Palm Beach Perspective

Talked with Charlene Farrington, Exec Dir., Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. Located in Delray Beach, FL they are located in the former home of Solomon D. Spady. The museum offers a wide variety of programs to the community from exhibits, to historical bus tours, Saturday kimetic yoga, youth programs and events. This summer they have programs for children to work on publishing their own books. And on June 8th are hosting the Frog Alley Caribbean Festival along with the Juneteenth celebration. This year listeners can meet Mary Graham Grant, artist in residence, and learn some of her techniques for sewing sweet grass baskets. To sign up to be a volunteer, make a donation or for more info listeners can call 561-279-8883 or go to spadymuseum.com

Talked with Frank Hayden, Procurement Director, City of West Palm Beach. The city is creating a new program to help small, women or minority owned businesses bid on a get jobs to work for the City of West Palm Beach. It's called the MWBE program and listeners can go to https://wpb.org/Departments/Procurement/Small-Business/Certification to get the specific requirements, forms and steps to follow. They can also reach out to the city at 561-822-2222

Talked with Teneka Faeman, Associate Director, West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (the DDA). The DDA was founded in 1967 as an independent special taxing district to help promote and enhance the City of West Palm Beach. They provide a wide variety of programs. One of the ways they do that is with fundraisers. Their annual Pairings event is coming up on Thursday May 30th from 5:30p-9p downtown West Palm Beach. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of. To get tickets call 561-833-8873 or go to downtownwpb.com or on Facebook Downtown West Palm Beach. This year's charity is the Homeward Bound program. It operates out of the Vickers House and is designed to give people who are chronically homeless the opportunity to be reunited with their family. Vickers house acts as a one stop shop for assistance to residents. Reminder the Pairings is a rain or shine event. The DDA is also working with the city on the Streetscape project. Participants in the Pairings will be able to see the progress made in phase 1, phase 2 is now underway. And due to difficulties reaching some of the businesses during phase 2 they've come up with the Dig Zone. It allows customers the opportunity to win prizes from visiting those establishments and spending more than $100 in a visit. For more info on all the programs, events, and dig zone, listeners can go to www.downtownwpb.com or call 561-833-8873.

Talked with Naki Carter, Communications & Marketing, Callie, John and Priscilla - the Porcupine from Palm Beach Zoo and Conservation Society. The Zoological Society of the Palm Beaches, Inc. (Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society) exists to inspire people to act on behalf of wildlife and the natural world. They do this via endangered species propagation, education and support of conservation initiatives in the field. One of these ways is with their animal experience at the zoo. Priscilla, the porcupine came as an animal ambassador and everyone loved meeting her and taking videos and doing a FB Live. The zoo allows people to connect more closely with animals while learning about their habitats, background and how they can become good stewards for the animals and the planet. Listeners can check out their first "Roar and Pour" event on May 25th. To become a volunteer and to get more info, listeners can to go www.palmbeachzoo.org

Talked with Matt "NK Bull" Rogerson, President, Nam Knights America MC Palm Beach County chapter. They are a 501c3 motorcycle club comprised mainly of military and law enforcement officers, who's mission is to honor the memory of American Veterans and Police Officers and to help Veterans and Police Officers in their time of need. Nam Knights also promote community awareness through sponsorship and participation in various fundraising events. They have a Komedy Knight the 1st Saturday of the month at the VFW on Claire Ave in West Palm Beach. Then on the 2nd Sunday the community can come enjoy a great pancake breakfast with all the fixins. Today Mom's eat free in honor of Mother's Day. And then coming up on May 19th, they are hosting their 21st Annual "Rock N Roll" Sunday at Greenacres park. The proceeds they raise help various other charities including Veteran's Adaptive Sports and Vetsville Cease fire house. For more info listeners can go to https://namknights.com/

Talked with Melinda Grenz, Director of Marketing, South Florida Science Center and Aquarium. The science center has a lot of great things going on. Summer camps, tech club, gems, sensory days, mini golf, science trail, their Brain exhibition and a new traveling exhibit about the Rain Forest. They can also host large groups for training, weddings, birthdays. Iheart just did a training day there and we were able to enjoy the stand alone learning center and then a round of golf for team building. Listeners can find out more about camps, events, volunteering, donating at their website. www.sfsciencecenter.org.

Talked with Scott Hansol, CEO Community Partners of South Florida. They offer a wide variety of services to help as part of their mission to partner with communities
to Change The Odds for children and families facing social, emotional and financial adversity. Listeners can go to www.cp-cto.org to see all the services or call 561-841-3500. They have programs addressing mental health including Teen Outreach, Bridges, mentoring. Housing is another area they address with supportive housing programs and financial classes. All the different programs are at cp-cto.org or they can go to facebook or instagram Community Partners.

Talked with Melissa Sullivan from Sunfest. Sunfest is a music/art festival that happens along the waterfront every year in May. Sunfest this year is from Thursday 5/2 to Sunday 5/5. They have a great line up and always are adding new features. They offer an app now for both Apple and Android. One feature that is unique is the TGI5K. It's a 5k race Friday May3rd that's timed and includes a ticket to Sunfest on Friday after you race. Great music from Spred the Dub, G-Eazy, Earth, Wind and Fire plus Rebelution to check out. For more information listeners can go to www.sunfest.org or download the Sunfest App onto their phone.

Talked with Owen and Pam from Clinics Can Help. They are Florida's largest medical reuse organization. People donate used medical equipment such as hospital beds, walkers, wheel chairs, canes, etc. Clinics Can Help refurbishes them and then gives them to folks who need equipment. When patients receive the necessary equipment it greatly improves their outcome. They are getting ready for their annual golf tournament. Pam is coordinating the 6th annual golf classic on April 26th. This year it's being held at Wellington National Golf Club. Registration and lunch is at 11;30am with a 1pm shotgun start. For more info on the golf tournament, to drop off/receive equipment, become a volunteer or sponsor, listeners can go to www.clinicscanhelp.org or call Owen at 561-640-2995.

Talked with Heather Moody, Manager, Okeeheelee Nature Center. They are in the back part of Okeeheelee park, the next turn after the dog park. Coming up on Saturday April 13th they are having an Earth Day celebration. It's from 10a-3p, free, family friendly and includes lots of events. 10:30a Hawksbill Seas turrle project, 12pm Live Raptor, 1p Rehabilitated animal release, 1:30p Live Reptile, 3 pm Live Raptor. The sheriff's department Equestrian unit will also be there in the morning. Listeners are invited to come on out, enjoy the shows, exhibits, food vendors, nature trails. The can get more info on Facebook or http://discover.pbcgov.org/parks/Pages/Okeeheelee-Center.aspx. We talked about other parks in the county and Daggerwing is also doing an Earth day celebration on April 27th from 10a-2p with Free admission.