Page 2 - PGA Community News - March '24

Page 2, PGA C.A.N.! March 2024 March 2024
PGA National’s Community Outreach Committee:

Improving The Lives Of Those In Need

The new season has begun, and PGA National’s Members The Community Outreach Charitable Fund night. Members attended the event (wearing pajamas of
Club Community Outreach Committee (The COC) is off and In 2020, in order to expand and support its mission, the course!), and brought a pair of children’s P.J.s to donate to the
running. The COC supports, through volunteerism, multiple COC established The Community Outreach Charitable Fund Friends of Foster Children. These donations are distributed
nonsectarian, nonpolitical local agencies serving individuals, (COCF). The fund, made up of donations from members to those children who are suddenly taken out of an abuse
families and vulnerable communities in Palm Beach County. of PGA National (PGAN) Members Club, supports local or neglect situation, often finding themselves with just the
charitable organizations by means of cash grants to improve clothes on their back.
the quality of life for those in need. Members Staying Involved
A Volunteer Fair Committee sponsored activities such as the bimonthly
So often individuals pose the question, “I would like food drive for Palm Beach County Food Project, the toy drive
to volunteer locally, how or where can I volunteer?” Last for Friends of Foster Children, and recently the volunteer
December, the COC provided some answers! The Volunteer fair have encouraged PGA members to be involved in the
Fair involved 15 small local charities that are in need community, and our members have responded! The last food
of volunteers for everything from mentoring children, drive collection filled 253 bags of groceries to feed local
teaching all ages literacy skills, helping young adults families. This season’s toy drive collected over 400 gifts for
learning life skills to collecting food for those who are children of all ages for the holidays.
food insecure. Over 80 members came
through the fair and had the opportunity
to both gather information and to speak
with representatives from each of the
agencies. Many signed up on the day to
The Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization (GCDSO) volunteer in an area of personal interest.
participated at the volunteer fair. The GCDSO impacts the How About A Pajama Night?
lives of people with Down syndrome by raising awareness On Jan. 26 the club hosted a pajama
and advocating for high expectations and acceptance for
individuals with Down syndrome. Pictured above from left
to right are PGAN staff member Celine Thibault and her
daughter Chloe alongside representatives from GCDSO.

Connections Education Center also
participated in the volunteer fair.
Connections is a charter school in Palm
PGAN’s Women’s Golf Association did a Beach County specifically designed
Once again PGAN responded generously terrific job in supporting the COC’s toy for students on the autism spectrum.
to the COC’s bimonthly food drive drive for the Friends of Foster Children. Their staff provides a specialized
for families in need. Here, members Pictured above with one of many academic program for children and
Barbara and Sherwood Lee are ready donation boxes are from left to right Val vocational training for young adults.
to deliver just part of PGAN’s donation Skinner, Joy Passalacqua, Bridget Gielis PGAN member Stuart Tane is working
to the Palm Beach Food Drive. and Rebecca Putnam. with a student on their gardening skills.

The volunteer fair hosted VITA NOVA, a Palm Beach County
organization working with former foster children and
homeless youths to provide housing, education, employment
and life skills training.

Editorial Board

Editor: James A. Cioffi
james@jcclaw.com
Feature Writers: Dawn Levinstein, POA
Gail Coppage, POA
Commissioner Maria Marino
Katie Roundtree
Contributing
Reporter: Don Kiselewski

Your editors strongly believe that the number
of people who do become involved with any
news medium directly reflects on that medium’s
excellence, versatility and broad viewpoint.
Therefore, we invite PGA residents to contribute
articles or current, timely news items and/or
“Letters to the Editors.”
Articles/letters are subject to editing and editors’
right to publish. Submission must include writer’s
name, address and telephone number. Unsigned articles
/letters will not be published. Opposing views to article
viewpoints contained in this paper are welcome.
Articles do not necessarily represent the viewpoint
of the C.A.N.! organization. Submissions should
be mailed or delivered by the tenth of each month
for the following month’s publication (example: by
January 10 for February publication) to:
C.A.N.! Editors
or
Contact the publisher for additional information
regarding submissions, fax (561) 627-9088 or e-mail
canpga@yahoo.com.
Let’s hear from you.