By Charles Elmore

Big changes in federal flood insurance are lowering bills for some but triggering sticker shock for others, agents say — such as the buyer of a Delray Beach commercial property who was quoted a $16,400 annual premium after the previous owner paid $1,100.
“We’ll be having some difficult conversations with clients,” said John Backer, vice president of Gracey-Backer Inc., an agency in Delray. “Potentially it could affect some real estate deals.”
Despite pleas for delay from members of Congress in Florida and other coastal states, the reset known as Risk Rating 2.0 took effect Oct. 1 for new policies issued by the National Flood Insurance Program. Adjusted rates will kick in April 1 for those who renew existing policies.
Nowhere is the impact bigger than in Florida, which — with 1.7 million — has the most NFIP policies of any state. More than 80% of policies in the state will cost more, according to federal projections.
The government-run program remains the dominant provider of insurance for flood damage, which most standard home and business policies do not cover. 
Along Palm Beach County’s southern coast, a minority of people will pay less, a majority in most ZIP codes will pay up to $10 more per month or $120 annually, and some face much steeper costs.
Take the 33483 ZIP code spanning Gulf Stream and the eastern part of Delray Beach. It has 6,024 NFIP policies. Among these, 7% are pegged to cost more than $20 extra each month. A website breaking out the government data does not offer further specifics about how much more.
The biggest portion in the ZIP code, 59%, will pay up to $10 more per month. Another 8.7% will pay $10 to $20 more. About a quarter, 25.3%, will pay less.
The changes come after a long-running debate about whether NFIP, created in 1968, has kept rates too low for some properties deemed to carry higher flood risks, effectively shifting costs to others with lower risks. Proponents say a reworking has been overdue in a time of rising worry about climate change and increased flooding risk.
But prior increases in prices and surcharges stemming from 2012 federal legislation led to complaints the changes caused economic disruption and pushed some people to drop policies. By 2019, nine municipalities in southeastern Palm Beach had fewer NFIP policies than they did eight years earlier, with declines as much as 40%, while three had more policies, a Coastal Star analysis found.
Lenders may require flood policies in designated high-risk zones, but people not carrying mortgages or living in lower-risk areas have a choice.
In September, a bipartisan group of nine U.S. senators including Florida’s Marco Rubio “urgently” requested a delay for the changes in a letter to the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which oversees the flood program.
Senators said they understood FEMA’s own analysis projected nearly 20% of all policyholders nationally, or about 900,000, would drop policies over 10 years. The letter also said FEMA was failing to publicize adequately just how much some premiums could go up — not merely in the first year, but with certain renewing policies, rising 18% annually for five years, 10 years or however long it takes to get to a revised rate.
Under congressional questioning in early October, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said the change “has been implemented” and “already individuals are seeing decreases in their insurance rates, which is the first time that this program has taken equity into account to make sure people are paying for the risk that they have.”
How many will pay less in southeastern Palm Beach County? It can vary a lot.
In the 33487 ZIP code, with 6,223 policies in the Highland Beach and Boca Raton area, for example, 6.5% are forecast to cost less. 
The projected savers rise to 46.5% of 5,736 policies in the 33435 ZIP code for parts of Boynton Beach, Ocean Ridge and Briny Breezes.
In the 33480 ZIP code including South Palm Beach, 27.4% of 9,147 policies are slated to cost less. More than 60% of policies there will cost up to $10 more monthly, another 5.8% are seen as rising up to $20, and 6.1% will top $20 extra.
New prices arrive in the wake of updated federal maps and local efforts to mitigate flood risks. Big price differences can hinge on factors like a property’s elevation and proximity to a body of water. But virtually everyone in the region faces some risk, officials say.
“Every property in the city of Boynton Beach can flood,” that city’s website reminds residents. “You can’t bet on getting disaster assistance after a flood. But you can pay for repairs if you have flood insurance.”
The site further notes “35% of all flood insurance claims in the city of Boynton Beach have been outside the mapped floodplain. Consider purchasing flood insurance, whether your property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area or not.”
For the uninsured, the most common form of federal disaster assistance is a loan that must be repaid with interest, FEMA officials note.
In any case, pricing changes can bring surprises for home buyers coming into a hot market. One Delray Beach home purchaser learned a flood insurance policy that cost $580 per year in the past was now $2,200, Backer said.
That has sent agents and residents scrambling to assess their options. Alternatives can include private insurers, who largely avoided flood risks historically and account for less than 5% of the U.S. flood insurance market in most estimates. In recent years a number of private carriers have stepped up efforts to play a greater role. 
As the effects play out into next year, people near the coast will have to adjust to a new reality.
“In the end, the goal of this is to pay what they should be paying, commensurate to risk,” Backer said. “But that doesn’t mean it is going to be an easy process.”

Cost changes by ZIP codes
Premiums for National Flood Insurance Program policies under Risk Rating 2.0:

33432 (Boca Raton) — 6,995 policies
Paying less: 29.1%
Paying $0-$10 more monthly: 65.4%
Paying $10-$20 more: 3.4%
Paying $20+ more: 2%

33431 (Boca Raton) — 3,009 policies
Paying less: 34.6%
Paying $0-$10 more monthly: 59.3%
Paying $10-$20 more: 3.7%
Paying $20+ more: 2.5%

33487 (Boca Raton, Highland Beach) — 6,223 policies
Paying less: 6.5%
Paying $0-$10 more monthly: 85.2%
Paying $10-$20 more: 6%
Paying $20+ more: 2.3%

33483 (Delray Beach, Gulf Stream) — 6,024 policies
Paying less: 25.3%
Paying $0-$10 more monthly: 59%
Paying $10-$20 more: 8.7%
Paying $20+ more: 7%

33435 (Boynton Beach, Briny Breezes, Ocean Ridge) — 5,736 policies
Paying less: 46.5%
Paying $0-$10 more monthly: 48%
Paying $10-$20 more: 3.7%
Paying $20+ more: 1.8%

33462 (Lantana, Manalapan) — 3,385 policies
Paying less: 35.3%
Paying $0-$10 more monthly: 54.3%
Paying $10-$20 more: 7.3%
Paying $20+ more: 3.1%

33480 (South Palm Beach, Palm Beach) — 9,147 policies
Paying less: 27.4%
Paying $0-$10 more monthly: 60.7%
Paying $10-$20 more: 5.8%
Paying $20+ more: 6.1%

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency

By Steve Plunkett

Gulf Stream’s rank-and-file police officers are now card-carrying members of the Police Benevolent Association of Palm Beach County.
“Welcome,” the union said in an Oct. 6 post on Facebook following the officers’ vote. “We are very proud to be your new collective bargaining representative.”
In response, town commissioners on Oct. 8 hired I. Jeffrey Pheterson of the West Palm Beach law firm Ward Damon to negotiate a contract with the PBA.
“I know Jeff,” Vice Mayor Thomas Stanley said. “I’ve worked with him on some labor and employment matters in my professional career. He’s very well-qualified.”
Pheterson will be paid $350 per hour for his services, not to exceed $15,000.
Until the affirmative vote, Gulf Stream’s force was the only nonunionized coastal police agency from South Palm Beach to Boca Raton.
The town boosted police pay by $3,750 a year in fiscal 2020 after a survey showed its officers received less than their counterparts in Highland Beach, Ocean Ridge, Manalapan and Palm Beach. That pushed the lowest salary to $51,250, ahead of Manalapan and Highland Beach. Other town employees were given 3% raises.
“That really puts us right in the middle of the five cities,” Town Manager Greg Dunham said at the time.
Also on Oct. 8, Police Chief Edward Allen announced he had hired Officer Michael LeStrange, a 39-year veteran of the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, and was close to hiring another officer. Allen and Capt. John Haseley are management and not included in the union. Gulf Stream also has two police sergeants and, with the new hires, nine patrol officers.
In other business, commissioners approved site plans for the first three homes on Bluewater Cove just north of Place Au Soleil. Two will be one-story model homes in Bermuda style and Anglo Caribbean. The third will be a two-story Colonial West Indies spec home.
The developer hopes to start construction next spring and finish up the following fall.

By Joe Capozzi 

The La Coquille Club, the exclusive Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa club that allows free access to Manalapan residents, won Town Commission approval in October for two changes to its membership rules. 
The club will raise the limit on its number of non-Manalapan resident members to 75 from 66. The club also is raising its monthly dues for people who rent property in town to $600 from $250.
The changes come as Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa prepares to unveil $23 million in upgrades to the resort later this year. 
“The attraction of La Coquille Club and Eau has grown in significance because of full-time residency people joining our community,’’ Jeff Alderton, an LCC board member, said in a presentation at the Oct. 12 Town Commission meeting. 
“So for the first time in many, many years, we have a waiting list. We’ve never had a waiting list before at La Coquille.’’ 
Alderton said the limit increase to 75 non-Manalapan members is a one-time move. He said the monthly dues for renters have been $250 for the past 32 years.
“Lessee members currently pay notably less than non-Manalapan members for the same service with no financial investment,’’ he said, pointing out that non-Manalapan members pay a $50,000 initiation fee and $3,000 a year in dues. Commissioners embraced the changes. 
“It seems to me that that puts us into a position of having a better, more attractive venue,’’ Mayor Keith Waters said. 
The original club was a premier destination for celebrities, diplomats, and captains of industry — from Ginger Rogers and the Windsors to the Fords and the Vanderbilts. 
When approving the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in 1988, the Manalapan Town Commission incorporated La Coquille Club, a modern version of the prestigious original club founded in the 1950s on the grounds of the hotel site.  
The new club, now part of Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa, provides “a unique opportunity for the Manalapan community to enjoy the privileges of a private club amidst the style and grace of the hotel,’’ the town’s website says.  
Town property owners are a priority for the club and, upon application and approval by the board of directors, are made members without having to pay initiation fees or annual dues. 
They are permitted access to most amenities on either a gratis basis or a fee basis on par with the Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa guest. Examples include a private club room and terrace, specialty dining, fitness facilities, pool and whirlpool, beach and tennis.

By Joe Capozzi 

Now that the Town Council has hired another architect to draw up options for a new Town Hall, South Palm Beach officials want to get input from residents in a series of public meetings.
“There are going to be public hearings for everyone to come and have input into the future of the building we’re sitting in right now,’’ council member Mark Weissman said at the end of a council meeting Oct. 12.
The first public outreach meeting was scheduled Nov. 4 in three sessions to accommodate the public: 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. More public outreach meetings will be held in December and January but the dates have yet to be announced.
Earlier in the meeting, and without comment, the council voted unanimously on a $63,000 contract with the architectural firm Synalovski Romanik Saye for a feasibility study. 
Later in the meeting, Weissman noted that the contract vote “kind of flew by” without discussion. He said he wanted to make sure residents were aware that they’ll be asked for input.
“The public’s input is very important,’’ he said. “If you can get the word out in your own communities and condominiums so they know that when those hearings take place, they will be for the public to get their word out what they would like to see for the future in this town.’’
The contract calls for three phases: a space-needs study that will include, among other things, consideration of housing fire-rescue services at Town Hall; a study of options that will include renovating the existing facility or building a new one; and a final report of short-listed options. 
Council member Bill LeRoy said he’d like to see if Town Hall’s western-most border along the Intracoastal Waterway, now mainly covered by trees and vegetation, can be renovated to include public uses such as a dock and kayak launch. 
It’s the fourth time in six years, and first since March 2020, the town is taking a hard look at renovating the existing 45-year-old building or building a new one. Since 2016, the town has spent about $55,000 on studying the idea. With the new Synalovski Romanik Saye contract, that amount is set to rise to $118,000.
In other business:
• The Town Council agreed to consider joining the Palm Beach County Low-Income Senior Citizen Municipal Tax Exemption program. 
If South Palm Beach participates, the town would set aside money to pay the town portion of the tax bills of qualifying residents. To qualify, a resident must be 65 or older, own a homesteaded property and have an income of less than $31,100 in 2021. 
Ten municipalities in the county have joined the program since the property appraiser started offering it in 2014. Jupiter, for example, set aside $25,000 in 2017 and increased it to $50,000 in July for 396 qualifying seniors. 
South Palm Beach’s possible participation will be considered at a meeting later this year.
“If we have people who meet this criteria, we should certainly help them. This is not a cheap place to live,’’ LeRoy said. 
• Mike Crisafulle, the town’s building official, encouraged condos to get started on timely inspections, even though it could be a while before a countywide or state rule on reinspections is enacted in the wake of the fatal condo collapse in Surfside. 
“Don’t wait until this code goes into effect,’’ he said. “I would start working … now to get with engineers to get your report going, because most of these buildings are way over 40 years old.’’
• Without discussion, the mayor and council members voted unanimously to raise their pay. The monthly salaries for mayor and four council members will double — to $1,000 for the mayor and $600 for council members — the next time they win election. • Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Col. Tony Araujo observed the two-year anniversary of the agency’s partnership with the town by thanking the council for the partnership. In 2019, the town merged its police department with PBSO. 
“Two years flew by,’’ Araujo said. “I’d like to think we’re beyond partners. We’re your service provider. We’re your police department. I think it has worked out very well.’’
• An ex-wife of Muhammad Ali might be coming to Town Hall someday soon. Councilman Ray McMillan said he met Khalilah Camacho-Ali, who was married to the boxing legend from 1967-76, at an event in Boca Raton on Oct. 11. He said he invited her to speak at Town Hall.
“She’s on board with it 100%. She said she would call me. That’s something for us to look forward to,’’ he said.

By Mary Thurwachter

The Lantana Town Council voted during its Oct. 11 meeting to spend more than $400,000 over the next five years for communication center equipment.
“The initial cost is $280,000 for all the equipment and installation,” Police Chief Sean Scheller said. The balance will be spent on maintenance — between $20,000 and $25,000 a year.
“The current equipment in dispatch was bought by the town in the early 1990s — used — from the city of Lake Worth,” Scheller said. “We’re on a lot of borrowed time with the communications system. As of Oct. 1, the maintenance and warranty are all gone.”
The new, state-of-the art Motorola equipment will allow Lantana police to better communicate with other agencies.
Police Commander Thomas Mitchell said that “the county will be going to this as they replace and upgrade all their dispatch locations.”
Mitchell said there have been instances in the past two years when Lantana officers were unable to communicate with other law enforcement departments because they were not on the same frequency as the Sheriff ’s Office.
“When we had protests last year in Lake Worth, Lantana radios didn’t interface with others,” Mitchell said. “We had to communicate through cellphones. That’s not the way to do business and that’s not the way to keep everybody safe.”
He said having encrypted channels, which the new equipment will provide, is extremely important. “It’s also going to give us the ability in a critical incident where we can patch radio channels. This is going to put us in current trends with Palm Beach County and other agencies throughout the state. It’s much needed.”
Equipment is expected to arrive in three to five weeks and will take another few days for installation.
The Town Council unanimously voted for the expenditure.
“This is long overdue,” said council member Lynn Moorhouse.
In other action, the town voted 3-2 (with Moorhouse and Karen Lythgoe dissenting) not to accept a bid of $336,270 from West Construction to build an ADA-compliant beach access ramp. Other options will be explored instead.
The ramp in question was destroyed by a storm in September. The city quickly filed an insurance claim and began to design the ramp under discussion.
But Operations Director Eddie Crockett described a big discrepancy between the two lowest bids, so much so that the lowest bidder was studied and then dropped. “We moved to the next-highest bidder,” West Construction.
Council members debated whether to build a permanent or retractable ramp.
Crockett said the last ADA ramp, which had removable panels, was “extremely time consuming and extremely difficult to take apart and put it back together,” and he did not recommend that design. Mayor Robert Hagerty said the council needed to recognize that engineering plans were different from those used to build the previous ramp.
“This ramp has been redesigned and engineered differently to where it would withstand that type of condition letting the water pass through instead of having solid surfaces where the water would beat against it and push it out and destroy it,” Hagerty said.
But the design for a permanent ramp that the council seemed to favor sparked public comments from several residents who urged them to look more closely at a retractable ramp.
Jeff Tellex of South Palm Beach, CEO and managing partner of Atlantic Aluminum & Marine Products Inc., says he works with a company that does this kind of project up and down the coast. He suggested more research is needed.
“We built multiple structures for homes, condominiums, Lantana beach lifeguard ramp — and retractable is the way to go,” Tellex said. “This has been discussed with a whole lot of locals who have knowledge over many years.
“I grew up here, I’ve seen lifeguard tower after lifeguard tower get washed into the ocean. The only thing I’m begging you to do is revisit it, look at a retractable system.”
Moorhouse wanted to accept the bid from West Construction.
“We put this out to bid a long time ago and I had been in favor of some retractable, removable hydraulic, whatever … and was told that it was going to be a lot more expensive and probably not as satisfactory as what we’ve got cooking here. So, my feeling is we either believe our engineers or we don’t, but we can’t just break the process.”
But the majority of council members chose to do further research and deny the West bid.
“I think it would be a good idea if we could look at his drawings or ask questions about this,” council member Malcolm Balfour said before making the motion to deny the bid and direct staff to listen to a presentation from Tellex.
In other business, the town:
• Renewed the annual $1 lease with the Lantana Chamber of Commerce for the town-owned building at 212 Iris Ave.
• Approved a request from West Construction for a temporary easement (through Dec. 31) at the south side of the town beach during the construction/renovation of Eau Palm Beach.

By Mary Thurwachter

With construction nearly complete, an Aldi grocery store is set to open in a month at Water Tower Commons. It will be the development’s first retail store and is one of 100 Aldis opening this year across the country.
“We are excited to announce our Lantana store will be opening this December,” said Chris Hewitt, Royal Palm Beach division vice president for Aldi. “Our stores provide a consistent, streamlined and efficient shopping experience.”
The Lantana location will have approximately 12,000 square feet of retail space.
“At Aldi, we streamline our approach to staffing, creating cost-saving efficiencies that are passed on to our customers,” Hewitt said. “Each store, including our new Lantana store, will employ about 15 to 20 people.”
Caroline Shamsi-Basha, Lantana’s assistant development services director, said the grocery store has approved permits and appears to be moving along quickly. “Our department has conducted a number of inspections for the project during October,” she said.
Town officials and businesses are eager for the store’s opening.
“I am excited to have new businesses in our town,” said Vice Mayor Pro Tem Karen Lythgoe. “I like to shop at Aldi and it will be nice to have one close to home.”
Chamber of Commerce President Dave Arm, whose business, Lantana Fitness, is across the street from Water Tower Commons, said he too is excited about the opening.
“It can only help Water Tower Commons in their effort to fully lease their commercial space in this difficult retail environment,” Arm said. “And, as a business owner, the addition of a major new store in the neighborhood can only help all of the shops on the road.”
The Town Council voted in 2019 to allow Aldi, as well as a Wawa filling station, for the development. The grocery store is to the north of the proposed filling station site, near the entrance to the development from Andrew Redding Road. Ground has yet to be broken for the Wawa.
Water Tower Commons, a 73-acre retail and residential project east of Interstate 95 on Lantana Road, has been in the works since 2014. That’s when Lantana Development — a partnership between Wexford Capital and developer Ken Endelson’s Southeast Legacy — bought the site, formerly home to A.G. Holley State Hospital, for $15.6 million.
Although apartments have been built on the property, until now the retail portion has been stagnant since 2017. Aldi is being built by Oak Construction of Fort Lauderdale. Details of the grand opening will be revealed later.
Water Tower Commons was negotiating to bring a Walmart Neighborhood Market to the property in 2017, but that deal fell through. 
The shopping center portion of the project, originally planned for 280,000 square feet, has been scaled back to 150,000 square feet, reflecting a substantial softening of the retail market.

Joe Betras of Hypoluxo Island, pictured in his Lantana office, holds two cups that helped launch his plastics business 40 years ago: a 14-ounce mug in the shape of an orange and a cup with a sailboat and ‘Daytona Beach, Florida’ printed on the side. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

When Joe Betras was a 17-year-old lifeguard in Daytona Beach, he sold suntan lotion, zinc oxide and bathing caps to clients at his beachfront hotel pool.
He also stopped on his way to work each morning to buy two gallons of orange juice, then gave away free cups to those same clients. While he didn’t realize it at the time, that simple gesture was the beginning of what became a spectacularly successful career as an entrepreneur.
Betras, who lives on Hypoluxo Island, would have other jobs over the next several years — bartender, blackjack dealer, nightclub manager and even nightclub owner — but when he reached his late 20s he decided he needed a real career with steady hours, one that would allow him to settle down and raise a family with his wife, Henya.
“I felt like she would be a great mother,” he said.
His search for ideas took him to Disney World in 1977, in its early years. He noticed customers were being served orange juice in a plastic orange, and learned a Houston-based company named Teledyne made the receptacles. He called the company and asked to send him a salesman, and when the salesman showed up he opened his briefcase and pulled out a 14-ounce mug.
“I thought, ‘If I buy that mug I don’t have to fill it, I just have to sell it,’” Betras said. “I ordered 20,000 on the spot, 10,000 with a surfer and 10,000 with a sailboat and the words ‘Daytona Beach’ on the side. They arrived a month later and I started selling them to gift shops.”
Soon after he headed back to Orlando, this time to Sea World, where a buyer named Frank Day ordered 1,000 plastic cups with the venue’s logo with the contingency that Betras had to take them back if they didn’t sell. They did, and soon Day put in another order for 500,000.
And he was off. Broadening his operation to get into the manufacturing and distribution as well, Betras founded Betras Plastics and in 1983 moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina. By 1987, it was listed at No. 249 on INC 500’s list of the fastest-growing companies in the United States.
While not every idea worked out over the ensuing years — during which Joe and Henya moved several times and had four children — Betras had some spectacular successes to offset disappointments. He sold 5 million Spuds MacKenzie cups one year, 7 million Ninja Turtles another and an incredible 22 million when the Pokémon phenomenon hit in the late 1990s.
Betras declined all buyout offers until 2014, when competitor Whirley Industries made an offer that allowed him to cut back his workload. So, what happened? Henya started her own plastic cup marketing business.
“We’re competitors now, so she works out of the house while I work here,” Betras, 74, said in his small office in a strip mall on Federal Highway in Lantana.
The couple’s four children are Carolina, who is chief operating officer of a health-oriented cosmetics company and lives in Amsterdam; Danielle, who works in the business technology department of The New York Times; Joey, a chicken and vegetable farmer near New Paltz, New York; and Michael, who is the technology expert for Henya’s firm.

— Brian Biggane

Q: Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A: I grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia, went to a Catholic grade school, then moved to Sanford when I was 11. Went to Seminole High School, a public school, and wound up at the University of Chattanooga, the first from my family to go to college.
What influenced me most was learning about people. In high school I had friends that didn’t want anything from me; they were just friends. You didn’t have to worry about somebody taking something from you. I didn’t realize until later that everybody always has an angle: If you were successful, they wanted a part of it, and if they were successful, they would try to mess that up.

Q: What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A: I was in retail, selling suntan oil as a lifeguard, I was in the nightclub business, I was the owner of a nightclub, then 43 years ago I wanted to get into the plastics business, and through good and bad I’m still in it.
In 1987 we were named one of the top 500 fastest-growing companies in America, which comprised the INC 500. I was named Entrepreneur of the Year in the state of South Carolina, and we were among the top 100 manufacturing companies, also in South Carolina.
In 1990 during the Gulf War, things were getting tough so we sent a tractor-trailer of drink ware over to Kuwait, and got a letter from Sen. Strom Thurmond in appreciation of that. We also put on a beach music festival four years in a row to benefit the Red Cross, and raised $25,000 each time.

Q: What advice do you have for a young person seeking a career today?
A: Technology. Everywhere you go, everything you do involves it. I wish I knew about this when I was learning things. That’s where everything is headed.

Q: How did you choose to make your home on Hypoluxo Island?
A: We always liked Florida and the water, and when we were living in Dallas we did a trade show in Orlando. We decided to take a drive south to look around and wound up in Boca, got hold of a real estate agent, and he showed us 26 properties, the first of which was on Hypoluxo Island.
It wasn’t what we wanted, but it had what they call the bones, and I knew Henya could transform it so we took it. This was seven years ago so the bridge there was out, so we got an incredible deal on the property. By the time we closed, the bridge was finished and here we are.

Q: What’s your favorite part about living on Hypoluxo Island?
A: My wife still says it every time we come over the bridge: I love living in paradise. With the boats, the docks, it’s great. But getting to know the people on the island and the neighbors are fantastic.

Q: What book are you reading?
A: What I’m reading is Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Bloomberg. But my favorite book was Who Moved My Cheese? This rat eats cheese all his life, one day he goes to get it and it’s not there. What’s he gonna do? Commit suicide or work it out? That was the message I lived by.

Q: What music do you listen to when you want to relax? When you want to be inspired?
A: Basically, it’s the same, and it’s ’50s and ’60s. It just relaxes me, and when I’m relaxed I can think. All I do on Saturdays and Sundays is lay by the pool and listen to the Drifters, the Platters, Temptations, Four Tops. It relaxes me so much it opens my mind to what I could build, what shape I should pursue. I’m always on the lookout for ideas.

Q: Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A: Mel Fields, who is the person who gave me my first job as a lifeguard at 17. He had one hotel and then got another and I followed him, and we became like family. He had parking lots in New York and bought hotels on the beach in Daytona. He would guide me on investments, on handling people. He mentored me in business and as it turned out he mentored me on life as well.

Q: If your life story were to be made into a movie, who would play you?
A: Burt Reynolds. He’s projected as kind of a wild guy, but sometimes he was serious, too. I just think he could do a good job portraying me as I came through life.

Q: Who/what makes you laugh?
A: Clean jokes, for one. But mostly it’s people who think they’re better than everybody — to see them and realize what they don’t know. I would never say anything to them, but in my heart and mind I’m going, “If you only knew.”

One project will construct a direct pipeline for more efficient dredging of the South Lake Worth Inlet sand trap. It is expected to finish by March. The other is to modernize the marina in three phases, which could take several years. Rendering provided

By Joe Capozzi

Ocean Inlet Park is about to undergo renovations from two Palm Beach County construction projects, raising concerns about noise and congestion over the next few months at the county-operated park.  
The first project, a modernization of the aging marina, was supposed to start in May but is now expected to begin in a few weeks, Ocean Ridge building official Durrani Guy told the Town Commission on Nov. 1. 
Around the same time, heavy equipment is expected to arrive for the other project, the initial phase of a jack and bore project to reroute the inlet dredging pipeline to the south end of the park under State Road A1A. 
Both projects “are going to make a gigantic construction mess, which we can’t do anything about,’’ Commissioner Steve Coz said.
Guy said the actual jack and bore process, starting from the west side of A1A, is scheduled to begin Jan. 4 and should last about a week. After a steel casing is installed under the road, the dredging pipe will be laid along a more direct route from the dredge areas west of the marina to the beach along the ocean. 
The previous route, on the north end, disrupted park operations and beach access during periodic dredge operations because the pipeline was exposed in the parking lot, along the jetty and on the beach.
Town Manager Tracey Stevens said in her report Nov. 1 that the pipeline project should be done by March and will allow for more efficient dredging of the sand trap at the South Lake Worth Inlet, commonly known as the Boynton Inlet. It is typically dredged every six to eight years to remove sand accumulation captured by the inlet system. 
“This new pipe route will be much safer for beach, boat and park users during future dredging events, in addition to shortening the pipe distance to the ultimate sand placement area in the Ocean Ridge Shore Protection Project area,’’ she said. 
The marina project, which will be done in three phases, could last several years. 
Before approving a six-month extension to the county’s building permit, some commissioners expressed frustration about delays in the first phase of the marina renovations.
Although the town issued the county a building permit in November 2020, work has been delayed because of the county’s lengthy bidding process for a contractor, Guy said. 
“This is just the first phase of the project, so this project is going to last quite a long time and they’re already starting out a year and a half late,’’ Commissioner Geoff Pugh said. 
In other business, commissioners gave Stevens permission to lift the mask mandate for employees and visitors at Town Hall. Vice Mayor Susan Hurlburt suggested posting a sign asking unvaccinated visitors to wear masks. “The smart thing is to get vaccinated and we can all be done with this and not have to discuss it anymore,’’ Commissioner Martin Wiescholek said.
• Stevens planned to meet with Boynton Beach officials in early November to discuss the city’s plans to replace the blue light poles on the Ocean Avenue Bridge with black ones and to paint the railings and decorative objects on the bridge black. Town commissioners weren’t thrilled with the color choice, but Stevens pointed out that Boynton Beach pays to maintain the entire bridge even though Ocean Ridge has jurisdiction over half of it. 
• Candidate filing for the March 8 election started Nov. 1 and ends Nov. 12 at 3 p.m.
Coz is the only commissioner up for re-election and as of Nov. 1 no one had filed to challenge him.

Management company could be forced out by Thanksgiving

By Jane Smith

After shutting down all activities, the Old School Square Center for the Arts managers late last month announced a series of free, community concerts which is almost certain to test the strained relationship between the city and OSS. On Oct. 23, managers posted this note on the OSS website: “The City’s impulsive termination of our lease forced us to make some very difficult decisions with regards to our existing calendar of seasonal events and programs.”
The website of the city’s most beloved cultural institution noted that there were no upcoming events, performances, museum exhibits or art school offerings.
Six days later, OSS managers said on the website they would hold four free concerts by tribute bands in November and December. The concerts are an Eagles tribute Nov. 11, a Billy Joel one Nov. 18, Grammy hits Dec. 9, and a Tina Turner tribute Dec. 16.
Yet, according to the lease termination notice the city sent to OSS, no new events can be scheduled without prior approval of the city, Mayor Shelly Petrolia said on Oct. 26.
City commissioners voted 3-2 on Aug. 10 to terminate the lease, telling OSS managers to comply with long-standing requests for audits and other financial documents and giving 180 days’ notice.
Since that vote, OSS managers have attempted to sway enough public support to get the commission to reconsider its vote. In yet another effort, managers announced a special art and cultural show titled “Heart of the Square,” opening Nov. 5 in the Cornell Art Museum.
“Let our voices be heard,” the announcement’s cover page notes.
Delray Beach taxpayers own the nearly 4-acre campus, in the heart of the Old School Square Historic Arts District, which is deed restricted. It must remain an arts and cultural center. If it doesn’t, the property reverts to the Palm Beach County School District. The campus has five entertainment venues: the Fieldhouse, the Crest Theatre, the Creative Arts School, the Cornell Art Museum and the Pavilion.
OSS managers did not return numerous phone calls and email messages. The Coastal Star attempted to contact Emelie Konopka, who was OSS chairwoman during much of the dispute with the city; Holland Ryan, chief operating officer; Carli Brinkman, its outside publicist; and Marko Cerenko, its outside attorney.

Time running out for fixes
On Oct. 8, the city sent a notice of default to Cerenko, giving the nonprofit 30 days to fix four problems. One was minor, to provide a list of events and programs for the remaining months of the lease.
But one can’t be fixed easily. It involves finishing the Crest Theatre building renovations. Safety violations exist there, such as an unattached handrail on the main lobby staircase and the unfinished fire sprinkler system in the new kitchen.
If they can’t be fixed in 30 days, then the city could issue a notice to vacate within 15 days, Gina Carter, city spokeswoman, wrote in an Oct. 21 email response to a Coastal Star question.
As for whether the OSS managers can make the necessary repairs by Nov. 8, “that is a question for OSS Inc.,” she wrote. If the city then issues the notice to vacate, the OSS managers would have to be gone by Thanksgiving.

Cancellations stun groups
Another uproar began on Sept. 29.
That’s when show organizers received form letters from Ryan, canceling all events as of Sept. 30. The events were scheduled for the Fieldhouse or on the OSS grounds.
This time, the OSS managers blamed the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency for withholding $375,000, six months of funding, for the last fiscal year.
But what the OSS managers failed to say is that they have yet to provide financial documents required by the CRA before receiving any more taxpayer money. The CRA had extended the deadline several times.
After receiving the email, the nonprofit Delray Beach Orchid Society reached out to city commissioners. They immediately contacted the city manager, who dispatched the city’s Parks and Recreation Department to rescue the event.
“It’s our largest fundraiser,” said Michele Owens, president of the Delray Beach Orchid Society. “We couldn’t hold it last year [due to pandemic restrictions] and the prospect of not being able to hold it again — we would not be able to exist.”
The orchid show was Oct. 23-24 in the Fieldhouse and drew one of the show’s biggest crowds. The society did receive back its $1,000 deposit from OSS.
There was one glitch, Petrolia said. The society members counted on use of the refrigerator in the OSS kitchen. But the refrigerator doors had been taped closed, forcing the city to pull one of its refrigerators out of storage and move it to the Fieldhouse for the show.
The city has also stepped in to allow the Delray Chapter of the Southern Handcraft Society to hold its 28th show Nov. 18-20 at the Fieldhouse.
“I’m thrilled,” said President Pam Warren. “There’s not that many facilities that can accommodate us. With less than two months, most places were booked or too expensive.”
The organization received its deposit back from OSS, Warren said, but she would not disclose the amount.
Along with the orchid and handicraft shows, Delray Beach’s Parks and Recreation Department agreed to facilitate several other events after they were canceled by OSS. These include weddings, a bat mitzvah, a Pets of Broward Dog Day Afternoon, and a Roots and Wings educational event.
The city and CRA will also continue their scheduled menorah lighting, Christmas Tree Village and Green Market.
About the same time the events were canceled, the OSS managers also canceled their arts education classes for the remainder of the lease. Students typically pay about $200 for six-week sessions on photography, painting and drawing.

Craft beer festival fizzles
OSS managers had touted a ninth annual Craft Beer Festival on its website as a money-raiser. The festival was to be held at Old School Square, but then was to move to Sunset Cove Amphitheater in suburban Boca Raton on Oct. 30.
But it disappeared from the OSS website by Oct. 22.
One likely reason is that OSS managers’ full liquor license, issued by Florida, is not transferrable to another site.
Meanwhile, Delray Beach is moving forward, trying to find a new operator for the Old School Square venues.
The city issued its “invitation to negotiate” on Oct. 18 with a mandatory pre-proposal session at 10 a.m. Nov. 5. Bids must be submitted by 5 p.m. Dec. 17.
The current OSS managers won’t be bidding, Brinkman told other news outlets without explaining why.

By Jane Smith

Delray Beach commissioners unanimously postponed discussion of proposed sea wall ordinances to Jan. 11.
That should give city staff time to hold a meeting at Veterans Park with property owners who live along the Intracoastal Waterway, Mayor Shelly Petrolia said at the Nov. 2 City Commission meeting.
“They are the ones who are most affected,” she said.
The city attorney also said she had problems with the language of the proposed ordinances and needed more time.
The Intracoastal has about 21 miles of waterfront on both sides, but the city owns only about 1 mile of the sea walls. Under the proposed ordinances, new residential construction along the ICW would have to meet a new height requirement of 4 feet above the mean water level of the waterway.
Three years ago, Aptim Environmental & Infrastructure submitted a sea level vulnerability study to Delray Beach. The city saw more frequent and increased flooding from seasonal high tides, commonly called king tides, and more everyday rain events.
Aptim reviewed 29 public sea walls in 2018 and found 10% in poor condition. The company also reviewed 868 private sea walls and found 23% in poor, serious or critical condition.
For existing sea walls, when a property owner is cited for failing to maintain a sea wall, that person must show progress toward repairing the defect within 60 days.
If the required repair meets a substantial repair threshold, the property owner must construct the sea wall to meet the minimum elevation requirement of 4 feet.

By Larry Barszewski

Five partnerships have submitted proposals to be unveiled in November for the development of the west side of Federal Highway between Ocean Avenue and Boynton Beach Boulevard.
Most have individuals who were involved with the unsolicited proposals submitted last year to develop the Community Redevelopment Agency property, before the CRA decided to put out a formal request for proposals.
The CRA is in the process of acquiring more property in the two blocks north of Ocean Avenue, between Federal Highway and Northeast Fourth Street, which would be added to the project’s footprint.
Because of the heavy level of interest, with six unsolicited proposals coming in last year, commissioners decided to ignore all the submissions and create their own vision of the project. Those interested were invited to submit new proposals, and anyone else who would like to develop the property also was free to submit ideas.
The CRA doesn’t have to make the submitted proposals public until its staff has had time to review them.
The applicants planned to make presentations to the CRA advisory board at its Nov. 4 meeting and to commissioners at a special Nov. 30 CRA board meeting. A decision could be made at the CRA board’s Dec. 14 meeting.
The CRA is seeking a “mixed-use development project providing retail, office, public parking and residential uses with a workforce housing component.”
Five proposals have been received. They are from:
• Jeff Burns of Affiliated Development in Fort Lauderdale
• Mark and Kelley Hefferin of E2L Real Estate Solutions in Winter Park
• Robert Vecsler of Hyperion Group in Miami
• Albert Milo Jr. of Related Urban (The Related Group) in Miami
• John Farina and Dustin Salzano of U.S. Construction in Delray Beach
The Hyperion Group is planning to develop the Ocean One Boynton property on the east side of Federal Highway directly across from the CRA’s 115 N. Federal Highway project site. In July, Hyperion told commissioners it was interested in developing both properties as one project.
Commissioners chose to move forward with a wide-reaching request for proposals instead, telling Hyperion representatives they would be glad to consider the company’s proposal along with any others that were submitted.
Affiliated Development and E2L Real Estate Solutions were two of the applicants that also submitted proposals last year. Affiliated had proposed building 220 luxury rental housing units with ground-level commercial space. E2L also included 220 apartments in two buildings in its original proposal, along with a hotel — all to have ground-level commercial space.
William Morris of Southcoast Partners, a Delray Beach development firm that kick-started interest in the property with its proposal in August 2020 to create a $65 million mixed-use development on the site, is now part of the U.S. Construction submission, Morris said. He said the new proposal is similar to the original one that included apartments, stores and a public-access parking garage.
“I’ve teamed up as a development consultant with U.S. Construction,” said Morris, who previously developed the mixed-use Worthing Place in downtown Delray Beach. “I didn’t think that we had enough horsepower financially, as they did. … I thought maybe we’d have a better chance putting my ego aside.”
Related Urban is an entity formed by The Related Group in 2009 to develop and acquire affordable and workforce housing developments. The Related Group has done developments in the city, including the Marina Village at Boynton, 625 Casa Loma Blvd.
Three years ago, the CRA paid $3 million for parcels on the west side of Federal Highway that are being used now as surface parking. The CRA this year agreed to buy a .29-acre property at 508 E. Boynton Beach Blvd. for $915,000.
The CRA is still in the process of adding to its properties in the two blocks. It has agreed to purchase three Oyer family buildings on Ocean Avenue, including the building that’s home to Hurricane Alley Raw Bar & Restaurant, for $3.6 million by the end of the year.
The purchase of the three Oyer properties, with their 0.41 acres, will bring the CRA-owned portions of the block to 2.29 acres at a cost of $7.5 million.

DELRAY BEACH — Max Van Arnem, a Delray Beach native, skilled athlete and businessman, died Oct. 28. He was 30 years old.
Maxwell Ferris Van Arnem was born and raised in Delray Beach and attended school at St. Vincent and American Heritage. A gifted athlete, he played soccer for teams in recreation leagues, as well as at his schools. His natural abilities of speed, quickness and aggressiveness made him a local premier striker.
His brother Adam introduced him to skateboarding, which became his passion and obsession.  Mr. Van Arnem developed superior skills and quickly became recognized globally. He competed and collaborated with the word’s top skateboarders through promotions, marketing and video production. (His videos continue to be viewed by the world on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGEd7I-DgfY.)
Mr. Van Arnem’s clothing line, Swiss Bank, quickly became a niche brand when he launched it in 2016. Fashion smarts and artistic leanings drove Max to found Swiss Bank, which was an outlet for his vision of clothing and accessories and inspired by his interest in skate wear. Swiss Bank online drew customers worldwide, including special interest from Asia.
Mr. Van Arnem began working with his father, Harold, in 2014 at the family firm, VAP Group, acquiring and developing properties in Delray Beach. A licensed real estate agent, Mr. Van Arnem assisted clients and developers with commercial and residential property.  His most recent project for VAP, Deco Delray Townhomes, is set for review with the city of Delray Beach. He was also working on The Adam, a mixed-use development on Northeast Second Street with 25 health and wellness suites and 33 residences.
Mr. Van Arnem is survived by his parents, Harold and Bridget, brother Sean, sister Heather Chidiac (Jean), sister Aleise and loving nephew and friend John Joseph “JJ” Chidiac. He was preceded in death by siblings Heidi, H.L. and Adam. 
Visitation was at Lorne and Sons, 745 NE Sixth Ave., Delray Beach, on Nov. 1. Entombment followed Nov. 2 at the Boca Raton Mausoleum, 451 SW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton.

— Obituary submitted by the family

OCEAN RIDGE — Former NFL player, businessman, sportscaster and philanthropist Mike Lucci died Oct. 26 following an extended illness. He was 81.
If ever there was a man for all seasons, it was Mr. Lucci, who filled his life with varied experiences and touched countless lives.
Michael Gene Lucci was born on Dec. 29, 1939, to a hardworking, closely knit Italian-American family in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, a town surrounded by steel mills. He grew up learning the importance of family and hard work.
Playing football was far from his mind until he grew to be 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds. That is when his gym teacher pointed Mike in a new direction, as a high school senior playing football for the first time in his life.
He was so successful that he earned a football scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, before transferring for his final three years to the University of Tennessee. He was named an All-American after the 1961 season and played in the College All-Star Game against the NFL champion Green Bay Packers.
He was a fifth-round draft pick, 69th selection overall, by the Cleveland Browns and made the NFL All-Rookie team in 1962. He played on the Browns’ 1964 NFL championship team before being traded to the Detroit Lions.
Mr. Lucci starred at middle linebacker for nine seasons (1965-73) for the Lions, was a team captain, Lions’ defensive MVP three times and earned All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors.
He was even a “movie star” during his football career. Mr. Lucci appeared with several of his teammates and head coach Joe Schmidt in the 1968 motion picture Paper Lion. The movie starred actor Alan Alda and chronicled author George Plimpton’s training camp “tryout” as a quarterback with the Lions in 1963.
Mr. Lucci was inducted into the Michigan, Pennsylvania and National Italian-American Sports halls of fame, as well as the Beaver County (Pennsylvania), Western Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Italian halls of fame. He served as an analyst for Lions games on WJR Radio (1976-78) and for NFL games on NBC-TV (1979-80).
Mr. Lucci became a successful businessman following his football career. He climbed the corporate ladder to become the president of Bally’s Total Fitness, which grew to more than 20,000 employees in 300 locations. He co-owned 19 Burger Kings in Michigan and Illinois, and was co-owner of Venture Contracting and Development based in Troy, Michigan.
Throughout his life, he made giving back to others a priority. Mr. Lucci raised more than $2 million for Spaulding for Children’s efforts to find permanent homes for the most hard to place children. He established an education endowment fund, as well, for Spaulding’s children.
He hosted an annual golf tournament in Florida that raised over $650,000 for Gridiron Greats, an organization led by his good friend Mike Ditka, which helps former NFL players who have fallen on hard times. Other philanthropic endeavors included support of Sparky Anderson’s CATCH Charity for Children and the St. Louis Center.
However, his most important role was as Mike Lucci, family man. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Patricia, their two children, son Michael (Rebecca) Lucci and daughter Michelle Lucci, grandchildren Michael III and Nicholas, sister Kathy (William) Sholudko, nephew Billy Sholudko, and longtime assistant Nora Moretz. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rose and Louis Lucci.
A family interment has taken place. Donations may be made in lieu of flowers to Gridiron Greats, 350 S. Northwest Highway, Suite 300, Park Ridge, IL 60068, or at www.gridirongreats.org/donate.

— Obituary submitted by the family

Customer desire for bigger units led developers to reduce the number of units at Alina Residences in Boca Raton. The first phase opened this summer. Photo provided

By Christine Davis

El-Ad National Properties has filed revised plans with the city of Boca Raton for the second phase of its Alina Residences.
The luxury condo project on Southeast Mizner Boulevard was one of the most contentious in the city’s history, drawing complaints from downtown residents in 2015 that it was too massive and a symbol of overdevelopment.
The major change in the second phase is that the number of units has decreased while their size increased to meet market demand as people were forced inside by the coronavirus pandemic and many started working from home.
The project as approved was to include 384 units. Since then, the first phase was shrunk by 10 units and the second phase was pared back to 182 units in two, nine-story towers. The revised unit count in the two phases is 312.
The number of parking places in the garages also has been reduced. Landscaping changes will undergo city review as well. Originally proposed as 500 condos in four towers rising as high as 30 stories, the 9-acre project went through five major redesigns before garnering city approval in 2017.
El-Ad returned to the city in 2018 asking that the project be built in two phases, stirring more controversy until the developer and objectors reached an agreement.
The first phase broke ground in 2019 and opened this summer, with prices ranging from $1 million to $6.5 million. Among the new owners are County Commissioner and former City Council member Robert Weinroth and his wife, Pamela, who closed on their $1.06 million unit in April.
While it was not clear initially how much demand there would be for the condos, that question has been answered. The real estate market is at fever pitch, bolstered by out-of-staters flocking to Florida.
Phase 2 construction is expected to begin early next year, with completion in 2024.

***

An ocean-to-lake estate on 2 acres at 1120 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, sold in late September for $30.7 million. The buyer is a Florida limited liability company, 1120 S. Ocean LLC, managed by real estate attorney Maura Ziska of Kochman and Ziska. She also signed a 30-year mortgage on the property related to a $16.885 million loan with First Republic Bank.
Built in 1955, the renovated seven-bedroom, 13,876-square-foot house, with 193 feet of ocean and Intracoastal frontage, was homesteaded by Jack Doyle, a former Manalapan town commissioner and mayor pro tem. Known as Chateau Mer au Lac, the estate last changed hands in 2012 for $8.46 million.
Steven Presson, an agent with the Corcoran Group, represented the seller, and the property was listed for $34.85 million in February. Lawrence Moens of Lawrence A. Moens Associates represented the buyer. 

***

Don Hankey, via a limited liability company, paid $29.5 million for the oceanfront mansion at 3715 S. Ocean Blvd. in Highland Beach. The sale was recorded Oct. 13 in public records. The seller, who flipped the property, is Moskow Management Trust, led by Eric Moskow of Las Vegas. The property sold for $21.6 million in March. Hankey heads the Los Angeles-based auto-services Hankey Groups and has a net worth of $5.5 billion, according to Forbes. The seller, Moskow, is a health care investor. The property hit the market in July for $30 million. The price was raised in September to $32 million. Douglas Elliman agent Senada Adzem represented the seller. Samantha Curry, also with Elliman, represented the buyer.  

***

A registered historic home, the Harden-Hart House at 516 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, is listed for sale for the first time at its current location with Cheran Marek, an agent with Douglas Elliman. It is priced at $1.55 million.
Please note the “current location,” because this home, literally, has a moving story.
First owned by John M. Hart and his wife, the 1920s-era Mediterranean-style house was originally located at 326 Pioneer Place, West Palm Beach, before it was moved by barge in 1994 down the Intracoastal to Delray Beach. At that time, it was owned by the Norton Museum, which needed the lot to expand its facility, but couldn’t demolish the house.
That’s also when the current owners, David and Andrea Harden, stepped in, bought it, moved it, and lived in it, up until now. David Harden was the Delray Beach city manager from 1990 to 2013. Here’s how the Hardens took ownership.
In 1993, the Hardens, intending to build a new home, purchased the vacant lot at 516 N. Swinton Ave. from a former Trinity Lutheran Church pastor, the Rev. Robert Klemm. But rather than building new, they decided to buy and move the Harts’ historic house to their Delray Beach lot.
They hired Orlando-based Modern Moving and Wrecking, and on Jan. 24, 1994, Modern Moving detached the house from its foundation, moved it to the Intracoastal Waterway and loaded it onto a barge, where a tugboat pushed it down the waterway to Knowles Park in Delray Beach.
On Jan. 25, it was rolled off the barge into the Knowles Park parking lot, where it awaited arrival of two historic Hillcrest-neighborhood West Palm Beach houses that the Delray Beach CRA had purchased and moved.
On Jan. 31, with the Harden-Hart House leading the way, the three historic homes moved from Knowles Park west on 10th Street to Swinton Avenue, then north on Swinton in what was called a “parade of homes.”  The two other houses are on Swinton in the first block north of Atlantic Avenue.
After the Harden-Hart house arrived at its new location, it was eventually placed on a new foundation and rewired, and the Harden family moved in, in April 1994.
And now, with the Hardens downsizing, the historic house will move onto its next chapter.
“We loved its Mediterranean appearance on the outside, and, in the interiors, we loved the cast-stone fireplace, stylized with lion heads and cherubs. We’ve loved the cove ceilings in the living and dining room, and except for the traditional-style kitchen, the whole downstairs is an open floor plan, which we liked,” David Harden said.
Added Marek, “The Hardens have lovingly cared for this one-of-a-kind home. It’s in very good condition and in a great location near Pineapple Grove.”
For more information, call Marek at 561-870-8855.

***

Peter Ricci, Ed.D., director of Florida Atlantic University’s hospitality and tourism management program, was recently named South Florida Tourism Professional of the Year by the Academy of Hospitality & Tourism for his response to the coronavirus pandemic. In March 2020, he organized a free online certificate offered by FAU’s College of Business to industry professionals who were furloughed, terminated or had hours reduced, so that they could continue their educations to position themselves for new opportunities.
Ricci thought a few hundred people might sign up for the certificate, which normally costs $899, but it attracted 77,000 people in 165 countries and territories.
More than 61,000 registrants fully completed the certificate — more than double FAU’s full-time enrollment of 30,000 students.
“We were delighted to reach so many people affected by this worldwide crisis,” Ricci said. “Many workers said how grateful they were that the certificate was free at a time when their personal finances were so uncertain, and it helped boost their résumés so they could stand out to employers once the job market opened back up.”

***

The Seagate, a boutique hotel at 1000 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, has teamed up with a West Palm Beach interior designer, Paige Padon, to launch Row House at The Seagate. The retail collaboration, which began in September, will run through the end of April.
Guests and locals can shop the collection of hand-selected neutral and textured décor, with pieces that range from coffee tables, credenzas and chairs to ceramics and throws. The collection will rotate regularly and will be limited in quantity.

***

Shop local this holiday season in downtown Delray Beach, celebrate Small Business Saturday on Nov. 27, and receive a 2021 Delray Beach commemorative ornament while enjoying promotions, entertainment and holiday decorations throughout the downtown.
To take part in the ornament giveaway from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 27, shop in downtown Delray Beach, save your receipts of at least $200, and receive a hand-painted, limited-supply 2021 Delray Beach commemorative ornament created by local artist Jen Fisher.
  The ornaments can be picked up on Nov. 27 at Downtown Development Authority booths located on the beachside at 1047 E. Atlantic Ave. between Amofta by Mahya and Sara Campbell stores, or at 310 E. Atlantic Ave., near Kokonuts Delray Beach and Tootsie’s. The ornaments will be limited to one per customer to the first 200 people.
Receipts must be dated Nov. 26 or Nov. 27, and be from a business within the DDA district. Exclusions include any food or beverage purchases, hotel accommodation receipts, and parking or transportation receipts, as well as any retailer that does not fall within the DDA district. 

***

The Delray Acura, Hyundai and Genesis dealer group has partnered once again with the Marine Corps Reserve to collect unwrapped toys for the annual holiday Toys for Tots drive. Last year, the Marine Corps Reserve distributed more than 20.2 million toys, books and games to more than 7.3 million children.
The public is invited to support this 100% charity initiative and donate new unwrapped toys. Already underway, the drive will run through Dec. 11. Donation boxes are located at the Acura customer service lounge, 655 NE Sixth Ave., Delray Beach. 

***

The Ocean Ridge Police Department will hold its fourth annual Christmas Toy Drop-off in the department lobby through Dec. 17.
The toys will be distributed through the Guardian ad Litem program of Palm Beach County. For more information, call Officer Debra Boyle at 561-732-8331.

***

In September, Pebb Capital delivered $10,000 worth of school uniforms, backpacks, paper, pencils, binder, markers and other school supplies to Pine Grove Elementary, Carver Middle School and Atlantic High School in Delray Beach, following outreach to ascertain each school’s needs.

***

The Boca Raton Historical Society announced its 2021 Walk of Recognition inductees, in honor of people and organizations that have served and enriched the Boca Raton community.
The ceremony and reception will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Addison, 2 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton. The inductees include:
• George S. Brown Jr., deputy city manager of Boca Raton and a former board member of the Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum, who has been pivotal in developing the positive partnership between the city and Florida Atlantic University.
• Robert K. Rollins Jr., president of the Beacon Group insurance agency, who has served on Boca Raton’s Beach and Parks District board for more than 20 years, is past president for both the local Soccer Association and the Boca Raton Rotary Club, and has served on the board of directors of the FAU Foundation. • Edith Stein, co-founder of the Martin & Edith Stein Family Foundation that recently donated $5 million in support of a planned arts and innovation center in Mizner Park.
• The George Snow Scholarship Fund, which is dedicated to helping students within the community to achieve their career goals through the pursuit of higher education. Tim Snow is the fund’s president.
• Also honored at this reception will be 2020 inductees Terry Fedele, the late Jay Van Vechten, and Boca Ballet Theatre.
Tickets, which cost $85 each, can be purchased by emailing office@bocahistory.org, or by calling 561-395-6766, ext. 101.

Mary Hladky contributed to this column.

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

One of the most noticeable changes will be the return to white as an exterior color for most of the property. Rendering provided

By Jan Norris

A return to luxury service and sophisticated dining from a “golden era” is the theme of the extensive renovation at The Boca Raton, formerly the Boca Resort and Club.
The expansive remake of the iconic Addison Mizner-designed hotel is set in phases, with the $175 million first phase scheduled to accommodate members and their guests starting Dec. 17, even as some work continues into winter 2022.
In a statement laying out details for the renovation, Daniel Hostettler, president and CEO of The Boca Raton, described the property as an “internationally recognized landmark and a private escape for the in-the-know travelers.”
The hotel that opened in 1926 as The Cloister Inn is now owned by MSD Partners LP. The firm bought the property in 2019. Versed in luxury hotels with the Four Seasons Resort Maui and Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in its portfolio in Hawaii, the group plans to continue The Boca Raton’s long-standing model as an exclusive, members-only resort.
The property encompasses five hotels along 200 waterfront acres on both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway, with numerous restaurants, a private beach, 18-hole golf course, 32-slip marina, wellness spa, tennis and pickleball courts, four swimming pools and retail shops.
Each hotel is designed to attract a different traveler. The original 294-room Cloister is family- and pet-friendly, while the 225-room tower will be adults only, with butler services included in its $45 million transformation.
Rooms rates in January 2022 start at $1,190 for a two-night stay at the Cloister.
The Yacht Club, 112 rooms with balconies overlooking the water, is expected to attract mariners, and the Beach Club’s 212 rooms are designed for couples and young families.
The 58 bungalows, with two-bedroom suites and kitchens, are typically booked by long-term visitors.
The Cloister is being redesigned from the inside out. A new driveway and entranceway are in place. All rooms, interior public spaces, restaurants and retail shops are getting an overhaul. It plans to reopen in December along with the Yacht Club.
Tower rooms also are being redesigned. The bungalows will get a décor makeover, while the Beach Club rooms will be refreshed at a later stage.
The Boca Raton properties have been repainted to their original white, except for the 27-story tower, which will retain its construction color of dusty pink.
As a major renovation, the 4-acre Harborside pool area will be reimagined. The convention facility that once stood on the east side of the mainland property has been demolished to make way for an expansive water park-like experience with clear views of the Intracoastal.
A surf-riding pool, a lazy river, a three-story water slide and four pools for adults and youngsters are among its features. A portion of it will be open as part of phase one; the remainder is expected to be completed in 2022.
Spa Palmera is to reopen in December as well.
With the closing of the convention facility, the focus for group bookings will be for smaller conferences, according to hotel officials.
A number of restaurants are opening or have already come aboard, some operating under the Major Food Group of Miami umbrella.
The Flamingo Grill, a tropical-themed chophouse, already is serving lunch and dinner with servers in pale pink jackets preparing foods such as cherries jubilee and Caesar salad tableside.
Sadelle’s, a noted New York brunch spot run by the Major Food Group, will open in November to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner until the other restaurants on the property are open. Then it will revert to breakfast and brunch only.
The Palm Court will occupy the main large space in the center of the Cloister. Lunch, light bites, charcuterie and cocktails will be served there.
A new chocolate shop is called Maison Rose. Signature gold-leaf French macaroons and handmade chocolates will be sold.
Opening next year are an Italian concept restaurant and a Japanese concept from MFG.
The star of the dining program is the MB Supper Club. Harkening to the glamorous “new golden era” campaign, the venue will be a luxury supper club that evokes the Monkey Bar popular with the early visitors to the hotel. Along with select nights of entertainment, there will be tableside presentations of classic dishes served on vintage plates from the hotel. Servers and hostesses will wear uniforms and gowns reminiscent of the 1930s supper club staff. Diners will have the option of sitting outdoors, or indoors at the bar as well as in the main room.
To staff the resort, two job fairs are being held in November in an attempt to bring in 400 workers. Addressing the workforce situation, specifically one versed in luxury service, Hostettler said he is looking for those who are enthusiastic and who can engage with guests — the methods and details of luxe service, he says, can be taught.
So far, he’s pleased that hiring has been successful, going against an industry trend of workers who sign on, but drop off shortly after.
The Boca Raton and its restaurants will be open to members and their guests only beginning Dec. 17. Membership figures have not been released, but an increase in fees from years back is expected.

New leadership team
Hostettler announced the new members of the resort’s senior executive leadership team overseeing phase one, marketing and branding, sales and staffing.  
The new team includes Erica S. Kasel as chief marketing officer, Emily Snyder as chief sales officer, and Maria Burns-Aladro as chief human resources officer.
“Our eyes are set on elevating The Boca Raton to extraordinary new heights, and we’ve curated a powerhouse lineup of well-respected leaders to steer us into the future,” Hostettler said.
In Kasel’s previous role heading up marketing at Chanel U.S., she led strategic communications, events and digital initiatives across the fashion, watch and fine-jewelry division. Most recent, Kasel was managing director at Traub, a global advisory firm, where she developed retail marketing and business strategies.
Prior to that, she relaunched Clé de Peau Beauté for Shiseido’s brand team in Tokyo as chief marketing officer and chief experience officer of Jane Smith Agency. She was also vice president of marketing at American Express Publishing, where she published Departures and launched Centurion magazines.
Snyder recently led and recruited a global sales team for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. Burns-Aladro brings 30 years of experience into her new role as The Boca Raton’s chief human resources officer. Her most recent position at The Boca Raton was as director of human resources.
The Boca Raton, 501 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton. Phone 561-288-9944; www.thebocaraton.com.
Christine Davis contributed to this story.

A caravan through John Prince Park on Oct. 10 in Lake Worth Beach raised money for Gold Coast Down Syndrome. The organization used a caravan instead of its traditional walk for the second consecutive year. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Philanthropy Season Preview

By Rich Pollack

It was May of 2020 and like many other leaders of nonprofit organizations, Anne Dichele was starting to worry.
For 26 years Dichele’s organization — Gold Coast Down Syndrome — had been doing a fundraising walk that generated revenue accounting for about two-thirds of the nonprofit’s annual budget.
After more than a month of a statewide stay-at-home order, Dichele and Development Director Corinne Pike were struggling to figure out how to replace the Downright ExtraOrdinary Walk during the pandemic.
“The heart and soul of our organization is our connections, so we couldn’t imagine being socially distanced,” said Dichele, the Boynton Beach organization’s executive director. “We were trying to come up with a way to keep the connection during a pandemic when an idea just popped into my head. I just looked at her and said, ‘We’ll do a car caravan.’”
First held in October 2020, the event surpassed most expectations, bringing more than 100 decorated cars to a loud and boisterous vehicle parade through John Prince Park. Students from local schools were among those who cheered on kids and adults with Down syndrome and their families as they paraded past.
Throughout Palm Beach County, nonprofit organizations spent much of the spring and summer of 2020 wondering how they would replace the money typically received from major fundraising events.
“It was a year of Zoom events and golf tournaments,” said Chiara Clark, a member of the board of the Delray Beach Public Library and a former president of the Parents Auxiliary at Gulf Stream School. “The gifts were masks and hand sanitizers.”
Still, several organizations like Gold Coast Down Syndrome decided to think outside the Zoom boxes and come up with innovative alternatives.
“Even though we couldn’t be actually ‘together together,’ we could still be together,” Dichele said.
The George Snow Scholarship Fund pivoted from holding its longtime Ballroom Battle in front of a crowd in a hotel ballroom to one telecast from the WPTV studios on a Saturday night in 2020 and again in August 2021.
To raise money for the Festival of the Arts Boca and replace the revenue that would have been generated by a first-ever gala, Executive Director Joanna Marie Kaye tapped into her longtime public television background and held an event reminiscent of a PBS pledge drive.
At the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County, the annual LOOP for Literacy that typically brought 300 supporters together for a successful fundraiser, became LOOP Your Way with supporters collecting donations and bicycling, running or walking their own loop wherever they were and submitting photos.
Faced with not being able to gather close to 1,200 people together for the annual Brain Bowl luncheon — which raises money to support those living with Alzheimer’s, dementia and related diseases, as well as their caregivers — organizers created Bark and Browse, an outdoor fundraiser that drew 400 supporters.
“It was wonderful because people were together,” said Brain Bowl Events founder and CEO Pamela Higer-Polani, adding that masks and hand sanitizer were plentiful. “Brain Bowl is about connections, and connecting people over Zoom doesn’t always make people feel warm and valued.”

Boca’s Ballroom Battle shifted to telecasts from a TV studio. The 2020 and ’21 shows each drew about 20,000 viewers and raised about $40,000 during the telecasts. Photo provided

Changes proved successful
Although each organization took a different approach to raising money, most say they raised enough money to beat previous years’ revenue or at least surpass their goals.
“There were plenty of nonprofit organizations that did better because they were able to be nimble and raise money around the new things they were doing,” said Vicki Pugh, CEO of Advancement Experts, which works with nonprofits on development and capacity building.
Pugh says communication was crucial to the success of organizations that moved in a different fundraising direction during the pandemic.
“It was really important for organizations that pivoted to keep in touch with their donors and to tell them what they were doing,” she said. “Building a new case for support was what kept nonprofits afloat.”
For many, sponsorships were critical. Another key to the monetary success was a reduction in expenses that come with a live event.
“We netted more money than we did when we did the Ballroom Battle live,” said Tim Snow, president of the George Snow Scholarship Fund.
Like many other organizations, Snow’s team wanted to stay close to an event that worked well in the past.
For almost 15 years, the Ballroom Battle has teamed community leaders with professional dancers, similar to ABC’s Dancing With The Stars, with the dancers who raised the most money being declared winners.
In previous years the event was held at the Boca Raton Resort and Club, drawing about 800 guests who would make donations for dancers and participate in auctions. The event, Snow said, raised about one-fourth of the organization’s annual budget.
“We knew it was a widely successful event for us,” he said, adding that at one point organizers considered renting a drive-in theater and holding the event there.
Instead, listening to TV one Saturday morning while doing chores, Snow saw celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse promoting products and realized that television might work.
With a 7 p.m. spot on a Saturday night, the 2020 and 2021 Ballroom Battles each drew an estimated 20,000 viewers and raised about $40,000 while on the air, in addition to the money raised by the dancers prior to the broadcasts. The telecasts, which showed pre-recorded dance and other segments, also were streamed on the Snow scholarship website and available on YouTube.
“This gave us an opportunity to tell our story to a different audience,” Snow said. “We were fortunate we had an event that translated to television.”

Joanna Marie Kaye and Olivia Hollaus of Festival of the Arts Boca took a fundraiser online and made it like a PBS pledge drive, with entertainment and a pitch for donations. Photo provided

Pledge drive event for art
For the Festival of the Arts Boca, putting two weeks of events on TV wasn’t an option, but Joanna Marie Kaye’s television experience came in handy when the organization used the internet for two events.
Plans for a 15th anniversary gala in June were upended so Kaye and her team started looking at virtual galas — but none of what Kaye saw online matched the goals they were hoping to achieve.
“Then a light bulb went off and I thought why not do it like a PBS pledge drive,” she said.
Teaming up with board member Olivia Hollaus, Kaye hosted a live event on the organization’s website with individual taped musical performances from Joshua Bell and Larisa Martinez.
“You had the entertainment portion and then you had two people asking for money, explaining the mission and why it’s important,” Kaye said.
As part of the event, which was also available on YouTube, supporters could sign up for a “party in place,” which could include something like a bottle of prosecco and chocolates delivered prior to the event.
The organization also revamped its successful Festival of the Arts event, hosting online lectures and performances that would normally be live — but with a twist. This time around, the performances were free, but included requests for donations.
The performances were watched by hundreds of people in 21 countries and generated enough money, along with sponsorships, to surpass financial goals. The pledge drive event also exceeded the goals.

Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County changed LOOP for Literacy to LOOP Your Way. Supporters biked, ran or walked wherever they chose. Board President Len Gray took part in February from Lenox, Massachusetts. Photo provided

Outdoors worked well
For three other organizations, outdoor events — some reimagined and some new — proved to be successful during the pandemic.
The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County discovered success by changing a longtime event — LOOP for Literacy — from a group bike ride, walk or jog in the Lake Worth area to LOOP Your Way, where supporters could do the same activities but do them wherever they were and when it was convenient.
“The key is finding the unique parts of an event that make it successful and adapting that effort to reach your goal,” said Kristin Calder, the literary coalition’s CEO.
She said changes to the loop event were welcomed by participants. “It allowed more people to participate on their own schedule.”
The event raised a record $80,000.
“It was never about are we going to do it,” Calder said. “It was about how are we going to do it.”
As part of the event, each participant was able to pick up a T-shirt, a medal and a $10 gift certificate to Park Avenue BBQ Grille and get a tour of the coalition’s office at the same time.
“Getting the shirt, the medal and the barbecue helped provide a sense of normalcy in abnormal times,” Calder said.
The coalition also continued another key event, its Grand Bee, in which teams competed online in a literary-themed trivia contest.

Brain Bowl CEO Pamela Higer-Polani and her husband, Mark Polani, with Sunshine at Bark and Browse. The fundraiser replaced a luncheon to support people living with Alzheimer’s and related diseases. Photo provided

For the team at the Brain Bowl, Bark and Browse was a way to keep a very successful event going, and it was a chance to focus on pets and the role they play in helping people with cognitive issues.
“One of our goals was to bring attention to pets that provide much-needed emotional support to families coping with the stress of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, dementia and other related neuro-cognitive disorders,” Higer-Polani said.
As part of the event, a contest took place in which individuals could pay money and vote for their favorite pets online.
The outdoor portion of the fundraiser, at Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park, offered visitors more than 60 vendors selling goods and services.
A portion of the money raised from the event went to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to help with the purchase of Jess, a dog used in search-and-rescue missions, often involving dementia patients. Additional money went to the Alzheimer’s Association to support a local Brain Bus, which through its travels raises awareness in the community.
Higer-Polani says that one of the most important parts of the Brain Bowl is its ability to show caregivers and people with Alzheimer’s that they are appreciated.
“People feel validated, included and cherished,” she said.
Those same feelings were shared by people who participated in Gold Coast Down Syndrome’s caravan.
Dichele said her organization was pleased with the financial results and by the outpouring of support from people in and around the caravan — an event that was different from what worked in the past.
“We made the choice to do the caravan based 100% on who we are as a Gold Coast family,” she said. “We just couldn’t picture a successful event where people weren’t together.”

Co-Chairwomen Clara Acero and Kari Oeltjen of the Junior League of Boca Raton’s 34th annual Woman Volunteer of the Year luncheon. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

“Celebrating A Renaissance of Community” will serve as the theme for the 34th annual Woman Volunteer of the Year luncheon benefiting the Junior League of Boca Raton.
The extravaganza returns to The Boca Raton, formerly the Boca Raton Resort & Club, after a hiatus in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The chairs felt like we’re sort of coming out of the dark ages,” league President Jamie Sauer said, referring to Co-Chairwomen Clara Acero and Kari Oeltjen. “It’s just really nice to be able to get together and honor the volunteers who have made so much of a difference, especially at a time like this.”
The nonprofit’s largest fundraiser begins at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 12 with a VIP reception and runs until 1:30 p.m. A total of 22 nominees will be recognized this year.
“These women are all absolutely incredible,” Sauer said. “To have been an active volunteer during the last year and a half is so admirable and amazing. We’re excited to honor them.”
The luncheon’s highlight is the Saks Fifth Avenue runway show that L’Agence fashion director Tara Rudes-Dann will headline. An after-party at Corvina Seafood Grill Royal Palm Place concludes the day.
Last year’s luncheon went virtual, featuring a look back at the hundreds of women who have been nominated over the years as well as the history of the service organization established 50 years ago.
“2020 was difficult on everybody,” Sauer said. “This is sort of like a new beginning, just to kind of come back in person and say thank you.”

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

If You Go
What: Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon
When: 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 12
Where: The Boca Raton, 501 E. Camino Real
Information: 561-620-2553 or www.jlbr.org.

Dec. 3: Attendees at the fundraiser for the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers will help support the community’s at-risk children through educational programming. Time is 6 to 11 p.m. Cost is $300. Call 561-391-7274, ext. 134 or visit www.ffcdc.org. ABOVE: (l-r) Honorary chairwoman Hiromi Printz, honorary chairman David Clark and chairwomen Simone Spiegel and Peg Anderson. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

Delray Beach’s Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse has announced a $40,000 challenge from a foundation that wants to remain anonymous.
Donations to AVDA’s Purple Pajama Party, a virtual fundraiser running through Dec. 1, will be matched dollar for dollar up to $40,000 and fund support services for those who are experiencing abuse at home. The matching gift comes amid a rise in domestic violence calls to the Delray Beach Police Department.
Pam O’Brien, the nonprofit’s president and CEO, says she “is deeply grateful to the anonymous family foundation for this generous matching gift.”
For more information, call 561-265-3797 or visit www.avdaonline.org.

FAU hires executive for fundraising advancement
Christopher Delisio has joined the Florida Atlantic University staff as vice president of institutional advancement.
He brings more than 25 years of development experience, most recently as executive director of principal gifts at The Ohio State University.
Delisio, also the FAU Foundation’s new CEO, is responsible for community engagement, fundraising and cultivating gifts to FAU.
“Chris immediately stood out as the perfect fit to lead the charge here at FAU,” President John Kelly said. “He is a creative thinker with a proven track record who can be innovative but pragmatic and is highly receptive to new ideas.”
Said Delisio: “There are so many innovative and amazing things happening at FAU right now, and the nation is taking notice. To be a part of this remarkable team in an area like South Florida is incredibly exciting.”

Faulk Center brings in a new deputy director
The Faulk Center for Counseling recently welcomed its new deputy director of operations, Amy Bromhead.
Bromhead, who previously served as director of development for Alzheimer’s Community Care, will be responsible for development, fundraising and marketing strategies.
“The personal experiences I have had with someone living with mental health issues has strengthened my resolve to make sure that the mental health conversation is healthy and available,” Bromhead said. “It is a privilege to be a part of an organization that is providing such crucial services for all who might need them.”
The Boca Raton organization provides low- or no-cost mental health services to anyone in need.
For more information, call 561-483-5300 or visit https://faulkcenterforcounseling.org.

Pair of leaders join Boca Helping Hands
Boca Helping Hands has appointed Steve King as director of development.
King was born and raised in Miami and moved to Boca Raton in 1986. He was a member of Lynn University’s development office and, prior to that, had a career in private banking. He began volunteering at Boca Helping Hands in 2012.
“I found the mission of Boca Helping Hands most appealing,” he said. “Engaging with the clients was the most rewarding aspect of my volunteer experience. I look forward to making an even greater impact by creating stronger community partnerships and enhancing current programs.”
The agency also has appointed Jude Estime as controller. Born and raised in Haiti, Estime moved to the United States in 2002 and received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Florida Atlantic University and his MBA from Nova Southeastern University.
“I’m excited to be working with Boca Helping Hands,” Estime said. “The work they do in the community to not only feed people but also provide job training and job-readiness coaching, along with financial assistance, is some of the most important work being done in Palm Beach County right now.”
Boca Helping Hands is a community-based nonprofit that provides assistance to meet basic human needs as well as counseling, education and job training to create self-sufficiency.
For more information, call 561-417-0913 or visit www.bocahelpinghands.org.

Thanksgiving Box Brigade underway to provide meals
Boca Helping Hands’ five locations across Palm Beach County need help from the community to provide holiday meals to underserved people.
The organization is embarking on its 17th annual Thanksgiving Box Brigade program, which provides turkeys and boxes containing all the fixings. Donors can fill their own boxes with the dinner essentials or can contribute the cost of a box — $27.15. The deadline is Nov. 15.
“We are so grateful to the community each year for their food drives and Thanksgiving box donations,” said Greg Hazle, Boca Helping Hands’ executive director. “Their generosity means that people who would not otherwise be able to sit down for a holiday meal can enjoy one with their family.”
For more information, call 561-417-0913 or visit www.bocahelpinghands.org.

Agency aims to help the health care helpers
The Center for Child Counseling has launched a training program called Healing the Healers to address the challenges and stress people in the medical field face every day.
Helpers have been on the front lines during the pandemic supporting adults and children experiencing grief and loss. The four-hour training teaches them self-care and resilience-building strategies so they are not running on empty.
“Teaching these strategies is more important than ever as we witness front-line workers experiencing alarming rates of anxiety, depression, PTSD and even suicide as a result of the pandemic,” CFCC CEO Renée Layman said. “We must make sure that those who are helping to heal others are healthy themselves.”
For more information, call 561-244-9499 or visit www.centerforchildcounseling.org.

AmeriCorps volunteers address literacy needs
The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County has started recruiting volunteers for its AmeriCorps program.
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and available for either part- or full-time opportunities.
“Some college graduates aren’t sure what they want to do next, and participating in the Literacy AmeriCorps is a great way for them to explore options,” coalition board member Kelly Starling said.
AmeriCorps members each provide 1,700 hours of service in mentoring, tutoring and related literacy education at sites throughout the county. The needs are great as more than 22 percent of the adult population functions at the lowest level of literacy, and 47 percent of local students in grades three through 10 read below grade level.
For information, call 561-279-9103 or visit www.literacypbc.org.

Ocean Ridge resident Nick Kaleel ran the 125th edition of the race, postponed from April because of the pandemic, in 2 hours, 37 minutes and 14 seconds. That's a pace of 6 minutes per mile on the 26.2-mile course. Kaleel, 26, was a track and field and cross-country athlete in high school and college. Family, friends and spectators cheered him on. Photo provided by Hilary Swift