Happy December 2019
By Mayor Anne Gerwig
The holiday season is a special time of year filled with family, friends, and community. It is also a time to reflect on the passing year, celebrate with loved ones, and look ahead toward the New Year.
This is one of my favorite times of the year. As we prepare for the holiday season, I look forward to the many family and community events ahead. I invite you to visit the Village’s website Wellingtonfl.gov for important information and a complete list of upcoming events.
Before we get into all the fun events and activities, please note the following service changes this month:
In observance of the Christmas holiday, Village Hall will be closed on December 24th and December 25th, 2019. Village Hall will reopen on December 26th. Our offices will also close on December 31st and January 1st in observance of New Year’s Holiday. Village Hall will reopen on January 2, 2020.
In observance of the Christmas holiday, there will be no sanitation service on December 25, 2019. Residential garbage and recycling pickup will resume the next scheduled service day.
One of the best parts of living in Wellington is enjoying our family-focused holiday events. Start your December festivities off with a Holiday Tree Lighting and concert on Friday, December 6th at the Amphitheater (12100 Forest Hill Boulevard). The tree lighting is at 6:30 PM followed by a concert by the Krush Band, playing a mix of R&B, Disco, Motown, & Classic Rock. Food trucks will on-site for food and beverage purchases.
The Annual Wellington Holiday Parade, hosted by the Village and the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce, returns on Sunday, December 8th. The parade marches in at 1:30 PM and will wind its way down Forest Hill Boulevard from Wellington Trace to Ken Adams Way. Vendors will be on-site with goodies available for purchase. Grab your family and join us for this fantastic holiday event. Visit www.cpbcchamber.com for more information.
Come watch as local residents and boating enthusiasts light up the Lake during the Annual Holiday Boat Parade on Lake Wellington. Visible from behind the Wellington Community Center (12150 Forest Hill Boulevard), boats will launch from the Meadowland Cove boat launch at 6:20 PM and will pass behind the Wellington Community Center around 6:30 PM.
The Wellington Holiday Jingle Bell Run returns to Village Park (11700 Pierson Road) on Sunday, December 15th. The race begins at 7:00 AM and participants are encouraged to bring out an unwrapped toy to be donated to families in the Wellington community as part of the annual Hometown Holiday Toy Drive. All participants will be provided with jingle bells to wear prior to the start of the race.
It is easy to see why Wellington is known as “The Winter Equestrian Capital of the World.” The holiday season heralds the return of our winter residents, both people, and horses. There are more cars on our roads and more horses everywhere. It is a time for extra caution, especially as we get closer to the Holidays, and the beginning of the winter equestrian season.
Winter break for our schools begins Friday, December 23rd. That means more children out enjoying our Great Hometown. Remember to watch out for our youngest residents and take a little extra time to be aware of your surroundings on the road.
Safety doesn’t stop at your driveway. Christmas tree fires are responsible for untold damages, injuries and even deaths every year. If you’re using a live tree, water it daily to keep it moist and remember to keep it away from open flames and heat sources. The greatest gift you can give our local firefighters is a day off.
Let’s not forget that the Holidays are a time of giving as well as receiving. By all means, visit Wellington’s fine shops and find that perfect gift for your loved ones. But remember to take some time to help our neighbors in need. This year, you can make a child’s holiday brighter by participating in the Hometown Holiday Toy Drive. Drop off your unwrapped toys by Monday, December 16th at Village Hall, the Community Services Office, the Wellington Community Center, Village Park, the Lake Wellington Professional Centre, Ultima Fitness, and any local Fire Rescue station.
Writing this column and sharing a few of the ways that we can gather and give as a community this holiday season is one more blessing I can count in my own life. I am very grateful for the privilege of serving as your Mayor. The past year has been filled with many accomplishments. I want to personally thank the volunteers, members of our boards and commissions, Village staff, and Council members for their dedication.
As you gather together with family or friends, please keep in mind our brave military men and women and our first responders who do so much to keep us safe. If you have a chance to make someone’s holidays a little brighter, do it!
On behalf of the Village of Wellington, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and many blessings in the year to come.