Next Level Training The City That Inspires
Racqueteers
CLAS BICS
S IS
’ n i h s a l p S A d Time! Goo
OUR
WATE DEEP
RO R AE
Work out with our NEW instructor, John Thompson, while keeping cool! Classes are now offered Monday thru Friday at 8:30-9:30 a.m. and 10-11 a.m. time slots. Participants must purchase a class ticket IN ADVANCE ONLINE and provide proof of purchase at the pool gate.
Attendance for each class will be limited to 10 swimmers.
LOCATION: Burns Road Aquatic Center
4404 Burns Road, PBG
COST:
Resident: $4 Non-Resident: $5
Visit www.pbgfl.com/aquatics for more information 2
SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
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14 PRODUCTION
Public Media Relations Division
S P R I N G
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Deep Water Aerobics Returns
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
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City Briefs
Madelyn Marconi Candice Temple
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Palm Beach Gardens CARES
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Drowning Prevention
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Calendar of Events
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Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Madelyn Marconi Candice Temple
2 0 2 1
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F E A T U R E S
CONTACT US
signaturecity@pbgfl.com Signature City Questions: 561.799.4152 Main City Line: 561.799.4100
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Next Level Training
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The Racqueteers
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The City That Inspires
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Featured Art: High Five
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City Social
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Signature City magazine is a free publication produced quarterly by the City of Palm Beach Gardens Public Media Relations Division. Signature City is mailed to every household in Palm Beach Gardens, as well as distributed at city facilities.
Get Social! Follow us on your favorite social media sites @CityofPBG @CityofPalmBeachGardensRecreation @SandhillCraneGolf
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@GardensGreenMarket @CityofPBG @PBGardensFire @PBGPD @CityPBG @CityofPBG
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flickr.com/cityofpalmbeachgardens Find us on Spotify for a playlist inspired by this issue! Visit www.spotify.com or download the app & search “City of Palm Beach Gardens.”
ON THE COVER: Division Chief of Training and Safety Andrew Lezza demonstrates a bailout technique, which is taught to Fire personnel, at the new Fire Training Tower in Palm Beach Gardens. Photograph by Jason Nuttle. SPRING 2021
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UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS April 1 May 6 June 3 July 15 August 5
City Council meetings are generally held on the first Thursday of the month at 6:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers, first floor, City Hall, 10500 N. Military Trail, unless otherwise scheduled. Did You Know? Our City Council meetings are streamed live via the City’s website. Can’t make it to the meeting in person? Stay informed from the comfort of your own home!
, e y b d o Go
LiveStream: www.pbgfl.com/LiveStream Archives: www.youtube.com/citypbg
o f o r y St
! am
ON JANUARY 14TH, CITY COUNCIL
unanimously passed Resolution 14, 2021 prohibiting the
use of polystyrene products on public property. Polystyrene, better
known by the trademark name Styrofoam, is harmful to the environment because it does not degrade or break down over time and produces significant toxic waste during its production and destruction since it cannot be recycled. This proactive step in the City’s overall sustainability efforts will help protect wildlife and the environment while encouraging the use of reusable alternatives. Though there was previously minimal usage of polystyrene products, the City has taken our effort a step further to fully eliminate its usage in our parks and facilities by not allowing polystyrene use at any City events or programs, providing recyclable “to-go” containers in the Tennis Center Café, including “no polystyrene” provisions into all contracts, and making efforts to educate the public on sustainable alternatives. The City has committed to eliminating polystyrene on City property and providing educational information to citizens to continue our effort of promoting a sustainable City for future generations.
FIREWORKS are often used to mark special events and holidays. The only safe way to view fireworks is to attend a professional show. With many professional firework shows being canceled this year, remember that fireworks can be dangerous in the hands of consumers. Fireworks cause thousands of injuries each year.
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FACTS: • More than 19,500 reported fires are started by fireworks annually. • Burns account for 44% of the 9,100 injuries treated in emergency rooms seen in the month around July 4. • Half of the fireworks injuries seen at emergency rooms were extremities: hand, finger, or leg. One-third were to the eye or other parts of the head. • Children ages 10-14 had the highest rate of fireworks injury, with more than one-third (36%) of the victim of fireworks injuries under age 15. • Sparklers account for roughly one-quarter of emergency room fireworks injuries.
SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
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Palm Beach Gardens
CARES
Mortgage and Rent Assistance Program
APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE! HAVE YOU SUFFERED a loss of employment or other financial hardship because of COVID-19? Are you having trouble making your rent or mortgage payments as a result of lost wages? The City of Palm Beach Gardens is accepting applications for its Mortgage and Rent Assistance Program, designed to aid low-to moderate income families that were directly impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic with funds provided through
the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Funding is available on a first eligible, first served basis to qualifying Palm Beach Gardens residents. Other restrictions apply. Please see our website for details. Both online and paper applications will be accepted. Paper applications are available at City Hall or via email. Please note, an appointment must be made with City staff to submit a paper application.
Current Annual Household Income Limits PERSONS IN HOUSEHOLD
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 $49,200 $56,200 $63,250 $70,250 $75,900 $81,500 $87,150 $92,750 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL HUD Metro FMR Area 2020, subject to change annually.
QUESTIONS? CONTACT: Joann Skaria, Planning Manager 561-799-4261 | jskaria@pbgfl.com Scan the QR Code for program details and to apply via ZoomGrants™!
10500 N. Military Trail, PBG www.pbgfl.com/PBGCares SPRING 2021
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SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
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C a n d i c e
Te m p l e
A
building or a tool? Palm Beach
training approach on all sides. Prior to the
“It’s what the job entails”, says Silverberg.
Gardens Fire Rescue’s new
tower being completed, the department
“We’ve promised our customers and we
Fire Training Tower is both.
outsourced the firefighter portion of the
have to deliver.”
The tower was completed
training. Now, they have a vital training
in 2020 and is the only modular tower
tool and a full-time instructor. Palm
Four weeks are spent familiarizing the
constructed of metal in Palm Beach County.
Beach Gardens Fire Rescue is also one of
new personnel with all the equipment they
Located at the Public Safety Training
the few departments to have a dedicated
will encounter at the City. From hoses
Complex on property leased through an
E.M.S. Instructor.
and hydrants to gear and architectural
agreement with Seacoast Utility, the four-
components represented by the training
story tower is made of steel and concrete,
The most recent New Recruit Academy
tower, live fire training is one of the most
and is outfitted with moveable internal
was conducted over an eight-week
vital components an instructor can simulate
wall panels. It also features a sloped roof
period. Chief Lezza shares that this is
for a new firefighter. In an everchanging
to simulate housing structures, an elevator
the largest recruitment class the City
field, knowledge must extend beyond the
shaft for confined space training, and a
has ever achieved. Although seventeen
natural materials that may ignite. Synthetic
garage for live fire exercises.
recruits began the program, it ended with
materials have created challenges that did
only fifteen men and women completing
not exist a couple of decades ago. Synthetic
Planning for this state-of-the-art facility
all standards. The best of the best were
products used in furniture and clothing
involved input from the Fire Rescue
required to complete four weeks devoted
burn must faster and much hotter. Fire
Administrative staff to create a facility that
to E.M.S. and another four weeks focusing
Rescue personnel have the opportunity to
will allow the members of the department
on firefighting.
practice approaching and combatting both.
safely demonstrating skills in a controlled
TIME IN THE BOOTS
“It’s a never-ending challenge to stay ahead
environment. It is an important component
For four weeks, Chief Training Officer
of building techniques and materials,”
for keeping personnel acquainted with the
David Silverberg takes personnel through
Silverberg says, “to keep our people trained
latest firefighting techniques, but it also
the paces at the Fire Training Tower.
for any challenge they encounter.”
plays a vital role with new recruits who join
With a total of 34 years of experience
the department.
in the fire rescue field which included
Stress inoculation training is on the list of
to train under realistic conditions while
driving engines and ladder trucks, in
best practices for most fields in public safety.
“We do a lot of training”, says Division Chief
addition to working as a fire/medic and
Stress effects vision, hearing, (continues)
of Training and Safety Andrew Lezza. “It’s
an instructor, his primary goal is for
good because it keeps our personnel fresh
recruits completing the firefighter side
and on task with the latest education.”
of training to be an asset to their crew and to earn their place on the team. He
This January, Fire Rescue experienced the
is also committed to teaching and testing
first class of its New Recruit Academy to
the skills of personnel to ensure that they
use the training tower. It comes at a time
achieve expectations. Those expectations
when the department is ramping up its
are non-negotiable.
OPPOSITE PAGE: The Department’s new training
tower allows crews to train anytime, 7 days a week/24 hours a day, to hone their skills. Photo by Madelyn Marconi THIS PAGE (top left): Division Chief Andrew Lezza with Chief Training Officer David Silverberg. Photo by Candice Temple; (top right): Firefighters practice extinguishing a car ablaze in a garage at the Fire Training Tower.
SPRING 2021
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ABOVE LEFT: E.M.S. Instructor Penni Eggers uses makeup techniques reminiscent of Hollywood special effects to make training as real as possible. RIGHT: This infant is an example of one of the high fidelity manikins that personnel use for training at the E.M.S. Lab. Photos by Candice Temple.
muscles and concentration. The goal is to
new recruits in the Academy must undergo
internal components that allow scopes to be
train personnel to control all of those things,
a basic refresher of paramedic medicine
placed and needles inserted, complete with
so they have the ability to think clearly or
and learn Palm Beach Gardens protocols
fake blood. The moulage side of accessories
self-rescue under stressful conditions.
for everything from CPR to administering
allow Eggers to outfit personnel with scars,
Instructors create scenarios that represent
drugs to patients.
wounds and other trauma that elevates the
situations the firefighters will meet when on an emergency call.
level of stress for those learning. “With E.M.S., we are trying to make it more realistic; more lifelike”, say Chief Lezza. “The
“Most of the time, training scenarios
“There’s a lot of stress this job brings, and
more realistic we make our training, the
involve cracking open a book and reciting”,
you have to be able to operate under that
more prepared our personnel will become.”
Eggers shares. “My goal when I became an
level of stress”, says Silverberg. “Most of the time people gravitate to what they’re good at because they enjoy it.”
educator was to change the paradigm.” Enter Penni Eggers, the City’s E.M.S. Instructor. From the E.M.S. Lab at Station
Working under a high level of stress
65, this retired firefighter/paramedic from
when they reach a home or accident
Silverberg’s hard-earned experience
the west coast of Florida brings extensive
scene is something for which Fire Rescue
is that reading alone cannot prepare
knowledge to the table. This includes
personnel must be fully prepared. To
personnel to do the job. Doing the hands-
practical experience gained from two
achieve that, Eggers says her goal is to
on work and gaining “time in the boots” is
decades in the field, as well as certificates
train their cognitive and psychomotor
the only way to become proficient in the
and degrees in Healthcare Simulation,
abilities. At times, that means taking a turn
skills required for firefighting.
Psychology, Instructional Design and
at being the patient, which allows them
Technology, and a doctorate in progress
to retain knowledge about the symptoms
for Education Leadership. Penni’s
and behavior they might encounter with
in using all the equipment”, Silverberg
approach is to make the subject matter
various conditions. After a lesson, there is
explains. “To be part of a crew is an honor.”
as close to real life as possible and to help
a debriefing process where staff must self-
personnel retain their knowledge.
reflect on their performance.
All City of Palm Beach Gardens Fire
To do this, Eggers has brought in new
Over the course of her career, Eggers
Rescue personnel must be dually trained
technologies, such as high-fidelity
estimates that she has trained over 1,000
in firefighting and emergency medical
manikins, and her unique skills of self-
people. She deems the latest class of recruits
services. To train personnel for what is a
taught moulage makeup techniques to
among the most capable she has seen.
graphic and sometimes gory job, there is
the classroom. The lifelike manikins take
a constant need to create medical training
the place of actual patients and allow
“It was fantastic. This was a great class that
scenarios that come close to what will be
personnel to safely practice procedures.
came out”, shares Eggers. “These recruits
experienced in the field. Even after they
The manikins are often of a realistic size
are top notch. They were motivated, smart,
complete their formal college education,
and weight, and some are designed with
and studied hard.”
“We want our personnel to be proficient
KEEPING IT REAL
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SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
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Drowning Prevention June 12-19 is drowning prevention week. Every year, about 350 deaths occur in the U.S. due to drowning. It is the #1 cause of death for children under 5 years. Here are some tips to prevent drowning incidents:
WATCH
Designate an adult to watch the swimmers in the water at all times.
PROTECT
Enclose your pool with a fence and alarmed gate. Only allow swimmers if a water watcher is present.
EDUCATE
Teach your kids about water safety and how to swim. Take a CPR class to know how to help a drowning victim.
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Calendar of Events APRIL THRU MAY 25 GardensArt Exhibition: Hugh O’Neill “The Color of Light” Oil Paintings Daily, Dawn to Dusk Sandhill Crane Golf Clubhouse
THRU JUNE 7 GardensArt Exhibition: Carol-Ann Salley “Lost in the Moment” Acrylic on Canvas Daily, 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tennis & Pickleball Clubhouse
APRIL 4, 11, 18, 25 Gardens 2 Go: Food, Produce & Plant Market 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. City Hall Municipal Complex
APRIL 27
MAY 11
Special Magistrate Hearing 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers
Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at City Hall
MAY
MAY 25 Special Magistrate Hearing 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers
APRIL 13
MAY 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board 6-9 p.m. at City Hall
Gardens 2 Go: Food, Produce & Plant Market 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. City Hall Municipal Campus
MAY 31
MAY 6
JUNE
APRIL 19 Parks & Recreation Advisory Board 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
APRIL 19 - MAY 27 GardensArt Exhibition Carol Calicchio: “All the Sound You Cannot Hear” Acrylic & Oil Paintings Weekdays, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at City Hall 10
City Council Meeting 6 p.m. at City Hall
MAY 8-9 USTA Level 4 Girls 14 and 12 Singles 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. at Tennis & Pickleball Center
SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
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EN
P WO O N
Memorial Day City Administrative Offices Closed
JUNE 1 - AUGUST 26 GardensArt Exhibition: Andrea Huffman “Connecting Threads” Mixed Media Fiber Art City Hall Lobby Weekdays, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at City Hall
Offering a variety of fresh breakfast items, soups, sandwiches & salads at the Tennis & Pickleball Center Clubhouse. HOURS OF OPERATION:
Monday-Friday: 7:30am-9:00pm Saturday: 7:30am-7:00pm Sunday: 7:30am-6:00pm
APRIL
MAY
S M T W T F S
S M T W T F S 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
27 28 29 30
30 31
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11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30
8
9
10
S M T W T F S
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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S M T W T F S
1 2 3
1
6
JULY
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 5
JUNE
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
IMPORTANT ADDRESSES: City Hall Municipal Campus/ Veterans Plaza Amphitheater 10500 N. Military Trail Gardens 2 Go 10500 N. Military Trail The Gardens North County District Park 5101 117th Court N. Tennis & Pickleball Center Clubhouse/Center Court Café 5110 117th Court N. Sandhill Crane Golf Club/The Dancing Crane Restaurant 9500 Sandhill Crane Drive Dubois by Hugh O’Neill
The Thoughts That Wake Me by Rochelle Irons
JUNE 7 – 11 Code Enforcement Officers Appreciation Week
JUNE 8 Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at City Hall
JUNE 9 Art in Public Places Board Meeting 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
JUNE 9 AUGUST 30
JUNE 3 City Council Meeting 6 p.m. at City Hall
JUNE 6, 13, 20, 27 Gardens 2 Go: Food, Produce & Plant Market 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. City Hall Municipal Campus
JUNE 22
JULY 13
Special Magistrate Hearing 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers
Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at City Hall
JULY 15
JULY
City Council Meeting 6 p.m. at City Hall
JULY 4, 11, 18, 25 Gardens 2 Go: Food, Produce & Plant Market 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. City Hall Municipal Campus
JULY 27 Special Magistrate Hearing 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers
JULY 5 Independence Day (Observed)
GardensArt Exhibition: Rochelle Irons “Sinking to New Depths” Mixed Media Paintings Daily, 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tennis & Pickleball Clubhouse
JUNE 12 -19 Drowning Prevention Week
SPLASH ZONE OPEN Saturdays & Sundays thru July Check pbgfl.com/aquatics for hours of operation & tickets SPRING 2021
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by Madelyn Marconi
Life is like a game of tennis; the player who serves well seldom loses.
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very Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, the front doors to the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis & Pickleball Center clubhouse are swarmed by a punctual group of gentlemen eager to get out on the courts. The quirky group, known as The Racqueteers, has gathered every week to play tennis for the past 21 years. Anyone who sits down with this group will be both entertained and uplifted as they each chime in on why they enjoy their weekly tennis matches. At 12
SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
full strength, their group could fill five tennis courts with active play.
pleasant. The repartee that goes back and forth is just marvelous,” he says.
Walter Bone, the oldest member at 86 years old, is one of the last original group members and proclaimed leader. The weekly outings and friendly banter that is passed back and forth on the courts is what Walter, and the gentlemen, find most enjoyable. Marty Larkin, the second oldest member, cannot say enough about each member of the group.
Only a few of the men have been actively playing tennis throughout their lives. Some only began playing in the last six to seven years, while others joined without any previous knowledge of the game. All unanimously agree that they enjoy tennis over any other sport because it is faster-paced and requires higher physical demand to go after the ball. The environment on and off the courts is another big reason why tennis is their go-to game.
“There is never an argument. No foul language. Everyone is congenial and very
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THE RACQUETEERS pictured left to right: Bill Katzman, Walter Bone, Marty Larkin, Bill Benjamin, Mike Wyman, Jin B Sun (J.B.), Ken, John Riener, Jerry O’Hara, Peter Woititz
Through Challenge Comes Strength
New Clubhouse, Same Friends
When the COVID-19 pandemic sent the nation into a lockdown in March 2020, the group was deeply affected. For six long weeks, the lack of socialization and physical exercise was a big challenge they all had to experience together, yet alone. As lockdowns began to lift and the Tennis & Pickleball Center re-opened, the group was the very first to return. They waited patiently at the front doors, as usual, to be let in for the fresh air, exercise, and, of course, friendship they missed dearly.
In early October, the highly anticipated Tennis & Pickleball Center Clubhouse opened to the public. The Racqueteers give the new clubhouse a five-star rating. Racqueteer Peter Woititz jokes they would pray to live long enough to see the completed clubhouse. The brand-new finishes and modern restrooms are some of the favorited upgrades amongst the group.
Despite the pandemic and its challenges, the group continues to grow stronger. For some of the men, these are the only days they go out in public to socialize with people. The group collectively agrees that staying young in your mind and having fun keeps your body both happy and healthy. Being on the tennis courts is a large part of their lives and they look forward to their scheduled play each week.
J.B., who has been playing at the center for over 20 years, attributes his wonderful experience at the facility to the management style from Tennis Director Wendy Tatum. “We enjoy playing here because of Wendy and the exceptional service from all of her staff,” J.B. says. Some group members played at the center back when there were only eight
courts available. They have experienced its growth to an award-winning facility with twenty hydro-grid clay courts, four hard courts, and six pickleball courts for players of all levels.
Aging Gracefully It is evident that this fine group of gentlemen equally enjoys the game of tennis just as much as they enjoy each other’s company. The shared laughter and playful teasing are the zest that keeps this group out on the courts each week. Each member has a unique story of how they ended up in Palm Beach Gardens, but it is the game of tennis that links them. Some may feel the game of tennis is simply two players hitting the ball back and forth over a net. The Racqueteers see a game that represents camaraderie and motivation to keep active and be healthy as they gleefully grow older.
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Matthew Perlman stands with Lego structures he builds at his Palm Beach Gardens home.
W r i t t e n & P h o t o g ra p h e d by C a n d i c e Te m p l e
M
atthew Perlman remembers when Palm Beach Gardens was comprised of one-lane streets, and the tallest building in town was the Holiday Inn. In 1972, he moved from New Jersey with his mother and two sisters to become a resident of the Gardens. He loved the small town feel and he has never left.
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SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
For a few decades, Perlman made his living working in construction. Finding his true purpose later in life, he has gone from raising steel beams and perfecting the artistry of forklift operation to a different kind of construction medium. Since 2015, he has been working passionately with Legos to create what he has aptly named “Palm Brick Gardens.” A lifelong Lego enthusiast who once owned over 200 Star Wars Lego sets, he was inspired by a fellow builder he found online to bring his focus down to earth. He sold his Star Wars collections and used the money to reinvest in Lego City Kits. Since then, he
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has used thousands of Legos to create detailed cityscapes. Some come from his imagination and some are inspired by the things he sees in the community around him. “I try and build a lot of the buildings that are here in the City. Sometimes I want to build things like they were in the old days.” Often blending the present with the past, Perlman constructs buildings and scenes with meticulous detail on the inside, as well as outside. The design for the Palm Brick Gardens hospital is patterned after the design of the Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center of yesteryear. Through the
Drawing Inspiration: A Lego version of the MacArthur Banyan constructed by Perlman.
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His vision for giving back to the community is crystal clear. A Lego City that includes the amusement park scene that the hospital kids so enjoy, a corner dedicated to the entire collection he possesses of the “Mars Mission Experience” complete with black light effects, a play area for children to build, a racetrack, and even a Lego Club. Adults would pay admission to cover facility expenses, but children would get in free.
Bright Lights, Little City: No detail is spared when constructing Palm Brick Gardens.
transparent blue windowpanes, you see a busy hospital in full swing. A nurse walks across the lobby with a cup of coffee in tow. One Lego man, a grimace on his face, doesn’t look very happy to be in his hospital bed. An x-ray area of Perlman’s own imagining features a small machine that slides back and forth across the room on rails. Peer into the infant nursery and you will see itty bitty Lego babies lying in bassinettes. Hospitals are a place that Perlman has unfortunately become well-acquainted with in recent years. He is currently battling cancer for the second time and has had countless operations and procedures, most recently radiation treatment. A few years ago, as he prepared for what was his biggest exhibit at the time, he began experiencing severe pain. “It was two days before my expo at St. Mary’s children’s hospital and I had to keep my arm in a certain position or I’d be in so much pain,” he recalls. “When I got to the hospital, one of the doctors saw me holding my shoulder high and asked me what was going on.”
faith, he found new purpose to stay alive. He made a decision to devote his remaining days to helping children and giving back to the community. “It really warmed my heart to bring children joy,” Perlman says of what motivates him. Though his health battles continue, he has persisted with his dream. Through it all, Perlman maintained his enthusiasm and drive for the future of Palm Brick Gardens. As you speak to him about where he sees all of this going, he responds without hesitation. He’d like a 2,000 – 3,000 square foot space in the community that he can open to the public and continue to give back to children and families. The entire operation keeps Perlman very busy and motivated, which takes his mind off his personal medical challenges. With the support of many in the community, he has been able to set up a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit to keep his mission, and his will to live, thriving.
SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
Currently, an entire bedroom of his home is devoted to storing Lego bricks and completed replicas. From floor to ceiling and wall to wall, he has organized his materials and can grab the smallest item at a moment’s notice. There are even battery packs to add touches of motorization and lighting to provide even more realism to what he creates. Perlman’s largest expo to date for Palm Brick Gardens lies on the horizon as he has been invited to exhibit at the South Florida Fair this May. He’ll have 360 square feet- about 20 tables- to construct his Lego City for all to enjoy. As you might expect, there will be a Ferris wheel and a rollercoaster, both of which move. He will exhibit many other components to wow visitors, such as his bumper cars, swing ride, various Lego City kits, and some special collector sets. Most of the individual buildings have already been constructed and he has a “blueprint” for his layout. Perlman plans to pull out all the tricks for his big showcase. “I’m taking everything,” he says with a sparkle in his eye.
To see Palm Brick Gardens, the city that inspires, in person visit the exhibit at the South Florida Fair on May 7-23, 2021 at 9067 Southern Boulevard in West Palm Beach.
At the prompting of that inquisitive physician, Perlman sought medical care and was delivered a grim cancer diagnosis. He was told he would not live long. Through his 16
“This is the most satisfying thing I’ve ever done in my life”, he says. “I want to inspire them. Teach them to use their imagination.”
If you’d like more information about Palm Brick Gardens and Matthew Perlman’s mission, visit www.palmbrickgardens.org where you can also find videos of his work.
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High Five by Madelyn Marconi P h o t o g ra p h y : C a n d i ce Te m p l e
I
f art could talk, what would it say? The City’s latest artwork addition, High Five, tells a touching story about disabled children with big dreams and a devoted group of people making those dreams come true. Every child deserves to play baseball. That is the mission of the Miracle League of Palm Beach County and has always been the goal for League Founders, Julia and Jeff Kadel. This past February, the Miracle League hosted their season-opening game along with an unveiling ceremony for High Five at Gardens Park. As the drape covering the sculptures was removed, happy tears consumed the Kadels as they laid their eyes on High Five for the very first time. The artist commissioned to construct the sculpture is no stranger to Palm Beach Gardens. George Lundeen, a professional sculptor from Loveland, Colorado, and decorated member of the National Acad-
High Five 4029 JOHNSON DAIRY RD
emy of Design, has been sculpting for over 45 years. He has a passion for creating art that captures his viewer’s attention. During his research of the Miracle League’s history, Lundeen discovered countless pieces of information and inspiration to begin his creative process for the project. As told by the artist, High Five captures the Miracle League’s “buddy system” approach, which pairs each player with a volunteer to assist them throughout games. High Five depicts a “buddy” pushing the child in a wheelchair. That child leans forward to give another child, with a walker, a big high five. Their ear-to-ear grins demonstrate the joy being had in each other’s company and look as if they might come to life at any moment. Lundeen designed the sculpture at a lifesized 1¼ scale with the idea of the art being approachable, yet safe, for onlookers. The process began by sculpting each clay figure in his Colorado studio. The clay was cast into bronze at a local Colorado foundry and then welded, metal chased, and finished with a bronze patina. Lundeen encourages viewers to engage, interact and take photos with the art located at the entrance of Miracle League
Field in Gardens Park on a painted baseball diamond. At any given Miracle League game, there is an overwhelming amount of love, teamwork, and hope. High Five mirrors those same feelings. Love. Teamwork. Hope. For Julia and Jeff Kadel, the statues speak volumes about everything that the Miracle League is and will continue to be. They find joy in seeing the smiling faces of athletes playing baseball. As for Lundeen, there is pride in knowing that his piece of inspiring artwork will forever live in Palm Beach Gardens. With the addition of High Five comes an encouraging reminder for athletes of all abilities to follow their dreams no matter what obstacles they live with. SPRING 2021
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SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
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City of Palm Beach Gardens 10500 N Military Trail Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
SANDHILL CRANE GOLF CLUB JOIN THE DANCING CRANE FOR A
MOTHER’S DAY BrunchBuffet!!
S U N D A Y, M A Y 9 T H F R O M 1 0 : 3 0 A . M . – 3 P. M .
WITH LIVE ENTERTAINMENT outside on the patio overlooking the Sandhill Crane Golf Course under a covered tent $44 for adults and featuring an extended $22 for children 4-12 buffet with interactive chef stations. 3 and under are free
9500 Sandhill Crane Drive, PBG (Sandhill Crane Golf Club) Reservations required by calling 561-630-1172. 20
SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
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