Palm Beach Perspective

Talked with Rochelle Wolberg, Curator/Director, Mounts Botanical Gardens. They have just opened a new exhibit, Sean Kenney's Nature Pop! made with LEGO Bricks. The garden is open Tuesday-Sunday (closed Mondays) and in addition to walking through the gardens, listeners can also participate in classes including: gentle body movement, Qi Gong, Yoga Nidra, Stretch Walk&Talk, Photography workshops, and tours of different gardens just to name a few. Mounts also offers plant sales in their nursery and listeners can ask questions of master gardeners too. For directions, tickets, membership, volunteer info and more, listeners can call 561-233-1757 or go to www.mounts.org

Talked with Linda and Paula from the Kravis Center. They have a great season lined up including Kravis on Broadway, Regional Arts Classical Concert Series, Lunch and Learn, their Gala featuring artists Steve Martin and Martin Short just to name a few. Listeners can go to Kravis.org and see complete listings, sign up to be a volunteer, become a member, buy tickets and check out the latest safety updates. Listeners can also call 561-832-Show for more info.

Talked with Lisa Hathaway, Library Director, Mandel Public Library. They are fully open to the public for in person as well as offering on-line services for whichever the patron is most comfortable. Mandel has a wide variety of programs, books, audio books, book clubs, yoga, meditation classes, music-podcasting classes, driving simulator, art classes, studio 411, food pantry pickup, community services location just to name a few. Listeners can find out more by going to www.wpbcitylibrary.org. They can also get a free library card at the website no matter where they live. Listeners can also reach out to the reference desk at 561-868-7701.

Talked with Elizabeth Dashiell about upcoming events including: Kravis Center shows, Treasure Coast libraries, Mandel Public Library, and the Palm Beach Poetry Festival. The 18th Annual Poetry Festival is 100 % virtual and will offer free and ticketed events via Zoom. Special Guest Poet Yusef Komunyakaa and Poet at Large, Aimee Nezhukumatathil will both be presenting. For the complete line up, listeners can go to www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.com.

Talked with Vaness Moss, Director of Communications, Palm Health Foundation and Joanna Peluso, Healthier Jupiter, Jupiter Medical Center about the foundations' Let's Move Initiative that happens in March. The entire month is dedicated to encourage residents to "get moving" to improve their health. There are all kinds of fun events scheduled throughout the month for the listeners to participate in "Let's Move". They have morning sunrise walks, walk with the mayor, zumba, dance events, fiesta days, 5k run/walk events. And Healthier Jupiter is doing a cool "Couch to 5k" training that's free for listeners to sign up at www.healthierjupiter.org. They can participate in Jupiter's Turtle Trot and Live Like Jake 5ks with a reduced entry fee if they've signed up for their "Couch to 5k" program. Listeners can also create teams and raise funds on Palm Health's website, wwwletsmovepbc.org. They also go on to letsmovepbc.org to log their minutes of physical activity.

Talked with Maurice Costigan, Owner O'Shea's Irish Pub, Board Moonfest and Peter Gates, Cheif Retail Officer, Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County. Maurice and the business owners on the 500 block of Clematis are working with the City of WPB/Downtown Development Authority to activate the 500 block. They close the block to vehicular traffic starting at 5pm on Friday through 10pm on Sunday. Listeners can come out and enjoy music, night markets, dancing, karaoke contest, games on the streets, musical see saws, doggy brunch/yoga and more. Charities who'd like to be involved can reach out to them on Facebook, 500Blk or subculture coffee. Also, talked with Peter about the great work Habitat is doing in our area. They offer affordable housing to those families that qualify. Individuals/businesses can come out and volunteer to help build the homes alongside the family who is getting the home. Qualified individuals participate in a financial literacy program (Ramsey) and put in 400 hours of "sweat" equity including working in the retail stores. The retail store in Riviera Beach was damaged in a fire but they just opened a temporary store until it can be rebuilt. Listeners can go to www.habitatpbc.org for more information.

Talked with Jay Van Vechten, Founder/Director, Boca Boating & Beach Bash for People with Disabilites. Their 12th Annual Boating and Beach Bash for People with Disabilities is happening at Spanish River Park, 3001 North Ocean Boulevard (State Road A1A), Boca Raton, FL 33431 on Sunday, March 1st. It's free and great fun for the whole family. They have activities on boats, the beach and musical entertainment throughout the day from 10am-3pm. Listeners can reach them for more details about the event, becoming a volunteer, donor or sponsor by visiting the website www.boatingbeachbash.com

Talked with Lisa McDulin, Director of Advancement, Place of Hope. Place of Hope is a unique, faith-based, state-licensed children’s organization providing family-style foster care (emergency and long-term); family outreach and intervention; maternity care; safety for victims of domestic minor sex trafficking; transitional housing and support services for youth aging out of foster care; housing and support services for homeless families; foster care recruitment and support. They have multiple locations throughout the county. They have several fundraising events coming up. For more details, to volunteer, donate, become a community sponsor or get services, listeners can go to www.placeofhope.com

Talked with Carolyn Williams-Smith, Interim CEO, YWCA Palm Beach County. They are a 501 (c)(3) organization committed to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. They have lots of programs some of which are: Harmony House a safe shelter for women/children escaping from domestic violence (rapid re-housing for women who are able to move to a new safe residence with rental/utility assistance), child development center, justice and equity program, health initiative programs. They are always looking for volunteers and have lots of opportunities such as: Administration (Receptionist, Clerical duties such as typing, copying, and filing) Assist with planning and conducting fundraising activities, Child Development Centers (Read to children, Accompany children on field trips, Assist with parties for the children, Tutor children and parents on use of computers, resume writing (parents), and more)
Domestic Violence Programs* (Sort donations, Collect items for children and mothers for holidays
Babysitting for support group meetings, *To assist with residents, must complete 24 hour Core Competency Curriculum
Youth Empowerment (Assist with field trips, Assist Site Coordinator with planning of activities,
Assist Site Coordinator with administration of activities with girls, Mentor young girls,
Allow young girls to job shadow you, Tutor for the PSAT/SAT, Present to girls the various aspects of a profession) They also have two events in April. Listeners can find out more info, sign up to volunteer, make donations or get tickets at https://ywcapbc.org.

Talked with Scott Benarde, Dir of Communications, Gladys Ramizrez, Public Programs Mgr and Kate Faulkner, Assoc Curator of Education for Public Programs from the Norton Museum of Art. They have a lot of great programs and exhibitions running. Today is the last day to see the Georgia O'Keefe exhibition. Coming up they have: Robert Rauschenberg: Five Decades from the Whitney’s Collection, American Art Posters from the Leonard A. Lauder Collection, Divine Beings, and Rudin Prize for Emerging Photographers. Gladys is putting together some great Art After Dark programs including the popular First Friday Jazz. They also have Community days, one is for the Chinese New Year and the other for Celebrating Black Florida. Listeners can sign up to be volunteers, docents, become members, make donations and find out more about the programs at Norton.org. They can also follow them on FB, Instagram and Twitter.