By Mary Hladky

Moving on an accelerated timeline, the Boca Raton City Council has approved an interim agreement with Terra and Frisbie Group that allows the joint venture to refine its conceptual plans for redeveloping the 30-acre downtown government campus.

At the same time, Terra/Frisbie and the city will assess whether the project is financially viable and if the proposed public-private partnership between them is in the best interests of the city.

Another component is developing plans to ensure little disruption to city services if the project moves forward, such as finding temporary offices for city workers displaced when theirs are demolished, making sure there is a functioning police headquarters off-site during construction, and that any recreational facilities that are displaced have a new home.

The time Terra/Frisbie has to make changes to its initial proposal has been reduced by one month, with the deadline now Aug. 25. If all goes well, the two sides could have a final deal by the end of October, or two months earlier than originally projected.

Even with that, the campus will take nine years to complete, according to initial projections.

The council members’ action on March 18 comes just five weeks after they selected Terra/Frisbie as their top choice to handle the massive redevelopment.

In addition to building a new City Hall and Community Center, Terra/Frisbie has proposed 1,129 residential units, 84,790 square feet of retail, 71,800 square feet of food and beverage, 265,758 square feet of garage and surface parking, a 150-room hotel, a 250,000-square-foot office building, a 10,000-square-foot police substation and six acres of green space.

Residents filled the council chambers to capacity to give their opinions, with a few supporting the development but the majority voicing objections raised every time a major project is proposed in the downtown.

Chief among them is that the council is allowing overdevelopment that will diminish their quality of life and clog roads, causing more accidents.

“We elect you guys. You are going against our desire. Please, I beg you, do not build any more,” said one woman as the audience applauded.

Some said they learned only recently about the development plans, complaining the city had left them uninformed.

And several demanded that the council step back and instead let residents vote on the proposal.

“A project this immense, it needs a vote,” said a man who said he was speaking for 20 people in his neighborhood as the audience applauded loudly. “There are so many people who do not know about this.”

In a rejoinder, Mayor Scott Singer said, “It might surprise you to know a lot of people have various opinions. … A lot of people are excited about the proposal before us.”

“Where are they today?” several residents shouted.

Two residents asked why the city was moving so quickly into a public-private partnership with developers, rather than financing the project with a bond issue which the city’s strong financial position easily allows it to do.

As the comments became heated, two residents suggested council members had accepted bribes to vote in favor of the project.

That drew pushback from Deputy Mayor Yvette Drucker. “Your comment about taking bribes is in very poor taste,” she said. “No one is bribing us to do anything.”

Yet most of the criticism came from downtown residents who do not want to lose the recreational facilities — including tennis courts, softball fields and a skate park — located near City Hall.

City Manager George Brown previously has said that the city is working with the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District to find new homes for recreational facilities that will be moved off-site to make way for development. But all will be replaced or enhanced, he said.

The softball fields will go to Sugar Sand Park and the skate park might move to North Park.

Judy Morrow, an avid tennis player, brought 250 signed petitions from people who want to preserve the existing 10 clay courts at the Boca Raton Tennis Center.

While Terra/Frisbie has conceptually proposed four hard courts within the downtown government campus, that is insufficient to accommodate the 21,000 players who used the existing courts last year, she said in an interview. And hard courts are not a good option for older players with knee and joint issues.

Further, other tennis facilities close to the downtown are always full and have hard courts, she said.

Speaking at the meeting, she begged Brown, “Please, please, please keep the Boca Raton Tennis Center downtown.” 

“It is the city’s clear intention to replace the 10 courts with 10 courts,” he told the audience. Although no location has been selected yet, “we will have a plan to replace the courts.”

Thomson’s ‘no’ vote

As the council neared a vote on the interim agreement, the meeting veered in a very different direction.

Council member Andy Thomson renewed objections that he had made a month earlier. “In my view, all the proposals were too large, too dense, too intense, too many units, too many issues related to recreational facilities,” he said.

The timeline to reach a final agreement with Terra/Frisbie seemed “too rushed” and needed to be slowed down.

He then said a contract clause, stating that the developer shall not be involved in any political campaign for city office or make financial contributions to such campaigns, had originally been in the contract but was removed. 

That clause, he said, had been included in city contracts for decades. 

“This represents a pretty significant departure from policy of the city. It is being done without any notice or discussion,” he said. “That is just not good. … Everyone we do business with should be controlled by this.”

He made a motion to add back the clause. It failed when no other council member seconded it, drawing a loud “wow” from several audience members.

City Attorney Joshua Koehler said the language applied to vendors. But if the council wanted to include that or modified language, it could.

Terra/Frisbie, he said, did not object to the clause.

Thomson said that since the city had used the clause for years, it should do so for a “far more consequential relationship” with Terra/Frisbie. “This is a really strange time to take it out,” he said.

Singer suggested amending the wording, but Drucker and Council member Fran Nachlas were not comfortable drafting contract language on the fly and suggested delaying the vote until another meeting could be held to do so.

That didn’t happen. The council quickly voted 4-1 to approve the interim agreement with Terra/Frisbie, with Thomson dissenting.

Before the vote, Drucker pointedly noted that Thomson had been the only council member who voted on Feb. 11 against Terra/Frisbie as their choice to redevelop the downtown campus, instead favoring Related Ross in what he said at the time was “a very close call” between “two exceptional companies.”

In an interview after the meeting, Thomson said he thought it was necessary to raise the issue since the city had used the contract language routinely for decades, and yet it was missing in the one with Terra/Frisbie.

“When the city decides to do business with whoever, those relationships should be based on the quality of work and business reasons and not on what could be perceived as political influence,” he said.

Someone must have asked it be removed, but Terra/Frisbie did not do so and city staff did not demand it, he said.

Queried about Drucker’s implication that he was acting in favor of Related Ross, Thomson said he had “no animus to Terra/Frisbie,” considers the company “very talented” and credited it for not having any objection to the contract language. 

By Mary Hladky

Addressing hundreds of city residents, Mayor Scott Singer cast Boca Raton as a shining city with a remarkable past that is poised to achieve even greater success as it celebrates its 100th birthday this year and heads into a new centennial.

“At its core, Boca Raton’s DNA is about innovation. It is about making opportunity a reality. It was and must continue to be about getting things done,” he said in his March 14 annual “State of the City” remarks delivered at the Mizner Park Amphitheater.

As his chief example, Singer cited the city’s plans to redevelop the 30-acre downtown government campus to include a new City Hall and Community Center along with residential, office, hotel, restaurants and shops and green gathering places.

“Why take this on?” he asked. “The answer is simple. Our city is known for forward-thinking decisions. For our next 100 years, we need to lean into that legacy. We cannot accept the status quo. We must dare to be bold and tackle what may be difficult.”

Always Boca’s chief booster, Singer cited the city’s low crime and property tax rates, highest property valuation of any city in the county, triple-A bond rating, 13,000 businesses, 40 headquarters for publicly traded corporations and its beaches and 49 parks.

As Singer wrapped up, a montage of celebrities wished the city a happy birthday, including Tua Tagovailoa, Dan Marino and Chris Evert, along with politicians such as U.S. Sen. Rick Scott.

The speech was part of a free community celebration that included music by REMiX, yard games and food and beverage stalls.

The amphitheater was ringed by booths for each of the city’s departments where employees were on hand to answer residents’ questions and inform them about ongoing projects.

A booth that attracted a steady stream of residents was staffed by representatives of Terra and Frisbie Group, the team with which the City Council has an interim agreement to redevelop the government campus. 

For visuals, Terra/Frisbie showed its conceptual site plan and images of some of the plan’s key features.

A representative said some residents praised the project, while others offered “constructive criticism” that will be taken into account as work continues on final plans.

For those who wanted to show their support for the city during its centennial year, city-branded centennial T-shirts, polo shirts, bags, bottles and more were available for purchase. 

Evalyn David, first elected to the Town Commission in 2019, has left the job because of term limits but has been appointed to the town’s Planning Board. Rich Pollack/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

Evalyn David hadn’t planned on becoming a Highland Beach town commissioner. 

A lawyer who practiced trust, estate and tax law and was now retired, David had never even been to a Town Commission meeting when she was drafted to run for the position by a couple of her neighbors in the Boca Highland Beach Club and Marina community. 

“It was completely out of my wheelhouse,” she said. “I had never done anything like this before.”

By the time all the ballots were cast, David had beaten an incumbent by fewer than 45 votes, receiving 990 votes in one of the most contentious elections the town has ever seen. 

Now, six years after her first meeting as a commissioner, David has left the dais due to term limits, but she’s not leaving town government altogether. She was recently named to the town’s Planning Board where she will be able to keep her hand in Highland Beach’s business. 

“Now that I’ve invested six years of my life, I don’t want to leave,” she said. 

Her fellow commissioners agreed by appointing her to the board and say that David’s skills will certainly be a plus in her new role. 

“She is definitely a voice of reason,” said Mayor Natasha Moore. “She is incredibly insightful and always on point.”

David’s six years started at a tumultuous time for the town, but have ended at a time when the commissioners work well together, with unanimous votes the rule rather than the exception. 

“I agreed to run because there was chaos at the Town Commission level,” she said. 

Also, on the ballot in 2019 when she ran was a controversial proposal to spend $45 million on improvements on an Ocean Walk corridor. That issue failed with less than 10% of voters in favor. 

David said that once she won the race, she wondered if she would be successful. 

“I said, ‘Oh my God, can I actually do this?’” she said. “It turned out that I could and I’ve done a pretty good job.” 

As a commissioner, David  attended 173 meetings and took on the unofficial role of motion maker. 

She made more than 800 motions, including 119 seconds, to help ensure resolutions and ordinances are presented in a simple form. 

“I started making motions because some of the other ones were so convoluted,” she said. 

People who have worked with David say a large part of her success as commissioner was her dedication to arriving at meetings prepared. She read backup materials and listened to residents and other commissioners. 

“I believe in working together,” she said. “You have to understand that compromise is necessary.” 

David, 76, believes that her legal background was helpful on the commission. 

“You have to be able to think logically,” she said. “You need to keep things in perspective.” 

During David’s time on the commission, the town completed several major projects, including starting its own fire department and implementing a building recertification process. 

David is proud of those projects and of working closely with the late Mayor Doug Hillman, who led the charge on both.

David said she enjoyed her time on the commission and is glad that she agreed to run back when she really didn’t know what she was getting into. 

“I feel that I did a lot of good for the town and it gives me a great deal of satisfaction,” she said.  

City’s CFO promoted to deputy manager — James Zervis, Boca Raton’s chief financial officer, has been promoted to deputy city manager.

Zervis was hired one year ago to replace Linda Davidson, who retired after 41 years with the city.

Zervis will remain chief financial officer, but his responsibilities have been expanded to include overseeing the Public Works and Engineering, and Information Technology departments. He also is involved in efforts to redevelop the city’s downtown government campus.

Before joining the city, Zervis served as chief administrative officer for Kern County, California, which at the time had a $3.5 billion budget. 

The city long has been recognized for its financial acumen. It recently received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association, a distinction it has held for more than four decades.

That association also awarded the city’s Office of Management and Budget the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 42nd consecutive year, and the Florida Association of Public Procurement Officials recognized the city with the Award of Excellence in Procurement.

Police Department honored — The city’s Police Department has been honored with reaccreditation by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation as an Excelsior agency.

The department is the only one in Florida to earn Excelsior status for the sixth time. To earn Excelsior status, the department must complete five successful reaccreditations. The department was first accredited in 1997 and earned Excelsior status in 2012.

Downtown shopping plaza celebrates 60th — Joining the roster of important birthdays in Boca Raton, Royal Palm Place is marking its 60th anniversary.

Also in party mode is the city, now 100 years old, and the Boca Raton Museum of Art, which is 75.

Royal Palm Place celebrated on March 29 with a free festival that included live music, an antique and supercar car show, roaming performers, an outdoor vendors market and special deals at restaurants and retailers.

Royal Palm Place, located south of the younger Mizner Park, opened in 1964 to the enthusiasm of local residents who yearned for upscale shopping. They called it the Pink Plaza for many years — a name still used by some today — and it echoed the architectural style and color of what is now The Boca Raton resort.

“The citizens were very happy,” said Susan Gillis, Boca Raton Historical Society curator. “They did not have to schlep to Fort Lauderdale or Delray (to shop). It was a welcome addition to the downtown.”

Prominent landowners James and Marta Batmasian purchased the 14-acre property, then known as Royal Palm Plaza, in 1987 for $14.5 million, according to the Boca Raton News. At the time, it had fallen into disrepair and was largely vacant.

Since then, Royal Palm Place has evolved, and shed the pink paint. It now includes apartments, fashion and jewelry boutiques, dining and entertainment, salons, fitness centers and art galleries.

Nachlas chosen to be deputy mayor — Boca Raton City Council members unanimously chose Fran Nachlas to succeed Yvette Drucker as deputy mayor during a brief March 31 council organization meeting.

Council member Marc Wigder nominated Nachlas, and Drucker seconded the nomination.

Drucker, who is term-limited from seeking another three-year council term, announced last year that she was joining the 2026 contest to succeed term-limited state Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton. Berman has endorsed Drucker.

Drucker was first elected to the council in 2021 and won reelection last year with 77% of the vote. She is a first-generation Cuban American and is the first Hispanic to serve on the council.

Nachlas, a retired surgical nurse, won election to the council in November 2022 when no other candidate filed to run for the seat. She would have had to wait until the following March to assume office, but the seat was already vacant and her fellow council members, seeing no reason for that wait, appointed her to the position.

Wigder was chosen as chair of the Community Redevelopment Agency, a position he had held until Nachlas took it last year. Council member Andy Thomson was named CRA vice chair.

Council members do double duty to also head up the CRA, which oversees the downtown.

“I just say congratulations to my colleagues in your new roles,” said Mayor Scott Singer. “Thank you for your prior service in your past roles.”

— Mary Hladky

Delray Medical Center has completed its 200th aquablation procedure since acquiring the medical technology in 2022. 

Aquablation therapy, a minimally invasive treatment that delivers water with robotic precision, treats lower urinary tract symptoms due to an enlarged prostate, a noncancerous condition. These urologists have performed aquablations: Drs. Christopher Tallman, Darren Bryk, Emanuel Gottenger, Jacob Parke, David Schwartzwald, Christopher Vendryes and Sanjeev Gupta.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

— Christine Davis

Annual Boating & Beach Bash puts focus on fun, not on disabilities

Fara Hoffman, 35, of Boca Raton is pushed down the boat ramp by her mother, Randy, and father, Jeff Hoffman, as they prepare to embark on a free boat ride on the Intracoastal Waterway during the Boating & Beach Bash last month in Boca Raton. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Ron Hayes

There were lots of wheelchairs and canes in the park that Saturday. Prosthetic limbs, leg braces, even a one-armed pianist.

But you would have had a hard time finding any self-pity.

For five hours on March 15, Spanish River Park was packed with guests, family, friends and caregivers attending the annual “Boating & Beach Bash For People With Disabilities,” which prides itself on being the nation’s largest free event for people with disabilities, seen and unseen.

“We’ve had about a thousand guests sign up,” said Lori Weber, the event’s managing director.

There is no parking fee, no tickets needed. All are welcome, and by mid-morning, the pathways from the Intracoastal Waterway boat dock to the ocean beach were filled with participants, and still more kept arriving.

“Only about a third who show up actually register,” added communications director Amanda Larson.

Emily Edsken, 29, of Boca Raton embraces a volunteer dressed in a gown donated by the Wick Theatre for the event.

The Pledge of Allegiance would be recited, of course, and a soulful national anthem sung by Ry Rivers, but first Carter Viss entertained at the electric keyboard, with his left hand.

“My mom was a piano teacher, so I started playing as a hobby,” the Jupiter resident said. “And then I lost my right arm in a boating accident on Thanksgiving Day 2019. 

“I was snorkeling and a boat ran over me off The Breakers. I was 25.”

He’s 30 now, a graduate student in marine biology at Florida Atlantic University. He and his wife, Emily, are the parents of Harper, a 7-month-old daughter.

“After the accident, I thought I’d never play again,” Viss recalled. “I wanted to give up. It took a few months, and then years to feel comfortable playing again.”

Now he’s comfortable with Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and Chopin’s Ocean Etude.

“I’ve learned I can make a bigger difference because of my accident,” he said. “I can drive, bike, run, swim. I won 90% just by being alive.”

People with stories to tell

And still the crowd around Viss was growing.

So many people, and so much for them to do.

On the beach, lifeguards were waiting to help guests into wheelchairs with tires large enough to maneuver through sand. Then down plastic mats to enjoy the choppy waves that so many beachgoers visit without a second thought.

“This is my first time here,” said Peggy Domitz, 65, of Palm Beach Gardens, smiling in her wheelchair. “Now I wonder, is this hard because I’m old, or because of my disability?”

Paralyzed during surgery 14 years ago, she is both friendly and defiant.

“They’re just legs,” she said. “I’d rather be paralyzed than have cancer, and I’m a firm believer that this chair doesn’t confine me. I’m an adaptive scuba diver, meaning I dive with people trained to be buddies. I’ve scuba dived in Mexico, Grenada, Honduras.”

She has a favorite saying. “The only time people should look down on another person is when they’re giving a hand to get up.”

David Prater of Sunrise lost his left leg 10 years ago in a car accident.

David Prater makes it back to shore after his first time on a surfboard, with the coaching of Joey Rafe, owner of Rafe & Co Swim and Surf Club in Lantana. 

“I still skateboard,” he said. “I still ride motorcycles.”

At the Bash he decided to ride a surfboard for the first time. With help from a lifeguard volunteer, he and his prosthetic leg made it onto the board, slipped off, remounted, and stayed on long enough to ride in to shore on his belly.

“It was awesome,” he said back on land. “I love Mother Ocean. I was always a wild and crazy guy, so I’m just going to live my life.”

Prater owns a small pool cleaning service back in Sunrise.

“It’s called One Leg Up Pool Service,” he grinned. “And the logo is a prosthetic leg.”

 Donors, sponsors, helpers

Organizers estimate the annual Bash costs between $35,000 and $40,000 to put on, raised entirely from private donations and sponsorships. The work is done by about 250 volunteers.

The Rotary Club of Downtown Boca Raton provides free hotdogs and hamburgers. The city’s Junior League is there to help. 

The 20 boats offering free rides were made available through the generosity of several independent boat owners who made their vessels available so guests could enjoy sometime on the Intracoastal Waterway. Members of the nonprofit Community Service League moved among the guests in Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Batgirl costumes provided by the Wick Theatre. Mark Hansen of Coldwell Banker Realty scurried throughout the park, greeting guests and visitors.

’So many memories’

You had to wonder what Jay Van Vechten would think of this elaborate event, born of a slippery bathroom floor 24 years ago.

Van Vechten, a public relations executive, was in a San Diego hotel on business one night in 2001 when he slipped on the wet floor in the dark. Falling backward over the tub, he shattered five vertebrae. Then he fell forward and broke both knees. His splayed legs required two hip replacements.

The Boating & Beach Bash debuted in 2009, he and his wife, Lowell, founded the American Disabilities Foundation, which oversees it, in 2012, and except when COVID prohibited a full-scale event, it’s filled Spanish River Park each spring.

Since Jay’s death at 75 in 2020, Lowell Van Vechten has committed herself to perpetuating their annual day of joy.

At this year’s Bash, she patrolled the event from ocean to waterway in a golf cart, chatting, greeting, making sure all was running smoothly.

“After 16 years, I have so many memories,” she said. “So many magical moments. Every year when I’m onstage for the opening, I cry. Always when they start ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’ The hardest thing for me to get through is remembering all the people on our founding committee who have passed, starting with my husband.”   

Van Vechten served on Boca Raton’s board for people with disabilities until it disbanded, and when his vision for the city’s annual picnic for those with disabilities grew bigger than the city could handle, he and Lowell took over.

Boat rides are a hit

Bailey Negron, 27, of Miami was making her second visit after several years away.

“It’s bigger now,” she observed.

Negron was in the backseat of a car that hit a wall on the Palmetto Parkway when she was 19. She can walk, but the lingering effects of the accident are visible.

“My legs hyperextend backward, as if my knees bend backward,” she explained. “I walk very well, but it took a lot of falls and practicing.”

She paused.

“I didn’t get on a boat my first time here,” she said. “Hopefully I’ll make my way to the boat.”

If she did, there was a wait. Of all the things to do that day, the free boat rides were clearly the most popular.

Boca Raton Fire Rescue deploys a water cannon to keep things cool at the Boating & Beach Bash.

Down at the dock, guests and caregivers in bright orange life jackets waited in two lines, one for the ambulatory, a second for those in wheelchairs.

Jeff and Randy Hoffman of Boca Raton waited to accompany their daughter, Fara, who is 35 and has cerebral palsy.

“We’ve been here 10 fantastic times,” Jeff Hoffman said as the line inched toward the dock. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Eventually, the Hoffmans were led to the Minnow, a 20-foot pontoon boat owned by Al Zucaro. They disappeared up the Intracoastal and returned about a half-hour later.

“It was amazing,” Jeff reported. “We can tell she loved the wind out there because she communicates through her body language.

“She smiles.” 

April 26: The annual fundraiser for Boca Helping Hands gives guests chances to roll the dice at gaming tables and Monopoly and to enjoy music, cocktails, dinner and more. Time is 6 to 10 p.m. Cost is $250. Visit bocahelpinghands.org/monopoly or call 561-417-0913.

L-R: Event co-chairs Alex and Jessica Price and Yvette and Chris Palermo. Photo provided

Event co-chairs Telsula Morgan and Lindsay Reinhart hold books written by Love of Literacy Luncheon guest speaker Victoria Christopher Murray. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

The author of The Personal Librarian and The First Ladies is one of the country’s top African-American writers — the two titles have hit the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists — and her appearance at the 34th annual Love of Literacy luncheon will be a treat for bookworms.

Victoria Christopher Murray has more than 3 million books in print, a monumental accomplishment 25 years in the making.

“It was the perfect time for her to come this year,” said Telsula Morgan, co-chairwoman of the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County’s April 10 event.

Morgan belongs to the same Delta Sigma Theta sorority as Murray and was instrumental in having her “sister” speak at a 2023 book discussion at West Palm Beach’s CityPlace.

“Our goal, or at least my goal, is to promote literacy,” Morgan said. “And what better way to do that than sell out the Kravis Center with Victoria Christopher Murray?”

Murray spent more than a decade in corporate America prior to pursuing her pen-to-paper dream. Her debut novel, Temptation, was mass published in 2000.

“Since she was announced, I read The Personal Librarian,” Co-Chairwoman Lindsay Reinhart said. “I took a literacy class in college about the Harlem Renaissance and am a lifelong lover of books.”

Funds raised at the Love of Literacy luncheon will support reading programs throughout Palm Beach County that help children and adults who lack basic literacy skills.

“We’re pleased to have Victoria Christopher Murray join us as our guest speaker for this year’s celebration of literacy,” said Kristin Calder, CEO of the coalition.

 “We know our community will be intrigued by Victoria’s own story as well as the strong women featured in her novels.”

If You Go

What: Love of Literacy Luncheon

When: 11:30 a.m. April 10

Where: Kravis Center, West Palm Beach

Cost: $200

Info: Call 561-767-3370 or visit literacypbc.org

By Amy Woods

The leading hunger-relief organization in the area is sponsoring its sixth annual “Feed Your Creativity” artwork initiative involving students in elementary, middle and high schools throughout Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

Students are encouraged to show off their talent for a chance to have their work featured on one of Feeding South Florida’s truck wraps — a 36-foot traveling billboard promoting its “Summer Hunger Ends Here” campaign.

Summer break can leave many kids without access to free or reduced-price school meals, creating a challenge for families, said Paco Vélez, president and CEO of Feeding South Florida. 

“This competition is always a favorite among students as it allows them to express their creativity while raising awareness about the critical issue of hunger in South Florida,” he said.

Artwork will be accepted through April 30, with judging taking place May 4 through 9 and winners selected May 15. 

For more information, call 954-518-1818 or visit feedingsouthflorida.org/fyc25.

Annual Hope Week offers help to local nonprofits

Hundreds of residents from Boca West Country Club participated in the third annual Hope Week, organized by Boca West Cares, and donated more than 10,000 hours of service.

Nearly one dozen local charities benefited from Hope Week, including Fuller Center, Place of Hope at The Leighan and David Rinker Campus, and Tri-County Animal Rescue.

“Hope Week gave our club members the opportunity to learn about a number of nonprofits while making a difference,” said Matthew Linderman, general manager of Boca West Country Club.

Added Danny Schulman, Hope Week chairman, “Hope Week 2025 was a big success. Boca West residents enjoyed the opportunity to learn about different nonprofits while giving of their time.”

For more information, call 561-488-6934 or visit bocawestcc.org.

Fuller Center celebrates charity challenge award

Boca Raton-based Fuller Center, which empowers hardworking, under-resourced families to reach their full potential, received $69,000 during the Great Charity Challenge equestrian competition in Wellington.

The amount comprises a $65,000 grant from the main event and an additional $4,000 from the Dennis M. and Lois A. Doyle Family Foundation volunteer initiative.

“We are profoundly grateful to the Great Charity Challenge, Spy Coast Farm and Preston, the Sweetnam family, Collin and Virginia McNeil, and our dedicated volunteers Kyle and Jordyn Kelman,” Fuller Center CEO Eric Roby said, referring to some of the sponsors and participants. “This generous support empowers us to continue providing essential services to children and families in our community.”

The Great Charity Challenge is a show-jumping expo that pairs teams with local charities and distributes millions of dollars to fund their causes. 

For more information, call 727-678-8677 or visit greatcharitychallenge.com. For information about Fuller Center, call 561-391-7274 or visit fullercenterfl.org.

Five fresh faces added to county Cultural Council

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County has made five additions to its board of directors: Barbara Cheives, Willem Erwich, Todd Kolich, Hector Rubio and Greg Silpe.

“We look forward to their guidance as the Cultural Council continues to support and promote arts and culture in the Palm Beaches,” said Dave Lawrence, president and CEO.

For more information, call 561-471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

L-R: Sponsors Jodi and Al Goldberg, Zoe Lanham, sponsor Mike Drews and Fran Nachlas. Photo provided by Gina Fontana

The George Snow Scholarship Fund roped in its 31st annual rhinestone-studded gala and celebrated it with people who continue to make a lasting impact on higher education. Nancy Dockerty was recognized as honorary chairwoman, and Margaret Blume received the Community Service Award. Additionally, NCCI was awarded the Corporate Community Service Award. A previous scholar shared her story of being able to pursue her love of marine biology, and longtime donor Joe Veccia made a surprise pledge of $150,000. 

Peter and Susan Brockway. Photo provided by Tracey Benson Photography

Peter and Susan Brockway served as hosts of a casual evening affair attended by 40 guests who included South County philanthropists as well as board members and volunteers for the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. Among them were Bill and Mary Donnell, George Elmore, Marti LaTour, Joanne Julien and Jeffrey Stoops. 

More than $90,000 was generated for the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council during a gathering that attracted 200-plus supporters. President Rand Hoch said the party, which featured acrobats, aerialists, ballerinas and a flame thrower, ‘was our most successful fundraising event since our organization was founded in 1988.’ The money will be used to further the mission of ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Stephen Miller and Daniel Gibson. Photo provided

Mike Brewer (center, black shirt), host of the hit television show ‘Wheeler Dealers,’ and Danica Sanborn (center, blue shirt), executive director of the center, join board members to celebrate the presentation of the big check. Photo provided

A car show benefiting Sandoway Discovery Center raised more than $58,000 for the nonprofit’s hands-on learning experiences that focus on Florida’s ecosystems. Nearly 200 American hot rods, 50-plus community volunteers and two dozen vendors made a success of an event that brought out 6,100 spectators.

The second year of the fundraiser was a record-breaker as it raised $418,000 to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach. Proceeds will help remodel the club’s teen room. The event honored John and Jorgette Smith and was co-chaired by Susan Ambrecht, Jennifer Coulter, Sacha McGraw and Susan Mullin.

L-R: Stuart Foster with the club’s Youth of the Year, Jaiyden Williams, and Tom Stanley. Photos provided by Tracey Benson Photography

Philip and Isabella Timon

At the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County’s 11th annual benefit, seven finalists competed for the title that provides a four-year university scholarship plus room and board fees. The winner was Phildensy Jean, a member of the Wellington club. Each of the finalists was selected during a preliminary competition that included a comprehensive application, three essays, three letters of recommendation and an interview in front of a panel of judges. The dinner brought in $548,000.

Michelle Hagerty with Jaene Miranda, president & CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. Photo provided by Tracey Benson Photography

The 18th chapter of the Delray Beach Public Library’s fun fundraiser featured actor/comedian T.J. Miller, whose high-energy performance had the audience roaring and wanting more. A crowd of 350 enjoying food and drinks helped raise $200,000 that will go toward keeping the library’s materials and programs thriving.

L-R: Kamil Webster, Suzy Lanigan, sponsors Mike and Becky Walsh and Joe O’Loughlin. Photos provided

L-R: Jacqueline and Scott Owen with Tracy Backer. 

Supporters of The Nature Conservancy gathered for a dinner organized by Ron and Cindy McMackin that drew members of the organization’s state board of trustees. Guests enjoyed cocktails beside the Intracoastal Waterway, followed by a meal and a fireside chat about protection for lands, oceans and wildlife.

Ron and Cindy McMackin Photos provided by Capehart

Susan and Stewart Satter

Gulf Stream will celebrate its 100th year as an incorporated town April 30. In honor of the milestone, the Gulf Stream Civic Association organized an outdoor meal attended by more than 240 residents. ‘Gulf Stream remains unique, having never materially wavered from its founder’s idea of a town of quiet, unassuming elegance located close to a premier country club, a private elementary school and most notably without any commercial presence,’ Mayor Scott Morgan said, referring to Henry Phipps Jr. of U.S. Steel.

L-R: Suzy Lanigan, Lisa Morgan, Jennifer Coulter and Kirsten Stanley. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

L-R: Lisa Jankowski, Rob Mayer and Marilyn Mayer.

Brendan Boyle and Katie Orthwein.

Fritz Souder and Susie Souder.

L-R: Michele Walter, Lynne Freeman, Janet DeVries Naughton and Donna Artes look through photos of past gatherings at the Boynton Woman’s Club. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Jan Engoren

A full, festive day of activities took place March 22 at the Boynton Woman’s Club as the club marked the 100th anniversary of its recently refurbished 1925 Addison Mizner building at 1010 S. Federal Highway.

The 12,000-square-foot, two-story Mediterranean Revival style building showcases Mizner’s signature architectural elements, including its barrel tile roof, arched windows, grand hall, stucco exterior, tropical landscaping and open-air spaces.

It is one of the few Addison Mizner-designed structures open to the public in Palm Beach County.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

“We’re so happy for the success of this event and thankful to everyone who came out to support us,” said club member Barbara Erlichman. “The event was free to the public as a way to encourage people to come and see who we are and what we do and celebrate this beautiful building with us.” 

The building was commissioned in 1925 by the club, thanks in part to funds contributed by city-namesake Major Nathan Boynton’s family, and finished in 1932. 

It hosted World War II-era Red Cross dances, served as the city library until 1961, housed residents during hurricanes and was the heart of the community for decades. It hosted teas, lectures, concerts, art events, dances and galas — raising money for charities — most recently for college scholarships for local high school students.  

The day’s participants included Tom Warnke of the Surfing Florida Museum, representatives from the Boynton Beach Historical Society, the Highwaymen Museum in Fort Pierce, the Girl Scouts, the Arthur R. Marshall Nature Preserve and the Boynton Beach Garden Club, which presented its signature Art in Bloom event.

Garden Club members made original floral arrangements inspired by artwork created by clients of The Arc of Palm Beach County, an organization advocating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Upstairs, local historians Janet DeVries Naughton and Ed Lamont, a docent at the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, spoke about the history of Boynton Beach and about the life and work of Addison Mizner.

The Boynton Woman’s Club building has endured its share of ups and downs over the years and in recent times was in need of extensive repairs.

In 2017 it was taken over by the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, which then sold it to the city four years later. The city painted and made repairs to the windows, railings and floors, and to the roof that had been damaged in 2017 during Hurricane Irma.

While repairs were being done, the Woman’s Club met elsewhere and its members are now thrilled to be back in their original home. They started up meetings there again in October 2023.

“We’re so grateful to the city of Boynton Beach, which has done a wonderful job in refurbishing our beloved Woman’s Club building,” said Donna Artes, a past president of the club and a trustee of the Boynton Beach Historical Society. “We’re finally back in our home and proud and excited that we get to enjoy it and show it off.”

Artes encourages residents to visit, appreciate the building and get involved with the Woman’s Club. 

The evening ended in Jazz-age glamour, with a 1920s theme party, the ballroom transformed into “Mizner’s Hideaway,” a speakeasy complete with cocktails and a 17-piece jazz band. 

Visit boyntonwomansclub.com and boyntonhistory.org

Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified the first two people in the top photo. Those names have now been placed in the proper order.

Soaring egg prices mean breakfast aficionados have been forced to pay more for their longtime staple of two eggs, two pieces of bacon and toast. Jan Norris/The Coastal Star

Yolk about it all you want, but the price of eggs is a serious thing — especially for small restaurants and diners that depend on the morning rush orders.

“We were just shop-talking, with the rest of the owners — the ones exclusively doing breakfast and lunch,” said Mike, owner of The Diner on Gateway Boulevard in Boynton Beach, who preferred that his last name not be used. “If things don’t change, some will have to close. They won’t be able to make it. You can only raise prices so much.”

He’s already bumped up the prices slightly on his menu, anywhere from 25 cents to $1.50 per dish. “I hope it’s just temporary,” he said. A sign on the door indicates an up-charge for eggs.

Known for his housemade products and large portions — two blueberry pancakes could feed as many people — he uses fresh eggs in his dishes. 

“Some have gone to liquid eggs,” Mike said. “They’re cheaper because they’re watered down. We won’t do that.”

Wholesale prices dropped to $4.83 per dozen eggs in mid-March, a 44% decline from their peak of $8.58 per dozen on Feb. 28, according to Expana, a commodity price tracker. 

When or if that translates into cheaper menu prices is unclear. The cost of eggs fluctuates, and the relief in March seemed tenuous given unpredictable influences such as avian flu in bird flocks, and distribution and demand during the Easter season.

The average U.S. consumer price of a dozen Grade A large eggs was $1.46 a dozen as recently as 2020. Pre-pandemic you could get two eggs, coffee, toast and potatoes or grits for $4.99 as an early bird breakfast at a diner. That basic meal now starts at $7.99 and goes up. 

To get around changing a menu’s prices — reprints are expensive — many small restaurants have chosen to post notices about a surcharge for egg dishes, usually with an apology.

As of last month:

The Green Owl in downtown Delray Beach has a $1 up-charge for each egg order. A sign on the front door alerts customers to the charge.

At the Hen and Hog in Boca Raton, where breakfast is served all day, two eggs, bacon or sausage, toast or a biscuit will set you back $15.95.

Owners at Sande’s Restaurant, a diner in Delray Beach, have raised prices across the board, ranging from 25 cents to $1, according to server Bailey Stormer. A two-egg breakfast with bacon or sausage and pancakes or toast is $10.25.

“Our customers haven’t said anything,” she said. “We already have competitive prices.”

At the Tin Muffin in Boca Raton, a breakfast and lunch spot, owner Philip Thomas said he’s adjusted the menu to avoid raising prices much.

“I took egg salad off the menu. It was served as a special,” he said.

“But prices are up — 35% to 40% on some items, and not just eggs, but chicken breasts. We’re known for our chicken salad.”

He was planning on raising prices, “but I hate to do it. We’ve been here 30 years and I’m struggling.”

Thomas said he may charge one dollar more on the now-$17 chicken salad sandwich, but is worried it won’t help enough.

“Beyond that, we may have to close,” he said.

The big picture    

The whole experience of dining out is now a luxury, said Boca Raton’s Tracy Augustin, who writes about it on her blog, 2 Forks and a Cork. “All menus have gone up.”

Augustin said she and her spouse, Wayne, have changed their rough spending formula for their meals out.

 “We used to say $25 for breakfast, $50 for lunch, and $100 for dinner. Now, it’s $50 for breakfast, $100 for lunch and $200 for dinner,” Augustin said.

But it’s location, too. For South Florida, and Boca Raton in particular, “it’s expensive to live here,” Augustin said.

“Let’s face it: This is Disneyland. It’s not real here. Everything’s fake. Go somewhere where the people are living on minimum wage salaries. Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“So a few dollars more for a meal, it’s just the way it is. But we don’t eat out as often as we used to.”

Easter and Passover meals

A smattering of restaurants are offering Easter and Passover meals.

At the Opal Grand Resort and Spa, 10 N. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach, diners have a choice of a special brunch or dinner on Easter Sunday, April 20. Phone 561-274-3200, or go to opalcollection.com/opal-grand/ to make a reservation.

Brunch, from 11-3, is in the Seacrest Ballroom. Cost is $89.95 adults, or $35 kids under 12. Does not include tax or tip.

Dinner is a prix fixe at Opal Grand’s restaurant Drift. Cost ranges from $60 to $85, depending on entree chosen. Does not include tax or tip.

At Latitudes at the Delray Sands Resort, 2809 Ocean Blvd., Highland Beach, a three-course prix fixe menu is served. Cost is $92 to $98, depending on entree. Does not include tax or tip. Visit opalcollection.com/delray-sands/restaurants/latitudes.

TooJay’s Deli offers a four-course Passover seder dinner at all its restaurants for $44.99 per person, dine in or takeout. The dinner is available Saturday, April 12 or Sunday, April 13, with two seatings, 5 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. Reservations are required by phone. Call the TooJay’s nearest you. 

For larger groups, special catered dinners are available for up to 10 people. A la carte seder foods also can be ordered for pickup. To order takeout or catered meals, go to order.toojays.com; curbside pickup is available. 

 In brief

Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches will host as speaker Jacques Torres, noted chocolatier, at its annual More Than a Meal Luncheon at 11 a.m. April 9 at the Kravis Center in
West Palm Beach. Tickets are $295 to benefit the nonprofit that delivers homebound seniors a daily hot meal. For tickets and more information, go to mowpb.org.

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