Ocean Ridge Commissioners unanimously approved hiring Higgins Engineering Inc. to study the chronic drainage problems in parts of the Inlet Cay island neighborhood.
    Robert Higgins, president of the West Palm Beach company, has 30 years’ experience dealing with drainage issues in South Florida and was the only qualified applicant to bid on the study. He told commissioners he would charge an hourly rate and provide as much analysis as they requested.
    Residents in the Spanish River Drive area have complained for years about street and driveway flooding during seasonal king tides and storms. The town has been able to relieve recent episodes by repairing damaged and blocked outflow pipes.
    Higgins told the commission he would take a comprehensive look at the problem area and advise the town on possible long-term solutions.

— Dan Moffett

By Jane Smith

    Delray Beach commissioners voted 3-2 on Nov. 20 to keep the city’s all-volunteer code enforcement board, but they will hire an outside attorney to advise board members during their hearings.
    Commissioners were surprised to learn that code enforcement cases routinely are presented to the board with a 90 percent reduction of the fines proposed by staff. In most cases, the board approves what the city staff requests.
    Because fines can accrue in the time it takes to appear before the board— often up to 120 days — “the fines could be as high as $20,000” by the time the hearing is held, said Michael Coleman, director of the Community Improvement Department, which oversees code enforcement in Delray Beach. “We are not trying to make money on it, but to achieve compliance.”  
    The code enforcement officers need to present “a straight calculation of the fines” and allow the code board to determine whether a reduction is needed, Mayor Cary Glickstein said. He asked the city manager to make sure that happens.
    City Attorney Max Lohman, who represents other cities including Lantana, brought up the idea of hiring a special magistrate to hear code enforcement violations. He wanted to take “the subjectivity out of the process. …  Lay people don’t understand the law.”
    Robert Resnick, appointed to the code enforcement board in July, told commissioners that the board is enhanced by having residents serve on it, that they enforce the standards and the goal is compliance, not punishment.  
    He called his service “democracy in action.”
    At the City Commission meeting, Lohman also talked about a troubling October meeting when he represented the city in front of the code enforcement board.
    “They never read Ch. 162 (of Florida Statutes on code enforcement), but they are appointed to enforce it,” Lohman said. He had to explain what the board members could do in a code enforcement case involving a foreclosure. The action can be taken on rental properties, but not ones with  homestead protection, he said.
    Resnick, a retired Army colonel who served as a judge advocate general, understands Lohman’s viewpoint but disagrees with his characterization of the October code board meeting.
    “The September meeting was canceled because Hurricane Irma” resulted in power failures citywide, Resnick said after the commission meeting. That cancellation led to a long October meeting agenda for the code board.
    “People started to talk about the merits of their cases, not the criteria in the law,” Resnick said. It took longer, but the board eventually made it through its agenda, he said.
    Vice Mayor Jim Chard, who voted to keep the volunteer board, equated going to the special magistrate system with having a “gun for hire.” That person would not be sensitive to the city’s historic districts, he said.
    Commissioner Shelly Petrolia also voted to keep the board. “They are following what the city is recommending,” she said. “If the board doesn’t work out, we can always switch.”
    She favored bringing in an outside attorney to advise the board during its hearings. That way, the city attorney’s office could avoid a conflict of interest because a staff lawyer presents the cases and another staff lawyer advises the board. That situation could be problematic if a case were appealed. To date no cases have been appealed.
    “We are saving money by luck,” Lohman said.
    Commissioner Mitch Katz said he could see the pros and cons of having a code board of city residents. He voted to keep it.
    The mayor wanted to follow the staff recommendation to hire a special magistrate to achieve compliance.
    Deputy Vice Mayor Shirley Johnson also supported hiring a special magistrate. “We need a better system,” she said, with a professional code enforcement process.

By Mary Thurwachter

    Although town staffers were able to clear enough of the mess Hurricane Irma made at the Nature Preserve to hold an annual Halloween party, the park remains closed. Only the front portion of the park was opened to the public for that Oct. 20 event.
    “The back path is still in pretty bad shape,” said Linda Brien, Lantana’s operations director. “There are a lot of trees down. They got a good pruning.”
    Council member Malcolm Balfour, who lives close to the preserve, said he thought a tornado had gone through the 6½-acre parcel at 440 E. Ocean Ave., just east of the bridge. “It really made a mess of things.”
    Brien said she isn’t sure when the entire park will be open. Her staff of eight is currently down to six.
    “We’ve got to do Winterfest [Dec. 2] first and then we’ll attack everything. Some big banyan trees were lost, leaving gaping spaces, and leaves and fronds are scattered across the paths.”
    The preserve was created in 1997 on land previously used for the town dump.
    In other news, the council:
    • Approved a contract with DEH Kingdom Management Inc. for grounds maintenance services for $77,666.
    • Authorized the purchase of a 2018 Ford Interceptor utility vehicle for $47,265 to be used by the police for field training.
    • Learned that the town had won first place for municipalities 20,000 and under in the Read for the Record program. Since the program began 12 years ago, Lantana has won first place 11 times.

The Coastal Star collected six first-, three second- and six third-place awards in the 66th annual Excellence in Journalism Competition sponsored by the Florida Press Club.
    The awards were handed out at the Press Club’s banquet Nov. 4 in Sarasota.
    The Coastal Star took home honors in the Class D division, which encompasses non-daily newspapers, community, tribal and college newspapers. Florida magazines and newspaper supplements are included in the class.
    First-place awards went to Cheryl Blackerby, Writing: Environmental News; Mary Hladky, Writing: Health Writing; Willie Howard, Writing: Sports Column; Rich Pollack, Writing: Public Safety Reporting; Scott Simmons, Layout: Front Page Design; and Tim Stepien, Photography: General News.
    Second-place awards went to Brian Biggane, Writing: Sports Feature Writing; Hiram Henriquez, Illustration: Info-graphic Presentation; and Willie Howard, Writing: Environmental News.
    Third-place awards went to Ron Hayes, Writing: Light Feature; Mary Hladky, Writing: Business reporting; Dan Moffett, Writing: Public Safety Reporting and Writing: Government News; and Stacey Singer, Writing: Environmental News and Writing: Health Writing.

— Henry Fitzgerald

Construction will begin soon on two basketball courts for Lantana’s sports complex on North Eighth Street. On Nov. 27, the town awarded a contract to ARZ Builders of Boca Raton to do the work for $323,255.
    The town will use Community Block Grant money for the project.
    Council member Phil Aridas said that the town should plan to put a playground at the complex too, and asked that Town Manager Deborah Manzo look into that project in the year ahead.
    “This is something we need for kids and for parents who bring their kids to watch games,” Aridas said. “We need to use any remaining spot for this.”
    The sports complex, built last year, has three baseball fields, two soccer fields, batting cages and a concession stand. Since those were built, the Police Department moved its headquarters adjacent to the fields.

— Mary Thurwachter

A sign mounted on the inlet bridge announces that jumping and diving are prohibited.  Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Dan Moffett

    Ocean Ridge and Palm Beach County officials have reached an agreement on security changes that will allow the county to move forward with a planned $6 million renovation of Ocean Inlet Park Marina.
    Park officials told the Town Commission on Nov. 6 that the county is willing to provide overnight security at the Boynton Inlet on weekends and holidays to allay safety concerns that heightened after a recent drowning.
    Amantay Brown, 21, of Boynton Beach drowned in October while swimming in the inlet between 2 and 3 in the morning.
    Water in and near the inlet is known to be treacherous. Five people have drowned at the inlet in the past three years, including a 3-year-old who fell into the water on the park side west of A1A, according to county officials.
Ocean Ridge and Manalapan police, as well as the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, patrol the park and surrounding area but do not maintain a constant presence. The town agencies have expressed safety concerns about the inlet since the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office removed its Marine Patrol and cut back on parks enforcement staff in 2010, citing budget concerns.
    Commissioners and county parks officials hope the plan for overnight, on-site security during peak use periods will help to ensure that the park and jetty are used only by fishermen — not swimmers.
    Bob Hamilton, the county parks development director, told the commission his department will assign rangers or hire an outside security company to monitor the park area between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. during weekends and federal holidays. Neither the park rangers nor private security guards will have arrest powers but will contact police as problems arise.
    Also, the county plans to construct a residence in the park so a caretaker/dockmaster can live there and provide another set of eyes.
Exactly when the enhanced security measures will begin still needs to be negotiated. Ocean Ridge and Manalapan would prefer that it start immediately, but county officials say they have budget constraints that could keep that from happening.
In November, the county installed six “jumping or diving from the bridge is prohibited” signs in the park area in the hope of deterring risky behavior.  Other signs warn against swimming at night.
    Ocean Ridge Police Chief Hal Hutchins said he was satisfied with the agreement, though it might be necessary to adjust the hours of the security coverage as events warrant.
    “I think this is a good start,” Hutchins said. “I think the activity that is there after the park closes — to regulate it so that it’s only open to fishermen — is the key to security.”
    Mayor Geoff Pugh also supported the plan, though he lamented that it’s been difficult getting Sheriff Ric Bradshaw “to open his wallet” and play a greater role in policing the area.
A 1985 agreement between the county and Ocean Ridge says only, “Sheriff will provide adequate law enforcement in the park.”
The vagueness of the language has raised issues over the years, at least on the town’s side, about whether the county is doing its fair share to keep the park safe and secure.

Landscape plan approved
    In another concession to Ocean Ridge, the county agreed to provide more landscaping than town code requires in the southwest corner of the park as an enhanced buffer zone.         Because the park property falls within the boundaries of Ocean Ridge, the county must comply with the town’s building code and get the commission’s approval for the renovation.
    The Inlet Park Marina hasn’t had a facelift since it opened 30 years ago. The plan calls for replacing bulkheads, docks and boat slips, and constructing a new two-story building to be shared by sheriff’s personnel and the dockmaster. The renovations’ start date isn’t likely to come before 2020 because the parks department has a backlog of projects in the pipeline.

By Dan Moffett

    Manalapan may have found a new bargaining chip to persuade Palm Beach County officials to forget about installing groins on beaches north of the town.
    It’s the sand transfer plant at the Boynton Beach Inlet.
    Town Attorney Keith Davis told Manalapan commissioners on Nov. 28 that the long-running contract between the town and the county to operate the plant expired earlier this year.
    “There are no agreements that bind the town at this point,” Davis said.  “Any obligation Manalapan had has expired.”
    Mayor Keith Waters, who has pledged “to fight tooth and nail” the county’s groin project with every available weapon, suggested that the expiration may present “an opportunity” that could be useful to the town.

The transfer plant is located on the Manalapan side of the Boynton Inlet. File photo

Ruling requires cooperation
In 1987, Ocean Ridge filed suit against Manalapan and the county, claiming the transfer plant wasn’t pumping enough sand southward to keep Ocean Ridge beaches healthy. The suit claimed Manalapan was stealing sand meant for communities to the south. In 1990, a Palm Beach County circuit judge agreed and ordered the county to increase the amount of sand sent toward Ocean Ridge.
 The decision required Manalapan, Ocean Ridge and the county to work together to ensure that the plant did what it was supposed to do and replenish South County beaches.
    Today, the county continues to operate the plant, but if Manalapan balks at signing a new agreement for the sand transfer plant, a chain reaction of consequences that might follow is easy to imagine:
    If Manalapan refuses to cooperate with the county and allow the transfer of sand, the plant could shut down.
    Without the transfer plant running, the natural flow of sand south is interrupted by the manmade jetty at the Boynton Beach Inlet.
    With sand stuck on the north side of the jetty in Manalapan, communities to the south — among them Ocean Ridge, Briny Breezes, Gulf Stream, Delray Beach, maybe even Highland Beach and Boca Raton — could see their beaches quickly erode.
    Avoiding the political and environmental chaos from all this disruption would seem to be a powerful inducement to get the county to abandon its controversial project in South Palm Beach.
    Would Manalapan really hold the transfer plant hostage? Well, stay tuned.
    Waters and his commission have scheduled a special workshop for 9 a.m. Dec. 19 to consider the opportunities that the expired contract offers groin-hating Manalapan residents.
    “We need to discuss the implications of that sand issue,” the mayor said.

One very interested party who plans to attend the Manalapan meeting is Geoff Pugh, the Ocean Ridge mayor whose community's beaches depend on the sand from the plant. Any interruption or decrease in outflow is unthinkable.

"They can't do that," he said. "That transfer plant is critical to Ocean Ridge. It's not their sand."
    Immediately after the workshop, the commission has scheduled a 10 a.m. meeting with the county’s two department heads who are overseeing the groin project: Rob Robbins, the director of environmental resources, and Michael Stahl, environmental program supervisor.
    Town Manager Linda Stumpf had tried for three months to schedule a question-and-answer session with commissioners, Robbins and Stahl, but the county officials had other commitments. Stumpf and Waters turned down offers to meet with lower-ranking staffers.
    Stumpf said she is confident Robbins and Stahl will appear in Manalapan to field questions on Dec. 19. “We’re going to have a full house,” she said. “This is a big project and a big issue for everyone.”
    Stumpf also intends to invite representatives from South Palm Beach, Ocean Ridge, Briny Breezes, Gulf Stream, Lantana, Hillsboro Beach and the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa.
Hillsboro Beach is suing Deerfield Beach, accusing its northern neighbor of using a 60-year-old groin project to steal sand meant for Hillsboro. The suit seeks millions in damages.

Groin project in works for more than a decade
    Palm Beach County’s project calls for installing seven 100-foot-long concrete groins in South Palm Beach to stabilize the town’s eroding beachfront. The $5 million plan has been in the works for roughly 12 years. South Palm will pay 20 percent of the cost, the county 30 percent through tourism taxes, with the federal government and Florida Department of Environmental Protection covering the other 50 percent.
    County officials are working on obtaining permits and hope to start construction by November 2018.
    Waters believes the groins will do “irreparable damage” to Manalapan’s beaches. “I don’t know anyone in the town who supports that project,” he said.
    The sand transfer plant was built at the inlet, technically known as the Lake Worth Inlet, in 1937, nine years after the navigable passageway from the Intracoastal Waterway to the ocean was cut. Today, the plant must move between 80,000 to 100,000 cubic yards of sand each year, according to the contract.
    The county replaced the original plant in 1967 and then overhauled it again in 2011, spending about $8 million.

December is here, and with it comes holiday gift shopping.
Yes, it’s easy to head to a mall, hand over your credit card and buy what everyone else is buying.
But you’re not that type of shopper.
After all, you live in a unique area and you pride yourself on being one of a kind, so why shouldn’t your gifts be that way?
In the past, we’ve tempted you with tiny treasures, either in price or in size.
We’ve found inspiration along the shore and from holiday table settings.
This year, we’re looking to area artists, who have created special treasures large and small, as well as the bespoke and the one of a kind.
Be tempted by the area talent, and indulge your loved ones and yourself.
— Scott Simmons

BURLED BRINY BEAUTY
Tim Brady’s bowls are understated in their elegance.
The Briny Breezes man turns out bowls in cherry and other hardwoods that are pretty enough for display and practical enough for use.
This burl bowl would lend a touch of distinction to any décor, but Brady brings together real grace in a cherry mortar and pestle — all the better to get into the grind this holiday season.
It’s available for $250 at the Gulfstream Pharmacy, 4998 N. Ocean Blvd., Briny Breezes; 276-4800.

A PLEASING PENDANT
When we think of the art of jewelry, we think of Jewelry Artisans, where Pedro Maldonado transforms the amazing into the fantastic. Take this pendant, for example.
To create it, he surrounded a slice of opal from Lightning Ridge, Australia, with 18-karat white gold and framed it with sapphires.
“It’s like looking at the ocean from outer space,” Maldonado said.
The stone has depth, and its colors change as the angle of the lighting shifts.
The result is dazzling. Equally compelling: a pair of earrings created with slices of opal, 18-karat gold and yellow diamonds.
The pendant is priced at $17,000; earrings are more budget friendly at $4,800.
Jewelry Artisans, Plaza del Mar, 247 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan. 586-8687 or www.jewelryartisanspalmbeach.com.

FUSED-GLASS LIGHT
Make no mistake: Robert Schmidt makes dazzling stained-glass windows, with intricate cuts and sparkling colors.
His fused glass also transforms the light in an array of hues.
Don’t have space for a window? Or, maybe you’re renting.
So why not buy a few of these lanterns to have the sparkle of hand-wrought glass in your home?
Or, better yet, make your own — Schmidt is an instructor at Old School Square (where you can find his work in the Cornell Museum gift shop) and he offers classes in his Boynton Beach studio. The fused-glass ornaments a group of students had created were impressive in their design and would make great hostess gifts.
The lanterns are priced at $250; windows and other pieces are priced in the thousands.
Schmidt Stained Glass, 413 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach; 400-8841 or www.schmidtstainedglass.com.

 A GIFT THAT’S IN THE BAG
Just face it — these purses are cool.
Artist Adriana Bottary hails from Argentina, but creates her one-of-a-kind leather purses and accessories in a Fort Lauderdale studio.
Marusca Gatto, who is director of operations at the Cornell Art Museum at Old School Square, has transformed the museum store into a light-filled boutique that’s filled with jewelry, artwork and decorative accessories.
And she says Bottary hand-tools the buttery leather and paints the designs on these bags.
One thing is for sure — they are one of a kind.
Dare we say it? With these bags, the eyes have it.
Priced at around $200 at the Cornell Art Museum’s store, Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach; 243-7922 or www.oldschool.org.

 A CLASSY GIFT

It’s one thing to buy art.
But it’s another to create your own.
Since 1950, the Boca Raton Museum Art School has inspired local folks to learn the fundamentals of painting, drawing and sculpture.
The school draws students of all ages and skill sets — from beginners to professionals looking to develop their art.
Not sure what classes you want to give to that special person (or yourself)? The school will hold an open house 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10.
Prices start at around $60 (for a flower arranging course) on up.
Don’t feel like making art? For the price of an $80 membership, you can support the museum and get free admission to shows, as well as discounts in the museum store and on art classes.
Boca Raton Museum Art School, 801 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; 392-2503 or www.bocamuseum.org/artschool.

 HANG A FEW OF THESE

Rwanda, Mexico and Peru to gather an assortment of ornaments. Or you could drive a few miles to the St. Frank’s pop-up store at Royal Poinciana Plaza in Palm Beach, where you can buy Fair Trade textiles — pillows, blankets, tapestries — and these ornaments.
The company name comes from its hometown, San Francisco, named for St. Francis of Assisi, the son of a textile merchant who dedicated his life to the poor.
A gift box of four ornaments is priced at $55 at St. Frank’s, Royal Poinciana Plaza, 340 Royal Poinciana Way, Suite C1, Palm Beach; 268-2583 or www.stfrank.com.

 BOARD, BUT NOT BORING

For decades, Ron Heavyside has been shaping surfboards that tame the waves around the world.
All you have to do is take a stroll through Nomad Surf Shop to see the work of a master.
These boards are as much artwork as they are sporting goods.
In the case of the line of boards featuring the photography of Tony Arruza, they literally are objects of beauty that meld Arruza’s images of the sea with the boards that ride the surf. Those boards start at $800-$900 for a single fin with modern touches.
Want something more understated?
Heavyside also shapes basic shore boards that cost $550 and up.
Nomad Surf Shop is at 4655 N. Ocean Blvd., at Briny Breezes Boulevard; 272-2882 www.nomadsurf1968.com.

 RAISE A GLASS
These hand-blown drinking glasses are one of a kind and are available in a variety of colors — the blues and the greens are deeply saturated, and the bright yellow-green is otherworldly in its glow. It would be fun to mix and match a set of these tumblers that are kissed with the look of the sea. Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts, where we spotted these glasses, is selling them for $35 apiece or $100 for a set of four.
Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts is off the beaten path, as it were, at 1105 Second Ave., S., Lake Worth; 508-7315 or www.benzaitencenter.org.

 TIE ONE ON
These bowties, made by Grazie Prokopetz, graphic artist at the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, are sure to lend a sartorial touch with a wink to any ensemble — notice the coffee and doughnut motifs of the ties we shared. Wear one to dress down a tux or dress up a dress shirt and jeans.
Priced at $40 apiece in the Cultural Council’s Uniquely Palm Beach store, 601 Lake Ave., Lake Worth; 471-2901 or www.palmbeachculture.com.

MOCK CROC
These B-May bags would look good regardless of the season.
Mom could tote anything from baby bottles to wine bottles in the leather shopping bag that’s embossed with a crocodile motif. The larger pouch is perfect as a clutch and the small pouch is designed to keep cell phones safe.
A bonus: Because they’re unique to Deborah James, it’s unlikely that special someone will run into someone carrying an identical bag. They’re also available in black.
Priced at $126-$596 at Deborah James, 402 Via De Palmas, Royal Palm Place, Boca Raton; 367-9600 or www.deborahjames.com.

THE PERFECT HOSTESS GIFT
Many of us get invited to tree-trimming parties. We also like to host them. Or, we have guests visiting for the holidays.
Here’s a way for them to remember those occasions, with ceramic tile ornaments featuring the artwork of Lois Brezinski.
 Her colorful paintings capture the subtropical delights of Delray Beach, and she has used them on everything from these ornaments (priced at $9.95 each) to place mats, cutting boards and mouse pads. They’re available at Lois Brezinski Artworks, 533 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 400-8869 or www.loisbrezinskiartworks.com.

COME TO PAPA
If Vincent van Gogh had moved to Florida, his work might resemble that of plein air artist Ralph Papa.
Papa lives in Boynton Beach, has a studio in Delray Beach and is part of a gallery at Royal Palm Place in Boca Raton, where you can see how he captures the light and colors of South Florida with his 21st-century take on Impressionism.
You could buy a canvas print for $47, an acrylic print for $78 or a framed print for $73. Or you could order greeting cards.
Few things sum up Christmas in Florida better than the cards bearing an image of  December in Delray, with a peek at Old School Square and its landmark Christmas tree.
Priced $1.80 per card for a pack of 25, or $45 for the box, at www.fineartamerica.com.

 THE GIFT OF ENTERTAINMENT
If there is one thing for which folks in southern Palm Beach County should be grateful, it is this: There is a wealth of cultural opportunities in the area. You could enjoy regional theater at The Wick Theatre in Boca Raton, or check out a touring show or an art exhibition at Delray Beach’s Old School Square.
May we suggest a holiday experience? Melissa Manchester is performing Dec. 24-25 in the 300-seat Wick.
Tickets to the show are $85 per person. You could make a meal of it — a Chinese buffet will be available at $45 per person for the Christmas Eve performance.
The Wick Theatre & Costume Museum is at 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton. Info: 995-2333 or www.thewick.org.

 A BEACHY ABSTRACT
Palm Beach Gardens artist Carol Korpi McKinley invites a patron to “surround yourself with joy.”
And her large-scale canvases draw a smile for their heart, humor and hues.
Her works have proven popular over the years at Excentricities stores, where they bring a sense of the light and colors of South Florida. That is especially true in the jewel tones of the pinks and blues of this giant giclée, called Beach Abstract.
Picture it on the tall wall of a grand room or imagine it bringing a little of the outside in, floor to ceiling in a condo.
But whatever you do, just picture it.
It’s offered at $2,800 by Excentricities, 117 NE Fifth Ave., Delray Beach; 278-0886 or www.excentricities-inc.shoplightspeed.com.

 ON THE FLY
Forget the fish. Disregard the rod.
Everyone knows the art of angling lies in how you tie your flies.
Oh, you can buy flies for a few dollars (we especially were smitten with one dubbed “Sad Flea”; alas, it was sold out). Such flies as the EP Crab are perfect for hooking bonefish, redfish or permit, according to Ole Florida Fly Shop.
But we like the idea of tying your own.
Ole Florida Fly Shop has all the supplies for that, from paints to feathers to foam (and everything else it takes to create a fly).
It’s at 6353 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton; 995-1929 or www.olefloridaflyshop.com.

RAYS OF HOPE
This glass sculpture by David Peterson captures all the movement and grace of a spotted eagle ray as it glides out to sea. You can picture one going with the flow of the Gulf Stream. Or you can picture one in someone’s living room, where it will evoke the infinite. Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts, where we spotted this ray priced at $1,200 in a gallery, is sure to tempt with other sculpture and well-priced decorative accessories — hand-blown Christmas ornaments, priced at $20 apiece, would make great table favors or hostess gifts. Classes also are available. Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts is at 1105 Second Ave., S., Lake Worth; 508-7315 or www.benzaitencenter.org.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Can you picture a whole street of these colorful cottages by Lake Worth artist Jim Hertz?
We can because we’ve seen the real thing in such towns as Lake Worth and Key West.
These houses, made with recycled materials, would fit any décor, from mobile home to mansion.
And, yes, they’d make nice souvenirs of a holiday well spent in Florida.
Priced at $40 at Lois Brezinski Artworks, 533 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 400-8869 or www.loisbrezinskiartworks.com.

ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER
There’s one thing Tim Carter could tell you: Don’t go against the grain, especially when you’re turning wood into fanciful shapes such as this manzanita burl ball that’s inlaid with malachite and appears to spin before a galaxy of bird’s-eye maple.
The store at the Cornell Art Museum has it mounted on a wall as a plaque, but it could spin into infinity on a horizontal surface — can’t you see this on an understatedly elegant cocktail table?
Don’t need a plaque? Carter’s vessels and other pieces also are available.
Priced at $400 at the Cornell Art Museum’s store, Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach; 243-7922 or www.oldschool.org.

ABOVE: GPS coordinates are recorded so that the orchids can be monitored. BELOW: Carmen Rodriguez nestles a Dancing Lady orchid seedling into the undergrowth of the Yamato Scrub Natural Area. Photos by Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley/The Coastal Star

By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley

As we walk through the Yamato Scrub Natural Area in Boca Raton, we look for places to plant orchids. Now don’t picture us out here with velvety purple phalaenopsis or peachy pink vandas that you might buy at a nursery or big box store.
    We are here to plant Dancing Ladies, an endangered native orchid. And flowers aside, the ones we have are a mere 2 years old, measuring only about 2 inches in length from root tip to the top of their greenery. They’ve been propagated from seed in a laboratory at Florida Atlantic University’s Pine Jog Environmental Education Center in West Palm Beach. And now they are being planted in the wild.
    “We work hard to do it right,” said Carmen Rodriguez, education and training programs coordinator for the center. “These are rare plants and we want them to be successful.”
    She and her co-worker, technician David Taylor, along with scientists at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, are participating in the Million Orchid Project. It’s an attempt to grow and reintroduce endangered to critically endangered native orchids into their native habitats.
    In the past, native orchids that are part of the project, including the butterfly, night-blooming and dollar orchids, were common all over South Florida. They were so prolific, you’d find them in just about every tree.  But in the late 1800s, the Florida East Coast Railway brought tourists who bought specimens to take home as houseplants and poachers who picked them out of trees to ship to florists up North.
    The devastation of the native population was so great that today only a few species survive in very limited areas of the state. And given development and pollution, even their survival is not assured.
    That’s why Rodriguez and Taylor are busy in the laboratory propagating and growing over 60,000 orchid plants from eight species in sterile flasks set under grow-lights. After two years in the lab, the orchids will be ready for “out-planting” in the wild, where their growth and development will be watched and noted for years to come.
    The Dancing Lady orchids we are planting today currently survive in the wild in only two areas of Jupiter. But Rodriguez and Taylor hope the Boca Raton scrub will be a suitable habitat in which their population can expand.
    Finding the proper habitat is not easy, but it’s important. Native orchids have specific needs for growth, with species native to Palm Beach County being genetically different from those in Miami-Dade and vice versa.
    When Taylor sees a saw palmetto, a possible host plant for the Dancing Lady orchid, he reaches to the base of the tree. Here he tucks the roots of a tiny seedling into the pine needles that cover the floor of this scrubland. He then marks the spot with a numbered metal tag. “We hope that the pine needles will help lock in moisture for the dry season and that they’ll do OK here,” he said.
    Meanwhile, Rodriguez records the plant’s GPS coordinates so they can find it again. She also notes who did the planting, the date and the host plant. It takes us about three hours to complete today’s out-planting of 65 Dancing Lady orchids.
    And as we drive away, I wonder how those tiny wisps propagated from seeds the size of talcum powder will stand up to Mother Nature in the form of hungry gopher tortoises that enjoy their tender shoots, not to mention the vagaries of weather and visitors.
    But their survival is important because native orchids thrive only where the water is fresh and the air clean. So by surviving, they let us know our habitat is healthy. “That makes them a good indicator species for our planet,” said Rodriguez.
    If you would like to volunteer to work on the Million Orchid Project, contact Rodriguez at carmenrodriguez@fau.edu.
    To show your support and help fund the Million Orchid Project, you can participate in the Wild Orchid 5K-Plus fun runs for kids beginning at 8 a.m. on Feb. 3 at FAU Pine Jog Environmental Education Center. Entry is $25 ($35 after Jan. 26). Visit runsignup.com/Race/Fl/WestPalmBeach/PineJogWildOrchid5K.
    Please note: It is illegal to harvest endangered native orchids from public land, according to Lee Lietzke, senior environmental analyst for the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management. “Take photos; leave only footprints,” he said.

Once upon a time Dancing Lady blooms dotted Florida’s landscape.

If You Go
The Million Orchid Project laboratory is open only to volunteers. The public can visit the nature area adjacent to the center, 6301 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach (www.pinejog.fau.edu/community-programs; 686-6600). Here, native butterfly orchids are found in the wild, and more have been planted from the lab. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Or visit the Yamato Scrub Natural Area, 701 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton (discover.pbcgov.org/erm/NaturalAreas; 233-2400), where Dancing Lady orchids have been planted in the wild. The scrub is open sunrise to sunset.

Gardening Tip   

If you plant more common species of exotic orchids bought at garden stores, you need to find a place for them in your home or yard that mimics their natural habitat. Many of the exotics were originally from trees in rainforests.
For best results, keep them in low light and attach the orchids to trees or plant them in special bark preparations. And instead of saturating them, spritz them with water two or three times a week aiming for the roots, not the foliage.
— David Taylor and Carmen Rodriguez

Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley can be reached at debhartz@att.net.

Chloe Pugh takes the lead in a choral performance last season at Advent Lutheran Church in Boca. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

You’ve heard the saying: You can’t please all the people …
    But at Advent Lutheran Church in Boca Raton, the ministry tries to please everyone, especially at Christmas, one of the most important holidays of the year.
    That’s why you’ll find a wide variety of programs or services on Advent Lutheran’s busy schedule.
    “Our church’s mission is to reach every age and stage of life,” Pastor Andy Hagen said.
    For a lot of people, Christmas is a very Joy to the World time of year, but to someone who lost a loved one in the previous year, Christmas may not be a joyous time.
    “People may have lost the person they spent the holiday with, making the loss harder,” Hagen said. For those people, Advent offers a Blue Christmas service on Dec. 3 with words of encouragement and a candle-lighting remembrance.
    It’s an outreach of the Advent’s Stephen Ministry, named for the Apostle Stephen, who spent time with grieving widows and orphans, Hagen said.
    “These people build friendships with the grieving, one-on-one relationships that help with the transition after loss,” he said.
    All volunteers, these friends fill a bit of the gap left after someone passes. “They love it,” Hagen said. “It’s a big blessing to us as pastors.”
    Pastors are there at the beginning, but the Stephen Ministry picks up where the pastors leave off. These people are there months after loss and try to see the person through major events — such as the first birthdays and Mother’s Days — of that first year. And they love what they do, Hagen said. “They’ve been blessed so they want to share that blessing with others.”
    Hagen knows that life events like losing a loved one or living through a hurricane can have deep impacts, and the reports of natural disasters and man-made atrocities on the news make it hard to be positive about the future.
    “It’s a difficult time for a lot of people. It’s a season of vulnerability,” he said. “But the birth of Jesus is a story of vulnerability, too. They were homeless. Outcast. Refugees. Alone. It’s not all a happy Hallmark moment.”
    But there’s room for that, too. Advent will celebrate the season with modern and traditional music and drama at many of its services and programs.
    To those who are discouraged, Hagen says, “God is paying attention. He knows we’re worried. I try to stay faithful to what we do and remember God’s in charge.”
    When you need help, reach out, the pastor says.
    “We’re here, and the lights are on for you.”
    Oh, and Merry Christmas.

Advent Lutheran’s
Christmas Adventure

Dec. 3
Blue Christmas service: 8:30, 10 and 11:30 a.m.  
Dec. 9
Early childhood school Christmas program: 10 and 11:15 a.m. Don’t miss the living Nativity after the show.
Dec. 10
Christmas Music Sunday with the Advent Choir in a program called “Let There Be Christmas”: 8:30 and 11:30 a.m.
Praise Band Christmas program: 10 a.m.
Dec. 12
Advent’s elementary and middle school Christmas program — 6 p.m.
Christmas Eve
Worship service: 10 a.m.
Family worship service with the children’s candlelight processional and family fellowship following: 4 p.m. Snow is expected to fall.
Contemporary candlelight service with Communion: 6 p.m.
Candlelight service with Communion: 10 p.m.
Christmas Day
Worship service: 10 a.m.

 
Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at janisfontaine@outlook.com.

St. Andrews School second-grader Christopher Andersson was invited to ask a question of Paolo Nespoli while Nespoli was aboard the International Space Station. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

    Christopher Andersson is one curious kid! And his parents couldn’t be prouder.
    In November, a dozen children from Palm Beach County were invited to talk to Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli aboard the International Space Station via ham radio at a live talkback at the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium in West Palm Beach. The special event coincided with the center’s 5,000-square-foot exhibition, Astronaut.
    One of the lucky ones was Christopher, 7, a second-grader at Saint Andrews School in Boca Raton, his hometown. The students were invited based on essays they wrote about what question they’d ask an astronaut, which were judged by teachers based on their writing, creativity and enthusiasm for the subject.
    Christopher’s question was: “What is the most unexpected discovery you have made when doing your science experiments on the International Space Station?”
    Christopher’s dad, Leif Andersson, says that the question was born out of a slime-making experiment.
    “I didn’t know what would happen,” Christopher said about the day he was “playing around” in his home chemistry lab. By mixing a few substances together, he discovered slime. It was a jumping off point for a discussion about how many important discoveries start with people saying, “I wonder what would happen …”
    Christopher’s question was intriguing, so judges put it at the top of the list. That meant the boy in the blue blazer was first at the mic, which would have intimidated a teenager, but he did great.
    When the astronaut finally answered — the ISS is an average of 240 miles above the Earth hurtling by at 17,600 miles per hour — the audio was difficult to hear, so Christopher’s dad explained the answer to him later.
    Nespoli told the students that he was surprised to find that fire didn’t behave exactly the way the astronauts expected. Scientists always believed that fire couldn’t be sustained in very cold temperatures: Heat is one of the three requirements for fire, along with fuel and oxygen. The astronauts found fire still burned at lower temperatures than they’d expected.  
    The unexpected is what keeps scientists’ hearts beating, the same way the unknown keeps Christopher’s curiosity marching along.
    Christopher and the other students were also among the first to see the new exhibition, Astronaut, Your Journey Begins on Earth, which opened at the Science Center in October and runs through April 22.
    The exhibit is designed to show visitors what it would be like to live in space. How do astronauts eat? How do they sleep? How do they, ahem, use the bathroom in gravity-free space? (You know you’ve been wondering about that.)
    The exhibit features  interactive games and displays that simulate a rocket launch and show how to plant and grow a space garden. You can even take a spin in the G-force simulator and see if you’ve got “the right stuff,” then find out what job you’d have on a space mission by taking a personality quiz.
    Christopher said his favorite part was playing with the vending machines that offered “space food” choices.
    After school, the soon-to-be 8-year-old stretches his creative muscles at Saint Andrews robotics club, a highlight of his week, and on the chess team. He pushes himself physically playing goalie on his ice hockey team and as a member of the swim team.         Christopher says he doesn’t want to be an astronaut, but he would like to support astronauts in some capacity back here on terra firma. But for right now, Saint Andrews is just the spot for a curious kid with a passion for science.

    The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is at 4801 Dreher Trail North, West Palm Beach. Admission is $16.95 for adults, $14.95 for seniors ages 60-plus, $12.95 for ages 3-12 and free for younger than 3 and for members. On the web at www.sfsciencecenter.org.

Dogs relax at Barkingham Palace in Delray Beach while their owners are away. The boarding and day-care facility provides a safe, comfortable place to stay with chances to play. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Arden Moore

Strange but jovial people burst through the front door. A giant tree with dangling objects suddenly takes over the living room. Kitchen counters are buried under an avalanche of goodies. Dinners are delayed and daily walks get forgotten.
    For far too many pets, the above scenarios capture the coming holiday season. The comfortable predictability of the household routine becomes taken over by unexpected visitors as well as strange sights, sounds and smells.
    So it’s understandable  why your pets may become confused, anxious and even a bit fearful. Some may react by piddling on the living room rug, unleashing marathon barking or perhaps cowering under the bed whenever the doorbell rings.
    Whether you plan to stay home or travel sans your pet during the holidays, it is important to take steps to prevent the holidays from turning into the howl-i-days for the pet.
    For starters, do a candid assessment of your pet’s temperament and personality. Identify if your pet would be a good candidate for expending energy at a local doggy day care. Or, if you plan to travel or be gone for long stretches of time, determine if your pet would fare best being cared for at home by a professional pet sitter or if he would enjoy his own suite at a pet boarding facility.
    In general, cats and dogs that are shy, quiet and get easily rattled in the presence of unknown pets are more apt to prefer being home and visited by professional pet sitters. However, pets, especially confident, social dogs that don’t mind new places, may be good candidates for boarding.
    Since 1968, Tony Maturo has been offering a safe, supervised place for dogs and cats to hang out when their pet parents are not home at the Barkingham Palace in Delray Beach.
    “The holidays are a stressed-out time for a lot of pets, so we are here seven days a week to make sure pets in our day care or those being boarded are safe, comfortable and given a chance to play,” says Maturo, who co-owns the Barkingham Palace with his wife, Pat. “During playtime, we factor in temperament, age and size of the dogs. At night, we play mood music to help them sleep.”
    Day care or boarding may be ideal options if you have invited relatives or friends for the holidays who may be allergic to pets, don’t want to be around pets in the house or who may insist on bringing their own pets that do not get along with other pets.  
Think of this option as a welcome getaway for your dogs and cats, but book now. Responsible boarding facilities will require you to provide your pet’s up-to-date medical records and have your pet do a “trial run” visit to evaluate how he or she handles being around other pets.
    If you plan to take a vacation or spend time visiting family or friends away from home, you can hire a professional pet sitter who is licensed, insured and bonded. And ideally, this person should be trained in pet first aid to handle any unexpected emergencies. Think of this option as a staycation for your stay-at-home pets, who may be older, require daily medications or not fond of new places or meeting new dogs or cats.
    Sam Brownstein, of Sunshine Pet Pals, has been caring for pets in the Boca Raton area for nine years. He notes that the level of stress in pets often increases during the holidays. And so do the number of requests for home visits, which is why he recommends you hire and schedule holiday visits with a professional pet sitter now.
    “We are here to keep pets safe in their own homes and to adhere to their feeding, walking and play schedules as much as possible,” says Brownstein. “We also educate our clients on how to minimize the stress felt by the pets weeks before the holidays.”

Experts’ advice
    • If you need to relocate your cat’s litter box from the spare bedroom to a corner of the home office, do so a couple of weeks before your overnight guests arrive.
    • Post bright-colored signs by doors to alert guests to carefully close and open doors to prevent rattled dogs from bolting out and escaping.
    • Place pets in a quiet, closed back room with a sound machine or television on to muffle or mute any loud noises caused by fireworks or blaring music.
    • Stick with the quality commercial food you now feed your pets and gently but firmly relay to guests to not give any people food to your pets. Holiday people favorites like chocolates, gravy-loaded stuffing, alcoholic drinks and nuts can cause GI upset, pancreatitis and even choking if ingested by your dog or cat.
    • Ensure this can be a cool Yule for you and your pet by stepping away from the holiday bustle for even brief times each day. Be in the present moment and spend time cuddling with your pet and exercising together.
These tactics can fend off stress and salvage sanity for you both.
    From my dogs, Kona, Bujeau and Cleo, and cats, Casey and Mikey, I wish you and your pets a “pawsome” and safe holiday season!

Pet Care Options     

Sunshine Pet Pals, 5970 SW 18th St., Boca Raton; 212-6917; www.sunshinepetpals.com; pack.leader@sunshinepetpals.com.    
Barkingham Palace, 1551 N. Federal Highway, Delray Beach; 243-4175; www.barkinghampalacedelray.com; barkinghamp@yahoo.com.

    Arden Moore, founder of www.FourLeggedLife.com, is an animal behavior consultant, editor, author, professional speaker and master certified pet first aid instructor. Each week, she hosts the popular Oh Behave! show on www.PetLifeRadio.com. Learn more by visiting www.fourleggedlife.com.

Gulf Stream School students Aidan Grubman (left front), Tori Wheat (right front) and Heidi Schneider (as Cat in the Hat) take part in the production of Seussical, Jr. directed by drama teacher Allie Shernoff. Twenty-five students in grades 5-8 and many parent and teacher volunteers were involved with every aspect of the production. The entire school attended the morning debut. The evening show was attended by students, teachers, family, friends and town residents. Photo provided by Rachel O’Hara

Mary Kate Leming, editor of The Coastal Star, has donated 45 copies of her children’s picture book, Rosie’s Song, to the Hope for the Future program. In partnership with the Delray Beach Public Library, the program collects new books to give to at-risk kids before the winter school holiday. The book drive runs until Dec. 22. New book donations will be accepted in Delray Beach at The Love Shack, The Snappy Turtle, American Heritage School and the Delray Beach Public Library. ABOVE: Hope Sargeant, book drive co-founder, accepts a book from Leming. Photo provided by Christian Strasz

Paintings by the Delray Art League line the wall behind Boynton Beach resident Brian Schoch at the Boynton Beach City Library. The art show, ‘Destinations in Art,’  continues through Jan. 4. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Lucy Lazarony  

    Libraries aren’t just for books. They are wonderful showcases for contemporary art.
Highland Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and Manalapan libraries all host art exhibits from local artists.
By opening their doors and bringing in art, these libraries get a creative draw to bring in new visitors.  
“The very basic, basic purpose is to bring visitors to the library,” says Debby Coles-Dobay, public arts manager for the city of Boynton Beach. “We have a lot of visitors who come for our exhibits all the way from Jupiter and down to Miami.”
Underwater and other types of photography, fiber art, mixed media, collages, oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastel, pencil, charcoal, historical images and 3-D wall art have all been showcased at the Boynton Beach City Library.
To participate in the city’s Art in Public Places program, begun in 2009, artists must present their proposals for an exhibit and be approved by the Boynton Beach Arts Commission board.   
Once approved, exhibitions are held on the second floor of the facility at 208 S. Seacrest Blvd.  
“Every exhibit has a reception at the exhibit space,” says Coles-Dobay. “We have had [artist] presentations, demonstrations, interaction — some on a formal basis and others informal — where the visiting public can interact with the artists to learn more about their artwork.”
The library’s current exhibition (through Jan. 4) is Destinations in Art, featuring the artwork of the Delray Art League. The exhibition was judged by artist and teacher Jim Rigg, and his commentary was put on video and posted on Boynton Beach Art in Public Places social media.  
During the artists reception, Deborah LaFogg Docherty created a pastel painting now on auction at the library.     

“I want to deliver exciting exhibitions,” Coles-Dobay says.
***
    In Delray Beach, library art exhibits and receptions are linked with the “First Friday” art walks downtown. Artist receptions are 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the library, 100 W. Atlantic Ave., on the First Friday whenever a new exhibition is on display.
As with the Boynton Beach City Library, the Delray Beach Public Library is showcasing the work of artists in the Delray Art League in Artful Expressions, which runs through Dec. 15.
The next exhibit is Provence and Beyond by retired U.S. Army Col. Al Biegel, a painter. A reception to meet Biegel, who spends several weeks painting in Europe each spring, is Jan. 5.  
Art exhibits at the Delray Beach library run for two months, and Lee Simon, volunteer art coordinator since 2009, says exhibits are booked through 2018.
“Obviously, it built a reputation,” Simon says. “I don’t go looking for people; they come looking for me.”          For some artists, the Delray Beach Public Library is their very first public show.   
“Sometimes, I’ll group new artists,” Simon says. “It’s a tremendous exposure. Because libraries get a lot of traffic. People love just walking in and looking at the various exhibits.”         Exhibitions are held on the library’s second floor.   
“I have a lot of wall space, and I utilize the wall space to the fullest. I can hold 30 to 35 large pieces and [with] smaller pieces I can hold up to 60 pieces,” Simon says. “I do six shows and six meet-and-greets a year.”
***
    A committee selects the art on display at the downtown Boca Raton Library, 400 NW Second Ave., and artists are chosen on artistic merit.
The library hosts a display of photography by Boca Raton high school students each May.
    “The quality is always really great, and it’s by local high school students and I think it’s amazing,” says Oyuki Poletz, program services librarian at the Boca Raton Library.
    The library has been hosting art exhibits since the building opened four years ago.     “It’s been a really good experience,” Poletz says. “It’s nice to see different artists.”
    Artist exhibits are held in the lobby. “As a space, it is really nice and we get a lot of natural light coming in,” Poletz says.
    A recent exhibition featured the art of collage artist Nicole Washburn.
***

Photographer Diane Klein speaks with cousin Michael Behrman during a reception for a show of her work at the Highland Beach Library. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

    The Highland Beach Library, at 3618 S. Ocean Blvd., has been hosting art exhibitions since the building opened in 2006.
    “The director at that time made sure the community room could also function as an art gallery. Typically, we have two artists at a time for two months at a time,” says event coordinator Suzi Hayes.  “In addition, during the school winter break, we have a student art show for anyone up to grade 12. This year will be our fifth annual for that event, and we have had eight to 15 participants.”
The student art show is slated for Dec. 26 through Jan. 5.       

“We want them to continue with the art,” Hayes says of the student artists. “So we give them a little reception around the holidays so they can bring parents and grandparents.”
    The library’s current exhibition of paintings by Kathy Linden and photographs by Diane Klein runs through Dec. 15.
 Klein says the Oct. 12 reception was a positive experience. “When you’re a photographer or painter, it’s very nice to have a venue like the library to show your work.”    She attends music concerts at the library as well. “It’s a cultural place, an oasis I would say,” she says.
***
    The Manalapan library, at 1330 Lands End Road, features a year-round nature photography exhibit from residents Michael and Kelly Gottlieb.
    A copy of a Winston Churchill painting, of a pool house located behind the library, also hangs year-round, says library director Lisa Petersen.
    Cocoanut Dreams, an exhibit of 30 black-and-white, sepia and hand-tinted photos from 1912 through 1925, will be on display from January through mid-February.  The photographs by A. Romyn Pierson capture the lush tropical wilderness and romantic coconut groves of Ocean Ridge, Manalapan and Hypoluxo Island.
Cocoanut Dreams also was displayed at the Boynton Beach City Library this summer.

Phyllis Sandler (seated) with (l-r) Gary and Robin Rubin, Harvey Sandler, Amy and David Ross and Andrea and Larry Schnurmacher. Photo provided

Empty Bowls committee members (l-r) Michelle Donahue, Tara Laxer, Michelle Broda, Blair Jones, Sandra Meier, Stephanie Dodge, Co-Chairwomen Julie Peyton Stein and Patty Jones, Renee McGovern, Don Tolep, Renee Reiersen and Palm Beach County Food Bank Executive Director Karen Erren. Photo provided by Wordsmith Communications

By Amy Woods

    “Eat simply so others can simply eat.” The telling tag line for Empty Bowls Delray Beach points to the hunger problem plaguing Palm Beach County.
    One out of six residents does not know where his or her next meal is coming from, according to Karen Erren, executive director of the Palm Beach County Food Bank. That translates into about 200,000 neighbors, 60,000 of whom are children.
    “While the comparative between our wealth and our need here in Palm Beach County can be very striking, it remains,” Erren said. “When we think about hungry people, the image that we have in our mind is not reality.”
    The nonprofit food bank is the beneficiary of Empty Bowls Delray Beach — an outdoor lunch of soup and bread Dec. 3.
 The bank will put the proceeds to use in four program areas: benefits outreach (helping families apply for SNAP); Food4OurKids (providing meals for children during weekends); food recovery and distribution (working with farmers and grocers to ensure edible items do not go to waste); and nutrition-driven (making fresh food available where it is needed most).
    The organization procures 5 million pounds of food annually, but that is nowhere near enough to end the hunger problem in Palm Beach County.
    “Often, shockingly, for those of us in the United States, hunger is an issue in every county, every city and often every neighborhood,” Erren said. “Empty Bowls was founded to help put us in the places of those who stand in line to get the food that we need. It has such a tie to our mission.”
    Empty Bowls came to life in 1990 in Michigan. Empty Bowls Delray Beach made its debut last year at Old School Square, attracting more than 1,200 and raising $100,000.
    “Of course, this year our focus is on how can we build on the impressive first-year success,” Erren said. “The Delray Beach community has been so responsive.”
    Thirty local restaurants each will donate five gallons of soup — everything from coconut curry to conch chowder to creamy artichoke — and Old School Bakery will bring the bread. Guests also each get a bottle of water and a cookie and can take home a handmade ceramic bowl as a symbol of their support.
    “It’s a reminder that there are people out there who can’t fill that bowl with food,” Co-Chairwoman Patty Jones said. “We just want to make sure that the community is aware of the issue of hunger.”
    Co-Chairwoman Julie Peyton Stein agreed: “Awareness of the issue is key to getting our community to come together to help tackle this problem. It is a message to all of us to help our neighbors.”

If You Go
What: Empty Bowls
Delray Beach
When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 3
Where: Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave.
Cost: $25
Information: Call 243-7922 or visit www.oldschoolsquare.org/events/empty-bowls

Rochelle Wolberg, curator-director at Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County, named six supporters as this year’s top volunteers and recognized them at the annual members’ meeting.
The 2017 Volunteers of the Year are Noelle Ducret, Sheryl Gilman, Bill Green, Andrea Schechter and Jim Trinchini and Nancy Byrne, a husband-and-wife team.
“All six of these talented, dedicated volunteers are incredible assets to the garden,” Wolberg said. “Their horticultural knowledge in general and devotion to Mounts Botanical Garden in particular are critical as we continue to grow and attract new visitors.”

CROS Ministries wins award for aiding hungry residents
The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association has given CROS Ministries the inaugural Karen and Mike Stuart Humanitarian Award.
The award was bestowed at the association’s 74th annual convention on Amelia Island. CROS Ministries received it for promoting efforts to better the local community.
“I am so proud of our partnership with CROS Ministries,” said FFVA board member John Long, who nominated the nonprofit. “I could not think of a more fitting way to honor the work they do in feeding the hungry in South Florida.”

Grant to mean scholarship for student with Tourette
Dollars 4 Tic Scholars has received a grant from the Brad Cohen Tourette Foundation and because of it will award a fourth scholarship.
“Support like this keeps us going and keeps us inspired to keep doing what we are doing,” said Diane Diamantis, co-founder and president of the organization. “It means so much to our students who gracefully face every day with social challenges or struggle to focus and absorb material due to their Tourette syndrome and the burden of college costs.”
Dollars 4 Tic Scholars’ mission is to send such students to college and help them realize their dreams.

Evelyn & Arthur offers opportunities to give back
Evelyn & Arthur in Plaza del Mar will collect new toys for kids on behalf of the Manalapan Fire Department Toy Drive. Drop off toys Dec. 1-14 during regular store hours; firefighters will hand out the gifts later in the month to selected families in need. Shoppers who donate a toy will receive 10 percent off one item priced $75 or higher from the store.
Located at 277 S. Ocean Blvd., the store is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
You can also purchase pashminas with purpose at the Manalapan store this holiday season. For every pashmina purchased either in-store or online, Evelyn & Arthur will donate 100 percent of the $28 sales price to charity.
December’s Pashminas with Purpose Program will celebrate the theme “Pick a Color,” and all proceeds will be donated to Little Smiles, a nonprofit that provides activities and entertainment for sick children.

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