florence fuller child development centers - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-29T14:07:45Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/florence+fuller+child+development+centersCoastal Star: Boca volunteer puts smiles on kids’ faces thanks to expertise in speech pathologyhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/coastal-star-boca-volunteer-puts-smiles-on-kids-faces-thanks-to-e2022-03-02T17:52:50.000Z2022-03-02T17:52:50.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10165338676,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10165338676,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10165338676?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="710" /></a></strong><em>Sandy Sexton, a Fuller Center volunteer since 2018, has ensured that hundreds of children get ‘the treatments, interventions and education they need,’ Fuller CEO Ellyn Okrent says. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>By Jan Engoren</strong></p>
<p>Working with children is a passion for Sandy Sexton, a retired speech pathologist for the Palm Beach County School District and resident of Carriage Hill in Boca Raton. <br /> Once she retired in 2018, Sexton continued her work pro bono at the Fuller Center in Boca Raton to get children the services they need. Many of the children come from underserved homes, where parents may be working and/or not able to provide adequately for their children.<br /> “I volunteer because the staff works so hard to do the best for the children,” Sexton says. “The parents want the best for their children but may have limited means.<br /> “My work helps the kids get the step up that they need. When you see the expression on their faces when they’re learning and their eyes open up, they smile a wonderful smile and there’s a brightness in their faces.”<br /> That’s the best part of her work, she says.<br /> Sexton, 71, recalls a 4-year-old boy who had severe dental issues that sometimes hindered his ability to eat and speak. When she learned the parents did not have the resources to procure treatment, Sexton reached out to the Sunrise Rotary Club, where she is a member and past volunteer of the year, and located a colleague and pediatric dentist who provided some information and direction for when treatment woud be most appropriate.<br /> Additionally, she encouraged her fellow Rotarians to help paint classrooms at the Fuller Center West site and to assemble more than 150 bikes for the children that were donated by Boca West Children’s Foundation.She participated in these activities which were initiated and coordinated through the Sunrise Rotary Club.<br /> Her other volunteer activities have included Boca Helping Hands Family Feeding Night, Spirit of Giving, Global Volunteers (Cuba) and the Caridad Ball Committee (2020).<br /> Another satisfying memory for Sexton was helping a 3-year-old child who fell from a tree. He was diagnosed with agenesis of the corpus callosum, a congenital brain abnormality that can cause intellectual deficiencies. <br /> Sexton found services for him, allowing him to enter kindergarten with the language skills he needed to succeed.<br /> “Do something to make someone else’s life better,” says Sexton. “That’s my motto. That’s why I volunteer.” <br /> Ellyn Okrent, CEO of the Fuller Center, says that “we are so grateful for Sandy’s priceless gifts. Her most significant contribution was teaching us how to identify children with special needs and how to work with the school system to get them assessed and to access the services and interventions they need.<br /> “Sandy’s gift of wisdom and expertise has ensured that hundreds of children are receiving the treatments, interventions and education they need,” Okrent says.<br /> Sexton, a native of St. Louis, grew up in an era when women were supposed to be housewives, teachers or nurses, but she knew she wanted something else.<br /> In retrospect, she credits her parents, both children of the Depression, with being the role models who shaped her. <br /> “The strength they exhibited made me who I am today,” says Sexton, a Daughters of the American Revolution member whose family traces its roots back to England and Henry VIII. While studying her genealogy, she discovered one of her great-great-grandfathers was a stone mason who helped build the Anheuser-Busch plant in St. Louis.<br /> An inveterate traveler, Sexton has been to 50 countries and says that Peru with its “mystical culture” is her favorite.<br /> In 2015 she traveled to Cuba and was so enamored by the country and its people she returned the following year to teach English to children through a Global Volunteers program.<br /> This year, she returned from a trip to Morocco, where she camped in the Sahara Desert and watched the sun set.<br /> She has hiked to Machu Picchu via the Inca trail in Peru twice and hopes to hike it again. She has plans to hike in Bhutan. She planned to go to Easter Island this year, but the trip was canceled because of the coronavirus. Next year she hopes to visit Japan for cherry blossom season. <br /> Closer to home, Sexton, a widow with one daughter (a tax attorney in Washington, D.C.), enjoys going to the beach, playing pickleball twice a week, riding her bike and swimming.<br /> Sexton says she’s motivated by the joy she sees on kids’ faces when they learn something new.<br /> “Seeing their eyes light up, seeing them be successful and feeling good about themselves is what makes me happy and keeps me going,” she says.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>NOMINATE SOMEONE </strong></span><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>TO BE A COASTAL STAR</strong></span> <br /> <em>Send a note to news@thecoastalstar.com </em><br /> <em>or call 561-337-1553</em>.</p></div>Celebrations: Wee Dream Ball; Boca West Country Club, Boca Raton — Nov. 9https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/celebrations-wee-dream-ball-boca-west-country-club-boca-raton-nov2021-12-28T19:27:42.000Z2021-12-28T19:27:42.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9963039896,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9963039896,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="9963039896?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9963060474,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9963060474,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="210" alt="9963060474?profile=RESIZE_400x" /></a>Florence Fuller Child Development Centers’ signature fundraiser brought in $1 million and celebrated the agency’s 50th anniversary. The elegant evening included a cocktail hour, a silent auction, dinner and dancing and a ceremony naming Peggy Henry Van Dorp as the inaugural Legacy Society honoree. ‘We are so grateful for the unwavering kindness and commitment of our supporters who believe in investing in our children and families, securing our future,’ CEO Ellyn Okrent said. <strong>ABOVE:</strong> (<em>l-r) Hiromi Printz, Simone Spiegel, Stacey Packer and Peg Anderson.</em> <strong>LEFT:</strong> <em>Dr. John Westine and Gail Wasserman.</em> <strong>BELOW:</strong> (<em>l-r, front) Carrie Rubin, Kathy Adkins, Denise Zimmerman, (back) Dana Weiss, Lauren Johnson, Megan Escamilla, Heidi Johnson Adams and Van Dorp.</em> <strong>Photos provided</strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9963057677,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9963057677,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="9963057677?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></p></div>Coastal Star: Boca businessman makes children focus of givinghttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/coastal-star-boca-businessman-makes-children-focus-of-giving2021-11-03T17:15:13.000Z2021-11-03T17:15:13.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9764394264,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9764394264,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="9764394264?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a>Anuj Grover surrounds his desk with reminders of home and the school supplies he donates. </em><strong>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</strong></p>
<p><strong>By Mary Thurwachter</strong></p>
<p>When it comes to charitable giving, Anuj Grover says he and Mark Corlew, his partner at real estate investment management group Grover Corlew, like to focus on the future.<br /> Before school began, their employees and tenants of the company’s buildings came together to donate backpacks, folders, notebooks, pencils, art supplies and more, to ensure that students in need returned to school prepared for learning. <br /> Palm Beach and Broward counties’ Title I school students and teachers benefited from the donations, which were available through the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County and the Broward Education Foundation.<br /> “Both my business partner and I are products of the Florida public school system and big believers in the public school system,” Grover said. “Back-to-school drives are directly in our wheelhouse for charitable giving. We’ve been doing this for over five years in Broward County and have expanded to include Palm Beach County,” two years ago when the company moved its headquarters to Boca Raton. <br /> According to the national nonprofit Kids in Need Foundation, 90% of teachers surveyed said that three quarters of their students arrived to class without the supplies necessary for learning.<br /> The pandemic drastically increased the need for basic school supplies for students in Title I schools, and the school supply centers in both counties are also reporting low levels of donations this year. <br /> “As a father, I know just how expensive it can be to adequately prepare a child for learning each year,” Grover said. “Teachers also spend money to buy supplies for their classrooms. We hope to ease the burden with these donations, particularly for those struggling to get by. Every little bit helps.”<br /> Other charities to which the firm contributes include Florence Fuller Child Development Centers in Boca Raton, the Pompano Beach Elementary School art program, the Boys and Girls Clubs, and Channing Crowder toy drive.<br /> Grover, who lives in Boca Raton, grew up in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area and has a law degree from Vanderbilt University and a bachelor of science degree in accounting from the University of Florida.<br /> For more than 20 years, he has been acquiring and developing real estate. It’s in his DNA. Some of his fondest childhood memories are sitting on his dad’s lap learning about investing, he said.<br /> “He was the quintessential immigrant at that time, always saving money. But he was also smart and invested his savings in stocks, land and even an office condo,” Grover said.<br /> When his father was 17, he came to the U.S. from India on a monthlong boat ride and studied at the University of Michigan.<br /> Grover said: “Like a lot of immigrant stories, it’s very similar. Hard to get here. Don’t have a safety net. A lot of hard work. And usually, the investment spent for all your time is for your family.<br /> “My brother and I were beneficiaries of that. It ends up shaping who you are and how you think.”<br /> Grover began his career in Atlanta as a certified public accountant in the Entrepreneurial Services Group of Ernst & Young and later worked as an attorney in the international law firm King & Spalding. <br /> In the 1990s, he transitioned to the investment world, where he held positions at several venture-backed companies. <br /> He and Corlew have been developing their business partnership for more than two decades. Grover Corlew has amassed more than 2.5 million square feet of office, medical office and retail properties, along with thousands of multifamily units, with a combined value of $750 million. <br /> Grover, 51, and his wife, Meghna, have two children, a daughter Simi, 13, and son Sachin, 11.<br /> Asked what he likes to do when he’s not working, Grover focused on people: “Anything that is spending time with family or longtime friends is always at the center of what I like to do for fun — watching a game, grabbing a meal, having drinks, cheering on the kids — whether it’s lacrosse, boxing, soccer, whatever they’re playing — going for a hike or wrestling with our dog. <br /> “At the end of the day, I’m a fairly social creature by nature. Spending time with people that I like, love or care about and having some good laughs is really what I enjoy.” </p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;">NOMINATE SOMEONE TO BE A COASTAL STAR</span> <br /><em>Send a note to news@thecoastalstar.com </em><br /><em>or call 561-337-1553.</em></p></div>Pay It Forward: Wee Dream Ball; Boca West Country Clubhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/pay-it-forward-wee-dream-ball-boca-west-country-club2021-11-02T16:12:09.000Z2021-11-02T16:12:09.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9760499674,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9760499674,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="437" alt="9760499674?profile=RESIZE_584x" /></a><strong>Dec. 3:</strong><em> Attendees at the fundraiser for the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers will help support the community’s at-risk children through educational programming. Time is 6 to 11 p.m. Cost is $300. Call 561-391-7274, ext. 134 or visit <a href="http://www.ffcdc.org">www.ffcdc.org</a>. </em><strong>ABOVE:</strong><em> (l-r) Honorary chairwoman Hiromi Printz, honorary chairman David Clark and chairwomen Simone Spiegel and Peg Anderson. </em><strong>Photo provided</strong></p></div>Celebrations: Men with Caring Hearts Awards Celebration — Boca West Country Club, Boca Raton — May 15https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/men-with-caring-hearts-awards-celebration-boca-west-country-club-2021-06-01T19:31:45.000Z2021-06-01T19:31:45.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9021115499,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9021115499,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9021115499?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="710" /></a><em>Eric Viner and Niki Knopf with event sponsors Eda and Cliff Viner. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p>
<p>Men who make outstanding impacts on the community through their philanthropic efforts were honored at Florence Fuller Child Development Centers’ 19th annual event. This year, a total of 20 male volunteers enjoyed an outdoor movie-style festivity with music and food trucks. ‘After the challenging year we’ve all had, the work of volunteers was more important than ever,’ said Ellyn Okrent, Fuller’s CEO. ‘It was a great pleasure to recognize the outstanding honorees and nominees.’</p></div>Pay it Forward: Florence Fuller awards celebration returns with drive-in, tailgate themehttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/pay-it-forward-florence-fuller-awards-celebration-returns-with-dr2021-04-27T20:42:07.000Z2021-04-27T20:42:07.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><strong>By Amy Woods</strong></p>
<p>Florence Fuller Child Development Centers had to cancel its Men with Caring Hearts Awards Celebration last year because of the pandemic.</p>
<p>This year, the event returns for its 19th installment — although to an outdoor venue and with a new format.</p>
<p>“This year, we’re in a holding pattern so we created an in-between model,” CEO Ellyn Okrent said, noting that in previous years more than 300 guests would gather for a nice luncheon at a beautiful ballroom. “What we’re trying to do is have a socially distanced event where we could be together still.”</p>
<p>The festivities, with a theme of “Drive-In Tailgate,” will take place May 15 at Boca West Country Club and feature a food truck, live entertainment and the awards presentation. <br /> Guests can eat, drink and be merry in and around their vehicles while watching the ceremony on a large screen set up outside.</p>
<p>“We think it’s going to be really fun,” Okrent said. “Even though it is different, we feel that this is going to be exciting.”</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8857156297,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8857156297,RESIZE_180x180{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="8857156297?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="104" /></a>The Men with Caring Hearts Awards Celebration shines a spotlight on male philanthropists in Palm Beach County — each nominated by the nonprofit with which he is affiliated. <br /> The 16 on the list this year are Aitor de Achurra, Bob Buruchian, Phillip DiPonio, Thomas Groendyke, Dr. Donald Janower, Alan Kaye, retired Army Maj. Gen. Bernard “Burn” Loeffke, Harry Meran, Doug Mosley, Mark Moza, Dan Paulus, Robert Robes, Ramon Robinson, <span style="font-size:small;">Marty Rosenzweig</span>, Dr. David Snyder, Thomas Tift and Eddie Ventrice.</p>
<p>Additionally, two Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy will be lauded: Ethan Foreman and Alexander Kaye.</p>
<p>“We sometimes forget the men,” Okrent said. “We just don’t tend to acknowledge them. They are usually behind the scenes more often, but they’re doing big things in the community, and they’re making a difference.”</p>
<p>Cliff Viner, who started the Eda & Cliff Viner Community Scholars Foundation in 2015, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.</p>
<p>“Cliff is one of those outstanding supporters of so many things in the community,” Okrent said. “There are probably a million things he’s done that I’m not aware of.”</p>
<p><br /> <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>If You Go</strong></span><br /> What: Men with Caring Hearts Awards Celebration<br /> When: 6:30 p.m. May 15<br /> Where: Boca West Country Club, Boca Raton<br /> Cost: $125<br /> Information: 561-391-7274, Ext. 134, or <a href="http://www.ffcdc.org/special-events/men-with-caring-hearts">www.ffcdc.org/special-events/men-with-caring-hearts</a></p></div>On the Water: Nonprofit teaches kids fishing, ecology and generosityhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-nonprofit-teaches-kids-fishing-ecology-and-generosit2017-03-01T14:16:01.000Z2017-03-01T14:16:01.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960702876,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960702876,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960702876?profile=original" /></a><em>The Metropulos brothers — Nick, left, and Lucas — have operated the nonprofit fishing</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>and environmental education organization Fishing for Families in Need based at St. Andrew’s School</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>in Boca Raton since 2007. This photo was taken in January, when the brothers traveled to Nassau, Bahamas,</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>to help with Hurricane Matthew relief efforts through Lend a Hand Bahamas.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo provided</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960704054,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960704054,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960704054?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>Isaiah LaFaille listens for sounds inside a conch shell held by instructor Jason Fox</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>of the St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton. The student-run nonprofit Fishing For Families in Need</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>conducts after-school fishing and ocean education programs weekly</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>at the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers in Boca Raton.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"> Brothers Lucas and Nick Metropulos love fishing and diving and sharing their passion for the ocean and marine conservation with children.<br /> When Lucas was attending St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton in 2007, he started the nonprofit Fishing for Families in Need to provide fishing and ocean education to children and to offer fresh fish to soup kitchens.<br /> Lucas wanted children to develop an appreciation for fish, coral reefs and other aspects of the ocean. His father, a Greek Orthodox minister, trained him to provide service to others. <br /> “We don’t just teach the kids to go out and catch whatever they can,” Lucas Metropulos said. “At the end of the day, they learn that we need to protect what’s out there.”<br /> Fishing for Families in Need — <a href="http://www.F4FN.com">www.F4FN.com</a> — held its first student-run classes for youths in 2008. Nine years later, the organization is still teaching children about fishing and the ocean, taking them on fishing trips and providing fresh fish to soup kitchens.<br /> Nick Metropulos, a senior at St. Andrew’s School, is overseeing the nonprofit organization, which uses about 30 student volunteers from high schools in Boca Raton to provide its services.<br /> The organization’s core program teaches fishing skills with a dose of environmental education to children 8-12 at the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers in Boca Raton.<br /> During the first day of the spring 2017 class, held Feb. 1 at the Florence Fuller centers, children raised their hands eagerly to answer questions about ocean pollution, overfishing and what constitutes a keystone species.<br /> Together, with a little help, they named the five oceans along with the largest ocean (Pacific), the second largest (Atlantic) and the smallest (Arctic).<br /> The fishing lessons are hands-on as well as conceptual. Volunteers show the kids how to rig rods, tie fishing knots, throw cast nets and clean fish. They practice casting on the basketball court.<br /> After the training is complete, the kids take a graduation fishing trip — usually to Anglins pier in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea or aboard the Lady K drift boat based in Lantana.<br /> Youths who complete the fishing education program each receive a rod and reel and tackle box donated by Fish Florida, a nonprofit organization that raises money through the sale of sailfish license tags (<a href="http://www.fishfloridatag.org">www.fishfloridatag.org</a>).<br /> Students working with Fishing for Families in Need also host a summer spearfishing tournament after which they clean and bag fish for donation to soup kitchens. <br /> Student volunteers collect and clean fresh fish from anglers throughout the year — often fish brought to the scales during tournaments — to make fresh fish available to soup kitchens.<br /> Fish donated by the students is welcomed at the Boca Helping Hands Food Center, which serves lunch six days a week, Executive Director James Gavrilos said.<br /> “When Fishing for Families in Need makes a donation, we know that lunch the next day will be a healthy, heart-friendly meal that is often beyond the financial reach of our clients,” Gavrilos said. <br /> Nick Metropulos, 18, plans to attend college in the fall, but he said Fishing for Families in Need will continue to operate with another student serving as chief executive officer. He said he plans to continue offering fishing and ocean education to children near the college he attends.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960704098,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960704098,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960704098?profile=original" /></a> <em>Tom Perry of Ocean Ridge holds the 14.5-pound kingfish he caught Feb. 3 while fishing aboard</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>the Living on Island Time drift boat. His kingfish hit a dead sardine north of the Lake Worth pier</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>and was the largest fish caught during an outing for members of the West Palm Beach Fishing Club.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>The drift boat is based at the Palm Beach Yacht Center in Hypoluxo.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-3">Non-motorized boat registration</span><br /> A non-motorized boat working group, created in 2015 to make recommendations to the state’s Boating Advisory Council, considered — but did not recommend — expanding vessel registration to non-motorized boats in Florida during its February meeting in Orlando. <br /> The group has not recommended registration for canoes, kayaks, sailboats and other types of non-motorized boats, said Rob Klepper, a spokesman for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.<br /> Klepper said the working group discusses many topics related to non-motorized boats, including access to the water, education and safety. <br /> The possibility of charging annual fees to register non-motorized boats has been part of the discussion, but there is no recommendation to require registration at this time, Klepper said.<br /> On Feb. 1, FWC Executive Director Nick Wiley issued a statement opposing registration and fees for non-motorized boats.<br /> “The FWC appreciates the work of this advisory group, but we are not supportive of increasing fees on Floridians or visitors who participate in non-motorized boating,” Wiley said.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-3">Palm Beach boat show</span> <br /> This year’s Palm Beach International Boat Show in downtown West Palm Beach will feature more than $1.2 billion in boats, electronics, accessories and clothing along with fishing and diving gear. <br /> Educational events include fishing seminars for adults provided by the IGFA School of Sportfishing and children’s fishing clinics provided by Hook the Future. Show attendees also will be able to sign up for classes in boat handling and docking. <br /> The boat show opens at noon March 23. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., except on March 26, when the show ends at 6 p.m. Admission: $22 for adults; $12 for ages 6-15; free for children younger than 6. Call 954-764-7642 or go to <a href="http://www.showmanagement.com">www.showmanagement.com</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-3">Coming events</span><br /> <strong>March 4:</strong> Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee: $35 for adults, $20 ages 12-19. Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600 or email fso-pe@cgauxboca.org.<br /> <strong>March 7:</strong> Fishing author Manny Luftglass discusses saltwater fishing in Florida, 2 p.m. at Palm Beach County’s Lantana branch library, 4020 Lantana Road. Free. Call 304-4500.<br /> <strong>March 22:</strong> Capt. Scott Fawcett offers tips for catching yellowfin tuna at the West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s meeting, 7 p.m., 201 Fifth St., West Palm Beach. Free. Call 832-6780 or <a href="http://www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org">www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org</a>.<br /> <strong>March 25:</strong> Boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee: $20 adults, $10 ages 14-18, free for 13 and younger; $50 family rate for three or more people. Register at the door. Call 704-7440.<br /> <strong>March 31:</strong> Kickoff party for the Lantana Fishing Derby, 5:30 p.m. at The Hive Bar & Grill, 618 W. Lantana Road. Call 585-8664 or <a href="http://www.Lantanafishingderby.com">www.Lantanafishingderby.com</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-3">Tip of the month</span><br /> Boaters who want up-to-date information on navigation hazards, military exercises on the water and other advisories for South Florida waters can check the Coast Guard’s Local Notices to Mariners at <a href="http://www.navcen.uscg.gov">www.navcen.uscg.gov</a>. <br /> Select District 7, which includes Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Puerto Rico. <br /> The Coast Guard also encourages mariners who notice hazards or discrepancies with published information, such as bridge clearances, to report them to the Miami office by calling (305) 535-4472.<strong><br /> <br /></strong><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>Coastal Star: Behind-the-scenes volunteer a melodious match for Symphoniahttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/coastal-star-behind-the-scenes-volunteer-a-melodious-match-for-sy2016-02-04T16:41:25.000Z2016-02-04T16:41:25.000ZChris Felkerhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/ChrisFelker<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960631072,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960631072,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="7960631072?profile=original" /></a><em>Marti Kaplan, a volunteer for the Symphonia, lives at The Carlton condominiums in Boca Raton.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><strong>By Marie Puleo<br /> <br /></strong> Marti Kaplan has found the perfect way to combine her talent for crunching data with her love for classical music. <br /> As a volunteer at the Symphonia chamber orchestra in Boca Raton, she helps internal operations run smoothly by using the skills she garnered during her nearly two-decade advertising career in New York. <br /> “I learned along the way that my talents are in the back room and organization, and dealing with databases and spreadsheets, which is the kind of thing the Symphonia needed when I started with them in 2009,” Kaplan said. <br /> After working in market and media research for major ad agencies such as J. Walter Thompson and McCann Erickson and as director of sales research for ABC television, Kaplan retired in 1988 to Boca Raton with her husband, who also worked in advertising. They were both in their 40s.<br /> Kaplan filled her time doing volunteer work for the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers and serving as treasurer of her condo board, which proved to be labor-intensive. <br /> “Eventually my husband said, ‘If you’re going to work that hard, you might as well go out and get paid for it.’ So I did,” Kaplan said.<br /> She worked for a Realtor for 10 years, handling contracts, multiple-listing databases and bookkeeping. When she finally retired in 2008, this time officially, she needed something to do.<br /> A former member of the Symphonia board who lived in Kaplan’s condo building knew that the Symphonia’s executive director, Annabel Russell, needed help, so she put Kaplan and Russell together. <br /> “It just happened to be a very good match. We were very compatible,” Kaplan said. <br /> “When I was growing up in Wisconsin, my mother worked almost full time as a volunteer for the Milwaukee Arts Center, so I spent a lot of time in grade school and high school stuffing envelopes or doing whatever was needed. Volunteering at the Symphonia was sort of automatic.”<br /> The Symphonia, in its 10th season, aims to keep classical music flourishing in South Florida and features world-renowned guest artists, such as pianist Misha Dichter, who will be performing next month.<br /> Kaplan, 68, is particularly enthusiastic about the Symphonia’s “Meet the Orchestra” program, which allows children to interact with musicians at dress rehearsals and learn about different instruments. “It’s important that they know there’s something out there besides rap and hip-hop,” she said.<br /> Volunteering at the Symphonia three or four days a week, Kaplan has been spending most of her time lately working with a new database that will store information about donors, subscribers, single-ticket purchases and seat assignments in one consolidated place, consistently keeping things up-to-date.<br /> “It’s the kind of database management that I’ve done most of my career in one form or another, and that isn’t necessarily the expertise of other volunteers,” Kaplan said. “It’s not glamorous, but it’s very satisfying when it works.”<br /> And it worked last fall when Kaplan succeeded in putting together a donor list that was included in the programs for the first concert of the season. <br /> “I was practically doing handsprings down the hallway, I was so happy that I got it to Annabel in the form she needed,” Kaplan said.<br /> Making life easier for Russell is what it’s all about, “so she can do the business end of it that only she can do, so the musicians can come and play their music, and everybody’s happy.”<br /> “Marti is amazing,” said Russell. “She has integrity, is reliable and does her work really, really well. She saves me a lot of time, and I’m very grateful to have her.” <br /> Part of why Kaplan volunteers is that she hopes the Symphonia (<a href="http://www.thesymphonia.org">www.thesymphonia.org</a>) will stay in Boca Raton, so that people don’t have to go to Palm Beach or Miami to hear classical music.<br /> “It makes me feel good that I’m doing something for an organization that brings pleasure to people and at the same time keeps my mind going. It gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning,” Kaplan said.</p></div>Tots and Teens: Boca kids' museum getting a boosthttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/tots-and-teens-boca-kids-museum-getting-a-boost2015-07-01T14:27:32.000Z2015-07-01T14:27:32.000ZChris Felkerhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/ChrisFelker<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960588291,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960588291,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="360" alt="7960588291?profile=original" /></a><em>Jamie Tisch teaches a sensory art class at The Boca Raton Children’s Museum.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>The class uses tactile and multi-dimensional objects to create art. Here, Tisch (left),</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>Avery Luppino, 16 months, and Jolene Luppino use a string to balance pirates</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>created with paper, crayons, tape and pennies for weight and balance.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><strong>By Janis Fontaine<br /><br /> </strong>The Boca Raton Children’s Museum, called the oldest children’s museum in Florida, announced it is now an affiliate of the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers, a nonprofit that has been dedicated “to providing children a pathway out of poverty” in Boca Raton for more than 40 years. Leading the charge to rejuvenate the museum is Florence Fuller’s CEO, Ellyn Okrent. <br /> Jayne Morrison, the museum’s operations coordinator, called Okrent “a dynamic personality with a proven track record.” Okrent will try to lead the struggling venue to solid ground. <br /> The Children’s Museum is a charming place, with real historical significance. “It’s an important part of our community, but it couldn’t sustain itself,” Morrison said. One of the first things the new leaders did was begin planning the Dash Around Town Cocktail Party, a fund- and friend-raiser to be held July 18.<br /> “We call it a ‘friend-raiser’ because we need the older, more established members of the community to show support for us,” Morrison said. “We need to let people know about our new events and activities we offer, and to identify people who want to support the museum. The historic importance of our buildings is still the museum’s cornerstone.” <br /> Three historic structures make up the museum: Singing Pines is one of the oldest unaltered wooden structures in Boca Raton. The 1935 cottage was originally built as a private home but it was used by the Arvida Corp. as its first local construction and sales office in the 1960s and was moved to the museum grounds in the ’80s. The newest building opened in June 2011. The Rickards House is a replica inspired by one of the first homes built in Boca Raton by Capt. T. M. Rickards in 1897. <br /> A variety of art and enrichment activities take place every day, plus there’s plenty to explore and touch. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and admission is $5. Infants are admitted free. Soon there will be even more to see. <br /> “Our exhibit builder, Adrian St. Cyr — we call him ‘our museum imagineer’ — is working on two new exhibits to go up this year. One will be a water table for indoor water play. The other is a story-time tent. We’re kicking it to a whole new level!” Morrison said. “They haven’t seen anything yet!” <br /> If you go: The Dash Around Town Cocktail Party will be held from 7 to 10:30 p.m. July 18, and will features drinks, dinner by the bite, and a performance by jazz singer Deborah Paiva. Guests will have a chance to meet Florence Fuller CEO Ellyn Okrent. Tickets are $35, which includes two drink tickets, dinner by the bite, and entertainment. A cash bar is available. Raffles and auctions are also planned. For tickets or information, call 368-6875 or visit <a href="http://www.cmboca.org">www.cmboca.org</a> <br /><br /><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family:georgia, palatino;">Summer activities to keep your youngsters happy</span> <br /> Looking for something different to do with the kids? <br /> We know children come with diverse interests, so we found five things to do in July, each appealing to a different personality. See if there’s one that fits your child. <br /> For your science nerd: The Children’s Science Explorium offers Grab ’n’ Go EcoPacks — backpacks filled with tools and materials needed to guide your family through an investigation of the plants, animals and insects in the park. There are three pack options: Bug Hunter, Botanical Investigator and Bird Sleuth.<br /> They’re free for the asking, but an adult (18 and older) needs to reserve the pack with a valid ID. Eco-packs are available during regular hours. On July 18 and 19 at 3:30 p.m., the Explorium will host a free weekend science demo best for ages 7 and older. Kids will learn scientific principles through interactive demonstrations. The Science Explorium is in Sugar Sand Park, 300 S. Military Trail, Boca Raton. For more information, call 347-3912 or visit <a href="http://www.scienceexplorium.org">www.scienceexplorium.org</a>.<br /> For your budding chef: The master chocolatiers at Hoffman’s Chocolate Factory — the local source for handmade, artisan chocolates for 40 years — is looking for kids with a creative mind and sweet tooth.<br /> On Thursday mornings at 10:30 from July 9 through Aug. 13, kids become chocolatiers for an hour, dipping and decorating delectable dollops of deliciousness. They also make their own chocolate pizza. The class is suited for age 6 and older and is $14.95. Call for reservations. Hoffman’s is at 5190 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth. Call 967-2213. <br />For your sun worshiper: Each summer, the naturalists at Sandoway House Nature Center take kids on a beach adventure, “hunting and decoding the mystery of the various critters washing up on our shore.”<br /> Called Decoding Beach Curiosities, the guide leads the intrepid explorers on a hunt for clams, snails, corals, plants and other signs of life. A careful examination reveals their similarities and differences and, ultimately, the identification of these creatures. <br /> The fee is $8, including admission to the nature center. The program will begin at 9 a.m. July 11 and is appropriate for all ages. Sandoway House is at 142 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach. To reserve your place, call 274-7263.<br /> For your fairy tale-loving thespian: Curtain Call Playhouse, an 18-year-old local touring troupe, presents an interactive twist on a classic fairy tale — The Little Mermaid’s Adventure — as part of the Willow Theatre’s Summer Children’s Series. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved story, this show is an interactive performance with singalongs to familiar songs and even a few educational life lessons. <br /> Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for ages 12 and younger. Each child’s ticket includes a carousel ride token; and cookies and juice will be served in the lobby after the performance. Show times are 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. July 19 at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park 300 S. Military Trail, Boca Raton. Call 954-784-0768; <a href="http://www.curtaincallplayhouse.com">www.curtaincallplayhouse.com</a>.<br />For your grand explorer: Pretend your family’s survival depends on locating the certain critical items and your only means of transportation is by bike. This is the Geocaching by Bike family adventure at Daggerwing Nature Center, which “integrates modern technology with the exploration of nature.” <br /> It’s a bike hike / scavenger hunt using a GPS (or your smartphone) as a guide. Build communication skills, bond as a team, and take a deep breath outside before it gets too hot. <br /> You must bring your own bike. Start time is 10 a.m. July 30 at Daggerwing, inside South County Regional Park, 11435 Park Access Road, Boca Raton.The fee is $5; reservations are required. Call 629-8760.</p></div>Mayor’s Appreciation Celebration: Florence Fuller Child Development Centers, Boca Raton – Aug. 21https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/mayor-s-appreciation-celebration-florence-fuller-child-developmen2014-10-01T15:44:11.000Z2014-10-01T15:44:11.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960533082,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960533082,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="180" alt="7960533082?profile=original" /></a><em>Former Boca Raton Mayor Susan Whelchel helped bring in more than $20,000 in donations for the Spirit of Giving Network to support the nonprofit’s community projects, including its Putting Kids First: Community Back to School Bash. The annual bash provides at-risk children with the school supplies they need to succeed. ‘Spirit of Giving Network was honored to have hosted the mayor’s appreciation reception as her tenure came to a close,’ said Doug Paton, the charity’s president. Photo: Whelchel, a new Spirit of Giving Network board member, and Wendy Friswell, executive director, pose with children showing off their new school supplies at the center, a beneficiary of the bash. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p></div>Capital campaign kickoff : The Capital Grille, Boca Raton – Sept. 17https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/capital-campaign-kickoff-the-capital-grille-boca-raton-sept-172014-10-01T15:36:56.000Z2014-10-01T15:36:56.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960538284,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960538284,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="538" alt="7960538284?profile=original" /></a><em>Florence Fuller Child Development Centers officially kicked off a $4.5 million capital campaign, whose committee is spearheaded by past board President Peggy Henry and</em> <br /><em>longtime centers supporter Mary Ann Perper. The campaign was launched to support afterschool programming on the</em> <br /><em>centers’ west campus in Boca Raton, which is in need of space to accommodate the 100 kindergartners through fifth-</em><br /><em>graders served. ABOVE: Henry and Perper. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p></div>Boca Raton: Fuller Center studies acquisition of children’s museumhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/boca-raton-fuller-center-studies-acquisition-of-children-s-museum2014-09-03T14:40:40.000Z2014-09-03T14:40:40.000ZChris Felkerhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/ChrisFelker<div><p><strong>By Sallie James</strong><br /><br /> The financially strapped not-for-profit Boca Raton Children’s Museum may have a savior. Florence Fuller Child Development Centers, a Boca Raton-based nonprofit organization, has expressed interest in taking over the struggling 34-year-old entity and Boca Raton city officials have voiced support.<br /> Although no agreements have been signed and neither the City Council nor Florence Fuller’s board of directors has voted on the matter, Florence Fuller CEO Ellyn Okrent is hopeful.<br /> “We are very excited about this project but it hasn’t been finalized yet,” Okrent said. “It’s not a done deal at this point.”<br /> Under the proposal, the city would allocate $50,000 for the museum to ease the transition. Then Florence Fuller Child Development Centers would take over.<br /> Okrent said her organization will have to raise an additional $300,000 to cover the museum’s annual budget. That’s on top of the $1.7 million already needed to cover their own annual budget, she said.<br /> In April, museum Executive Director Denise St. Patrick-Bell outlined the museum’s dire financial straits at a Boca Raton City Council meeting and issued a plea for financial help. She proposed the city share costs with the museum by providing an annual $150,000 contribution.<br /> The idea of a merger or acquisition came up as an alternative and long-term solution.<br /> “The Children’s Museum needs to have donors at the ready who are making the contributions necessary to give them the programming,” said council member Robert Weinroth, who helped put the two groups together. “I think between the two we will have a much better operating facility.”<br /><br /></p></div>Wee Dream Ball: Boca West Country Club, Boca Raton – Dec. 13https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/wee-dream-ball-boca-west-country-club-boca-raton-dec-132014-01-02T15:47:53.000Z2014-01-02T15:47:53.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960484477,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960484477,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="360" alt="7960484477?profile=original" /></a><em>Soaring columns of fire and ice crowned by explosions of pastel hydrangeas wowed the crowd at the dream-themed benefit for Florence Fuller Child Development Centers. More than $400,000 was generated — to ensure that disadvantaged children will continue to have access to the centers’ programs and services. ABOVE: Jackie Reeves, Robin Deyo, Jerry and Terry Fedele and Karen Foreman. <strong>Photo provided by Janis Bucher</strong></em></p></div>