Page 18 - The Isalnder- March '23

Page 18, The Islander

CharitY news

Vita Nova’s Mallets And Martinis Scheduled For March 25

Proceeds To Benefit Homeless Youth In Palm Beach County

Vita Nova will host the Sixth Annual Mallets & Tickets to Mallets & Martinis are $225 each. To learn Vita Nova means “new life” in Latin and was founded
Martinis on Saturday, March 25, at the National Croquet more, become a sponsor and/or purchase tickets, visit by Father Leo Armbrust, a man who believed that foster
Center in West Palm Beach. The nonprofit’s signature vitanovainc.org/Mallets-Martinis or call (561) 472-4809. youth deserved a better quality of care. Through the
fundraising event will raise money to support the About Vita Nova efforts of the Vita Nova team members, its volunteers,
homeless youth Vita Nova serves in Palm Beach County. Vita Nova is a safe bridge to independence for former and its benefactors, older foster and homeless youth are
foster care, LGBTQ, and other homeless youth through allowed to lead lives characterized by independence,
supportive housing, education, employment, and life skills self-determination, and personal responsibility.
training. Vita Nova Inc, located in West Palm Beach, Fla., To learn more about Vita Nova or to donate, visit
is comprised of three components: the Spot, Housing (The vitanovainc.org or call (561) 689-0035.
Village), and Independent Living.
Sitting On A Rainbow

Palm Beach Gardens Book Review:
Taylor Hagood, a Professor of Literature at FAU,
Resident, James Patrick and among other impressive achievements author of the

Rooney, Is Proud To upcoming Stringbean: The Life and Murder of a Country
Music Legend had this to say about Sitting on a Rainbow:
Chairs: Yvonne and Ed Varona This debut novel is full of magic, Irish folklore and
Announce The Release Of history, and romance all wound around experiences
Beginning at 6 p.m. guests of Mallets & Martinis His First Novel: Sitting On A of disability and drama inside a high-stakes wealth
will experience an exhilarating evening under the palms management firm in West Palm Beach. James Patrick
featuring croquet, martinis, and live music. Guests, who are Rainbow: A 21st Century Irish Rooney gives the reader a great yarn with intriguing
encouraged to wear “Chic Croquet Whites,” will also have characters and a fully realized protagonist whose defeats
the opportunity after dinner to bid on amazing live auction American Morality Tale and triumphs are attuned to an excellent soundtrack.
items and dance the night away. Jim extends his gratitude to the accomplished Professor
Serving over 400 youth in Palm Beach County, Vita Hagood for his generous comments.
Nova is a safe bridge to independence for former foster Sitting on a Rainbow: a 21st Century Irish American
care, LGBTQ, and other homeless youth through supportive Morality Tale (ISBN: 9781958729625 /9781958729571)
housing, education, employment, and life skills training. can be purchased through Amazon, Barnes & Noble,
Working to eliminate homelessness for youth ages 18 to Walmart, Books-A-Million, and elsewhere. The paperback
25 years old in Palm Beach County, Vita Nova acts as an retails for $20.99, the hardcover retails for $29.99, and the
advocate and support system for homeless young adults. eBook retails for $6.99. Wholesale orders are available
All proceeds from this event will go towards Vita Nova’s through Ingram. Review copies, signed copies, interviews,
Housing Program and Independent Living Services. and book club appearances may be available upon request.
Chairpersons of the event are Yvonne and Ed Varona.
Sponsors to date include FPL, MorseLife Health System, About The Author:
DEX Imaging, HSS Florida, Donor Chip Williams, Searcy First time author James Patrick Rooney was born in
Law- Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A., Bronx, New York, raised in Westchester County, and has
Sunshine Health, and M Law-Mrachek Fitzgerald Rose been living and working in Northern Palm Beach County for
Konopka Thomas & Weiss, PA. and Palm Beach Illustrated.
his entire adult life. After having been blessed to reside in
Sitting on a Rainbow: a 21st Century Irish American such world-class communities as PGA National, Admiral’s
Morality Tale is a story of severe loss and courageous Cove, Tequesta Country Club, Seminole Landing, and Old
resilience, financial markets and malfeasances, Irish Marsh, he and his wife, Cindy, now live in the exceptional
history and mythology, justice served, and broken promises community of BallenIsles. To accomplish this impressive
remaining to be mended. array, in sum, they always bought early and sold too soon.
Set in West Palm Beach, Florida, in the early 2010s, the Young Jimmy’s first loves included sports, particularly
novel follows Patrick Connelly, a mid-fifties paraplegic ice hockey, a variety of music and culture, and his adopted
who works as a stockbroker and financial advisor at a major homeland of Ireland. When an ice hockey-related injury
Wall Street firm. The protagonist, whose life experience at age nineteen left him a paraplegic, he turned his focus
oftentimes mirrors the author’s, not only faces the adversity away from the physical toward developing his mind. Soon
of disability each day, but also has a front row seat to the after finishing college at (then infamous) “Suntan U” in
Sunday, March 12 financial difficulties plaguing so much of society. Through Coral Gables, he began a successful thirty-year career in
his journey, from disruption in his career to struggles with financial advisory with a major Wall Street firm. At about
love, powerful friendships to moments of despair at the state that same time, he met his enduring love—his family.
of humanity, readers are pulled into a rich, detailed world Married to Cindy ever since, together they’ve raised
that combines elements of history, Irish myth, finance, the two superb children—Patrick and Megan—who are now
arts, and beyond. As the story unfolds, Patrick must take thriving young adults.
bold action to save his career—and maybe even his life. While managing an ambitious reading group (Old
Complete with a playlist of relevant songs to enjoy Marsh—2005-2014), Jim fell in love with fine literature
while reading, Rooney’s book is a unique approach to and was inspired to write more competently (i.e., several
memoir, fiction, and education that ultimately digs into college-level creative writing courses and other modes of
what it means to live a life of joy and purpose. Readers self-learning). To hone his skills further, he wrote short
will encounter romance, business, mystery, and folklore in stories, imaginary book reviews for his reading group,
this textured and detailed narrative, and feel inspired by and later edited and authored articles for a now defunct
the main character’s determination to find the magic and lifestyle website (2018-2020). After stepping away from
beauty all around him. financial advisory in 2014, Jim began working on his first
With messages of hope, lessons from both history and novel. As is often said, starting with a few core ideas the
present day, and a window into the daily experiences of story then wrote itself.
disability, Rooney’s sweeping story contains eye-opening To learn more, please visit Jim’s related website at:
insights and inspiring moments for readers of all kinds. https://jamespatrickrooney.com/
Jim hopes his lighthearted, romantic, suspenseful, and
cautionary morality tale will entertain all who come and
sit on the rainbow with him.