Print Version

IN THIS ISSUE

·        “Schools and Pools” Pilot Program Launches at Pioneer Park Elementary

·        Environmental Resources Management Helps Residents Get Rid of Unwanted Vines

·        Palm Tran Holds the 3^rd Annual “Train the Travel Trainer” workshop

·        Palm Beach County Introduces Prescription Drug Card Program

·        Mounts Botanical Garden Presents “Everything Orchids”

·        More Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities

For more information about Palm Beach County’s programs and services, visit us online at www.pbcgov.com. If you have any questions or to provide feedback, you can email us at countenews@pbcgov.com or call (561) 355-2754. To unsubscribe to Count-e-News, click here.

Schools and Pools Pilot Program Launches at Pioneer Park Elementary

Students at Pioneer Park Elementary in Belle Glade will receive free swimming lessons as part of the “Schools and Pools” pilot program. The classes will be offered for kindergarten and 1^st graders and will take place between September 11^th and October 5^th.

The program is the result of a partnership between Palm Beach County’s Parks and Recreation Department and the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County. Students will take swimming lessons during school hours at Pioneer Park Aquatic Center in Belle Glade. According to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s office, 9 percent of all drowning incidents that occur in Palm Beach County take place in the Glades area. With drowning being the second leading cause of unintentional injury for kids ages 1 through 14, the Drowning Prevention Coalition has taken a proactive approach to preventing water-related injuries by implementing a “Schools and Pools” pilot program. Over a four-week time period, approximately 160 kindergarten and 1^st-graders will receive between six and seven swimming lessons that last 35 minutes each. Upon successful completion of their swimming lessons, Principal Peggy Back-Nelson will throw an ice cream/cake party where each student will receive a special certification for their participation.

If you have any questions regarding this program, please call the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County at (561) 616-7068

ˆ Go to the top of this page

Environmental Resources Management Helps Residents Get Rid of Unwanted Vines

 There are two non-native vines that Environmental Resources and Management (ERM) would like to help you eliminate from your property:  the air potato and lygodium, also known as old-world climbing fern.  These vines (pictured below) are quite destructive because they grow rapidly and engulf and kill vegetation by blocking out sunlight.  They also create “fire ladders” that allow flames to rapidly reach the tree canopy.  Unfortunately, these invasive vines are taking over our native ecosystems. 
 To help with this growing problem, ERM has created an Invasive Vine Strike Force.  A crew will come out to your property and remove these plants at no charge.  All you need to do is fill out a form and send it in.  This form, “License and Right of Entry for Removal of Exotic Nuisance Trees,” grants permission to enter your property and remove the unwanted plants.  Forms can be downloaded from  ERM’s Web site at pbcgov.com/erm.  Click on “Documents,” and scroll down to the link, “Invasive Vine Strike Force.”  If you are interested in other invasive species, click on “Palm Beach County Prohibited Plant Species.” 
 For more information, call Matthew King at 233-2421. 

Air Potato:                                                                              Lygodium:

ˆ Go to the top of this page

Palm Tran Holds the 3^rd Annual “Train the Travel Trainer” workshop

Palm Tran’s third “Train the Travel Trainer” workshop was held on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 from 8:30am to 3:30pm.  Each year, training is provided to high school teachers in the Palm Beach County School District who teach alternate assessment students . Teachers are instructed by Palm Tran staff on how to teach their students to ride the bus.

The program was developed through a curriculum from Easter Seals Project ACTION (ESPA).  Palm Tran’s local implementation of the curriculum has been very successful and has been recognized as a template for other agencies to follow. The workshop facilitator, RoseAnn LaBella-Voils, a senior public relations specialist for Palm Tran, was a featured presenter during a distance learning course sponsored by ESPA designed to provide other transit agencies with information on how they could tailor the program to fit their needs.

This program was made possible in part by a partnership with the School District of Palm Beach County and a “Train the Travel Trainer” Grant from Florida Department of Transportation.  For more information on the Travel Training Program, call 561-841-4343.

ˆ Go to the top of this page

Palm Beach County Introduces Prescription Drug Card Program

 The County is offering a discount card program to help consumers cope with the high price of prescription drugs. The cards provide an average savings of 20 percent off the retail price of prescriptions.
 Palm Beach County has signed a contract to make the free cards available under a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NACo).  There is no cost to taxpayers or the County.
 The cards are very easy to use.  Simply present one at a participating pharmacy.  There is no enrollment form, no membership fee and no restrictions or limits on frequency of use.  Cardholders and their family members may use the card any time.  The cards may be used by all county residents regardless of age, income or existing health coverage.  Cardholders do not have to be on Medicare.  The card can also be used to save money on drugs that are not covered by a health plan. 
 You can pick up a card at County administration buildings or any of the County’s public information racks. 
 For more information, visit pbcgov.com and click on the green tab for “Discount Prescription Drug Card,” or call 866-489-7594

ˆ Go to the top of this page

Mounts Botanical Garden Presents “Everything Orchids”

Mounts Botanical Garden will host “Everything Orchids” on Saturday and Sunday, September 15th and 16th, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.  The event will feature select orchid growers, artists and craftspeople sharing their skills and knowledge of extraordinary plants.  The event will also feature a silent auction of gorgeous orchid arrangements in the Exhibit Hall.

Informative lectures will include presentations titled “Orchids 101”, “Orchid Tips & Tricks – bringing new growers up to speed”, “Cattleyas”, “Vandas 101” and “Yellow Phalaenopsis and Care”.

There will also be a wide variety of orchids offered for sale by growers from around the area that will include various exotic rare orchids and more.

If you have an interest in anything orchid, come to Mounts Botanical Garden for “Everything Orchids”, you’ll leave with a wealth of relevant information, and perhaps a few new plants to fill your garden.

There is a $5 entrance donation; Garden members and children under age 10 enter free. For more information, call (561) 233-1757.

WHAT:         Mounts Botanical Garden’s “Everything Orchids”

WHERE:       Mounts Botanical Garden

559 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL

                    (Located between Southern Boulevard and Belvedere Road)

WHEN:         Saturday and Sunday, September 15 and 16, 2007; 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

COST:          $5 entrance donation, members and children under age 10 free.

ˆ Go to the top of this page

More Upcoming Events and Volunteer Opportunities

• Come to “All About Alligators” at Green Cay Nature Center in Boynton Beach. Learn about the earth’s oldest living dinosaurs at the event, which will be held on Saturday, September 22 at 2 p.m. The center is located at 12800 Hagen Ranch Road. Find out how they have survived for so long and why other animals depend on alligators for survival. The event is $3 per person and children ages 4 and under get free admission. For more information, call (561) 966-7000.
• Green Cay Nature Center also offers story and craft time for kids ages 3 to 5 on Saturday, Sept 29^th. The monthly event gives kids a chance to read stories, have learning time and participate in craft activities related to animals and other nature-related themes. Topics will vary each month. Cost is $1 per child. The event, located at 12800 Hagen Ranch Road, starts at 10 a.m. For more information, call (561) 966-7000.
• Be a part of Environmental Resources Management’s Work Projects Team. Volunteers participate in “hands-on” environmental projects such as native plantings, clean-ups, exotic plant removal, dune restoration, and nursery maintenance. Projects typically last three hours and are scheduled on a monthly basis. The projects are listed on Volunteer Opportunity flyers which are distributed every two months. This program requires no training or long-term commitment and provides short-term projects for busy individuals who want to make a difference in their community. Groups can also take advantage of this program. A special work project can be designed for their members at a date, time, and location of their choosing. For more information or to be added to the Volunteer Opportunity flyer email list, contact Ann Mathews at amathews@co.palm-beach.fl.us.

ˆ Go to the top of this page