Photo provided

Members of the Ocean Ridge Garden Club, including (l-r) Val Coz, Stella Kolb and Allison Adams, plant dune sunflowers in part of a dune plot that the Garden Club has maintained for the past decade and is turning into a demonstration project. Members used native plants to replace non-native vegetation and sod that had overtaken the lot. The project also includes saw palmetto and the installation of riprap rocks and railroad ties. As committee member Julia Walker explained, ‘In addition to restoring the dune, the goal of the project is to create a showcase of native plantings as an example of sustainable conservation that can be replicated all along the Ocean Ridge dune.’ 

The Brontosaurus can grind trees into mulch, remove lower limbs or clear underbrush as a supplement to controlled fires in South County scrub areas. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley

If Harper Carroll had his druthers, he’d be setting fires. Not just any fires, but carefully controlled burns in our local scrub areas, including Hypoluxo, Rosemary, Seacrest, Yamato and High Ridge.

“Fire is as important as water in maintaining Florida’s habitats. It equals everything out,” says Carroll, who oversees 31,000 acres of natural area in Palm Beach County as supervisor for prescribed fire and fuels management at the Department of Environmental Resources Management.

His appreciation of fire may be surprising, given what runaway wildfires did in California and Colorado this past summer.

But Carroll’s burns are anything but runaway. They are carefully planned, supervised and certified by the Florida Fire Service, which annually allows landowners to burn more than 2 million acres statewide.

“Used wisely, fire is just like mowing the grass or weeding the garden. It cleans out the habitat and opens it to regrowth,” says Carroll, who in a busy year has planned and overseen 18 burns, predominantly in the northwestern part of the county.

That’s where preserves such as Hungryland and Loxahatchee sloughs are isolated enough for Carroll to burn there every two to three years.

“Flames aren’t the main concern with prescribed burns. It’s where to put the smoke,” says Carroll.

That’s a real problem in heavily developed South County, where strip malls, homes, highways, hospitals and schools have grown up around the natural areas. Here, prescribed fires are often inconvenient if not impossible.

In fact, the last burn in our area was at the Yamato Scrub in 2003.

Because land managers can only sporadically lay fire in the county’s populated areas, they need another tool for maintaining habitat and increasing biodiversity.

That’s where the Brontosaurus comes in.

No, it’s not a leftover from Jurassic Park but a 52,000-pound machine on tank-like treads. During the summer and fall it chomped through South County scrublands.

Its drum-shaped rotating head has 32 teeth that contractor Jacob Fretwell sharpens for about 30 minutes each morning. The head, attached to a 25-foot boom, can be rotated from 90 to 180 degrees.

We met up with Fretwell at the Hypoluxo Scrub, where he had spent two weeks thoughtfully clearing a 15-acre parcel of densely covered land. From his vantage point in the behemoth’s cockpit, Fretwell uses hydraulics controlled by joysticks to turn this chopping machine into a model of mechanical strength and precision.

Starting from the top, he can grind a towering cabbage palm into a pile of mulch, take the lower limbs off a slash pine or clear the underbrush while saving the gopher tortoise burrows beneath the growth.

“When we can’t do prescribed burns, we need the Brontosaurus and other heavy equipment in areas where people have prevented fires from occurring naturally and allowed nature to become overgrown,” says Carroll.

A $750,000 grant from FEMA, which began in March, is funding the effort. “It’s the first of its kind in the Southeast,” Carroll says.

Walking along a sandy path in Hypoluxo Scrub with the Brontosaurus roaring in the background, Barbara Bobsein, senior environmental analyst for PBC Environmental Resources

Management, points out how shrubs such as saw palmettos, gopher apples and cocoplums densely cover shady areas under a thick canopy of oaks, cabbage palms and slash pines.

The sun-loving plants necessary for feeding and protecting many smaller animal species, including the gopher tortoise, are stunted by shade.

What’s more, as the canopy grows, the shrub plants are joined by a thick layer of fallen pine needles, or duff, as well as fallen branches and fronds from the trees.

This makes our natural areas inhospitable to animals such as the gopher tortoise, which needs low-growing grasses and berries for food. Or think of the scrub lizards, which hunt in the sandy flats but find safe harbor under bushes: Overgrowth can crowd them out.

In fact, the scrub lizard was nearly extinct in our area until it was reintroduced two years ago by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, says Bobsein. Today these lizards, noted for the long brown stripe down their sides and their big toes, are easy to identify scurrying across the sand.

Dense underbrush and heavy canopy also are fuel for uncontrollable fires ignited by careless visitors or lightning.

Although the Brontosaurus is much easier to control than the smoke from a prescribed burn, chopping doesn’t work quite as well as a burn when it comes to restoring and maintaining habitat.

“It’s a surrogate for fire, not a replacement,” says Carroll.

That’s because the chopping leaves a thick layer of rough mulch instead of just the ash remaining after a fire. That mulch shades the ground until it decomposes. Lifting it a bit, you’ll discover it also retains moisture that will cause lots of smoke if accidentally ignited.

Prescribed fire, on the other hand, turns living matter into nutrients that quickly enter the soil, making it much more fertile. And without a layer of compost, the ground is immediately opened and exposed to sunlight that promotes regrowth and habitat.

But lucky for the land and its managers, mechanical chopping doesn’t preclude the use of fire. In fact, it can make it safer, explains Carroll.

After all, an induced fire is easier to control and will burn at a lower temperature when chopping has already removed much of the underbrush and excess canopy.

In fact, here at Hypoluxo Scrub when Carroll and Bobsein select what needs to be chopped, they keep in mind that one day a controlled burn may be possible. To prepare, they might choose to remove the younger pine trees sprouting up at the base of an older specimen.

During a prescribed burn or even a wildfire, that would prevent the newer growth from helping flames jump into the older tree’s canopy and would save the more mature tree from destruction.

“Although chopping is an excellent tool, fire is usually better. My goal is to put fire safely on the land to promote biodiversity,” Carroll says.

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

By Janis Fontaine

Our community has dozens of options for private school education, with some tuitions topping $40,000 a year. But the schools offer scholarships and financial aid.

Rigorous COVID-19 policies and procedures are in place at all schools, making them some of the safest environments for students: increased availability of hand sanitizer and sanitizing stations, mask requirements, less mobility and mixing of students, and the use of small pods, temperature checks and health screenings.

About 1,300 students attend Saint Andrew’s School, a nonprofit, independent private day and boarding school for grades pre-K through 12 in Boca Raton.

Alexandra Tolischus, the director of enrollment, said that both boarding students and day students continue to attend programs. “We have health and safety protocols in place and a large enough campus which allows us to maintain physical distancing guidelines.”

She says schools must remain flexible in the face of the unpredictable coronavirus.

“We continue to work hard, consult with experts, check in with peer schools, and make continuous improvements to our health and safety protocols,” Tolischus said. “We make decisions based on that, and are constantly evaluating the situation.”

St. Joseph’s Episcopal School on Seacrest Boulevard in Boynton Beach educates just under 200 students in grades K-8. Many classes are full, but the school is accepting applications, said Mary Aperavich, director of admissions.

“Approximately 3% of our students are still attending class remotely. We are now on our 14th week offering live classes to our students,” she said in mid-November.

The children still pray and say the Pledge of Allegiance each morning over the PA system, but aren’t allowed to gather in the chapel for prayer or song. Although COVID-19 is unpredictable and the infection trends are frightening, St. Joseph’s plans to continue with its current plan after Christmas break. Of course, nothing, save the Ten Commandments, is engraved in stone.

At the Waldorf School of Palm Beach, formerly Sea Star Initiative, enrollment is about 40 students, with room for twice that many, administrative director Wendy Gittleman said.
Waldorf is a private school for grades 1-8 in Boca Raton that follows the structure, philosophies and curriculum established by Austrian educator Rudolf Steiner. It emphasizes the role of the imagination in learning, and teachers use art, music and expressive movement to enhance teaching.

The school reopened for in-person classes on Sept. 8.

“It’s been wonderful to get back to school,” Gittleman said. “Each of our classrooms have their own bathrooms, sanitation stations and outside entrances.”

The most exciting development is a move to outdoor classrooms, says Gittleman, who recently joined the school after a 20-year career in California. Pods of students will learn outside under shelter, another way Waldorf is “childhood friendly.”

Gittleman says the kids have adjusted more easily than the adults to the coronavirus and calls the transition “pretty smooth.”

Barring out-of-control infection rates, Waldorf plans to continue in-person learning and welcomes applicants looking for an alternative.

Space of Mind School introduced updated kindergarten and elementary curricula this year. Photo provided

Related Story: How other private schools are coping in face of unpredictable virus

By Janis Fontaine

As their children close in on winter break, some parents are taking time to evaluate the first half of the 2020-21 school year and contemplate changes.

Private schools are an appealing, but often an expensive option. But there are lots of private choices: big schools, small schools, old schools and new.

Space of Mind Schoolhouse, whose flagship site is in the historic Clark building at 102 N. Swinton Ave. in downtown Delray Beach, is one of the newest kids on the block. The school started in a living room in 2004 with a few students. This year, SOM introduced updated kindergarten and elementary curricula that Ali Kaufman is excited about.

Space of Mind is “a hybrid school program founded on the principles of homeschooling, but delivered in a social environment, which allows for students to learn in small groups and tailored to their needs and interests,” said Kaufman, the founder and CEO of the school.

It’s school the way you might imagine it in a perfect world where each child has unlimited access to teachers and resources, project-based learning where a student is encouraged to learn in his preferred way, studying subjects that he’s naturally curious about, in a place that nurtures the whole child — mentally, physically and emotionally.

SOM places emphasis on life skills, becoming collaborative partners in learning and problem solving, and growing solid citizens of the global community. It also has an in-house chef for fresh, organic meals and a meditation session to start the day.

“We want to teach kids to adjust to the rhythms of the real world,” Kaufman says.

Children saw a huge change in that rhythm with COVID-19, and the size of the school made it easier for everyone to adapt.

Kids learn to adapt and mature without losing the essence of who they are.

Kaufman says “a brain under stress cannot learn,” so meditation and low-stress teaching methods help. In the reinvented classroom, each child has an individualized student coaching road map that includes assessments, goals and learning plans for his personalized curriculum. There are creative arts programs, social and emotional skill development, and exposure to wellness activities like scuba and martial arts.

Space of Mind was more prepared than a lot of other schools when things shut down in the spring. The school already had strong a strong virtual learning curriculum (based on gifted programs), small class sizes (a 4-to-1 ratio) and intimate relationships with the parents.

“We could anticipate a lot of problems,” Kaufman said, “because we know our families so well.”

When children returned to school in September, the “flexible structure” made it easier to adjust. Kids don’t change classes when a bell rings or mix with new kids each class.

“We didn’t have the big obstacles. There were just a lot of issues we didn’t have to deal with because they didn’t exist,” Kaufman said.

The 10,000-square-foot campus provides plenty of room for social distancing, and wearing masks hasn’t been an issue with kids at all, she says.

The school’s team of medical advisers recommended a $20,000 air purification system and the addition of a full-time registered nurse, which makes everyone breathe easier.

Space of Mind serves fewer than 100 students in grades K through 12, including some out-of-state virtual students. The campus recently added a new 6,400-square-foot community center called the Hub, where Kaufman says the school will offer adult, family and community programming.

Kaufman says the school also plans to add a nationally available parent-led pre-K program for at-home learning, which will give parents of preschoolers coaching to get their kids ready for kindergarten and a place to turn for virtual support.

Although the school is well prepared to help the “outside-the-box students” — kids with ADHD, on the spectrum, with visual and auditory processing challenges, anxiety, dyslexia or giftedness — it welcomes any student who wants to try learning in a more kid-centric and less cookie-cutter way.

Kaufman stresses that one goal is to destigmatize learning challenges and level the playing field, but she encourages parents to think of SOM as “the first, best choice, not a last resort.”

It’s sometimes hard to quantify success so Kaufman looks at student behavior: “Are they motivated intrinsically?” she asks.

But the litmus test for school success may be much simpler, she says. “Are they happy?”

For more information, call 877-407-1122 or visit www.findspaceofmind.com

Reef balls are made by spraying concrete or gunite over rubber molds, with the intent of getting coral and sea fans to grow on them.

By Willie Howard

Country singer Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes Reefs Foundation, CCA/Florida’s South Palm Beach County chapter and the Sandoway Discovery Center are teaming up to create an artificial reef off Delray Beach that should attract fish for anglers and scuba divers.

Thirteen concrete reef balls, each weighing 5 tons and rising 8 feet off the bottom, are expected to be placed on the ocean floor in about 65 feet of water off Delray’s public beach before the end of the year, weather permitting. The latest proposed construction date is the week of Dec. 14.

The 32-acre rectangular site that will hold the reef balls — and possibly a retired ship in the future — is a borrow site where sand was removed for beach restoration, creating a hole. Palm Beach County environmental officials secured permits that allow the site to accept artificial reef structures.

The No Shoes Reefs Foundation paid for construction of the reef balls. CCA/Florida’s South Palm Beach County chapter plans to pay for placing them on the ocean floor, using a $13,000 grant from Impact 100 Palm Beach County and $10,000 raised at a recent CCA banquet.

The proposed site is in about 65 feet of water off the south end of Delray Beach’s public beach, near Anchor Park. Photos provided

Rodrigo Vera, president of CCA/Florida’s South Palm Beach County chapter and a Sandoway Discovery Center board member, hopes the 32-acre site will become a “marine park” used for education and recreation.

Vera hopes to tie the marine park into the reef room at the Sandoway Discovery Center, which provides coastal environmental education to children.

He’s working on permits for a buoy that would float over the reef balls. The buoy would hold cameras that could provide live underwater video to the Sandoway Discovery Center and, via YouTube, to the world.

Vera, an avid scuba diver and fisherman, said the reef balls will be placed in the northeastern corner of the rectangular reef site and should become “the cornerstone for the rest of the marine park.”

Working through CCA/Florida, Vera has started raising money to buy, clean and sink a coastal freighter that could be scuttled at the reef site. He’s looking at a freighter in Miami called the M/V Hope that Vera said would fit perfectly into the hole left by dredging sand, creating a destination for fish, divers and anglers.

The estimated cost to buy, clean and sink the ship: $125,000.

A fundraising message on CCA/Florida’s website, ccaflorida.org, asks donors to “help CCA fund this 32-acre marine park reef off Delray Beach less than a mile from the Sandoway Discovery Center.”

Fishing regulations update

The daily bag limit for bluefish is now three per person in state and federal waters of Florida’s east coast.

The reason? A 2019 study showed that Atlantic populations of bluefish were overfished. The former bag limit was 10. The bluefish minimum size remains the same at 12 inches to the fork of the tail.

Separately, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission created an open season of May 1 to Aug. 31 (and established a three-fish daily bag limit) for blueline tilefish, matching regulations that apply in federal waters — beyond 3 miles off Florida’s east coast. The new tilefish regulations take effect Jan. 1.

A reminder: Hogfish season closed Nov. 1 and will reopen May 1 in state waters along Florida’s east coast and the Florida Keys.

Fish art contest

Students in grades K-12 are invited to draw or paint a fish and write a short related essay through the 2021 State Fish Art Contest.

It’s free to enter. Participants must submit a 9-by-12 horizontal work of art along with a one-page (or shorter) essay explaining their knowledge of or connection to their chosen fish. (The essay is not required for participants in grades K-3.)

A completed entry form is required. Submissions can be mailed or sent by email. The deadline is March 31.

The list of fish that can be depicted by artists includes familiar South Florida species such as Atlantic sailfish, mahi mahi, tarpon, bluegill and largemouth bass.
Details and pictures of the 2020 winners can be found at www.statefishart.org.

Tip of the month

For a quick refresher on methods for releasing fish that are not of legal size, are out of season or unwanted, visit www.catchandrelease.org.

Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.

On an approximately 2-acre lot fronting 150 feet of ocean and the Intracoastal, this newly completed estate makes room for every lifestyle requirement.

With its ultra-chic modern design, sublime water views and location in the prestigious Estate Section on one of the largest lots in Manalapan, this estate is unparalleled. It even includes a private tunnel to the beach under State Road A1A. Encased in floor-to-ceiling window walls, the L-shaped residence garners commanding panoramic water views from an elevated position. The home has more than 16,000 square feet of living space with six bedrooms, nine full baths and three half baths, along with the ultimate in an ocean view from an executive office/library; extensive covered entertaining loggias, and a verdant expanse on which to build a tennis court.

The living room has a freestanding marble wall with double-sided linear gas fireplace.

The oceanfront dining room has twin tables and under-lit drop ceiling.

Built on 217 pilings of concrete block, this home’s structural features include second- and third-floor concrete slabs; impact doors/windows throughout; a 150-kilowatt Kohler whole-house generator; Smarthouse technology with Crestron control of AC/security cameras/lighting and Aqua Link control of pool heaters/spa/fountains. From a pivot entry door flanked by fountains to a suspended tasting table in the glass-enclosed 210-bottle wine room, this estate home has it all. Other features are a second dining island in the top-tier open-plan chef’s kitchen; a cabana-level massage room and oversized spa bath with steam shower for après gym; remote control of everything electric, and a sublime summer kitchen by the pool overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway.

An auto salon has room for a 10-car collection parallel to the loggia and pool area.

The saline pool and spa on the Intracoastal side are resort-size (30-by-75 feet).

Offered at $44.5 million. Call Pascal Liguori, broker associate, 561-278-0100, or Antonio Liguori, broker associate, 561-414-4849. Premier Estate Properties, Waterway East, 900 E. Atlantic Ave., Suite 4, Delray Beach FL 33483.

Each month, The Coastal Star features a house for sale in our community. The House of the Month is presented as a service to our advertisers and provides readers with a peek inside one of our houses.

By Jane Smith

The Delray Beach City Commission can still hold its termination hearing of suspended City Manager George Gretsas at 10 a.m. Nov. 20, a Palm Beach County circuit judge decided.

"It's not in the public interest for the court to get involved in city business," Judge John Kastrenakes ruled at the end of a one-hour virtual hearing on Nov. 17.

Kastrenakes denied a temporary injunction to block the hearing, saying "loss of a job is not irreparable harm." Gretsas, he said, can sue to collect damages.

Gretsas hired two new attorneys in October and sued the city and commissioners on Nov. 10 to stop the hearing from taking place. The suit said Gretsas had not received all records requested and that Mayor Shelly Petrolia should be barred from participating.

Delray Beach filed its response on Nov. 13, saying it had provided most of the requested documents.

Also included was an opinion from a lawyer with the Florida Ethics Commission that Petrolia could participate because doing so would not financially benefit her or her family.

By Jane Smith

Delray Beach says its mayor should be allowed to vote in the Nov. 20 termination hearing for the city manager and that it has sent him most of the public records he requested.

In a Nov. 13 response to suspended City Manager George Gretsas' lawsuit against Delray Beach, the city offered an opinion by a staff attorney with the Florida Commission on Ethics regarding Mayor Shelly Petrolia.

"It is difficult ... to see how a vote to discharge the City Manager would create any economic benefit or harm for you or for your relatives, principals, or business associates," Steven J. Zuilkowski wrote on Nov. 6.

Gretsas seeks to bar Petrolia from participating in the termination hearing because of her "clear bias against" him.

Gretsas' lawyers could not be reached for comment on Nov. 14. Circuit Judge John Kastrenakes has scheduled a virtual hearing on the lawsuit on Nov. 17.

In its response Delray Beach also said Gretsas submitted only 64 records requests and was given most of them -- including a text message exchange between Petrolia and former Assistant City Manager Suzanne Fisher.

His request sought texts on both city-issued and personal cellphones between Nov. 1, 2019, and July 22 and was filled on Aug. 13, the city said.

The response also included an Oct. 15 email from City Attorney Lynn Gelin to Gretsas' previous lawyer:

"Due to the nature of the request and the fact that it spans an entire year of records for multiple individuals and media, there are more than 10,000 records that have to be reviewed," she wrote, adding emphasis.

The City Commission suspended Gretsas with pay on June 24 after Fisher complained he had bullied her. On Aug. 24 internal auditor Julia Davidyan said Gretsas also had violated the City Charter.

On Oct. 20 Gretsas hired new lawyers and asked to postpone the originally planned Oct. 23 termination hearing. Commissioners agreed but ended paying his $265,000 annual salary and benefits in exchange.

By Jane Smith

Suspended Delray Beach City Manager George Gretsas is seeking an emergency court order to postpone his Nov. 20 termination hearing for at least 30 days.

His lawsuit, filed Nov. 10 in Palm Beach County Circuit Court, alleges the city has failed to provide all the documents Gretsas needs to defend himself.

Delray Beach has "only produced approximately 3,100 pages of approximately 10,000 public records that they have admitted exist," the lawsuit says.

Judge John Kastrenakes will hold a virtual hearing on the request at 10 a.m. Nov. 17.

The lawsuit also asks that Mayor Shelly Petrolia be banned from participating in the termination hearing because of her "clear bias against" Gretsas.

City commissioners discussed the allegations at their Nov. 10 meeting.

Commissioner Julie Casale said she was worried about the cost to the city and damage to its reputation if the Gretsas issue lingers. Gretsas was suspended with pay on June 24, and an interim manager is running the city.

Casale recommended paying the terms outlined in his employment contract for firing him without cause. 

City Attorney Lynn Gelin said that would be about $180,000 to $190,000.

"Once the courts gain control (the commission) will lose all ability to handle the matter," Gelin said. "The staff wants closure too. It's like watching mom and dad fight."

She recommended waiting to see what the judge does and not postponing the termination hearing.

The city learned the suit had been filed when a TV reporter called about noon asking for comment.

The judge does not have the right to make Delray Beach reinstate Gretsas' salary and benefits, Gelin said. Gretsas gave up his pay package when he and the city agreed to postpone an Oct. 23 termination hearing.

Gretsas lawyers Thomas Ali and Stuart Kaplan had agreed to an Oct. 26 deadline for the city to turn over all remaining records and then gave the city two more days. But Delray Beach did not provide them, Ali said on Nov. 11.

 "The city has the manpower to produce the records," he said . "Whether it is two weeks or 12 weeks, my client needs the records to defend himself. ... The process must be transparent."

Ali said Petrolia has been asked to recuse herself for being friendly with former Assistant City Manager Suzanne Fisher.

In late May the mayor invited Fisher to her home to discuss Gretsas, according to the lawsuit. Fisher then filed a bullying complaint against Gretsas, which was investigated by an outside firm and led to his suspension.

"The mayor's relationship with Fisher makes it impossible for her to participate impartially in (Gretsas') termination hearing," the suit says.

In addition, Petrolia and Fisher were exchanging text messages on their personal cellphones, the suit alleges. Petrolia has admitted to erasing the text message string with Fisher, it says.

Petrolia also "demonstrated clear bias" against Gretsas when he notified commissioners of problems with the city's drinking water in August. He claimed one tank had not been cleaned in 38 years because there were no documents to verify a cleaning.

"If there is truth to what Gretsas states, the Health Department needs to be notified and Mr. Gretsas should be terminated immediately," Petrolia was quoted in the lawsuit.

Boca Raton Regional Hospital has received a seven-figure gift from Malcolm and Sandra Berman toward the “Keeping the Promise — The Campaign for Boca Raton Regional Hospital” initiative.

In recognition of the couple’s generosity, the elevator lobby on the first floor of the new patient tower will be named in their honor.

“Sandra and Malcolm represent the best of Boca Raton Regional Hospital,” CEO Lincoln Mendez said. “They have been active philanthropically with us for nearly 20 years and understand the value of their partnership with the hospital and how it benefits the people of our community. ”

“Our health care in Boca Raton and that of our family and friends is a significant motivation in our giving to this extraordinary organization,” Malcolm Berman added. “Sandra and I care about this community and want to be part of this next generation of groundbreaking innovation and care.”

In other news, the hospital received its 2,000th-and-counting meal from the Boca Rio Golf Club and Stanley and Marilyn Barry. Knowing the stress that frontline medical workers have been under since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the club and the Barrys wanted to show their support by delivering 250 meals twice a week for six weeks.

“This is such a generous initiative and is so welcomed by the staff,” said Mark Larkin, president of the hospital’s foundation. “Working long shifts, often 12 hours apiece, the nurses, physicians and technologists have little time to take for breaks. Knowing that a nice meal is coming gives them one less thing to worry about.”

“Being able to support the hospital staff during such trying times has been a pleasure,” added Luciano Farias, general manager of the club. “The hospital and its clinicians play such an important role in the health and well-being of our community. To thank them with this gift of fine food is an honor.”

For information, call 561-955-4142 or visit https://donate.brrh.com.

Feeding America receives local funding

Boca Raton-based Office Depot has announced a $1.5 million donation to Feeding America in support of the nonprofit’s COVID-19 Response Fund to help food banks across the country distribute more than 1.3 billion pounds of sustenance to communities in need.

Feeding America is the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the country with a network of 200-plus member food banks.

“Now more than ever, we are committed to strengthening local communities and hope that this donation will help to provide relief for families that are struggling to put food on the table,” Office Depot CEO Gerry Smith said.

For information, call 561-438-6027 or visit www.feedingamerica.org.

7 arts organizations to benefit from PNC grants

As the arts adapt to a new normal of fewer social interactions, South Florida organizations are faced with the challenge of safely offering music and theater to local communities.

With that in mind, the PNC Foundation has awarded $100,000 to seven arts organizations in Palm Beach and Broward counties.

“With the unexpected impacts of the pandemic on live performances and art exhibits, we felt it was more important than ever to renew our commitment to the local arts community with much-needed grants,” said Cressman Bronson, the bank’s regional president for southeast Florida.

“Through PNC Arts Alive, arts organizations will be able to provide a variety of creative solutions that will take our shared vision of a more dynamic, artistic community to the next level in South Florida.”

For information, call 407-271-2694 or visit www.pnc.com.

Philanthropy Tank concludes fifth season

Seven student-led charity programs earned more than $89,000 in funding after business pitches were made to a group of philanthropist investors.

Finalists of Philanthropy Tank presented their causes on a virtual stage in front of hundreds of audience members as this year’s “finals” event turned into a “recorded live finals event” because of the coronavirus.

The grants mark Philanthropy Tank’s fifth season of supporting programs in the areas of music / art education, female empowerment, child welfare, pediatric cancer and more. In all, it has awarded more than $500,000 — in addition to hundreds of hours of mentorship — to teens who have started nearly three dozen local charities.

For information, call 561-910-3893 or visit www.philanthropytank.org.

Boca West Children’s Foundation expands

The Children’s Foundation of Palm Beach County has been established in conjunction with the Boca West Children’s Foundation, an organization that has made grants exceeding $10 million in the last decade.

Founded in 2010 and supporting 25 local children’s charities, the Boca West Children’s Foundation has expanded its reach beyond South County by adding new board members and fresh charity partners.

“The foundation’s impact on local kids has been tremendous as we’ve been able to provide essentials for 5,000 children each day, providing cribs, diapers, after-school care, tutoring, summer camps, sports and music programs, meals, school supplies, college scholarships and more,” Executive Director Pamela Weinroth said. “We are grateful that we can expand these efforts to reach even more kids thanks to the efforts of our new board members and all of our supporters.”

For information, call 561-488-6980 or visit www.childrensfoundationpbc.org.

In other news, The Boca West Children’s Foundation has presented the YMCA of South Palm Beach County with a $20,000 grant.

Half will pay for day camp for children of first responders during the pandemic; the other $10,000 will go toward the organization’s drowning-prevention program for children with special needs.

“With funds raised from our gala in early March, we were able to provide this grant to the YMCA,” said Pamela Weinroth, the foundation’s executive director.

For information, call 561-488-6980 or visit www.bocawestfoundation.org.

Virus emergency fund aids women, girls

The Jewish Women’s Foundation of the Greater Palm Beaches, a South Florida nonprofit focused on raising the status of women and girls, has created an emergency fund in response to COVID-19.

For charities here and abroad, the pandemic has affected the events and fundraisers upon which they rely. The situation exacerbates the challenges women and girls already face.
“COVID-19 is already disrupting nonprofits and challenging them in unprecedented ways, making it harder for them to provide even basic services,” foundation CEO Jennifer Kryshka said.

“JWF wants to ensure that women and girls are still able to depend on the resources from our grantee organizations. Working together, we can achieve more than we can do alone.”

For information, call 561-275-2200 or visit www.jwfpalmbeach.org.

New programs debut at Boca Helping Hands

Boca Helping Hands has expanded its feeding program with the opening of a pantry-bag distribution site in Lantana.

The site offers underserved people food supplies every Saturday afternoon, with the goal of helping 1,500 families.

“Thanks to Advent Lantana, we have expanded our Pantry Bag program further north, bringing hope to even more families in need,” said Greg Hazle, Boca Helping Hands’ executive director. “This is a service we intend to continue for the long term.”

Congregants from Advent Ministries will volunteer.

“Advent Church Boca has been partners with Boca Helping Hands from the very beginning, and we are thrilled to be able to extend their reach at our new satellite church, Advent Lantana,” said the Rev. Andrew Hagen, church pastor and a member of the nonprofit’s board.

In other news, Boca Helping Hands has established an online Conversation Café to help clients with employment and has begun offering structured ESOL classes virtually. Both programs previously took place in person.

Approximately 30 students participate in the Conversation Café. As for the ESOL classes, they afford people who do not speak English the opportunity to acquire the language and culture skills necessary to function and succeed in America.

“The new Zoom format has actually improved the flexibility of the program so that we can continue to serve students who have returned to their native countries,” Hazle said.

“They can continue to participate in the café via teleconference.”

For information, call 561-417-0913, Ext. 202 or visit bocahelpinghands.org.

Chapter supports kosher food pantry

The Valencia Shores community chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women in Boynton Beach has raised funds to support the kosher food pantry and meal-delivery services at the Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service in West Palm Beach as well as the Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Service in Boca Raton.

Leading the effort is volunteer LeeAnn Hoffman.

“In this time of crisis, some people don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” Hoffman said. “We wanted to be able to help get food on the table, giving them one less thing to worry about. ”

Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service CEO Marc Hopin added that “we are grateful to the volunteers and advocates of the NCJW of Valencia Shores for their generous contribution.”

For information, call 561-713-1893 or visit www.alpertjfs.org.

Florida native joins wildlife refuge board

Delray Beach resident Elaine Meier has been named to the board of the National Wildlife Refuge Association in Washington, D.C.

The NWRA is the nonprofit voice for wildlife conservation on the 568 swaths of land that comprise the National Wildlife Refuge System.

“I grew up going to the Everglades and Florida Keys, where I learned the importance of clean water and the birds and mammals it supported plus the danger of the encroachment of development,” said Meier, a Florida native and public-relations professional. “Nationwide, it is critical to teach the next generation how valuable these natural resources and habitats are to our well-being.”

For information, call 202-577-3200 or visit www.refugeassociation.org.

Boynton Beach volunteer receives service award

Boynton Beach volunteer Todd Finklestone has been recognized by the humanitarian organization ShelterBox USA via its President’s Volunteer Service Award.

Finklestone was lauded for his efforts in helping the nonprofit provide emergency shelter and supplies to people who lost their homes to natural disasters or who fled because of civil unrest in their native lands. He enabled the organization to help more than 145,000 individuals in 11 countries.

“The lifesaving work of ShelterBox is only possible because of our inspiring volunteers like Todd Finklestone, whose service in their communities is ensuring families made homeless by disaster and conflict situations have access to essential shelter and supplies,” President Kerri Murray said. “This distinction truly sets him apart as someone committed to serving others and making the world a better place.”

For information, call 805-608-2400 or visit www.shelterboxusa.org.

Leadership change announced at YWCA

The YWCA of Palm Beach County has hired a new CEO.

Shea Spencer comes to the organization with more than 15 years of nonprofit experience, including fundraising and community engagement, and most recently led the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County.

“I am so proud of the work we do and the impact we make in our local community,” Spencer said. “It truly is a tremendous honor to join the board of directors, funders, staff and volunteers in advancing the mission of YWCA, Palm Beach County and building out our legacy.”

For information, call 561-640-0050 or visit www.ywcapbc.org.

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

Health care workers wave to the camera at Bethesda Hospital East. Photo provided

The Bethesda Hospital Foundation brought in nearly $215,000 during its first online fundraiser, with more than 185 community members honoring health care staffers for their work, perseverance and devotion throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The event’s honorary chairwoman, Renee Block, was thanked and honored as well. All ticket holders and sponsors received a ‘Party in a Box’ that each contained items to create a cocktail, a brass pineapple tumbler, a recipe book, a Bethesda Hospital Foundation face mask, hand sanitizer and a program.

Photo by Tim Stepien /The Coastal Star

Theresa Gevurtz welcomes great-granddaughters, Kendall Gevurtz, 7, and Saylor Gevurtz, 5, to her 100th birthday gathering on Sept. 22. Theresa’s family chartered a plane and flew from Pennsylvania to Florida to celebrate the occasion. Theresa's actual birthday was Sept. 23. Born in Philadelphia, the centurion has traveled extensively, but her favorite place is Haifa, Israel. Also on hand to mark the occasion was Lantana Mayor Dave Stewart, who read a proclamation in her honor.

Bernstein with professional dancer Sayra Vazquez Brann. Photos provided

Stanley with professional dancer James Brann.

More than 22,000 supporters viewed the 13th annual George Snow Scholarship Fund event on WPTV-TV to cheer for their favorite community dancer — or livestreamed it from the station’s or the organization’s website. Fundraising champions were Steven Bernstein and Kirsten Stanley, who brought in $262,000 and $102,000, respectively. Both received the coveted Mirror Ball trophy. More than $660,000 was raised, exceeding 2019's record-breaking year by $23,000.

Dec. 5: The benefit for the Palm Beach County Food Bank, part of a national grassroots event that raises money for hunger relief, will feature a special drive-thru soup pickup to ensure attendee safety. Time is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost is $30. Call 561-670-2518, Ext. 309 or visit pbcfoodbank.org/emptybowlsdelray. PICTURED: Event Chairwoman Stephanie Dodge. Photo provided by CAPEHART

Lionfish, at 307 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, serves seafood, wagyu beef for meat eaters and vegetarian offerings. Photo provided by Eric George

By Jan Norris

Lionfish, the coronavirus-delayed seafood restaurant on Atlantic Avenue, has opened to what appears to be capacity, now with restaurant restrictions lifted.

The restaurant, spawned in San Diego, serves up its namesake catch — whole lionfish fried and in ceviche — along with other sustainable seafood choices. Its menu is approachable for all who come, according to Scott Diel, marketing director for the restaurant’s parent company, Clique Hospitality.

“We have wagyu beef for those who want meat, and vegetarian offerings, too. Salads, and small plates to share,” he said.

It’s trendy, leaning toward West Coast U.S. preparations, with Asian flavors mixed in. The thin beef slices are cooked at the table on heated lava rocks.

Catch as catch can, however: The lionfish, a sweet, flaky, non-oily fish, often sells out. “It only has about a 20% yield” — all the chef can get off each bony carcass, says Diel, so it takes a lot of fish to cover the orders.

The invasive fish decimating Florida reefs are easy to catch — spear-fishermen simply swim right up to the slow swimmers — but they are difficult to handle and clean because of their poisonous spines. The market for them is still sparse.

Originally set to open in spring, the restaurant was locked down while the virus rules were in place. While on the four-month delay, the principals redesigned the food and decor of Johnny Brown’s, the bar and grill popular with locals that they acquired next door to Lionfish.

During the lockdown, chef Johnny Demartini, a Delray veteran of Max’s Harvest and Death or Glory, worked with managing partner Craig O’Keefe and general manager Sean Fundiller to fine-tune menus, the wine list and staffing to be ready once restrictions were lifted, Diel said.

“We made the decision not to open with a limited menu or takeout — we wanted the guests to get the full experience. We think it was worth waiting.”

The build-out of the former Luigi’s pizzeria transformed the room from a dark, red brick-lined space into a sleek open room with white brick and painted ceiling — one that hides a treasure, Diel said. It’s a vintage Tiffany stained glass semi-dome, covered up, but still intact behind the new decorated ceiling.

Crowds have surprised them, and extra staff was hired to handle diners.

“We didn’t know what to expect,” Diel said. “We were expecting maybe 50 or 60%, but we were packed when we opened.”

People were ready to get out at last, he said, and eager to try the new spot. “Imagine what it’s going to be like once we’re back to more normal circumstances.”
Lionfish, 307 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Phone 561-639-8700; www.lionfishdelray.com. Open for dinner daily at 4 p.m.; brunch at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday by reservation.

Thanksgiving is still iffy for people who choose not to hold big family affairs indoors. Some are planning to move their traditional meals outside — an easy move in South Florida.
Some ideas for holding dinner outdoors:

Don’t fuss. All the fancy linens, china and glassware — use only if you have stable tables, a lot of help to carry it in and out, and trusted hands to do it. Don’t use family heirlooms that are more easily broken in a picnic or poolside setting.

This really is the year to use pretty plastic plates and serving ware (the dollar stores and party stores are great for these) and natural decorations and to keep preparations simple. Do use real flatware. Plastic forks and knives just aren’t adequate.

Have a potluck: An outdoor dine-around is convivial by nature, and most guests like to participate. The host provides the main dish. Consider buying a smoked turkey, or cooking your turkey on the grill. Spatchcock it first (go to YouTube for instructions) to have it done in time. For only a few guests, consider making Cornish hens or a turkey breast. Either way, carve meats at the last minute so they stay warm.

Have help to serve the food individually if a buffet setup is risky for your group.

Prepare for South Florida bugs and have a Plan B for weather: Have covers for your foods to protect them from insects, citronella candles for mosquitoes, and borrow a canopy or big umbrellas to set up under if rain is a threat.

The golden rule: If you’re an invited guest, RSVP and commit as soon as possible. It’s rude to keep a host guessing — especially this year.

Thanksgiving is also a big day for restaurants in South Florida, but changes in 2020 may affect how many will serve traditionally.

Some eateries are doing away with the usual buffets, but going for multicourse served meals, set up with outdoor seating.

A traditional Thanksgiving meal, turkey with all the trimmings, will be served at The Farmer’s Table in Boca Raton.

Diners will find a three-course patio feast at the Boca Raton eatery Nov. 26. Photos provided by The Farmer's Table

The Farmer’s Table in Boca Raton is planning a patio feast, a three-course traditional Thanksgiving meal, inside and outdoors in its courtyard Thanksgiving Day. Choices include those for vegetarians and vegans; cost is $59.95 for adults, $29.95 kids 10 and under. Reservations are required. A takeout dinner for people who want their food at home also is available; visit www.dinefarmerstable.com for details.

Taru at the Sundy House in Delray Beach also plans Thanksgiving outdoors in its acclaimed garden. Chef James Strine will prepare a Thanksgiving Day “buffet” — served from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Turkey, ham, salmon and prime rib are among the entrees; traditional sides and starters are featured. Cost is $75 for adults; children under 12 are half price. Reservations are suggested through www.sundyhouse.com.

Also new at Sundy House is an omakase pop-up called Kojin. It is available for only 10 diners per meal, two seatings per night, Thursday, Friday and Saturday with reservations a must. The chef prepares a dinner with the menu “left up to the chef,” as it is translated from Japanese. The Asian-profile meal is prepared in one of the guest suites on the property. Cost for the dinner is $100 per person, with a $25 deposit required.

Caffe Luna Rosa in Delray Beach will prepare Thanksgiving at its alfresco restaurant on the beach. Chef Ernie DeBlasi will have organic roast turkey and all the trimmings as a menu choice for $29, along with other special entrees as well as the regular menu on Thanksgiving Day. Reservations are strongly suggested; www.caffelunarosa.com.

It’s greenmarket time, but COVID-19 has interrupted their schedules and canceled at least one.

Protocols set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and cities will affect how goods are presented, as well. Expect individual sealed samples rather than tastes from communal dishes, if they are offered, and sealed foods will be more prevalent. Market vendors will pack fresh produce for shoppers rather than offering open bins, in some cases.

The Delray Beach GreenMarket, now open, celebrates its 25th season. It’s in Old School Square Park, and the 60-plus vendors are set up to follow all the protocols in place for outdoor gatherings. Masks are encouraged for shopping, as is social distancing. This market is known for its gluten-free offerings among its fresh produce and prepared foods.

The newly named Lake Worth Beach Waterside Farmers Market will reopen Nov. 14. This is its 15th season beside the Lake Avenue bridge at A1A, northeast side. A variety of produce, fresh flowers, baked goods, plants and handcrafted goods are at this dog-friendly market. Breakfast is available on site, and there’s live music, as well.

Emily Lily, coordinator for Boca Raton’s Greenmarket, said this year has proven too iffy to do a market in the fall, and by spring, it’s too late. “It takes a lot of planning,” she said. Organizers decided to suspend the market altogether this season.

While its farm stores will be open, Bedner’s Farm Market in Boynton Beach decided to cancel its fall activities on the farm. “A difficult decision,” its website says, made to protect customers and staff.

In brief: Old dogs, new tricks: That’s the move from longtime restaurateur Henry Olmino of Mario’s on Ocean Avenue in Lantana. He recently took the plunge in the middle of the pandemic to open Fire and Ice, a casual spot serving pizza, wings, pastas and other comfort foods at 707 Lake Ave., Lake Worth Beach. Open for dinner daily, and Sunday brunch. ... Meals on Wheels is selling Thanksgiving pies made by area chefs for its annual Pie It Forward fundraiser and has added Delray Beach as a pickup point. Pies are on sale now for $30 and $35. Pickup is Nov. 24 at Duffy’s, 1750 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach. To order, visit www.mealsonwheelspalmbeaches.org.

Jan Norris is a food writer who can be reached at nativefla@gmail.com

The United States has been for much of its history a remarkably artistic nation. The American arts of the 20th century in particular have been the driver of the country’s immense global cultural influence, a kind of soft power that often muffles other native arts but at the same time seeds fresh creation, from rock to Bollywood, Swedish TV noir to Arabic hip-hop.

But there has been nothing like the calamity this country, and the South Florida arts community, have endured under the COVID-19 pandemic. It has robbed performers and presenting organizations of their livelihoods, and kept audiences at bay who otherwise desperately wish to take in a live show.

A look at some fresh national numbers spells out the problem:

Arts organizations nationwide have lost $14 billion in the pandemic, with 96 percent of organizations canceling events, according to an Oct. 20 survey from Americans for the Arts, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit advocacy group. That has meant 478 million tickets unsold and a loss of $15.1 billion in arts-related spending at ancillary businesses such as restaurants and hotels.

Some 63 percent of artists nationally have become fully unemployed, the survey showed, with 95 percent reporting some loss of income, and 78 percent with no post-pandemic recovery plan. Government revenue has taken a $4.9 billion hit, and some 845,000 jobs in the arts are no longer being supported.

In total, the 26,200 artists responding to the survey have lost an average of $22,000 annually; the national figure for loss of arts income is $50.6 billion, Americans for the Arts said.

That is a staggering amount of money, even in a country with trillion-dollar deficits.

And the picture in Palm Beach County is just as dire. According to a preliminary survey (released Oct. 8) by the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, the arts sector here, which has an annual economic impact of $633 million, has suffered a $48.3 million loss as 1,641 events have been canceled and nearly 600 full-time and part-time jobs have been subject to furloughs (underlining the immense importance of the freelance labor that staffs the majority of local arts performances in the county).

Annual attendance of arts events in Palm Beach County is about 3.9 million people, the council says. In the pandemic, nearly a fourth —some 888,277 people — of that attendance has disappeared.

Our country’s long history of anti-intellectualism and disdain of the arts professions as somehow not being real jobs is familiar to all of us who work in or around the creative professions. And yet the arts have been a vital lifeline in this, our time of misery.

For an immediate example we need only look to television: When people talk about bingeing on Netflix, they’re bingeing on the arts. When they fall into a YouTube wormhole and call up favorite performers from the past or find exciting new ones, they are bingeing on the arts. And every broadcast news program, to say nothing of government-presented events, is filtered through the theater arts.

It is because of this that if a vaccine for the virus were to be discovered and distributed next week, much of the arts activity that is on hiatus here would spring back quickly — if there is enough money to go around and there are enough people still able to return to the field of artistic endeavor.

The Cultural Council last month launched its Restart with the Arts fundraising campaign, in which donors can give to the council’s fund by visiting palmbeachculture.com/restart. It’s something the state government should be doing, too, but Florida will need a substantial political realignment for that to happen. In the meantime, if we can, it’s a good idea to give to our favorite arts organizations or to the council’s fund. After all, we want our artists to be there when the all-clear is sounded and we can return to our pre-virus lives, changed though they may be.

Americans love the arts, and artists, much more than they know. The arts are basic to humanity, something we’ve been wired with for millennia. I have no doubt that the county’s art scene will come roaring back when it’s safe to do so. The question will be: How many of the pre-virus members of the arts sector will still be there?

Here’s hoping they all are, bringing their gifts back to us and reminding us why this part of the country is such an exciting, joyful place to live. At the very least, we should try to help them. It will only be when the arts come back in full flower that we will be able to say: Yes, we have recovered.

— Greg Stepanich, editor

Among the donations is a truck loaded with building supplies. Kari Shipley recruited artists to paint it with the names of Delray Beach and Marsh Harbour. On the back are symbols for the two churches involved and the Bahamas Youth Network. ‘These are our neighbors, too,’ Shipley says. ‘They’re barely 90 miles away.’ Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

The monster storm formed in the Atlantic at the end of August 2019, gaining strength until Sept. 1, when the most intense tropical cyclone on record struck the Bahamas with wind and water and an unbridled fury.

Hurricane Dorian is believed to be the worst natural disaster in the Bahamas’ short history. The Category 5 storm had maximum sustained winds of 185 mph and gusts recorded up to 220 mph. The deadly storm surge — more than 20 feet of water — flooded the islands. Across the Bahamas, more than 70,000 people were left homeless and economists estimated the damage at more than $3.4 billion (a quarter of the Bahamas’ GDP).

Marsh Harbour, the largest town on Great Abaco Island and a commercial hub for many smaller islands, lost 95% of its buildings, but one church, Kirk of the Pines, was left standing.

Soon after, members of First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach donated money for a water purification system and solar generators for the pastor’s cellphones. Life returned to rudimentary homesteading: water, shelter, food, communication.

Now the two churches have a mini-supply chain going. It took about a year, but in October, First Presbyterian shipped a barely used box truck filled with tools and building supplies to Pastor Gabe Swing, who lives with his wife, Jan, in a camper next to the church.

Delray Beach resident Kari Shipley, who suggested Marsh Harbour and Kirk of the Pines as recipients for First Presbyterian’s Christmas charity project, estimates the church raised more than $50,000.

First Presbyterian also got a deal on the truck through a parishioner with connections to the auto industry, for about $30,000, plus $5,000 to ship it, said Shipley, a longtime deacon and elder at the church who has ties to Marsh Harbour.

The truck is crucial for logistics — just about every car on the island was destroyed — to get the tools and supplies where they are needed.

“It will serve as a roving workshop,” Pastor Swing said, “readily accessible, that we can also use to move supplies.”

When he’s not swinging a hammer, the pastor is working with the Bahamas Youth Network, a community-based Christian organization that connects adult mentors and coaches with local teenagers and young adults.

“We want to grow these young people into tomorrow’s leaders. Programs focus on teaching participants to make good life decisions and building leadership skills,” he said. The BYN gets support from the U.S. organization, the Caribbean Youth Network.

Some things are getting better in Marsh Harbour. Small planes can land at the international airport. Two grocery stores are open. But the challenges continue: Jobs, except in construction, are scarce. School hasn’t resumed.

Pastor Swing, who has made his home in the Bahamas for about 10 years, five of them in Marsh Harbour, says his biggest concern is food insecurity. People are hungry, and few have enough work or money.

Many left for the United States or parts of the Bahamas that sustained less damage. Swing lost track of some of his parishioners.

Some people who remained live in tents and without tap water or electricity. The lucky ones live in campers and have generators.

Jan Swing coordinates the mission trips that bring hundreds of people to the islands to provide the labor force for the construction. She says in just six months she’s had to cancel 12 trips because of COVID-19 restrictions. Those are finally starting to lift, another good sign. But so much is still needed.

For more information, visitfirstdelray.com or call 561-276-6338.

•

Want to travel to Marsh Harbour? Although each island and community may have different rules, effective Nov. 1 the Bahamas removed the 14-day quarantine requirement that had been in place. But all visitors must complete an electronic Bahamas Health Travel Visa application before departure, upload the results of a negative COVID-19 swab test taken within seven days of arrival and provide contact information.

Visitors must also take a rapid test on day five of the visit, which is included in the cost of the Bahamas Health Travel Visa. All entry requirements can be viewed at www.bahamas.com/travelupdates.

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

Dozens of people brought gifts to the First Presbyterian parking lot. Photos by Tim Stepien / The Coastal Star

By Janis Fontaine

First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach added a new member to its church family in September and staged a baby shower the hard way.

The Community Church by the Sea, as it is also known, welcomed Pierre Isaac Rapier, son of the Rev. Greg Rapier and his wife, Lissette. It’s the first baby the church has added to its worship family in many years, so the congregation was excited.

Even the coronavirus pandemic wasn’t going to stop the parishioners from commemorating such a blessed event, so they did what lots of people have done: They staged a drive-by celebration.

On a sweltering Saturday in September, dozens of guests gathered — even Marie Buss, age 94, who had made a special baby blanket for Pierre. People decorated their cars and more than 50 vehicles led by a bagpiper made an orderly parade past the happy couple.

Linda Prior, who helped organize the event, thought busy Gleason Street might get clogged with traffic, but guests seemed to trickle in, which was just perfect, she said.

For a few minutes, it looked like the mother-to-be might not show: Lissette was having contractions but her doctor cleared her to make a quick visit to the church.

“She’s been fantastic,” Greg Rapier said. “It wasn’t exactly what she signed up for.”

Greg said the events surrounding the late September birth were “exhausting and joyful,” and for the first time he was almost grateful for the pandemic restrictions because the new family enjoyed a little solitude.

But the Rapiers also faced the challenge of being on their own with no help to fall back on in caring for the baby.

“I always knew this,” Greg said, “but it’s even clearer now: Love is a lot of hard work and sacrifice.”

St. Paul’s music director

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Delray Beach is welcoming a new director of music ministries to replace Dr. Paul Cienniwa, who took a position as the orchestra director for the Binghamton Philharmonic in New York.

Dr. David S. Macfarlane, from First Presbyterian Church of Englewood, New Jersey, will join the church’s highly regarded music ministries. An accomplished musician, experienced church organist and choir director, Macfarlane also taught as an adjunct professor of music at Bergen Community College and was the assistant conductor/choirmaster for the Amore Opera of New York.  

Although the church resumed limited in-person Sunday services in September, the Music at St. Paul’s program has not resumed. Macfarlane won’t begin his work until January.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is at 188 S. Swinton Ave.; www.stpaulsdelray.org; 561-276-4541.

Rector named bishop

St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach announced that Pope Francis appointed SVDP’s rector and president, Msgr. David Toups, as the new bishop of the Diocese of Beaumont, Texas. Toups, who was ordained in 1997, served SVDP as rector and president from 2012 to 2020 and as assistant dean from 2004 to 2006. During the past eight years he oversaw major renovations and expansion at the seminary.

A massive mitzvah

Thanks to kindhearted people, many Jews were able to celebrate the most important Jewish holidays of the year even in the midst of a pandemic.

Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service worked to distribute Rosh Hashanah meals throughout Palm Beach County with help from the Jewish Volunteer Center of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and the Kind Kitchen of Palm Beach.

JFS’s kosher food pantry also undertook its annual distribution of 35 Rosh Hashanah holiday food baskets.

The three nonprofits, with more than 150 volunteers, packaged 230 holiday meals, loaded them into cars and delivered them to 173 households in Boynton Beach, Lake Worth Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Royal Palm Beach, Wellington and West Palm Beach.

The Alpert JFS is a nationally accredited service provider for children, adults, seniors and Holocaust survivors.

To learn more, visit www.AlpertJFS.org or call 561-684-1991.

Holly House goes virtual

For the first time in more than 50 years, the ladies of Holly House at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach won’t host their large, annual sale of handcrafted holiday items at the church. But that doesn’t mean the ladies have been idle.

The crafters have been busy making holiday items, but they’ve moved sales mostly online to the Facebook Marketplace. You can find all the adorable decorations and gifts you love there.

Available are craft supplies, fabric, sewing notions, and handmade products ready to sell.

Shoppers are welcome to make an appointment to visit in-person Tuesday, Thursday, and possibly Saturday mornings to make purchases.

It is cash and carry. Masks are required. By making appointments, the church can limit the numbers of shoppers at one time.

For more information, contact Linda Prior, 561-702-0245, Linda_Prior@hotmail.

Palm Beach Par-3's location on the ocean provides a captivating golf setting.

By Brian Biggane

Two par-3 golf courses along the A1A corridor in South Palm Beach County have been identified as being “among the world’s best” in a feature story in the September/October issue of Golf Magazine.

St. Andrews, a private club featuring three holes along the Intracoastal Waterway near Gulf Stream, and the Palm Beach Par-3, between the ocean and Intracoastal in the town of Palm Beach, were among 25 “exemplary” courses on a list that included Augusta National, Pine Valley in New Jersey and Bandon Dunes in Oregon.

“Even to be on the same page with those kind of courses, it’s quite a compliment,” St. Andrews head pro Amy Carver said.

“We’re a municipal course,” Palm Beach head pro Tony Chateauvert said, “so we’re accessible to anyone who wants to play. Augusta National, Pine Valley, you can’t get on those courses.”

Recognition is nothing new for the Palm Beach Par-3, which has been ranked both among the best and “most fun to play” by Golf Digest.

Designed by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee, the course opened in 1961 but fell into disrepair before four-time major champion Raymond Floyd oversaw a redesign in 2009.

“The town of Palm Beach recognized what we had and put a lot of money into it,” Chateauvert said. “Then six years ago we redid the clubhouse with a great al fresco restaurant. So now we’re a destination golf course. People come from all over the world to play it.”

Former Gulf Stream resident Alice Dye, with help from design partner and husband Pete Dye, built the St. Andrews course in 1973 and renovated it in 2013.

Tropical land-scaping at St. Andrews includes beds of red hibiscus and royal palm trees. Photos provided

“It’s like a little hidden gem,” Carver said. “There are people who drive up and down A1A every day who have no idea we’re even here.

“Most people who come out here are surprised. It’s under 2,000 yards, and they go, ‘Eh, this is going to be easy,’ and it’s not. It’s a challenge. You have to know how to score.  
“Most people can’t hit 18 greens, and on the short shots the wind makes an even bigger difference, because you’re hitting a lofted club, and with more loft it’s going to go higher and be even more subject to the wind.”

The Palm Beach Par-3 plays at more than 2,000 yards from the back tees, with No. 4 at 196 yards and No. 5 at 212.

Still, Chateauvert said, the course lives up to its motto: Friendly, Fast and Fun.

“People come off the 18th hole and they’re always in a good mood, they’re having fun, it didn’t beat them up too much, and that’s what golf is supposed to be. Too many golf courses are just too difficult for the average golfer. Par-3 courses, be it the Palm Beach Par-3, or St. Andrews, are much more fun for the average golfer.”

Not to mention, Carver said, a test for even the best.

“At any level it’s a challenge,” she said. “I don’t care if you’re a new golfer, a scratch handicap. And sometimes for the better golfer it’s even more of a challenge, because you’re thinking, ‘How many birdies can I make?’  

“Then they come out here and it’s like, ‘Wow.’ Any golfer can improve their game out here.”

St. Andrews has also recently been recognized as a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” by Audubon International. The program “provides information and guidance to help golf courses preserve and enhance wildlife habitat, and protect natural resources,” according to the announcement.

Kimberlee Pompeo sparked the starter kit idea as she took out invasive Scaevola taccada and vines from her Ocean Ridge property and put in natives. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley

George Gann’s goal is to restore biodiversity to Palm Beach County’s barrier islands, one patch of land at a time.

To aid the process, interested landowners can purchase biodiversity starter kits created by the Institute for Regional Conservation under the auspices of its Restoring the Gold Coast program. A recent $100,000 grant from Impact 100 Palm Beach County helped fund the effort and educational campaign.

“These kits can be planted on virtually any piece of island property, including private residences and condo associations as well as office complexes, parks and medians. Every bit helps the area’s biodiversity,” says Gann, founder of the Delray Beach-based IRC.

Gann says evidence exists that during their history the barrier islands from Boca Raton to Lake Worth Beach have been home to more than 200 plant species.

These are native species that originated on the barrier islands without the help of humans. Those that didn’t originate here migrated naturally on the wind, the waves or on birds’ feet.

“We are not looking at species that people purposefully brought with them or that attached themselves to airplane wheels,” says Gann — thinking of all the bougainvillea, hibiscus and other showy exotics that have been imported from the Caribbean and Asia.

But over the years, much of our native diversity has been destroyed or lost as man developed the islands and beach erosion led to destruction of habitat.

Today, scientists know that these native plants remain important because, like art, they have intrinsic beauty, says Gann. They also can bind the soil with their roots, making the landscape more stable. And they make it more resilient in the face of hurricanes, plant diseases and insect pests.

Plus, as these native plants produce seeds, nectar, pollen and fruits, they create habitat for native birds, butterflies, insects and other animals on the islands.

The idea behind the starter kits is to return the native species and the resulting biodiversity to our barrier islands. Each of the four kits that are now offered includes five native species in small to medium pots.

One of these will be a “rare plant surprise,” an “oddball” species that might become available. And each kit is designed for a different coastal zone where wind, sun, water and sand uniquely interact.

The value of planting natives is visible on a 50-by-50-foot patch of beachfront property in Ocean Ridge owned by Kimberlee Pompeo, Florida Federation of Garden Clubs’ District X vice chair for the barrier islands.

Since 2013, she has been removing the invasive Scaevola taccada and vines that were crowding out the sea grapes and saw palmettos originally on the property. She has continued to add natives, and today her landscape boasts more than 40 species.

Sea lavender.

As she worked with Gann last spring, Pompeo’s interest in restoring her own property helped spark the creation of the biodiversity starter kits.

“They are a good way to return native species to the land in the way that nature intended,” she says.

On her foredune, she has planted the Beach Dune/Coastal Grassland kit ($75), including sea lavender that can survive the salty wind, cresting water and moving sand that energize this part of the dunescape.

Gann explains that this is the only kit that you necessarily need oceanfront property to plant. The others are more versatile.

For example, the Coastal Strand/Shrubland kit ($85) includes saw palmetto and yellow joyweed, which are typically found just behind the dune front where there’s less wind and salt spray. But Gann says the kit can be used just about any place on the barrier island where there is full sun.

Marlberry in bloom.

Also versatile, the Tropical Hammock/Coastal Garden Kit ($90) can be planted along a road or in a formal or informal garden. It fits any place on the island away from direct wind, says Gann. This kit includes the Jamaica caper-tree and marlberry.

There’s even a butterfly-attracting kit ($60) for people who enjoy these fluttery charmers. It too can be used any place on the barrier island protected from the wind. Gann hopes to soon have this kit available with plants that will do well on the mainland.

“The idea is to put together a few plants that deliver a lot of bang for the buck and efficiently return biodiversity to the barrier islands,” says Gann.

To purchase plants
Visit https://donorbox.org/restoring-the-gold-coast. Use one form for each type of kit you want. If you want multiples of the same kit, mark it on the form, then figure the multiple amount you will donate and write this in the comments area along with the number of kits you want. You will be contacted about picking up your purchase.

To learn more
Visit the Institute for Regional Conservation’s biodiversity starter program website at www.regionalconservation.org/DonationRGC.html. Or contact Cara Abbott at abbott@regionalconservation.org or 305-304-6610.