Page 4 - Boca Exposure - October '21

Page 4, Boca Exposure

Junior League Of Boca Raton from page 1 “We are happy to celebrate as the new community
garden comes to fruition with the leadership of the Junior
Community Garden,” Jamie Sauer, president of the Junior League and support of the City of Boca Raton,” said
League of Boca Raton said. “This joint effort will enable Patrick Goddard, president at Brightline. “This initiative
the community to come together through gardening.” is an example of Brightline’s mission to make a positive
The garden is approximately 1.4 acres and will now impact in the communities it touches. We thank the City
contain approximately 100 plots available for patrons to of Boca Raton and the Junior League of Boca Raton for
lease. The new space will include both permaculture and working with us toward these goals as we continue to
pollinator gardens, as well as space for fruit trees and expand and connect communities in South Florida.”
pineapples, as a nod to Boca Raton’s agricultural past. Ten The unveiling of the Junior League of Boca Raton’s
percent of all fruits and vegetables harvested by individual new community garden follows its groundbreaking which
garden plots will be donated to Boca Helping Hands. took place on May 10. The original Junior League of Boca
“The city is excited for our new, expanded community Raton Community Garden broke ground on Earth Day
garden in a central location more accessible to our 2010 with land donated by the city. The garden was the
residents,” said Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer. “We brainchild of Mayor Susan Whelchel, a Junior League
are grateful to the Junior League and the dedicated sustainer, and it opened during her tenure. Since then, the
gardeners and volunteers who will make this new location Junior League of Boca Raton has managed and supported
another Boca Raton treasure, and to Brightline for their the garden. The original garden had a total of 97 plots that
substantial support for this project.” were leased to Boca Raton residents on a yearly basis.
The JLBR has worked closely with Brightline and the Historically, the garden has been the largest community
City of Boca Raton to relocate the garden that was formerly garden in the state of Florida.
located across from the downtown public library. The About The Junior League Of Boca Raton
initiative is part of Brightline’s investment in the city in Throughout the year, JLBR members contribute
addition to a new train station and parking garage. The garden more than 35,000 volunteer hours and donate more
is the definition of true community partnership. The City of than $600,000 to support the organization’s mission of
Boca Raton made the new garden possible by providing the training volunteers, developing the potential of women
land, and Brightline made a major contribution to help fund and improving the South Florida community. To learn
the construction at the new location. more about the JLBR, please contact the JLBR office
at (561) 620-2553 or visit www.JLBR.org. Connect on
facebook.com/JuniorLeagueBocaRaton or twitter.com/
JLBocaRaton.
About The City Of Boca Raton
Boca Raton is the second largest city in the Palm
Beaches. The city has five miles of beautiful Atlantic About Brightline
coastline and 47 parks with 1,650 acres of recreational Brightline is the only provider of modern, eco-
space to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle. One of the friendly, high-speed rail service in America. The company
first cities in the U.S. to adopt a tree protection ordinance, currently operates between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and
the City of Boca Raton boasts landscapes with endless West Palm Beach in Florida and is scheduled to complete
nature trails, green spaces and waterfront activities. construction to the Orlando International Airport by the
Boca Raton has three nationally ranked universities end of 2022. Brightline was recognized by Fast Company
and an abundance of A-rated public and private K-12 as one of the Most Innovative Companies in travel,
schools that ingrain education, research and innovation offering a guest-first experience designed to reinvent
into the community. A true “full service” city, Boca Raton train travel and take cars off the road. Brightline plans
is consistently recognized for being one of the safest to bring its award-winning service to additional city pairs
communities to live in and for having one of the lowest and congested corridors across the country that are too
property tax rates for a full-service city in Florida. The close to fly and too long to drive, with immediate plans
City of Boca Raton offers a unique and unparalleled to connect Las Vegas to Southern California. For more
quality of life you can only truly experience when you information, visit our website: http://www.gobrightline.
are here. https://myboca.us/ com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Habilitation Center For The Handicapped

Receives $5,000 Grant From The Gary

Peters Family Foundation

The Habilitation Center (HabCenter) recently
received a $5,000 grant from the Gary Peters
Family Foundation. This charitable grant supports
the HabCenter’s mission and the organization’s day
programs that provide desperately needed mental
stimulation and emotional and social connection for
people with disabilities.
For more than 40 years, HabCenter, located in Boca
Raton, has provided adults with special needs with
the knowledge, skills, and behavior needed to lead
useful and productive lives with dignity, respect, and
independence.
“We are thankful to Gary Peters and the Gary Peters
Family Foundation for supporting the HabCenter’s
important work,” said Susan Rode, director of
advancement for HabCenter. “Funds granted help
us provide our full-time day program that delivers a
wide range of comprehensive, individually tailored
programs and services to enable all our clients to
maximize their potential, live fulfilling and joyful
lives and foster the opportunity to become productive,
contributing members of the community.”
About The HabCenter
The HabCenter opened its doors in 1978 to equip
adults with special needs in Palm Beach County with HabCenter also provides local businesses and colleges
the knowledge, skills, and behavior needed to lead opportunities to partner with them through HabCo
useful and productive lives with dignity, respect, Manufacturing, the nursery, and social work internship
and independence. The nonprofit gives back to the programs. Learn more at www.habcenter.org.
community by providing a safe, fun place to empower About The Gary Peters Foundation
the spirit of those individuals they serve and encourage In 2004, Gary Peters established the Gary Peters
their unlimited potential. The critical programs the Family Foundation, a family-run and family-financed
HabCenter offers include social services, development nonprofit, as a conduit for focused philanthropic
training, P.E.A.R. (Programs in Education, Art and efforts by the Peters Family, dedicated to working with
Recreation), and vocational training within HabCo communities and organizations to address the needs
Manufacturing and the HabCenter nursery. The and enhance the lives of children and families.