Page 15 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - March '23

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 15
The Arc Receives Grant

For Community Inclusion Program

The Arc of Palm Beach County aims to build acceptance “The community inclusion
and inclusion for all children to help them thrive in the program gives practitioners the
community. Thanks to a continued partnership between tools and skills needed to promote
The Arc and Prime Time Palm Beach County, youth with the inclusion and acceptance of
disabilities will continue to have improved access to high- all youth in the community,” said
quality experiences in after-school and summer programs. Kimberly McCarten, president
The Arc’s Community Inclusion Program coaches, and CEO of The Arc of Palm
supports, and provides training to 514 out-of-school time Beach County. “When children with
(OST) practitioners each year to ensure that every child disabilities can share their unique
can participate in OST programs alongside their peers. The talents and interact positively
program focuses on how to implement interactive activities with their peers and adults, other
and strategies that complement the strengths and abilities of youth also benefit from the healthy
all youth. Through the effective use of visuals, person-first social relationships built through
language, activity design, and room setup, practitioners understanding and trust.”
foster an environment that encourages communication and The community inclusion
enhances social-emotional wellness. program is made possible with
support from Prime Time Palm Beach County, which
Sitting On A Rainbow receives significant funding from the Children’s Services
Council of Palm Beach County. Prime Time has supported
The Arc for nearly 20 years. This year, the program will
Palm Beach Gardens Book Review: support an additional community inclusion specialist,
enabling The Arc to coach more practitioners and enhance
Taylor Hagood, a Professor of Literature at FAU,
Resident, James Patrick and among other impressive achievements author of the the program’s impact.
About Prime Time Palm Beach County
Rooney, Is Proud To upcoming Stringbean: The Life and Murder of a Country Prime Time Palm Beach County is a nonprofit
Music Legend had this to say about Sitting on a Rainbow:
Announce The Release Of This debut novel is full of magic, Irish folklore and organization that provides resources and support for
out-of-school time professionals to develop programs that
history, and romance all wound around experiences
His First Novel: Sitting On A of disability and drama inside a high-stakes wealth inspire children to be their best, and allow them to thrive
socially and academically. Prime Time’s integrated model
management firm in West Palm Beach. James Patrick
Rainbow: A 21st Century Irish Rooney gives the reader a great yarn with intriguing of services is one of the strongest, most comprehensive
and well-respected systems for measuring and improving
American Morality Tale characters and a fully realized protagonist whose defeats out-of-school time program quality in the nation. To learn
and triumphs are attuned to an excellent soundtrack.
Jim extends his gratitude to the accomplished Professor more about Prime Time Palm Beach County, visit www.
Hagood for his generous comments. primetimepbc.org.
Sitting on a Rainbow: a 21st Century Irish American About Children’s Services Council Of Palm Beach
Morality Tale (ISBN: 9781958729625 /9781958729571) County
can be purchased through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County,
Walmart, Books-A-Million, and elsewhere. The paperback a special district created by Palm Beach County voters,
retails for $20.99, the hardcover retails for $29.99, and the provides leadership, funding, and research on behalf of
eBook retails for $6.99. Wholesale orders are available the county’s children, so they grow up healthy, safe, and
through Ingram. Review copies, signed copies, interviews, strong. To learn more, please visit www.cscpbc.org or
and book club appearances may be available upon request. everyparentpbc.org.

About The Author: Photo courtesy of The Arc of Palm Beach County
First time author James Patrick Rooney was born in
Bronx, New York, raised in Westchester County, and has Love, Fashion, And Philanthropy from page 14
been living and working in Northern Palm Beach County for
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 and Gigi Hadid. Runway
Morality Tale is a story of severe loss and courageous Cove, Tequesta Country Club, Seminole Landing, and Old looks were paired with
resilience, financial markets and malfeasances, Irish Marsh, he and his wife, Cindy, now live in the exceptional accessories from La
history and mythology, justice served, and broken promises community of BallenIsles. To accomplish this impressive Costa Organic Jewelry
remaining to be mended. array, in sum, they always bought early and sold too soon. and handbags from Susan
Set in West Palm Beach, Florida, in the early 2010s, the Young Jimmy’s first loves included sports, particularly Tancer Studios.
novel follows Patrick Connelly, a mid-fifties paraplegic ice hockey, a variety of music and culture, and his adopted A portion of the sales
who works as a stockbroker and financial advisor at a major homeland of Ireland. When an ice hockey-related injury benefited Impact the Palm
Wall Street firm. The protagonist, whose life experience at age nineteen left him a paraplegic, he turned his focus Beaches. The nonprofit
oftentimes mirrors the author’s, not only faces the adversity away from the physical toward developing his mind. Soon organization is devoted
of disability each day, but also has a front row seat to the after finishing college at (then infamous) “Suntan U” in to engaging, developing,
financial difficulties plaguing so much of society. Through Coral Gables, he began a successful thirty-year career in and inspiring women to
his journey, from disruption in his career to struggles with financial advisory with a major Wall Street firm. At about create change in the Palm Leizl Els, Marlene Sotelo
love, powerful friendships to moments of despair at the state that same time, he met his enduring love—his family. Beach County community
of humanity, readers are pulled into a rich, detailed world Married to Cindy ever since, together they’ve raised by supporting local, progressive, and forward-thinking
that combines elements of history, Irish myth, finance, the two superb children—Patrick and Megan—who are now programs and businesses.
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/ Debbie Terlato, Crissy
Jim hopes his lighthearted, romantic, suspenseful, and Poorman Lisa LaFrance, Sara Chaise
cautionary morality tale will entertain all who come and
sit on the rainbow with him. About 1000 NORTH
A celebration of modern American regional cuisine,
with sweeping views of the Jupiter Inlet and the Jupiter
Lighthouse, 1000 NORTH is located at 1000 North
U.S. Highway 1, Jupiter, Fla. For more information or
reservations, visit 1000NORTH.com or call (561) 570-1000.

Photos by Tracey Benson Photography