January 2016 - Delaire Country Club
Transcription
January 2016 - Delaire Country Club
Delaire Country Club January 2016 The Good Life Art Newman President, Board of Governors I want to wish all of you and your families a very healthy and happy holiday season as we look forward to an exciting 2016 at Delaire. Based on member input, Neka Martin and our Entertainment Committee have arranged a full calendar of events that has been planned for the New Year and I encourage our members to take full advantage of them. Our membership survey has been completed and was distributed. Overall, the results indicate that Delaire members are very satisfied with their club experience. I want to thank Murray Gross and the Long Range Planning Committee for all the work that went into the survey. The Board and Planning Committee, in conjunction with the outside survey professionals, intend to fully analyze the survey results and consider operational and governance changes as necessary. After serving as your President for the past two years, I have come to better understand that: • Delaire provides a very enjoyable experience for our members. • Delaire perpetuates our family oriented culture. • Delaire members place a priority in integrating new members into the community. • Delaire has an exceptional staff that delivers high quality services at all times. In order to maximize our success, we must commit to continuous improvement in our pursuit of attaining excellence. Our golf facilities are our greatest physical asset for both the enjoyment of our existing members and attracting new members. I urge all of our members to gain an understanding of the many benefits that the proposed Golf Facilities Enhancement Program is offering and to support its adoption. With respect and on behalf of the Board of Governors... Trent Squire General Manager Property Owners Association 4645 White Cedar Lane Delray Beach, Florida 33445 www.delaire.org Board of Governors President 1st Vice President 2nd Vice President Treasurer Secretary Board Art Newman Steve Salzman Jeff White Deb Kaplan Curt Karpel George Gering Herb Khaner Allen Kilik Jim Newman P.O.A. Board President Don Schindel 1st Vice President Cathy Cutler-Salzman 2nd Vice President Andy Lynette Treasurer Howard Kent Secretary Liz Greener Board Charla Levine Larry Lidov Danny Markowitz Ed Zieky “The Good Life” Staff Our 2015 holiday season was in full swing! The weather was remarkable, allowing friends and family to enjoy not only indoor activities, but perfect for golf, tennis, lounging pool side or just taking a simple walk through the community. As we begin a New Year, it is time to reflect back and think of all the things we are grateful for. Regarding the operation of the club, I am pleased that home sales were brisk and we have welcomed new members to the Delaire family. While there were a couple of threats, Florida was spared yet another year of any major storms. Last year we hired our new Superintendent of Course and Grounds, Travis McCoy, and what an absolute gem. Not only does he know his business, but he is a real team player and is not afraid to roll up sleeves to get the job done. Neka Martin our Social Director also joined the team last year, and Dino and Fabio were promoted to dining room managers. As I have said many times, the success of any operation is the human resource, and I am blessed to have a sound team of caring professionals who continue to raise the bar. On a personal note my wife and I welcomed our first grandchild to the world last year - Miss Madeline Squire - a perfect time to reflect indeed. As always, thank you for your continued support! 2 | Delaire Country Club and Editor Associate Editor Copy Editor Photographers Barbara Singer Judy Tarter Rose Berman Neka Martin Dana Plagens Len Popowitz Steve Salzman Clubhouse Numbers Main Number — (561) 499-9090 Dining Reservations 561-499-9090 Fitness561-495-15 0 4 Golf Shop 561-499-0770 Golf Starter 561-637-3470 Tennis Shop 561-499-0 7 7 1 Security – Admitting 561-498-3999 Security – Emergency 561-495-6688 Security – Other 561-495-6 6 91 POA Property Manager 561-988-2089 In case of an emergency ALWAYS Dial 911 First! www.delaire.org The Good Life Just My Opinion... Barbara Singer, Editor Happy New Year to all of our members! I hope it is filled with wonderful moments, good health and peace. The Board of Directors has proposed a plan to renovate the golf course. Whether you agree with it or not, it’s your duty, and privilege to vote. And if you decide to vote in favor of the plan, you should also make a pledge to maintain the golf course. This is your prized asset, and it makes no sense to spend millions of dollars to provide a first class venue, unless you make the commitment to treat it with care. Each time I go out to play I am dismayed by the unfilled divots, the ruts made by carts on the fairways which are inches from the cart paths, and the ball and shuffle marks on the greens... just to name a few. The renovation is an investment in the future of Delaire, an investment you need to protect. On another note, it’s my pleasure to introduce Judy Tarter, The Good Life’s new Associate Editor. Judy and I will be working together through this season, and then I will happily turn it over to her. For the past thirteen years it has been a labor of love for me, and I thank you for your support and feedback. Special thanks to Rose Berman, our incredible Copy Editor and resident grammarian and punctuation authority. Working together it has become a publication that I believe we are proud of, and I know it will continue to be under Judy’s leadership and with Rose’s continued assistance. See you all around the campus, and I know you will continue to enjoy the good life here at Delaire. A Few Words... Judy Tarter, Associate Editor As the newly appointed Associate Editor of The Good Life, I want to thank Barbara Singer - the Best of the Best - for all she has done and will be doing during her final year as Editor. With her incredible contributions and hard work she has made The Good Life a truly outstanding and most enjoyed publication for the members of Delaire Country Club. We are “The Hidden Gem” in Delray that has become the good life for all of its members and friends! It is because of Barbara’s work and all those who have contributed to the publication that we are able to read, view photographs and hold tight to our memories of all that we enjoy in the Wonderful World of Delaire ! I hope to follow in her footsteps in helping to communicate ‘The Good Life’ here at Delaire. Thank you again. Around the Club Neka Martin, Social and Catering Director Season is in full swing! The Holiday events were a big success, with kid’s events, dinners and New Year’s Eve party. We have our first show night January 16th with comedian Cory Kahaney, she is star of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” and voted best comedian in NYC by Backstage Magazine. In February we will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with a dinner-dance with music from Marcia Mitchell Band. This Season is full of social events, so check our website, email blasts and flyers around the clubhouse to keep you updated on the monthly events. I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year! JANUARY Thursday, January 14th Cultural Movie Night: “Beneath the Helmet” @ 6:30 pm Saturday, January 16th Comedy Show Night with Cory Kahaney 6:30 - 7:30 pm Cocktails 7:30 pm Dinner Thursday, January 21st Women’s Member-Guest Card Party 11:00am Luncheon Saturday, January 23rd Gourmet Wine Dinner @ 6:30pm Sunday, January 31st Bingo Night @ 7:30pm Private Parties – Delaire would be happy to host your wedding, corporate event, anniversary, birthday and even cater to your home! Contact Neka Martin, Social & Catering Director, at 499-9090 or nmartin@delaire.org. www.delaire.org FEBRUARY Monday, February 1st Social Dance Lessons @ 5:00 pm Aerobics Room *Every Monday for 6 weeks Sunday, February 7th Super Bowl Party Saturday, February 13th Valentine’s Dinner Dance Thursday, February 25th Sip & Paint @ 5:00 pm Sunday, February 28th Bingo Night @ 7:30pm Friday, February 8th Book Club @ 10:00 am Ladies Card Room January 2016 | 3 The Good Life Fitness Facts Phil Bayne, Fitness Director and the Fitness Committee It’s January 2016, and whether we like it or not, it’s time to face a new year. The holiday season may be behind us but all those festivities you’ve attended are starting to show on the scale. Perhaps your vacations, activities and busy schedules have taken precedence over your exercise routine or have even kept you from starting one. Now that the wild ride of the holiday season has come to an end, it’s time to get back on track and consciously recommit to your healthy lifestyle. At the Fitness Center, we are here to help you do just that with a brand new challenge! The challenge is to be the best fit version of ourself. This is not a competition; this is a promise and commitment to yourself that this is your year. You know how you feel when you have a really “good” day, one in which you’ve exercised, eaten well, and feel like a million bucks when your head hits the pillow at night. We want you to make a conscious effort to have as many “good” days as possible. This challenge is a simple one, but can be amazingly effective if you simply take time to focus your energy on the little things you may have been neglecting lately. All you have to do is take it one day at a time and you will reach your objective. Start with short term goals so you can reach long term success. Every day is a new beginning; don’t beat yourself up if you fall off your fitness routine-you can restart the next day. Don’t procrastinate and tell yourself, “I’ll start tomorrow or I’ll start Monday”, because statistically people never do. The time is now! Seize the day and take control of your health and wellness. Are you ready to get re-focused, re-committed, and ready to take on the world? Join us! Get Fit, Don’t Quit! N ews fr om Your POA Advocating Avocados Ronni Osinoff This often overlooked fruit has more health benefits than one may realize! Liz Greener, POA Secretary Many people avoid avocados thinking they’re too fattening and that they raise blood cholesterol. First, let’s clear up these confusions so that everyone can enjoy these full-bodied, velvety fruits (yes, they are fruits, not vegetables) without guilt. Though avocados are high in calories for a fruit (110-180 per half depending upon the variety), that doesn’t necessarily mean that you gain weight if you eat them. And though it’s true that avocados have a lot of fat (10-15 grams per half), the fat, like that in olive and canola oil, is predominantly monounsaturated fat, which does not raise blood cholesterol. In fact, avocados actually help to reduce cholesterol, according to a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Fruitful Advice – Avocados can be a healthy addition to your diet, especially when they take the place of sources of saturated fats such as butter, sour cream, cheese and luncheon meats. For every ounce of butter you replace with avocado, you will save about 50 calories. I personally use it as one would use butter, cream cheese or mayonnaise when making a sandwich at home. You just mash it on your bread and add your tuna or whatever your choice is. It’s truly delicious. Try it…you may like it! One wonderful tip to those who only use of half of an avocado at a time is the leave the pit in the unused half and brush the exposed flesh with olive oil or lemon juice and refrigerate in a sealed plastic bag. If you haven’t been enjoying avocados yet, it’s truly a wonderful new food habit to try. 4 | Delaire Country Club The POA wishes each and every resident a Happy Healthy New Year!! To ensure that this happens, please take a moment to review the POA guidelines and regulations, as they concern and apply to us all. They are quite clear and concise, and in place for the benefit of the entire community. As a reminder, homeowners are responsible for the actions and omissions of all of their guests and employees. We hope you enjoyed the holidays and remember to help keep your community safe and well-maintained. www.delaire.org The Good Life Welcome New Members! Included here are new members as of November 2015. If you are a new member, and we don’t have your photo…we would love to include it in the next issue. Please stop by the office and ask Liz to take one, or you can e-mail your photo to me at zadebub@aol.com or Judy Tarter jtarter@houlihanlawrence.com, or leave it in the newsletter box in the office. Longtime members of Brae Burn Country Club, Avraham (Avi) and Joy Avidan of Highland Beach and Purchase, NY are also members at Trump International Golf Club and the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Mr. Avidan is an avid golfer; Mrs. Avidan is new to golf, but also plays tennis. Mr. Avidan is the owner of Avidan Management, which specializes in industrial/commercial real estate development. Douglas and Susan Aziz of Boynton Beach. Before retiring, Mr. Aziz was an executive with Ricon Corporation, which designs, manufactures and installs wheelchair lifts and ramps. Mr. Aziz is a longtime golfer, and the couple formerly belonged to Indian Spring and Aberdeen Country Clubs. Drs. Gary and Lois Weinstein of Pittsburgh and Boca Raton. Dr. Weinstein is a senior partner at Pittsburgh Oculoplastic Associates, Ltd. Dr. Lois Weinstein is a retired dentist. The Weinsteins enjoy both golf and tennis; their hobbies include travel, bridge and reading. Joan and Dr. Paul Gabin of Delray Beach and Livingston, NJ are avid golfers and current members of Cedar Hill Country Club in Livingston. Joan is an interior designer and Paul is a retired dentist. The couple’s hobbies include bridge, canasta, travelling and investing. They are active supporters of NCJW, UJA and Temple Beth Shalom in Livingston. David and Alison Simon of Old Westbury, NY. Mr. Simon is retired from the dress manufacturing industry. The Simons are current members of Old Westbury Golf and Country Club, where they are active golfers. The couple’s hobbies include travel, reading and biking. The Simons have one son, Barry, and four daughters, Erica, Emily, Debra and Ashley, as well as two grandchildren. www.delaire.org Mark and Marie Pupke of Aspen, CO are real estate developers and financiers who also own a mortgage brokerage company. Mr. Pupke plays golf on occasion and the couple has played tennis for many years. Their hobbies include skiing, diving, dancing and mountain climbing. The Pupkes have 3 daughters, Danielle, Dominique and Angelique. Edward and Josie Telman of Delray Beach and Riverwoods, IL are avid card players and current members of Twin Orchard Country Club in Lake Zurich, IL. In addition to cards, the Telmans look forward to enjoying all that the Delaire fitness center has to offer. Mr. Telman is retired from his career in the vehicle leasing industry; he served on the Board of Directors of Little City Foundation, serving children and adults with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. January 2016 | 5 The Good Life Play for P.I.N.K. Celebrates it’s 10th year at Delaire Dana Plagens, Event Chair Delaire Country Club will host its 10th annual Play for P.I.N.K. event the week of February 26. Our wonderful members, along with many guests, will come together to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation through Play for P.I.N.K. (Prevention, Immediate Diagnosis, New Technology, Knowledge), which is part of our Delaire Cares program. We will kick off the week’s events on Tuesday, February 23rd. Joe and Billy Jones have a fun afternoon planned, with putting and closest to the pin contests, followed by cocktails on the patio. We continue our FUNdraising on Wednesday, February 24th on the tennis courts. Lawrence Sagel, along with Aileen Grebow, have organized an exciting tennis event for the afternoon, which will include matches, contests and raffles, followed by refreshments. Our main event, Play for P.I.N.K. Tournament day, will be Friday, February 26th. We will begin the day with a light breakfast at 8:00, followed by a golf tournament (18 or 9 holes, you choose your foursome) starting at 8:30. Judy Tarter and Joan Zieky have a fabulous and fun day planned in the ladies’ card room for that day as well. You can sign up to play canasta, bridge or mah jongg, beginning at 11:00 or 1:00 (you select your start time and your group). We will wrap up our day and week with a fabulous luncheon beginning at noon. Throughout the weeks prior to these events we will be raising money and awareness by selling spots on the Wall of Honor (card honoring or remembering loved ones posted on main hallway in Clubhouse), raffle tickets, vegetarian chili (homemade by our very own Herb Khaner), P.I.N.K. portraits (photos of loved ones who have been affected by breast cancer shown on slideshow during luncheon) and many P.I.N.K. boutique items will be available for your purchase. Varying levels of sponsorship are available for this event as well. Please refer our website for details: www.playforpink.org/delaire. Play for P.I.N.K. brings Delaire’s generous community together to work towards a common goal - raising funds and awareness for breast cancer. Let’s show everyone what a big impact our little club can make. Play for P.I.N.K., a 501(c)(3) charity, is a grassroots organization supporting lifestyle events and other fundraisers. 100% of its proceeds go to Breast Cancer Research Foundations. Tiffany Comes to the Upcoming Ladies’ Member-Guest Chairmen Joy Fedelim and Cindy Friedlander are putting the finishing touches, à la Tiffany, on the 2016 Ladies’ Member-Guest tournament, scheduled for January 28. Beginning with a brunch at 11:00, the shotgun will start noon. Immediately following members and guests can look forward to a fabulous dinner... Delaire style... where awards to the winners will be presented. Still time to sign up, so please do as soon as possible and remember your “Tiffany Style” attire. 6 | Delaire Country Club www.delaire.org The Good Life Delaire Woman’s Golf Association Cathy Cutler-Salzman, President DWGA Our 2015-2016 season began with a golf scramble and a beautiful luncheon planned by Brenda Moss, Neka Martin, Chef Glenn, Mario, and their wonderful staff. Thank you so much. I also want to thank Joe and Billy Jones, along with our Tournament Chair Pam Kirshenbaum, for planning this season’s golf tournaments. Pam has many fun-filled events planned in the coming months. She will be posting a weekly tournament reminder in the ladies locker room. January is an exciting month for us, featuring the Delaire Cup and the most popular Lions and Lambs tournaments. Susie Katz and Liz Greener, along with our golf rules official Alan Tarter, have been presenting a rule of the week. Listen up ladies, because they are going to start asking questions, and if you get the correct answer there could be a pro shop credit waiting for you!!!!!! Joy Fedelim and Cindy Friedlander have planned a fabulous MemberGuest event with a Tiffany Theme. Be sure not to miss out on this wonderful day and evening. One more new event being planned is the Bracketology Tournament. Cathy Kimmel has volunteered to be in charge of this exciting event, so sign up. It will surely be a blast. Golf S hop News Thank you to all of you for a very exciting 2014 – 2015 season in our Pro Shop, and welcome to the New Year. We are continuously working to bring to you the finest merchandise and selection available in the market. Always remember that items or sizes not found in our inventory could be special ordered. The fall season comes with lots of gold and earth tones, greys and purple. Spring colors are more vibrant in shades of pink, blue and red. We added Skechers, the official shoe of pro Matt Kuchar, to our golf shoe selection this Season!. Optimize your game like a pro wearing the Skechers Go Golf shoes. Lace up technical waterproof golf shoes with spike and spikeless sole options and Resalyte cushioning - the most comfortable shoes in the market! Callaway clothing and clubs are now available in the Pro Shop, along with the other major manufacturers: Ping, Taylor Made, Adams, and Titleist. A new excellent selection of putters is also in stock. Remember that gift wrapping is offered for gifts purchased in the Pro Shop. Once again, thank you so much for your support! Cheers to a great season! www.delaire.org January 2016 | 7 The Good Life Golf News Joe Jones, PGA Golf Professional JUMP TO YOUR SETUP One of the big culprits among golfers is messy feet. Many golfers don’t have good awareness of where their pressure points are in their feet at setup. In fact, many golfers struggle with getting into an athletic setup. Instead, they either have too much weight favoring the outside of their feet, or oftentimes, they’re too much in their heels or toes. Our feet are the secret to power. By feeling the ground with your feet, you can grip the turf and use that grip to coil over a stable lower body, which is key for lots of power. Here’s a simple way to get into that athletic setup with grounded feet, where you feel the turf at setup. STEP 1: Begin with a shoulder-width stance, club in hand. STEP 2: Jump with gusto! STEP 3: When you land, you should really feel the ground. You should have an athletic knee flex, and you should feel ready to rip it. From there, get into your golf setup with your club, and let her rip! Golf Rules Alan Tarter, FSGA Certified Rules Official In each of the following cases, a player has dropped the ball. In which case, if any, has the player proceeded correctly? 1. Player A, in taking relief from a paved cart path, dropped the ball within one club length from the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole. The dropped ball rolled nearer the hole than the previous point of relief, but not nearer to the hole than the original position of the ball. 2. Player B’s ball is in a lateral water hazard. In taking relief, he/she dropped a substituted ball nearer the hole than the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard, and the ball rolled into the prescribed area. 3. In taking relief from a paved cart path, Player C’s first drop struck the club used to mark the one-club length from the nearest point of relief. The second drop landed within the one-club area and rolled onto the cart Path. Player C then placed the ball as near as possible to the spot where the ball struck the course on the second drop. 4. In taking relief from a paved cart path, Player D’s first drop struck the club used to mark the one-club length from the nearest point of relief. The second drop landed within the one-club length area and rolled onto the cart path. The third drop landed within the one-club length area and rolled nearer the hole than the original position of the ball. Player D placed the ball as near as possible to the spot where the ball first struck the course on the third drop. Answers: Player A should have re-dropped Player B dropped in the wrong place Player C should have re-dropped (the first drop didn’t count) Player D is the only player who proceeded correctly (the first drop didn’t count). Players A, B and C each incur a loss-of-hole penalty in match play or a two-stroke penalty in stroke play for playing a ball that was not properly in play. 8 | Delaire Country Club www.delaire.org The Good Life Opening Gala www.delaire.org January 2016 | 9 The Good Life Holiday Fun for the Kids 10 | Delaire Country Club www.delaire.org The Good Life Happy New Year www.delaire.org January 2016 | 11 The Good Life Tennis Topics Lawrence Sagel, USPTA Tennis Professional The Tennis Wine and Cheese Mixer held Dec. 9th was a great success. There was plenty of tennis, cocktails and lots of fun for all participants. A few of the players are pictured here. TENNIS/GOLF COMBINATION TOURNAMENT The Winter Tennis date has been changed from Jan 22th to Jan 29th. The format will be a tennis/golf combination tournament. In order to play in the golf portion of the event, players must participate in the tennis tournament. However, a player can play in the tennis only if he/she chooses to do so. Tennis starts at 9 am and 9 holes of golf will begin at 2:30 pm. Awards will be presented following completion of the golf event. TOM GULLIKSON TENNIS EXHIBITION On Wednesday, Feb. 3th at 3:30 pm, Delaire Tennis will be hosting a double tennis exhibition match with former #4 doubles player in the world Tom Gullikson. Tom was the Davis Cup Captain from 1994-1999 leading the United States to a Davis Cup title in 1995. He coached Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, Todd Martin and Jennifer Capriati. Please note that this is an event for all Delaire members, not just for Delaire tennis players. During the event, there will be a Trunk Show featuring tennis, yoga and fitness vendors. Join us for a fun filled afternoon of tennis, socializing and refreshments. There will be plenty of seating for everyone. Rain date: February 4th at 3:30 pm LADIES INTER-CLUB PLAY SCHEDULE All matches will be at Delaire and begin at 10 am January 25th – Patch Reef February 1st – The Bridges February 12th – Newport Bay March 4th – Boca Woods Country Club March 11th – Boca Delray Country Club March 25th – Seasons Tennis Club TENNIS ACTIVITIES FOR ALL BEGINNERS AND PLAYERS WITH LIMITED EXPERIENCE Free Clinic • Friday, January 8th • 9:00 – 10:00am Come play in a fun non-competitive atmosphere. The format will be a mixer, with the staff arranging the games. You must sign up to participate. (Call 499-0771) Wednesday, January 20th • 9:00 – 10:00am 12 | Delaire Country Club Monday, February 8th • 9:00 – 10:00am www.delaire.org The Good Life JUNIOR TENNIS CLINICS In order to properly staff the Junior Tennis Clinics we would like to advise you of the following: 1. Anyone interested must pre-register your junior participants. 2. Commitments for extra staff are based on reservations. 3. Juniors that pre-register one week before the first clinic date will be charged $20.00 per day (only the days you pre-registered). 4. For those juniors not pre-registered, accommodations will be made if space is available. The cost is $25.00 per day. 5. The Board and Tennis Committee have approved the following: 48 Hour Cancellation Policy: Ifyou cancel within 48 hours of a clinic, a $20.00 fee will automatically be applied to yourmember charge. Pros are hired based on the number of people registered. 6. No children under the age of 5 years old will be permitted to attend the clinics. 7. A minimum of 4 players in each level is needed to have the clinic. 8. Proper tennis attire is required and tennis shoes for clay courts are a must. The dress code is at the discretion of the Tennis Director and Tennis Chairman. February 15th-19th: All levels • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Prize Day: February 16th and 18th • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Piñata Day: February 17th • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm TINY TOTS CLINIC Will be held February 15th and Feb 17th from • 10:30 – 11:00 am 4 year olds and first time 5 year olds. The cost is $14.00 per day ADULT CARDIO TENNIS WORKOUT February 15th-19th (Times to be arranged. Rate based on number of participants) FOR DETAILS VISIT OR CONTACT THE TENNIS PRO SHOP Tel: 561-499-0771 • E-mail: tennis@delaire.org PLAY FOR P.I.N.K. TENNIS TOURNAMENT Men’s and Ladies Mixer February 24th 3:00 pm Entry fee is $65.00. Includes Tennis, Prizes and Refreshments. www.delaire.org January 2016 | 13 The Good Life Delaire Members Care Mel and Elaine Finkelstein “Giving our children the world” — Alberto Carvalho, Superintendent, Miami-Dade County Public Schools That says it all for Mel and Elaine who started out by creating a scholarship program years ago — Subscriptions for Success — in New York. They have always believed that education is key to a child’s future and that giving a child a magazine can ignite a lifetime of learning. Teaming up with friends a few years ago, Mel joined a mentoring program at Omni Middle, a Title 1 school in Delray Beach. Understanding the role that magazines can play and the importance of “learning to read and reading to learn,” the Finkelsteins later established a partnership with National Geographic to deliver its Explorer Magazine to Title 1 elementary schools in Miami-Dade County. With the leadership of Joe Oglesby, former Editorial Editor at The Miami Herald, the program took off. It now is being used as an instructional tool in 22 Miami-Dade schools that repeatedly had failed the reading component of the state’s FCAT testing program. In March, the Finkelsteins received the Superintendent’s Award from Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho thanked them for establishing an effective reading program that engages and inspires young children. Superintendent Carvalho said, “Through your work, more than 11,500 magazines monthly have been utilized by students struggling with reading. The integration of teacher guides with coordinating lesson plans and activities has further enhanced the learning environment in these schools.” National Geographic publishes three editions of its Explorer magazine — Voyager, Pioneer and Pathfinder -- that are specifically designed for grades K-2, 3-4 and 5-6. Older children who struggle with reading also can benefit from the magazines. Instructors use the magazine as a teaching tool twice a week in the classroom, after which students are allowed to take it home and share with their families.The magazine comes with a teacher’s guide and a link to a National Geographic web site that offers teachers additional suggestions and ideas. This innovative approach to science, geography and environmental education is designed to improve reading skills and comprehension. It also opens student eyes to a world they might not otherwise be exposed to. The program is geared to the school-year calendar, providing each student seven issues of the magazine. Not content with the success in Miami-Dade, Mel and Elaine now are focused on bringing the program to Title 1 schools in Delray, Boca Raton and Boynton Beach. They already have identified some Delaire members who want to help and are looking for more. Mel and Elaine urge anyone interested in expanding the program to contact them at 561-496-0708. Janet Kaplan Janet Kaplan has helped provide new homes and a new life for well-deserving families throughout the area as a volunteer with the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. Her dedication, good heart and financial background have been instrumental in making dreams become a reality for qualified families in our area and throughout the country. Janet began almost twenty years ago after recognizing and actually meeting families who needed a place to live. She started with helping to construct homes from the ground up along with volunteers she met at these new home sites. Then she helped develop the local habitat ReStore... a building material thrift store and donation site. Through the years, these stores have popped up throughout the country and we are now fortunate to have three in our area: Delray Beach, Downtown Boca Raton and West Boca. All stores provide huge space to collect and sell donated items that are no longer needed but that will help make someone’s life begin anew! As you de-clutter your homes, don’t throw the items out... donate them to Habitat for Humanity for their ReStore! The interior and exterior items needed include furniture, working appliances, kitchen/bathroom cabinetry, clean toilets, clothes, kitchenware, and books, plus all building materials! Pretty much anything you have in your home that is in good working order, even your old golf clubs! The funds generated from the sale of the merchandise help finance the Habitat for Humanity homes built in our local area... with over 120 homes to date. Recipients are qualified, working families that are given a helping hand up - not a hand out! Whether at the stores, at the construction sites or behind the scenes, Janet donates her time and energy weekly to this most wonderful cause. If you would like to help at a store or construction site (no experience necessary, learn on the job as Janet did), donate unused items, or just make a visit to a store or a construction site to see how Habitat for Humanity does it wonderful work, please contact Janet, or call the HFH donation hotline at 561-455-4609 to have your items picked up at no charge. Delaire members are honored to know a special person like Janet Kaplan who has helped others through this great cause. 14 | Delaire Country Club www.delaire.org The Good Life G olf C our se Enhancemen t Projec t The details of this project include: 1. Greens – The greens on the Brown course will be built to USGA specification. The greens on the Blue and Orange courses are built to USGA specification, but will be renovated to ensure consistency of all 27 greens. 2. Cart Paths – Travis & Kipp have reviewed the cart paths and it is their recommendation to remove all of the asphalt and install concrete paths with a small rolled curbing at the tees and greens and/or native type paths. Most of the existing cart paths will be removed in the fairways. Travis & Kipp are also considering areas where cart paths could be moved so that they are hidden from view. Concrete is permanent while asphalt will require continuous maintenance. 3. Lakes – Most of the lakes will be dewatered, dredged and then refilled. The lake banks will be sloped to meet current Palm Beach County codes. Once the lakes are done, actions will be taken to ensure their continued maintenance. Those that attended the meeting heard from a lake maintenance expert and we intend to implement his recommendations. 4. Practice Facility – A major issue with the driving range is that there are not adequate hitting areas to allow proper healing of the grass on the hitting surface. Travis and Kipp have reconfigured the driving range to increase the hitting areas on each side from 9 spots to 14 spots. The width of the range will be less than previously proposed. The length of the range will increase on the East side by approximately 25 yards. There will be a practice fairway bunker on each end of the range. The existing short game area will move to the East of the present position to be out of reach of the East side of the driving range. Travis & Kipp are also considering placing a chipping green near the existing putting green. 5. Restrooms – The interior of the restrooms will be renovated. 6. Brown 1 & 2 – Last year’s plan proposed that Brown 1 become a par 5 and Brown 2 become a par 4. Travis eliminated this proposal because he needs this area for storage. The green of Brown 1 will move left and a rock wall will separate the green from an enlarged lake which will also greatly enhance the view upon exiting of the Club. 7. Brown 5 – The Lake on the right side of the fairway will be enlarged into the fairway. The green complex will move to the right as many golf balls are hit to the left of that green and end up out of bounds. 8. Brown 7 – Based on the input from the focus groups, the middle bunker will be removed. 9. Brown 9 – Last year’s plan called for the green complex to move 60 yards shorter and the tee boxes moved back. There was going to be a practice area behind the new greens complex. After several meetings with the City of Delray Beach tree official, it was determined that the cost would be prohibitive to remove all the trees presently there and transplant them to other parts of the course. This hole will remain unchanged with the addition of three fairway bunkers; one on the left and two on the right to frame out the hole from the tee box. 10. Blue 4 – The green complex will be moved left and the front bunker will be removed. This was done so we don’t have to be “in the office” on the right side. 11. Blue 5 – The right (Canal) side of the fairway will be elevated in keys areas with plantings. 12. Blue 9 – The greens complex will move to the left with a rock wall separating the water from the green. This will be a great look from the clubhouse dining room. 13. Orange 7 – The tee box area will be raised and the greens complex will move to the right thereby eliminating the need for a free drop area. A rock wall will separate the green from the water. This hole will become our signature hole. 14. Orange 8 & 9 – Both greens will be redesigned for more pin placements and a more reasonable playing surface. Based on feedback from Delaire members, the Board recently concluded that they will be phasing in the closings of our three golf courses, beginning in mid-March to Memorial Day. They will then re-open the 1st nine by midSeptember and phase-in the opening of the remaining two courses by early to mid-November. This will allow us to keep all three courses closed for no more than 4 months. Additionally a contract is in the process of being prepared and reviewed for a reciprocity arrangement between Delaire and Bocaire that is mutually beneficial to both clubs and their members during their specific renovation periods. Remember your ballots must be submitted by January 17, 2016! www.delaire.org January 2016 | 15 and Property Owners Association 4645 White Cedar Lane Delray Beach, Florida 33445 www.delaire.org THE GOOD LIFE