, who specializes in luxury coastal real estate in Ocean Ridge and surrounding communities, has been ranked No. 2 out of the Corcoran Group’s 133 agents for the first quarter of 2018.

His recent sales include: $6.895 million for a lot near Briny Breezes; $5.032 million for a home at 913 N. Atlantic on Hypoluxo Island; $3.699 million for a beachside point lot at 53 Spanish River Drive, Ocean Ridge; $4.195 million for a panoramic waterfront estate at 27 Harbor Drive, Ocean Ridge; $1.695 million for a waterfront home at 62 Harbor Drive in Ocean Ridge; and $1.095 million for a waterfront land at 1508 Lake Drive in Delray Beach.

Last month, NHL hockey star Max Pacioretty listed his 17,142-square-foot home with Devin Kay, an agent with Douglas Elliman, for $3.45 million. The house, at 434 Areca Palm Road in Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, Boca Raton, was renovated last year.

The five-bedroom home has 41/2 bathrooms, 13-foot ceilings, marble floors, an outdoor summer kitchen, saltwater pool, smart house technology, a safe room, and indoor/outdoor basketball and sports courts.

Pacioretty, 29, a left wing with the Montreal Canadiens, has 226 goals in 10 NHL seasons, with a career best of 39 in 2013-14 for Montreal.

Ken Johnson, associate dean of graduate programs and professor of finance in the College of Business at Florida Atlantic University, was named president of the American Real Estate Society. Founded in 1985, the association produces and disseminates research and information about real estate decision-making and the functions of real estate markets. 

  Allison Turner has been appointed to the board of directors of the Institute for Regional Conservation, a Delray Beach nonprofit that aims to protect, restore and manage biodiversity regionally, and to prevent regional extinctions of rare plants, animals and ecosystems.

Turner, a Delray Beach resident, is owner and CEO of BCoSF Media and Business Consultants of South Florida.

John M. Campanola, a New York Life agent since early 2012, has become a member of the 2018 Quality Council of New York Life Insurance Co. His office is in downtown Delray Beach. A longtime Florida resident, he is involved in the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, where he won its 2013-2014 Ambassador of the Year award and the 2013-2014 Ken Ellingsworth Community Service Award.

Campanola is also involved in the Boynton Beach Chamber of Commerce, where he won its 2017 New Member of the Year Award.

Artist Amanda Johnson will debut her “Recovery Butterfly Bag” at an open house from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 15 at Amanda James Gallery. For every bag sold, the gallery will donate $10 to Wayside House, a women’s addiction recovery facility in Delray Beach. The gallery is at 412 E. Ocean Avenue, Boynton Beach. Visit amandajamesgallery.com.

Crane’s Beach House Boutique Hotel & Luxury Villas launched a new event series, “Tastings at the Tiki,” to benefit local nonprofit and community service organizations. Events will be from 6 to 9 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month and will offer special wine and beer tasting experiences. 

The Sept. 20 event will benefit artists’ services of Delray’s Arts Warehouse. Drinks will be from Chalk Hill Winery, Smith & Hook Winery and Saltwater Brewery. Crane’s will offer hors d’oeuvres from local restaurants and live music. Admission is $20 and includes a drink ticket. Call 278-1700 or visit cranesbeachhouse.com.

This year, 108 students will receive $1,069,500 in scholarships, ranging from $600 to $60,000, awarded by the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. With more than 100 scholarship funds established by donors committed to education, the organization has given more than $11.5 million in scholarship grants since 1983, helping 2,156 students.

In South County, students from Boca Raton Community High School and Olympic Heights Community High were among the recipients.

Among the donors is Sanjiv Sharma of Highland Beach, and one of his two funds, Pundit Mulchand and Janki Devi Sharma Scholarship Fund, had several scholarship recipients this year. 

“We understand that many of our aspiring local students do not have the financial resources for a college education,” said Brad Hurlburt, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “It is through the generosity of our donors that these dreams can become a reality, and we are extremely proud to be able to provide this service to the community.”

Call 659-6800 or visit yourcommunityfoundation.org.

The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium and the Stiles Nicholson Foundation will hold an event Sept. 29 honoring the recipients of STEM Innovation Awards recognizing leadership, service and collaboration in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. To be held at the Science Center, the event will include a cocktail reception, dinner, music and science demonstrations. Tickets are $75 each or $750 for a table of 10, and sponsorship opportunities are available. The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is at 4801 Dreher Trail N., West Palm Beach. Call 832-1988 or visit sfsciencecenter.org.

Send business news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

The Community Caring Center and the Secret Garden, a culinary business development and job training center, hosted its second hospitality and culinary job fair in August to promote local jobs.  More than 35 restaurants, hospitals and hotels interviewed more than 200 job seekers, some of whom were hired on the spot. Honoring the culinary theme of the event, four local celebrity chefs were given an identical set of ingredients and 25 minutes to produce a meal. ABOVE: During the competition, Boynton Beach CRA advisory board member Allan Hendricks interviews Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Davidson and Mayor Steven Grant (left), who tied for first place. BELOW: Both winning entries reflected the organizers’ mission of providing nutritionally balanced meals.

Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

ABOVE: Fourteen townhouses split among six buildings will have private beach access, while still maintaining two existing public beach access points. BELOW: Lush landscaping is planned with coconut palms, bougainvillea and a variety of native plants. Renderings provided by National Realty

By Jane Smith

Construction should begin by mid-September on the oceanfront Gulf Stream Views, a townhouse development in a lot that formerly held the Pelican Beach apartments.

The new landowner last month showed off plans for a posh complex south of Briny Breezes in response to a list of questions from Kristine de Haseth, executive director of the Florida Coalition for Preservation, on behalf of residents of the County Pocket and Briny Breezes and The Coastal Star.

Glenn La Mattina, senior vice president of NR Living, gathered the project experts on Aug. 20 at a Boynton Beach waterfront restaurant in an effort to address the concerns.

Density: According to the project’s architect, Richard Jones of Delray Beach, the six buildings, with a total of 14 units, will have a modern design featuring a lot of glass.

“All of the units will have ocean views from one or more levels,” he said.

The complex will be framed by retaining walls with heavy landscaping that Jones described as “providing a terraced contemporary greenscape along the street.”

Traffic: Briny Breezes Boulevard on the north will provide access from A1A, and Seaview Avenue on the south will provide access from the County Pocket into Gulf Stream Views’ main gated entrance off Old Ocean Boulevard.

Elevation: The complex sits within the state’s Coastal Construction Control Line. As a result, the project’s first floor will be at 16.4 feet, said land planner Bradley Miller of Boynton Beach. The state requires a first floor start at 14 feet above NAVD (the North American Vertical Datum).

Gulf Stream Views will add an additional 2 feet for the pilings and other foundation work. This will put the 1st floor about 2 feet above the level of Old Ocean Blvd.

Each unit will have a two-car garage, according to Miller. The site also will have 10 surface spaces for guest parking.

Public beach access: The beach will continue to be open to the north and south of the complex, Miller said. Gulf Stream Views residents and their guests will have private access through a gated entrance in the middle of Old Ocean.

Water: Michael LaCoursiere, the project’s civil engineer in West Palm Beach, said Gulf Stream Views will have water provided by Boynton Beach through a main on Briny Breezes Boulevard.

Each unit will have its own wastewater pipe that flows to one lift station at the southwest corner of the complex. From there, the wastewater will be pumped to a 6-inch pipe under Seaview Avenue on the southern border of the property. That pipe eventually connects to the South Central Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant on the mainland.

Drainage: Stormwater runoff will be dealt with on-site, LaCoursiere said. It will be discharged into the ground and not flow off-site into the County Pocket to the south, he said.

Landscaping: Leo Urban, the project’s landscape architect in Boynton Beach, said he chose native plants or low-water-use plants for the complex.

“We will move the existing sabal palms to the east side of the property,” Urban said. Coconut palms will be planted near the buildings to avoid storm damage from shade trees.

In between the tiered retaining walls, purple bougainvillea will be planted, Urban said. “It will bring some color to the complex and serve as a barrier [to possible intruders],” he said.

Rich Radici, the construction manager from New Jersey, said workers would park on-site during construction. Radici has a Boynton Beach condo and says he will be down often to check on the project.

During construction, Karl Indivero will be the on-site manager daily.

Radici said the project would take about 18 months to complete.

Each three-story unit will have three bedrooms, an elevator, a splash pool, a two-car garage, a rooftop deck and 3,400 square feet of air-conditioned space. Preconstruction prices range from $1.8 million to $2.7 million.

The Coalition for Preservation is a grassroots group dedicated to preserving the quality of life on the barrier island with responsible growth.

The project sits on a nearly 2-acre vacant parcel in an unincorporated county pocket. Gulf Stream Views LLC paid $5.4 million for the property in early June.

The company, a division of National Realty Investment Advisors of Secaucus, N.J., purchased the land from real estate investor David Rinker. He and other investors bought the parcel in 2006 when it housed the Pelican apartments.

Realtors Pascal Liguori and his son Antonio of Delray Beach have the exclusive sales listings for the Gulf Stream Views townhomes. 

Source: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections

(Unofficial results)

Source: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections

(Unofficial results)

Source: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections

(unofficial results)

Publix opening caps $10 million renovation that breathes life into aging landmark, excites residents

An employee gathers carts at the new Publix in Plaza del Mar. The store has 110 employees.

Manalapan Mayor Keith Waters and store manager Wade Rinderknecht cut a ribbon to open the store, joined by town and store officials and employees.

Suzi Goldsmith samples tea on opening day. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Related story: Meet three iconic tenants of Plaza del Mar

By Mary Thurwachter

Three days before the new Publix opened its doors in Plaza del Mar, Wade Rinderknecht kept a close eye on an army of employees filling the shelves and undergoing training sessions. As the store manager, Rinderknecht needs to stay on top of it all.

“This is coming together great,” he said. “I’m amazed at what we’ve been able to fit in here. I’m super-excited.”

That excitement only grew on Aug. 16, when the 28,000-square-foot supermarket officially opened for the first time. The beige-colored store is about the size of the downtown Lake Worth Publix and about half the size of the Palm Beach Publix. It’s the only supermarket on the barrier island from South Palm Beach to Boca Raton.

“Because it’s smaller, we have a more concentrated shopping experience, said Rinderknecht, 44, of Palm City. He has worked for the Publix chain for 19 years, but this is his first time as a store manager. He oversees 110 employees.

“The store has digital menu boards at the deli counter,” he said, as a dozen employees were trained on proper sandwich making.  “Instead of two homemade soups, we’re offering six.”

Another store feature that Rinderknecht expects will be a customer hit are the Chef Selections, fully prepared and cooked meals with a meat and two sides. “Time is a real value to people,” he said. "With Chef Selections they can pick up dinner and take it home ready to eat.”

Other store highlights include a pharmacy, bakery, full-service meat case with more prime meats than the average Publix, a large cheese selection, an extensive wine collection, a floral department, seafood, sushi and fine farm-raised caviar from Marky’s, a Florida-based company.

Areca palm trees planted on the backside of the center camouflage a water tank and delivery trucks, which will be limited to working between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Before opening day

Employees must stock shelves more often because the Manalapan store is about half the size of a typical Publix.

Melissa La Rock trains workers at the deli, which has sandwiches, salads and soups.  Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Hub of plaza renovation

The grocery store is the centerpiece in Plaza del Mar’s $10 million renovation. The 36-year-old shopping center at State Road A1A and Ocean Avenue was treated to new landscaping, signage and LED lighting.

Plaza landlord Kitson & Partners said the redesign actually decreased the retail space from about 103,000 to 83,000 square feet.

Occupancy at the plaza at times fell below 70 percent in recent years as the last decade’s recession took a toll. But Matt Buehler, Kitson’s vice president of retail operations who has worked extensively on the plaza project, said occupancy has risen to 93 percent, the best in the center’s history.

“Having Publix there gave us the opportunity to renovate the shopping center and stabilize it,” Buehler said. “It benefits the community as well. It serves the residents there, and that was part of the driving factor. We wanted to turn that into a successful shopping center for the town as well as the ownership of the shopping center.”

Now that Publix is open, the plaza is doing so well that Kitson & Partners, the Palm Beach Gardens real estate development company that has owned the center since 2007, is very pleased.

“We’re excited,” Buehler said. “We’re happy this day is here. It’s been a long time coming.”

Also excited was Terrance Richmond, the first person in line waiting for the store to open. He arrived at 5:40 a.m. for the 7 a.m. grand opening, providing him with a front-and-center position for the ribbon- cutting photos.

But perhaps no one was as happy as longtime Manalapan resident Melissa Parker, one of the first customers. “I have been waiting 26 years for this store to open,” she said. “Tomorrow marks the 26th year we have lived here in Manalapan.”

Opening day

Ginny Foot of Boynton Beach pays for her purchases at the new Publix.

Produce manager Julie Rutmann handed out 100 roses to customers. More than 20 people waited in line before the 7 a.m. opening.

Changes in ownership

Kitson is the third real estate development company to own the plaza. The first was Draper & Kramer, an old-line Chicago company. The second was Woolbright Development, a real estate investment firm based in Boca Raton.

John J. Hoecker, who worked for Draper & Kramer, was the shopping center’s first property manager. Along with his college pals Rich Draper and Tom Jackson, they founded the Ice Cream Club, the shopping center’s first tenant. Hoecker long ago sold his share to his partners but continued to work at the shopping center until he left after 15 years to go out on his own. He has his own company, Jupiter Realty in West Palm Beach.

“When I first got there, I was all of 22,” he said of Manalapan. “We had a lot of fun in the early years there. We went through the original construction that sits on 1,100 pilings. It was a construction event. It was a good experience.”

Plaza del Mar opened in 1982. At the time, La Coquille Club, an exclusive residential club built on the beach across the street in 1952 by Spelman Prentice, J.D. Rockefeller’s grandson, was still operational. The club was known as a tropical retreat for folks such as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Vanderbilts, Fords and Whitneys. The club closed in 1984 and was razed in 1986.

By 1991, a Ritz-Carlton opened on the property. Five years ago, the hotel became Eau Palm Beach.

According to 1982 news reports in The Evening Times, the 43-unit shopping center, Plaza del Mar, was long-awaited by island residents. With the exception of a few stores at the Lake Worth Beach Casino complex, the plaza was the only island shopping area between Palm Beach and Delray Beach.

Buildings were given a contemporary style and architecture, and the majority of the façade was cedar siding to give it “a very rich look,” the Times reported.

The three buildings of the center were separated by an outdoor walkway, and one had a 52-foot clock tower. That tower was bulldozed during the recent renovation.

Some of the first stores to make a home in the shopping center were Flagler Bank (now SunTrust), the Ice Cream Club, a gourmet food store, a wine and cheese shop, a florist shop and a pharmacy.

Other businesses housed in the center over the years included a housewares store, a clothing shop, a cashmere shop, gift shops, several art galleries, a theater, several restaurants, a coffee shop, a travel agency, a dry cleaner, and several real estate offices.

Besides Publix, the center’s newest tenants are the Shoe Garden, which has another location in Delray Marketplace; and Fountain Dry Cleaners, which opened Aug. 16, just like Publix. 

Jerry Lower contributed to this story.

'I have been waiting 26 years for this store to open,' Melissa Parker (in green) said at the Publix opening. She moved to Manalapan 26 years ago. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Applications are open for Palm Beach County students in grades eight through 12 who want to participate in the Philanthropy Tank program.

The program fuels and inspires the next generation of leaders by challenging, empowering and equipping them to develop and execute sustainable initiatives and solutions. Philanthropist-investors fund the students’ projects and offer one-on-one mentoring. Since the program began four years ago, meaningful changes have been made in the areas of education, health and human services and youth development.

For information: philanthropytank.org/apply.

Student raises $9,000 for YMCA swimming programs

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student Catie Krakow was significantly affected by the shooting that occurred Feb. 14, particularly because the 18-year-old’s classmate and friend, Nicholas Dworet, died.

Catie decided to respond to the tragedy by doing something generous. Knowing Nick was a passionate swimmer, she started a GoFundMe page to honor him and the 16 other victims by raising money to support aquatics programming at the Peter Blum Family YMCA in Boca Raton. She raised $9,000 and presented a check to YMCA of South Palm Beach County President and CEO Jason Hagensick.

For information: ymcaspbc.org/peter-blum/aquatics.

Kudos to Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches

Charity Navigator has awarded Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches a four-star rating for the 12th consecutive year, a recognition achieved by 1 percent of the nonprofits evaluated by the organization.

The rating is a nod to the agency’s accountability, financial health and transparency.

“This accomplishment is truly a team effort, which would not be possible without our committed staff members, generous supporters and driven board of directors,” CEO Matthew Constantine said. “Our 12th four-star rating comes at a significant time as we move forward with fundraising for our Hope Begins with a Home campaign.”

For information: adoptafamilypbc.org/hope-begins-with-a-home.

Teens, anglers donate fish to Boca Helping Hands

For more than a decade, Fishing for Families in Need (F4FN) has helped local soup kitchens serve 3,000-plus pounds of fresh fish to the hungry. This summer, a group of teenage volunteers from F4FN attended the 2018 Big Bang Open spearfishing tournament in West Palm Beach to seek fish donations for Boca Helping Hands.

Thanks to the anglers involved, 190 pounds of fish were collected, filleted and delivered to the organization, where it will feed 400 patrons.

For information: f4fn.org/fishing-tournament-donation.

Women’s golf executive joins Clinics Can Help board

Pam Swensen, a longtime advocate of women’s golf and the power of golf in fostering relationships, has joined the board of directors at Clinics Can Help.

The CEO of the Executive Women’s Golf Association supports the nonprofit’s annual golf tournament and saw an opportunity to make a bigger impact for its cause — getting medical supplies to those who can’t afford them.

“I’m humbled to join the Clinics Can Help board to further contribute to this group’s success and outreach in redistributing durable medical equipment to those in need,” Swensen said.

For information: clinicscanhelp.org.

— Send news and notes to Amy Woods at flamywoods@bellsouth.net