Palm Beach Perspective

Talked with Wendy Lo, Curator of Education, Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. They were created from land donated by George Morikami, one of the original members of the Yamato Farming Colony. The mission at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is to engage the community by presenting Japanese cultural experiences that educate and inspire. They offer a wide variety of classes and exhibitions. Today they are presenting the To Florida with Love collaboration with the Miami City Ballet. There are two show times 1pm and 2pm. Later in the month they have tea ceremony demonstration. In May they are celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with the new Beyond the Wall exhibition. It opens on 5/6 to members and public on 5/7. It features the work of five artists of Japanese and Asian American descent who explore their cultural heritage along with their individual identities via the medium of the mural. Folks can come and experience this unique version of a mural and meet the artists on 5/6. Listeners can go to the website to get times, directions, volunteer info, class schedules and list of upcoming events, make a donation or become a member at www.morikami.org or call 561-233-1314.

Talked with Keri Morrison, Founder/Executive Director, Live Like Jake Foundation and Elizabeth Dashiell, PR Palm Beach. Keri's son Jake passed away from drowning in 2013 and she decided her baby daughter and other kids would have preventative water safety training, ISR Infant Self Rescue, to help prevent this tragedy happening to another family. So, the Live Like Jake Foundation was created to raise awareness for drowning prevention and provide swim lesson scholarships to those who can't afford them. They also provide financial and emotional support to families who have lost a loved one or have a child with critical care needs. They opened an indoor swim facility in November 2020 at 10311 Ironwood Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 and work with other ISR certified instructors/pools to help children get certified throughout the county and country. Scholarships are available, form is on the website, www.livelikejake.org. Listeners can volunteer, get information on ISR, sign up for the scholarships, donate, become a corporate sponsor like Premier Pediatrics of Palm Beach or donate to help fund future scholarships like Hope Lives Foundation. They can also find out about events and sign up for their 8th annual 5k sponsored by Guardian Angel Inspections. It's on May 14th at Riverbend Park and listeners can do in-person, virtual or "sleep in" options. Number of in-person runners is limited so it's recommended that listeners sign up their teams early, www.LiveLikeJake.org or call 561-316-4924.

Talked with Chip McKenney, Founder/President GPL Polo Club. He created the Gay Polo League, GPL, to inspire and empower individuals who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender via the promotion of and participation in the sport of polo.
GPL utilizes polo as a way to provide equality, pride, inclusion and confidence for those individuals who face discrimination simply due to identifying themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, gay or other non-traditional sexual or gender identities. GPL works to create an atmosphere that affirms and supports the understanding and acceptance of all individuals regardless of race, sex or sexual identity and works to promote goodwill and camaraderie in the community. They are a charity and support other LGBTQ+ charities. The charity this year is OnePulse Foundation in Orlando, FL. They have events this year in Wellington, FL, St. Tropez and Argentina. Tickets are on sale now for the April 9th polo event at International Polo Club Palm Beach, Wellington, FL. Listeners who would like to volunteer, become a member, donate, buy tickets, and/or be a sponsor can go to www.gaypolo.com or call 323-712-3514 or email [email protected]

Talked with Edward Stinson, Museum Educator for the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum in Delray Beach, Florida. Their mission is to expand, preserve and present the culturally diverse history of the black communities of Palm Beach County. The Spady Museum hours are: Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 4pm. The current exhibit is, Strong Communities Emerging. They offer historical tours and youth cultural leadership academy. Coming up on Monday April 4th is the rescheduled MLK Breakfast from 8:00-10:30 a.m. at Indian Spring Country Club 11501 El Clair Road Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Cost per person: $40 Cost per table: $500 and listeners can get tickets online at www.spadymuseum.com. For more information, to set up a tour or make donations, listeners can call: (561) 279-8883.

Talked with Owen O'Neil from Clinics Can Help and Danielle Ford from Leeds Endowment. Clinics Can Help collects used durable medical equipment and redistributes it to patients who need it. This equipment typically includes wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, patient lifts, crutches, canes, and nebulizers. The Leeds Endowment, is a non-profit organization, dedicated to improving the lives of the disabled in Palm Beach County, FL. They are a grassroots organization with a goal of assisting disabled adults, children and their families with the support they need so they can be independent and successful. One of the ways they do that is by supporting charities such as Clinics Can Help. Leeds raises money with their annual event, Party with the Pack. Party with the Pack is happening this year on November 18, 2022. They can use volunteers, silent auction items, and corporate sponsors for the event. Listeners can to to www.leedsendowment.org. Clinics can help is planning their 9th annual Golf Tournament in October at Banyan Cay Resort. Listeners can get tickets, get volunteer info, find out how to request or donate equipment, or make a donation on their website at www.clinicscanhelp.org

Talked with Tae Edmonds from Suits for Seniors. It's a non-profit that serves high school seniors at Title 1 schools. They have an 8 week mentorship program that covers leadership skills, financial literacy, career guidance, college education, interpersonal skills and more. Upon completion the senior receives a tailored suit. Suits for Seniors has served over 1500 students with a 100% success rate and 95% college entrance rate. They have a big fundraiser coming up March 9th 6-9pm and Drive Shack in West Palm Beach. Tickets are $100/person and include dinner, drinks and golf plus a silent auction. For listeners who'd like to participate in the program, they can reach out to their guidance counselor. For those who'd like to be a volunteer, become a mentor, buy tickets or make a donation they can go to www.suitsforseniors.org or call 321-604-7590.

Talked with Fatima and Art Najame from the Palm Beach Photographic Center. They are located in downtown West Palm Beach across from the Mandel Public Library. Their 27th annual FOTOfusion event will be virtual and spotlight aquatic photojournalist and film producer Brian Skerry from March 1st-5th. They offer some free lectures as well as paid sessions $25/class or $105 for all 30 sessions or $175 for all sessions and a review of your photographic portfolio. There will be a 1pm keynote session daily including: Accessing Creativity & Hope in Difficult Time Panel; Around the World in 50 years with David Burnett; Lights, Camera, Fashion with Dixie Dixon; and Luminous Seas by Brian Skerry. Listeners can find out more about FOTOfusion, becoming a member, signing up for photography classes by going to www.fotofusion.org; www.workshop.org or calling at 561-253-2600.

Talked with Wil Romelus, Digital Vibez and Abigail Goodwin, Palm Health Foundation about Let's Move PBC. The Let’s Move: Commit to Change Physical Activity Challenge is a county-wide initiative that focuses on physical activity, nutrition and healthy behaviors. Digital Vibez, Inc. and Palm Health Foundation are presenting the annual challenge from March 1-31. It was originally introduced on a national level, by First Lady Michelle Obama in 2010, with the goal of decreasing childhood obesity throughout the United States. There will be events all throughout March where folks can come participate for free. Listeners can join teams or create their own teams in order to log their activity by going to www.letsmovepbc.org.

Talked with Janeen Mason, Curator, Lighthouse Art Center and Elizabeth Dashiell, Palm Beach PR. Lighthouse Art Center is a non-profit who's goal is to focus on the community and connect folks from all walks of life via art. We discussed the current exhibition, Warhol Warhol Warhol, Ray Gross Pop Art just to name a few. They also have a wide variety of classes such as: Give the Wheel a Whirl, Glass Fusion Friday, Shibori, Stacked Rings, Raku Friday and will be offering summer camp for kids in addition to the weekly afterschool sessions they run. For more info listeners can go to www.lighthousearts.org or call 561-746-3101.

Talked with Marjorie Waldo, M.ED. from Arts Garage and Elizabeth Dashiell, PalmBeachPR. Arts Garage in Delray Beach, FL is a non-profit who's goal is, "Connecting our community to the world through the arts". They provide multicultural, diverse programming that promotes inclusion in the arts. They have Comedy night first Tuesday every month, All Arts Open mic on the 2nd Tuesday every month, Open mic for Poetry 3rd Monday every month, Jam Session last Monday every month, Garage Queens last Friday every month, plus Jazz, gospel, author series and more. They are looking to restart kids camp this summer. Listeners can find more info on the website www.artsgarage.org or call them 561-450-6357