Page 12 - The Islander - December '22

Page 12, The Islander

good Works

Habitat For Humanity Of Palm Beach County

Raised The Roof In Lake Worth Beach

To Kick Off 2022 Veterans Build

Habitat for Humanity of Palm
Beach County (HFHPBC) kicked
off the 2022 Veterans Build: Raise
the Roof on Nov. 5, during a special
groundbreaking ceremony for a local
veteran in Lake Worth.
Habitat for Humanity of Palm
Beach County Veterans Build partners
with military service members, their Jeff Hmara – United Way of Palm Julia Dattolo – Career Source PBC Chuck Millar – Habitat PBC board Melissa Royal – Habitat PBC
families, and the families of the Beach County Mission United and Veterans Build cochair and Veterans Build cochair Veterans Build 2022 homeowner
fallen to build affordable housing.
Habitat believes service members
deserve to be welcomed home with
honor, dignity, and respect. “We
are dedicated to serving those who
serve by providing affordable home
ownership opportunities in Palm
Beach County,” said Peter Gates, CEO
of HFHPBC.
Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach Brian Edwards – United Way PBC Daniel Morgan – Lake Worth CRA Representative Lois Frankel Stephanie Glavin – Bank of America
County Veterans Build officially began
in 2021 in response to grassroots Habitat efforts to serve housing Special guest photos of some
needs of returning veterans. Habitat is now empowering military appearances at the of the messages
and veteran families to achieve the strength, stability and self- Veterans Build and give as a
reliance they need to build better lives. event included housewarming
Brian Edwards, gift to the
United Way of Royals during
PBC, Master of the dedication
Ceremonies; Lois ceremony.
Frankel, U.S. Message to the Royal family from Julia Sponsors of
Representative Dattolo Veterans Build Julia Dattolo – Veterans Build cochair
for Fla.; Daniel are the Lake
Morgan, Lake Worth Beach CRA; Sarah Parr Malega, Lake Worth Beach CRA, Palm Beach County, Bank of America
Worth Beach City Commissioner; Jeff Hmara, United Way Foundation, United Way of Palm Beach County Mission
Melissa Royal – of Palm Beach County Mission United; Stephanie Glavin, United, Pratt Whitney, a Raytheon Technologies Company,
Veterans Build The Royal family – Jaden, Melissa, senior vice president, Bank of America; and Carlos A. Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors and First
homeowner and Jason Melendez, Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors. Republic Bank. Special thanks to Career Source of PBC,
Veterans Build On-Site Fundraiser City of Lake Worth Beach, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s
Veterans Build cochairs are Chuck Millar and Julia Participants at the Team Builds throughout the Veterans Office, South Florida V.A. Employee Association, West Palm
Dattolo. Both are thrilled to help Army veteran, Melissa Build Campaign will have an opportunity to write a message to Beach V.A. Healthcare System and Wounded Veteran Relief
Royal, build her forever home. the Royals or a loved one on the wood framing of the Veterans Fund.
Melissa Royal works as a senior detection investigation Build home by donating $100. Habitat staff will have red Starbucks, Trader Joe’s and Nothing Bundt Cakes
analyst and is a mother to three sons. Having served seven and blue permanent markers to write on exposed wood used provided the refreshments at the 2022 Veterans Build: Raise
years in the U.S. Army, it is important for Melissa to stay in the home, depending on what construction stage the house the Roof ceremony.
near family, and she says becoming a homeowner will allow is in. This fundraiser began on Nov. 5 with messages written For more information contact Kristen Bardin, director
her to do that. on the roof trusses and will continue until the home is sealed of development, at bardink@habitatpbc.org or call (561)
Royal says the road to homeownership hasn’t been easy, with drywall. These messages will live on forever within 293-2542 for more information.
she spent an entire year searching for a home. “I kept getting the walls of the Veterans Build home. HFHPBC will frame Photos by HFHPBC
out-bid,” says Royal, “Houses were going because people
would pay cash.”
With the weight that has been lifted off her shoulders,
Royal says she feels great about being a future homeowner. community spotLigHt
“It’s like my dream has come true. The hugest part of this
is I can have my family come over. I can now have family
gatherings. I don’t have to worry about moving.”
Friends Of MacArthur Beach State Park

Selected As The 2022 Florida Project

Learning Tree Partner Of The Year

Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park was selected The Friends organization makes education a priority,
as Partner of the Year by Florida Project Learning Tree providing hands-on science programs to all Palm Beach
(PLT). The award was presented on Nov. 5 at the 2022 County students free-of-charge. In 2013 John D. MacArthur
Florida PLT Facilitator Retreat in Gainesville, Fla. Beach State Park became a Florida PLT Environmental
Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park (Friends) was Education Center, consistently providing high quality PLT
granted this award for their continued support of the professional development training to educators each year,
mission and goals of PLT in Florida and for providing in addition to regularly incorporating PLT activities into
engaging opportunities for youth and adults to discover educational experiences. Friends host over 5,000 Palm Beach
and explore nature and the outdoors. County students on field experiences annually, and PLT
“We are honored to receive this statewide award from concepts and curriculum provide experiential instruction to
Florida Project Learning Tree,” says Veronica Frehm, educate, excite and involve the students, teachers, and visitors
executive director of Friends of MacArthur Beach State in science.
Park. “Our education program is dedicated to providing “Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park’s commitment to
quality environmental education to students and educators Project Learning Tree and the field of environmental education
from all backgrounds, and PLT gives us the tools to
further this mission.” Community Spotlight on page 13