Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Paint Your Heart Out is coming to Lake Worth!

Paint your heart out is going strong in January! We have 5 houses scheduled for January in Lake Worth along with other homes through out Palm Beach County! We hope to continue to make a difference all year long in 2012 and are always looking for more groups to sign up and participate in one of our events. If you would like to sign your group, church, club and/or civic establishment to be a part of such a wonderful event please go to this link and sign up! http://www.swa.org/site/recycling/Volunteer_Opportunities/volunteer_application.htm

Here is the schedule for January and any volunteers are welcome to participate! Saturday

Saturday 1/7 9am - 1pm
Group: Palm Beach Atlantic University
1 house in West Palm Beach

Group: Palm Beach Central High School Key Club
1 house in Lake Worth

Thursday 1/12 9am - Noon
Group: Lynn University "Day of Caring"
2 Houses in Lake Worth

Saturday 1/14 8am - 1pm
Group: First Baptist Church of Hypoluxo
1 House in Lake Worth

Sunday 1/15 9am - 1pm
Group: Judea
1 house in Palm Beach Gardens

Thursday 1/19 9am - 2pm
Group: Lynn University "Field Service Day"
12 houses in South Bay

Saturday 1/21 9am - 1pm
Group: BLAST
1 house in Lake Worth

Saturday 1/28 9am - 1pm
Group: Riviera Beach Youth Empowerment
1 house in Riviera Beach

Sunday 1/29 9am - 2pm
Group: The Neshamah Institute
1 Housein Boca Raton

To volunteer for these events please call Linda Moreno at 561-697-2700 ext 4717 or by email Lmoreno@swa.org or Joanna Aiken at 561-697-2700 ext 4701 or via email at jaiken@swa.org

A few other events!
Adopt-A-Spot Clean Ups

Saturday 1/7 8am-10am
Group: Friends of Jupiter Beach
Location: Anita Lankler Pavilion at Ocean Cay Park (Corner of A1A and Marcinski Road Saturday

Saturday 1/7 8am - 10:30am
Group: Sand Sifters Harvest Beach cleanup
Location: Oceanfront Park in Ocean Ridge 6415 N. Ocean Blvd Saturday 1/28 8am - 10:30am

Saturday 1/28 8am - 10:30am
Group: Sea Angels Location: Ocean Inlet park 6990 n. Ocean Blvd Ocean Ridge (Look for the signs!)

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Pulmonary Veno Occlusive Disease

We wanted to take a moment to give you the update on Cynthia! They are getting ready to go up this week for the proceedure and where they are very excited they are also very nervouse and worried about the expense. She will have to stay up north for around 6 months so they are having to pay for a place there as well as maintain their Lake Worth Home not to mention the expense going back and forth for her family. If you would like to contribute to their fund please contact us at nhnproject@gmail.com or rolohlakeworth@gmail.com for the information. Please keep Cynthia and her whole family in your prayers over the next 6 months and together we will make a difference in this very tough journey! As I stopped by to visit a neighbor who had called me yesterday it was quite a shock and a surprise. Cynthia Mehl answered the door of her very charming home while the trucks outside were swapping out her Oxygen Tanks.

What I expected was to be greeted by someone who would be frail and weak but was surprised to be greeted by a very joyful, upbeat loving individual who immediately invited me into her home. As I walked in the first thing you can't miss is the shear beauty and charm of her home...and then the 5 or 6, 3 feet in diameter, 3 to 4 feet tall canisters of Oxygen. Lined up and ready to be used.

See Cynthia was diagnosed with Terminal Lung Cancer in 2003 and survived. Then was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension in 2004 and kept on going. Then in 2009 she was diagnosed with Pulmonary Veno Occlusive Disease (see below for details or click this article to read more about PVOD.)

Cynthia looks just like you and me and had all the energy and joy of a normal person except for the fact that she has to be on Oxygen 24/7, What will help her? A Double Lung Transplant at Duke Medical Center.

Why do you ask that I want to write about this? One she is my neighbor and now a dear friend, two we in ROLOH as in many of our neighborhoods care about each other and third my own father passed away from Lung Cancer. Cynthia has to go through a very serious procedure, Double Lung Transplant....Recovery will be 4-6 Months if not longer depending on complications...

What is needed to help Cynthia? Prayers, good wishes and happy thoughts and knowing that people care about her and this rare condition. Where Cynthia and her husband Gordon made wise decisions with their health insurance that still does not cover the cost of traveling back and forth, hotel stays, gas cost and many other ancillary expenses that arise in a situation like this. Not to mention they still need to maintain there very lovely home in order for Cynthia to come back and enjoy for many years to come.

Cynthia and Gordon have set up an account at Wells Fargo and donations can be made direct to Cynthia's Wells Fargo Account If you would like to make a donation please email nhnproject@gmail.com and I will forward you the flyer to complete and drop off at a Wells Fargo...She should be heading to Duke Medical in September and then she will have a long road ahead before her from that point. Below is more information on PVOD and remember in Giving in tough times even the smallest of donations are a blessing and lets not discount the power of Prayer!

Sincerely,
Robert Waples

Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease is an extremely rare form of high blood pressure in the lung area.

See also: Primary pulmonary hypertension

Causes:
In most cases, the cause of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease is unknown. The condition may be related to a viral infection. It may occur as a complication of certain diseases such as lupus, or as a complication of leukemia, lymphoma, chemotherapy, or bone marrow transplantation.

The disorder is most common among children and young adults. As the disease gets worse, it causes narrowed pulmonary veins, pulmonary artery hypertension, and congestion and swelling of the lungs.

Symptoms:
•Shortness of breath
•Fatigue on exertion
•Fainting
•Coughing up blood
•Difficulty breathing while lying flat

Exams and Tests:
The doctor will perform a physical exam.

The exam may reveal:
•High blood pressure in the veins of the lungs
•Increased pressure in the neck veins
•Fingernail clubbing
•Bluish coloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen (cyanosis)
•Swelling in the legs

Your doctor may hear abnormal heart sounds when listening to the chest and lungs with a stethoscope.

The following tests may be done:
•Arterial blood gases
•Chest x-ray
•Chest CT
•Cardiac catheterization
•Pulmonary angiogram
•Echocardiogram
•Lung biopsy

Treatment:
There is currently no known effective medical treatment. However, the following medications may be helpful for some patients:
•Vasodilator drugs (drugs that widen the blood vessels)
•Drugs that control immune system's response (such as azathioprine or steroids)

A lung transplant may be needed.

Outlook (Prognosis)
The outcome is often very poor in infants with a survival rate of just a few weeks. Survival may be months to a few years in adults.

Possible Complications
•Progressive difficulty breathing
•Pulmonary hypertension
•Right sided heart failure (cor pulmonale)
•Coughing up blood

When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of this disorder.

Alternative Names
Pulmonary vaso-occlusive disease

References
Barst RJ. Pulmonary hypertension. In Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 67.

Channick RN, Rubin LJ. Pulmonary hypertension. In: Mason RJ, Broaddus CV, Martin TR, et al. Murray & Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2010:chap 52.

Update Date: 6/2/2010

Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Food Collection Success - Community Foundation Generosity

Thank You to the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties for their Generous collection and donation of food supplies. We were able to add to their collection and provide two very deserving homes extra food for their pantries during the Holiday Season.


Household Number One is a past Paint Your Heart Out home of Loring Philips. Loring took in her Nephew and two kids when life happened and they needed a place to go. Members of the community came together and collected furniture and all sort of items to help them get settled into their new home. The Food provided today will hopefully help as the father gets back on his feet.


Needs for this household is to finish the trim work in the back and we need a skilled person to replace the window trim and wooden shudders around the home. We have a CPU, Mouse and Key board Donated by Shona in Lake Worth, refurbished and just needs a computer screen so we can provide a computer for the home for the kids to use and for the father to continue to look for a full time position. We thank the SOSA Neighborhood with the past painting projects and help. Carmello who is the President of the SOSA Neighborhood even built a new wheel chair ramp for Loring. There is also a large tree in the side yard that has grown way out of control and needs some serious trimming.

If you would like to help at this location please contact jaiken@swa.org or nhnproject@gmail.com and let us know.

Our Second home is Les & Deb Smith along with her brother Lee. Lee is a Vietnam Veteran and lives on Disability. Les & Deb had a failed business due to the poor economy and moved in with Lee in their mothers home. While Les & Deb are searching for work they are all three trying to live off of one income which is not enough to keep their household going. They are great neighbors for the ROLOH Neighborhood and we look forward to Painting the outside and doing some minor repair work with in the home through Paint Your Heart Out and Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches!


When we get this work schedule we will also be asking for Volunteers from the ROLOH neighborhood and surrounding areas to help with any donations towards helping with landscaping the front of the property which will provide a full beautification event for our neighborhood!

Needs for this home are still high and include replacing of some fascia boards and eaves, in Desperate Need of a gas stove, Kitchen Sink needs to be replaced, Main Shower is leaking from the handles. Deb has an interview this week and we are praying that she gets the job but in the mean time they have a long road towards financial recovery. Lee was recently in a motorcycle accident and is currently in the VA Hospital and expected to be fine. Les is still job hunting and when not job hunting is giving back to the community by serving on the PBSO COP Volunteer Program which patrols the City of Lake Worth.

If you would like to help with this home please contact jaiken@swa.org or nhnproject@gmail.com.
We hope to have this home on the schedule in the first part of the New Year!!!

We want to thank Pat and all our friends at the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties for this generous food donations to our two families and all our volunteers for making a difference in the lives of our neighbors every day. Lets continue to bring the "Neighbor" back to the Neighborhood in the New Year by promoting an everyday Neighbors Helping Neighbors atmosphere in each area of our county! And remember to Volunteer to make a difference Today!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Mad Dash Food Collection!

Dear Friends of Lake Worth and our Charitable Partners,

The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martine Counties collected this box of food for a neighbor in need and has graciously allowed us to distribute. We currently have two families that could use a basket of Non-Perishalbe foods to ease the financial burden and keep their cupboards full, hopefully making their holiday a more Joyous Occasion.

So we would like to ask our Local friends to help us Double this box so we can give a great gift to both families! If you would like to participate please send email to nhnproject@gmail.com for the Lake Worth area or call 909-8708 and I can pick up. if you want to help with pick up and bring to Lake Worth that is greatly appreciated! This is the "mad dash food collection" as we want to distribute this This Sunday December 18th. Thank you to all our friends at Community Foundation for your generous donation!

Thank all of our wonderful volunteers and partners for the many blessings that you have given us through your charitable hearts and giving all year long!

Please note that we have one family that does not even have a stove in thier home. If you have a used gas stove that can be donated.....here is the message back from our family.

"the space can take an apartment sized stove up to a regular sized - 36" I believe. The gas hook up is about 5 inches out from the wall by the kickboard. I hope that helps you in determining the stove. "

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Scholaship Opportunity!

We’re pleased to announce that the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties 2011-2012 Scholarship Program is now accepting applications. The online application is on available on our website at http://www.yourcommunityfoundation.org/Scholarship-Center

The process is completely web-based, and the deadline for students to apply is February 1, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. Students who meet the primary eligibility will be invited for an interview. At that time, additional information will also be requested through the online system.

Thanks to the many individuals who have established scholarship funds, the Community Foundation manages over 100 scholarships and is one of the largest scholarship providers in Palm Beach and Martin Counties. You are encouraged to go to our website and familiarize yourself with our scholarship opportunities. Most scholarships are open only to high school seniors in Palm Beach & Martin Counties.

I wanted to bring your attention to one of our scholarships called the James H. Davis Memorial Scholarship. This is the criteria:

Graduating high school senior from any Palm Beach or Martin County high school. Also open to seniors from Homestead and South Dade High School in Dade County, FL. Must be majoring in horticulture, agriculture, forestry. Also open to students or adults returning to the field. Demonstrate financial need. Minimum 2.5 GPA while in college.



We hope that you’ll help us get the word out about our scholarship program by sharing this email with your friends, family, and others in the community who might be interested. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Pat Rowan, Fund Distributions Manager at prowan@cfpbmc.org”.


Thanks
Pat
Patricia Rowan | Fund Distributions Manager
_________________________________________________________­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­________
Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties
700 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 200 | West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Main Telephone 561 659 6800 Direct 561 340 4504 FAX 561 832 6542
E-MAIL: prowan@cfpbmc.org
"Promoting philanthropy - Investing in communities" www.yourcommunityfoundation.org
Are you Scholarship Alumni? Join us on Facebook and keep in touch!
Follow the Community Foundation on Twitter: @cfpbmc & @patrowan
Please view our Annual Report "You & Philanthropy" http://www.yourcommunityfoundation.org/flipbook/AnnualReport20092010/
There is nothing nobler than making a difference in a child's life

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Santa Paws is Coming To Town

Mark Your Calendar…Santa “Paws” Holiday Photos at

PetSmart Boynton Beach
335 North Congress Avenue

11 AM until 4 PM Saturdays and Sundays, December 3 and 4, December 10 and 11, December 17 and 18
Pets (and their people - yes, family members are welcome to pose in the photos too!) can have their picture taken with Santa. PetSmart welcomes any pet, as long as it is not a wild animal. We request that dogs be on lead, and cats, ferrets, birds, hamsters, etc. be in a carrier or contained.

This is a fun (and great) fundraiser for us, as PetSmart donates $5 from each $9.95 photo purchase (with your PetPerks Card) back to our rescued pets in the form of a charitable donation. We supply all the volunteers to staff the event, and PetSmart provides the location, Santa suit, materials, etc.

Come visit us and our adoptive pets, and have your pet's photo taken with Santa, for an adorable keepsake (holiday frame included!) and to support SAD*SAC’s orphaned cats and dogs...not to mention you get to tease the volunteers we bribe into dressing as Santa and the elves!
If you require accommodation for special needs, number of pets, etc., please email us at sadsacflorida@aol.com or call us at 561-736-1313 and we will try to set up a suitable appointment time.

We are also in need of volunteers for shifts for Santa, elves, photographer, computer help, etc…contact us at the mail and phone above if you can spare a few hours to save lives.

Please visit our website below to see our available cats and dogs or to make a small holiday donation for their medical and care... thank you from all the little furries!

www.sadsac.rescuegroups.org

Friday, November 11, 2011

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Habitat for Humanity Palm Beach 25 Year Celebration




Want to Celebrate with Habitat for Humanity Palm Beach? Follow this link and sign up! Celebrating 25 Years of Building homes for families!

Monday, October 10, 2011

Hope to see everyone on the 22nd in West Palm Beach!!!

For Immediate Release |

OCTOBER 22, 2011

CONTACT

Joanna Aiken
(561) 358-2163
jaiken@swa.org

Sears’ Heroes at Home Program Announces Fall Projects
with Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches

Sears’ Heroes at Home Program, Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches start
Renovations this fall for the Military Community

West Palm Beach, Florida – Heroes at Home, a program created through the
collaboration of Sears Holdings Corporation and Rebuilding Together, announced the
beginning of their fall 2011 Heroes at Home projects. Heroes at Home projects are key
initiatives for Rebuilding Together, the nation’s leading nonprofit working to preserve
affordable homeownership, and strive to improve the lives of the military and their
families through extensive home rehabilitations.

Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches will be assisting Veterans Services of
America–Housing for Homeless Veterans in WPB to make repairs necessary to
house the veterans. Over 200 volunteers from Rebuilding Together and Sears will
complete repairs, painting and landscaping for VSA in West Palm Beach so that our
veterans will have a place to live.

“Heroes at Home is not only a program, but an opportunity for us to serve our fellow
veterans and address their critical housing needs, which are quite common throughout
military households,” said Gary A. Officer, president and CEO of Rebuilding
Together. “Our work with Sears allows us to engage with the veteran community
and rehabilitate their homes to livable conditions based on their needs. This fall,
we continue to impact an increasing amount of lives through the Heroes at Home
program.”

Heroes at Home projects are scheduled to be completed in more than 60 cities across
the country. The projects include renovations for veterans who are unable to live in
their current home conditions, due to injuries or obstacles that threaten their avenue to
a safe and accessible home.

To date, Sears Holdings has raised over $12 million for Heroes at Home through a
nationwide in-store fund-raising campaign. This is one of the hundreds of projects
made possible by these donations. Rebuilding Together has completed over 900
projects for veteran homeowners across the country. The success of this program is
only expected to rise as more projects are completed.

Heroes at Home fall rebuilds will begin in August and conclude in November.

About Rebuilding Together
Rebuilding Together is the nation's leading nonprofit organization working to preserve
affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing extensive
rehabilitation and modification services to those in need at no cost to those served.
With the help of everyday citizen volunteers, skilled trades people, the support of local
business and major corporate partners, Rebuilding Together affiliates in America’s
largest cities and smallest towns make life considerably better for thousands of low-
income homeowners and the communities in which they live by completing 10,000
projects per year. Rebuilding Together has programs dedicated to, energy efficiency,
veteran’s housing, aging in place and gulf coast reconstruction.

For more information, visit www.RebuildingTogether.org. You can also follow
Rebuilding Together on Twitter @rebldgtogthr or become a fan on Facebook at
Facebook.com/RebuildingTogether. Media Contact: BCarter@rebuildingtogether.org
(202) 518-3500.

About Sears Holdings
Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's fourth largest broadline retailer with
approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and
Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in
tools, lawn and garden, home electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Sears
Holdings is the 2010 ENERGY STAR® Retail Partner of the Year. Key proprietary
brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering,
including such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well
as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has the Country Living collection,
which is offered by Sears and Kmart. We are the nation's largest provider of home
services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. Sears Holdings
Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co.
and Kmart Corporation. For more information, visit Sears Holdings' website at
www.searsholdings.com

Sears Heroes at Home, Rebulding Together with Veterans Services of Amercia


**MEDIA ADVISORY**


Rebuilding Together Of the Palm Beaches and Sears
Announce Fall Heroes at Home Projects


WHAT:


Heroes at Home. Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches is teaming with Sears Holdings for a rebuild, one of a series occurring across the country throughout the fall. Heroes at Home projects are key rebuilding initiatives for Rebuilding Together. Since 2007, Rebuilding Together and Sears’ Heroes at Home program have rebuilt veterans’ homes and community centers to help improve the lives of our nation’s military families through critical renovations.


Sears’ Heroes at Home program plans to complete more than 60 projects throughout the country this fall, and to-date has raised more than $12 million to help veterans and their families live in viable and safe homes. Rebuilding Together has completed more than 900 rebuilding projects for veterans across the country.


WHO:


Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches is an affiliate of Rebuilding Together, the nation’s
leading nonprofit working to preserve affordable homeownership by revitalizing communities
nationwide. Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches, Sears Holdings and Veterans Services of America will work together with 300 volunteers to engage local community members and
businesses to impact:


WHEN:


October 22, 2011 from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm with a presentation at 12 Noon.


WHERE:



Rebuilding Together of The Palm Beaches will be working at Veterans Services of America at
711 11th Street in West Palm Beach Florida. The media will be meeting across from 1209
Sapodilla Street in WPB.




CONTACT:


Media Contacts for Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches
Joanna Aiken RTPB Board President (561) 358-2163


Media Contacts for Rebuilding Together’s National Headquarters:
Becky Carter (202) 518-3500 (0) (202) 302-1139 (m) bcarter@rebuildingtogether.org


Rebuilding Together is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing extensive rehabilitation and modification services for those in need.


RTPB is partners with Sears Holdings and National Rebuilding Together to assist with housing needs for Veterans in Palm Beach County. www.rebuildingtogether-pb.org and www.rebuildingtogether.org


About Sears Holdings
Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's fourth largest broadline retailer with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Sears Holdings is the 2010 ENERGY STAR® Retail Partner of the Year. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe
Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has the Country Living collection, which is offered by Sears and Kmart. We are the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation. For more information, visit Sears Holdings' website at www.searsholdings.com

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Computer training and More!

Want to learn how to use computers, the basics, terms and more?  This free online tutorial is awesome!

http://www.gcflearnfree.org/

Enjoy the classes and if you can help support this program!

THANKS

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Domestic Violence Awareness Month


Lake Worth Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic Violence has NO Place in our Community

October 4th, 5:00 - 5:50 pm: Recognize Lake Worth Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Purple Light Nights Campaign
In honor of Martha Aguilar, murdered by her husband in Lake Worth , September, 2011, and in honor of all victims/survivors of domestic violence.
Gather at City Hall for the illumination of the Purple Lights. Speakers and a spoken word artist will attest to the epidemic of domestic violence and help us learn what we can do to end this violence in our community.
Location: 7 North Dixie Highway

October 19th, 9:30 pm: Speak Now
Poetry Uncorked presents Speak Now, an open mic for the Spoken Word in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Location: Dolce Vita, 609 Lake Ave; admission is free

October 25th, 7:00 pm: Telling Amy's Story
This powerful documentary is based on a timeline leading up to the murder of Amy Homan McGee by her husband. The film encourages us to ask, "What can we do, on both individual and community levels, to address domestic violence openly and collectively - in order to avoid tragedies such as this in the future?" Sponsored by PBC Sheriff's Office in partnership with the City of Lake Worth and the PBC Domestic Violence Council.
Location: Stonzek Theater, 713 Lake Avenue ; admission is free, donations accepted


Shine a purple light this October!Please join us in observing the Purple Light Nights campaign by shining purple porch lights in October to honor the victims and survivors of domestic violence and to bring hope to those still being abused. Send a clear message to everyone that there is no place in our community for domestic violence!
(Purple light bulbs may be purchased at Studio 205, located at 600 Lake Ave. )

The City of Lake Worth will be hosting numerous displays for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, including the Clothesline Project, Silent Witnesses and the Missing Place at the Table. These moving exhibits may be seen at City Hall, the City Annex, Municipal Golf Course Clubhouse and the Library.

Florida Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-500-1119

Friday, September 23, 2011

Up Coming Volunteer Events! Will you Volunteer?

Hello Volunteers!!!!

WE have several events coming up and wanted to keep our groups informed so please forward the following dates on to your emails contacts and neighbors as well!

Saturday, October 15th @ 8:30AM
6101 Garden Ave West Palm Beach
Clean Up and Painting with Congressman Allen West
Working with Groups and more individual volunteers needed
to Help a homeowner in need w/Disabilities
Sponsored by Paint Your Heart Out and Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches


Saturday, October 22nd @ 8:30 HEADLINER EVENT ALL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
705 11th Street West Palm Beach
Clean Up, Landscaping, Repair Work, Painting Etc.....
This is a major event from Sears Heroes at Home Project and Facebook Competition
We are working with Veterans Services of America to spruce up and do the final touches on Transitional Housing for At Risk Veterans and Community Center.
100+ Volunteer needed including handy work, repair work, Landscaping, Painting and people to help make sure all volunteers stay hydrated and hand out supplies.
Sponsored by Sears Heroes at Home, Veterans Services of America, Paint Your Heart Out, Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches and many more!!!


We thank everyone from all over the county for your continued support and volunteerism! It takes a community working together to make all these projects happen and from one community to another through out Palm Beach County! All of us working together make this county an much better place to live!

--
Robert Waples
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Project
www.nhnproject.com
www.volunteerpalmbeach.com
Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches
http://www.rebuildingtogether-pb.org/
Paint Your Heart Out

Volunteer to make a difference today!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Do You Qualify?

About Florida Hardest Hit 

The federal government has allocated funding to help pay the mortgages of qualified homeowners who are unemployed or underemployed through no fault of their own. Troubled homeowners in all 67 counties who want to apply for HHF financial assistance will be able to do so via this website.

Homeowners who qualify for financial assistance may receive up to six (6) months of monthly mortgage payments (including escrowed mortgage-related payments) and/or funds to pay past due mortgage payments to bring the mortgage current; these funds are paid directly to the loan servicer/lender.

You must meet all eligibility requirements to be considered for the program. PLEASE NOTE: Reduction of income due to the death, divorce or disability of a borrower or co-borrower, or any other household members DOES NOT qualify as a financial hardship for the purposes of this program. Homeowners experiencing a reduction in household income as a result of these situations must also have a documented hardship due to unemployment or underemployment through no fault of their own, and not as a result of death, divorce, or disability of a borrower or co-borrower, or any other household member. Please review the following criteria prior to applying for HHF assistance.
An eligible homeowner:

· Must be a Florida resident;
· Must occupy property as primary residence (the property cannot be vacant, abandoned or rented);
· Borrower/co-borrower must be unemployed or underemployed through no fault of his/her own, which    makes the first mortgage unaffordable;
· Must have documented total household income at or below 140% of the area median income (AMI), adjusted for household size;
· Must have an active checking/savings account that can be debited by the ACH method of funds transfer;
· May not have unencumbered assets of $5,000 or more, or three times the current monthly mortgage payment (whichever is greater);
· Cannot have a bankruptcy that has not been discharged or dismissed; and
· Cannot have been convicted of a mortgage-related felony in the last 10 years. The current mortgage:
· Must be serviced by a participating lender, who agrees to accept payments on behalf of the homeowner;
· Must not be more than 180 days past due at the time of application;
· Must have been originated on or before January 1, 2009; and
· Must have an existing principal balance of less than $400,000.

Suzanne P. Cabrera,
CFRE President & CEO
Housing Leadership Council of Palm Beach County, Inc.
Physical Address: 2101 Vista Parkway, Suite 258 West Palm Beach, FL 33411
Phone: (561) 653-4107
Mobile: (561) 779-5244
E-mail: scabrera@hlcpbc.org website: www.hlcpbc.org

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Volunteers Needed for Triathlon

On Saturday September 17th we need help from 3:00 pm to 7pm to help with the packet pickup. Racers will arrive at Benny’s on the Pier and pickup their information and race items. They must show identification and their USAT ID or pay the one day fee of $10 we need help in this area. We need 10 people to help in this area, please consider bringing a friend or family member to help this is after all a friendly family sport.

On Sunday September 18th we need help at the Pier location, Transition area, body marking, timing chip, water distribution, race course, and medal ceremony.
Volunteers arrive at 5:30am and finish about 9:30am. Volunteers who are helping on the course will arrive at Bryant Park at 5:45am. Community Service hours will be given for students who need them.

Please give some of your time to make this a successful event and one that promotes Lake Worth as a great place to live work and PLAY!!!



Nadine Burns
Tropical Triathlon Coordinator
Greater Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce

Office:(561)-582-4401 ext.3
Fax:(561)-547-8300
nadine@lwchamber.com

Volunteers needed for Lake Worth PAL Warriors

Lake Worth PAL Warriors 2011 Football/Cheerleading

posted Sep 6, 2011 10:49 AM by Robert Waples
The Lake Worth PAL Warriors 2011 Football / Cheerleading needs Volunteers to work the gate on certain dates when they have home games all day here in Lake Worth.

This years line up for playing in Lake Worth is:

September 3 - Already Past
September 10 - This Saturday Games Start at 9AM and to 7PM
October 1st - Saturday 9AM to 7PM
October 15th - Saturday 9AM to 7PM

Voluteers help Deputy Mike Mahoney at the Front Gate for collection of Admissions to the Field which goes back to the League. Volunteers are always needed to work from 8am to 7pm and generally if there is enough people who sign up in advance the shifts are about 2 to 3 hours and normally the league likes to have two volunteers at the table at all times.

If you would like to volunteer for the Lake Worth events pleae contact Deputy Mike Mahoney at 436-3479 or email him at mahoneym@pbso.org

Participation is greatly appreciated and helps bring communities together for a great day of football!
You can see the schedule at this link: http://www.hometeamsonline.com/photos/football/LWWARRIORS/Football_Cheer_Schedule_2011.pdf

THANK YOU for anyone who can help out we greatly appreciate it and if you can't volunteer please come out and see the games!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Pulmonary Veno Occlusive Disease

ROLOH Neighbor Cynthia Mehl is upbeat, fun loving, life loving joy of a person to visit...As I visited her today we talked about her journey that has brought her to...Pulmonary Veno Occlusive Disease...The Cure? Double Lung Transplant. As we pray for her we will also be sending out information for donations to help with her expenses Stay Tuned for more details to be published here and on volunteerpalmbeach.com

Full Article to come very soon!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Ambitious Month in August for Lake Worth! Volunteers Needed!!!

Dear Volunteers, Friends and Neighbors!

We have two very ambitious weekends coming up in Lake Worth....Where we do have groups assigned for painting....we can always use more helping hands. Below are the dates and addresses that we will be working at in Lake Worth and I will add additional information and needs to make these Paint Your Heart Out Events go smooth!

Aug. 20th we are painting: (Along with groups from FAU)

623 Royal Palm Drive in Genesis Neighborhood House Captain Mark Parrilla
1025 North M Street in Eden Place House Captain Robert Waples

Both locations will need pressure cleaning and possibly a few items moved and possibly yard trimming


Aug. 27th we have another double header: (With groups from Ameri Corps)

1021 S. K Street not sure if this is SOSA neighborhood House Captain Joanna Aiken
501 S. 8th Street which is in SOSA Neighborhood House Captain Robert Waples

Both properties need to be pressured cleaned prior to date. 501 has extensive yard work that needs to be done, items moved, etc....This location also needs a new wheel chair ramp for any of you that are handy and can build a new ramp.

1021 has little bush trimming work and needs some items moved away from the home to do the job properly.

Anyone that can Volunteer prior to the painting dates listed above please let us know so we can schedule the yard trimming and pressure cleaning....


--
Robert Waples
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Project
www.nhnproject.com
www.volunteerpalmbeach.com
Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches
http://www.rebuildingtogether-pb.org/
561-909-8708 (Please leave a message)
Volunteer to make a difference today!

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Big Plan for Saturday's Volunteer Event!!!!

Dear Volunteers, (We need all hands for this one so please invite a friend or family member!!!)

As a reminder we have a Multi-Agency Volunteer Event coming up this Saturday, July 30th @ 9AM. We will be at 425 Virginia Ave in Lake Worth to help and uplift a member of our community and neighbor to all of the Palm Beaches. Agencies represented will be Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches, SWA's Paint Your Heart Out, Neighbors Helping Neighbors Project, Residents of Lake Osborne Heights, Members of neighboring Associations including groups from as far south as Boca Raton and as far north as Jupiter, Members and Graduates from this years REAP Program as sponsored by our friends at OCR and many other support Agencies such as departments from the City of Lake Worth and many more. (Representative will be on hand to sign off on any community service hours!!!)

We will have Three Major Teams which include the yard/landscaping team, House Painting Team and inside clean out team. When you arrive we ask that you park at Lake Osborne which is the North end of Virginia Ave and our location is 3 houses south. (We will need to keep the front of the home street side clear to dump our debris for pick up). Please proceed to the sign in tent before starting any work....It is very important to all the agencies and the program that we track all hours for each of our events.
Please note that the sign up tent will also be the First Aid Station and where we will keep the water and ice! Even if your coming for a visit please sign in.....(We need Two or Three volunteers to help at the tent and circulate continuously through the volunteer groups to ensure everyone is staying hydrated - Safety First is the main thing and we want to avoid any heat stress issues)

Directions: From I-95 South or North exit 6th Ave South go west over the track and turn right (north) on Wright Drive then first left on Virginia Ave....(go around the turn) and then to the end of the street for parking. From the Western Communities please take Lake Worth Road east....You will pass Congress Ave and Palm Beach State College and John Prince Park....Turn at first Right on to Lake Osborne Drive and follow the lake around to Virginia Ave and park at the lake.

What to Expect: Weather wise we are expecting a hot but breezy day so in light of the heat we suggest Light-colored Clothing made of light material such as cotton but keep in mind they will get dirty. Please use Sunscreen and if your outside a hat is encouraged. Plan to take breaks often as to avoid heat stress and when asked to get some shade and water to please do so....We will be providing gloves and all material to do the work and for those on the inside team we will have masks. Since we will have multiple teams working please be aware of the volunteers around you and be safe. All debris will be taken to the roadside and Vegetation must be separated from debris for proper pick up.

Yard Teams will be mowing, trimming and removing debris of any kind from the yard with one of our two landscapers that are attending....The back yard is very large and we also want to identify any breaks in the fence line in order to secure so that the homeowners dog will not be able to get out of the yard. (Dog - There is one dog at the location who will be in and out during the day if your allergic to dogs this is not an event for you so please keep this in mind - the dog is extremely people friendly and we all need to make sure she is kept hydrated as well) All Debris closest to the home should be removed first for the painting team. Take Breaks Often!!!

Landscaping Team will be following the direction of our other landscaping professional who will plan out our beautification portion of the front of the home. (donation of plants are more than welcome and donated plants can be used on all sides of the home) We have about 20-25 bags of mulch and many plants that will have to all be delivered on Friday Evening so if you are bringing plants please get them to me or make arrangements for a drop off (My cell is 909-8708 PLEASE leave a message!!) Example of plant donation is I have to thin out a very large patch of Amarillo's that will work well in almost any area of the yard. Keep in mind the main beautification is the front side of the home that will benefit the homeowner and the neighborhood as a whole. Landscape team may want to come to the location earlier around 8:30 and please do not plant anything at the building's edge...beds must be away from the building to ensure the success of the painting groups. Take Breaks Often!!!

Painting Team will be in charge of painting the exterior of the home and all the supplies and paint will be provided. You will need to decide who is doing trim work and who is rolling the main walls. Power Washing was completed already and the home is ready to go. There is one section in the back that has some wood work and our experts will determine if it needs to be removed or can be repaired first thing in the morning. As with the other outside teams please take breaks often!!!!

Inside Clean Out Team will be required to where gloves and masks....all large items should be removed first and taken to road side (Furniture in most rooms is not salvageable and must be taken out however if in question ask a team lead first) Furniture donations are already being received but will not be brought to the home until all inside debris is removed, every inch has been cleaned and sanitized. (We have already received a beautiful complete set for her home office) Conditions inside are not what most of you will be used to and we ask that everyone remember that we must treat this with sensitivity and encouragement that we are here to help. All small debris must be bagged and placed to curbside as well. And remember to take breaks often!!!!

Words of Encouragement - We ask that everyone understand that there are many social, economic and various issues that lead people down many different paths and as volunteers we are coming into a home of someone that has faced her challenges, has taken action to improve her quality of life and has invited us into her home to help....We are guests and should understand that what you will be witnessing is more common in our county than most would think....Please treat the situations with kindness, respect and dignity. Also please be aware when you go back to your neighborhood to take a big look around.....if you have situations in your area we would like to encourage you to ask a few questions to see if you have a neighbor in need. Sometimes a person just needs a helping hand and a few kind words. After we end on this Saturday we will be able to re-asses the homeowners needs and send out communications for items to be donated or set her up with other agencies in order to get the assistance that she needs.

Last but not least there will be people of all ages and backgrounds. Please remember that we need to watch our language so that we are respectful of each other....even though we will be working hard we also want to have fun and enjoy each others company and spirit of giving back to our communities and most of all we hope that you meet new like minded volunteers so that we can become a closer family as a county and help each other where ever the challenges that face our residents take us. Partnering and collaborating with each other is a very powerful tool that will encourage more people to join your local movement to improve your community.

We thank everyone in advance for taking on this big challenge and we hope that we can carry the spirit of this event to all corners of Palm Beach County so we can help a Neighbor in Need in your community soon.

Robert Waples and (561-909-8708 - Please leave a message!!!)
Your Sponsoring Teams

www.volunteerpalmbeach.com

http://www.rebuildingtogether-pb.org/

Volunteer to make a difference today!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for July 30th Project

Hey Gang!

We have a new project coming up on Virginia Ave in Lake Worth! We need all the volunteers that we can get. We will be cleaning out the inside, Painting the outside and yard work.....I'm not going to kid you....This is a BIG job but I know the bulk can be done in one day.

One day!!!! YES One Day :-) The neighbors on the street are already excited and the homeowner is just a charm and a delight! So get those work boots, gloves and any cleaning supplies you can muster.....I will be bringing some rakes, shovels and other yard equipment, our partners at PBSO will be bringing the "work wagon", Rebuilding Together will be bringing more tools and volunteers and of course Paint Your Heart Out will be bringing the paint and equipment to do the painting. Guest Appearance by SWA's Joanna Aiken and Linda Moreno!!!! (and the crowd goes wild!!!!) :-)

Another GREAT project in Palm Beach County and Lake Worth! If you have not been to one of these projects, this is the one you want to come to and start a movement where you live! Volunteering plants seeds to help every community grow closer together!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Lake Worth Lagoon Public Outreach

Subject: Next LWL Public Outreach Group Meeting - August 24

Dear Lake Worth Lagoon Public Outreach Group participants,

Our next meeting will be held:
August 24 (Wednesday)
1:30-3:30 pm
PBC Dept. of Environmental Resources Management, 1st Floor Vista Center (Room 1E-60), 2300 N. Jog Road, West Palm Beach
Directions: http://www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/erm/contactus/

We look forward to…
…a presentation from Mr. Tom McLaulin, President, Florida Paddling Trails
…discussing September’s International Coastal Cleanup
…listening to participant announcements
…and more!

Please share with others who may be interested in attending. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions feel free to call or email.

All the best,

Alyssa

Alyssa Dodd
Environmental Analyst, Public Outreach
PBC Department of Environmental Resources Management
2300 N. Jog Rd., 4th Floor, West Palm Beach, FL 33411-2743
Phone: (561) 233-2448
Email: ADodd@co.palm-beach.fl.us
http://www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/erm/
Learn more about the Lake Worth Lagoon Initiative at www.LWLI.org

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Wish list for NHNP People in need

Dear Volunteers,

We have a couple of folks that do not fall into the normal categories of most programs but that is part of why we have NHNP.

We have two Single Moms that are in the process of moving do to circumstances beyond their control....They both have jobs but the expense of moving will leave them short on items.

Second hand in GOOD condition is perfectly acceptable.

Living room furniture
Bedroom Furniture
Pots & Pans
Stove for a trailer size kitchen
Bathroom items such as towels, wash clothes, etc....

Just about anything that you would need to live an everyday life they will need.

Also we will be working in the ROLOH Neighborhood on July 30th in a house that basically needs to have everything taken out and replaced. Same as above we need it all......

If your going to be remodeling or replacing items and your old items are in good shape we can use them!!!!!

Please contact use at nhnproject@gmail.com, robertwaplesii@yahoo.com, jaiken@swa.org or lmoreno@swa.org for additional information...

THANKS
Robert

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Trixie's Clean Up Start, Middle and Finished

Dear Volunteers and Supporters,

As I write this I have to admit that I'm in tears.....We have spent 16 long months on this one project and looking at the three slide shows below and all of you that have helped and witness this project will understand how emotional it is for me personally to reach this point.

The first slide is only a slight view of what it was like from the beginning to the middle of this project and the second slide is the in progress show.....The third slide show is of the finished inside and there is still need for this individual but to reach this point for me and the volunteers I represent is a huge success....My heart is overjoyed and filled with love and happiness for all of YOU and your contributions to reaching this point.

I will post the first slide show, then the second and third then some special shout outs at the end.

I can not personally thank everyone enough for your personal contributions for making this happen and with a over whelming heart I have to say.... We have more to accomplish for others that need the same....God Bless everyone for helping and I hope you see the hard work in these to slide shows as I do.

Slide Show 1 - Beginning and Middle



Slide Show 2 - Progress


Slide Show 3 - Completed with more pics to be added :-)


This might not be HGTV or DIY Finished but for what we all went through! This Hoarders Crash is done!

I want to send out the following special thanks and I hope that Joanna and Many Others will comment and include all the people and groups I might miss.....I know there will be plenty as we have had over 200 volunteers on this one project for the past 16 Months.

First I want to thank Tony - Trixie's Son-in-Law for all that you have contributed through the process and especially at the end as I would never have the end result pic's with out your dedication to this project. I hope in my heart that Trixie understand how much you did to get her back into her home....and still yet to do.

I want to thank Jenny Weed of the ROLOH "CLAN" for being there when no one else was...You have stood by my side every step of the way and I personally thank you for your very hard work and contributions to some of the worst of the worst of this project and especially today for tackling the almighty fridge :-)

I want to Thank Joanna Aiken of the Solid Waste Authority, Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches, Paint Your Heart Out, Adopt-A-Spot and so many other organizations including Neighbors Helping Neighbors Project for providing so many volunteers, resources, supplies and frankly without you this would not have happened....I hope everyone at SWA understand how important you and your team are to all of us out here in Palm Beach County....

I special thanks to the Men and Women of PBSO D14 who came out time after time after time to help me get this done.....I know you have better things to do on your days off and I personally along with all my team members thank you for all that you do for our community. Your team ROCKS our world every day and we thank you for being exactly who you are....Law Enforcement that gives back to the community.

I would like to send a special shout out to Joseph Kroll and his City of Lake Worth Team for supporting this very project. You and your team, without question kept picking up our piles and piles and piles and piles.....you get the the drift.... Thank You Mr. Kroll for being one of the strongest members and city team leaders for making Lake Worth a great place to live and provide Charitable Services to our general public.

A special thanks to the Lake Osborne Presbyterian Church Volunteers that kept coming back for more and more....Omar! Your people ROCK in my book and also helped me grow closer to my Christian Roots. Thank You for your services to our neighborhood, this project and to me personally....

And to all our VOLUNTEERS YOU SO ROCK ALL OF YOU....To see your faces come and go and wonder in amazement with "how are they going to get this done" is amazing to me but you kept coming back for more abuse/helping hands.....With out volunteers the World would be a much more needy place and with all of you from High Schools to Honor Societies to Adjoining Neighborhoods, Members of OCR - Office of Community Revitalization and members of the NAPC - Neighborhood Association Presidents Council...

WE ARE VOLUNTEERS AND WE ACCOMPLISH OUR GOALS AND WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!

God Bless You All
Robert Waples
Community Volunteer Advocate

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Need Volunteers for this Wednesday/Thursday Evening.

Come help out this Wed/Thurs Evening in Lake Worth FL

Dear Friends:

We are trying to finish up, after 16 long months, of working on this property at 2212 Collier Ave. This coming Wed/Thurs Evening and Saturday we have a lot of need and hope to finish this week so that when the home owner returns from a trip she simply comes home to a place where she can live.....(Additional story on www.volunteerpalmbeach.com - Look in the Archives)

Back story of this case, real quick, is a case where the homeowner is working through Hoarding Issues and disabilities from an auto accident, and as most of you know and have been to this property it has been a challenge that we have conquered only through all of your generosity and time....

Attached are picture of where we are at today and THIS COMING SATURDAY, June 25th we need help with the following: (This does count towards anyone in need of community service hours)

Jobs to be done:
Removing wall paper
Prepping walls for painting
floors scrubbed and cleaned
Furniture cleaners
Front door to be sanded and stained (already have the stain)
window cleaners
Yard picked up and mowed (Can use neighbors push mower)
Clean Air Vents
Remove Kitchen Cabinet Shelves and replace.
Clean out and clean fridge and stove
Paint Walls in Dinning, living, master and bath room

Items needed to get the job done:
Mops and Buckets
Joint Compound to repair walls
Wallpaper Remover
Window Cleaner Inside and Out
Kills Stain Blocker
Dimmer Switch Knob (Someone probably has this laying around the house)
Rags
General Cleaners
(Trash bags we have plenty of THANKS SWA!!!)

Wish List of items needed:
We desperately need a donation of King Size Box Springs and Mattress
Bedding
Screen Repair
Someone with rug/furniture cleaner to take care of a cloth couch
Clean items in back room and move back in to place
Put together new dinning Hutch
Threshold between kitchen and dinning room floor.
Throw rugs as we had to remove carpeting and Laminate flooring....
If time allows move everything back in place and remove laminate floor in family room.

We thank all of you for your very long and hard work on this project! From all of us at Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches, Paint Your Heart Out, ROLOH and others THANK YOU!

--
Robert Waples
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Project
www.nhnproject.com
www.volunteerpalmbeach.com
Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches
http://www.rebuildingtogether-..pb.org/
Volunteer to make a difference today!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Backyard Fruit Drive Needs YOU Lake Worth!!! Please read below

City of Lake Worth-Backyard Fruit Drive

Background Information

There are many homes and properties in the City of Lake Worth with fruit trees such as avocadoes, mangoes, citrus (oranges, grapefruits, tangerines etc). On many occasions, fruits that are not used are left on the trees. These fruits eventually drop off the tree and pose both a disposal and a sanitation problem to the property owners. Instead of the produce remaining and being wasted, it can be utilized as food for local food insecure residents.

General Objective

To gather fresh produce from homes and properties with the approval from respective property owners, and distribute that produce to local agencies serving food insecure residents within the City of Lake Worth.

Specific Objectives

• 100 volunteers would gather produce from 25 local homes and properties in the City of Lake Worth.
• 2500 pounds of fresh produce gathered will be distributed to agencies that work with food insecure residents in the City of Lake Worth.

Implementation

• Volunteers will be enlisted, trained and supervised by the Palm Beach County Community Food Alliance in coordination with Lake Worth based CROS Ministries.
• Volunteers will sign a “Release of Liability” prior to conducting work.
• Property owners will sign a “Release of Liability” prior to work being conducted.
• Property owners will also be encouraged to pick fruit on their own for collection coordinated ahead of time.
• Volunteers would assemble on a particular day, in a particular area and begin harvest from one property to the next. This operation would be closely supervised by a program coordinator bearing in mind the important aspect of safety at all times.
• Food will be distributed through current Palm Beach County Community Food Alliance distribution system.

For further information, please contact Alex Stevens at 561-375-6650.

Thank you.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Update from our single mom in Need

Below is the updated I rec'd from our single mom that we are trying to help out. She has been working very hard on getting her trailer repaired so she and her daughter can move in. Currently that need (see below) a new tub and the water pipes to the trailer need repair work or replacement. 2 portable A/C's and/or Fans are also much appreciated!!


Once we get a date to paint the inside we will need volunteer to come and help with that also. We are also looking for donation of landscaping materials such at Natural Mulch (no dye please) and plant material such at crown of thorns, Plumbago and other drought tolerant plants. I have plenty of ameriallas that I can take out of my own yard.

This family is in need of just about everything including cabinetry repair and new kitchen appliances that will fit in a trailer. please pass the word and contact me at 909-8708 or nhnproject@gmail.com with donations. THANK YOU!


Latest update :)

The carpet has ben installed in the livingroom and I will start moving in some livingroom items this weekend. I have primed the walls and probably wont paint until I move in.

I have the flooring for my daughter's room. I found a good deal onlaminate flooring and will be installing soon.

Plumbing seems okay. There is water pressure is all the faucets and toilets seem good. I have found out that the tub in the main bathroom needs to be replaced as it is rusted through on the bottom of the inside part of the tub. I have searched for a 54.5 tub and it has been hard to find so I may need to turn the entire thing in the shower. I have no clue how or even when I have that bathrrom functioning.

I did get the email about 7/4/11 downtown lake worth as I would love to attend it with my daughter.

I have been gathering ideas on the sand lot I currently have..LOL I would love to get your insight of what flowers I cant kill for the landscaping. LOL.

Hope you have a great weekend. Talk to you soon :)
Desiree

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Lake Worth West Home gets fresh coat of paint!

What a great bunch of people sharing time, energy and wonderful company to help beautify this home. THANKS Joanna for allowing us to be a part of another great Paint Your Heart Out event!

Friday, June 10, 2011

OCR and REAP Needs our support

Dear REAP Participants Past, Present and Future and those who support the program. As you know the budgets for Palm Beach County are being reviewed to cut over 55 Million of funding. This affects every aspect of county services and programs which out prejudice.

We all know that OCR - Office of Community Revitalization is one of the most important programs for neighborhoods and not just for the possible grants that we receive but for the unprecedented amount of information and education that OCR provides us, the citizens which we carry back to our neighborhoods and work to motivate our neighbors, family and friends to help solve our own issues and become more self reliant and engaged in our neighborhoods and with our local government.

We need to stand up and let our County Commissioners know how important this program is now and at the County Commission on Monday Night. I urge everyone to email the County Board of Commissioners (see below) and explain how the REAP Program as made a positive impact on your quality of life, sense of community and neighborhood revitalization...

Also, please attend the County Commission Meeting this coming Monday Night and tell the commissioners how important this program is to the county and its citizens.

County Commission Email Address:
355-2201 District 1 Karen Marcus - kmarcus@pbcgov.org
355-2202 District 2 Paulette Burdick - pburdick@pbcgov.org
355-2203 District 3 Shelly Vana - svana@pbcgov.org
355-2204 District 4 Steven Abrams - sabrams@pbcgov.org
355-2205 District 5 Burt Aaronson - baaronso@pbcgov.org
355-2206 District 6 Jess Santamaria - jsantama@pbcgov.org
355-2207 District 7 Priscilla Taylor - ptaylor@pbcgov.org

Monday, June 6, 2011

Another wonderful Paint Your Heart Out Event!

Dear Volunteers,

Coming up on Saturday, June 18th from 8AM - 12PM we will be at 7879 Bishopwood Road Lake Worth which is Lantana Road west to just east of the turnpike turn north on Teakwood Road and Left on Bishopwood. We will be working with team leads Arthur and Wendy Miller for a homeowner in need for the Paint Your Heart Out Project.

For those of you who have not been to a Paint Your Heart Out project this is a great opportunity to see what a wonderful project it is and be able share the experience by letting people in need in your neighborhood about the program.

Remember that Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches, Paint Your Heart Out, Adopt-A-Spot are county wide programs!

Thank You!

--
Robert Waples
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Project
www.nhnproject.com
www.volunteerpalmbeach.com
Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches
http://www.rebuildingtogether-pb.org/

Volunteer to make a difference today!

Spill Way C-51 Clean Up - Kayak Lake Worth

Hi Joanna, Linda,
The clean up was a huge success, we had 14 volunteers show up.
we had 9 kayaks working the water and 5 working the shoreline.

The gloves were great!, The heavy duty bags wonderful, the long grabbers worked perfect for kayak to shoreline pick up.
Everyone loved the t-shirts, and thanks for the bonus goody bag stuff. My daughter put together some goodie bags for everyone.

There was so much trash, from the Spillway heading west we never even made it to the first railroad tressle.

I posted all the photos to facebook
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.229157617095401.70528.138318649512632

and you can also get all at the small web album here
http://kayaklakeworth.com/albums/110604-cleanup/pages/IMG_4411.htm

Thanks again for all your support.
Ian

Ian Esplin
Web: http://KayakLakeWorth.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kayaklakeworth
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kayaklakeworth

Habitat for Humanity South County

WE'RE RAISING A ROOF!

We hope you'll join us as we raise the roof on a home in Boca Raton - our 94th home and our first fully certified Green Build house!

Roof Raising Ceremony Date: Saturday, June 11, 2011

Time: 8:30 am

Location: 141 NE 15th Terrace
Boca Raton, FL 33432


ALL ARE WELCOME TO STOP BY FOR THIS BRIEF CEREMONY AND CELEBRATION!


THIS HOME IS BEING SPONSORED BY:

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Message from County Commissioner Shelly Vana

June 2011

It’s that time of year again where our thoughts turn to hurricane season and more importantly hurricane preparedness. We have been extremely fortunate over the past several years having been spared from any real threat. That being said, emergency experts fear that we have become complacent. Let’s prove them wrong!

Before a storm threatens our area:
Stock up on food and water and any medications you require.
Plan an evacuation route/ have a shelter in mind. If you or a loved one has special needs, contact the Special Needs Coordinator at 561-712-6400 as advance reservations are required.
If you live in an evacuation zone, mobile/manufactured home, are physically handicapped, and have no other means of transportation, you can pre-register for transportation assistance with Palm Tran Connection 561-649-9838
Make arrangements in advance for your pet (The County has one pet friendly shelter but is only for pets and people living in mandatory evacuation zones or in mobile homes, preregistration is required. )
For More information contact animal care and control at
http://www.pbcgov.com/publicsafety/animalcare/petshelter.htm

Assess your landscaping to determine if trees need to be trimmed or ornaments removed before a
storm. Once a watch or warning has been issued, do not trim vegetation of any kind.

Check to see if your community has a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
A CERT Team is a community based organization of residents who learn how to take emergency
response actions in safe ways until the professional emergency responders can respond. These
volunteers learn how to work in a coordinated manner caring for those citizens within their community affected by a disaster. The Division of Emergency Management has trained 180 CERT Team volunteers throughout Palm Beach County in disaster preparedness, disaster medical services, light urban search and rescue for trapped citizens, disaster communications, disaster psychology and terrorism.

In the aftermath of a major disaster such as a hurricane, emergency crews are quickly overwhelmed, causing delays of hours or even days. For these reasons, Palm Beach County Emergency Management offers the Community Emergency Response Team course. The basic course lasts for 4 weeks, with a total time commitment of 6 hours per week.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) additionally offers a program for teens. If you would like further information about CERT or if you would like to be considered for an available Palm Beach County CERT class, you may call 561-712-6400

For a detail list of County Services and a complete preparation checklist I invite you to visit
http://www.pbcgov.com/publicsafety/emergencymanagement/resources/pdf/hurricane_guide[1].pdfPalm Beach County Emergency Operations Center hosted our annual Statewide Hurricane Exercise on
Monday May 23, 2011. This annual event provides County Staff the opportunity to coordinate, execute and evaluate the County’s Emergency Plans for full scale hurricane activation. By all accounts the exercise was a success. We’re ready are you?

If I can be of assistance or if you have any comments and/or suggestions you can reach me at
svana@pbcgov.org or at my office at 561-355-2203 or visit my website
http://pbcgov.com/countycommissioners/district3
It’s a honor serving you!
Shelley Vana

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Friends of Jupiter Beach - Beach Cleanup!

8am – 10am Ocean Cay Park
2188 Marcinski Road, Anita Lankler Pavilion

Sponsored by: Enterprise Bank of Jupiter, Juno Beach & Palm Beach Gardens

Thank you Einstein Bros. Bagels for sponsoring our delicious bagel table!
Einstein Bros. Bagels in Jupiter
3900 E. Indiantown Road, Bay 601
Jupiter, FL 33477
http://www.einsteinbros.com

Thank you also to Swim With Gills for sponsoring home-baked breakfast treats to our hard-working volunteers!

Cleanups are “shine only!” Call by 7:00am if weather is “iffy” 561-748-8140. Cleanups cancelled due to bad weather are not rescheduled; see you next month! Dogs stay home on cleanup days!

Remember: There is no need for individuals to register in advance. ORGANIZED GROUPS should call at least two weeks ahead of time and we will return the call to confirm cleanup date. To ensure great volunteer experiences for every individual, we must limit group size to 25. Our group coordinator will be happy to provide additional information. Thank you for your understanding. Students desiring school community service credit must sign in by 8am SHARP.

Sand Sifter Beach Cleanup - Boynton Beach

Sand Sifters Beach Cleanup

Saturday June 4, 2011
Beach Cleanup
Oceanfront Park
6415 North Ocean Blvd.
Just North of the Ocean Avenue Bridge on (A1A)
Ocean Ridge, Florida
Meet at the Pavilion in the Lower Parking Lot

8:00-10:15 a.m.

You Bring: Sun Screen, Hat & Water
We Supply: Bags. Gloves & Grabbers

Community Service Hours Awarded

Pre-Registration:
Gary Solomon
(561)734-9128
therecipeexchange@comcast.net

Web Site: www.SandSifters.us

Facebook: Sand Sifters Beach Cleanup

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Reef Rescue Kayak-a-Thon Fundraiser

It is time to sign up for the:

Reef Rescue Annual Kayak-a-thon Fund Raiser

The date is set for the 6th annual Kayak-a-thon fundraiser. Beginning at 7:30 AM on Saturday June 18, 2011, kayakers will paddle their way along a 7 mile course from the Riviera Beach Marina to Munyon and Peanut Islands then back to the marina.

This annual event is one of the most exciting fundraising activities of the year for Reef Rescue. Not only does the Kayak-a-thon help raise funds to support Reef Rescue coral reef conservation projects, but it also brings together our family of supporters for a fun filled day of outdoor activity.

Like a walk-a-thon, kayakers raise money by collecting donations or pledges for completing the predetermined course. It is similar in format to other physical activity based fundraising events such as marathons and cycling races, but this low intensity, non-competitive event is ideal for mobilizing broad-based community support.

Kayakers signup now!
If you do not have a kayak there are some kayaks available, but the supply is limited, so act fast. Go to: www.kayakathon.com

If you have any questions about the event or how your organization can become involved contact Brian Lee (561) 843-4109

PALM BEACH COUNTY REEF RESCUE
is a 501(c)3, grassroots nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to protecting our
coastal environment through research, education and public awareness.
Stay up-to-date with breaking news at the Reef Rescue Coral Reef Blog

Palm Beach County Reef Rescue

www.reef-rescue.org

PO Box 207 * Boynton Beach, FL 33425

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Thank You for helping at 2212 Collier!!!

As most of you know we have been working on this project for 16 months now and on Saturday thanks to the help of Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches, Joanna Aikens and her volunteers along with Americorp Volunteers and individuals that came to help us we got a lot done!!!

The carpet and flooring are up to expose a beautiful terrazzo flooring beneath it. We were all surprised that the lamenant flooring was a huge poriton of the smell that we have been working to get rid of! Below is a slide show of most of the volunteers and we only have to complete getting the wall paper down and paint!!! Trixie is working on getting new mattresses for her place and one volunteer stayed in the main bathroom to ensure that it was fully cleaned and funtioning....

Everyone's help is so greatly appreciated and this particular community project is almost done! God Bless everyone that has helped over the last 16 months and we are now right at the finish line!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

More Volunteer Work at 2212 Collier

Dear Volunteers, Neighbors and Friends,

We will be back at 2212 Collier Ave in Lake Worth on this Saturday from 9AM to 12PM to continue with stripping wall paper, ripping up more carpet....

Any volunteers that can come and help keep this project moving froward the following are the needs for this Saturday:

Take Down Wall Paper in Bathrooms and through out house but first priority will be the bathrooms
Rip up living room and kitchen carpets
Get bathrooms cleaned and ready for use
Finish any remaining trash removal
For those who prefer outside work we need to weed the flower bed in front of the home so the final mulch can be added.
Many odds and ends so all help is welcome.

Please make sure you sign in before starting so that we can keep an accurate count on the volunteer hours.

Thank You VERY Much and if you need directions my cell is 561-909-8708 leave a message and I will call you back.

This is a joint project with the ROLOH Neighborhood, Neighbors Helping Neighbors Project and Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches.

Sincerely,

--
Robert Waples
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Project
www.nhnproject.com
www.volunteerpalmbeach.com
Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches
http://www.rebuildingtogether-pb.org/

Volunteer to make a difference today!

Monday, May 23, 2011

International Coastal Cleanup Site Registration

I have attached the information and Site Registration Form for the upcoming Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup scheduled world-wide on Saturday, September 17. If you would like to register a Site, I will need the attached Site Registration Form returned back by July 15 to have time to order the supplies for you. I am sending this before school ends and vacations begin so that you can calendar the date of the cleanup and the deadline to register. If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact me.

Lourdes Ferris, Executive Director
Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful, Inc.
1920 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 210
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
(561) 686-6646
cell (561) 389-7684
FAX (561) 686-6642
info@keepPBCbeautiful.org
www.keepPBCbeautiful.org

Family Travel Forum Teen Travel Writing Scholarship 2011

Do you know any student, age 13-18, attending junior high or high school in the United States or enrolled in a U.S. home school program? If yes, do you know if she/he has ever taken an unexpectedly wonderful -- or terrible but funny -- trip with his/her family, and has advice on how to make the most of a cultural experience or destination? Has he/she gone somewhere -- near or far -- that opened up new ways of looking at the world? If the answer is yes, please share this e-mail as they might have the opportunity to receive one of the following scholarships provided by the Family Travel Forum and the Society of American Travel Writers:

First Place: $1,000
Second Place: $500
Third Place: $200
25 Honorable Mentions: 2 Tickets to any of the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museums worldwide and other travel prizes.
1 Honorary Award for Best Photography
1 Honorary Award for Best Video

To apply, submit a travel blog online using the FTF Teen Travel Scholarship Essay Submission Form. All applications must be received no later than 11:59pm ET on August 1, 2011. Late entries will not be considered.

For more information, please visit the FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship FAQ page.

The OCR would like to thank Willie Miller, from Commissioner Taylor’s office, for sharing this wonderful resource.

Thank you,


Palm Beach County
Board of County Commissioners
County Administration
Office of Community Revitalization

Ruth Cecilia Moguillansky
Principal Planner/PBC Neighborhood Link Coordinator

2300 North Jog Rd., Suite 2E-48
West Palm Beach, Florida 33411-2741

(561) 233-5376 Direct
(561) 779-7163 Mobile
(561) 656-7963 Fax

E-mail: rmoguill@pbcgov.org

Children's outreach program of Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is offering underprivileged students in West Palm Beach offers the Inner City Outings program that allows them to travel into a backyard other than their own. Sierra Club Inner City Outings (ICO) is a community outreach program that provides opportunities for urban youth and adults to explore, enjoy and protect local natural areas.

Through these outings, ICO promotes interpersonal skills and self-esteem by involving participants in teamwork, teaching them self-reliance outside an urban setting, and encouraging them to take an active role in protecting the environment. The program relies on opportunities for personal growth and development by linking participants from different cultures, fostering respect of self and others, and providing participants with outdoor skills training and leadership opportunities.

Wildlife
Tourism and Leisure
Gardens and Parks
First Aid
Forestry and Timber
Everglades National Park

Volunteers are certified leaders who must take a one-day Sierra Club training session. ICO programs range from nature walks to canoeing, hiking and camping expeditions, and are all funded by grants and other funds raised so that the opportunity is provided at no cost to children.

Trips produced by the West Palm Beach ICO branch have introduced students to local parks and wetlands, as well as Manatee Education Center in Fort Pierce and snorkeling at Peanut Island. Other opportunities include tree planting, beach cleanups, cypress seed harvesting at Arthur R. Marshal Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge, and turtle walks where loggerheads have been spotted laying eggs. Another group stayed overnight at the FAU RiverWoods facility and lodge, where they spent time on a pontoon boat in the Kissimmee River, learning about the ongoing river restoration.
With educational experiences such as these, children have the opportunity to learn beyond what is offered in a classroom. And for students who may have never been outside of the city they were born, it's an opportunity of a lifetime. For more information about this program and to volunteer for a rewarding time introducing youngsters to nature, contact Sheila Calderon at shecal@bellsouth.net or visit http://www.sierraclub.org/ico

As always, OCR would appreciate it if you could please share this information with your contacts.

OCR would like to take this opportunity to thank Peyton McArthur, Senior Administrative Assistant to Commissioner Paulette Burdick, for sharing this valuable resource.

Thank you,


Palm Beach County
Board of County Commissioners
County Administration
Office of Community Revitalization

Ruth Cecilia Moguillansky
Principal Planner/PBC Neighborhood Link Coordinator

2300 North Jog Rd., Suite 2E-48
West Palm Beach, Florida 33411-2741

(561) 233-5376 Direct
(561) 779-7163 Mobile
(561) 656-7963 Fax

E-mail: rmoguill@pbcgov.org

Monday, May 16, 2011

Single Mom Needs Our Assistance

Some times we don't have control over things in life and frankly life happens. Desiree is no exception to the rule and in order for her to get her property in to move in ready condition there is a lot of need for this Palm Beach County Resident...I asked Desiree to make a very detailed list of her needs so that as we get commitments to helping her she can refocus her attention to the things that we can not provide. The sub-flooring is almost complete and as soon as we can make the determination that the trailer is secure we can start moving things in however a lot of work is still needed to even make that step happen. Attached are some pics of the property and we need not only donated items but donation of volunteer hours in order to get things repaired, fixed or replaced.
If you can be of assistance please email nhnproject@gmail.com THANK YOU to all who are already helping on this one!



As discussed, I am forwarding a list of all items I am in need for the trailer
**items needs to move in: Flooring, Central air unit replacement or AC window or portable units, Stove, painting in and out

Furniture:
Small kitchen table/chairs
Couch
chair
end tables
dresser
queen headboard/frame

Appliances:
*Stove
*stackable washer/dryer
table top microwave
***Central air replacement or AC window units or portable units

Bedroom master
**Flooring

Bedroom#2
**Flooring

Kitchen:
*Flooring
Sink
faucet
Cabinets
Cabinet hardware

Bathroom# 1- master
Light fixture
sink
vanity
*shower surrounding/insert
Shower head fixture

Bathroom#2
Tub sorrounding/insert
2- light fixtures
faucet
sink
vanity

Livingroom:
*Flooring
2- blinds

Lawn:
Plants
mulch
top soil
lawn mower/gardening tools
patch stepping stones or pavers

Porch:
screening enclosure
side panels for screen frame
concrete flooring material/paint
*stair repair or replacement

Trailor
Pressure cleaning
painting
skirting
2 outdoor light fixtures
front door step repair or replacement
**Front door replacement

Materials:
Baseboards
*windows- do not open and can not lock
screening
paint brushes/rollers
paneling- to repair damaged ones

Repairs-
roof trim
Possible roof damage/need sealant
*stairs
*windows
Cabinet replacement or new doors for bathroom and kitchen
Porch/screening

Please review the list and if you have any questions, please call.
Thank you Robert as I appreciate everything you have done and continue to do so my child and I can move into our home.




Desiree

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Sand Sifters Beach Cleanup:

Sand Sifters Beach Cleanup:
Gulfstream Park
Sand Sifters Beach Cleanup

May 2011-Sand Sifters Appreciation Month County-Wide

The Sand Sifters are Celebrating Their 6 Year as a Volunteer Group. Join us for a Beach Cleanup at Gulfstream Park. Remember, "Be Green, Start Clean,
Dont Litter!"

Gulfstream Park
4489 North Ocean Blvd. (A1A)
Gulfstream, Florida
Meet at the Picnic Tables on the Entry Path
Saturday May 21, 2011
8:00-10:15 a.m.

You Bring: Sun Screen, Hat & Water
We Supply: Bags, Gloves & Grabbers

Community Service Hours Awarded.

Pre-Registration:
Gary Solomon
(561)734-9128
TheRecipeExchange@Comcast.net

Website: www.SandSifters.us

Sponsors:
Sand Sifters Volunteers
City of Boynton Beach Recreation & Parks Department
Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners
Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation Department
Town of Ocean Ridge
Dave Wagner, Realtor, Coldwell Banker
www.RecipeExchange.com