Delray Medical Center has completed its 200th aquablation procedure since acquiring the medical technology in 2022.
Aquablation therapy, a minimally invasive treatment that delivers water with robotic precision, treats lower urinary tract symptoms due to an enlarged prostate, a noncancerous condition. These urologists have performed aquablations: Drs. Christopher Tallman, Darren Bryk, Emanuel Gottenger, Jacob Parke, David Schwartzwald, Christopher Vendryes and Sanjeev Gupta.
— Christine Davis
Annual Boating & Beach Bash puts focus on fun, not on disabilities
Fara Hoffman, 35, of Boca Raton is pushed down the boat ramp by her mother, Randy, and father, Jeff Hoffman, as they prepare to embark on a free boat ride on the Intracoastal Waterway during the Boating & Beach Bash last month in Boca Raton. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Ron Hayes
There were lots of wheelchairs and canes in the park that Saturday. Prosthetic limbs, leg braces, even a one-armed pianist.
But you would have had a hard time finding any self-pity.
For five hours on March 15, Spanish River Park was packed with guests, family, friends and caregivers attending the annual “Boating & Beach Bash For People With Disabilities,” which prides itself on being the nation’s largest free event for people with disabilities, seen and unseen.
“We’ve had about a thousand guests sign up,” said Lori Weber, the event’s managing director.
There is no parking fee, no tickets needed. All are welcome, and by mid-morning, the pathways from the Intracoastal Waterway boat dock to the ocean beach were filled with participants, and still more kept arriving.
“Only about a third who show up actually register,” added communications director Amanda Larson.
Emily Edsken, 29, of Boca Raton embraces a volunteer dressed in a gown donated by the Wick Theatre for the event.
The Pledge of Allegiance would be recited, of course, and a soulful national anthem sung by Ry Rivers, but first Carter Viss entertained at the electric keyboard, with his left hand.
“My mom was a piano teacher, so I started playing as a hobby,” the Jupiter resident said. “And then I lost my right arm in a boating accident on Thanksgiving Day 2019.
“I was snorkeling and a boat ran over me off The Breakers. I was 25.”
He’s 30 now, a graduate student in marine biology at Florida Atlantic University. He and his wife, Emily, are the parents of Harper, a 7-month-old daughter.
“After the accident, I thought I’d never play again,” Viss recalled. “I wanted to give up. It took a few months, and then years to feel comfortable playing again.”
Now he’s comfortable with Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and Chopin’s Ocean Etude.
“I’ve learned I can make a bigger difference because of my accident,” he said. “I can drive, bike, run, swim. I won 90% just by being alive.”
People with stories to tell
And still the crowd around Viss was growing.
So many people, and so much for them to do.
On the beach, lifeguards were waiting to help guests into wheelchairs with tires large enough to maneuver through sand. Then down plastic mats to enjoy the choppy waves that so many beachgoers visit without a second thought.
“This is my first time here,” said Peggy Domitz, 65, of Palm Beach Gardens, smiling in her wheelchair. “Now I wonder, is this hard because I’m old, or because of my disability?”
Paralyzed during surgery 14 years ago, she is both friendly and defiant.
“They’re just legs,” she said. “I’d rather be paralyzed than have cancer, and I’m a firm believer that this chair doesn’t confine me. I’m an adaptive scuba diver, meaning I dive with people trained to be buddies. I’ve scuba dived in Mexico, Grenada, Honduras.”
She has a favorite saying. “The only time people should look down on another person is when they’re giving a hand to get up.”
David Prater of Sunrise lost his left leg 10 years ago in a car accident.
David Prater makes it back to shore after his first time on a surfboard, with the coaching of Joey Rafe, owner of Rafe & Co Swim and Surf Club in Lantana.
“I still skateboard,” he said. “I still ride motorcycles.”
At the Bash he decided to ride a surfboard for the first time. With help from a lifeguard volunteer, he and his prosthetic leg made it onto the board, slipped off, remounted, and stayed on long enough to ride in to shore on his belly.
“It was awesome,” he said back on land. “I love Mother Ocean. I was always a wild and crazy guy, so I’m just going to live my life.”
Prater owns a small pool cleaning service back in Sunrise.
“It’s called One Leg Up Pool Service,” he grinned. “And the logo is a prosthetic leg.”
Donors, sponsors, helpers
Organizers estimate the annual Bash costs between $35,000 and $40,000 to put on, raised entirely from private donations and sponsorships. The work is done by about 250 volunteers.
The Rotary Club of Downtown Boca Raton provides free hotdogs and hamburgers. The city’s Junior League is there to help.
The 20 boats offering free rides were donated by the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club. Members of the nonprofit Community Service League moved among the guests in Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Batgirl costumes provided by the Wick Theatre. Mark Hansen of Coldwell Banker Realty scurried throughout the park, greeting guests and visitors.
’So many memories’
You had to wonder what Jay Van Vechten would think of this elaborate event, born of a slippery bathroom floor 24 years ago.
Van Vechten, a public relations executive, was in a San Diego hotel on business one night in 2001 when he slipped on the wet floor in the dark. Falling backward over the tub, he shattered five vertebrae. Then he fell forward and broke both knees. His splayed legs required two hip replacements.
The Boating & Beach Bash debuted in 2009, he and his wife, Lowell, founded the American Disabilities Foundation, which oversees it, in 2012, and except when COVID prohibited a full-scale event, it’s filled Spanish River Park each spring.
Since Jay’s death at 75 in 2020, Lowell Van Vechten has committed herself to perpetuating their annual day of joy.
At this year’s Bash, she patrolled the event from ocean to waterway in a golf cart, chatting, greeting, making sure all was running smoothly.
“After 16 years, I have so many memories,” she said. “So many magical moments. Every year when I’m onstage for the opening, I cry. Always when they start ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’ The hardest thing for me to get through is remembering all the people on our founding committee who have passed, starting with my husband.”
Van Vechten served on Boca Raton’s board for people with disabilities until it disbanded, and when his vision for the city’s annual picnic for those with disabilities grew bigger than the city could handle, he and Lowell took over.
Boat rides are a hit
Bailey Negron, 27, of Miami was making her second visit after several years away.
“It’s bigger now,” she observed.
Negron was in the backseat of a car that hit a wall on the Palmetto Parkway when she was 19. She can walk, but the lingering effects of the accident are visible.
“My legs hyperextend backward, as if my knees bend backward,” she explained. “I walk very well, but it took a lot of falls and practicing.”
She paused.
“I didn’t get on a boat my first time here,” she said. “Hopefully I’ll make my way to the boat.”
If she did, there was a wait. Of all the things to do that day, the free boat rides were clearly the most popular.
Boca Raton Fire Rescue deploys a water cannon to keep things cool at the Boating & Beach Bash.
Down at the dock, guests and caregivers in bright orange life jackets waited in two lines, one for the ambulatory, a second for those in wheelchairs.
Jeff and Randy Hoffman of Boca Raton waited to accompany their daughter, Fara, who is 35 and has cerebral palsy.
“We’ve been here 10 fantastic times,” Jeff Hoffman said as the line inched toward the dock. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Eventually, the Hoffmans were led to the Minnow, a 20-foot pontoon boat owned by Al Zucaro. They disappeared up the Intracoastal and returned about a half-hour later.
“It was amazing,” Jeff reported. “We can tell she loved the wind out there because she communicates through her body language.
“She smiles.”
April 26: The annual fundraiser for Boca Helping Hands gives guests chances to roll the dice at gaming tables and Monopoly and to enjoy music, cocktails, dinner and more. Time is 6 to 10 p.m. Cost is $250. Visit bocahelpinghands.org/monopoly or call 561-417-0913.
L-R: Event co-chairs Alex and Jessica Price and Yvette and Chris Palermo. Photo provided
Event co-chairs Telsula Morgan and Lindsay Reinhart hold books written by Love of Literacy Luncheon guest speaker Victoria Christopher Murray. Photo provided
By Amy Woods
The author of The Personal Librarian and The First Ladies is one of the country’s top African-American writers — the two titles have hit the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists — and her appearance at the 34th annual Love of Literacy luncheon will be a treat for bookworms.
Victoria Christopher Murray has more than 3 million books in print, a monumental accomplishment 25 years in the making.
“It was the perfect time for her to come this year,” said Telsula Morgan, co-chairwoman of the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County’s April 10 event.
Morgan belongs to the same Delta Sigma Theta sorority as Murray and was instrumental in having her “sister” speak at a 2023 book discussion at West Palm Beach’s CityPlace.
“Our goal, or at least my goal, is to promote literacy,” Morgan said. “And what better way to do that than sell out the Kravis Center with Victoria Christopher Murray?”
Murray spent more than a decade in corporate America prior to pursuing her pen-to-paper dream. Her debut novel, Temptation, was mass published in 2000.
“Since she was announced, I read The Personal Librarian,” Co-Chairwoman Lindsay Reinhart said. “I took a literacy class in college about the Harlem Renaissance and am a lifelong lover of books.”
Funds raised at the Love of Literacy luncheon will support reading programs throughout Palm Beach County that help children and adults who lack basic literacy skills.
“We’re pleased to have Victoria Christopher Murray join us as our guest speaker for this year’s celebration of literacy,” said Kristin Calder, CEO of the coalition.
“We know our community will be intrigued by Victoria’s own story as well as the strong women featured in her novels.”
If You Go
What: Love of Literacy Luncheon
When: 11:30 a.m. April 10
Where: Kravis Center, West Palm Beach
Cost: $200
Info: Call 561-767-3370 or visit literacypbc.org
By Amy Woods
The leading hunger-relief organization in the area is sponsoring its sixth annual “Feed Your Creativity” artwork initiative involving students in elementary, middle and high schools throughout Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
Students are encouraged to show off their talent for a chance to have their work featured on one of Feeding South Florida’s truck wraps — a 36-foot traveling billboard promoting its “Summer Hunger Ends Here” campaign.
Summer break can leave many kids without access to free or reduced-price school meals, creating a challenge for families, said Paco Vélez, president and CEO of Feeding South Florida.
“This competition is always a favorite among students as it allows them to express their creativity while raising awareness about the critical issue of hunger in South Florida,” he said.
Artwork will be accepted through April 30, with judging taking place May 4 through 9 and winners selected May 15.
For more information, call 954-518-1818 or visit feedingsouthflorida.org/fyc25.
Annual Hope Week offers help to local nonprofits
Hundreds of residents from Boca West Country Club participated in the third annual Hope Week, organized by Boca West Cares, and donated more than 10,000 hours of service.
Nearly one dozen local charities benefited from Hope Week, including Fuller Center, Place of Hope at The Leighan and David Rinker Campus, and Tri-County Animal Rescue.
“Hope Week gave our club members the opportunity to learn about a number of nonprofits while making a difference,” said Matthew Linderman, general manager of Boca West Country Club.
Added Danny Schulman, Hope Week chairman, “Hope Week 2025 was a big success. Boca West residents enjoyed the opportunity to learn about different nonprofits while giving of their time.”
For more information, call 561-488-6934 or visit bocawestcc.org.
Fuller Center celebrates charity challenge award
Boca Raton-based Fuller Center, which empowers hardworking, under-resourced families to reach their full potential, received $69,000 during the Great Charity Challenge equestrian competition in Wellington.
The amount comprises a $65,000 grant from the main event and an additional $4,000 from the Dennis M. and Lois A. Doyle Family Foundation volunteer initiative.
“We are profoundly grateful to the Great Charity Challenge, Spy Coast Farm and Preston, the Sweetnam family, Collin and Virginia McNeil, and our dedicated volunteers Kyle and Jordyn Kelman,” Fuller Center CEO Eric Roby said, referring to some of the sponsors and participants. “This generous support empowers us to continue providing essential services to children and families in our community.”
The Great Charity Challenge is a show-jumping expo that pairs teams with local charities and distributes millions of dollars to fund their causes.
For more information, call 727-678-8677 or visit greatcharitychallenge.com. For information about Fuller Center, call 561-391-7274 or visit fullercenterfl.org.
Five fresh faces added to county Cultural Council
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County has made five additions to its board of directors: Barbara Cheives, Willem Erwich, Todd Kolich, Hector Rubio and Greg Silpe.
“We look forward to their guidance as the Cultural Council continues to support and promote arts and culture in the Palm Beaches,” said Dave Lawrence, president and CEO.
For more information, call 561-471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.
L-R: Sponsors Jodi and Al Goldberg, Zoe Lanham, sponsor Mike Drews and Fran Nachlas. Photo provided by Gina Fontana
The George Snow Scholarship Fund roped in its 31st annual rhinestone-studded gala and celebrated it with people who continue to make a lasting impact on higher education. Nancy Dockerty was recognized as honorary chairwoman, and Margaret Blume received the Community Service Award. Additionally, NCCI was awarded the Corporate Community Service Award. A previous scholar shared her story of being able to pursue her love of marine biology, and longtime donor Joe Veccia made a surprise pledge of $150,000.
Peter and Susan Brockway. Photo provided by Tracey Benson Photography
Peter and Susan Brockway served as hosts of a casual evening affair attended by 40 guests who included South County philanthropists as well as board members and volunteers for the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. Among them were Bill and Mary Donnell, George Elmore, Marti LaTour, Joanne Julien and Jeffrey Stoops.
More than $90,000 was generated for the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council during a gathering that attracted 200-plus supporters. President Rand Hoch said the party, which featured acrobats, aerialists, ballerinas and a flame thrower, ‘was our most successful fundraising event since our organization was founded in 1988.’ The money will be used to further the mission of ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Stephen Miller and Daniel Gibson. Photo provided
Mike Brewer (center, black shirt), host of the hit television show ‘Wheeler Dealers,’ and Danica Sanborn (center, blue shirt), executive director of the center, join board members to celebrate the presentation of the big check. Photo provided
A car show benefiting Sandoway Discovery Center raised more than $58,000 for the nonprofit’s hands-on learning experiences that focus on Florida’s ecosystems. Nearly 200 American hot rods, 50-plus community volunteers and two dozen vendors made a success of an event that brought out 6,100 spectators.
The second year of the fundraiser was a record-breaker as it raised $418,000 to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach. Proceeds will help remodel the club’s teen room. The event honored John and Jorgette Smith and was co-chaired by Susan Ambrecht, Jennifer Coulter, Sacha McGraw and Susan Mullin.
L-R: Stuart Foster with the club’s Youth of the Year, Jaiyden Williams, and Tom Stanley. Photos provided by Tracey Benson Photography
Philip and Isabella Timon
At the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County’s 11th annual benefit, seven finalists competed for the title that provides a four-year university scholarship plus room and board fees. The winner was Phildensy Jean, a member of the Wellington club. Each of the finalists was selected during a preliminary competition that included a comprehensive application, three essays, three letters of recommendation and an interview in front of a panel of judges. The dinner brought in $548,000.
Michelle Hagerty with Jaene Miranda, president & CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. Photo provided by Tracey Benson Photography
The 18th chapter of the Delray Beach Public Library’s fun fundraiser featured actor/comedian T.J. Miller, whose high-energy performance had the audience roaring and wanting more. A crowd of 350 enjoying food and drinks helped raise $200,000 that will go toward keeping the library’s materials and programs thriving.
L-R: Kamil Webster, Suzy Lanigan, sponsors Mike and Becky Walsh and Joe O’Loughlin. Photos provided
L-R: Jacqueline and Scott Owen with Tracy Backer.
Supporters of The Nature Conservancy gathered for a dinner organized by Ron and Cindy McMackin that drew members of the organization’s state board of trustees. Guests enjoyed cocktails beside the Intracoastal Waterway, followed by a meal and a fireside chat about protection for lands, oceans and wildlife.
Ron and Cindy McMackin Photos provided by Capehart
Susan and Stewart Satter
Gulf Stream will celebrate its 100th year as an incorporated town April 30. In honor of the milestone, the Gulf Stream Civic Association organized an outdoor meal attended by more than 240 residents. ‘Gulf Stream remains unique, having never materially wavered from its founder’s idea of a town of quiet, unassuming elegance located close to a premier country club, a private elementary school and most notably without any commercial presence,’ Mayor Scott Morgan said, referring to Henry Phipps Jr. of U.S. Steel.
L-R: Suzy Lanigan, Lisa Morgan, Jennifer Coulter and Kirsten Stanley. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
L-R: Lisa Jankowski, Rob Mayer and Marilyn Mayer.
Brendan Boyle and Katie Orthwein.
Fritz Souder and Susie Souder.
L-R: Lynne Freeman, Michele Walter, Janet DeVries Naughton and Donna Artes look through photos of past gatherings at the Boynton Woman’s Club. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Jan Engoren
A full, festive day of activities took place March 22 at the Boynton Woman’s Club as the club marked the 100th anniversary of its recently refurbished 1925 Addison Mizner building at 1010 S. Federal Highway.
The 12,000-square-foot, two-story Mediterranean Revival style building showcases Mizner’s signature architectural elements, including its barrel tile roof, arched windows, grand hall, stucco exterior, tropical landscaping and open-air spaces.
It is one of the few Addison Mizner-designed structures open to the public in Palm Beach County.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
“We’re so happy for the success of this event and thankful to everyone who came out to support us,” said club member Barbara Erlichman. “The event was free to the public as a way to encourage people to come and see who we are and what we do and celebrate this beautiful building with us.”
The building was commissioned in 1925 by the club, thanks in part to funds contributed by city-namesake Major Nathan Boynton’s family, and finished in 1932.
It hosted World War II-era Red Cross dances, served as the city library until 1961, housed residents during hurricanes and was the heart of the community for decades. It hosted teas, lectures, concerts, art events, dances and galas — raising money for charities — most recently for college scholarships for local high school students.
The day’s participants included Tom Warnke of the Surfing Florida Museum, representatives from the Boynton Beach Historical Society, the Highwaymen Museum in Fort Pierce, the Girl Scouts, the Arthur R. Marshall Nature Preserve and the Boynton Beach Garden Club, which presented its signature Art in Bloom event.
Garden Club members made original floral arrangements inspired by artwork created by clients of The Arc of Palm Beach County, an organization advocating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Upstairs, local historians Janet DeVries Naughton and Ed Lamont, a docent at the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, spoke about the history of Boynton Beach and about the life and work of Addison Mizner.
The Boynton Woman’s Club building has endured its share of ups and downs over the years and in recent times was in need of extensive repairs.
In 2017 it was taken over by the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, which then sold it to the city four years later. The city painted and made repairs to the windows, railings and floors, and to the roof that had been damaged in 2017 during Hurricane Irma.
While repairs were being done, the Woman’s Club met elsewhere and its members are now thrilled to be back in their original home. They started up meetings there again in October 2023.
“We’re so grateful to the city of Boynton Beach, which has done a wonderful job in refurbishing our beloved Woman’s Club building,” said Donna Artes, a past president of the club and a trustee of the Boynton Beach Historical Society. “We’re finally back in our home and proud and excited that we get to enjoy it and show it off.”
Artes encourages residents to visit, appreciate the building and get involved with the Woman’s Club.
The evening ended in Jazz-age glamour, with a 1920s theme party, the ballroom transformed into “Mizner’s Hideaway,” a speakeasy complete with cocktails and a 17-piece jazz band.
Visit boyntonwomansclub.com and boyntonhistory.org
Soaring egg prices mean breakfast aficionados have been forced to pay more for their longtime staple of two eggs, two pieces of bacon and toast. Jan Norris/The Coastal Star
Yolk about it all you want, but the price of eggs is a serious thing — especially for small restaurants and diners that depend on the morning rush orders.
“We were just shop-talking, with the rest of the owners — the ones exclusively doing breakfast and lunch,” said Mike, owner of The Diner on Gateway Boulevard in Boynton Beach, who preferred that his last name not be used. “If things don’t change, some will have to close. They won’t be able to make it. You can only raise prices so much.”
He’s already bumped up the prices slightly on his menu, anywhere from 25 cents to $1.50 per dish. “I hope it’s just temporary,” he said. A sign on the door indicates an up-charge for eggs.
Known for his housemade products and large portions — two blueberry pancakes could feed as many people — he uses fresh eggs in his dishes.
“Some have gone to liquid eggs,” Mike said. “They’re cheaper because they’re watered down. We won’t do that.”
Wholesale prices dropped to $4.83 per dozen eggs in mid-March, a 44% decline from their peak of $8.58 per dozen on Feb. 28, according to Expana, a commodity price tracker.
When or if that translates into cheaper menu prices is unclear. The cost of eggs fluctuates, and the relief in March seemed tenuous given unpredictable influences such as avian flu in bird flocks, and distribution and demand during the Easter season.
The average U.S. consumer price of a dozen Grade A large eggs was $1.46 a dozen as recently as 2020. Pre-pandemic you could get two eggs, coffee, toast and potatoes or grits for $4.99 as an early bird breakfast at a diner. That basic meal now starts at $7.99 and goes up.
To get around changing a menu’s prices — reprints are expensive — many small restaurants have chosen to post notices about a surcharge for egg dishes, usually with an apology.
As of last month:
The Green Owl in downtown Delray Beach has a $1 up-charge for each egg order. A sign on the front door alerts customers to the charge.
At the Hen and Hog in Boca Raton, where breakfast is served all day, two eggs, bacon or sausage, toast or a biscuit will set you back $15.95.
Owners at Sande’s Restaurant, a diner in Delray Beach, have raised prices across the board, ranging from 25 cents to $1, according to server Bailey Stormer. A two-egg breakfast with bacon or sausage and pancakes or toast is $10.25.
“Our customers haven’t said anything,” she said. “We already have competitive prices.”
At the Tin Muffin in Boca Raton, a breakfast and lunch spot, owner Philip Thomas said he’s adjusted the menu to avoid raising prices much.
“I took egg salad off the menu. It was served as a special,” he said.
“But prices are up — 35% to 40% on some items, and not just eggs, but chicken breasts. We’re known for our chicken salad.”
He was planning on raising prices, “but I hate to do it. We’ve been here 30 years and I’m struggling.”
Thomas said he may charge one dollar more on the now-$17 chicken salad sandwich, but is worried it won’t help enough.
“Beyond that, we may have to close,” he said.
The big picture
The whole experience of dining out is now a luxury, said Boca Raton’s Tracy Augustin, who writes about it on her blog, 2 Forks and a Cork. “All menus have gone up.”
Augustin said she and her spouse, Wayne, have changed their rough spending formula for their meals out.
“We used to say $25 for breakfast, $50 for lunch, and $100 for dinner. Now, it’s $50 for breakfast, $100 for lunch and $200 for dinner,” Augustin said.
But it’s location, too. For South Florida, and Boca Raton in particular, “it’s expensive to live here,” Augustin said.
“Let’s face it: This is Disneyland. It’s not real here. Everything’s fake. Go somewhere where the people are living on minimum wage salaries. Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“So a few dollars more for a meal, it’s just the way it is. But we don’t eat out as often as we used to.”
Easter and Passover meals
A smattering of restaurants are offering Easter and Passover meals.
At the Opal Grand Resort and Spa, 10 N. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach, diners have a choice of a special brunch or dinner on Easter Sunday, April 20. Phone 561-274-3200, or go to opalcollection.com/opal-grand/ to make a reservation.
Brunch, from 11-3, is in the Seacrest Ballroom. Cost is $89.95 adults, or $35 kids under 12. Does not include tax or tip.
Dinner is a prix fixe at Opal Grand’s restaurant Drift. Cost ranges from $60 to $85, depending on entree chosen. Does not include tax or tip.
At Latitudes at the Delray Sands Resort, 2809 Ocean Blvd., Highland Beach, a three-course prix fixe menu is served. Cost is $92 to $98, depending on entree. Does not include tax or tip. Visit opalcollection.com/delray-sands/restaurants/latitudes.
TooJay’s Deli offers a four-course Passover seder dinner at all its restaurants for $44.99 per person, dine in or takeout. The dinner is available Saturday, April 12 or Sunday, April 13, with two seatings, 5 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. Reservations are required by phone. Call the TooJay’s nearest you.
For larger groups, special catered dinners are available for up to 10 people. A la carte seder foods also can be ordered for pickup. To order takeout or catered meals, go to order.toojays.com; curbside pickup is available.
In brief
Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches will host as speaker Jacques Torres, noted chocolatier, at its annual More Than a Meal Luncheon at 11 a.m. April 9 at the Kravis Center in
West Palm Beach. Tickets are $295 to benefit the nonprofit that delivers homebound seniors a daily hot meal. For tickets and more information, go to mowpb.org.
Jan Norris is a food writer who can be reached at nativefla@gmail.com.
Atlantic High senior Lorendie Exavier, who plans to attend FAU, credits Carmen Spangaro, a mentor with the Scholar Career Coaching program available at Atlantic. Photo provided
By Faran Fagen
A senior leader for the Scholar Career Coaching club at Atlantic High School has received 10 college acceptance letters. Two twin scholars, standout stars in the program, have each been accepted into eight different colleges.
These are just some of the achievements for Scholar Career Coaching, an educational nonprofit organization dedicated to providing mentorship, college readiness and career development programs to high school students.
To date, the organization has served more than 1,000 students and awarded $80,000 in scholarships.
It serves students at Atlantic, Boynton Beach and Santaluces high schools. Students at these schools participate in the College and Career Readiness Club, an after-school mentorship program designed to provide academic guidance, career coaching, financial literacy and scholarship support.
Scholar CC, started in 2012, primarily serves first-generation college students and English-language learners, ensuring they have tools and resources needed to succeed beyond high school.
“Being in Scholar CC has connected me to a vast network and opportunities that have shaped my academic and personal growth,” Lorendie Exavier said.
Exavier is a senior from eastern Delray Beach who’s been in the Atlantic CCR club since her junior year. She plans to attend Florida Atlantic University.
“As a minority and first-generation college student, Scholar Career Coaching has provided me with important resources to be successful in high school,” Exavier said. “I’ve learned about colleges and scholarships and attended summer programs.”
Like all students involved in the program, she had a mentor who guided her and helped her develop professional skills. Also, through Scholar CC’s standardized test tutoring, she was able to significantly improve her test scores.
Some of the organization’s services include college and career exploration such as guidance on applications, financial aid, and career pathways.
Industry professionals share career insights and advice. Résumé building, interview prep, scholarship and leadership development, budgeting, credit management, student loan awareness, and self-advocacy training round out the education.
“Watching our scholars grow and thrive fills me with immense pride,” said Lynne Gassant, founder and executive director. “We believe in unlocking potential through mentorship, and nothing is more rewarding than witnessing student success.”
Through mentorship, test prep and hands-on workshops, the program equips students with real-world skills essential for college and the workforce.
Scholar CC awards nonrenewable scholarships to high-achieving seniors, ensuring financial barriers do not prevent them from pursuing higher education. Scholarships are based on academic achievement, leadership and financial need. Additionally, recipients receive new laptops to support their college transition.
The organization collaborates with school administrators, teachers and advisers to implement these programs. Schools provide meeting space, student recruitment support and program coordination, ensuring students receive consistent, year-round guidance.
“Our partnership with the Palm Beach County School District reinforces our commitment to advancing educational and career development opportunities,” Gassant said.
Exavier plans to pursue a bachelor of science degree in nursing and a minor in hospitality and tourism and tourism management at FAU. She plans to continue her studies in the doctor of nursing practice program, ultimately becoming a nurse practitioner.
“Being in Scholar CC is an experience I will always be grateful for,” Exavier said. “This program has shaped me into a curious and resourceful student, ready to embrace every opportunity.”
Gassant is looking for community partners who want to make an impact by supporting scholarships. She also welcomes mentors and corporate partners.
“This is an opportunity to directly change lives by providing mentorship, financial assistance and career guidance,” Gassant said. “We encourage businesses, professionals, and individuals passionate about educational equity and workforce development to get involved and support our mission.”
For more information and to get involved, visit https://scholarcc.org/.
Capt. Chris Lemieux and a few young anglers hold an 87-pound wahoo caught during the Lantana Fishing Derby. Lynn ’Doc’ Moorhouse came up with the idea of the derby 30 years ago to support the Lantana Chamber of Commerce. Officials later added a kids fishing event. Photo provided
By Steve Waters
When Lynn “Doc” Moorhouse promoted the idea to have a fishing tournament to support the Lantana Chamber of Commerce, few people imagined that the Lantana Fishing Derby would still be going strong three decades later.
The derby celebrates its 30th anniversary May 3. The captain’s party is May 1. Anglers weigh their catches on May 3 at the Old Key Lime House and there’s also a fishing derby for children at Bicentennial Park that day. The awards ceremony is May 4 at the Lantana Recreation Center.
“Lynn was on the board, and he brought the idea up,” said former chamber President Mark Easton. “It was his baby to do it. Did we expect it to go 30 years? Probably not. Did we expect it to be nearly as successful as it was? No, not at all.
“I forget how many boats we had the first year. Not a lot, 15 or 16 maybe. But by the third or fourth year or so, we topped 100 boats. And I don’t know how many it’s done the last couple of watches, but for years we were cracking.”
Easton said the money raised by the derby, which some years topped $30,000 after expenses, enabled the chamber to not only weather some tough times, but also thrive.
“The chamber was just about ready to close from having no money when I got elected to be president,” he said. “And with the aid of the Fishing Derby and Mack Stephenson’s annual golf tournament and annual chicken barbecue, where we cooked and sold over 300 chicken halves, we managed to (raise money) and gain some members and keep the chamber going. And the Fishing Derby has kept the coffers full for about every year for 30 years.
“You know, we were just hoping to go for a little while, just kind of tide the chamber over, and here it is, still producing. And it is still a great event for the town.”
Unlike many saltwater tournaments, where the competition is cutthroat and anglers go out every night for weeks before the event to catch and stockpile live bait, the emphasis is on fun at the derby. According to Capt. Chris Lemieux, when he fished the derby it was more about camaraderie and bragging rights between him and his friends.
“The reason why I liked it was it was all local guys that I knew growing up,” said Lemieux, who runs fishing charters out of Boynton Beach Inlet. “I actually won a trophy when I was 8 years old. I caught the second-biggest kingfish, 12 pounds.”
A highly successful tournament fisherman who has skippered a variety of teams to victories, Lemieux got one of his biggest thrills competing in the derby when he was 18.
He had recently purchased his first boat and caught a 32-pound kingfish fishing on that bay boat to win biggest kingfish honors. It was his first tournament victory on his own boat. Another time he ran someone else’s boat and won the biggest kingfish title with a 40-plus-pounder.
After its initial success, the derby added a kids fishing day, which Easton said Moorhouse funded out of his own pocket in the beginning.
“We used to put them on a drift boat,” Easton said. “They went offshore for half a day and we ended up with a bunch of sick kids and kids that had never been on a boat. And they had the day of their life getting seasick.”
After the first drift boat was decommissioned by the U.S. Coast Guard, the kids fished on the B-Love drift boat in Lantana. When that boat moved to New Jersey, the kids fished on the Lake Worth pier, where the city waived the admission fee for the youngsters.
Because the tournament no longer had to pay for a drift boat, it used the money to buy fishing rods and reels and small tackle boxes for each of the kids to use and keep.
When a hurricane damaged the fishing pier, the youth event was moved to Bicentennial Park. At first the kids fished from the sea wall. When the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway was built, the kids fished from the bridge’s catwalks.
“So, it’s been a good ride for the kids,” Easton said. “Every year there’s about 50 kids. Some of them get some pretty nice prizes. And it’s a day of fishing and learning about fishing. It’s really a neat event.”
Although Easton, who owned The Lake Worth Herald, which recently closed after more than 112 years of service to the community, had a boat, he never fished in the derby. Instead, he would help make sure the kids had a good time, then head over to the Old Key Lime House to work the docks and weigh in fish.
The derby awards prize money for the three biggest fish in three divisions — kingfish, dolphin and wahoo — with $1,250 for the heaviest of each species. Prizes go to the top lady angler and junior angler (under 13). The awards ceremony is open to the public and, in addition to honoring the winners, features a huge raffle for an array of prizes donated by local businesses.
The tournament entry fee is $300 per boat for up to four anglers and $50 for each additional angler until April 18. The registration deadline is 3 p.m. May 2. Visit lantanachamber.com/fishing-derby.
Outdoors writer Steve Waters can be reached at steve33324@aol.com.
St. Edward Catholic Church is now the Basilica of St. Edward, making it the 94th minor basilica in the United States. St. Edward, the only Catholic church on Palm Beach, will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026. It got the basilica designation in part due to its ornate architecture and historical significance. Photos provided
By Janis Fontaine
In January, Gerald M. Barbarito, Bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach, learned that St. Edward Catholic Church in Palm Beach had become the Basilica of St. Edward effective Dec. 13, 2024, making it the 94th minor basilica in the United States.
It was news the Rev. Glen Pothier, St. Edward’s rector, had been awaiting for months and working toward for years. Father Glen had assumed pastoral duties from the Rev. Monsignor Thomas J. Klinzing in April 2022 and dedicated himself to bringing attention and favor to the only Catholic church on Palm Beach.
The Rev. Glen Pothier, St. Edward Catholic Church’s rector, worked with the Vatican for several years in seeking the basilica designation.
“In December 2022, I realized that 2026 would be the 100th anniversary of the church and I thought maybe I can request a designation that would elevate the church to a basilica,” Father Glen said by phone. The next month he wrote to the Conference of Catholic Bishops to learn about the process and got to work.
“I did it all myself,” he said. “I don’t do well in committees.”
The work was a 119-item questionnaire about every aspect of the church from its history to its traditions to its daily operations. “They wanted every detail, how we do everything, visuals, pictures, the historical significance. They wanted real detail. It took me a year to complete, and we sent it all with the appropriate cover letters off to the Vatican and waited for a response.”
Father Glen heard back from the Vatican in November. The response had one issue: The priest’s chair near the altar wasn’t formal enough. “The church is in an old style, and everything is in marble, but the priest’s chair is made of wood and has cushions and didn’t fit in,” Father Glen said. “It was kind of lost among all the Carrara marble of the altar.”
Father Glen made arrangements to have a new marble chair made and sent off the plans to see if they met with the approval of the church. They did.
“The new chair is being made in Tuscany,” Father Glen said. “Haifa Limestone is coordinating it, and we hope to have it by June or July. It’s the same Carrara marble with cherubs all through it, consistent thematically with the altar.”
In February, Father Glen was able to announce the news to the congregation and on March 1, Bishop Barbarito marked the designation with a Votive Mass, saying, “We are very grateful and honored that the Vatican has designated the church of St. Edward in Palm Beach as a minor Basilica. It is not only a recognition of the historic significance of this church, but also of the life of all the churches within the Diocese of Palm Beach. We now share a special bond with our Holy Father, Pope Francis, through the Basilica Churches in Rome.”
Basilica “literally means ‘a royal house,’ and being a basilica is symbolic of being close to the pope affectionately, in prayer. On feast days, we celebrate with extra remembrance,” Bishop Barbarito said. The special affiliation with the Vatican grants the church special precedence, he said.
Bishop Barbarito noted that the recognition is especially significant in 2025, which the pope declared the Jubilee Year of Hope. Every 25 years is a Jubilee Year, which is a special year with unique blessings. The faithful are called to make a pilgrimage to a basilica to attain special dispensations, like plenary indulgences.
Tradition says passing through the doors of the Basilica of St. Peter, even to recite the Lord’s Prayer, symbolizes entering a new life in Christ, a journey of conversion, and a commitment to spiritual renewal.
With St. Edward as a minor basilica, its designated Holy Doors are symbolically like those in Rome and provide the same gifts. “Making a pilgrimage to a basilica or cathedral with the Holy Doors during the Jubilee year is an opportunity to express hope in Christ and renew one’s path to eternal life,” Father Glen said.
Several symbols will be added to St. Edward, at 144 North County Road, to complete the transition. “A new crest was commissioned that is now complete but there are things that we need: A beautiful papal umbrella called an umbraculum that would be carried when the pope visited, and a special bell called a tintinnabulum that would be rung,” Father Glen said.
The bell is under construction by Dixon Studio, a company in Staunton, Virginia, specializing in church interiors, stained glass, metalware and statuary. The studio crafted the tintinnabulum for the 93rd Basilica of St. Andrew in Roanoke in 2023. “They were so kind, and it was so easy to work with them,” Father Glen said.
St. Edward is one of seven basilicas in Florida and the only basilica in Palm Beach County. Father Kevin McQuone, assistant professor of pastoral theology at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, said in an email that becoming a basilica is “an honorary title that churches receive for significant historical, cultural or other ecclesial significance. For example, the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC is a minor basilica because of its significance as a gathering space for Catholics from around the nation.”
Presidents and prime ministers, families of the wealthy and well-connected, capitalists and heads of industry have worshipped at St. Edward over the past 100 years. It was the Kennedy family’s home church when they were in Palm Beach and Rose Kennedy, the matriarch of the family, rarely missed daily Mass when she was wintering at 1095 N. Ocean Blvd. According to the Palm Beach Post, John F. Kennedy last attended church at St. Edward on Easter Sunday 1963.
St. Edward “is different from the other churches in the Diocese,” Father Glen said, because Palm Beach is different. “It’s important for its historic contributions, and as a place of worship for people visiting from around the world. The clientele are of a different caliber. Not better, just different. The man in the pew may be a billionaire hedge fund manager, but all men need the word of God preached to them.”
Church milestones
• The land for the church was purchased in 1926 for $80,000, according to the historical information gathered by Pothier. A visionary Jesuit priest, Father Felix Clarkson, was given permission by the Bishop of St. Augustine to purchase three lots at the corner of North County Road and Sunrise Avenue to establish a “mission” church.
With Father Clarkson as general contractor, crews broke ground on the church on Easter Sunday, April 4, 1926. Father Clarkson raised around $300,000 of the $500,000 total cost.
• The first service held was Midnight Mass on Dec. 25, 1926. More than 1,500 people attended.
• On Feb. 13, 1927, the Most Reverend Patrick Barry, D.O., Bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Augustine, dedicated the Church of St. Edward.
• In January 1941, the Rev. James Cloonan became the first resident pastor and in 1942 a residence was built to house the priests serving the parish, including a guest suite for the bishop and space for parish offices.
• In 1958, through the generosity of Lorraine Freimann and Frank Freimann, the church acquired property on the east side of North County Road and built the parish center.
• In 1992, Father Francis J. Lechiara joined St. Edward and devoted himself to the total restoration of the church. With the enthusiastic support of the parishioners (and a final cost of $1.2 million), Father Frank oversaw the repair and restoration of both structural and irreplaceable decorative elements of the church. The restoration he began continued after his death in 2011 under the Rev. Monsignore Klinzing. The renovations earned the church two prestigious awards for historical preservation: the Ballinger Award from the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, and the Knott Award from the Historical Society of Palm Beach County.
• An ecumenical service (meaning a gathering of Christian denominations) was held at St. Edward Catholic Church in Palm Beach for President Kennedy on the 50th anniversary of his assassination, Nov. 22, 2013.
St. Edward’s architecture
The exterior of St. Edward was built in the Spanish Renaissance style using cast stone with combed Brazilian stone ashlar (masonry made of large square-cut stones, typically used as a facing on walls of brick or stone). It has two towers and a Spanish tile roof. Three sets of bronze doors open into the vestibule, which is flanked by chapels dedicated to St. Anthony and St. Theresa. The 28-foot Altar of the Sacred Heart which stands in a niche more than 40 feet high is Carrara marble. The large picture window over the main entrance — which faces North County Road — depicts St. Edward, the church’s patron saint.
The intricate hand-painted ceiling and frescoes include a mural of the 12 apostles surmounted by a depiction of the crucifixion in the niche above the altar. The “Marian Windows,” a magnificent stained glass depicting the life of the Blessed Mother, are another defining feature.
Who was St. Edward?
Edward the Confessor was the son of King Ethelred III and his Norman wife, Emma, daughter of Duke Richard I of Normandy. After Ethelred’s death in 1016, Emma married Canute (Cnut the Great), who became king and brought peace and prosperity to England.
In 1042, Edward’s half-brother, Hardicanute, son of Canute and Emma, died and Edward became king. In 1044, he married Edith and continued his reign, considered a peaceful one characterized by his good rule.
Edward’s interest in religious affairs led to the building of the original St. Peter’s Abbey at Westminster, the site of the present Abbey, where Edward is buried. Because of his piety, he was given the name “the Confessor” and he was canonized in 1161 by Pope Alexander III, the only king to be canonized by the pope.
St. Edward is the patron saint of difficult marriages and separated spouses.
Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at fontaine423@outlook.com
Welcome Easter Sunday, April 20, on the beach with the rising sun. Here are places to do that from Boca Raton to Lake Worth Beach:
Spanish River Church: Beach Sunrise Family Service takes place at 6:45 a.m. at South Beach Park, 400 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. spanishriver.com/easter or 561-994-5000.
St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church: Easter Sunday Beach Eucharist takes place at 6:30 a.m. at the South Beach Pavilion, State Road A1A at Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton. stgregorysepiscopal.org or 561-395-8285.
Cason United Methodist Church: Easter Sunrise Service at the Delray Beach Pavilion takes place at 6:30 a.m. at Atlantic Avenue and A1A. Bring chair or blanket. www.casonumc.org
First Baptist Church of Lantana: Easter Sunrise Service at Dune Deck Cafe at the beach, 100 N. Ocean Blvd., Lantana, begins at 6 a.m. Free parking. 561-588-3341; fbclantana.com
Our Savior Lutheran Church: Beachside Easter Sunrise Service starts at 6:30 a.m. at R.G. Kreusler Park, 2882 S. Ocean Blvd., Lake Worth Beach. osl@osl-lw.org or 561-582-4430.
— Janis Fontaine
