WMG Volume 7 • Issue 24 November 25, 2020
Wilton Manors Gazette FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/WMGAZETTE
COMMUNITY
Equality Garden Club Breathes New Life Into
WILTON MANORS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUTTERFLY GARDEN By Christiana Lilly As bleak as 2020 has been, the Equality club will be the official groundskeepers Garden Club is creating beauty at Wilton for the garden, which also has picnic tables, benches, stepping stones and Manors Elementary School. With children attending school at other places to relax. “It was in really bad shape,” said Mario home this spring and summer, the school’s butterfly garden in the courtyard Rios, who serves on the board of the club. fell into complete disarray. When children “It was full of weeds, a lot of dead plants, returned to school in a hybrid model, we lost a lot of plants and we had to redo it.” school staff reached out The club spent $500 to to the garden club to NOW, THE purchase new plants and help them bring it back put in mulch. Now, there to life. GARDEN CLUB are Panama rose shrubs, “It’s really like an WILL BE THE Jatropha trees, dwarf burning outdoor learning bushes, scorpion tails, hue classroom and a place OFFICIAL and different species where you can go to GROUNDSKEEPERS herbs, of milkweed, which attracts enjoy nature and have a little bit of peace outside FOR THE GARDEN, butterflies. Rios expects that in a few months it will be of the classroom,” WHICH ALSO “back to life.” said Melissa Holtz, the HAS PICNIC Not only does the garden principal at Wilton serve as a relaxing place to Manors Elementary TABLES, BENCHES, have lunch or take a break, School. STEPPING STONES but Holtz said that teachers The school had a will also read stories to previous relationship AND OTHER there or teach them with Equality Garden PLACES TO RELAX. children about nature and the life Club. In 2019, they were cycle of butterflies. It’s also stumped as to why their butterfly garden was not thriving. The a quiet place for children with special volunteers came in and taught them about needs to decompress. While the school is Florida native plants and tips to help them not at full capacity, there are 260 children attending school in person and the garden keep it going. However, it became too overwhelming is a place where they can easily be 6 feet during the pandemic. Now, the garden apart.
Students learning in the courtyard at Wilton Manors Elementary School. Photo courtesy of Wilton Manors Elementary School.
It’s also an opportunity for the children to see a tenet of the International Baccalaureate school in action: helping. “One of the things that we teach our kids is to take action when they see a problem that they have the ability to make a difference.
We have a community member who sees that we have a need and they’re willing to come into the school and take action to help us,” she explained. “It’s out of the kindness of their heart. They see we have a need and they jumped into action to help us.” WMG
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POLITICS
Newly Elected Oakland Park Commission Sworn-In By John McDonald The new Oakland Park Commission was sworn-in Nov. 18. Mayor Jane Bolin and Commissioners Michael Carn, Aisha Gordon and Mitch Rosenwald took their oaths of office on the steps outside of city hall before the meeting. Commissioner Matt Sparks joined the governing body remotely. “The third time’s the charm,” said Rosenwald, a Barry University professor elected in his third attempt at public office. Rosenwald thanked his partner Ted White for his love and support, predecessor John Adornato for his commitment to LGBT rights and outgoing Commissioner Tim Lonergan for being a role model for public servants. Rosenwald promised to “listen attentively and act expeditiously,” stating he was intent on bringing a social worker’s perspective to the commission. Sparks, re-elected to his second term,
WMG November 25, 2020 • Volume 7 • Issue 24 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com Copyeditor • Kimberly Swan
Editorial
Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com News Editor • John McDonald
Correspondents
Christiana Lilly• Sal Torre • James Oaksun
Staff Photographers
J.R. Davis • Carina Mask • Steven Shires
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Photo via The City of Oakland Park Government.
pointed out coronavirus numbers were going up and asked that people rethink holiday plans. “Would you rather visit family this year or see them next year?” Sparks asked.
Best quote for 2020
This is not the year to get everything you want. This is the year to appreciate everything you have. Courtesy of Norm Kent, Publisher
Sparks suggested residents shop locally on Black Friday. “Help businesses survive during these difficult times,” he said. Bolin thanked candidates Steven Arnst, Grecia Rivas-Smith, Robert Thompson and Scott Herman for offering themselves to serve the city and asked them to stay engaged. Carn will serve as vice mayor and mentioned he had already taken a new business call from the owner of Funky Buddha Brewery. Sparks referenced a call from the Buddha as well. In her comments, Gordon quoted the late South African leader Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done,” she said. The next commission meeting is Dec. 2. WMG
ROSENWALD PROMISED TO “LISTEN ATTENTIVELY AND ACT EXPEDITIOUSLY,” STATING HE WAS INTENT ON BRINGING A SOCIAL WORKER’S PERSPECTIVE TO THE COMMISSION.
Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com
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The atala butterfly. The Floridian subspecies of this butterfly was once presumed to be extinct, but local gardening efforts throughout the state brought back the population. Photo credit: James St. John.
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• 11. 25.2020
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November 25, 2020
NEWS
Sculpting A Future For Wilton Manors
95.3 FM 96.9 FM
103.9 FM 1470 AM
By John McDonald
Left: Artist Arline Peartree with Johnsons owner Matt Colunga, at site of “Harmonic Vibes” sculpture. Right: ”Slices of Heaven.” Credit: Sculpture Walk Wilton Manors.
Michael Sansevero wants Wilton Manors in the community.” The Sculpture Walk is a step in that to take ownership of its art. Getting the city to buy into a cultural direction, he said. Now is the time for the city experience based on sculpture is the challenge to act. Sansevero said he believes incoming Sansevero has taken on. “We’re trying to find elements to make the Mayor Scott Newton is “receptive to this” Drive more appealing to more people,” said and speaks positively of new Commissioners Chris Caputo and Mike Bracchi. Sansevero, chairman of the city’s “I think [Caputo] would be a Community Affairs Advisory good catalyst for this as would Board. Mike Bracchi who would be a In doing so, seven sculptures vessel for change also,” Sansevero have been placed around Wilton said. “I’m optimistic the city will Manors on private property. buy into the program.” Plans are in the works for a brochure to be developed with SCULPTURE PIECES, a map to guide people to the ARTIST AND SITES: sculptures and in turn learn about the pieces, artists and the 1. Slices of Heaven, Craig Berubesurrounding neighborhoods. Gray, 2292 Wilton Dr. Sculpture, Sansevero said, - Michael Sansevero “allows you to get more involved CHAIRMAN OF THE CITY’S COMMUNITY AFFAIRS 2. Talking Tubes II, Joni Younkinson the street.” ADVISORY BOARD Herzog, 2201 Wilton Dr. Getting cooperation from the city hasn’t been easy, he said. “It’s a struggle,” Sansevero said. “One of 3. Sublime, Rob Lorenson, 1401 NE 26th St. the problems with Wilton Manors is they never seem to have money in the budget for 4. Zeus, Arline Peartree, 2440 Wilton Dr. art.” A New York native, Sansevero was a 5. Harmonic Vibes, Arline Peartree, 2340 corporate attorney in Manhattan before Wilton Dr. moving to Wilton Manors a decade ago where he now works in real estate. As 6. Lotus, Beth Ravitz, 1220 NE 24th St. chairman of CAAB, Sansevero said he is “tasked with enriching the lives of residents 7. One, Glen Mayo, 513 NE 21st Ct. WMG
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