Spaces at Mounts Botanical Garden offer inspiration for gardeners and nature lovers. Coastal Star file photos

A holiday guide worthy of two green thumbs-up from gardeners and nature lovers

By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley

Nature has helped many of us cope with coronavirus pandemic restrictions over the past two years. Your physical and spiritual renewal may have come when you stepped into the backyard to get your hands dirty, wandered a park path or simply opened a book about the birds and the bees.
And now that it’s the holidays, you may want to make communing with nature an important part of your gift giving. To get you thinking, here are some suggestions:
Art Lovers: For those who want to combine Mother Nature’s and man’s works of art in one gift, you might facilitate a prepaid visit to a venue that includes indoor as well as outdoor art exhibits.
The Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach not only houses an indoor art collection, it also features a “museum in a garden.” Sculptures are placed in outdoor galleries filled with plants that complement the artwork. Mother Nature’s works include a collection of native palm trees.
Reserved-time entry tickets can be ordered and prepaid online (general admission $18, www.Norton.org).

Treat that special someone to a day of art in the garden. Sculptures are placed in outdoor galleries filled with plants that complement the artwork at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach.

When you start to tire, The Restaurant at the Norton is a great place to get a bite with a view of the gardens. To include luncheon with your gift recipient’s visit, call The Restaurant at 561-268-0500 for reservations and to arrange payment.
Or try the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens (www.ansg.org). Also in West Palm Beach, it is housed in sculptor Ann Norton’s historic home and on the surrounding property. Your recipient can view more than 100 of her works, including nine monumental sculptures displayed outdoors among 250 varieties of palm trees and cycads.
To arrange for a prepaid admission ticket to be waiting, call the museum (561-832-5328; adult admission $15).

The zen garden at the Morikami offers a place for reflection.

Another venue to consider is the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach (www.Morikami.org; adult admission $15). Your recipients will feel more like they have been whisked away to Asia rather than just visiting a museum.
Here they can immerse themselves in six distinct gardens inspired by significant landscapes in Japan. These include the Shin-Den garden, Paradise garden and Hiraniwa Flat Garden.
And if you want to provide a lunch break, the Cornell restaurant is ready to serve a Pan-Asian meal on the museum grounds.
To arrange a visit as a gift, call the museum (561-495-0233) and request an admissions gift certificate. If you are including lunch, the desk can transfer you to the Cornell Café where you will need to request a separate certificate.
Tell the café that you are also purchasing an admissions certificate and the two will be mailed together either to yourself or directly to the recipient, whichever you prefer.
Botanic break: For someone who likes to make regular visits to a garden, consider giving a membership to the 14-acre Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach (www.mounts.org; tax-deductible memberships start at $50 for one year).
You’ll be providing year-round access to Mounts’ 25 garden areas, including a rose and fragrance garden, a tranquility garden and a dry stream-bed garden.
A perk you get with membership is participation in the Reciprocal Admissions Program of the American Horticultural Society. It provides free access to 340 gardens nationwide.
In fact, you may want to check out RAP as an alternative gift idea. If you join the AHS (https://ahsgardening.org, starting at $35), you get direct access to the gardens nationwide plus other perks.
Pack a picnic: To make your gift a little more personal, plan a picnic and enjoy it with the recipient in a garden. We recommend two parks that have free admission and encourage people to bring meals.
In fact, the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach (www.fourarts.org) highly recommends that you bring lunch.
Here, your dining venue might be the 2.2-acre Philip Hulitar Sculpture Garden or the Four Arts Botanical Gardens. Besides seeing artworks from the permanent collection, you can visit a variety of garden “rooms” that demonstrate what can be done with landscaping in our climate.
Or visit Pan’s Garden, which is part of the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach (www.palmbeachpreservation.org). It is known for its native plants as well as its namesake bronze statue of Pan of Rohallion.
Set in a fountain near the entrance to the garden, Pan welcomes you as well as the many birds and butterflies that make this well-curated native landscape their home.
Of course, picnickers are welcome only as long as they clean up after their meals.

Dig this: To any friends or family who like to get outside and dig in the dirt, you might give a native plant. And to make your gift more personal, offer to help plant it.
A native plant is a gift that keeps on giving by requiring little maintenance and attracting more wildlife than exotic varieties do.
For example, dune sunflowers, which are particularly suited to the coastal clime, attract birds, moths and bees; beautyberry’s bright purple fruit brings in over 40 species of birds including woodpeckers and mockingbirds.
You can find a good selection at local native nurseries including Meadow Beauty Nursery (www.meadowbeautynursery.com), Amelia’s Smarty Plants (www.amelias-smartyplants.com) plus Indian Trails Native Nursery (https://indiantrails.vpweb.com), all in Lake Worth; or Native Choice Nursery (www.nativechoicenursery.com) in Boynton Beach.
The owners are knowledgeable and can help with your selection, making sure the plants can withstand the coastal elements of sand, wind and salt. Check online for hours and the need for an appointment.
DIY: For the avid gardener as well as the beginner, give a must-have garden tool. We can personally recommend any of the many types of clippers made by Felco. These red-handled precision tools are well-constructed and designed to make trimming your greenery easier.
Although the whole line of clippers is designed for comfortable use, you can purchase ergonomically correct models too.
For those who tackle big jobs, you might select a ratcheted lopper. The ratchet mechanism clicks each time you close the handles, increasing the mechanical pressure on whatever you are cutting. This provides much more power than the scissor-like variety.
I find that the gear on my Fiskars brand loppers allows me to cut small tree and bush trunks of soft wood that are 4 inches thick.

Native license plate: The Florida Native Plant Society, with a chapter in Palm Beach County, has worked with the state to make a native license plate available for the first time this year.
The “Florida Native” plate was designed by Peter Agardy and features a wooded scene fashioned entirely from Florida native plants. Agardy is a fourth-generation Floridian known in the tri-county area for his nature paintings and outdoor murals.
A voucher for the license plate costs $34 and can be bought at any Florida county tax collector’s office or at www.floridanativelicenseplate.com, where it’s set up to let you purchase a voucher as a gift.
As soon as 3,000 vouchers have been sold, the plates will be printed and each buyer will receive a new license plate.
Of course, your gift also will help fund FNPS in its mission to bring more native plants to Florida landscapes.

Put up your feet: For people who prefer to read about gardening or want information they can use to create their own backyard masterpieces, plenty of books are available for giving.
You might select A Gardener’s Guide to Florida’s Native Plants (2001; $19.99 list) by Rufino Osorio. One local reader and avid gardener describes it as “a great book written by a Palm Beach County resident, well-illustrated and in simple terms.”
If that doesn’t suit, there’s University of Delaware entomology professor Douglas W. Tallamy’s newest book, Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard (2020; $29.95 list).
Both in his lectures that I’ve attended and his book, he explains how you can become nature’s best hope for survival by filling your yard with native plants that help create a conservation corridor protecting wildlife.
Remember that date: Photographer Irma Hale — whose father, Reuben Hale, was a prominent West Palm Beach sculptor and whose mother, Marie Hale, was an artistic director of Ballet Florida in West Palm Beach — has created a 2022 calendar.
“Garden Delights” celebrates beautiful blooms and can be purchased for $18.99 at www.irmahalephotography.com.
Spa essentials: Pamper your gift recipient with boutique beauty products compounded from botanicals. Plants used in these might include sunflower, an emollient and skin conditioner; the soothing and healing chamomile; and avocado, which acts as an antioxidant.
Some spas provide botanical treatments and products, or you can buy them online, where you’ll also find recipes for making your own.
Good at any age: For access to an indoor activity with an outdoor theme, give a jigsaw puzzle depicting the great outdoors.
This time of year, puzzles with snow-covered evergreens and holiday bedecked gardens make for great gifts and family activities.
In general, the greater the number of pieces, the more difficult the puzzle and the more space it probably will require to assemble. Springbok is my puzzle brand of choice for its high quality and challenging piece design.
We hope that during this holiday season, when you get together with nature-loving family and friends, these ideas will facilitate meaningful gift giving. But remember, Mother Nature bestows her gifts on anyone who just goes outdoors.

You can reach Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley at debhartz@att.net.

Frank McKinney arrives to the gathering by flaming jet ski. BELOW: Guests take part in a unification ceremony at the firepit outside his Delray Beach home. Photos by Tim
Stepien/The Coastal Star

Billed as ‘An Interactive + Thrilling Sensory Assault,’ the debut of Frank McKinney’s new book, ‘Aspire! How to Create Your Own Reality and Alter Your DNA,’ was a thrill for 111 exclusive guests. Proceeds supported McKinney’s Caring House Project Foundation work in Haiti.

(L-R) Lantana Town Manager Brian Raducci, ocean lifeguard Marc Fichner and senior ocean lifeguard and paramedic Ryan Fullerton. Photo provided by Town of Lantana

Town Manager Brian Raducci presented Hometown Heroes awards to two lifeguards who rescued a 67-year-old swimmer Oct. 21. Senior ocean lifeguard and paramedic Ryan Fullerton and ocean lifeguard Marc Fichner saw the man in distress and pulled him from the surf. They called police for assistance and administered AED shocks, which gave the victim a slight pulse. They continued their lifesaving efforts until Palm Beach County Fire Rescue personnel arrived and transported the man to the Delray Medical Center for additional treatment.

(L-R) Deanna Martin, Joe Piscopo and Sally Valenti. Photo provided

Il Circolo, The Italian Cultural Society was represented at the National Italian American Foundation’s annual extravaganza. President Paul Finizio and members Antonella Brancaccio, Paolo Mangia and Debi Rodi flew from South Florida and were joined by Sally Valenti. Guests heard a virtual message from Tony Bennett, and Joe Piscopo, the emcee, kept them laughing. Deana Martin, Dean Martin’s daughter, sang an Italian folk song.

Bill Porter and Lois Pope. Photo provided by Capehart

American Humane celebrated its 11th annual awards event, in which Boone, a 4-year-old beagle, won the top honor. Four-legged and two-legged guests came together to honor the nation’s bravest pooches and enjoy live music and dancing and an appearance by television personality Carson Kressley.

(L-R) Renee Plevy, Judi Asselta, Kim Champion, Shari Upbin and Alyce Erickson. Photo provided

Boca Ballet Theatre’s Dan Guin and Jane Tyree received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Society of Arts and Letters annual affair. The Florida East Coast Chapter put on a dazzling event that brought out patrons to see the phenomenal performances of this year’s scholarship winners. ‘We are so grateful for the community’s support for NSAL of Florida,’ event Chairwoman Kim Champion said. ‘The Star Maker Awards provides a unique opportunity for the community to meet our local and national scholarship and competition recipients and be mesmerized by their talent.’

(L-R) Laura Malone, EJ Kunmann with service dog Jackie, Keith Shampaner with service dog Goose, Don Werner with service dog Teddy, Mel Pollack, Jim Nau, Boca airport Executive Director Clara Bennett, Lisa Fendrich, Bob Tucker, Alan Feinberg with service dog Lexi and Bob Engelman with service dog Latte. Photo provided

The Boca Raton Airport Authority presented a $7,000 donation to Vets Helping Heroes, which provides financial support for service dogs to help active-duty and retired members of the military recovering from physical and psychological challenges. The funds will be used to train future service dogs that are given to clients at no cost. ‘We are honored to provide Vets Helping Heroes with this donation as a way to honor those who served and help carry out their mission,’ airport authority Executive Director Clara Bennett said.

(L-R) Kristin Calder, the coalition's CEO, with Tandy Robinson, author Michael Connelly and Maggie Dickenson. Photo provided

Thanks to a generous audience and the draw of bestselling author Michael Connelly, the 30th annual fundraiser brought in more than $150,000 for literacy programs throughout Palm Beach County. Nearly 450 guests attended while dozens more tuned in virtually. Connelly, a former South Florida crime reporter, talked about his life’s journey to becoming one of the most well-known authors in the world.

(L-R) Jeff and Aggie Stoops with board treasurer Steve Bernstein. Photo provided by Tracey Benson Photography

HomeSafe CEO Matthew Ladika announced a $5 million gift from Aggie and Jeff Stoops to the nonprofit, whose mission is to help victims of child abuse and domestic violence. A gathering of supporters attended the dedication of the Stoops Family Foundation Residential Cottage, named after the donors. ‘HomeSafe is changing lives, and we are excited to be a part of its continued success, helping vulnerable children and families who have experienced abuse and neglect,’ said Aggie Stoops, vice president of the HomeSafe board.

(L-R) Mark Larkin, Clara Smith, Kari Oeltjen, Debralyn Belletieri, Hollie Rockwell Trubinky, Jamie Sauer and Dr. Kathy Schilling. Photo provided

Debralyn Belletieri, of the American Association of Caregiving Youth, was named Woman Volunteer of the Year at the Junior League of Boca Raton’s 34th annual event. Among the highlights was a runway fashion show presented by Saks Fifth Avenue and headlined by Tara Rudes-Dann, of L’Agence. ‘Debralyn Belletieri has touched the lives of so many children and families, and her dedication has made a tremendous impact on our community,’ league President Jamie Sauer said. ‘We offer Debralyn our heartfelt congratulations on this well-deserved honor and our gratitude to her and to all of the incredible nominees.’

By Amy Woods

Boca Raton residents and philanthropists Michael and Michelle Hagerty have made their third seven-figure gift to “Keeping the Promise — The Campaign for Boca Raton Regional Hospital.”
The $5 million contribution in support of residency programs brings their total gift to $8.5 million. The couple’s support is one of several seven- and eight-figure donations to an endeavor that has surpassed the $212 million mark.
“When donors make repeated gifts to our capital campaign, it’s clear they believe in our vision for the future,” said Lincoln Mendez, CEO of Boca Raton Regional Hospital. “We are grateful for their role in the success of the campaign, and their demonstration of faith in our campus initiative is irreplaceable.”
The institution serves as the primary teaching site for Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, offering residency programs in internal medicine, neurology and surgery.
The Hagertys’ latest gift will be recognized in the naming of the Center for Graduate Medical Education.
For more information, call 561-955-4142 or visit https://donate.brrh.com.

Two honored for fight against homelessness
More than 1,000 community members joined The Lord’s Place at its Ending Homelessness Breakfast, a virtual event with the theme “Clearing the Way.”
A total of $240,000 has been raised of the $250,000 goal. Awards were presented to people who are catalysts for breaking the cycle of living on the streets. Anna Mann de Peyster received the Ending Homelessness Award.
“Anna Mann de Peyster’s humble and kind nature has changed the landscape for The Lord’s Place and furthered our mission in ending the cycle of homelessness here in Palm Beach County,” CEO Diana Stanley said. “Anna has always had great compassion to help those in most need.”
Daryl Houston, of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, was named Unsung Hero.
“He has changed the landscape in his professional role through his outstanding character, integrity, kindness and humility,” Stanley said. “His footprints have changed our community yet he never expects applause or even acknowledgment.”
For more information, call 561-494-0125 or visit https://thelordsplace.org.

Grants are available for young philanthropists
Members of the Jewish Women’s Foundation believe in the next generation so much that they have created a microgrant program that invests in teens and young adults who want to effect change.
Since the beginning of 2021, the foundation has awarded three microgrants and wants to fund more.
“This microgrant program was born from our trustees’ vision to encourage young philanthropists to find their own voices,” said Dana Egert, chairwoman of the initiative. “We want to reach more young people with this grant program, which we believe is a great start to furthering civic leadership, entrepreneurship and partnerships among existing organizations.”
Applicants must live in the Boca Raton/Delray Beach/Highland Beach area, and their projects must be sponsored by a Jewish organization. For more information, call 561-852-3100 or visit https://jfspbc.org/jwf.

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

Boca Regional Hospital Ball committee members (l-r, front) Barbara Cohen, Freyda Burns, Joan Wargo, Debbie Lindstrom, Holli Rockwell Trubinsky, Margaret Mary Shuff, Pat Thomas, (back) Cristina Lewis, Alejandra Lippolis, Judi Larkin, Deborah Leising, Carrie Rubin, Amy Kazma, Emily Grabelsky, Judi Schuman, Arlene Ferrara and Dana Weiss. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

The legend known as Sting will headline the 2022 Boca Raton Regional Hospital Ball, an already sold-out affair that aims to raise $3 million.
Through underwriting by philanthropists Bob Sheetz and Debbie Lindstrom as well as The Geo Group Foundation and the Stoops Family Foundation, the singer, songwriter, actor, author and all-around celebrity will take the stage Jan. 8 at The Boca Raton.
“Sting is a most definite wow,” said Mark Larkin, the hospital foundation’s president. “It is Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation’s intention that our guests have a memorable evening to share with their family and friends, not only the day after but as an experience that will remain second to none for years to come.”
Proceeds from the black-tie event will enhance and expand patient-care services via “Keeping the Promise — The Campaign for Boca Raton Regional Hospital.”
“Since the ball’s inception and maintaining the spirit of the gala’s purpose, our legacy for the past 59 years has been a hospital built by the community to provide the very best medical care and services for our region and South Florida,” Larkin said. “This would never have been possible without the commitment of our local supporters, who make Boca Raton Regional Hospital an outstanding medical facility each and every day.”
Activities include a lavish cocktail reception followed by a gourmet three-course dinner, libations and decadent sweets. Ten outstanding nurses, recognized as health care heroes for their commitment and dedication to the job, will be honored.
“The Boca Raton Regional Hospital Ball is one of the premier events of Boca Raton’s social season, making it a must-attend gala mainly because of our mission,” Larkin said. “It’s a way of celebrating the incredible health care delivered to this community and honoring the heroes who dedicate their lives to caring for others.”

Note: Events are current as of 11/24. Please check with organizers for any changes.

DECEMBER 4
Saturday - 12/4-5 - Boca Raton Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival at Sanborn Square, 77 N Federal Hwy. 100+ artisans: painting, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, photography, glass, mixed-media, more. 10 am-5 pm. Free/admission. paragonartevents.com
12/4 - Semi-Annual Affordable Art Show: Holiday Edition at Boynton Beach Arts & Cultural Center, 125 E Ocean Ave. M-F 10 am-8 pm; Sat 10 am-1 pm. 561-742-6000; boynton-beach.org

12/4 - Annual Boynton Beach Holiday Parade in Downtown Boynton, 100 NE 4th St. 4-8 pm. Free. 561-742-6010; boynton-beach.org
12/4 - Merry in Mizner in Mizner Park, 327 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. Surprise pop-up entertainment sprinkled throughout Mizner Park under the holiday lights; unique strolling performers each night. Held again 12/10-11. 6-10 pm. Free. 561-367-7073; myboca.us/specialevents
12/4-5 - Holly House Fall and Holiday Sales at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach, 33 Gleason St. Holiday decorations, arts/crafts, jewelry, treasures, more. Open through 12/19 T/Th 10 am-noon; Sat/Sun 10 am-1 pm. 561-276-6338; firstdelray.com
12/4-5 - Ballet Palm Beach Presents The Nutcracker at Kravis Center Dreyfoos Hall, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. Sat 7 pm; Sun 1 & 5 pm. Tickets start at $20. 561-686-4244; balletpalmbeach.org
12/4-5 - Zoo Lights! at Palm Beach Zoo, 1301 Summit Blvd, West Palm Beach. Palm Beach Zoo’s first time to be illuminated for the holidays, over one million eco-friendly lights. Unique themed displays from the entrance through the Florida Wetlands & Tropics of the Americas. Photos w/Santa through 12/23. Runs certain days through 1/2 6-9 pm. Adult $14.95-$17.95; Child 3-12 $12.95-$14.95; free/child under 3. Advance online ticket purchase required: 561-547-9453; palmbeachzoo.org
12/4-5 - Winter Spectacular at The Wick Theatre and Costume Museum, 7901 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton. Runs through 12/19. W/Th/F/Sat 7:30 pm; W/Th/Sat/Sun 2 pm. $75-$115. 561-995-2333; thewick.org
12/4-9 - Boca Raton Airport 5th Annual Toys for Tots Drive at 9 drop-off locations at or near the airport; check website for locations. New unwrapped toys only, please. 561-591-4547; bocaairport.com
12/4-31 - Holiday in Paradise: Sandi Hangs 10 at Waterfront Commons Great Lawn, 100 N Clematis St, West Palm Beach. Sandi, the 35-foot, 700-ton holiday sand tree turns 10. Nightly light shows. Family friendly. 6-10 pm. Free. 561-822-1515; wpb.org

DECEMBER 5-11
Sunday - 12/5 - Christmas Tree Lighting & Festivities at Flagler Museum, One Whitehall Way, Palm Beach. Noon-5 pm. Free w/museum admission. 561-655-2833; flaglermuseum.us
12/5 – 18th Annual Gingerbread Holiday Concert at Lynn University Wold Performing Arts Center, 3601 N Military Tr, Boca Raton. 3 pm. $35. 561-237-7000; lynn.edu/events
12/5 - Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis: Big Band Holidays at The Society of the Four Arts Gubelmann Auditorium, 100 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach. 3 pm. Free/member; $30/non-member. Reservations: 561-655-7226; fourarts.org
12/5 - A Holiday Celebration & Toy Drive with FAU’s Chamber Singers, Schola Cantorum of Florida, & FAU’s Cantemos at Florida Atlantic University Theatre Amphitheater, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Bring an unwrapped toy. 3-5 pm. Free. 561-297-6124; fauevents.com
12/5 - Chabad of South Palm Beach Chanukah Concert at Plaza del Mar, 224 S Ocean Blvd, Manalapan. Outdoors; grand menorah lighting; latkes, donuts, crafts. 4:30 pm. Free/admission.  561-889-3499; chabadspb.org
Tuesday - 12/7 - Palm Beach Symphony Fifth Annual Holly Jolly Symphony Fete at The Beach Club, 755 N County Rd, Palm Beach. Fine food, camaraderie, music, extensive silent auction. 10:30 am. $250. 561-586-0265; palmbeachsymphony.org 
Wednesday - 12/8 - Toys for Tots Holiday Celebration Collection Fundraiser presented by Zonta Club of Boca Raton & Miller’s Ale House, 9244 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 6-8 pm. Admission 1 new unwrapped toy; cash bar. zontabocaraton.org
12/8 - 50th Annual Boca Raton Holiday Street Parade begins at Federal Highway & SE 5th Street north to Mizner Park Amphitheater. 50+ floats & groups. Free parking at City Hall, 201 W Palmetto Park Rd; Downtown Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave; Building Administration, 200 NW 2nd Ave. 7:30-9 pm. Free. 561-393-7967; myboca.us/specialevents
Friday - 12/10 - 2nd Annual Milagro Center Virtual Holiday Mega Marketplace presented by Milagro Center, 360 SW 6th Ave, Delray Beach. Benefits after-school academic programs for underserved kids. Gift cards, hotel stays, artwork, much more at steep discounts. 12 hours only. 8 am-8 pm. 561-279-2970; milagrocenter.org
12/10 - Boynton Beach & Delray Beach 48th Annual Holiday Boat Parade from Lantana Ocean Ave Bridge to the C-15 canal. Viewing at Boynton Beach Intracoastal Park, Jaycee Park, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park in Boynton Beach. 6 pm live music at Boynton Harbor Marina; 6:30 pm parade starts. Free. 561-600-9097; boyntonbeachcra.com 
12/10-11 - A Night in Bethlehem at First United Methodist Church Boca Raton, 625 NE Mizner Blvd. Authentic Bethlehem Village; families wander through town, hear about the baby being born in the manger; visit different shops, create keepsakes to take home. Food trucks on site. 5:30-8 pm. Free. 561-395-1244; fumcbocaraton.org
12/10 - Movie Night at the Tree: The Santa Clause at Old School Square Pavilion, 51 N Swinton Ave. Bring lawn chairs, blankets. Delray Beach Police Department party trailer: free popcorn & sno-cones. 6:30-8 pm. Free. 561-243-7250; 100footchristmastree.com
12/10 - Lantana Drive-Thru Winterfest at Lantana Sports Park, 903 N 8th St. Holiday surprises available for children 12 & under while supplies last. Lantana residents only. 7-8:30 pm. Free. 561-540-5754; lantana.org/enjoy-lantana-events
12/10 - Screen on the Green: The Santa Clause 2 (G) at Waterfront Commons Great Lawn, 100 N Clematis St, West Palm Beach. Family friendly. 7-10 pm. Free. 561-822-1515; wpb.org
12/10 - Krampus Nacht: A Frighteningly Fun Kind of Christmas Party! at American German Club of the Palm Beaches, 5111 Lantana Rd, Lake Worth. 7-11 pm. $5/all ages. Reservations: 561-967-6464; americangermanclub.org
12/10 - Italian Broadway Christmas Show at Mizner Park Cultural Center, 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. 7:30 pm. $49. 844-672-2849; miznerparkculturalcenter.com
12/10 - The Hip Hop Nutcracker at Kravis Center Dreyfoos Hall, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. 8 pm. Tickets start at $25. 561-832-7469; kravis.org
12/10 - Divas Holiday Party at Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. 8 pm. $25. 561-586-6410; lakeworthplayhouse.org
Saturday - 12/11 - Breakfast with Santa at Boynton Beach Senior Center, 1021 S Fed Hwy. Santa & his Signing Elf make a special stop for a magical morning. Breakfast & a holiday craft included in registration. 9-11 am. $15/resident; $19/non-resident; free/age 18 month & under. Registration: 561-742-6640; boynton-beach.org
12/11 - Delray Beach Holiday Parade on Atlantic Avenue from Intracoastal Bridge to NW 5th Avenue. 70+ floats, marching bands, Santa riding the Delray Beach Fire Department truck. 6-9 pm. 561-243-7250; delraybeachfl.gov
12/11 - St. Mark’s Choir Interactive Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at Village Royale on the Green Clubhouse, 2505 NE 2nd Ct, Boynton Beach. Audience participation, Orson Welles’ original 1940 radio narration. 7:30 pm. $5/at the door. 561-734-9330; stmarkboynton.com

12/11 - Young Singers of The Palm Beaches present There Will Be Light at Kravis Center Dreyfoos Hall, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. Songs of Hanukkah, Christmas, the winter holidays; songs of hope to brighten your holiday, bring “light” back into your world. 7:30 pm. $15-$60. 561-832-7469; kravis.org
12/11 - Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches: Holiday Express at Palm Beach State College Duncan Theatre, 4200 Congress Ave, Lake Worth. 7:30 pm. $21. 561-832-3115; symphonicband.org
12/11-12 - 7th Annual Christkindlmarkt at American German Club of the Palm Beaches, 5111 Lantana Rd, Lake Worth. Authentic German Outdoor Christmas market. Workshops making Christmas ornaments, coloring pages, decorating miniature gingerbread houses, more. Variety of vendors, food. Sat 2-10 pm; Sun Noon-8 pm. Admission $10/age 21 & up; $5/age 12-20; free/under age 12. Registration: 561-967-6464; americangermanclub.org

DECEMBER 12-18
Sunday - 12/12 - Special Holiday Screening: The Nutcracker at The Society of the Four Arts Gubelmann Auditorium, 100 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach. 2 pm. Free. Reservations: 561-655-7226; fourarts.org
12/12 - A Festival of Lessons & Carols part of Music at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 188 S Swinton Ave, Delray Beach. 3 pm. $20/person; free/age 18 & under. 561-276-4541; musicstpaulsdelray.org
12/12 - Florida Intergenerational Orchestra Concert: Home for the Holidays at Our Lady of Lourdes Church O’Shea Hall, 22094 Lyons Rd, Boca Raton. 3 pm. $25/VIP; $15/adult; free/child under 12. 561-922-3134; flioa.org
12/12 - Carols on the Lawn at The Society of the Four Arts Philip Hulitar Sculpture Garden, 100 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach. Family-friendly performance by Palm Beach Atlantic University Chamber Choir. 4 pm. Free. 561-655-7226; fourarts.org
12/12 - FAU Tuba Christmas Concert at Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. Bring chairs/blankets. 5 pm. $20. 561-297-6124; fauevents.com
12/12 - George F. Handel’s Messiah at Florida Atlantic University Theatre, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 7 pm. $20. 561-297-6124; fauevents.com
Monday - 12/13 - Movie Mondays: Elf and Gift-Wrapping Demonstration at Boynton Beach City Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Adults. 11 am-1:30 pm. Free; popcorn & coffee provided. 561-742-6390; boyntonlibrary.org
12/13 - Garden of Lights at Mounts Botanical Garden, 531 N Military Tr, West Palm Beach. T-Sun through 12/23 6:30-8:30 pm (last entry 8 pm). $15/adult; $12/senior, student w/ID, active military; $7/child age 6-17. 561-233-1757; mounts.org
12/13 - School Christmas Concert at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, 840 George Bush Blvd, Delray Beach. 7 pm. Free. 276-6892; stvincentferrer.com
Tuesday - 12/14 - Crafts and Coffee: AccuCut Ornament at Boynton Beach City Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Materials & instruction provided. Adults. 5-7 pm. Free. 561-742-6390; boyntonlibrary.org
12/14 - St. George’s Society of Palm Beach Holiday Dinner Party at Ravish Restaurant, 210 E Ocean Ave, Lantana. Holiday dinner, raffle prizes, curated items for sale to support tree fundraisers.
6-8 pm. $75/member; $80/non-member. stgeorgessocietyofpalmbeach.org
Thursday - 12/16 - Gold Coast Band Holiday Concert: Sounds of the Season at First Baptist Church of Boynton Beach, 301 N Seacrest Blvd. 7-8:30 pm. $10/person. Advance online tickets: info@goldcoastband.org 
12/16 - Parish Christmas Concert at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, 840 George Bush Blvd, Delray Beach. 7 pm. Free. 276-6892; stvincentferrer.com
Friday - 12/17 - Friday Flicks: The Grinch at Centennial Park Under the Banyans, 120 E Ocean Ave, Boynton Beach. 5-8 pm. Free. 742-6010; boynton-beach.org/flicks
12/17 - Cocoa, Cookies, and Crafts at Old School Square Pavilion, 51 N Swinton Ave. Free hot cocoa, cookies & craft making under the 100 Ft. Christmas Tree. 6-8 pm. Free. 561-243-7250; 100footchristmastree.com
12/17 - Winter Wonderland Laser Lights & Bites at Cox Science Center and Aquarium, 4801 Dreher Tr N, West Palm Beach. 6-9 pm. $16.95/adult; $14.95/senior; $12.95/child, $12.95/adult member; free/child member. 561-832-1988; coxsciencecenter.org
Saturday - 12/18 - Holiday Jukebox with Special Guest Joe Piscopo at Boca Black Box Center for the Arts, 8221 Glades Rd #10, Boca Raton. Two shows: 6 & 9 pm. $46.35-$61.80. 561-483-9036; bocablackbox.com
12/18 - Boca Raton 47th Annual Holiday Boat Parade from C-15 Canal to Hillsboro Bridge. Bleacher viewing at Red Reef Park. 6:30-8:30 pm. Free. 561-393-7967; myboca.us/specialevents
12/18 - Florida Wind Symphony Jazz Orchestra: Holidays with the Duke! at Florida Atlantic University Theatre, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 7 pm. $20. 561-297-6124; fauevents.com
12/18-19 - The Nutcracker, Act II at The Countess de Hoernle Theatre, 5100 Jog Rd, Boca Raton. Masks/assigned seating required for in-person attendance; or live-stream in real time email access provided 2 days prior to performance. 3 pm. $26/in-person or live-stream; $40/high resolution video. 561-998-8038; harid.edu
12/18-22 - Holiday Evening Tour at Flagler Museum, One Whitehall Way, Palm Beach. Tours begin at 6:45 pm. $25/adult; $20/child under 18. Advance purchase required: 561-655-2833 x10; flaglermuseum.us

DECEMBER 19-25
Sunday - 12/19 - Sunday on the Waterfront: Aloha Islanders Tropical Holiday Spectacular at Waterfront Commons Great Lawn, 100 N Clematis St, West Palm Beach. Family friendly. 4-7 pm. Free. 561-822-1515; wpb.org
Wednesday - 12/22 - Ghaleb Holiday Concert with soprano Nathalie Avila at The Pavilion Grille, 301 Yamato Rd, Boca Raton. 6 pm dinner, 7:30 pm show. $70/pp includes 3 course dinner. Reservations required: 561-912-0000; paviliongrille.com
12/22-23 - Molly Hatchet Christmas Tour at The Funky Biscuit, 303 SE Mizner Blvd, Boca Raton. 7 pm. $35-$65 + minimum $25 food/beverage purchase. 561-465-3946; funkybiscuit.com
Thursday - 12/23 - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical at Kravis Center Dreyfoos Hall, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. 1 & 7 pm. Tickets start at $21. 561-832-7469; kravis.org
Friday - 12/24 - Caribbean Bahamian Twelve Days of Christmas Day Party at Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. Sponsored by Bahamian Celebration Committee, hosted by Arts Garage. Features DR RJ Bahamas & the holiday sounds of the Caribbean. 3-7 pm. $20. 561-450-6357; artsgarage.org
12/24 - Sarge’s Annual Black-Jewish-Xmas Eve Show at Boca Black Box Center for the Arts, 8221 Glades Rd #10. 7 pm. $61.50-$76.50. 561-483-9036; bocablackbox.com
12/24 - The Motowners: The Ultimate Motown Tribute Holiday Show at The Funky Biscuit, 303 SE Mizner Blvd, Boca Raton. 9 pm. $25-$40 + minimum $25 food/beverage purchase. 561-465-3946; funkybiscuit.com

DEC. 26-JAN. 1
Sunday - 12/26 - Kwanzaa Celebration/Kuumba Village at The Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, 170 NW 5th Ave, Delray Beach. Gift making, live music, art activities, storytelling for children, food. Held outside. 2:30-5 pm. Free. 561-278-8883; spadymuseum.com
Wednesday - 12/29-30 - Miami City Ballet presents George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker at Kravis Center Dreyfoos Hall, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. W/Th 2 pm; Th/F 7 pm. Tickets start at $34. 561-832-7469; kravis.org
Thursday - 12/30-31 - New Year’s with Sarge at Boca Black Box Center for the Arts, 8221 Glades Rd #10, Boca Raton. Th 7 pm $61.80-$103; F 7:30 pm $61.80-$103; F 10:30 pm $77.25-$128.75. 561-483-9036; bocablackbox.com
Friday - 12/31 - Delray String Quartet: Welcome the New Year! part of Music at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 188 S Swinton Ave, Delray Beach. 3 pm. $20/person; free/age 18 & under. 561-276-4541; musicstpaulsdelray.org
12/31 - New Year’s Bash with Veronica Swift at The Wick Theatre and Costume Museum, 7901 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton. Matinee concert w/champagne toast 5:30 pm $150; Grand Gala dinner, concert, dancing, ball drop 8:30 pm $350. Reservations: 561-995-2333; thewick.org
12/31 - Chris Ruggiero & His Trio at Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center Rrazz Room, 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. 7 pm. $35-$65. 844-672-2849; miznerparkculturalcenter.com
12/31 - NYE with Turnstiles: The Ultimate Billy Joel Tribute at The Funky Biscuit, 303 SE Mizner Blvd, Boca Raton. 7 pm. $40-$70 + minimum $25 food/beverage purchase. 561-465-3946; funkybiscuit.com
12/31 - New Year’s Eve: Simply Streisand - A Tribute to Barbra Streisand at Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. 7:30 pm. $45. 561-586-6410; lakeworthplayhouse.org
12/31 - Cheers to the New Year 2022 Celebration with David Morin at The Pavilion Grille, 301 Yamato Rd, Boca Raton. 7:30 pm dinner; 9 pm show. $130/pp includes 4 course dinner w/champagne toast, taxes, gratuity. Reservations: 561-912-0000; paviliongrille.com
Saturday - 1/1 - Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert at Kravis Center Dreyfoos Hall, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. 8 pm. Tickets start at $35. 561-832-7469; kravis.org

Have a big party planned? You can book the entire Pavilion Grille in Boca Raton. Photo provided

By Jan Norris

Parties and events in Palm Beach County are back in force, with bookings filling restaurants throughout the holiday season and into 2022. Diners are also comfortable with indoor dining again, the hospitality managers say.
“People are coming back inside,” said Giulia Merklein, manager of Arturo’s Ristorante in Boca Raton. “We don’t have as many requests for outside as before. I’d say the numbers are higher than before the pandemic.”
“We’re booking the whole patio,” said Bonnie Beer, manager of Caffe Luna Rosa in Delray Beach. “A lot of parties are inside, too; we don’t have a private room. But our numbers are up over 2019 already.”
There are a number of venues for private rooms and spaces throughout the area, including in hotels and restaurants, but also bars, clubhouses and even yachts.
Prices at each depend on number of guests, food and drink. The event planners say to have three dates and times in mind before booking — many venues are booked well into 2022. Lunches or early-bird parties may be easier to sign up for, or a brunch instead. Some offer after-hour parties; ask, if interested.

Here’s a look at some
Dada, 52 N. Swinton, Delray Beach, is an iconic American eatery with indoor and outdoor dining under huge banyan trees. The chef offers a prix fixe menu or a la carte in the 20-person private room. Info at sub-culture.org/dada/ or call 561-330-3232.
Arturo’s, 6750 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, always shows up on the list of romantic restaurants in the area. It’s an Italian menu; a prix fixe is available in each of its three private rooms. The largest is upstairs and can accommodate 60; a midsize room for 20 is on the main level, and the exclusive wine cellar can fit 12. For more information visit www.arturosrestaurant.com, or call 561-997-7373.
Casa D’Angelo, 171 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, has a full Italian menu available in its private wine room. It accommodates up to 30 people. A semiprivate room that opens to the patio can fit up to 50 people. The patio also is available for parties of up to 30. Prix fixe menus are available as well. Info at www.casa-d-angelo.com, or call 561-996-1234.
The Wine Room Kitchen & Bar, 411 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, is a lively setting for parties centered on vino. Its private room accommodates 14, and a full menu is available as well as shared plates — charcuterie, for instance. More information is at www.thewineroomonline.com, or at 561-243-9463.
Booking for a crowd? You can rent the entire restaurant at The Pavilion Grille, 301 Yamato Road, Boca Raton. Its bright, window-lined rooms are popular for daytime events as well as nighttime parties. Information at https://paviliongrille.com, or at 561-912-0000.
More than one area and a private room are available for booking at The Farmer’s Table, 1901 N. Military Trail, Boca Raton. The emphasis is on healthier foods here, with nods to vegetarians and gluten-free diners, among others. Patio dining is available. Contact the restaurant at https://dinefarmerstable.com, or 561-417-5836.
The back patio is available for parties at The Grove, 187 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach. The bar can also be included, to accommodate 20-60 people. The cozy restaurant is a locals’ favorite for cocktails and dinner. Information at thegrovedelray.com or 561-266-3750.
Chops Lobster Bar, 101 Plaza Real South, Boca Raton, bustles during the season. Steaks and lobster make for upscale dinner parties. One of its private rooms holds 15 people, while the other has room for up to 60. A number of menus can be designed or an a la carte can be served. Information at https://buckheadrestaurants.com, or 561-395-2675.
Elisabetta’s, 32 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, serves up an Italian menu with a specialized cocktail program. Elisabetta’s private room can accommodate 12, and it has a special menu just for those diners. Information at www.elisabettas.com, or 561-560-6699.
Another locals’ favorite is La Cigale, 253 SE Fifth Ave., Delray Beach. A mix of French, Italian and some Greek cuisine is on the menu here. A few rooms are available, with movable walls that can create rooms for 18 to 60 people. Partiers are allowed to bring in live music or entertainment for their events. For information, visit www.lacigaledelray.com or call 561-265-0600.
The Delray Beach Market, the giant food court at 33 SE Third Ave., has a mezzanine available for rent. Large crowds may want to look here: It can fit 250 for cocktails, or 177 for a seated dinner. Foods come from vendors below, who each provide a separate catering menu for events — a wealth of choices. Information at www.delraybeachmarket.com, or contact events coordinator Justin Rivas at 561-461-1385.
Looking for something different? Book a two-hour cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway through Delray Yacht Cruises. The cruise leaves from north of Atlantic Avenue at the west side of the Intracoastal bridge and goes south. It’s particularly scenic during holiday nights when the houses are all decked out in lights. Information at www.delraybeachcruises.com, or 561-243-0686.

In brief
The old Anchor Inn, off Hypoluxo Road on Lake Osborne, is now The Hive Waterfront Restaurant and Tiki. It’s run by the same people who took over Pearl’s Diner a few years back. The Hive Waterfront is a mix of a huge tiki bar, sports bar and family dining. Emphasis is still on seafood, but more landlubber fare appears on the menu. The address is 2412 Floral Road, Lake Worth. ...
Polpo is the new Italian seafood restaurant opening in the Eau Palm Beach. It’s a sister to the restaurant of the same name, theme and owner in Greenwich, Connecticut. The beachfront resort in Manalapan is undergoing a massive renovation, and Polpo is just part of it. It replaces Temple Orange, the restaurant that lasted longest there. Its scheduled opening is winter 2022.

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

Charles, Julie and Ellis Milling assumed the roles of Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus during last year's drive-thru Nativity story at St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church in Boynton Beach. This year’s guests again will drive through campus and use a prayer sheet to follow along. Christmas hymns and carols will be broadcast between stations at the Dec. 24 event. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

If you’re planning your holidays, don’t forget the reason for the season. There are in-person (and virtual) church services and more this year, thank God (ahem).
For the second year, St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church in Boynton Beach will host a coronavirus-safe, family-friendly, drive-thru telling of the Nativity story through a series of vignettes with live actors and maybe even some animals.
Here are the details on St. Joe’s pageant and other local holiday programming:

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church — 3300 S. Seacrest Blvd., Boynton Beach
Christmas Eve drive-thru Nativity story: 4-5 p.m. Guests drive through campus and use a simple prayer sheet to follow along. You can download it at www.stjoesweb.org. Christmas hymns and carols will be broadcast between stations. There is also a stay-in-your-car Communion station at the end.
Christmas Eve Unplugged outdoors: 6:30 p.m. Live music by St. Joe’s unplugged musicians, and a service with Eucharist. Seating is provided or bring your own.
Christmas Eve indoor mini-concert: 9:30 p.m. followed by 10 p.m. Eucharist, similar to a midnight Mass, with organ music and vocals by the Rev. David Clyle Morse. Masks required.
Christmas Day service: 9:30 a.m. with Morse playing the organ and leading Christmas carols. Masks required.

Advent Lutheran Church — 300 E. Yamato Road, Boca Raton
Christmas Eve: family service 4 p.m.; contemporary service 6 p.m.; traditional service 11 p.m.
Christmas Day: 10 a.m. service

First United Methodist Church — 625 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton
Christmas Eve: early service 5 p.m.; traditional service 7 p.m.

St. Lucy Catholic Church — 3510 S. Ocean Blvd., Highland Beach
The life-size Nativity will be on display through the holidays, beginning Dec. 8.
Christmas Eve Mass: 7 p.m.
Christmas Day Mass: 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

First Presbyterian Church — 33 Gleason St., Delray Beach
Christmas Eve:
“Carols and Candles”: 5 p.m. with the Rev. Greg Rapier and a time for the children.
Traditional candlelight service: 7 p.m. with Dr. Doug Hood delivering the message and a time for the children.
Traditional candlelight service: 9:30 p.m. with Hood.
All services will also be livestreamed on the church website.
Other events:
• Deacons Christmas Tree: The deacons are accepting $25 donations to purchase gift cards for under-resourced children at five local agencies: Achievement Center for Children & Families, Adopt-a-Family of the Palm Beaches, Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse, Boys and Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, and Milagro Center.
• Holly House Gift Shoppe: Find handcrafted gifts made by the Holly House Ladies, a ministry of the church, from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 19.

St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church — 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton
Christmas Eve:
Christmas pageant/service 4:30 p.m.; choral Eucharist and sermon 7:30 p.m.; music prelude 10:30 p.m.; choral Eucharist and sermon 11 p.m.
Other event:
• Holly-Versary holiday brunch and celebration: 11:30 a.m. Dec. 12. The most popular event of the Christmas season at St. Gregory’s is back with brunch, auctions and family fun, including adult-supervised crafts for children. Get tickets ($15-$280) at www.eventbrite.com.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church — 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach
Christmas Eve services: 5, 7:30 and 11 p.m.
Christmas Day: 10 a.m. service
Other events:
• A Festival of Lessons and Carols: 3 p.m. Dec. 12. The Chancel Choir performs. Freewill offering. https://musicstpauls.org.
• A New Year’s Eve concert, 4 p.m. Dec. 31, will feature the Delray String Quartet.

By Janis Fontaine

Soon greetings of “Merry Christmas” will echo through malls and churches, schools and neighborhoods. But some of our neighbors may be coming to terms with the loss of a loved one this Christmas. How will they navigate the first Christmas and New Year without their family member or friend?
Churches — and synagogues and mosques, all houses of worship — are in the grief business. Most offer bereavement counseling and support of some kind.
Some churches, like St. Vincent Ferrer of Delray Beach, offer a 15-week grief support program through GriefShare, a national organization that has local leaders all over the United States.
Darin Lueken of Boca Raton and a group of about five other volunteers facilitate the program twice a year at St. Vincent Ferrer, and during the holidays the group offers a special two-hour seminar, called “Surviving the Holidays,” which is open to anyone.
This year’s seminar was last month. It attracted 10 people, plus one virtual attendee. “We tell them we are sorry for what brought you here, but we’re glad you found us,” Lueken said.
The abbreviated seminar uses a book and expert videos to convey the messages of compassion and healing. Its content is also available on the GriefShare website.
“We introduce ourselves and show a video. We’ve learned that how a person responds to the video really depends on where they are in their grief journey,” Lueken said.
Lueken and his family began a grief journey seven years ago after Lueken’s 14-year-old son died in an accident while on vacation. Lueken’s sister reached out to her pastor, who introduced Lueken to GriefShare. When he returned to Florida, Lueken completed the program at Spanish River Church. It helped him so much, he became a volunteer in his own version of paying it forward.
Fifteen weeks seems like a long time to commit, but Lueken says grief doesn’t keep track of time. “Grief is the difference between losing a limb and breaking a bone,” he said. One can heal but the other is never really the same.
The group considers all loss the same. One of the rules is that “we don’t weigh losses,” Lueken said.
Everyone sympathizes with the loss of a child, but the loss of a spouse after 50 years of marriage seems “so common that people don’t see it the same way,” Lueken said. “Everybody reacts with compassion to the loss of a child.” The group finds compassion for every loss.
Another rule is confidentiality. This allows people to share more intimate feelings, Lueken said.
And that’s about it. Grief is an individual process.
“One thing we tell people is to take ‘should’ out of their vocabulary,” as in “you should go” or “you should feel,” Lueken said.
He recommends that if you do venture out to a get-together and it’s too much, “have an exit strategy planned.”
GriefShare’s goal is to provide practical tools that will help you going forward because grief tends to stick around. “The first month or so you’re in shock, then the world normalizes, and people go back to their lives, but you don’t. We help people who are mourning realize that’s going to happen,” Lueken said.
He hopes they will leave with better tools for coping.
St. Vincent Ferrer plans to start another 15-week session in early January for members of the church. This will be a blended event offered both in person and virtually.
A special program called “Widows and Widowers: Dealing with the Loss of a Spouse” is planned from 1-3 p.m. Jan. 9.
The church also has a collection of books that can be of great comfort during times of grief.
Lueken says the program’s success has been noticed by the Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach and it plans to roll out GriefShare at other churches. Volunteers are always needed.
For more information about GriefShare at St. Vincent Ferrer, visit www.stvincentferrer.com.
To learn more about GriefShare, including other local churches that offer it, visit www.griefshare.org.

Other events
Two local churches will have GriefShare “Surviving the Holidays” events in December:
• Cason United Methodist Church, 342 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, will host its seminar from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 11. Contact Julie Burton, GriefShare leader, at 561-445-0731; www.casonumc.org.
• FBC Lantana, 1126 W. Lantana Road, will host its seminar from 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 11 with Pati Baker as leader. For more info, call 561-588-3341 or visit www.fbclantana.com.

Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at fontaine423@outlook.com.

Karen Chambers, DNP, APRN, an assistant professor in the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, assists a patient in the FAU/Northwest Community Health Alliance’s Community Health Center. Photo provided by Alex Dolce

Florida Atlantic University and Northwest Community Health Alliance’s Community Health Center, with the West Palm Beach YWCA, recently received the 2021 Community Collaborators Award from Nonprofits First Inc.
Among the honorees were two from the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing: Karethy Edwards, associate dean of academic programs and executive director of the health center; and Karen Chambers, an assistant professor. They received this recognition for their efforts to lessen health care differences among women from minority groups with limited access to quality care.
The West Palm YWCA refers its clients to the Community Health Center.

— Christine Davis

Delray Medical Center now offers a new scalpel-free treatment for Parkinson’s disease tremor patients. The treatment uses sound-wave energy to treat brain tissue at the source of the tremor. No surgical incision or anesthesia is necessary, and patients may experience immediate and significant reduction in their hand tremors.
“This technology is a game changer in our community and for those seeking the very latest in cutting edge technology for neurologic care of Parkinson’s disease,” said Dr. Lloyd Zucker, chief of neurosurgery at Delray Medical Center.
Separately, Zucker led a clinical trial on brain tumors at Delray Medical Center with a team from Mount Sinai Hospital, and the study was published in the Journal of Neurosurgery.
It focused on fluorescent-guided surgery for glioblast-omas. The process gives surgeons the ability to see in a different wavelength of light that would otherwise be invisible to them. By combining this ability with the special dyes that glow in those wavelengths, surgeons can more precisely target cancerous tumors and avoid injury to normal tissues.

— Christine Davis

By Joyce Reingold

There’s a follow-up question to last season’s conversation starter — Pfizer, Moderna or J&J? — on the tip of many tongues: Are you boosted?
Dr. Daniel Goldman is.
“Last Monday, because I’m 68, I got my flu shot in one arm and I got my Moderna booster in the other,” the chief medical officer at Bethesda Hospital, part of Baptist Health, said in early November.
He is among the legions of U.S. residents who’ve already rolled up their sleeves for a third time for a dose of Pfizer or Moderna, the mRNA coronavirus vaccines.
Later in November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded the pool of people eligible to receive a Pfizer or Moderna booster shot to include everyone 18 and older who received a second dose at least six months before.
The CDC also signed off on a second dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for adults at least two months after the first dose and said using different vaccines from the original doses is OK.
Read much more about eligibility at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html and consult your doctor if you have concerns.
“I can tell you that boosters are very important,” Goldman said. “One of the early findings of that was from the Israeli experience. They were very aggressive about vaccinating with the Pfizer vaccine. And after about six to eight months, they had an increase in cases. It turned out antibodies were low, and they needed to do the booster. So, they jumped on board actually before most of everybody else.”
Goldman says the delta variant surge in the U.S. telegraphed the need for a booster: “Most of the patients we saw were unvaccinated. But there were patients that were vaccinated who got it, particularly older patients and some immunocompromised. So, that was the trigger that maybe we needed to do something, too.”
Dr. Rosa Marin, who practices internal medicine in Boynton Beach, says her older patients are “very willing” to be vaccinated and many have headed straight to their pharmacies for boosters as the CDC now recommends for people 50 and older.
But with some patients who haven’t received boosters, Marin has taken a different approach. For those who originally received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, she offers a blood test introduced by Quest Diagnostics in February to measure antibodies to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
She uses the results to help gauge patients’ potential post-vaccination immunity status.
“When I found out that you could do the IgG (Immuno-globulin G) titer for the spike protein, I said, well, let me try it with some patients and see what happens after they get vaccinated. And I can tell you, as the months progress since the last dose, they do drop immunity.
“And so, depending on how much it has dropped, I will tell the patients to go and get a booster,” she said.
Marin explained that test results fall on a numerical scale: “From 0 to 1, there is no immunity but from 1 to 20, a person is partially immune.” She said she might advise a patient with a reading at the higher end of the scale to wait a month or two before getting the booster.
Though she and other health care providers are offering this test, Marin points out that the CDC does not sanction its use for this purpose.
In a May 19 statement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said, “While a positive antibody test result can be used to help identify people who may have had a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, more research is needed in people who have received a COVID-19 vaccination.”
But what they do know for sure is that the vaccines are working, the doctors said.
“Let me tell you, I really recommend the vaccinations because I’ve had patients with breakthrough COVID and they have done very well,” Marin said. “Some of them have not even required monoclonal antibody treatment. I’ve only had one patient who required it.”
In early November, there were five COVID patients at Bethesda, a dramatic and hopeful drop after delta’s surge. But Goldman said that “we shouldn’t relax.”
“I think we have a lot going on. We have flu season coming and they’re predicting a hard flu season. I would encourage everybody to get their flu shot as well as their booster.
“We all pay attention to the science, and the University of Miami team that has predicted all these surges is actually predicting another surge in early December. And we’ve seen surges after the holidays,” Goldman said. “But even if you get vaccinated, even if you get boostered, you still need to mask and do social distancing and be responsible.”

Joyce Reingold writes about health and healthy living. Send column ideas to joyce.reingold@yahoo.com.

Schoolhouse Children’s Museum celebrated its 20th anniversary in October with a ribbon cutting and butterfly release. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

The Schoolhouse Children’s Museum, like the rest of the community, is bouncing back from the coronavirus pandemic. Cleaning protocols remain in place — the museum closes for cleaning from 12:30 to 1 p.m. daily — and reservations are highly recommended, but there are a lot of new activities and things to see.
“It’s an exciting time,” said Executive Director Suzanne Ross. “We’re still very sensitive to safety so we are open at reduced capacity.” Visitors without reservations could be turned away, Ross said, but “we’ll do everything we can to accommodate people.”
The pandemic did give the museum time to undergo some improvements and upgrades, with more on the way. One big addition for little hands is Toddler Cove, designed for ages 3 and younger. It’s full of “manipulatives,” Ross says, like the gear table and lots of puzzles, and everything is carpeted and soft-surfaced, thanks to a grant from the Henry Nias Foundation and Vicki Tate, one of the foundation’s leaders.
Coming soon is Mangrove Manor, which will allow kids to explore three levels of mangrove growth from the ground up, with interactive challenges on each level. At the top level, domes will re-create sounds of the beach and mangrove forest.
Mangroves are protected in Florida because they are so important. They help stabilize the coastline ecosystem and prevent erosion, filter pollutants, improve water quality, nurture our estuaries and provide a habitat for wildlife. Impact 100 provided funding for the installation.
Ross also said two popular events will return in 2022. The Princess and Superheroes Day will be back (“bigger and better than ever”) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 29 at Centennial Park & Amphitheater, 120 E. Ocean Ave.
The museum’s annual fundraiser, the Schoolhouse Bash, will be April 8 at the Arts & Cultural Center at 125 E. Ocean Ave.
The museum just celebrated its 20th anniversary.
The building can trace its roots to 1913, when it was one of the first schools in Boynton Beach.
It closed as a school in 1990 but continued to be used for community programs. In 2001, it opened as the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum & Learning Center and after 20 years it remains a rarity.
It is one of the few children’s museums in South Florida, Ross says, and the only one that provides an interactive, hands-on learning environment with the history of South Florida as its theme.
It’s designed to let kids explore dozens of jobs from store owner to physician’s assistant. But for kids, job one is play.

If You Go
The Schoolhouse Children’s Museum & Learning Center is at 129 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach.
Hours: 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-4:30 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday. The museum is open for members only from 9 a.m. to noon the second and fourth Mondays of the month.
Admission: Free for members and babies younger than 1; $6.50 kids and adults; $5.50 ages 62 and older. Free admission for active-duty military and up to five dependents. Museums for All (EBT card required) pays $2 each for up to four family members.
Reservations: Because of the coronavirus, reservations are strongly recommended at 561-742-6780 or www.schoolhousemuseum.org. Masks are recommended.

Chess catching on in Delray
Chess guru and all-around nice guy Willie “James” McCray, the founder of James Chess Club, joined forces with the Delray Beach Police Department for a Cops and Kids tournament at the Delray Beach Community Center on Nov. 6.
“We had 21 tables and they were all full with players,” McCray said. “Participation was overwhelming.”
Next up is Chess on the Beach from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 29 at the Pavilion on Atlantic Avenue at A1A. “It’s a beautiful location, and we’re expecting a full house,” McCray said.
Everyone is welcomed, whether you love chess or just want to learn the game.
James Chess Club meets from 5 to 6 p.m. Thursdays and noon-2 p.m. Saturdays at the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, 170 NW Fifth Ave., Delray Beach. Call or text McCray for more information at 561-352-7145.