Photos by Carol Porter

The 24^th annual Caribbean Americans for Community Involvement’s (CAFCI) Student Assistance Awards were held on Saturday, May 10 at the Kevin Harvin Center in Royal Palm Beach. Eleven honorees were recognized from the western communities. Speakers at the event included County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, representatives from the Royal Palm Beach Village Council and also from CAFCI. The main speakers at the event were Dr. Elaine Ealy and Dr. Stephanie Nance of CypressTrailsElementary School. For the rest of the photos, visit Carol Porter’s photo gallery.

The City of Lake Worth’s Public Service’s Grounds Department along with the American Legion, Vogel-Lee Post 47, Auxiliary SAL and the Boys Scout Troop 204 will be honoring our veterans at the Annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday May 27, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at the Lake Worth Pinecrest Cemetery located at 1724 12th Ave. South, Lake Worth.

Everyone is invited to attend this free ceremony to honor our veterans.

For more information on this please feel free to call the Public Service Administration Office at 561-586-1720.

“100 Cities Summit” Celebrate Milestone

April 23, 2013 (Loxahatchee, Fla.)  Celebrating its fifth year, the Florida Green, Energy & Climate Conference/ 100 Cities Summit is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, May 22nd and 23rd at the Palm Beach County Convention Center Beach.  The Conference is coordinated by the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Palm Beach County and the United State Green Building Council.   Attended by municipal, county  and school district  sustainability leaders from throughout the state, attendees  enjoy two days of intensive general sessions and panel discussions by experts in the field of sustainability.

Patrick J. Sheehan, Director of Florida’s Office of Energy , will be speaking on ways Florida is moving forward in its collective efforts to develop a meaningful energy policy for the state. He will be accompanied by legislative panel, including Senators Joseph Abruzzo and Jeff Clemens and Representatives  Lori Berman and Mark Pafford  who will provide an update on the 2013 legislative session in Tallahassee.  Other featured speakers include  the Mayor of Palm Beach County, Steven L. Abrams, Julio Fuentes, President of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Jennifer Dunham of Florida Opportunity Fund,  Kim Delaney, Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and Raphael  Clemente, Executive Director of the Downtown Development Authority.  

Among the many subjects featured this year at the conference is Balanced Energy.    Gordon Lambert, Executive Advisor on Sustainability and Innovation for SUNCOR  Energy, Canada,  will join a dynamic group of experts in their fields  who will highlight a portfolio of fuels that collectively promote fuel diversity and provide price stability for Florida families and business in an environmentally sensible manner.  The challenges of Florida’s regulatory environment will be discussed and alternatives to conventional practices explored by a panel of industry experts. Florida cities, including Wellington, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Fellsmere and Brooksville will discuss their successful public/private partnerships which have provided environmentally sound solutions and economic sustainability for their cities.  The importance of promoting Florida’s assets and attracting investors to the state is also be on the agenda.  Robin Safley, Director of the Florida Department of Agriculture’s  Division of Food, Nutrition & Wellness leads a panel of experts from the health industry, farming, schools and government on raising a healthy generation of students. The economic impact of climate change will also be discussed by two of the county’s leaders on the subject.

A complete line up of the 2013 program and speakers can be seen and Conference All-Access passes purchased at: www.floridagreenconference.com.     The Conference Expo and parking is free to the public.

 Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce –                                                                                     561.790.6200

West Palm Beach, FL – Local Hero Dog of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office K9 division, D/S  KenzO has been nominated for the American Humane Association’s Hero Dog of the Year award to be presented in Hollywood, California in the fall of this year. 

K9 Deputy KenzO is a 9 year old German Shepherd Dog who was born in Hanover, Germany.  KenzO has been working at PBSO for 7 years partnering with Deputy Richard Klaysmat. On June 4 2012 a shootout occurred where D/S Klaysmat and Lt. Rich Burdick fatally shot a perpetrator who had killed his girlfriend and then fired 40 rounds at 9 year old KenzO and the Deputies. 

One bullet went clean through KenzO and the other went into his chest (removed the next day). The bullets narrowly missed KenzO’s vital organs, while Lt. Burdick took one shot in the leg.  KenzO returned to active duty on August 5, 2012. This brave K9 took shots that were intended for the Deputies, thus he was instrumental in preventing further harm to them, possibly even saving their lives.  He received the Medal of Honor and the Combat Star at the PBSO annual awards banquet.

We are asking the community to rally behind our efforts to help KenzO win this award.  To vote for KenzO, go to the American Humane Association’s web site (http://www.herodogawards.org/) and click on Law Enforcement/Arson Dogs and vote for KenzO.  You may vote from your work and your personal e-mail addresses once a day every day from now through July 30, 2013

The dogs that win in each category will again be voted on to achieve the overall Grand Prize winner before the presentation in the fall of this year. 

KenzO has had many other apprehensions during his career assisting with the Deputies efforts to suppress crime and gain intelligence on gangs including apprehending another suspect who was shooting at local police as he attempted to flee.

In January of 2007, KenzO chased a suspect wanted for a felony under a house – the suspect fled with KenzO in pursuit.  Subject was apprehended by D/S KenzO.  On Christmas Eve 2008 where a man killed wife and was holed up in the house, KenzO went in and apprehended the suspect. And on a shots fired call in Pahokee, D/S Klaysmat spotted the suspect vehicle that fled and 7 people bailed from the vehicle. Deputies, helicopter and KenzO were all in pursuit. All 7 were tracked and located.

Join in the effort to have KenzO win the American Humane Association Hero Dog of the Year!

$80,000 Raised to Help the Uninsured Gain Access to Care

CONTACT:               Tenna Wiles, 561-433-3940

West Palm Beach (May 14, 2012) – Palm Beach County Medical Society Services is proud to announce the 2013 Heroes of the Year from the 10^th Annual Heroes in Medicine Awards held on May 9th:

Bruce Rendina Professional Hero: Kelly Conroy, Palm Beach Accountable Care Organization
Community Outreach Hero: Jupiter Volunteer Clinic, Funded by Quantum Foundation
Health Care Educator Hero: Diane Esposito, ARNP, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Health Care Innovation Hero: Gaetano Scuderi, MD, Research Company  Cytonics Corporation
Health Care Provider Hero: Mary Prokop, RN, St. Mary’s Medical Center
Student Heroes: Jordan Camp, Palm Beach Gardens Community High School, Lisa Oliveri and Saima Siddiqi, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU
Physician International Hero: Dror Paley, MD, Paley Advanced Limb Lengthening Institute
at St. Mary’s Medical Center
Physician Local/National: Brent M. Schillinger, MD, Dermatology Associates, P.A.

Two physicians received special one-time awards:

Excellence in Medical Education: Michael Dennis, MD, founding chair of the FAU Schmidt College of Medicine
Dick Van Eldik, MD Distinguished Service Award: Alan B. Pillersdorf, MD, Plastic Surgery of Palm Beach, P.A.

Other 2013 Heroes in Medicine that were honored are:   
Bruce Rendina Professional Heroes: Kerry Diaz, Kimberly LaRue, Clare O’Keeffe

Community Outreach Heroes: Ronda Ayala, RN; Jay Feinberg, Brian Fuller, DeAnna Warren

Health Care Educator Heroes: Nickerson Geneve, DO; Ari Robinson, Stephanie B. Stiepleman

Health Care Innovation Heroes: W. Anthony Lee, MD; Daniel Cane & Michael Sherling, MD

Health Care Provider Heroes: Darci McNally, Eugenia Millender, ARNP, PhD (c), RN; Kathi Voege-Harvey, FNP, ARNP; Mary Ellen Koehler, RN; Wilda Patterson-Julias, RN

Student Heroes: Paul Coulson, Alexander Kasmere, Jennifer Rose, Yasmeen Scuderi

Physician International Heroes: Argentina Brito, MD; Frank Cirisano, MD

Physician Local/National Heroes: Ronald L. Cohen, MD; Philip Colaizzo, MD; Kishore K. Dass, MD; Howard Goldman, MD; Lauren Rosecan, MD;

Nearly $80,000 was raised to benefit Project Access, a community-based program to increase access to health care for the uninsured. Palm Beach County Medical Society Services wishes to thank all sponsors, including Rendina Companies as Presenting Benefactor, Health Care REIT as Benefactor, Quantum Foundation as Patron and all companies and individuals who donated to the silent auction. 

About Project Access and Palm Beach County Medical Society:

Project Access is a physician led system of volunteer physician care, hospital care, diagnostic services, and medication assistance for the low-income uninsured residents of Palm Beach County.  Palm Beach County Medical Society is a not for profit organization dedicated to uniting physicians to serve the common interest of the profession, developing and maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards of the medical profession, advocating the interests of physicians and their patients, and collaborating with others to improve the community’s health.  For more information, call 561-433-3940 or visit www.pbcms.org.

Photos by Carol Porter

My Brothers Sisters Keeper 2013 Scholarship Awards were held on Friday, May 10, at the Original Wellington Mall’s center Court. The scholarship awards are an annual tradition in the western communities where students from schools are recognized for their good citizenship and exemplary character rather than just good grades. Scholarship honorees came from schools in the communities of Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Loxahatchee, the Acreage and the Glades.

There’s a new opportunity for young Wellington artists to see their creations on public display! The Village is teaming up with the Wellington Art Society for the “Student Art Program,” which puts youth artwork on display at the Wellington Community Center.

Elementary school students who either live in Wellington or attend a Wellington school are invited to deliver their original works of art to the Wellington Community Center (12150 Forest Hill Boulevard, Suite 100) on Wednesday, May 29^th between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm. The exhibit will open the following Monday, June 3^rd  and the artwork will be on display for a four-month rotation ending in September 2013. Please make sure the artwork is framed.  The Wellington Art Society will select the artwork for the exhibit.

Information and entry forms with program dates and guidelines are available from the Wellington Art Society (561-791-2194) as well as art teachers of Wellington’s middle schools.

For information about other Wellington programs, events, activities, and updates, please visit www.wellingtonfl.gov or watch Channel 18 for the latest happenings.