Briny celebrates 60 years: Parade honors longtime residents and social clubs that help to define the community

Dozens of decorated golf carts parade in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the year when trailer campers gathered up their money and bought former landowner Ward Miller’s land, creating Briny Breezes. Generations of families have enjoyed the oceanfront community.  

Pat Barnes, an original owner in the mobile home park, holds Thorian Halfhill, who was born Jan. 1 in the Briny Breezes home of his parents, Tyrone and Lia Halfhill. Barnes turns 100 in May. The March 24 parade had a strawberry theme, looking back to the days when Miller raised dairy cattle and sold strawberries to his mobile home renters. 

 Dorothy McNeice and Violet Schoeni, two of Briny Breezes’ early residents, ride in the parade. McNeice waves to the crowd.

Jack Taylor’s back porch provides a prime location for parade watchers to enjoy the passing golf carts. 

 Members of the swim club don T-shirts that portray younger versions of themselves.

 Barb Molina (left)swings her way through a crowd of dancers who gathered after the parade.

Photos by Jerry Lower/ The Coastal Star

Signs ask residents to fight to keep the post office downtown, and the Postal Service says it’s trying to cooperate as it plans to relocate the facility. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Steve Plunkett

Residents who packed a room in the Community Center Annex had a clear message for the U.S. Postal Service representatives who convened the meeting: Don’t you dare touch our downtown post office.

“I think we’re all here because we want you to stay exactly where you are,” said Betty Grinnan.

“This post office downtown is part of our history,” another resident said.

Postal authorities notified Mayor Susan Haynie by phone and certified letter Feb. 21 that they plan to relocate their facility, at 170 NE Second St., to somewhere between Glades Road and Camino Real and between NE/SE Fifth Avenue and NW/SW Second Avenue. 

“I want to just make sure that we’re clear with everybody that the Postal Service wants to keep a presence in the downtown area,” said Damian Salazar, a USPS real estate specialist.

Postal officials have to move fast. The March 29 meeting set off a 30-day period for residents and businesses to make comments on the proposed move — in writing — to Salazar, who will forward the paperwork to the post office decision-makers. The lease on the current building expires July 13.

“The only way that we will not have a presence in the downtown area is if there is nothing available,” Salazar said. “We can’t make something out of nothing.” 

City officials and the public are moving fast, too. Meeting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, City Council members passed a resolution March 26 “encouraging the Postal Service and the United States Congress to keep the post office open.”

“It’s a very, very important asset for our downtown,” Haynie said.

Attorney Robert Eisen of downtown property owners James and Marta Batmasian’s Investments Ltd. brought 1,100 petitions objecting to the post office’s closure to the CRA meeting. At the postal service’s public meeting he presented 500 more. The Batmasians own the present site.

“I’m telling you what’s going to happen,” he said. “The lease is going to expire, you’re going to move out of downtown Boca, and that’s it, that’s the way the government works.”

Outside the Community Center, signs leading to the parking lot implored residents to “Keep Our Post Office … Let Our Voices Be Heard.” 

Salazar said along with relocating, the Postal Service wants to “right-size,” swapping the almost 8,500-square-foot current station with something about 4,065 square feet. The service has unused extra space at another station where it could redeploy delivery trucks that now use the downtown office.

The new site ideally would also provide 31 parking spaces, he said.

Salazar said he plans to consider at least three sites: 327 Plaza Real (800 feet from the current site), 20 SE Third St. (.4 of a mile away) and 1609 NW Boca Raton Blvd. (1 mile away). He encouraged residents to let him know of other possible sites.

Post office officials want a long-term lease, at least for 10 years with three five-year renewals. Salazar said he negotiated with a broker for the Batmasians in 2016 for a 10-year lease, but that further discussions had cut the length first to three years, then to four. The Batmasians signed the four-year proposal last September, but upon further review, USPS officials decided a four-year lease was not worth pursuing, Salazar said.

James Batmasian, who sat in the front row at the public meeting and controls two of the three potential sites, said he had no idea the Postal Service preferred a 10-year lease. He offered to redo the lease he had signed to let postal workers remain where they are now, then move into another of his properties once it can be converted.

“I can’t be more reasonable than that, sir,” Batmasian said.

Haynie said the city might make room for the Postal Service in its master plan now being developed for the government campus surrounding City Hall. 

Salazar said that sometime after the 30-day comment/appeal period, USPS officials will make a final decision and notify Haynie. 

Written comments should be mailed through April 29 to: 

Damian Salazar, Real Estate Specialist

Facilities Implementation

US Postal Service

PO Box 667180

Dallas, TX 75266-7180 Ú

The bridge crossing the Intracoastal at Camino Real will receive $8.9 million in repairs. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Ron Hayes

The bridge goes up. The bridge goes down.

The bridge goes up and the bridge goes down.

The bridge goes up — and come April 12, that bridge crossing the Intracoastal Waterway on Camino Real is expected to stay up for a year or more while undergoing $8.9 million in renovations and repairs.

Like so many fabled antiques that reach the noble age of 80, it needs work.

This will be an inconvenience for the 7,600 drivers who cross the two-lane span every day, not to mention the unknown number of walkers, runners and bicyclists using its steel sidewalks. And it will be a surprise to those who haven’t heard the news.

John and Grace Lutringer walk across the Clarence H. Geist Memorial Bridge. They traverse the bridge daily for exercise

“What!” Grace Lutringer exclaimed one recent morning as she neared the east approach. “We had no idea!”

Lutringer and her husband, John, are walkers — brisk walkers, enthusiastic walkers — so the prospect of a detour north to the Palmetto Park Road bridge doesn’t faze them. Striking out from their 12th Street home each morning, they might hit the beach from Camino Real, or Palmetto Park, maybe even south across the Hillsboro Inlet bridge.

For them, the impending closure was a surprise, but the change will be no inconvenience.

“Well,” John Lutringer said with a shrug and a smile, “if you have to do it, you have to do it.”

They have to do it.

The Camino Real bridge is one of three in the county deemed “structurally deficient” by the state. The other two are the Southern Boulevard bridge between West Palm Beach and Palm Beach, and the U.S. 1 bridge in Jupiter.

For its $8.9 million the contractor, Kiewit Infrastructure South of Broward County, will widen both the fixed and bascule parts of the bridge, renovate and replace the fender system, install new mechanical equipment, reconstruct the approaches and sidewalks, and make minor drainage improvements.

And then they’ll move the bridge tender’s house from the south to north side at the east end.

What they can’t improve is the bridge’s long and curious history.

Its three names, for example.

Ask any local and you’ll no doubt hear it called “the Camino Real bridge.”

Pause to admire the large plaque at the east end of the north concrete rail and you’ll be told you’re about to cross the “Boca Raton Club Bridge.”

But take the time to crouch low and ponder one of two smaller, nearly hidden plaques at either end and you will learn that you are, in fact, about to traverse the “Clarence H. Geist Memorial Bridge.”

One plaque will tell you that the bridge was built in A.D. 1938-39 by the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works and reveal the names of five county commissioners. But it won’t tell you who Clarence H. Geist was.

Clarence Geist (above), for whom the bridge was named, with his wife, Florence. Boca Raton Historical Society

Clarence Henry Geist (1866-1938) was the man who got lucky when Addison Mizner’s luck ran out. A former cattle rancher and railroad man from LaPorte County, Indiana, he made his money in real estate.

In 1924, he built La Claridad on the grounds of the Everglades Club, a Palm Beach mansion designed by Marion Sims Wyeth, the architect who also gave us Mar-a-Lago.

Two years later, when Addison Mizner’s development company went broke trying to build “the world’s most architecturally beautiful playground” in Boca Raton, Clarence H. Geist was the anonymous bidder who bought it all for $76,350.

The new owner ordered a big addition to Mizner’s 100-room Cloister Inn, and the 450-room Boca Raton Club was born. 

Geist had a swing bridge moved from Deerfield Beach and installed at Camino Real so when the club opened in December 1929, his guests could more easily reach the beach.

The bridge, which turned on a pivot and had a chain to stop it, was supposed to be temporary, but it outlived Clarence Geist, who died June 12, 1938.

Two months later, on Aug. 5, The Boca Raton Tattler reported that “work will soon start on the El Camino Real Bridge which crosses the intercoastal canal just south of the Boca Raton Club. This bridge will be what is commonly known as a jack knife bridge and will be a great help to the community.”

And the temporary bridge that Geist moved from Deerfield Beach moved north once again, to cross a canal on Southern Boulevard, near 20-mile Bend.

All was well until 1974, when the County Commission considered replacing the 36-year-old “creaking structure” with a new, four-lane span on Camino Real. 

Three years later, they were still considering.

“I don’t know if it will fly this year or not,” County Engineer Herbert F. Kahlert said at the time.

It didn’t. But talk of a new bridge went on, and on.

In 1984, the wooden deck was replaced with steel.

In 1988, the county spent $100,000 repairing gearboxes, and in 2007, the bridge was closed while $1.7 million in repairs were completed. The steel decking had rusted and it needed new sidewalks and railings. The bridge was repainted and the walls of the bridge tender’s house were replaced.

Finally, in 2012, county engineers were ready to fulfill the dream they had talked about for more than 30 years.

A new, $43 million bridge would be built!

But, not so fast.

In 1997, the Boca Raton Historical Society persuaded the commission to create the Camino Real Road and Bridge Historic District, including Camino Real from Dixie Highway to the east end of the Geist bridge. Legally, the bridge could be repaired, but not replaced.

And so here we are: $8.9 million in repairs and renovations, and 365 days — more or less — during which Bill Heller will not be able to jog back and forth with Henry and Lily, his two beautiful Hungarian vizsla pointers.

“If it’s going to result in a safer, better performing bridge, then it sounds like a positive thing,” Heller said. “The question is whether a year is too long a time, and that’s something I don’t know.”

The Camino Real Bridge.

The Boca Raton Club Bridge.

The Clarence H. Geist Memorial Bridge.

But it’s not only a bridge with three names and one of three “structurally deficient” bridges in the county. In 1973, it became the only county bridge allowed to open three times an hour instead of every 30 minutes.

Jim Corman knows this well.

Security guard Jim Corman makes sure cars at the bridge don’t block the entrance to the  Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

A security guard at Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, Corman mans the club entrance just west of the bridge approach along the traffic circle.

When he hears the Ding! Ding! Ding! that signals the bridge is about to open, Corman leaves the guard shack armed with a hand-held stop sign and stands in the road to make sure waiting cars don’t block the club entrance.

“It stays open from about five to seven minutes,” he estimated. “It opens when a boat wants to pass, so not so much during the week, but on weekends it’s pretty much three times every hour.”

If the weekend boat traffic is backed up, Corman said, the bridge might stay open for 15 minutes, then open again seven minutes later.

But it’s not really a hassle, he said cheerfully.

Asked if he’s looking forward to a year without having to stand in the road three times an hour, Corman had to think a bit.

“Well, I won’t have to get wet if it rains!” he said. 

Related story: Boynton Beach, Delray Beach ask for ban on assault rifles

By Rich Pollack  

The rush of calls came soon after word spread about the mass shooting in Parkland. Parents of children attending public and private schools throughout Palm Beach County wanted to be sure their children were safe. They also wanted to know that leaders at even the smallest schools were taking security seriously.  

What they found is that the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School — just a few miles away from some South County schools — had pressed school leaders into action almost immediately and, more important, led to ongoing conversations and action to improve campus safety.  

“Parkland has made everyone more aware,” said Carlos Barroso, director of marketing and communications at St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton. “We’re going to be constantly looking at school security each and every month.” 

Police Officers C. Smith and C. Fahey breach a classroom door during an ‘active-shooter’ exercise April 2 at Gulf Stream School.

ABOVE: Officer C. Hamori, the Gulf Stream Police Department’s certified training instructor, coaches Officers R. Batista and T. Sutton. BELOW: Sgt. J. Passeggiata subdues Lt. J. Haseley, who acted as the bad guy during the training drill. Haseley had been hiding behind the poster as other officers entered the room. No students were present during the drill as Gulf Stream School was on spring break. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star 

At the Gulf Stream School, where officials have made changes to limit campus access, teachers and staff are being trained on how to react to a campus intruder, and additional measures such as cameras on campus are being evaluated.  

“We’re doing all we can to enhance security and safety on campus,” said Head of School Joe Zaluski.  

Knowing Gulf Stream School’s leadership is taking security very seriously has been reassuring to some parents. They appreciate what’s been done and feel assured that safety efforts will continue. 

“They brought in security experts who do this for a living,” said Chiara Clark, president of the school’s parent auxiliary. “I think that’s the best course of action you could ask for.”  

On a recent day when classes were not in session, Gulf Stream police officers were on campus for a drill on how to react to an intruder. Zaluski said he will bring them back in full gear so students can see what officers will look like in a volatile situation. 

“One of our greatest assets is the healthy relationship we have with the Gulf Stream Police Department,” Zaluski said. 

The goal of the drill, which included a scenario in which a lieutenant portrayed an active shooter, was to help officers become more familiar with the layout of the school and to remind them of the proper way to handle the situation, Gulf Stream Police Chief Edward Allen said. 

“It gives us a bit more confidence, knowing police are willing to step in and engage if necessary,” Zaluski said. 

More police at schools

Increased police visibility on campuses has been a common denominator among all schools. The Palm Beach County School District will put more officers on campus thanks to a $6.1 million allocation from the state, according to the district.  

The school district, which has its own police force, has at least one officer assigned to each high school and middle school, and has officers assigned to work with more than one elementary school.  

Thanks to the grant, the district will hire an additional 75 officers, pushing the total number of officer positions to 227, in addition to 10 members of the department’s command staff, according to the district.

Private schools such as the Gulf Stream School also are doing more.  

At St. Andrew’s School, which has full-time security officers, officials decided the day after the Parkland shooting to hire off-duty Boca Raton police officers to patrol during the school day. 

“It gives us another layer of security,” Barroso said. “It’s an investment we felt we needed to make.”  

Oxbridge Academy near West Palm Beach has armed guards on campus during certain hours and unarmed security officers throughout the school day. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies contacted the school, for which the Sheriff’s Office is responsible, and asked to tour the 54-acre campus to learn the layout. 

“We were delighted when they made the call to us,” said David Rosow, president of the school’s board of trustees. 

Police also have been involved in helping St. Joseph’s Episcopal School in Boynton Beach enhance its security efforts. Earlier in the school year, law enforcement officers and a private security professional conducted a walk-through as the school began ramping up its security processes.   

“We had plans to update drills and emergency procedures before Parkland occurred,” said Head of School Kyle Aubrey. “Once that tragic event happened, we, of course, held more discussions and went to the next level.” 

One step the school is considering is fully fencing the property, which it shares with St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church.

Limiting campus access

County School District leaders are seeking outside experts’ recommendations for improvements. In a letter to parents sent at the end of February, then-Superintendent Robert Avossa said plans were in the works to have experts from large urban school districts across the country help with a safety and security analysis.  

Gulf Stream School also brought in a private security firm, which conducted a safety audit during the school’s spring break.  

“Any steps we take from here on out, we just want to make sure we’re doing the right thing,” Zaluski said. 

At the advice of security professionals, Gulf Stream School further restricted access to the campus, limiting the times a gate on State Road A1A is open and restricting use of that gate to buses. All visitors and parents are now required to enter and exit through the front of the school, which has Gulf Stream police officers assisting with traffic control during drop-off and pickup times.  

At Oxbridge, only one of four campus gates is open when classes are in session, and that gate can be monitored by one of the security guards. 

St. Andrew’s School also limits access to just one gate when school is in session, with security guards screening visitors.  

Most schools have made lock-down drills part of the routine for several years, and at some, including Oxbridge Academy, students have been instructed on where safe spots in a classroom are and where to run to outside the classroom in an emergency. Some schools have installed systems that allow them to lock classroom doors remotely.   

Keeping parents informed    

   Communication was crucial    between schools and parents in the days after the Parkland tragedy.  

At St. Andrew’s, officials held a parent forum within a few days. At Gulf Stream School, a regularly scheduled parent auxiliary meeting turned into a discussion about safety.  

“It was one of the most well- attended meetings we’ve had,” Zaluski said.   

The shooting in Parkland has heightened school security awareness, as did the mass shootings at Sandy Hook in Newtown, Conn., in 2012 and Columbine in Colorado in 1999. Now local school leaders say it is critical to avoid complacency.  

“My greatest fear is that everybody will relax six months from now,” Oxbridge’s Rosow said. Ú

By Steve Plunkett

The Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District will pay Arthur Koski, its lawyer and executive director, $120,000 for extra work he performed negotiating and finalizing the $24 million purchase of the Ocean Breeze golf course.

Koski’s fee arrangement, spelled out in a contract with the district for 27 years, surprised city officials, who issued $19 million in municipal bonds for the purchase and only learned about the lawyer’s bill in the closing statement.

“We would appreciate it if, prior to the payment of such fee, the district would confirm to the city that the payment to the district’s attorney/executive director complies with the Florida Code of Ethics, the Palm Beach Code of Ethics and any other applicable law or regulation,” Mayor Susan Haynie wrote the district Feb. 23.

Koski defended his fee at the district’s March 19 meeting, saying his secretary originally told him he spent more than 900 hours over the past two years on the acquisition and was due $360,000 at his normal rate of $400 per hour. 

Koski said he consulted two other attorneys and decided a “fair fee” was one-half of 1 percent of the golf course price, or $120,000.

“If there is a perception that somehow I was seeking to have the purchase price increase so that I could get an additional one-half of 1 percent, I would totally reject that,” he said. “I would have been better off just sticking with the hourly rate.”

Koski’s contract with the district, signed in 1991, provides for a monthly stipend for legal services, now $12,500, plus his hourly fee for litigation or acquisitions. He also is paid $10,000 a month as the district’s executive director.

Beach and Park commissioners approved paying Koski once outside counsel confirms to the city that no ethics rules were violated.

Haynie’s letter and online postings about the fee torpedoed a joint meeting of the district and City Council set for Feb. 28.

“With the temperature that I was reading in the paper and the comments I was reading on Facebook, I was not confident that we would be able to keep the discussion above the table,” District Chairman Robert Rollins said. Ú

Vice Mayor Alysen Africano-Nila (above)

and Commissioner Peggy Gossett-Seidman (right) are sworn in to office in Highland Beach. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

Voters in Highland Beach turned out in record numbers during last month’s municipal elections, ousting two incumbent members of the Town Commission and replacing them with two first-time candidates who promised to restore civility to the board. 

In a town where voter turnout rarely tops 30 percent, 1,240 voters — or just more than 34 percent of the town’s 3,619 registered voters — cast ballots, leading to larger-than-normal victory margins for the winners.

In the race for vice mayor, newcomer Alysen Africano-Nila received 752 votes, or about 62 percent of the 1,213 votes cast in that race, while incumbent Vice Mayor Bill Weitz received 461 votes. 

In the race for the three-year seat on the commission, Peggy Gossett-Seidman received 651 votes, slightly more than 53 percent, while another newcomer, John Ross, received 388 votes.

Incumbent George Kelvin, appointed to the commission last year, collected 87 votes. Carl Lee Gehman, making his second run for commission, received 88 votes.

Voters also rejected, by a 53- to 47-percent margin, a proposal to allocate $2.1 million for a streetscape project that included replacing asphalt with decorative concrete on the town’s 3-mile walking path along State Road A1A.   

With the addition of Africano-Nila and Gossett-Seidman to the commission, the town now has a majority of women on the board for the first time in recent memory. Mayor Carl Feldman, who was elected last year, is the only man on the historically male-dominated board. 

The large turnout — with almost 10 percent more residents voting than last year — may have been the result of heavy campaigning from supporters of Africano-Nila and Gossett-Seidman and of what some see as a shift in factors that bring voters to the polls. 

“I think it was a mix of reasons,” said Gossett-Seidman, who, like Africano-Nila, was supported by sitting commissioners Elyse Riesa and Rhoda Zelniker. “I had a lot of people tell me it was about women and others tell me they felt change needed to be made.” 

Some residents, including resident Peggy Brown, the wife of former Vice Mayor Ron Brown, think the large turnout — and the results — are a result of longtime political differences being cast aside.  

“We broke down barriers this year,” she said. “We started to care about Highland Beach and who would be the best people and not about party affiliation or religion.” 

Zelniker, who campaigned for Africano-Nila and Gossett-Seidman, said more awareness of the issues may have been a factor in the large turnout. 

“We were out there talking to residents and telling them about the issues,” she said. 

The main issue in the election, according to the candidates and many residents, was restoring civility to the town’s leadership, which recently had displayed personal animus and shouting. 

Riesa said she thinks the results will help lead to meetings with less acrimony.

“We may not always agree, but we will be civil and decent to one another,” she said during a special meeting in which the new commission members were sworn in. 

Voter turnout increases in Highland Beach

Year Registered voters Ballots cast %

2018  3,619 1,240 34.2

2017 3,558 1,134 31.8

2016 No election

2015 3,438 825 24.0

2014 3,404 975 28.6

2013 3,590 738 20.5

Source: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections

By Rich Pollack

With Highland Beach voters rejecting a proposal to allocate $2.1 million for a streetscape plan, town commissioners are going back to the drawing board to ensure a 3-mile stretch of asphalt on the west side of State Road A1A is not a safety hazard. 

For years, officials have discussed making long-term fixes to the path and improving landscaping and signage. 

After months of discussion and creation of an ad hoc committee to develop a proposal to replace the asphalt with decorative concrete, voters declined to greenlight funding for the project. Voter approval is required in Highland Beach for any project costing more than $350,000. 

With the delay and concerns about pedestrian safety, commissioners decided  to spend about $250,000 to resurface the entire walking path with asphalt, while also continuing to explore development of a new plan with the town’s planning board. 

“We need reliability, not liability,” said Mayor Carl Feldman, who led the ad hoc committee that developed the streetscape plan.

In agreeing to proceed with the asphalt overlay, commissioners rejected a second option to spend about $25,000 on spot repairs.  

Commissioner Rhoda Zelniker, who didn’t support spending the $2.1 million on the project, agreed that repairs to the path needed to be done quickly and supported the asphalt overlay. 

“We can’t have someone fall on our sidewalk,” she said. “We have to do something for the safety of our community.”

Zelniker said she thinks residents want improvements to the path and other enhancements but rejected the old streetscape plan because of the process used to develop it. 

“Everybody wants a new walk path,” she said. “The objection was how it was done.” 

In addition to voting unanimously to do the resurfacing project, hopefully this summer, commissioners also voted unanimously for the planning board to devise a plan for sidewalk improvements and beautification efforts of adjacent areas. 

The resurfacing, Vice Mayor Alysen Africano-Nila said, will reduce the urgency to come up with long-term improvements. 

“It will take the pressure off and give us the time to do the project the right way,” she said. 

Both Riesa and Commissioner Peggy Gossett-Seidman said they would like to see the town coordinate the streetscape improvements with the Florida Department of Transportation, which must approve any changes along the state road. 

Gossett-Seidman said drainage problems along A1A, currently being addressed by FDOT, should be resolved before the town moves forward with the streetscape plan. 

Town officials said they will pay for the resurfacing with money from the town’s share of the Palm Beach County Infrastructure Surtax Program, funded through a 1-cent countywide sales tax increase voters approved in 2016. 

The Bel Lido Property Association, which represents a neighborhood of 112 oceanfront residences, featured two guest speakers: Highland Beach Town Manager Valerie Oakes and Police Chief Craig Hartmann. Board President Ron Brown introduced them to the 120 in attendance. Safety and improvements were discussed. ABOVE: (l-r) Bel Lido board members Gerry Marshall, Ray Carpenter and Peggy Brown, Hartmann, Oakes, Ron Brown, Peggy Gossett-Seidman and John Ronco. Photo provided

By Mary Hladky

Shared-ride businesses operating downtown soon will have six locations where they can park until passengers contact them to be picked up.

The waiting areas also will give the shared-ride vehicles greater visibility. 

Three of the waiting areas will be located at the main destinations of people using the services — Mizner Park, Royal Palm Place and the beach.

Waiting areas also will be at City Hall and at a nearby building that houses city departments. The Wildflower park was added to the list at the March 26 CRA meeting.

Companies offering shared-ride services in the city told city staff they wanted well-lit waiting areas available around the clock and marked with signage, Downtown Manager Ruby Childers told council members.

Three shared-ride companies started operating in the city since last spring. Round the Town offers free rides in six-seat electric shuttles, with customers calling or texting for a ride. Boca Bike Tours is a free pedicab service riders can hail or call for a pickup. Slidr provides free, on-demand service in electric vehicles via an app and phone.

The companies opened shop in Boca Raton after the Downtowner left at the end of 2016. 

City Council members encouraged private companies to offer service in the city with the aim of lessening downtown traffic congestion.

The waiting areas will be along northbound Plaza Real south of Northeast Fifth Street in Mizner Park, on East Palmetto Park Road just west of A1A near South Beach Park, along Southeast First Avenue in Royal Palm Place, in the parking lot behind City Hall, in the parking lot of the city-owned building on Northwest Second Street north of City Hall on weekends only, and the Wildflower park at 551 E. Palmetto Park Road. 

The face of downtown Boca Raton continues to change. The former Citibank and SunTrust buildings are being demolished to make room for the project that will include the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Boca Raton. The 164-room Mandarin Oriental will go up next to 101 Via Mizner, a 366-unit apartment building that marked the first phase of the luxury Via Mizner project. The 12-story hotel and condos are expected to open in 2020. Photo provided by Glen Calder

Monica Mayotte takes the oath of office. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Steve Plunkett

The new City Council’s first vote may have been a harbinger of decisions to come — members split 2 to 3 against keeping Jeremy Rodgers as deputy mayor.

At the council’s April 2 reorganization meeting, Rodgers made the first motion, nominating Scott Singer to succeed him as deputy. 

Singer was eventually chosen, but not until after Council member Andrea O’Rourke offered an alternative — reappointing Rodgers — without success.

“I just think that we are having a change on our City Council with our new council member  . . . our mayor now is running for county commissioner, Mr. Singer is running for mayor — I think there’s a lot of unknowns looking forward,” O’Rourke said.

“And I think in order to maintain stability and keep things the way they are — which is going quite well now — with all the potential change coming forward I think it would be the proper thing to keep things status quo.”

New Council member Monica Mayotte seconded O’Rourke’s alternate motion.

Jeremy Rodgers declined a repeat term as deputy mayor. 

But Rodgers said not counting Haynie, Singer has the most seniority, which is customarily the deciding factor in picking the deputy mayor. He also said being deputy for the past year and this year’s re-election campaign “took a big toll on my family and myself. . . . I’m happy to just do my best as a council member.”

O’Rourke was not swayed.

“Let’s take politics out of this,” she said. “Mr. Singer, you are running a campaign for mayor. To put you in a position of deputy mayor I feel is awkward and turns it a little more political than our seats need to be.”

She also said Singer turned down the opportunity to be deputy mayor after the 2017 election, which “quite shocked” most people.

Singer said he appreciated O’Rourke’s concerns but said “this is a very apolitical process.” He declined being named deputy last year, he said, because he had more work to do as chairman of the Community Redevelopment Agency, listing discussion of one-way bypasses through downtown, advancement of a plan for downtown and the waterfront and affirmation of the board’s commitment to greater open space downtown.

“I don’t see it as political,” he said.

O’Rourke and Mayotte, whom O’Rourke championed in the Seat D race, voted to keep Rodgers as deputy mayor; Haynie, Singer and Rodgers voted against. Council members then voted unanimously to select Singer.

They also unanimously selected O’Rourke as chairwoman of the CRA with Mayotte as vice chair.

In Mayotte’s first official comments after taking her seat, she promised to “do my homework diligently” and keep an open door for city residents. Her son, she said, voted by mail from college in last fall’s presidential contest but was home on spring break for the March 13 municipal races.

“It was his first time voting in a voting booth, and he got to vote for his mom,” Mayotte said, choking up as she spoke. 

At the start of the meeting, outgoing Council member Robert Weinroth, who dropped a re-election bid to run instead for County Commission, said “it really is remarkable how wonderful this city is.

“And it is wonderful because the citizens there,” he said, gesturing to the audience, “and the citizens up here are all doing the same thing — we want this city to be the best city possible.” 

Haynie opened a campaign account to run for County Commission last year, but official qualifying does not take place until June. If she files to run then, she would have to resign her seat as mayor effective in November win or lose. Singer, as deputy mayor, would then become mayor until the March 2019 ballot to fill Haynie’s remaining year in office.

In this March’s election, 9,480 out of 64,585 registered voters, or 14.7 percent, turned out to vote.

Incumbent Rodgers outpolled challenger Kim Do in the Seat C race 5,138 votes (55 percent) to 4,269 votes (45 percent). Rodgers, a computer security expert, raised $83,995 in campaign contributions, including a $5,000 loan to himself; Do, a lawyer and accountant, collected $38,804, including a $30,889 self-loan.   

In the Seat D race, Mayotte got 6,231 votes (66 percent) to Armand Grossman’s 2,741 votes (29 percent) and Paul Preste’s 508 votes (5 percent). Mayotte, a part-time sustainability specialist at JM Family Enterprises, collected $79,745 in contributions, including a $25,000 self-loan. Grossman, a retired educator, raised $121,180 including a $50,000 self-loan; Preste, a physician, did not solicit donations and loaned his campaign $23,850.

Erin Wright, a Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District commissioner, served a couple of years with Mayotte on the city’s Green Living Advisory Board and called her a “go-getter.”

“I think she’s going to bring a lot to the table,” said Wright, who voted for Mayotte and actively campaigned for her. 

By Sallie James

A Boca Raton police sergeant accused of using the N-word, making racially insensitive jokes and lying under oath has been fired.

Jeremy Codling, 40, who was hired in May 2005, was let go in early March for conduct unbecoming a police officer, unlawful harassment, hostile and demeaning jokes and being untruthful under oath, according to internal affairs documents.

The discipline stems from a complaint filed by Officer Carl Desir, who is black, regarding racially offensive comments made by Codling in May and December 2015 when the two were members of the Special Weapons and Tactics team, according to the investigation.

The report says Codling’s co-workers affirmed that the white police sergeant had a history of making comments involving race that had targeted blacks, Jews and Hispanics. 

Desir said he filed his complaint after learning that a recently hired black officer who had worked for Codling had quit unexpectedly. That officer told Desir that Codling may have had a bias against him because he was black, the report said. Desir said that scenario spurred him to step forward.

Desir’s complaint stemmed from a May 2015 incident when a fellow SWAT team member wondered aloud if he could take an old tarp from a storage area and Codling responded, “I thought black people were the ones who were always stealing things.”

Desir said he replied by calling Codling a racist, because “the ongoing blatant disrespect Codling showed for me in that moment, as well as all black people, infuriated me,” the report stated.

Codling told investigators he didn’t make racist comments to Desir and said he was “shocked” that he didn’t notice Desir was upset during the SWAT session in May 2015.

In another incident, Codling urged a fellow officer to answer his phone with the words: “What’s up, my n-----?”

“Never say that word around me again,” an angry Desir told Codling after overhearing the comment.

According to the report, Codling made further racist comments in a text thread about a “white Jewish [man] and a black male,” stating that the black man had to be the Jewish man’s chauffeur. 

Codling also texted a meme of a white man with the words, “What’s black and never works? Decaffeinated coffee, you bastard!” the internal affairs report said.

“I remember saying to Sgt. Codling that if he ever gets accused of being racist, I will be the first person to stand up and support that person’s case,” Desir wrote in a letter to the Boca Raton Police Services Department.

Desir added, “I believed Codling’s inherent disdain for black people could affect his behavior with or around black people as it was apparent in my encounters with him.”

The department released the following statement about Codling’s termination:

“The city and the Police Services Department recognize that our effectiveness in community policing is based on trust. In addition to maintaining formal and informal discussions with the diverse groups within our city, all officers in the Police Services Department have completed training in Fair and Impartial Policing. This employment action demonstrates the city’s commitment to address any conduct which might undermine the confidence of the people we serve.” 

2018 Summer Camp Guide

The Rev. Christopher Lewis counsels children at the Delray Beach church he attended as a boy. ‘I try to show the children God’s love for them and to learn to be a team,’ Lewis says. Photo provided

By the Rev. Christopher Lewis

Assistant pastor, West Park Baptist Church, Delray Beach 

As a camper at West Park Baptist Church Summer Day Camp in Delray Beach, I really enjoyed the friendliness of the camp staff. They actually played with you and genuinely cared about your well-being. They wanted to see you succeed, not only physically, but spiritually. 

My favorite memory was as a teen. We built our own bucking bull for Western Week and had a day called Stuff Day, where we just did stuff all day and saw many surprises unfold, like a barbecue at a park or going on a scavenger hunt to locate things. I enjoyed those activities as a camper, but, most of all, I enjoyed the chapel time when we heard Bible messages daily.  

I have been a camp counselor for 12 years, with two of those years as the camp director, though I prefer to be a counselor. I have done most of my work with the 5- to 7-year-old age group. That’s my favorite group. I’ve been their counselor for eight of the 12 years. I function as the camp’s assistant pastor but report to the pastor, who has the final say since it’s a church ministry. 

As a counselor, I try to show the children God’s love for them and to learn to be a team. There is too much selfishness out there. My goal every year is to at least impart to the kids that it’s better to learn to work together to accomplish a goal than to try to do it themselves with no help. 

I tailor a lot of my games to helping them work as a team. I also want to help them learn how to understand and think critically. I develop that if I can by helping them look at a situation and see the pros and cons of the choice they want to make. Essentially, I try to develop common sense, for lack of a better word. 

I’ll act silly with them but also be strict with discipline to help them learn to be better kids. 

I play with the kids and even pull out some old tricks just so they feel like they accomplished something, like letting them tag me out in a game or helping them to catch someone faster than they are. 

Cohen, 18, now works as a lifeguard for Waves and teaches children how to surf.  Photos provided

By Gigi Cohen 

Delray Beach

Being able to see where Waves Surf Academy has been and where the company is now is one thing that I truly appreciate. 

When I was around 13 years old, I’m 18 now, I noticed an old friend was learning how to surf at Waves Surf Academy. I reached out to her about that camp, and I was introduced to a whole other interest. I decided to go to Waves Surf Academy as soon as possible. 

Seeing this company grow — from my first lesson with maybe six or seven children to a camp every other Saturday with 20-plus children attending — has been a great thing to witness. I’ve watched this Waves grow from a tiny operation under a lifeguard office to a company with connections to country clubs like Mizner Club and Delray Beach Club. And I was also able to grow with it. 

From learning how to surf and being the one getting help on waves to teaching children how to surf and being the one helping them has given me real perspective and let me see where I was then and where I am now. 

For my newly acquired skills, not only in surfing, but also in work experience, I thank Waves Surf Academy.

Gigi Cohen developed her passion for the water and learned to surf as a young teenager attending Waves Surf Academy.

A’lexus Garnett at cheer-leading camp. Photo provided

By A’lexus Garnett
formerly of Boynton Beach

“It takes a village to raise a child.” This is a quote I strongly believe in.
     I was born and raised in Boynton Beach. Since the age of 4, I’ve participated in numerous programs and activities with the city.

I started out playing T-ball at the Ezell Hester Jr. Community Center where I met many friends, some who I am still in contact with today. I was on the all-star cheerleading team (Boynton Beach All-Stars) where I was able to travel, meet many new people and build great character. 

My coaches and Ms. Mary DeGraffenreidt (senior recreation manager for Boynton Beach) were very uplifting and inspiring people — they were like my second family. If I didn’t have my act together in camp or in school, our coaches would make sure to reprimand us so that we would learn what was most important: our education and our respect toward authority. 

Other than sports, I also attended the after-school program and summer camp at Ezell since age 5 with Mr. Joe Evans, Fontaine Watkins, Frank Ireland and many others. When I was “aged out,” I gave back to my community by volunteering at the same facilities.
     Growing up here gave me a passion for children. I went on to volunteer with a mentoring program aimed toward at-risk kids who may have disorders or are living in single-parent homes.

When I was old enough and able, I applied to work for the same people who helped raise me and get me to where I am today. Like the quote says, without all of these people who touched me within the community I wouldn’t be where I am now. And I feel that it is vital that I work hard to give the younger generation the same opportunities and experiences that I had so that they, too, can grow up, make memories, be successful and then come back to give to their communities.

A’lexus Garnett, 21,  worked as a summer camp counselor for the city of Boynton Beach in 2016 and was a junior counselor volunteer from 2010 to 2015. She’s studying pre-law at Florida A&M University and is president of Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity. She continues to be a mentor and a role model to children. 

NOTE: With so many summer camps offered in our area, we selected those located between the Boca Raton Inlet and the Port of Palm Beach. We kept our listing mostly east of I-95, but there are a few exceptions. Not all summer camp schedules have been set. Please check www.thecoastalstar.com for additional information as it becomes available. Also refer to listed websites for missing information such as pricing. If your organization offers a camp not listed, please send details to thecoastalstarcalendar@gmail.com

ACADEMIC

Henderson Summer Enrichment Program: Henderson University School, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Grades K-6. Two 4-week camps M-F 6/4-29. Morning Enrichment Program: skills in language arts, reading, social studies/science, math 8:15 am-12:30 pm $440/4-weeks. Afternoon Arts & Recreation Program: swimming, physical education, computer enrichment, music/movement, cultural arts. 12:30-5:30 pm $440/4-weeks. Full-day (both camps) $830/4 weeks, $275/1-week all day. Early care (7:30 am-8:15 am) $50. Enroll by 4/27: 297-3970; adhus.fau.edu

Summer Youth College: Palm Beach State College, 3000 St. Lucie Ave, Boca Raton. Age 8-14. Students choose classes. Lunch available for purchase or bring your own. 9 am-4 pm M-Th 6/18-7/27 (closed 7/4). Many classes $75 (each class 2 hours once a week for 6 weeks). Before-/after-care available. Check website for details. 862-4730; palmbeachstate.edu/syc/BR

ANIMALS & ENVIRONMENT

Environmental Camp: Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Grades 1-9. Campers learn the importance of conservation through outdoor activities, hands-on lessons. 8:30 am-2 pm: M-F 6/11-7/27 (closed 7/4 & 7/13). $125-$156/week. Extended care 2-6 pm $75-$94/week. Bring lunch, snack, drink, hat, bug repellent, sunscreen. Limit one session per camper. 544-8611; myboca.us

Safari Day Camp: Lion Country Safari, 2003 Lion Country Safari Rd, Loxahatchee. Age 6-13. Weekly themes. Animal or environmental activity each day w/complementary crafts games. 9:30 am-4:30 pm M-F 6/11-8/10. $265/week. Before-/after-care $10/day. Includes lunches, snacks, T-shirt, cap, water bottle, craft supplies. 793-1084, x2127; lioncountrysafari.com

Space of Mind’s Sustainable Summer: 102 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach. Age 8-17. Campers become a civil engineer for the summer, design a city that can sustain itself as our future redefines the environment and our way of life. M-Th 9 am-3 pm w/optional after-care program until 5 pm. Call for dates/prices. 894-8772; myspaceofmind.com/camps

Summer Zoo Camps: Palm Beach Zoo, 1301 Summit Blvd, West Palm Beach. Unique wildlife themes; zookeeping activities include animal encounters, exhibit visits, crafts, games. Zoo Camp age 5-10 6/4-8/10 $230-260/week; Jr. Zookeepers age 11-14 6/18-22, 7/9-13 & 7/30-8/3 $280-310/week 8:30 am-4 pm. Before-/after-care available for additional cost. Lunch (optional) $45/week. 533-0887, x229; palmbeachzoo.org

ARTS

Armory Art Center Summer Camp: 811 Park Place, West Palm Beach. Age 6-18. Art education in various media. 9 am-4:30 pm M-F 6/4-8/10. Age 6-11 $235/week; age 12-18 $285/week. Includes all art materials + one camp T-shirt; bring lunch, snack, beverage. Sibling/multiple-week discounts available. 832-1776; armoryart.org

Art Camp: Boynton Beach Art Center, 125 SE 2nd Ave. Age 11-15. Develop artistic talents using various media, the power of imagination. 8 am-4 pm M-F 6/11-7/6 & 7/9-8/3 (no camp 7/4). $400-$500/4-week session; $25/child. 742-6221; boynton-beach.org 

Art-Sea Living Summer Camp: Art-Sea Living, 112 S. Federal Highway #7, Boynton Beach. Children ages 5-12, 6/4-29 & 7/9-8/10, M-F, 11 am-3 pm. $225/week; Teen/Tweens ages 10-15. 6/4-27 & 7/9-11, M-W 2:45-5 pm, $125/3 days. $65/per day for both camps. 371-1009; artsealiving.com

Artist for a Day: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 5-12 Ceramic painting, fabric creations, clay hand building, canvas art, foundations of drawing. 8:30 am-1 pm M-F Crafty Kids age 5-10 6/4-8. Art Studio age 9-12 8/6-10. $250-$312.50/week. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

ArtsCamp: Kravis Center Cohen Pavilion 2nd floor, 701 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach. Age  9-11. Explore acting, dance, musical theater, technical theater, vocal music, culminating in an original performance. Interviews scheduled in the order applications received. 9 am-4 pm M-F 6/4-22. $650/3-week session includes 1 camp T-shirt. After-care available for additional cost. Enrollment limited: 651-4366; kravis.org/artscamp

Project Fashion: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 8-15. For young fashionistas who want to learn to design, sew their own clothes. Different projects allow students to enhance their skill levels. 8:30 am-1 pm M-F. Young Fashionistas age 8-12 6/4-8 & 7/23-27; Tweens & Teens age 11-15 7/16-20. $290-$362.50/week. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

FAU TOPS Summer Arts Camps: Florida Atlantic University Arts & Humanities Building, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Grades K-12. Piano, creative writing. 9 am-4 pm M-F. Grades K-5 6/25-29, 7/2-6, & 7/9-13. Grades 6-12 6/11-15 & 6/18-22. Auditions required for new TOPS campers; scholarship auditions take place TBD; check website for date/time. $290/week. $50 non-refundable deposit. Camp tuition due by 6/2. 634-7228; fau.edu/tops

FOTOcamp: Palm Beach Photographic Centre, 415 Clematis St, West Palm Beach. Age 10-17. All areas of photography from basics to state-of-the-art digital imaging. 9 am-3 pm M-F 6/11-22, 7/9-20 & 7/23-8/3. $745-$795/2-week session. Fees include use of SLR digital cameras & lenses, some paper for digital printing. 253-2600; workshop.org 

Fun Chefs Mystery Cooking Challenge: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 7-13. Cooking, nutrition, culinary geography, etiquette. Make a kitchen craft each day, create a cookbook of recipes to keep. 8:30 am-1 pm M-F 6/11-15 & 6/18-22 & 7/9-13. $330-$412.50/week. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Kid’s Summer Art Camp by Talin Lyman: St. Ann’s Catholic School, 324 N Olive Ave, West Palm Beach. Age 5-11. Painting, sketching, mosaics, sewing, crafts, sculpture and more. Students should bring their lunch & a drink. All supplies included. 6/11-7/20. M/T/W 9 am-4 pm, $45/day; M/T/W 2-4 pm, $35/day; Th/F 9 am-2 pm, $35/day. $50 advance registration fee; registration ends 5/9. 573-0123; talintropic@yahoo.com 

Kids Need More Art Summer Art Series: Go Out & Play: Pine Jog Environmental Education Center, 6301 Summit Blvd, West Palm Beach. Age 5-12. M-F 7/9-8/3. Express Day 9 am-3 pm $215/week; Full Day 8:30 am-4 pm $235/week; Extended Day 8:30 am-5 pm $250/week. 746-4576; kidsneedmoreart.com

Kidzart: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 5-12. Draw, paint, create using multiple mediums/surfaces. 8:30 am-1 pm M-F 7/30-8/3. $275-$343.75/week. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Once Upon a Happily Ever After Camp: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 9-12. Writing stories, books, fairy tales, more. 1:30-4:30 pm M-Th 7/23-26.   $200-$250. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Snail Mail Revolution: The Art of Writing Letters: Delray Beach Historical Society, 3 NE 1st St. Activities include making stationery, trading and collecting stamps, designing postcards, writing to penpals and more. Age 7-13. Two identical sessions: T-F, 7/10-13 & 7/24-27. 9 am-2 pm, $60/session. 274-9578; info@delraybeachhistory.org

Summer Art Camp: Boca Museum of Art School, 801 W Palmetto Park Rd, Boca Raton. Age 5-12. Explore artistic skills, expand connections to the natural world. Weekly themed camps. 9 am-4 pm M-F 6/4-8/10 (closed 7/4). $285/weekly ($228 for 7/2-3, 5-6 4-day camp); discount for museum members. Before-/after-care available. 392-2503; bocamuseum.org/artschool

Summer Youth Arts Program: Palm Beach State College Humanities Building, 4200 Congress Ave, Lake Worth. Age 8-18. Workshops in Art, Film, Theatre, Photography. Arts Preparatory Workshop $180/week, 3D Digital Animation $1240/8-weeks, Band Camp $250/week. 9 am-4 pm M-Th 6/4-7/26. $155/week. Before-/after-care 7-9 am & 4-5:30 pm available for a fee. 868-4145; palmbeachstate.edu 

CHURCH

Advent ADVENTure Club:  Advent Lutheran School, 300 E Yamato Rd, Boca Raton. Age 2-13. Variety of activities for both young learners age 2-4 & students K-8th grade. Weekly themes, indoor & outdoor activities. 7:30 am-5:30 pm M-F 5/29-8/3. Call/check website for price. 395-3631; adventschoolboca.org

Camp Keshet: Taubman Early Childhood Center at B’nai Torah Congregation, 6261 SW 18th St, Boca Raton. Age 2-6. Trained specialists lead activities designed to develop physical, social, creative skills. Sports, swimming, Shabbat, arts, crafts, yoga, cooking, more. M-F 6/11-29, 7/2-7/20, 7/23-8/10 (closed 7/4) 9 am-3 pm (half days available for age 2-4) 3-, 6-, or 9-week sessions. Before-/after-care available for additional cost. Registration fee, deposit, & security due 5/1. $695-$4,380. 750-9665; bnaitorahecc.org/camp-keshet

Camp Mece: First United Methodist Church of Boca Raton, 625 NE Mizner Blvd. Age 2½ (potty trained) to 6. Arts & crafts, music, dance, computers, storytelling, dramatic play, explorations, sports, Bible time, field games, water play. 2-week minimum. Bring snack & lunch. 9 am-2 pm 6/18-22, 6/25-29, 7/9-13 & 7/16-20. $150/week + $30 registration fee. Early drop-off available for minimal fee. 368-1215; meceboca.org/summer-camp

CROS Camp: Sunlight Community Church, 1325 N A St, Lake Worth or First Presbyterian Church, 235 SW 6th Ave, Boynton Beach. Grades K-8. Non-denominational Christian camp. 8 am-5 pm M-F 6/4-8/2. $30/week; $270/entire summer; sibling discounts; $25 application process fee/child. Fee includes T-shirt, field trips, special programming. Breakfast, lunch, snack provided. Before-/after-care available at some locations. 233-9009, x102; crosministries.org

First Presbyterian Vacation Bible School: 33 Gleason St, Delray Beach. Age 3 to completed 5th grade or youth helper 7th grade & above. Arts & crafts, Bible study, recreational activities. 9 am-noon 6/11-15. Free. 276-6338 x23; firstdelray.com 

First United Methodist Boca Overnight Camp: Warren Willis United Methodist Summer Camp in Leesburg. Grades 4-12. Beautiful camp on Lake Griffin divided into age-specific areas. Worship, small groups, ropes course, archery, swimming, arts/crafts, more. Accredited by American Camping Association; staffed with trained/certified college students. FUMC Boca week 7/16-21. 395-1244; fumcbocaraton.org/category/summer-programs/

First United Methodist Vacation Bible School: First United Methodist Church of Boca Raton, 625 NE Mizner Blvd. Age 3 (potty trained) to 4th grade. 9 am-12:30 pm 6/11-15. $35 advance; $45 after 5/1. 395-1244; fumcbocaraton.org

Seacrest Christian School: 2703 N Seacrest Blvd, Delray Beach. Age 2-8. Arts, crafts, science. 8:30 am-3:30 pm M-F 6/4-8/3. Half day (8:30-11:30 am), full day or 3 full days (M/W/F). Free morning care 7:45-8:30 am. After-care 3:30-5:30 pm $5/hour. $88-$195/week + $15/week activity fee. 276-5552; seacrestchurch.com

St. Joseph’s Episcopal School Vacation Church Camp: 3300 S Seacrest Blvd, Boynton Beach. Age 4-11, 6/11-15, 9 am-noon, donations accepted. 732-2045; sjsonline.org

St. Joseph’s Episcopal School Camps: 3300 S Seacrest Blvd, Boynton Beach. Mrs. Braswell & Miss Abby’s Camp age 3 & up 8 am-4 pm 6/4-8 (no after-care) $200-$225/week, $50/day, 411-0554. Mr. Coyle’s Whispering Pines Day Camp age 3-12 8:30 am-4:30 pm 6/18-8/3, before-/after-care available for added fee, $250/week, $65/day, 396-6608. Vacation Church Camp: Shipwrecked-Rescued by Jesus age 4-11 9 am-noon 6/11-15, donations accepted. 732-306; sjsonline.org 

SUNFUN Camps at Trinity Lutheran School: 400 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach. Grades Pre-K to 6. Adventure, sports, specialty camps start 6/4. Call for dates/prices. 276-8458; trinitydelray.org 

West Park Baptist Summer Day Camp: 4004 Lake Ida Rd, Delray Beach. Age 5-15. Sports, daily chapel, games, crafts, etiquette, life-skills training, self-defense training, swimming. 8 am-5:30 pm M-F 6/4-8/10 (closed 7/4). $100/week + $50/registration per camper. 495-2107; westpark-baptist.com 

DANCE

Preparatory Department’s Dance Summer Session: Palm Beach Atlantic University, 901 S Flagler Dr, West Palm Beach. Age 8-13. Ballet, modern, jazz, tap, conditioning for dance and pointe. Bring lunch. $60-$210 + $25 registration fee. 9 am-1 pm M-F 6/4-22. 803-2403; pba.edu/camps 

Summer Dance Classes & Dance Intensives: Southern Dance Theatre, 1203 Knuth Rd, Boynton Beach. Prince & Princess Camp age 3-5 ballet, tap, jazz, groovement 5-6 pm T/Th 6/19-7/26 $180. Mini Dance Camp age 6-8 ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop 5-7 pm T/Th 6/19-7/26 $335. Summer Fun Dance Camp age 9-12 ballet, tap, jazz, modern, acro, musical theater, leaps & turns 9 am-3 pm M-F 7/16-27 $525/session. Summer Intensive Program age 11-18 intermediate and advanced dancers by audition only 9 am-3 pm M-F: 4-week program 7/2-27 $1,000; 3-week program age 9-18 6/25-7/13 $825. Dancer’s Tune Up intermediate & advanced 5:30-8:30 pm M-F 7/30-8/3 $185/week. Free before-care 8:30-9 am; after-care 3-5 pm $25/week. Call theatre audition date/time. 736-9097; southerndancetheatre.com 

EQUESTRIAN

Boca Summer Horse Camp: 8656 Surrey Lane. Age 6-14. Equine care, balanced seat riding, horsemanship techniques. Bring lunch, snacks, beverages. 8:30 am-2 pm M-F 6/4-29, 7/9-8/3. After-care available at additional charge. $250/week; $75/day. 445-3946; staffordshireequestriancenter.com 

Boca Riding Club Summer Camp: 16489 Winners Circle Dr Barn 4, Delray Beach. Age 5-14.  Ride daily, participate in horse care, grooming, feeding. No experience necessary. Bring lunch, beverages. 9 am-2 pm M-F 6/4-29, 7/16-8/10. $65/day; $175/3-day pass; $275/5-day pass; $265/consecutive week; $1,300/4 weeks. Sibling & multiple week discounts. 305-2855; bocaridingclub.com 

GENERAL

Afternoon Kids in Action Aftercare Program: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 5-16. Option for kids attending a specialty program at Sugar Sand Park. M-F 6/4-8/10 (closed 7/4). 1-5:30 pm $90-$118.75/week; 3-5:30 pm $50-$68.75/week. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

American Heritage Summer Day Camp: 6200 Linton Blvd, Delray Beach. Age 3-14. 9 am-3 pm M-F Day Camp age 3-13 three 3-week sessions 6/4-8/3 $1440/session; age 3-4 half-day 9 am-1 pm $1,170/sessions. Art Camp age 6-14 three 3-week sessions 6/4-8/3 $1440/session. Robotics Camp & Science Adventure Camp age 8-14 three 3-week sessions 6/4-8/3 $1,440/session. Science Adventure Camp age 8-14 three 3-week sessions 6/4-8/3, $1,440/session. Musical Theatre Camp age 6-14 6-week session 6/4-7/13 $2,880. Tuition includes lunch & snacks. Transportation/extended care available. Free morning care 8-9 am. 637-2440; ahsummerprograms.com 

Boca Raton Recreation Services Summer Camps: Children entering grades 1-9 7:30 am-5:30 pm M-F 6/11-8/10. Pre-Camp (6/5-8) and Post-Camp (8/6-10) grades 1-5 7:30 am-6 pm M-F $40-$56/day. Traditional, Traditional Plus & Tween camps 6/11-7/20 (closed 7/4) $856-$1,540 (week-to-week available). Extended camp 7/23-8/3 $177-$260/week & Tween Extended camp 7/23-8/3 $227-$281/week. $20/application fee, $10/school usages fee. Open House for camps at respective sites noon-2 pm 6/9. Themed camps w/age-appropriate activities meet at various locations: Boca Raton Community Center 150 Crawford Blvd; Patch Reef Park 2000 Yamato Rd; Boca Raton Elementary School 103 SW 1st Ave; Boca Raton Middle School,1251 NW 8th St; Boca Raton Community Center Annex 260 Crawford Blvd. Additional camps/specialty programs available. 393-7888; myboca.us 

Boynton Beach Recreation & Parks Department Summer Camps: Age 5-12. Themed camps w/age-appropriate activities meet at various locations; Camp Boynton Traditional Summer Camp at Ezell Hester Community Center, 1901 N Seacrest Blvd 742-6550 & Carolyn Sims Center, 225 NW 12th Ave, 742-6641. 7:30 am-5:30 pm M-F 6/11-8/3 (no camp 7/4). $550/resident; $690/non-resident; $25 per child. 742-6650; boynton-beach.org/recreation 

Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County Summer Camps:  Age 6-18. Camps specific to each area club: Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Riviera Beach. Weekly sessions 7:30 am-6 pm 6/4-8/3. Breakfast/lunch included. Check website for more information, sign up. 683-3287; bgcpbc.org 

Brighthouse Day Camp: Somerset Academy Canyons, 9385 Boynton Beach Blvd, Boynton Beach. Grades K-8. Field trips for 5th-9th grade weeks 4 & 8 for additional fees. 9 am-4 pm M-F 6/4-8/3 $210-$225/week (2-week minimum). Counselor In Training (10th grade) $60/week. $50/registration fee. Before-/after-care available. 738-1984; jointheyesmovement.com 

Camp Destination: Boynton Beach Intracoastal Park Clubhouse, 2240 N Fed Hwy. Age 11-14. 8 am-4 pm 6/11-7/6 & 7/9-8/3. Per session $385/resident; $480/non-resident. After-care 4-5:30 pm $25/week. 742-6222; boynton-beach.org 

Camp Shalom: Mandel JCC, 8500 Jog Rd, Boynton Beach. Age 2 to 10th grade. 9 am-4 pm M-F 6/4-8/10 (closed 7/4) Camp Shalom $245-$530/week. Counselor In Training (grades 9-10) $455-$530/3 weeks, $155-$180/1 week. Specialty Camps $275-$615. Yeladim Preschool Camp (732-7620) age 2-4. M-F, 9 am-1 pm ($185-$270), 9 am-4 pm ($240-$310). $50 registration fee before 5/6; $100 registration after 5/6. Before-/after-care available for additional fee. 259-3000; campshalom.org

Camp Boca Crazy Games Club: Patch Reef Park, 2000 Yamato Rd. Age 6-12. Children compete in daily competitions w/large inflatable interactive games, enjoy water play, adventurous picnics, scavenger hunts, even see what it is like to be a hamster. 7:30 am-6 pm M-F 7/4-11 & 8/6-10 $195-$244/week. 367-7035; myboca.us 

Classics Camp 2018: The Trojan Horse: Palm Beach Atlantic University, 901 S Flagler Dr, West Palm Beach. Entering Grades 6-8. Hands-on & group activities led by Honors faculty help students become immersed in the ancient world, grasp the richness of the history and literature, gain academic enrichment. Lunch included. 8:30 am-3 pm 6/4-8. $175 to 4/30; $200 5/1 & after. 803-2403; pba.edu/camps 

Criminal Justice Summer Camp: Florida Atlantic University School of Criminology & Criminal Justice, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Age 15-17 (must be entering 10th-12th grade by fall 2018). In partnership w/Boca Raton Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, FBI Miami office. Observe/participate in mock crime scenes, mock criminal trials; demonstrations of bomb squads, K-9 units, SWAT teams; visits to police marine units, 911 call centers, local FBI offices. Limited enrollment; first-come/first-served. 6/10-14 & 7/8-12. $650. 297-4936; fau.edu/sccj

Delray Beach Summer Camp: Pompey Park, 1101 NW 2nd St (243-7356) & Community Center, 50 NW 1st Ave. (243-7000 x5250) Age 5-12. Structured program of traditional & non-traditional recreational/sporting activities. 7:30 am-5:30 pm M-F 6/11-8/3. 8-week session $545-$550 + $25 registration fee. Breakfast, lunch, snack provided daily. 243-7000 x5109; mydelraybeach.com

DeVos-Blum Family YMCA Camp: 9600 S Military Tr, Boynton Beach. Field trips, entertainment, arts & crafts, swimming, sports, games. One-week sessions 7:30 am-6 pm M-F 6/4-8/9 (closed 7/4). Registration fee $25. Traditional camp (age 5-11) M-F 7:30 am-6 pm 6/4-8/9 $190-$290/week. Teen camp age 12-15 M-F 9 am-6 pm 6/12-8/4 $235-$335/week session. L.I.T. Camp for Teens/Leaders in Training age 12-15 M-F 9 am-6 pm 6/4-7/6 & 7/9-8/10 $420-$450/per session. Sports camps age 5-11 M-F 7:30 am-6 pm 6/4-8/9, $200-$300/week. Aquatic camps age 5-11 M-F 9 am-2 pm 6/4-25 7/9-8/6 $195-$290/week. Junior lifeguard camp age 10-14 M-F 9 am-2 pm 6/11-15 & 7/23-27 $200-$250/week. Fitness clinic age 9 & up M-F 7:30 am-6 pm full day $200-$300/week; 9 am-1 pm half day $150-$300/week 6/4-8/9. Adventure Kids Part Time Camp M-F 9 am-1 pm 6/4-8/9 $100-$135/week. Shooting Stars Dance Camp M-F 1-3 pm age 5-11 $30-$75/week 6/11-29, 7/9-27. Preschool full-day camp age 3-5 M-F 7:30 am-6 pm 6/4-22, 6/25-7/13, & 7/16-8/3 $595-$675/3-week session. Preschool part-time camp age 4-5 M-F 9 am-1 pm 6/4-15, 6/18-29, 7/9-20 & 7/23-8/3 $300-$355/2-week session. Fun Club extended care 7:30-9 am or 2-6 pm $25-$50/week per session (am or pm). Sibling discount available. Parent orientation 6:30 pm 5/31. 738-9622; ymcaspbc.org/summercamp

FAU Pine Jog Summer Day Camp: 6301 Summit Blvd, West Palm Beach. Age 5-12. Weekly themes: environmental education, arts, culture, sport, outdoor fun. Open house 5-6 pm 5/18 at Pine Jog Elementary Cafeteria, 6315 Summit Blvd. 7:30 am-5:30 pm M-F 6/4-8/4 (closed 7/4) $150-$165/week + $40 registration fee includes camper bag, water bottle, 3 t-shirts; breakfast/lunch/snack included. 656-5430; pinejog.fau.edu

Florence Fuller Summer Camp: East Campus, 200 NE 14th St, Boca Raton & West Campus, 10130 185th St S, Boca Raton. Age 5-12. Outdoor sports, swimming, field trips, arts/crafts, nature activities. 7:30 am-5:30 pm M-F Jun-Aug. $100/week + $30 registration fee. Includes breakfast, lunch, snack. East Campus 391-7274; West Campus 482-3006; ffcdc.org

Fun & Fitness! Activities Program: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 5-11. Hip hop, tumbling, sports, theater games, arts & crafts, water play, themed dress-up days, pizza party. 8:30 am-5:30 pm M-F 6/4-8, 6/11-15, 6/25-29, 7/2-6 (closed 7/4), 8/6-10. $195-$243.75/week + $15 materials fee. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Gulf Stream School Summer Camp: 3600 Gulf Stream Rd, Gulf Stream. Grades Pre-K through 8. Academics, sports, technology, field trips, reading, more. Call school for brochure/schedules/costs. 276-5225; gulfstreamschool.org

Happy Sunshine Yoga: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 8-12. Spirited program helps tweens bridge transition from childhood to teen. 8:30 am–1 pm 8/6-10. $175-$218.75/week. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Kidnastics: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 5-11. Relays, aerobics, tumbling, sport games, musical games. Sneakers/comfortable clothes suggested. 8:30 am–1 pm M-F 7/16-20 & 7/23-27. $135-$168.75/week + $15 materials fee. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Levis JCC Marleen Forkas Believe In Summer Camps: 9801 Donna Klein Blvd, Boca Raton. 9 am-4 pm M-F 6/11-8/3. Themes vary by age. Early childhood camp age 2-4 $1,100-$1,950. Theater camp age 8-14 $935/session. Upper Camp Grades K-9 $975-$1,325. CIT (Counselor in Training) age 15-16 $835-$930. Before-/after-care available for additional cost. 852-5090; levisjcc.org

Levis JCC Marleen Forkas Camp Kavod for Special Needs: 9801 Donna Klein Blvd, Boca Raton. Grades preK-12. Designed to enhance social, motor, language, other life skills that promote greater independence. Families from all backgrounds/religious affiliations welcome; intake meeting w/Camp Director required. 9 am-4 pm M-F, 2-week sessions 6/11-8/3 (closed 7/4). $800/2-week session; before-and/or after-care/$50-$130. 852-3269; levisjcc.org

Peter Blum Family YMCA Camp: 6631 Palmetto Cr S, Boca Raton. Traditional camp age 5-11 M-F 6/4-8/10 7:30 am-6 pm $195-$295/week; Teen camp age 12-15 M-F 8 am-6 pm $235-$335/week. Leaders in Training Camp age 12-16 6/4-7/6 & 7/9-8/10, 9 am-5 pm $310-$410/5-week session. Aquatic camps age 5-11 M-F 6/4-8/10 9 am-2 pm $200-$300/week. Camp Sea Monkeys age 3-5 M-F 6/4-29 & 7/9-8/10 9 am-1 pm $150-$250/week. Glee Camp age 7-11 M-F 7/9-20 9 am-2 pm $400-$500/session; Dance Camp age 7-11 M-F 6/18-29 9 am-2 pm, $400-$500/session. Art Camp age 5-11 M-F 6/18-22, 7/16-20 & 8/6-10, 9 am-2 pm $200-$300/week; Jr. Adventure Camp age 8-11 M-F 6/11-29 & 7/9-8/3, 9 am-2 pm, $235-$335/week; Sports camps age 5-11 M-F 6/4-8/10, 9 am-2 pm $200-$300/week; Basketball camp age 5-11 M-F 9 am-2 pm, 6/4-8, 6/18-22, 7/2-6, 7/16-20 & 7/30-8/3, $200-$300/week; Karate camp age 5-11 M-F 9 am-2 pm, 6/11-15, 7/30-8/3, $200-$300/week; Specialty camps age 5-22)M-F 6/4-8/10 7:30 am-6 pm $195-$295/week. Fun Club extended care 7:30-9 am $25-$50/week; 2-6 pm $30-$55/week. $25 registration fee. Sibling discount available. Closed 7/4. Parent orientation 6:30 pm 5/24. 395-9622; ymcaspbc.org/summercamp 

Pine Crest School Summer Camps: 2700 St. Andrews Blvd, Boca Raton. Age 4-15. Band, dance, digital media, fine arts, strings, voice, Elevate, sports, swim, tennis, STEM. 9:30 am-3 pm M-F 6/11-8/10 (closed 7/4); before-care 7:45 am; after-care until 5:30 pm. $425-$585/week. Includes lunch & snacks. Before-/after-care $51-$126/week. 852-2823; pinecrest.edu/summer

Pine Tree Summer Camps: Lynn University, 3601 N Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 3-14. Half-day, full-day, overnight, specialty programs. Sports, arts & crafts, circus acts, science experiments, computer skills, video production, more. 9 am-3 pm M-F 6/4-22, 6/25-7/13 (closed 7/4), 7/16-8/3. $650-$2,375/session includes hot lunch + instructional swim daily. Campers required to wear camp uniforms (available in LU campus store & online). After-care until 5:30 pm $325/week. Multiple session discounts available. 237-7310; pinetreecamp.com 

Saint Andrew’s School Day and Sports Camps: Saint Andrew’s School, 3900 Jog Rd, Boca Raton. Age 3-15. 8:45 am to 3:10 pm M-F 6/4-8/3 (up to 9 weeks). Day Camp age 3-9 $2,730-$3,510; Sports Camp age 6-13 $2,730-$3,510; Adventure Camp age 10-13 $3,010-$3,870; Surf, Skate & Create Camp age 7-15 6/4-29, 7/9-13, 7/23-27 & 8/6-10 $500/week; Handwork Sewing Camp age 5-12 6/11-15 & 6/18-22 $500/week; Minecraft age 8-14 6/4-15 $1,000/session; Dance Intensive 3-week camp age 8-17 6/4-22 $1,275; Marine Biology Ocean Adventure age 8-12 6/18-29 $1,000; STEM Camp age 8-14 6/18-29 $1,000; Summer Stage age 9-13 6/18-29 $1,000; Leadership Camp age 10-15 6/18-29 $1,000; Girls Softball Camp age 8-16 7/9-13 $350; Broadcasting age 9-13 7/9-20 $1,000; Young Inventors Camp age 5-8 8/6-10 $475; Art Camp age 3-13)8/6-10 $390; Sports Camp age 5-13 8/6-10 $375; World Peace Games age 10-14 8/6-10 $475. Before-/after-care available for additional cost. 210-2100; saintandrews.net/summercamp 

Schmidt Family YMCA at the Volen Center: 1515 W Palmetto Park Rd, Boca Raton. Full-day Preschool Camp age 3-5 M-F 7:30 am-6 pm 6/4-7/30 & 8/6-7 $205-$310/week; Monthly 3 days a week $560-$670/month, 2 days a week $435-$545/month. Half-day Camp Sprouts age 3-5 8:30 am-12:30 pm $135-$205/week. $25 application fee. Sibling discount available. Open house 6:30 pm 5/24. 395-9622; ymcaspbc.org/summercamp 

S.O.A.R. Summer Opportunity for Adult Readiness: Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. For young adults & high school students w/autism & similar learning disabilities. Living arrangements on campus, 3 meals/day, activities, access to FAU facilities. Young adult age 18-25: 2-week sessions 5/21-6/1, 6/4-15, 6/18-29, 7/9-20 $3,500/session including $1,750 non-refundable application fee. High-school student age 16-17: 1-week sessions 6/4-8, 6/11-15, 6/18-22; 6/25-29 $2,500/session including $1,250 non-refundable application fee. 213-5450; fau.edu/pcpo/schedule 

Space of Mind’s Summer Schoolhouse: 102 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach. Age 8-17. Campers explore their passions, discover new ones through the arts, music, movement, cooking, more. Experienced coaches create fun, personalized learning experiences for each child. M-Th 9 am-3 pm. Call for schedule/prices. 894-8772; myspaceofmind.com/camps 

Spanish Language & Culture Summer Immersion Program: Patch Reef Park, 2000 Yamato Rd. Age 5-12. Immersion-style program, kids learn to understand/speak Spanish naturally. Kids develop conversational skills, introduced to the rich culture of the Hispanic world. Camp counselors are experienced educators w/years of experience teaching Spanish (native speakers) and working with kids, who understand children’s psychology, know how to make learning interesting/fun. Daily activities include circle time, learning through interactive play/games, arts/crafts, learning about music /dance of Hispanic countries, intervals of physical play indoors/outdoors throughout the day. 9 am-3 pm M-F 7/23-27 $325-$406/week includes snacks, materials, t-shirt. Sibling discounts available. Extended care 3-6 pm $15/day. Lunch $8/day or bring your own. 367-7035; myboca.us 

Summer Adventure Camp 2018: Beth El Early Learning Center, 9800 Yamato Rd, Boca Raton. Age 2-5. Weekly nurturing program exploring adventure, sports, water & outdoor play, music & movement, arts & crafts, gardening, zumba, Kidokinetics, Shabbat sing-a-longs. 6 day/time options each session: 2-week session 3 days 9 am-1 pm, 9 am-3 pm, 7 am-6 pm $350-$570; 5 days 9 am-1 pm, 9 am-3 pm, 7 am-6 pm $600-$835; 3-week session 3 days 9 am-1 pm, 9 am-3 pm, 7 am-6 pm $525-$850; 5 days 9 am-1 pm, 9 am-3 pm, 7 am-6 pm $900-$1,250. Mini-Camp 5/21-6/1 (closed 5/28); Session 1 6/4-22; Session 2 6/25-7/13 (closed 7/4); Session 3 7/16-8/3. Pizza Lunch Wednesdays $4/day. $75/child registration fee. Fees due paid in full by 5/14. 391-9091; tbeboca.org

Youth Cultural Empowerment Camp (YCEC): Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, 170 NE 5th Ave, Delray Beach. Age 9-12. 9 am-noon T/W/Th 6/26-8/2. $50 enrollment fee/6-week session. 279-8883; spadymuseum.com

MUSIC

Arts Garage Set The Stage Summer Theatre Camp: 180 NE 1st St, Delray Beach. Age 7-17. Music/theatre: voice, dance, acting. Visual arts/technical theatre: costume/scenic design, stage management, lighting, more. Bring lunch & snack. Age 7-12 9 am-4 pm M-F 6/11-7/7 $1,000; Age 13-17 9 am-4 pm M-F 7/9-8/4 $1,000. 450-6357; artsgarage.org/page/camps 

Music, Dance & Drama Camps: Boynton Beach School of Music, Dance & Drama, 9804 S Military Tr, E2, Boynton Beach. Age 5-11. Music, dance, drama, instrument playing w/performance of a Broadway-style musical last day of camp. Full day 9 am-4 pm M-F 6/4-29 & 7/9-8/10 $240/week. Half-day camp age 5 9 am-1 pm M-F $140/week. 877-2435; boyntonmusicdance.com

School of Rock Summer Camps: School of Rock, 7433 S Military Tr, Lake Worth. Themed camps w/live performance finales. 9 am-3 pm M-F. Classic Rock age 7-17 6/4-8 $395/week; Grunge 6/18-22 $395/week; The History of Rock 7/16-20 $395/week; 855-2646; southpalmbeach.schoolofrock.com 

Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County Summer Camp: Palm Beach Atlantic University, 901 S Flagler Dr, West Palm Beach. Age 8-18. All orchestral instruments, all levels. Guest performance & field trip weekly. Bring lunch. 8:30 am-4:30 pm M-F 7/9-14 & 7/16-20. $275/week; $600 both sessions; early registration discount before 5/1. After-care 4:30-5:30 pm $25/week. Fees due by 6/1. 281-8600; yopbc.org 

Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County Mini Mozart Camp: Rutherford Community Center, 7000 Yamato Rd, Boca Raton. Age 5-8. String camp for students w/limited or no experience. Recital on final day of camp. Bring lunch & snacks. 9 am-2 pm M-F 6/11-15. $200-$250. Registration: myboca.us. 281-8600; yopbc.org 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Camp Bright & Smart Robotics at Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. M-F 8:30 am-3 pm. Adventures w/Coding & Lego Robotics age 7-12 7/9-13 & 7/30-8/3; Engineering with Coding & Lego Robotics age 9-14 7/16-20 & 8/6-10; Adventures with 3D Modeling & Printing age 10-14 7/2-6. $385-$481.25/week + $40-$65 materials fee per camper per week. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Children’s Science Explorium Science Camp: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 5-10. Age-based science themes. Grades 1-2 6/11-29 & 7/23-27. Grades 3-5 7/2-20. Entering K 7/30-8/3. 9 am-1 pm M-F. $107-$134/week. 347-3912; scienceexplorium.org 

Digi-Camp Boca Raton: Young Makers Lab, 5455 N Federal Hwy #1, Boca Raton. Age 6-14. Digital media technology, photography, film production, video game programming, maker camp, fabrication, engineering, coding, web building, rocketry, robotics, drones. 9 am-3:15 pm M-F 6/4-8/17 (closed 7/4). $350-$550/session. Extended care 7-9 am & 3:30-6 pm available for a fee. 236-0938; digicamp.com 

Introduction to Computer Animation: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 11-15. Learn to bring characters to life. Create 3D animations, environment modeling, graphic illustrations, texturing, rendering using computers/animation software. 8:30 am-1 pm M-F 6/25-29. $300-$375/week. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Mad Science Camp: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age  6-10. 8:30 am-3 pm M-F Inventors & Explorers 6/18-22, $325-$406.25. Spy Camp 7/2-6 (closed 7/4), $275-$343.75. Fun-gineering 7/30-8/3, $325-$406.25. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

The Science Academy Summer Camp: Morikami Park Elementary School, 6201 Morikami Park Rd, Delray Beach. Grades K-8. Productive, hands-on learning environment. Early, sibling, friend registration discounts available. 8 am-5 pm M-F 6/4-7/27. $220/week, 2-week minimum. $50 registration. After-care $50/week. 285-7522; thescienceacademyinc.com 

Science Summer Camp & Science Institute: Palm Beach Atlantic University Center for Integrative Science Learning, 901 S Flagler Dr, West Palm Beach. Grades 1-12. Daily laboratory experiments led by PBA faculty: physics, chemistry, biology, marine biology, nursing, pharmacy. 8:30 am-3:30 pm M-F 6/4-15. Grades 1-5 $175-$225/week; pre-care 7:30-8:30 am & after-care 4-5 pm $15/child/day; bring lunch. Grades 6-12 $250-$300/week lunch included. 803-2296; pba.edu/camps 

South Florida Science Museum Summer Camp: 4801 Dreher Tr N, West Palm Beach. Themed weeks: science lessons, laboratories, crafts, outside activities. 9 am-4 pm M-F. Age 4-12 6/4-8/10 $230-$255/week. Age 7-14 6/4-8/3 $280-$305/week. Age 10-14 6/4-8 $280-$305/week. Extended hours 7:30 am-5:30 pm $10/day. 832-2026; sfsciencecenter.org 

SPORTS

Boca Sports Stars Summer Camp: Don Estridge High Tech Middle School, 1798 NW Spanish River Blvd, Boca Raton. Age 7-14. Organized sports, physical activities, age-appropriate games, field trips. 9 am-4 pm M-F 6/4-7/27 (closed 7/4). $195/week (2-week minimum). Free pre-camp 8-9 am. Extended camp 4-6 pm $20/week. Includes 3 camp T-shirts, transportation, hot lunch on Fridays. $50 registration fee. 251-7578; bocasportsstars.com 

The Breakers Tennis Academy Racquet & Sports Camp: 2 South County Rd, Palm Beach. Age 6-13 M-F 9 am-4 pm 6/11-8/17. Half-day sessions available. Call for details: 422-4515; thebreakers.com 

The Breakers John Webster Golf Academy: Breakers West Country Club, 1550 Flagler Parkway, West Palm Beach. Age 6-15 9 am-3 pm M-F 6/18-29 & 7/9-8/17. Half-, full- and extended full-day sessions available. Lunch included. Call for details: 650-1868; thebreakers.com  

Camp Boca Junior Golf Camp: Boca Raton Municipal Golf Course, 8111 Golf Course Rd. Age 5-18. Games, competition, awards. Lunch/snacks included. 9 am-2 pm M-Th, 9 am-2:30 pm F; 6/4-29 & 7/9-8/3. $295-$345/week. 445-4042; myboca.us 

Camp Boca Junior Tennis Camp: Strokes, strategy, fitness. Weekly sessions M-F 6/4-8/10 (closed 7/4). Patch Reef Park, 2000 Yamato Rd. Age 3-16. 9 am-noon or 9 am-3:30 pm $235/week age 3-6, $220/week age 7-16 lunch included (full-day only); 367-7090. The Racquet Center, 21626 St. Andrews Blvd. Age 4-6 9 am-noon $135/week, age 6-16 9 am-12:30 pm or 9 am-3:30 pm $220/week lunch included (full-day only); 367-7095. Boca Raton Tennis Center, 271 NW Boca Raton Blvd. Age 5-16. 9 am-1:30 pm $150/week, campers bring lunch M-Th, pizza party F; 393-7978. Non-resident add 25%; sibling discount available; after-care available. myboca.us 

Evert Tennis Academy Summer Camp: 10334 Diego Dr S, Boca Raton. Age 8-18. Students who aspire to play professionally, earn a college scholarship, or simply improve their game. 6/3-8/18. Boarders’ program 7 am-10 pm Sun-Sat, $1,495-$1,995/week. Non-boarders 8:45 am-3:30 pm M-F lunch included $1,095-$1,595/week. Half-day (mornings) $695/week.  Multi-week discounts available. 488-2001; evertacademy.com 

Goal to Goal Soccer Camp for Boys & Girls: YMCA Peter Blum Family, 6631 Palmetto Circle S, Boca Raton. Age 5-14. Foundations for beginners, skill enhancement for competitive/travel team player. Camp activities in afternoon. 9 am-noon or 9 am-3 pm M-F 6/4-29, 7/9-8/10. $175/week half-day, $275/week full-day. Lunch included. Pool time included full-day only. Early drop-off 7:30-9 am $50/week. After-care 3-6 pm $55/week. 441-4550; abcsportscamps.com

Hurricane All Stars Cheer Camp: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 5-12. Sportsmanship/teamwork. Cheers, chants, jumps, tumbling, stunts, dance, games, conditioning. 8:30 am-1 pm M-F 6/11-15, 6/18-22 & 7/9-13. $250-$312.50/week + $10 materials fee. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Owl Softball Academy: Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Age 6-18. Develop softball skills/fundamentals in competitive environment. 9 am-3 pm. Session 1 age 6-12 M-F 6/11-6/15 $300. Session 2 age 6-12 M-F 6/18-22 $300. Session 3 ages 13-18 9 am-4:30 pm T-W 6/26-27. Session 4 age 13-18 9 am-4:30 pm T 9 am-3 pm W 7/10-11 $300. Lunch provided. Campers must bring their own softball equipment. 251-5000; collegesoftballcamps.com/fau 

Sailfish Athletic Soccer Camps: Palm Beach Atlantic University Rinker Athletic Campus, 3401 Parker Ave, West Palm Beach. Chris Gnehm Soccer Summer Day Camp age 5-14 Boys & Girls 9 am-noon or 9 am-4 pm M-Th 7/16-19 $160/half-day, $240/full day. Summer Soccer Camp age 5-18 boys & girls 9 am-noon or 9 am-3 pm M-Th 8/6-9 $150/half-day, $250/full-day. 803-2530; pba.edu/camps 

Soccer Academy: Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Age 5-14. Foundations for beginners, skill enhancement for competitive/travel team player. 9 am-noon or 9 am-3 pm M-F 6/4-22 & 7/9-20 $160/week half-day; $260/week full-day. Lunch & pool time included full-day only. Overnight camp age 10-16 8 am-8 pm Sun-W 6/17-20 $425-$525. College Prep camp age 14-18 8 am-8 pm Th-Sun 7/19-22 $425-$525. 702-0837; fausocceracademy.com 

Sports & Fitness Zone Camp: Carolyn Sims Center, 225 NW 12 Ave, Boynton Beach. Age 7-14. 9 am-1 pm 6/11-8/3. $245/resident; $305/non-resident. 742-6650; boynton-beach.org 

Summer Skate Camp: Hobbit Skate Park, 505 SE 5th Ave, Delray Beach. Age 5-12. Skate instruction, field trips, non-skate trips, more. 8 am-5:30 pm M-F 6/11-8/3 $140-$150/week + $25/application fee. Campers must provide skateboard, helmet, knee/elbow pads. Snacks provided; bring lunch, water bottle each day. 243-7158; mydelraybeach.com 

Taylored Athletes Summer Basketball Camp: Grandview Prep School, 336 Spanish River Blvd NW, Boca Raton; Boys & girls age 5-16. 8:30 am-3:30 pm M-F 6/4-29 & 7/9-8/3. Before 5/1 $200/week; after 5/1 $225/week; includes lunch & jersey. Sibling/early registration discounts available. 239-5470; tayloredathletes.com 

SURF & WATER

Aloha Surf Camp: Loggerhead Park, US 1, Juno Beach. Surf Camp age 6-13 9 am-1 pm M-F 5/28-8/17 $200/week. Water Sports Camp age 7-13)9 am-3 pm M-F 5/28-8/17 $295/week. Teen Water Sports Camp age 13 & up 9:30 am-3 pm M-F 5/28-8/17 $295/week, Early-/late-care 8-9 am & 3-4 pm $25/week. Includes all equipment. 543-7873; alohasurfingschool.com 

Beach Volleyball Camp: South Beach Park Pavilion, 400 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Age 8+ 9 am-1 pm W-F 6/20-22 & 7/11-13. $95-$119. 954-345-0500; myboca.us 

Boca Surf School: Red Reef Park South side, 1400 N A1A. Age 5-13. No experience necessary; must be able to swim. 9 am-3 pm M-F 6/4-8/10 $299-$349/week, $89-$99/day. Surfing/snorkeling equipment provided. Sibling/multiple week discounts available. 954-281-2797; islandcamps.com 

Camp Boca Fishing Academy Camp: 1501 NW Spanish River Blvd, west side of Spanish River Library. Age 6-13. Learn to tie different knots, bait a hook, how to identify different fresh and saltwater fish in Florida, water safety. 9 am-noon M-F 6/4-8 & 6/25-29 $135-$169/one-week session. Fishing equipment provided. All campers receive T-shirt, daily snack, prizes, rod/reel to keep. 367-7035; buildingupsportsacademy.com 

Delray Beach Surf Camp: 500 S Ocean Blvd/1100 Casuarina Rd. Age 6-15. Surfing, skimboarding, boogieboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, stand-up paddling. 8:30 am-noon M-Th, 8:30 am-12:30 pm F. Check website for dates/costs. 703-7210; delraybeachwatersports.com/surf-camp 

Junior Lifeguard Program: Spanish River Park, 3001 N A1A,. Age 10-17. Conducted by Boca Raton Ocean Rescue lifeguard staff. 9 am-noon M/W/F 7/1-7/20 (no class 7/2, 4 & 6) $175-$200. 393-7820; myboca.us

Ocean Adventure Camp: Red Reef Park, 1400 N A1A; Boca Raton & Silver Palms Boat Ramp, 600 E Palmetto Park Rd. Age 5-15. Fun/adventure through education/exploration of Florida’s waters. M/T/W Beach Days, Th Sailing/Snorkeling Day, F BBQ/Pizza Day. 9 am-3 pm M-F 6/4-8/10 $325-$406/week (7/4 week $260-$288), $79-$91/day. Register in person at Boca Raton Community Center or online: 715-0499; underbluewaters.com 

Sea Turtle Camp: Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Grades 1-5. Campers learn the importance of caring for/protecting sea turtles, marine life. 8:30 am-noon M-Th. Session 1 grades 1-2 7/30-8/2. Session 2 grades 3-5 8/6-9. $125-$175/week. Bring lunch, snack, drink; camp shirt required every day. 544-8615; gumbolimbo.org 

SCUBA Camp: The Scuba Club Inc, 200 E 13th St Slip P14, Riviera Beach. Minimum age 12. Open Water class: certification, includes all equipment, 5 open-water dives. M/T 10 am-3 pm, W-F 8:30-11 am 6/11-15, 6/25-29, 7/9-13, 7/23-27 & 8/6-10. $399/week. 844-2466; thescubaclub.com 

Summer Exploration Sports Camp: Catherine Strong Park, 1500 SW 6th St, Delray Beach. Age 5-12. Sports, educational activities, movies, swim lessons, cooking experiences, educational trips, fitness curriculum, bowling, library, beaches, more. 8 am-5:30 pm M-F 6/11-8/3. 8-week camp $600/resident; $640/non-resident. 243-7000 x 5250; mydelraybeach.com 

Summer Sail Camp: Palm Beach Sailing Club, 4600 N Flagler Dr, West Palm Beach. Age 7-17. Water safety, boat handling, teamwork, sportsmanship, sailing basics. Classes by age, weight, skill level. Basic swimming skills required. Bring lunch/snacks/water bottle. 9 am-4 pm. M-F 6/4-6/29 & 7/29-8/3 $350. Free pre-camp 8-9 am & post-camp 4-5 pm. 881-0809; pbsail.org 

Waves Surf Academy & City Surf Camp: Sandoway Park, 142 S Ocean Blvd, Delray Beach. Age 5-15. 9 am-2:30 pm M-F 6/4-8/17 (closed 7/4) $285-$300/week; $60-$70/day; $50/half-day (noon pickup); After-care $25/day (3:30 pm pickup). 843-0481; wavessurfacademy.com 

THEATER

Broadway Artists Intensive at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach. Age 13-20 by audition only. 3-week immersion in acting, voice, dance; taught by all-Broadway faculty including special guests. Live audition 4/7 10 am. Intensive 7/9-28. 9 am-5 pm. $1,650. Optional housing & meals available. 855-554-2929; thebroadwayartistsintensive.com 

Broadway Artists Intensive Junior Program at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach. Age 9-13. Introductory session for all areas of performing arts: ballet, jazz, tap, vocal technique, acting, improvisation. No audition necessary. 6/25-29 9 am-4 pm. $450. 651-4376; thebroadwayartistsintensive.com 

Curtain’s Up! Theatre Performance Camp: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 6-15. Sing, act, choreograph, dance. 8:30 am-3 pm M-F. Annie 6/4-22 3-week session $750-$937.50 + $50 materials fee. Broadway’s Greatest Shows 7/2-13 2-week session $500-$625 + $50 materials fee. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Delray Beach Playhouse Summer Camp: 950 NW 9th St, Delray Beach. Age 6-16. Check audition/rehearsal schedule for times. 9 am-1 pm. M-F 6/4-8, 7/16-20, 7/23-27, & 7/30-8/3. $125/week; discounts for multiple weeks. 272-1281 x10; delraybeachplayhouse.com 

Director’s Cut Camp: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 6-14. 1-week sessions. 8:30 am-3 pm M-F. Claymation & Lego Animation age 7-10 6/4-8 & 7/23-27. Film Making age 9-14 6/25-29. $280-$350/week + $25 materials fee/camper/week. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Drama Kids Camp: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 6-13. Sing, act, choreograph, dance. 8:30 am-3 pm M-F 6/25-29, 7/30-8/3 & 8/6-10. 1-week session $250-$312.50/week. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Lake Worth Playhouse Summer Performance Camp: 713 Lake Ave. Age 8-14. 9 am-3 pm M-F. Session 1 Into The Woods Jr. 6/4-23, performances 6/21-23. Session 2 Mary Poppins Jr. 7/9-28, performances 7/26-28. $600/session. Includes camp T-shirt, materials, costumes. 586-6410; lakeworthplayhouse.org 

Performing Arts Summer Camp: Sol Children’s Theatre, 3333 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton. Age 10 & older. Vocal music, acting, dance, theater. 9 am-3 pm M-F. Annie Jr. 6/11-29, 7/2-6 & 7/9-20, $1,000. Camp shows 7/20-22 (F/Sat 7 pm; Sat/Sun 2 pm), $15/ticket. Show T-shirt, DVD included. Before-/after-care available w/advance notification. 447-8829; solchildren.org 

PlayWell Performing Arts Musical Theatre Intensive at Matlock Preparatory Academy, 2491 Homewood Rd, West Palm Beach. Instruction in dancing, singing, improvisation; performance ends each week; different musical each week. All experience/ability levels. Choose any or all 8 weeks. Age 5-15.  6/4-8/3 (closed 7/2-6) 9:30 am-3:30 pm. $150-$249/week. 907-8001; playwellarts.com  Jamie Mattocks, 561-907-8001 O, 818-720-9649 C, info@playwellarts.com

Progressive Arts & Theatre Camps: St. Luke Catholic School, 2892 S Congress Ave, Palm Springs. Age 3-13. Introduction to musical theater, singing, dancing, skits, painting, molding clay, watercolors, charcoal. Performance held last day of each session.  8:30 am-4 pm M-F 6/11-22, 6/25-7/6, 7/9-20 & 7/23-8/3. Before-/after-care available for additional cost. Lunch available $30/2-week session or $6/day. $85/registration fee. $295/per 2-week session. 602-0730; progressiveartsandtheatrecamp.net 

Rock Music Camp: Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S Military Tr, Boca Raton. Age 8-14. 8:30 am-3 pm M-F. Intermediate 7/16-20; Advanced 7/23-27. $300-$375/week. 347-3900; sugarsandpark.org 

Rocky Mountain Conservatory Theatre: Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center, 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. Age 5-18. 9 am-3:30 pm M-F. Session 1 James & The Giant Peach age 5-10, Legally Blonde age 11-18, 6/4-23, performances 6/21-23. Session 2 Disney’s Cinderella age 5-10, Into the Woods ages 1-18, 6/25-7/14 (closed 7/4), performances 7/12-14. $900/1 session, $1,775/2 sessions. Bring lunch/snacks. Deposit required. Sibling discounts available. Before-/after-care available 8-9 am & 3:30-5:30 pm $7/hour charged in ½-hour increments. $25/registration fee. 962-1570; youthactors.com 

Showtime Performing Arts Theatre Summer Camp: 503 SE Mizner Blvd #73, Boca Raton. Age 5-17. 9 am-3 pm M-F. Grouped by age/ability. Rotate among acting, voice/music, dance class; rehearse for camp performances after lunch. Each session ends w/musical performance. Session I Hairspray Jr. 6/11-29; Bye Bye Birdie 7/2-20. 1-week workshops: Sing 6/4-8; Newsies 7/23-27; Spongebob Squarepants 7/30-8/3; Descendants 2 8/6-10. $975/3 weeks; $325/1 week. Extended session 8-9 am ($10/hour) & 3-6 pm ($5/hour). Registration $40/new student, $25/returning student. Friday lunch buffet $7/day. 394-2626; ShowtimeBoca.com
Standing Ovation Performing Arts: 7429 S Military Tr, Lake Worth. Age 6-16. Weekly themes: acting, pantomime, improvisation, playwriting, crafts. 9 am-3 pm M-F 6/4-8/10. $200/week. Performances 5 pm every F. 3-week production camps 9 am-3 pm M-F. The Magical Land of Oz 6/4-22 age 6-12. The Enchantment of Beauty & the Beast 6/25-7/13, age 6-12. Twinderella The Musical 7/16-8/3 age 6-12. We The People: The Musical 7/9-27 age 10-17 10 am-4 pm. The Bullies at Sam’s Cafe 8/6-10 age 6-12. $200/week. Registration fee $25/yearly. 734-0187; standingoh.com

Impact 100 Palm Beach County Co-Presidents Helen Ballerano and Kirsten Stanley. Each member donates $1,000 to create the pool of grant money. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

The organization that has given more than $2.2 million to 36 nonprofits in six years is upping the ante for its April 12 Grand Awards Celebration.

Impact 100 Palm Beach County will meet for the seventh time to select five recipients of $100,000 grants. Members who each donate $1,000 have accumulated the pool of money.

“My personal donation gets combined with multiple donations, and collectively we make an impact,” co-president Helen Ballerano said. “When we do it together, it reaches much further than when we do it individually, and therefore we can make a bigger difference.”

A total of 66 applications, called letters of intent, were submitted requesting support for projects in one of five focus areas: arts and culture, education, environment, family, and health and wellness. The grant review committee narrowed the field to 23 semifinalists and then 10 finalists.

At the meeting, representatives from each nonprofit will give a six-minute presentation about why their project will improve the community.

“This is the opportunity the members have to truly hear what the nonprofits are proposing,” co-president Kirsten Stanley said. “To recognize just how overwhelming the needs are and how appreciative the people are is humbling.”

Two successful projects that exemplify the impact the grants have made are Community Partners’ Trauma Care program, in which a social worker is placed on the scene when a child is removed from the home, and the YMCA of South Palm Beach County’s Drowning Prevention initiative, which has taught 100,000-plus youths to swim.

“Those who don’t win often get funding elsewhere because of the exposure,” Stanley said. “The highlight of the night is the nonprofits.” 

Grant finalists 

The grant review committee announced Impact 100 Palm Beach County’s five finalists March 21. The nonprofits and their projects are:

• Boca Raton Philharmonic Symphonia’s Building a String Orchestra and Self-Esteem

• Flamingo Clay Studio’s Sculpting Young Lives in Clay — The Clay-Mobile

• Lake Worth West Resident Planning Group’s Steps to Success

• Urban League of Palm Beach County’s Project Education Navigator for English Learners

• Delray Beach Children’s Garden’s Expanding Our Nature Education Programming

• Fishing for Families in Need’s Responsible Angling Education

• Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County’s Uplift, A Project of The Door to Sustainability Program

• Place of Hope at the Leighan and David Rinker Campus’ Transitional Independent Living Neighborhood, Phase 1

• Genesis Community Health’s Genesis Smiles Program

• T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society’s Healthy High School Alliance Grand Awards Celebration

If You Go

What: Grand Awards
Celebration

When: 5:30 to 9 p.m.
April 12

Where: Lynn University, 3601 N. Military Trail,
Boca Raton

Cost: Free for members

Information: Call
336-4623 or visit
impact100pbc.com

More than 700 guests enjoyed the Achievement Centers for Children & Families’ 17th-annual Delray Beach Home Tour, which showcased seven residences and one garden.

With the help of 130-plus volunteers, a record $130,109 was raised for the agency’s programs and services, which provide early education and child care to low-income families.

The event also offered a silent auction featuring works by local artists, jewelry and spa experiences.

New FAU program to help low-income students

Some of the high school graduates accepted at Florida Atlantic University will never step foot on campus. 

Not because they lack the desire or are unwilling to work hard for a college education, but because they can't afford it.

FAU President John Kelly, along with Boca Raton philanthropists Aubrey and Sally Strul, have teamed up to create the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program to provide financial resources for low-income undergraduates. 

The school has received a gift of $1 million from the Struls for the initial investment.

“I was the first in my family to attend college and feel fortunate to have attended the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa,” Aubrey Strul said. “This experience has led to a successful and fulfilling life, and I feel inspired to help young people receive these same opportunities.”

An investment of $50,000 per student, representing $12,500 each year for four years, will ensure that students can attain degrees and devote themselves to academics and extracurricular activities.

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

In honor of 70 years of service, the Rotary Club of Delray Beach event supported a project to plant 70 symbolic trees throughout the city in conjunction with local outfit Community Greening. The specimens will be located in Bexley Park off Military Trail. ‘It is such an honor to be part of such a community-oriented organization dedicated to making Delray Beach a better place to live,’ said Jessica Rosato, the club’s membership chairwoman. ‘Celebrating 70 years with 70 planted trees was such an innovative idea and one that I was truly excited to be a part of.’ ABOVE: (l-r) City Commissioners Bill Bathurst and Ryan Boylston, Betsy Owen, Tom Carney, Judy Mollica, Rosato, Delray Beach Assistant Police Chief Javaro Sims and John Fischer. Photo provided

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County raised more than $200,000 during an event that drew 500-plus to hear bestselling author Will Schwalbe. ‘Will shared his love of literacy and passion for reading,’ said Kristin Calder, the coalition’s CEO. ‘He inspired us all to read more books and find meaning and lessons in the books through talking about the stories.’ ABOVE: (l-r) Stephanie Glavin, luncheon sponsor Brenda Medore, luncheon co-chairwoman Bernadette O’Grady, Schwalbe, Calder, luncheon co-chairwoman Debra Ghostine and Susan Rabinowitz. Photo provided

The outdoor venue was transformed into a Western-style ranch for the 25th annual affair, where more than 400 guests decked out in denim and plaid and sporting cowboy hats gathered to raise funds for the George Snow Scholarship Fund. In excess of $95,000 came in that evening. ‘We want to raise more money so I can come back up here next year and tell you that 2018 was our best year ever,’ President Tim Snow said. ABOVE: (l-r) Andrew Hunter, Paige Kornblue Hunter, Morgan Green and Oliver Green. BELOW:  Sponsors Amy and Mike Kazma. Photos provided by Kara Starzyk

Symphony of the Seas during sea trials in February. The ship will sail from PortMiami.

By Arlene Satchell 

South Florida seaports will welcome a new crop of cruise ships later this year, adding more oceangoing vacation options for travelers.

Five newly built cruise ships are slated to call Port Everglades or PortMiami home starting in the peak 2018-19 fall-winter cruise season. 

Travel specialists say the new vessels at two of the world’s busiest cruise ports will bring a slew of onboard features and amenities aimed at attracting more first-time cruisers, while also boosting repeat business. 

“The new ships that are creating the most buzz in our offices are the Celebrity Edge and the Norwegian Bliss,” said Don Walker, co-president of Delray Beach-based WMPH Vacations, parent company of cruise websites iCruise.com, CruiseCheap.com and AlaskaCruises.com, among others.  “The demand for the Celebrity Edge is overwhelming.” 

The ships will mean increased competition in key markets like the Caribbean, which could lead to more promotional pricing, particularly for older vessels. 

But cruise sellers like Walker say inexpensive getaways overall are getting tougher to find with consumer demand for cruising at an all-time high. “There are deals in the Caribbean from late August to early December even on the newer ships. A great value on a shorter cruise is the Norwegian Sky to Cuba on a four-night itinerary,” Walker said.

Before the five new vessels arrive, the Port of Palm Beach will also get a boost in its cruise business this month when sole cruise operator Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line adds a second ship for two-night sailings to the Bahamas.

  The 1,680-passenger Grand Classica will join its existing 1,900-guest Grand Celebration on April 13 to operate a new daily schedule of short cruises from the Riviera Beach seaport to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. 

Grand Classica has 658 cabins, multiple dining venues, a casino, spa, pools and a range of entertainment and recreational activities.   

Cruise rates for Grand Classica’s inaugural April 13 sailing from Port of Palm Beach start at $179 per person for an interior stateroom, according to Bahamas Paradise’s website.

Here’s an overview of the new ships in store for South Florida’s two largest seaports.

ms Nieuw Statendam is a 2,660-passenger ship that will sail from Fort Lauderdale.

Port Everglades 

ms Nieuw Statendam: From mid-December through April 2019, the new 2,660-passenger ship will sail from Fort Lauderdale on three- or four-day Bahamas cruises and longer eastern and western Caribbean voyages, according to Seattle-based operator Holland America Line. Holland America’s second Pinnacle-class ship will sport similar features as its first, ms Koningsdam, while showcasing its own unique style elements. Shipboard offerings will include 10 dining venues, a spa and salon and multiple recreational and entertainment options such as B.B. King’s Blues Club, America’s Test Kitchen and the BBC Earth Experiences productions. 

Rendering shows a Celebrity Edge stateroom with what the company calls an Infinite Veranda. 

Celebrity Edge: Celebrity Cruises’ first ship in its new Edge class of vessels will spend its inaugural season sailing alternating seven-night eastern and western Caribbean trips from Port Everglades, starting Nov. 21, and then reposition to Europe in 2019. The innovative cruise ship will have staterooms without sliding doors, new Iconic Suites and Edge Villas accommodations and a traveling edge-of-the-ship entertainment destination called the Magic Carpet. It will also feature Eden, a three-deck glass-walled venue with lounge and relaxation spaces, a dinner theater restaurant and bar with a living wall of plants and herbs.

“Celebrity has hit a home run with Edge,” Walker said of the ship’s standout design elements. “While pricing is and will continue to be higher for the Edge than its other ships, we are not seeing that stopping bookings.”  

Others agree the new Celebrity ship is poised to be a head-turner.

“It’s a ship that South Florida residents can look forward to having here,” said Annie Davis, president of Manalapan-based Palm Beach Travel, who’s excited about sailing on Celebrity Edge in November.

Davis says she’s looking forward to seeing the accommodation innovations aboard the new ship, especially the Edge Stateroom with Infinite Veranda, which the cruise line described as offering a seamless design from entry to water’s edge.

The Carnival Horizon will sail from PortMiami.

PortMiami

Carnival Horizon: Carnival Cruise Line’s new 133,500-ton, Vista-class ship will arrive in the third quarter. The 3,974-passenger ship enters service in April in Europe and will operate six- and eight-day Caribbean cruises year-round from Miami starting Sept. 22. Ship offerings will include the new Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse and Brewhouse, the first Dr. Seuss-themed water park, a SkyRide attraction and IMAX theater. 

Symphony of the Seas: Royal Caribbean International’s newest vessel to hold the title of world’s largest cruise ship will arrive at PortMiami in late November for seven-night sailings to the eastern and western Caribbean, after entering service in early April in Europe. At 228,081 gross-tons and 1,188 feet long, Symphony is Royal Caribbean’s fourth Oasis-class ship and joins sister ships Harmony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas.

“We’re excited to introduce Symphony of the Seas, our boldest composition yet, offering the best of Royal Caribbean with some new surprises for our guests to create a vacation that adventurers of all ages can enjoy together,” company President and CEO Michael Bayley said of the new ship. 

The 2,759-cabin Symphony can accommodate up to 6,680 passengers and will feature Royal Caribbean’s first Ultimate Family Suite, a two-level, two-bedroom suite for up to eight people. Features inside the interactive, adventure-packed suite include a slide, floor-to-ceiling LEGO wall, air hockey table, 3D movie theater-style TV room and a climbing experience on its wraparound balcony. 

“People like the newest [ship] in whatever market they’re sailing,” said Lauren Jacob, president of Reid Travel in Boca Raton.  

Symphony will have more than 20 restaurants, including new concept Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, Mexican eatery El Loco Fresh, New England-style restaurant Hooked Seafood and Sugar Beach, a candy and ice cream shop. The ship’s entertainment offerings include the Ultimate Abyss, a 100-foot-long twisting dry slide, an AquaTheater, Perfect Storm trio of water slides, a glow-in-the-dark laser tag adventure, surf simulators and kids waterpark Splashaway Bay.

 “The innovations on those bigger ships — people just love [them],” Jacob said. Symphony “is a fabulous ship for families and there’s something for everyone.”

Rendering of Norwegian Bliss.

Norwegian Bliss: Norwegian Cruise Line’s first ship built with custom features and amenities designed to offer the ultimate Alaskan cruise experience will sail from Miami starting in late 2018 on a series of Caribbean cruises after completing its inaugural summer season of cruises from Seattle to Alaska. 

Marine wildlife artist Wyland designed the signature hull artwork for Norwegian Bliss, which depicts humpback whales, giant manta rays, dolphins, sea lions and sea turtles. Ship highlights include the largest two-level racetrack at sea; new dining experiences such as Q Texas Smokehouse and Coco’s, a chocolate and treat shop, and for entertainment the Broadway show “Jersey Boys.”

“There is very little space left and pricing is 50 percent higher than all other ships in that market,” WMPH Vacations’ Walker said of Norwegian Bliss’ inaugural Alaska cruise season.  “The racetrack on top of the ship and the laser tag area have proven to be a huge hit for adults and families alike.”