WELLINGTON,FL – The 2025 Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers skated into Palm Beach Autographs at The Mall at Wellington Green where they recently signed autographs and spent quality time mingling and hanging out with their fans.
Panthers center and playoffs MVP Sam Bennett, left winger Jonah Gadjovich,and right winger Brad Marchand each spent rousing afternoons posing for photos, signing memorabilia, and even getting into an occasional fight pose with die-hard fans and families (and a few jersey-clad canines) who waited for hours in line to see their favorite players.
Left Winger Jonah Gadjovich
“Bringing the Stanley Cup champions to Wellington is always a huge thrill for the community,” said Jim Dodson, owner of Palm Beach Autographs. “It’s not every day you get to meet your hockey heroes face-to-face. The energy from the fans and players was incredible.”The event also included a silent auction featuring must-have memorabilia and a hat trick mystery box containing autographed items.
Right Winger Brad Marchand
Palm Beach Autographs is located at The Mall at Wellington Green, 10300 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington. For more information, call (561) 340-2921 or visit palmbeachautographs.com.
About The Mall at Wellington Green The Mall at Wellington Green in Wellington, FL is a 1.2 million square foot, two-level regional shopping destination, and it features over 160 stores. Retailers include Macy’s, Dillard’s, Apple, Brighton, Chico’s, H&M, Tommy Bahama, City Furniture, The Palm Beach Museum of Natural History, CMX Wellington, and more. For more information, visit shopwellingtongreen.com.
On Tuesday, November 18th, Grandma’s Place will hold its 10th Annual Grandma’s Angels Holiday Luncheon at The Sailfish Club in Palm Beach. The Board of Directors are thrilled to announce Amy Considine and Manda Galin as the Co-Chairs. Committee Members include: Susy Burrowes, Angelica Cimminella, Margaret Donnelley, Sunny Hawkins, Barbara Hollender, Jourdan Isasi, Brittney Jones, Eleanor Jones, Mary Lewis Moews, Rossanna Mora, Elizabeth Nunez, Madison O’Connell, Amy Quattlebaum, Dina Rubio, Jodie Schmitz, Kim Proenza Smith and Lindsay Welch.
The luncheon starts at 11:30 am with a wine reception and a fabulous silent auction. During lunch there will be a special speaker and a small live auction while local CBS12 News Anchor Liz Quirantes once again serves as the celebrity emcee.
The proceeds benefit Grandma’s Place, which provide housing, compassionate loving care, educational opportunities and support to the most vulnerable children and families
Tickets are $225 per person or tables at $2,250 each.
To receive an invitation, donate an auction item, purchase a ticket, or sponsor the event, please call Roxanne Jacobs at 561-376-0488, e-mail roxanne@grandmasplacepb.org or visit www.grandmasplacepb.org
PBCFB catering to more than 20 Summer BreakSpot sites to help feed 51,000 local children
(Lake Worth, Fla.) –Hunger doesn’t take a summer break, and neither does the Palm Beach County Food Bank (PBCFB)! This summer, the food bank is one of several providers partnering with Summer BreakSpot where children and teens under 18 can receive two out of three of breakfast, lunch or snacks. As Summer BreakSpot’s official caterer through FLIPANY, the PBCFB has helped provide more than 13,000 meals to food-insecure children two weeks into the program.
With approximately 192,000 food-insecure residents throughout Palm Beach County, PBCFB procures food from grocery stores, farmers, food distributors, wholesalers and other sources and distributes it to over 200 local community partners, including food pantries, soup kitchens and schools. In 2024, PBCFB distributed nearly 13 million meals to over 193,000 residents experiencing hunger and was honored with the Community Collaborator Award at the 8th Annual Nonprofits First Hats Off Awards.
“We are thrilled to be one of the providers for this much-needed program,” said Jamie Kendall, PBCFB CEO. “Summer is the hardest time of the year for kids who are already hungry during the school year and it’s a challenging time donation-wise for food banks like ours. However, we are thrilled to be operating in our Michelle Hagerty Community Kitchen, which is giving us more packing power than ever to feed our community with hot, nutritious meals.”
Applications are not required to receive food at Summer BreakSpot sites. No-cost meals will be available for young recipients every weekday while school is out, and PBCFB’s participating spots can be found at summerbreakspot.org.
The public is also encouraged to have a hand in preparing the distributed summer meals. Continuing throughout the summer, Michelle Hagerty Community Kitchen volunteers have answered the call to help children in need by packing and sealing kids’ meals every weekday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Supporters are also welcome to make a donation to PBCFB where one-dollar donations allows the nonprofit to provide five meals.
For more information about PBCFB’s summer feeding programs, or to volunteer or donate to the PBCFB’s Childhood Hunger initiatives, please visit pbcfoodbank.org.
Palm Beach County, FL (July 1, 2025)— The YMCA of the Palm Beaches has announced it has launched a special Summer Fun(d) to help the community “shine brighter this summer.” The fund will benefit local, underserved families in its Palm Beach County service area by providing financial assistance and scholarships, making it possible for individuals and families across our community to access Y programs and services. This includes swim lessons, after-school care, summer camp, or wellness classes. Support for the fund helps ensure that no one ever has to be turned away from the YMCA and its two wellness centers located at Palm Beach State University’s Lake Worth Beach and Palm Beach Gardens campuses, and its aquatic center located on Lake Worth Road.
Publix Super Markets Charities kicked off the Summer Fun(d) with a $17,000 grant to fund memberships for individuals and families in the Y’s service area. Publix Charities’ mission is to support nonprofit organizations that assist people in need within the communities in which they serve, so they have the opportunity to lead successful lives. Publix Super Markets was founded by George Jenkins, a profound advocate of giving back to a number of nonprofit organizations, a legacy that Publix Charities faithfully continues to support.
“We deeply appreciate the generous support of Publix Super Markets Charities in fostering programs that nurture a healthy spirit, mind, and body,” said Tim Coffield, President and CEO of the YMCA of the Palm Beaches.
To learn more about the Summer Fun(d) initiative, visit ymcapalmbeaches.org and click GIVE.
Summer is a busy time at the YMCA of the Palm Beaches, as the organization hosts Summer Swim Camps, Weekends at the Y, and ongoing swimming lessons to kids and adults with all abilities. “This is an ideal time to make an investment in the futures of those who we serve in our community, particularly our children,” said Coffield.
About YMCA of the Palm Beaches The YMCA of the Palm Beaches has served the Palm Beach County community for more than 100 years, providing essential programs, activities, and services for thousands of children, seniors, and families annually. The Y’s mission is to ensure everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive in a safe and nurturing environment, regardless of the ability to pay. For more information, call 561.968.9622 or visit ymcapalmbeaches.org. and follow on social media @ymcapalmbeaches.
The Florida Federation of Garden Clubs (FFGC) annually supports the Unsolicited Landscape Design Award (ULDA) program to recognize well-designed and maintained landscapes in the public or private sector in each district of the state. The meaning behind the “unsolicited” title is that the nominees are not applying for the award themselves, but someone else recognizes it is a landscape of merit and worthy of consideration.
This year, Wellington Garden Club members nominated two Wellington area gardens to receive the Unsolicited Landscape Design Award in the Private Residence category. One residence is owned by David & Rhonda Perez, and the other is owned by Brian Rau. Both properties feature lush, well-maintained and well-designed landscapes featuring unique and colorful plantings that showcase the homeowners’ love of gardening.
Candidates for this award are submitted each spring by garden club members. Applications are sent to the District X ULDA Chair for eligibility and consideration. The next step is a site visit and evaluation by garden club members who have completed National Garden Clubs Landscape Design School. The highest-scoring nominee in each category is the winner. This year both residential landscapes scored a perfect 100 as determined by a panel of three Landscape Design Consultants, and thus each was a winner in the Private Residence category.
The selection of the two winners was announced in April at the FFGC District X Spring Meeting. Soon thereafter the award was presented to the homeowners by Stormi Bivin, District X ULDA Award Chair, and Carol Ralph, WGC President 2023-25. As she presented the awards, Bivin announced, “The beauty of these gardens illustrates the motto of the Wellington Garden Club, “Gardening Makes a World of Difference”.
Wellington Garden Club, founded in 1981, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating its members and the public in the fields of gardening, horticulture, floral design and landscape design. For more information, visit www.wellingtongardenclub.org.
L-R: WGC members Bobbi Zeigler, Carol Ralph, and Stormi Bivin with homeowner Brian RauL-R: WGC President 2023-25 Carol Ralph, District X ULDA Chair Stormi Bivin; homeowners David & Rhonda Perez, WGC President 2025-2027 Annette Lubsen and WGC member Alison Albury
Group photo from the June AroundWellington Networking Mixer, which was held at Khanna House Studios on June 9th. We also had a tribute to Alan Fabricant at this meeting. Photographer and our friend Alan Fabricant. He will be missed. See this month’s Poem by Denise Marsh. https://aroundwellington.com/everyones-friend/State Representative Anne Gerwig, of House District 93, and her staff hosted an open house at her new office in Greenacres on Wednesday, June 18. Here is State Rep Anne Gerwig with John McGovern of the Wellington Village Council. Photo by Carol Porter.Bengala Ngobene and his Chakalaka products, made in Wellington, FL and all with no preservatives. See this month’s “AW Spotlight” story. https://aroundwellington.com/chakalaka-all-natural-made-in-wellington/
…RAISES MONEY AND AWARENESS FOR WOUNDED VETERANS RELIEF FUND
Featuring David Lloyd George, a new Guinness World Record Holder
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Who: A lifelong Floridian, Bill Bone of Bill Bone Law Group, is delighted to produce the Bill Bone 5K Race and help sponsor this year’s 4th on Flagler Celebration. Bill Bone considers it a privilege to practice law and support all aspects of civic life in the same city and county where he was born and raised. He is a Civil Trial Lawyer with over 25 years of skill and Florida Bar Board Certified expertise handling honest injury claims against insurance companies. This Race is also supported by the City of West Palm Beach, the Downtown Development Authority, and Duffy’s Sports Grill.
What: The 5th Annual Bill Bone 5K is an Evening Race on Friday, July 4th, starting at 7:00 pm. The Race raises money for the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund and is known as a “Run to the Fun” because it finishes in Downtown West Palm Beach as part of the 4th on Flagler Celebration festivities.
Bill Bone, Laura Hutlock, Tracey Matuszko and Catalina Orellana
New this year: the event will feature David Lloyd George (USA), a first-year quantum physics student at Duke University, who recently broke the Guinness World Records title for most muscle-ups in 24 hours (male) on April 14, 2025, after over 15 hours of strenuous upper-body labour. He completed 2,002 muscle-ups – 276 more than the previous record holder, Alejandro Soler Tarí (Spain) – in support of wounded veterans and their families.
He is the great-great-great-grandson of David Lloyd George, Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II. David Lloyd George is from Palm Beach, Florida, where his family resides.
When: July 4 at 7 pm
Where: Start Line: Downtown West Palm Beach Corner of S. Flagler Drive & Fern St. West Palm Beach, FL US 33401
Following the race, runners and friends are in the best spot to stay and participate in the 4th on Flagler Celebration by taking advantage of our “All You Can Eat” refreshments, which include hot dogs, watermelon, chips, cookies, and lemonade until 8:30 pm. There is also free entertainment, culminating in an epic display of fireworks and music over the Intracoastal Waterway, starting at 9:09 p.m.
Every registered runner receives an awesome race shirt, a custom-made finisher medal, hot dogs and watermelon, and a chance to win their choice of some cool raffle prizes. Additional “Refreshment Package” wrist bands will be available at registration for $5 per person. 5K awards will be given 3-deep for male and female age groups in 5-year increments to 80+.
From Bill Bone: ” I am grateful to my neighbors, Kit Pannill, Pauline Pitt, and Christian and Ann-Britt Angle, for contributing to the cause every year”, Bill Bone.
WOUNDED VETERANS RELIEF FUND: 100% of the proceeds benefit the Wounded Veterans’ Relief Fund, a platinum-ranked charity on GuideStar, headquartered in Palm Beach County, that provides direct services to qualified veterans. WVRF provides urgent financial assistance and critical dental care to eligible wounded and disabled veterans throughout the state of Florida. Registered participants can choose to run, walk, or stroll the course knowing that every penny donated to the Wounded Veterans’ Relief Fund goes directly to the charity. Total donations made through the registration portal up to $5,000 will be matched by Bill Bone.
Ella Fitzgerald said it best, “It’s summertime, and the living is easy.” At least it should be. Parent life here in ole Palm Beach County can leave you feeling frazzled, frayed… and a few other “f” words I can’t say here (my editor would kill me).
The heat and traffic alone are enough to overwhelm even the most seasoned local. This isn’t what summer should be like. Life should be slower, more relaxed. In the summer months we should embrace flip flop life. But if you’re like me, you still want to keep the kids busy. Well, what if I told you that doing nothing is important for you and your kids. Everything moves slower in the heat… it’s a form of self preservation. Look at the lions at Lion Country Safari (a fun mostly air-conditioned outing for the kids) or Disney’s Animal Kingdom. They aren’t moving unless it’s necessary. And neither should you. Calypso Cay in Royal Palm has two water slides, a water playground for the littles and… a lazy river… perfect for embracing our new summer anti-activity.
Or simply set up a picnic blanket in the shade, complete with cool lemonade, yummy snacks and a good book. You can read while the kids play. They’ll come back to tell you they are bored. That’s good. This is where the magic happens. Kids, need to learn how to entertain themselves. Imaginative play (aka problem solving) comes from this. So let the kids play with rocks and sticks; they become wizards casting spells or swashbuckling pirates sword fighting. You could even join them. Which brings to mind another “f” word … fun! Have a wonderful summer with your kids! It goes fast.
Dr. Jonathan Shaw Spreads Awareness about Juvenile Arthritis
By Gianna Picard
July is recognized as Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about a condition that affects children. While arthritis is often thought of as a disease of aging, many are surprised to learn that it can impact kids, sometimes as early as age two. Juvenile arthritis, especially the most common type called juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), usually starts in children under 16, often between the ages of 1 and 6, but can happen at any time during childhood. It tends to affect girls more than boys, especially in forms that involve the knees. Family history matters too. Kids with relatives who have autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus may be more likely to develop JIA. This condition happens when the immune system attacks the body’s joints. It can affect children of all backgrounds around the world, though the exact rates and symptoms can vary.
In general, keeping children’s joints healthy is one of the best ways to support their growth, movement, and wellness. One of the earliest signs of juvenile arthritis is stiffness in the knees, which can make it harder for kids to play, run, or even walk comfortably. Many children don’t complain directly about discomfort. Instead, they might avoid sports, hesitate on stairs, or show signs of fatigue during physical activity. Parents, teachers, and coaches are often the first to notice that something doesn’t seem right. Recognizing these subtle signs can lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes. The goal of awareness this month is to help more families, caregivers, and even healthcare providers understand what to look for and why early attention matters. With early intervention and the right support, most children can continue to lead active, healthy lives. This July, Dr. Shaw and the Palm Beach Orthopaedic Institute encourage everyone to learn more, speak up if something seems off, and support the children and families living with juvenile arthritis every day.
If pain is experienced or if there are concerns about joint health, Dr. Shaw stresses the importance of seeking professional care with their Pediatrician rather than waiting; early evaluation can prevent further complications. The Palm Beach Orthopaedic Institute Urgent Care now offers extended evening and weekend hours where pediatric patients are welcome, making it easier to get expert orthopedic care when it’s needed most. To learn more about Dr. Jonathan Shaw and the Palm Beach Orthopaedic Institute, please visit www.pboi.com.
