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IN THIS ISSUE

·        Art in Public Places Unveils Exterior Lighting Project at South County Civic Center

·        Water Utilities Opens New Reclamation Facility

·        Fire-Rescue Employees Help Change Lives of Families in the Dominican

·        Circuit Sound Brings Holiday Cheer to Palm Beach County Employees

·        More Upcoming Events

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.

Art in Public Places Unveils Exterior Lighting Project at South County Civic Center

The County’s Art in Public Places program held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 28 at the South County Civic Center, 16700 Jog Rd., Delray Beach. 
 The new project, “Light Swimming,” designed by local artist Mark Fuller, is an ever-changing light display on the building’s west and south facades that complements the architecture and creates a
spectacular “light show.”
 As you drive or walk by, the colors and shadows shift with the sun’s position in the sky and your angle of viewing.  Depending on the light, you may see brilliant pinks, purples, blues or even shades of green.
 The exterior is also colorful at night.  Fuller created wall-mounted “sconces” with solar powered LED lights that illuminate the building’s facades for a dramatic effect at dusk.  Through the addition of dimensional hemispheres, the design further complements the diagonal grid of the building.

To see pictures of the County’s public art projects, visit www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/fdo/Art.

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Water Utilities Opens New Reclamation Facility

The grand opening of the County Water Utilities Department’s new reclaimed water facility took place on Dec. 5.  It is located in the northwest corner of Century Village in West Palm Beach. 
 Built on the former site of a County wastewater plant, the new state-of-the-art facility will treat and distribute three million gallons of reclaimed water a day to area lakes used for irrigation.  Additional filters can be installed to treat up to six million gallons a day. 
 This new facility will filter treated effluent from the East Central Regional Wastewater Plant which processes wastewater from Lake Worth, Riviera Beach, the City of West Palm Beach, the Town of Palm Beach and Palm Beach County.  Previously, effluent from the East Central Regional Wastewater Plant was sent down a deep well for disposal. 

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Fire-Rescue Employees Help Change Lives of Families in the Dominican Republic

County Fire-Rescue Video Department Manager John Norris recently traveled to the Dominican Republic with an organization similar to Habitat for Humanity called Cambiando Vidas (Changing Lives).  The purpose of the program is to help families make their dream of homeownership come true.  Norris has made this journey before, but this time it was with fellow employee Rebecca Clevenger.
 Clevenger joined a team of workers for one week to help build a home.  She placed block, put mortar in joints, helped mix mortar and concrete, helped make forms, shoveled rocks into wheelbarrows and even helped run wire for the electricity.
 Clevenger not only enjoyed the work but was also impressed by the kindness, hospitality, hard work and playfulness of the people she met.  Clevenger thoroughly enjoyed her cross-cultural experience and said, “One little boy didn’t have shoes, and he would still carry two heavy buckets of mortar around at a time.  The Dominican masons were very good at communicating with us.  They would patiently teach us construction terms in Spanish and show us how to do the things we weren’t familiar with.  People from around the village came every day to help, rain or drizzle, and they were all amazing.  I wish I had neighbors like them! I got to experience a beautiful culture and met amazing people,” Clevenger said.  “I saw spectacular mountains, which are especially beautiful in the tropics.  I was able to repeatedly put smiles on people’s faces.  I’d do it again in a heartbeat!”

caption:  Clevenger takes a break from construction with one of her helpers from the nearby village.

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Circuit Sound Brings Holiday Cheer to Palm Beach County Employees

The Palm Beach County Government Center lobby was filled with the sounds

of harmonized voices recently as Circuit Sound, the Clerk & Comptroller’s

traveling carolers, performed for employees. Twenty-five singers dressed

in green robes performed Christmas classics such as “Oh Holy Night” and

“Go Tell it On the Mountain” as crowds looked on. Singer Kristen Butler,

who sang a solo, said rehearsals started in October and the group practiced

during lunch hour. Circuit Sound has performed all over Palm Beach County at

county branches during this holiday season, raising money for the

Conner Moran Children’s Cancer Foundation. The annual tradition has taken

place for the past 20 years.

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More Upcoming Events

• Explore scientific topics in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere with other mature adults during science for seniors. This month, you will uncover misconceptions about wetlands and why they are important. The event will be held on Wednesday, December 12 from 2 to 3 p.m at Green Cay Nature Center. The event is for adults ages 50 and over and costs $3 per person. For more information, call (561) 966-7000. Reservations are required.
• Learn why some frogs hop and others jump at Daggerwing Nature Center. The event will be held on Tuesday, December 11^th at 2:30 p.m. The event is for kids ages 3 to 6 p.m. and costs $4 per person. For more information, call (561) 488-9953
• During the Second Seminole War, the Black Seminoles defeated the United States soldiers and sailors on the battlefield. Join us in commemorating this 170-year-old historical event at Riverbend Park on Sunday, January 13^th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call (561) 741-1359

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