ROYAL PALM BEACH - The mental health and substance abuse resource fair "Splash to Recovery" that was scheduled Friday, May 29 at Calypso Bay Waterpark has been postponed due to inclement weather. The event has been tentatively rescheduled for June 12. For information, call 561-650-6860.

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ROYAL PALM BEACH - The Royal Palm Beach boat ramp will be closed for repairs Tuesday, May 26 through Thursday, May 28.

Contact the Public Works Department at 561-790-5122 for more information.

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The American Cancer Society’s 2009 Diamond Derby will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, May 29 at Breakers West Country Club,1550 Flagler Parkway. The event will include entertainment, blackjack, roulette, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, silent and live auction. Event sponsors include Complete Healthcare for Women and Spectrum. Chairpersons are Dr. Daxa Patel; Dr. Colette Brown-Graham and Alvin Graham; Dr. Jennine Cabanellas and Juan Gonzalez; and State Rep. Joseph Abruzzo. Dress is club casual, and more than 200 are expected to attend. Cost is $125 per person.
The purpose of the Diamond Derby is to raise funds to eliminate cancer. For more information, call the American Cancer Society at 561-366-0013, ext. 5136 or e-mail maureen.gross@cancer.org.

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WELLINGTON - District 6 Palm Beach County Commissioner Jess Santamaria will host his monthly community forum from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 27 at the center court of the original Wellington Mall, southeast corner of Forest Hill Boulevard and Wellington Trace.

This month's main topic will be the county budget process with guest speaker Assistant County Administrator Brad Merriman.

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WEST PALM BEACH - The second annual Memorial Day ceremony will be held at the South Florida National Cemetery, 6501 U.S. Highway 441, west of Lake Worth, at 1 p.m. Monday, May 25. The ceremony will honor the U.S. men and women who have died in military service and is being sponsored by the Palm Beach County Veterans Committee.

The featured speaker will be Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins Jr., (USNR-Ret.). He is the executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs, which is responsible for assisting veterans and their families in Florida.

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WELLINGTON - Tiger Shark Cove Playground will be closed May 18, through May 22, for its annual maintenance. The park is expected to re-open to the public Saturday, May 23.

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WELLINGTON - A Second Chance Puppies and Kittens Rescue will be hosting Village Pet Fest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday May 16 in the Village Royale Shopping Plaza, 1105 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.

The event is supporting the rescue and adoption of homeless pets. All pets that are adopted are microchipped, spayed, neutered and up to date on all of their shots. There will be food, K9 demonstrations, music and vendors.

Visit Second Chance for more information.

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LOXAHATCHEE - Pure Thoughts Foal and Rescue is having a fundraiser to promote its newest division, the Thoroughbred Rehab and Placement Program. In the past two months they have taken in 14 horses whose racing careers are over and the next chapter in their lives is beginning.

The horse rescue nonprofit organization recently formed partnerships with the local racetracks Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach and and Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens in order to provide a home to retired or injured race horses.

On Saturday the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, will take place in Maryland and Pure Thoughts will be holding the "PTHR Awareness Race" in honor of the Preakness. The fundraiser will consist of placing $2 bets on the race horses that have been rescued by Pure Thoughts.

For more information click here.

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WELLINGTON - In celebration of National Nurses Week May 6 to 12 employees gathered Tuesday in the lobby of the Wellington Regional Medical Center to have their hands blessed at an interfaith service in what has now become an annual tradition.

The "Blessing of the Hands" ceremony started last year at the hospital.

Dennis Marquez, owner of Pizzazz Hair Design in Wellington, was at the hospital visiting his wife and decided to attend the ceremony.

"I heard they were having the blessing of the hands and I service people every day of my life cutting people's hair, touching them," he said. "That's one of the benefits of my profession we also have the benefit of touch. I thought it was important for me to be here."

Four clergy people attended the event with each one saying a prayer. They were the Rev. Jacqueline Leveron of Good Shepard United Methodist Church, Father Donald Munro, Rabbi Bertram Kieffer of Temple Beth Zion and Madaline Lawerence, a chaplain at Unity Church of Delray Beach.
"I think that just the fact that our hospital is putting this on it's showing that we want to recognize oneness in the community and bring all of the people together," Lawerence said.

Once the prayers were read the 50 or so people in attendance had their hands blessed by the one of the clergy people.

"We have looked forward to this day. We had such success last year," said Chief Nurse Officer Carole DiFlorio. "This is for patients, family and staff. They all get comfort from this. Every hand touches a patient somehow and that's why we have to care for everyone."

This is the blessing of the hands prayer:

A Blessing of the Hands Prayer

Blessed be the works of your hands, O Holy One.

Blessed be these hands that have touched life.

Blessed be these hands that have nurtured creativity.

Blessed be these hands that have held pain.

Blessed be these hands that have embraced with passion.

Blessed be these hands that have tended gardens.

Blessed be these hands that have closed in anger.

Blessed be these hands that have planted new seeds.

Blessed be these hands that have carried out endless tasks as part of caring for our community.

Blessed be these hands that have reached out and been received.

Blessed be the hands that hold the promise of the future.

Blessed be the works of your hands, O Holy One.

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BY MIKE ROTHMAN

As part of its second annual kick off to the barbecue season, Shane’s Rib Shack, 950 N. Congress Ave., in Boynton Beach and 11051 Southern Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach, is having a free giveaway May 16.

The first 100 customers will get a free half rack of ribs, a 44-ounce Coke Zero and a T-shirt, said Gary Landry, director of operations for Shane’s Ribs.

The restaurant opens at 11 a.m. but Landry said customers were lined up at 9 a.m. last year for the same promotion.

“Especially with the way things are economically,” he said. “We want people to be able to come out and try out delicious ribs on us.”

In addition to the rib giveaway, the restaurant will also have registration for a grill giveaway in the coming weeks.

“People can register for that at the store,” Landry said.

For information, call 561-735-0742.

Mike Rothman can be reached at mkrothman@tribune.com.

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From left to right - Fifth-graders Abigail O'Donnell, Jacqueline Bourque, Jessica Sorensen and Cristina Rodriguez will represent Binks Forest Elementary School in the 2009 Spotlight on Young Musicians Elementary Honors Chorus and Orff Ensemble on Friday, May 8 at the Kravis Center.

The students rehearsed at Benoist Farms Elementary School Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon (Feb. 21, March 7 and 21, April 18 and May 2) to prepare for this annual concert, said Binks Forest music teacher Karen LaFrance.

Each of the fifth-graders from Binks Forest learned how to blend their voices together with all of the other students from the county. They also learned to play the Orff instruments shown here.

The Spotlight on Young Musicians, is a program that celebrates the excellence of music education in Palm Beach County by showcasing the most outstanding choral and instrumental music ensembles from the elementary to the high school level.

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From the PBSO:

At about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 29, two white males burglarized a home in the Madison Green Development of Royal Palm Beach. The suspects stole numerous electronics and jewelry and fled in a gray four-door vehicle.

Anyone who can identify these suspects and/or the vehicle they were driving is urged to call Detective McCranels at 561-904-8273 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.

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Royal Palm Beach - This weekend Caribbean American for Community Involvement in Florida will be hosting its fifth annual Cultural Diversity Day and the Royal Palm Beach Concert Band will be playing its annual Mother's Day concert.

Cultural Diversity Day is scheduled from noon to sundown Saturday, May 9 at Veterans Park, 1036 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. The Mother's Day concert will be held 4 p.m. Sunday, May 10 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center, 151 Civic Center Way.

Cultural Day will feature the Cypress Trails Elementary School; Kung Fu and Lion Dance Team; Project Inspiration: Mocko Jumbi Stilt Dances; Prince Dragon (Fire Eater); XCL Dance Group, Bobbi Conwell, Singer and other entertainment.

The Mother's Day concert will be the last concert the band plays with Fred Dart as its conductor.

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WELLINGTON - The village of Wellington has reduced its summer camp prices by 20 percent in order to help relieve the burden of the economy.

The new prices are $175 per week for residents and $200 per week for non-residents.

Summer camp begins June 8 and runs for 10 weeks ending Aug. 14.

Registration for summer sport academies such as baseball, basketball, fishing, football, golf, horseback riding, soccer, lacrosse, volleyball and wrestling is also under way.

Register in person at Village Park, 11700 Pierson Road, Wellington Community Center, 12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd. or online. For more information call Village Park at 791-4005, ext. 0.

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