Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor Michael J. Fox will open the 23rd season of the Florida Forum speaker series.
The series is produced by The Women’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital and benefits the Pediatric Surgery Center of Distinction.
On Oct. 13, Fox will discuss his television and film career, and how being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 29 changed his outlook on life.
The following month, on Nov. 12, political couple James Carville and Mary Matalin will give a post-midterm election analysis plus an insider’s look at Washington politics.
The season ends Feb. 10 with former National Security Agency Director Gen. Keith Alexander and former FBI Director Robert Mueller. They will share their perspectives on national and cybersecurity and the impact on the nation.
Tickets are available in various subscription packages. For more information, visit thefloridaforum.com or call (904) 202-2886.
$47,000 raised for Monique Burr Foundation
Hawaiian fusion cuisine by celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi, tropical drinks and live entertainment from Colleen Orender set the scene at the Monique Burr Foundation for Children’s annual “A Night at Roy’s” event in support of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The event raised $47,000, including a $20,000 donation from the Tabitha and Jim Furyk Foundation, to support the foundation’s Child Safety Matters program.
“We are overwhelmed by the turnout from this year’s event,” said Lynn Layton, executive director of the Monique Burr Foundation. “Education is key and we feel so blessed to have the community support us in our initiatives to bring awareness about bullying and abuse to parents, children and school personnel.”
Sponsors included 2nd Floor Marketing, Clockwork Marketing, Florida Lottery, Glenn Layton Homes, GreenPointe Holdings, Hampton Golf, Lee Printing, Pepsi, PRI Productions, Roy’s Restaurant, Southern Wine & Spirits, Sunbelt Rentals and Waste Management.
More information about child abuse statistics and prevention education can be found at moniqueburrfoundation.org.
Family Support Services hosts open house at Southbank office
Family Support Services of North Florida hosted an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony May 22 at its new headquarters in Jacksonville’s Southbank area. The group is the lead agency for foster care, adoption and family preservation in Duval and Nassau counties.
The agency relocated its offices to 1300 Riverplace Blvd. in early April, consolidating staff from several office buildings in the St. Nicholas area into one location. The new office also provides proximity to the Duval County Courthouse, a benefit for staff participating in hearings for their clients in child welfare.
The staff of 120 occupies 30,000 square feet in Riverplace South, commonly recognized as the AvMed building.
Bankers help fund $5,000 dreams
Ten Floridians will each have a $5,000 dream fulfilled this summer through the Florida Bankers Association’s “Bank On My Dream” contest, and the public is invited to help select the winners.
The first phase of the contest launched April 17, when Florida nonprofit organizations were invited to nominate individuals with a dream that could be realized with a $5,000 prize.
The second phase of the contest is underway, when the public is invited to vote for their favorite entries. Voting will end at 11:59 p.m. June 20. Winners will be announced in July and August, based on the quality of the nomination and the level of public support.
To qualify for consideration, the dream had to be largely attainable with the $5,000 cash prize.
To view the entries and vote for your favorites, visit BankOnMyDream.com. Following the voting period, a panel of judges will select two winners per week.
Meninak offering $30,000 grant
The Meninak Club of Jacksonville is accepting applications for its annual Charity Project Award. The $30,000 grant will be awarded to an area charity that serves underprivileged or handicapped children and must be used for capital improvements.
The deadline for submitting an application is July 15. The winner will be announced on Sept. 29.
More than $1 million has been distributed to charity organizations through member donations to the Meninak Charity Foundation.
Past recipients include St. Gerard Campus, St. Augustine Youth Services, Girls Incorporated, Haven Horse Ranch, Youth Crisis Center, Safe Harbor Home for Boys, Baptist Home for
Children, Pace Center for Girls and Boys & Girls Clubs of Jacksonville.
For application requirements and more details, call Catherine Hill at (904) 745-3393 or email [email protected].
Zoo Walk for HEAL a success
On April 27, more than 1,400 participants went to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in support of the HEAL Zoo Walk for Autism. The walk raised nearly $60,000 for the Northeast Florida Autism community.
The Nimnicht Family of Dealerships sponsored the HEAL after-party and CSX made it possible for participants to enjoy free train rides throughout the day.
The top three fundraising teams were able to designate a total of $1,000 to their favorite school or organization. The first-place team, Primerica Meyer Maniacs, designated $500 for the Arrowsmith Program at Providence School; the second-place team, Cameron’s Heroes for Autism, designated $350 for Westview Elementary School; and the third- place team, Autisticly Awesome, designated $150 for Loretto Elementary School.
Great Strides Rehab was the top school and won an iPad to use in its classrooms.
Proceeds from the HEAL Zoo Walk will benefit local children, teens and adults with autism. Twenty summer camps and programs have received grants that will serve more than 300 people with Autism in our community:
Day Center volunteers to clean up Downtown
Jacksonville Day Resource Center in conjunction with the Neilson Group will host a “Day of Service” on June 12.
As part of Neilson’s annual “Global Day of Impact,” 75 volunteers from the corporate community and partnering agencies and at least 75 of the center’s homeless volunteers will work together and give back by cleaning up and greening up selected areas of Downtown. Volunteer activities will include pulling weeds, planting flowers and picking up trash.
“When a vision and plan that include diverse collaboration is executed, great things will be accomplished. The purpose of the Day of Service is to convey to the community and particularly the downtown business owners that our homeless clients are not just takers, but they are also willing to roll up their sleeves, partner with the business community and give back.” said Tillis Q. DeVaughn, the center’s program director.
The Jacksonville Day Resource Center is at 221 W. Union St. More information can be found at jacksonvilledayresourcecenter.org.