BRINY BREEZES —Russell John Snyder Sr. died March 11 at Helene Fuld Medical Center in Trenton, New Jersey. He was 93.

Mr. Snyder was born in Bristol, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 27, 1927, the son of Harriet and Oscar Snyder. He graduated from Trenton Central High School in 1945 and was a member of the Thunder football team and the Thespian Club. Unable to serve in the military due to a football injury, he worked at Acme Rubber and with Ernie Kovacs at the WTTM radio station.

After falling in love with and marrying Julia Okum, Mr. Snyder formed a partnership and purchased Valentine’s Inc., an office machine and furniture company that became a franchisee for Steelcase Inc. For over three decades the couple worked side by side to make the business grow and became the sole owners. In 1974, Mr. Snyder was instrumental in establishing Capitol State Bank in Trenton.

Upon retirement, Mr. Snyder pursued his passion for golf and harness horse racing. He and Julia summered in Ocean Pines, Maryland, and became residents of Deerfield Beach. Eventually, they moved to Briny Breezes and spent many happy years in the place they called paradise.

Russell was predeceased by Julia on Feb. 4, 2020.

He is survived by his five children, Julia (Robert) Kohut, Berlin, Maryland; Suzanne (Joseph T.) Snyder-Carroll, Briny Breezes; Cathy Worek, Fallsington, Pennsylvania; Russell (Stacy) Snyder Jr., Feasterville, Pennsylvania; Mark (Barbara Bradway) Snyder, Washington’s Crossing, Pennsylvania; sister Rita O’Brien, San Antonio; seven grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and his dear friends, Alma Papa and Sharon Smith.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated in New Jersey and a celebration of life gathering will be held in Briny Breezes at the convenience of the family. Donations may be made to Catholic Charities and Briny Breezes Charities.

— Obituary submitted by the family

By Jane Smith

Delray Beach Fire Chief Neal de Jesus abruptly resigned on March 10, according to an email he sent to the city manager.

Keith Tomey, assistant fire chief, took over as interim chief at a 10% boost to his salary, City Manager George Gretsas decided.
The city gave no public explanation for the unexpected departure of de Jesus, who is in his late 50s.

“I feel my time has come to move on and focus more on my family,” he wrote on March 10.

“The city does not comment on personnel matters,” Gina Carter, Delray Beach spokeswoman, said in a March 24 email.

De Jesus’ most recent salary was $175,684. His temporary $2,000 monthly housing allowance was made permanent in March 2017 while he was serving his first stint as interim city manager.

He left the city with 180 days’ pay and three months of health insurance to June, according to a city memo.

At the Sept. 10 City Commission special meeting, commissioners agreed to double de Jesus’ severance to 180 days and not require that he have a college degree. The vote was 3-2 with Mayor Shelly Petrolia and Vice Mayor Shirley Johnson dissenting.

In response to a public records request made by The Coastal Star, the city attorney’s office responded that it is unable to release documents involving de Jesus because there is an ongoing investigation.

De Jesus came to Delray Beach in March 2016 to be the fire chief. He has nearly four decades of experience in the fire-rescue field. He started as a firefighter in Sarasota County at age 18.

De Jesus retired from Coral Gables Fire-Rescue in 2002 after a 20-year career with that city. In 2010, he resigned after two years as a city commissioner of Cooper City to join the Broward County Sheriff’s Office Fire Rescue and Emergency Services. He left that position in 2013 after the election of Sheriff Scott Israel.

In late December 2016, de Jesus was recognized for his leadership skills by then-City Commissioner Mitch Katz. He recommended de Jesus for the interim city manager opening.

De Jesus then served as interim city manager and returned to his fire chief position in November 2017. He became interim manager again in March 2019 until Gretsas arrived on Jan. 6.

De Jesus served as the point man in the city’s investigation of its reclaimed water issues from February until his resignation.

Workers stock shelves at the Publix in Plaza del Mar in Manalapan. Some items like toilet paper and fresh meats and eggs have been hard to keep in stock. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Christine Davis

The Small Business Association and local Chambers of Commerce have some suggestions to aid businesses in getting through the coronavirus pandemic. Here are some of them.

The Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce suggests “shop local, utilize local” by buying gift certificates, buying tickets to future events, ordering restaurant food to go, and by attending online classes, concerts, religious services, and so on in support of local businesses. This has been a repeated message on the chamber’s Wednesday morning weekly videos, “Delray Morning Live” posted on its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/delraybeach.)

The city also has links to resources on its homepage at www.delraybeachfl.gov.

The Delray Chamber has a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/delraybeach) with a weekly video on Wednesday mornings to help community members stay abreast of business news.

The Boca Chamber lists various links for businesses, where among the resources are links to Small Business Loans and SBA Disaster Assistance, and information about the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program. Visit https://web.bocaratonchamber.com/the_chamber/coronavirus.aspx.

The emergency loan program, activated by Gov. Ron DeSantis, will provide short-term, interest-free loans, and the application period runs through May 8.

Small business owners with two to 100 employees located in Florida and affected by COVID-19 can apply for short-term loans up to $50,000. These loans are interest free for up to one year and are designed to bridge the gap to either federal SBA loans or commercially available loans.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, manager of the program, will work with the borrower to ensure that repayment of the loan isn’t an overwhelming burden. To be eligible, a business must have been established prior to March 9, 2020, and demonstrate economic impacts as a result of COVID-19.

For more information, contact the Florida Small Business Development Center Network at 866-737-7232 or email Disaster@FloridaSBDC.org. Link is here: https://floridadisasterloan.org/

On another note, the U.S. Small Business Administration is working to help small business owners with counseling to navigate the pandemic. It will also work with state governors to provide long-term disaster relief loans, up to $2 million in assistance per small business. It also offers guidelines for loans made by its partnering lenders, community development organizations and micro-lending institutions. For information, visit www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans.

The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, in partnership with philanthropists, business leaders and government entities, has established the COVID-19 Response Fund, which will deploy resources to community-based organizations that are working with those disproportionately affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

These include community health centers, homeless shelters, preschool and after-school programs, food pantries and other social service providers. 

As of March 14, nearly $500,000 was raised in less than 48 hours. Contributions included $100,000 from Florida Power & Light Co., $100,000 from the Stoops Family Foundation and $100,000 from the Community Foundation. Additional funding partners included Jim Robo and Meredith Trim; SBA Communication Corp.; Sherry and Tom Barrat; Julie and Peter Cummings, and Susan and Peter Brockway. Contributions may be made at www.yourcommunityfoundation.org.

Because of the evolving nature of needs during the pandemic, responses from government and other organizations are constantly changing. Please check with the organizations for updates.
 
Christel Silver, owner of Silver International Realty in Delray Beach, served as a global ambassador of the National Association of Realtors at real estate meetings in Vienna, where she spoke to young real estate agents in Austria on how to be international members of NAR.
 
The Institute for Regional Conservation, a nonprofit that aims to protect, restore and manage ecological diversity in the long term, received a $1,000 individual “Volunteer for Good” grant from the New York Life Foundation. The award recognized the volunteer service of John Campanola, an agent with New York Life’s South Florida General Office in Sunrise.

The grant supported a coastal restoration field trip of Earth science students from Atlantic Community High School, who worked to remove nonnative asparagus fern while learning about the root nodules full of water that make this plant so invasive. Additionally, students picked up trash from the beach, focusing on micro-plastics.
 
South Palm Beach County agents were among the honorees at Douglas Elliman Real Estate’s annual awards ceremony, the Ellies, last month in Uncasville, Connecticut. Among the top 10 teams from Florida were the Senada Adzem team, which placed fifth; the team of Randy Ely and Nick Malinosky, which placed seventh; and the Marisela Cotilla luxury team, which placed ninth.
These teams also received the Pinnacle Club Award for earning more than $1 million in 2019.
 
Annie Davis, owner of Palm Beach Travel, which has an office in Manalapan, received the inaugural Black Pineapple Award from the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, at an event held at Sarabeth’s Park Avenue South in New York City. The Black Pineapple Award, named after a type of pineapple that’s found only in Antigua, honored Davis as one of 40 key partners, tour operators, resorts, travel agents and media who worked to promote Antigua and Barbuda in 2019. 
 
The Bill Gove Golden Gavel Toastmasters Club of Boynton Beach celebrated its 20th anniversary and Bill Gove’s birthday on Jan. 24 in Citrus Glen.

Founded by professional speaker Steve Siebold and insurance sales trainer Ed Lamont, the club was named for Bill Gove, who died in 2001. He served as the first president of the National Speakers Association and earned Toastmasters’ Golden Gavel Award in 1991. He was a charter member of the Boynton club.

Bill Gove Toastmasters has achieved Toastmasters International’s highest club award of “President’s Distinguished” for 13 consecutive and 17 of 19 years. Three members have served as District 47 governors, and one was elected to Toastmaster International’s board of directors and is in line to become the organization’s international president in 2022.
 
Bernard and Maggie Palmer, of SRD Building, sold a new waterfront estate at 320 S. Maya Palm Drive to Robert Irene for $12.6 million on Feb. 26, according to public records.

The four-bedroom, 7,753-square-foot home sits on the Fishtail Palm Waterway in Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club in Boca Raton. Irene heads Asembia, a New Jersey firm that provides services to pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The property was sold by David Roberts of Royal Palm Properties.

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

This view from the stage shows the restored roof of the auditorium of the historic 1927 Boynton Beach High School. The ceiling still boasts its original Dade County pine beams. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Years in remaking, old Boynton high school soon to raise curtain as arts center

By Jan Engoren

Rescued from demolition by a grass-roots effort and transformed into a dynamic cultural arts and activities destination, the historic Boynton Beach High School is nearly ready to shine as the centerpiece of Town Square.

Town Square is a public/private partnership between the city of Boynton Beach and E2L Real Estate Solutions LLC and is scheduled to be up and running this summer, with the old high school to open sometime before then.

According to the city, the 20-acre development will be “a place for connecting — connecting the city’s historic past to its vibrant future; residents to each other; community members and visitors to arts, culture and other activities.”

The 28,009-square-foot high school building at 125 E. Ocean Ave. was neglected and vacant since 1990, and in need of some major TLC. Assistant City Manager Colin Groff, who is in charge of the project and gave a tour of the site in mid-March, said it took at least eight months of mold remediation, and cleaning up mildew, asbestos and lead paint before restoration of the property.

An original crest, depicting a shield, wreath and torches, still adorns the facade of the building.

When finished, the school renovation alone is estimated to come in at $11.3 million, according to Groff.

“We want the community involved in using this building and all the activities we have planned — from art, dance, yoga, karate and fencing classes to rotating public art installations,” Groff said. “We want to bring people downtown to eat, shop, have fun and play.
“We are re-creating downtown Boynton Beach,” he says. “This building will be engaged 24/7. This will be the place to be.”

Renovations were designed to keep the historical aspects of the 1927 structure intact, as the building is listed on the Boynton Beach Register of Historic Places. Efforts have been made to preserve the bell tower; historic window shapes (bringing them up to code and adding hurricane impact); and the school’s crest, original art on the facade (torches depicting enlightenment and learning) and a shield with laurels representing achievement.

The windows of a planned office offer a view of the preserved kapok tree, a landmark near the corner of Ocean Avenue and Seacrest Boulevard. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

But everything else has been upgraded for modern conveniences — Wi-Fi, air conditioning, elevators and ADA accessibility. Even the bathrooms were redesigned as replicas of the originals with updated hardware and facilities.

Diane Valentini, who will manage the new cultural arts center, says it will have an on-site Fred Astaire Dance Studio, “every art class you can imagine,” and will work with the Lake Worth Playhouse to bring live performances to the venue.

Outdoors, a patio space will be available to rent for events, Groff says, and the grounds will include a family adventure park with themes tied to the city’s history. Examples include a ship, a 25-by-12-foot butterfly representing local endangered butterfly species, a large jellyfish figure, a Flagler train and a statue of the Barefoot Mailman.

The “pride and joy” of the renovation, says Groff, is the old school auditorium/gym, with its eight original Dade County pine beams. As one of the largest auditoriums in South Palm Beach County, it will seat 300 at tables and 500 in other chairs. It will be the future home of the city’s renowned biennial kinetic art events.

“We’re very proud of it,” Groff says.

Plans call for staff to move into the building as soon as a few months and to initiate programs over the summer.

The new City Hall is scheduled to open July 21, when construction moves to the outer edges of the project, including building a parking garage, completing the landscaping and breaking ground on a hotel.

Eventually the complex will include retail stores, restaurants, residential units and a new fire station and library.

Assistant City Manager Colin Groff discusses plans for the exterior of the 1927 high school building, which will be the centerpiece of Boynton’s Town Square. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

City seeks donors

Groff says that the city is looking for donors and that naming rights are available to individuals, organizations, businesses and foundations that would like to support additional technology for the auditorium and other rooms.

Rights start at $1,500 for the “Wish Upon a Starfish,” a 3-D graphic starfish, and go up to $2 million to have your name on the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum building.

Naming opportunities are available for all aspects of Town Square. In the Children’s Museum, new features include “Water World,” an interactive coastal and mangrove exhibit, available for $150,000, and the “Pepper Patch,” an interactive farming exhibit, for $125,000.

Brian Martin installs ceiling tiles in a second-floor classroom of the old Boynton Beach High School, which has been updated with new electrical, plumbing and air-conditioning systems. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Reflections and Synesthesia, kinetic art pieces on the plaza, can bear your name for $300,000 and $100,000, respectively.
Your plaque on the Barefoot Mailman’s Adventure Trail will cost $20,000.

Groff emphasized that the building complex will be secure and safe. “Our residents have made the right decision in going forward with these plans and should be very proud of their new building and downtown,” he said.

“Bring your mom, grab a cup of coffee at City Hall, drop the kids off at dance or the library, park once and take advantage of everything there will be to offer in our new downtown,” said city spokeswoman Eleanor Krusell. “This is an inclusive complex with something for everybody.”

By Amy Woods

The Boca West Children’s Foundation far exceeded last year’s tally by collecting more than 52,000 diapers from a record number of donors for the Junior League of Boca Raton’s Diaper Bank.

The annual drive took place Feb. 18.

Clean diapers are as essential as food and shelter for a baby, and access to diapers affects not only the health of children but their parents’ ability to work.

“Our mission is to help local kids in need, and with the cost of diapers being prohibitively high for many families, the Diaper Bank is such an impactful way to help,” said Pamela Weinroth, executive director and chief operating officer of the Boca West foundation.
“With so many people out of work due to the pandemic, the need for diapers is greater than ever,” Christy Stewart-Harfmann, president of the Junior League, said in late March.

To help, email community@jlbr.org.

Nonprofit asks for help in feeding needy residents

Because of consumers’ concerns about coronavirus, Boca Helping Hands has seen a drastic drop in its intake of surplus food from local grocery stores and restaurants.

As a result, the nonprofit that distributes 70,000 pantry bags and serves 55,000 hot meals annually is having to reduce its numbers.

“If anyone has a little extra food at home, or if any local restaurants have a surplus of food as they are forced to cut back on hours and in-dining service, we would very much welcome any sort of food donation,” said Greg Hazle, the organization’s executive director. “We serve a population of vulnerable children and families, and we are in particular need of produce, meat as well as any sort of packaged or canned food.”

MorseLife starts campaign to aid Holocaust survivors

As part of a larger commitment by MorseLife to ensure that no Holocaust survivor in Palm Beach County is left to live without basic services, the organization has launched a campaign via GoFundMe to assist two impoverished survivors during the next five years.
Named Tabor and Ella to protect their privacy, the couple met in a displaced persons camp and have been married for 70 years. They live on a meager monthly income and struggle to make ends meet. MorseLife’s goal is to raise $100,000 through online donations.

To donate, go to www.gofundme.com/f/morselifefoundation-now-for-holocaust

“Our objective is to provide five years of uninterrupted care to these two individuals, which will allow them peace of mind as they live out their daily lives,” said Keith Myers, MorseLife’s president and CEO.

Retired executive tells teens to dress for success

Achievement Centers for Children & Families’ Teen Program welcomed Lori Haram, former Estée Lauder Cos. senior vice president of business affairs and operations, to a special workshop titled “Dress for Success.”

The teens learned about first impressions, personal grooming and professional wear, and the workshop ended with a bonus question-and-answer session on etiquette.

“I felt like there was more to retirement than playing golf,” said Haram, a Boca Raton resident. “I’m so glad to have done it, and I really hope the kids got something out of it.”

Bound for College program expands in South County

A high school diploma often is not enough for students to build rewarding careers. Unfortunately for many youths, lack of academic and emotional support at home coupled with challenging financial times prevents them from obtaining a higher education.

Bound for College offers academic, emotional and financial resources for teens from underserved communities to help them reach their full potential. When founded, the program served two schools: Village Academy Center and Atlantic Community High School, both in Delray Beach. Now it also serves Boca Raton and Boynton Beach community high schools.

"To see the direct impact that Bound for College’s ACT/SAT tutoring has on our local kids in the form of college-acceptance letters and multiple scholarships is inspiring,” said Craig Menin, who donated $50,000 to the cause.

Boca woman receives international award

Diane Diamantis, co-founder of Dollars 4 Tic Scholars, won an international honor at the .ORG Impact Awards, an event that recognizes the achievements of nonprofits around the world.

Diamantis, of Boca Raton, received the Rising Star Award — a category aimed at professionals with five or less years of experience at his or her organization — for her commitment to encouraging students with Tourette syndrome to attend college.

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

By Amy Woods

While Impact 100 Palm Beach County will not have the Grand Awards on April 15, it plans to distribute every dollar donated by its members to five nonprofits serving South County.

The meeting previously set to take place at Lynn University in Boca Raton has been canceled amid coronavirus concerns, and as of press time, contingencies had yet to be finalized.

“We’re not going to hold the live event like we have in the past, but we are still going to announce our finalists and award the grants,” President Kathy Adkins said. “That’s the good news.”

Last year, Impact 100 gave five organizations in five focus areas $100,000 grants. An additional $43,000 was divided evenly among five semifinalists. This year, the goal is to raise $600,000, enabling the organization to provide additional funds to the semifinalists.

“There’s so much need in the community, and that’s why we’re continuously trying to grow our membership,” said Adkins, noting that more than 100 applications seeking the financial aid were submitted. “People think that our area wouldn’t typically have these needs, but they exist right in our backyard.”

Members agree to donate $1,000 when they join as well as attend one meeting — the Grand Awards — at which they cast one vote. The vote follows presentations by each of the five finalists about the program or project they want funded.

The five focus areas are arts, culture and historic preservation; education; environment and animal welfare; family; and health and wellness.

“The needs include everything from feeding underserved people, getting them the resources that they need, to helping our environment and our coastal areas,” Adkins said. “There’s everything from trying to provide music and art and education for children to the health and wellness piece.”

When, where and how the vote will take place is something the executive committee will have to decide.

“Our team has been hard at work, creating a virtual version of our Grand Awards event for our 2019-2020 grant cycle,” Adkins wrote in an email blast announcing the cancellation. “This will allow us to safely still fulfill our promise to our community to award five $100,000 grants to our local nonprofits.

For information, call 561-336-4623 or visit www.impact100pbc.org.

By Jane Smith

The Community Caring Center of Palm Beach County merged April 1 with a larger nonprofit geared to feeding hungry people from Boynton Beach.

The CCC was about to start a fundraising program last September to build a 5,000-square-foot commercial kitchen in east Boynton Beach.

That’s when City Commissioner Ty Penserga contacted one of the center’s board members, said Doreen Robinson, the board president. He suggested that the CCC talk with Feeding South Florida, a much larger group with a commercial kitchen under construction west of the interstate, on Park Ridge Road.

“We talked with Feeding South Florida and learned there are duplicate services between our groups,” Robinson said. “We can be more effective together. They provide meals and food at about one-third of our costs.”

Boynton Beach’s Community Redevelopment Agency paid $205,000 for the CCC’s building at 145 NE Fourth Ave. on Jan. 31 and provided an extra $45,000 for relocation assistance.

“The CRA and the CCC did not enter into a formal agreement to sell the organization the CRA-owned vacant parcels at the corner of NE Ninth Avenue and NE Third Street,” Michael Simon, CRA executive director, said in an email. “CRA staff recommended handling the two transactions separately in order to protect the Agency from an unforeseen circumstance such as a merger between the CCC and Feeding South Florida.”

Under a deal with the CRA, the CCC will stay at its current location until the end of June, when the merger will be completed.
The new kitchen on Park Ridge Road will be named Feeding Palm Beach County Community Caring Center. That 5,000-square-foot kitchen should be finished in mid-April, Sari Vatske, executive vice president of Feeding South Florida, told Boynton Beach commissioners on March 3.

The warehouse will be named the Community Caring Center.

Sherry Johnson, the chief executive who has been the face of the CCC for nearly three decades, announced her retirement in late March.

In a press release, Johnson said she feels confident that her life’s work has been placed in the competent hands of Feeding South Florida.

Robinson and Nancy Flinn, CCC board vice president, are serving on the organization’s Palm Beach County advisory board.
“We will continue to serve the 300 frail and elderly seniors who live in the heart of Boynton Beach,” Robinson said. “We operate a senior caregiving program with our own Veggie Mobile.”

Amy Kazma, Gina Santosuosso, Stacey Packer, Carrie Rubin, Denise Zimmerman and Yvette Drucker. Photo provided

Boca Raton Museum of Art Executive Director Irvin Lippman announced two major philanthropic milestones at this year’s event. The first was news of a $1 million contribution by Martin and Jody Grass for educational initiatives. The second was that more than $630,000 was raised that night — the most the museum has ever brought in. ‘These two philanthropic milestones represent the generosity of Boca Raton and the personal commitment to the museum’s trajectory of making a difference for the community,’ Lippman said.

Charlotte Pelton and Jeff Stoops. Photo provided by Tracey Benson Photography

The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties welcomed more than 400 board members, donors and fund holders as well as local nonprofits, corporate sponsors and community leaders to the seventh annual event. Recent initiatives were highlighted, grant partners were recognized, and a panel discussion titled ‘Power of Place — A Conversation on Housing’ was featured.

Beth Hecht and Dr. Robert Hecht

Nancy and Paul Zarcadoolas

Caridad Center Chairman Richard Retamar. Photos provided by Caridad Center

Caridad Center broke its fundraising record with more than $500,000 coming in during the 31st annual event. A crowd exceeding 400 came out to support the nonprofit’s mission of bringing health care to uninsured, underserved Palm Beach County families.

Henry and Marsha Laufer. Photo provided

Palm Beach Opera’s 2020 Gala featured a performer whose voice has filled great opera houses around the world, including The Metropolitan Opera in New York, Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Paris Opera. Van Horn performed arias as well as musical-theater pieces. The exclusive concert also featured pianist Craig Terry and was followed by a delectable dinner. More than $600,000 was raised.

Gala volunteers Carol Besler, Lisa Ritota, Val Coz, Polly Joa, Mickey Austin Farley, Janet Schijns and Stella Kolb. Photo provided

The Ocean Ridge Garden Club sponsored its annual event with 100 guests who were greeted by professional James Bond impersonator John Allen, of Ocean Ridge. Hors d'oeuvres were passed, gift baskets were raffled off, a deejay provided music, and an estimated $8,000 was raised. ‘The gala is the one and only fundraising event we count on to provide the revenues we need for the philanthropic and community-service activities in which we engage as a club,’ recording secretary Jackie Reed said. ‘This year’s gala raised the most money ever and set a new bar for future fundraising events.’

Frank LoRe and Louis LoRe. Photo provided

Il Circolo, The Italian Cultural Society, gathered to hear professional singers from the Benenson Young Artist Program of the Palm Beach Opera. The performance was a stunning example of outstanding talent and included arias from Giuseppe Verdi, Gioachino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti and Giacomo Puccini. A standing ovation at the end of the program attested to the members’ support of the budding artists.

DiStefano with Jill Baum, holding a plaque of recognition, and Juliet. Photo provided

The sold-out 35th annual event, themed ‘Carnival in Venice,’ raised more than $715,000 for JDRF to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs for the cure, prevention and treatment of type 1 diabetes. In addition, Rebecca DiStefano, president of the Southern Florida Chapter-Greater Palm Beach Office, announced a $2.8 million gift from the estate of Marguerite Mae Rosner. The gift was made on behalf of 11-year old Juliet Baum, who has the disease. 

Kurt Harfmann and league President Cristy Stewart-Harfmann. Photo provided

The Junior League of Boca Raton’s annual culinary event involved hundreds of guests voting on their favorite dishes from participating restaurants. Patrick Duffy served as honorary executive chef. Funds raised will support the organization’s focus areas of hunger, child welfare and nonprofit support.

Mary Anna Fowler, Gary Peters and Isabelle Paul. Photo provided

Boca Helping Hands honored supporters and informed them about how the organization’s leaders are working to ensure that the nonprofit service provider continues its mission through an endowment fund. The Rev. Andrew Hagen, of Advent Boca Raton and Advent Lantana and a Boca Helping Hands board member, served as the guest speaker.

Shelley and Craig Menin. Photo provided by Tracey Benson Photography

The outdoor venue’s first gala in 10 years was a star-gazing success as nearly 200 guests strolled the exquisite grounds amid live music and taiko drumming. The al fresco evening coincided with a rare opportunity to get a close-up look at the super moon. A moon monologue was delivered by Ata Sarajedini, the gala’s honorary chairman, to mark the occasion.

Marilyn Weinberg and Jim and Marta Batmasian. Photo provided

Florida Atlantic University’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters’ first Culture, Arts and Society Today (CAST) party fundraiser generated more than $100,000 for student scholarships. The event featured Brazilian entertainment and performances by the college’s theater, music and dance faculty and students. ‘Through the generosity of donors, we are able to support students who may otherwise not be able to attend college, including some that are the first in their families to go to college,’ said Michael Horswell, the college’s dean.

Farmer’s Table is selling vacuum-packed meals that can be refrigerated for up to three weeks. Photo provided

By Jan Norris

By mid-March, Florida’s governor had ordered all restaurants to shut their dining rooms, giving them the options to go to takeout and delivery in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

More restrictions may be ordered as things progress, but for now, that’s the situation.

While some restaurants have closed, others are trying to get by, offering takeout or delivery, a weekly meal pickup, or other types of to-go food preparation.

Menus are limited in many cases, manageable for kitchens that are working with skeleton crews after layoffs. Still, they try to accommodate their diners.

Chef Jeremy Hanlon of Benny’s on the Beach in Lake Worth Beach is watching the situation, and for now, offering takeout and delivery.

“It will be interesting to see what the weekend brings,” he told us just after closings were announced. He’s taking it “day by day right now.”

He was cooking off his full menu to start.

Chef Emerson Frisbie of Delray Beach’s 3rd and 3rd has created a bao-bun pop-up. Boxes of the Chinese-style filled buns, with a variety of fillings for both omnivores and vegans, are popular takeouts. He also offers spirits and wine to go.

Alcohol sales may help save restaurants. Jimmy Everett, owner of Driftwood in Boynton Beach, said being able to sell beer, wine and spirits with a meal is “huge.”

Like others, he’s been changing plans day to day as the closures evolve. He offers takeout meals from a limited menu that changes daily.

But the alcohol may help him hold on by a thread.

“If you think about it, alcohol is a huge part of a restaurant inventory. It’s already paid for. Usually people have a lot more in stock than food, because it will keep,” Everett said. If liquor stores close, it will be even more of a sales point.

Rebel House in Boca Raton is offering family meals — enough to feed four, as a pickup. “Latke’d & Loaded” was a recent choice, with brisket, latkes, carrots and peas. A gluten-free Italian meatloaf with mac ’n’ cheese and Brussels sprouts were served another night. It’s comfort fare for stressful times.

Josie’s Ristorante in Boynton already had a takeout audience, but now it’s 100% of the business. Pizzas and Italian specialties, and wines, are served for pickup or delivery.

Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton offers curbside pickup of its craft brews. Delivery Dudes also will deliver growlers and bottles from Uncle Mike’s to your home.

Chains such as P.F. Chang’s and Capital Grille are going to delivery and curbside service as their dining rooms are closed. At Capital Grille, steaks are still cut to order from a limited menu, and wine and spirits, including cocktails, are available to go.

Vacuum-packed meals and individual foods are available from Farmer’s Table in Boca Raton. Cooked foods prepared there keep up to three weeks in the refrigerator. Diners can reheat the foods easily. The restaurant is known for its healthy cooking techniques.

Delivery services step up

The delivery companies are busier than ever before with customers deciding to order food delivery rather than risk exposure to other people. Online or phone orders, along with cashless payments, ease the process. Most delivery people will place the foods on your porch, and no human contact is needed for the transaction.

Uber Eats is the same nationwide service as the ride-share service founded as a smartphone app. Ordering is done on the phone once you choose your own restaurant. No money changes hands. At press time, the fees Uber usually charges restaurants to deliver for them were being waived; the diner still pays for delivery, however.

Delivery Dudes, based in Delray Beach but delivering throughout Palm Beach and Broward counties, has added the Dudes Bodega, available via a phone app or at www.deliverydudes.com/restaurants/the-dudes-bodega-delray-beach-fl-8690. Drivers will pick up and deliver restaurant meals, foods and pet items from the grocery, prescriptions and other drugstore items, and alcohol. ID is required at your end.

Grub Hub is another nationwide service that handles many chain restaurants; it’s found as an app or at www.grubhub.com.
Many groceries such as Publix and Aldi, and stores such as Target and Walmart that carry food, will shop for you and have it ready for pickup through their websites. You also can order through delivery services such as Shipt, which delivers for Publix. It’s available as a phone app or online.

Tips for ordering

Here are some tips for ordering takeout, pickup and delivery:

Make sure your favorite restaurant is offering takeout. Some may have shut down after all. Support those that are open, if possible, by passing the word around on social media, and leaving good feedback on their sites.

Plan ahead. If you can order a day or more ahead for lunch or dinner, it helps the restaurant plan its output. It can’t afford to have much food left over. Popular restaurants may run out of nightly specials early on.

Get an estimated time of delivery as you order, and ask if the restaurant has a thermal bag for delivery to keep the foods hot. Allow extra time for a large order, and realize the independent drivers may come from elsewhere to pick up the foods and not wait at your restaurant. If you have multiple restaurants as pickups and order at rush hour (5:30-7:30 p.m.), expect an even longer wait.

If possible, order directly from the restaurant; some delivery spots and menu sites have fees charged to restaurants. You still may have to pay for delivery, but the restaurant doesn’t pay extra for delivery service.

Don’t expect fast-food pricing just because it’s takeout. The overhead is much greater, even with smaller staffs. There’s the cost of quality food, pay for chefs who are prepping and cooking, workers packing, and the packaging materials. It adds up.

Don’t forget ethnic restaurants that need to stay afloat. Their overhead may not be as much, but neither are their profits. Support those restaurants and small sandwich and sub shops in your community that you usually frequent.

Just as if you were in the restaurants, let them know ahead of time of any serious dietary restrictions on your orders, but don’t expect the wide variety of substitutes from a full menu. Don’t harass the staff about it, either; you’ll look silly.

If you prefer, ask your driver to leave your food on a porch or patio; make sure you are explicit with how to contact you once it’s set out. If there’s a chance you’ll be indisposed at the time of delivery, put a cooler outside to prevent insects from getting to the food first.

If you’re ordering groceries or fresh produce, be prepared with several substitute choices, because all shoppers are facing emptier shelves. Also expect a long delivery time — up to three days as the number of delivery orders soars.

Tip your drivers, especially if you’ve asked them to shop for you. They are frazzled these days and putting themselves out there on the front lines so you don’t have to.

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

Local organizations hopeful even as future looks bleak

By Jan Engoren
ArtsPaper Contributing Writer

When the Cannes Film Festival is canceled and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is projected to lose $100 million after closing down because of the coronavirus, the impact on the arts and culture all over the world is significant.

And Palm Beach County is no exception.

While many sectors are suffering, arts organizations and cultural institutions are particularly vulnerable.

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, citing a 2017 arts and economic prosperity study, said the cultural sector has created over 14,000 full-time jobs in the Palm Beaches, and arts and cultural organizations contribute over $633 million in economic impact to the area.

According to CEO David Lawrence, even this early in the game, dozens of Palm Beach County cultural organizations have lost millions of dollars in revenue from canceled performances, lost fundraising galas and productions, not to mention lost revenue from ticket sales.

“Many of these organizations have little resources to cover those losses. Individual artists — especially those in the performing arts — have lost critical income that they were counting on,” Lawrence said.

Also of concern to the council is the loss and future loss of tourism dollars to Palm Beach County, and Lawrence said the county is already feeling the impact.

Kelly Smallridge, president and CEO of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, said the county currently has no plans to provide economic relief.

“If we can come out of this pandemic in a few months, the stronger arts and cultural organizations will survive and register a blip on their radar screens, but smaller venues are already struggling and may not make it out of this epidemic,” Smallridge said.

“Here in Palm Beach County, the arts and culture community faces a challenge with their ticket revenue and donations,” she said. “If this continues much longer, businesses and the arts will have to figure out a Plan B.”

From figures projected by the Washington-based nonprofit Americans for the Arts, financial losses as of March 15 were estimated to be $3.2 billion, since the first U.S. case of COVID-19 was reported on Jan. 20.

The $3.2 billion figure includes actual revenue losses from admissions (ticket sales, subscriptions, memberships), non-admissions income (gift shop sales, sponsorships, contributed income), and unexpected expenditures (new cleaning and disinfecting protocols, adoption of new technologies, cancellation fees).

The Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach was one of the first cultural organizations to shutter its doors, followed by a steady stream of the county’s other performing groups and museums, even as Gov. Ron DeSantis was issuing orders closing restaurants, bars and the state’s beaches.

Annabel Russell, executive director of The Symphonia, a chamber orchestra based in Boca Raton that canceled the last concert of its season, laments the loss of income for her musicians, most of them gig workers.

“We’re all reeling from the abrupt end to our season,” Russell said. “But artists are strong and resilient people, and if there’s a possible bright spot it’s that this comes at the tail end of ‘season’ here in South Florida, and we’re hopeful we can have a successful 2020-21 season.”

Marilynn Wick of the Wick Theatre in Boca Raton announced March 14 the opening and closing weekend of A Chorus Line.

“This is the first time I’ve ever had an opening and closing gala the same weekend,” she said. Upbeat, Wick has already rescheduled the show for April 23, pushing back Nunsense to September and said she’s in good company.

“I’m reassured that we’re not alone,” she said. “Isn’t there a song like that?”

She’s optimistic that next year’s subscription sales will hit 4,000, as compared to this year’s 3,700. She’s encouraging patrons to donate tickets from missed performances back to the theater, as are many local theater companies including Dramaworks in West Palm Beach and Primal Forces at the Sol Theatre in Boca Raton.

“We enjoy producing live theater and providing the best cultural experience,” said Wick. “We’re just having a longer intermission than usual.”

Nearby at Primal Forces Theatre, which suspended the run of its March show, Kenneth Lin’s Warrior Class, artistic director Keith Garsson said he was grateful to have a smaller venue and a cast of three for this production.

“Because we’re a small theater, I was able to call our attendees and let them know we were canceling performances,” said Garsson. Fifty people came to opening night March 11.

“My heart goes out to bigger theaters,” he said. “For us, it’s not as big a disruption as it is for the Wick or the Maltz Jupiter theatres.”
Luckily, he said the theater has a good landlord who may accommodate Primal Forces, but if the productions are rescheduled for summer, they may run into the summer camp season at the Sol Theatre.

“We hope the virus peaks early and we can salvage the end of our season,” Garsson said, “But, in the real world, we just hope everyone stays safe.”

Farther north, the Maltz Jupiter Theatre postponed its upcoming production of the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying until the fall, originally slated for March 17 to April 5, while it was in the final stages of a three-week rehearsal process.

Box office staffers have been contacting ticketholders directly regarding options for their tickets, according to Andrew Kato, artistic director.

“Nothing is more important than the health and safety of the Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s patrons, employees, volunteers and visiting artists, and postponing our next production is the responsible action to take,” said Kato.

 “While this is devastating to us to have to make changes, we understand the significance of acting swiftly to avoid the possible spread of COVID-19 and make sure our community remains safe,” he said.

In the same boat as the other regional nonprofit theaters, Kato is working with unions, tradespeople, staff, crew, musicians and artists to coordinate details for the fall’s productions.  

Kato noted that the economic repercussions of postponing, canceling or reshuffling the productions are significant. By the time the production is canceled, the organization has already invested an enormous amount of time and money into its creation that it will not be able to recoup.

“The best way for patrons to help organizations like the Maltz Jupiter Theatre is to consider donating their tickets back to the theater for a tax-deductible donation or making a new contribution,” he said.

 “Think of it as an investment in our future,” Kato said.  “It is in critical times like these that we ask our supporters to stand by and believe in our work. Most nonprofits do not have the huge reserves to shoulder these catastrophic losses and we ask that the public be mindful of that as we journey through this difficult time.

“We will get through this together, and we’d like to thank our patrons in advance for their support,” Kato said.

Locally, the Cultural Council is looking to address these concerns by initiating strategies to support creative professionals with small grants to help with lost income.

The council plans to extend its drive-market campaign, MOSAIC (Month of Shows, Art, Ideas and Culture), to funnel resources into advertising, activations, public relations and other support efforts through the summer/early fall.

It will coordinate with Brightline to attract visits from Broward and Miami-Dade, and offer hotel packages through Discover the Palm Beaches to encourage visits, staycations, and additional tourism.

Additionally, the council is working with some of its board members and other community leaders to create a task force that will address these recovery efforts from a national, state and local level.

On the national level, Americans for the Arts has put together a number of demands for Congress to act, including designating a minimum of $4 billion — to be distributed through the National Endowment for the Arts — to help offset losses in the nonprofit arts industry and to expand federal programs to ensure artists, entrepreneurs, and small businesses can utilize business interruption relief.
The group requested making additional sums available to the artists and art organizations in the for-profit arena.

Thanks to the $2 trillion emergency stimulus package passed by Congress during the last week in March, $300 million in economic relief will go to support nonprofit cultural organizations, including museums, libraries, public broadcasting, and state and local arts agencies.

Funds have been allocated as well for independent contractors such as actors, musicians and artists in nonprofit organizations and small businesses, as well as those working in the creative economies.

“Our research shows that the coronavirus is already having a devastating effect on arts organizations and artists,” said Robert L. Lynch, Americans for the Arts president and CEO. The nonprofit arts sector is a $166 billion industry and it is suffering.

“There will be a measurable economic and social ripple effect that will be felt in every city and town as arts organizations and performances close, leading to further losses for restaurants, bars, parking facilities, hotels, and much more.

“The economic damage will be in the billions,” Lynch said.

And yet some remain hopeful.

William Hayes, artistic director of Palm Beach Dramaworks, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year, is already brainstorming with his staff about how to move forward.

The Light in the Piazza, Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel’s Tony-award winning musical, was scheduled to run this month and has now been postponed.

The set was built, the custom-made costumes were delivered, the 14 actors in the production were ready to go, when the bottom dropped out. Hayes offered two weeks severance to his cast and made no-cost housing available to them. He hopes the staff will remain available and committed to the show when it can run.

This season was one of the company’s best and box office sales were up 20%, according to Hayes. 

 To continue, Hayes said, “We need to do some creative thinking, be proactive, redefine what we do and  think outside the box, including how to make use of technology.”

In addition, Dramaworks has canceled the summer production of Jason Robert Brown’s Last Five Years, but Hayes hopes Kenneth Lonergan’s Lobby Hero, and The Light in the Piazza can be produced before the calendar year ends.

“We’re fortunate that we’ve been fiscally conservative and operated in the black the last 19 years,” Hayes said.  “We have some money in reserve and will most assuredly be dipping into this reserve fund.

“I hope our patrons and clientele will recognize that we are struggling and consider our long history of being fiscally responsible and understand we have no choice at this point,” he said. 

“We hope that over time our patrons and donors will step up to the plate and show their support,” Hayes said.