World-renowned golfers and local teams raised more than $160,000 at the 19th annual Monique Burr Foundation for Children Inc. golf tournament.
Played at the Palencia Club, the tournament featured golf pros alongside Northeast Florida golfers.
“Golfers, sponsors, participants and volunteers all came together to make this tournament a success,” said Executive Director Lynn Layton. “Their dedication to promote MBF Child Safety Matters, an educational program designed to prevent bullying and child abuse throughout Florida, is meaningful.”
Formerly known as the Jinglebells Pro Am, the event was presented by AT&T and was rebranded the Monique Burr Foundation for Children Champions for Child Safety Pro Am.
Since the tournament began, it has raised more than $3 million for the foundation.
Women’s Center gets $500,000 challenge from Delores Barr Weaver
The Women’s Center of Jacksonville in 2015 will celebrate 20 years of improving the lives of women.
In recognition of the milestone, Delores Barr Weaver is providing a challenge gift of $500,000 to be used as a one-to-one match for operating funds raised over the next four years.
The gift is from the Delores Barr Weaver Fund at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida.
Funds raised will ensure the Women’s Center maintains its commitment to providing programs, services and resources for women and their families.
“Before the founding of the Women’s Center, women and girls in Jacksonville, especially those of limited financial means, had inadequate resources to deal with issues such as mental health, sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, parenting concerns, returning to the community after imprisonment, surviving breast cancer, and adult literacy,” said Shirley Webb, founder and executive director of the Women’s Center.
Weaver praised the nonprofit for the role it plays in the community.
“One must ask, ‘Where would these women be without the Women’s Center?’ I don’t even want to think about it,” Weaver said.
On Oct. 1, the Women’s Center assumed responsibility for all sexual assault forensic exams in Duval, Nassau and Baker counties.
Although the Rape Recovery Team has provided advocates for victims for 17 years, the expansion of services enables the survivor, the nurse-examiner and the advocate to work together during the time of crisis and provide access to immediate follow-up case management.
The Women’s Center remains committed to be a place where women who have been sexually assaulted find solace and advocacy; women struggling with breast cancer find hope; women laboring to read and write find tutors; girls troubled with the insecurities of adolescence find confidence; women ex-offenders explore new paths to finding employment; and women can access no cost or flexible fee mental health counseling.
Rotarians sponsoring high school scholarships
The Rotary Club of South Jacksonville is conducting an Oratory Competition among 46 local high schools.
Through a series of speech contests, regional winners and finalists will compete for at least a total of $10,000 in college scholarship funds with the winner earning a $4,000 scholarship.
Each school will hold its own competition to determine a representative who will then participate in regional contests.
Regionals will be held the week of Jan. 19.
Those winners will compete in the finals Feb. 12.
121 Financial Credit Union has joined with the Southside Rotary Club to serve as the title sponsor for the event.
According to Southside Rotary’s project Chairman Doug Matthews, 27 high schools have so far signed on for this year’s competition.
Seniors who are interested in competing should contact their principal to see if their school is participating.
The Southside club is accepting donations for the competition. Additional funds will be used to increase scholarship amounts, offer more scholarships or create an endowment for future scholarships.
To donate toward scholarships, visit GoFundMe.com/gt3tm8.
For more information on the Rotary project or to be involved in the competition, email [email protected].
Holiday party to benefit BEAM
Deck The Chairs kicks into high gear with “Holiday Celebration: Night of Music & Dance” at 5:30 p.m. Sunday. More than 30 decorated lifeguard chairs, including the 23-foot tall DTC Tree, will be on display in downtown Jacksonville Beach.
The celebration will feature a holiday dance performance by Nancy Dance Studio; string quintets from the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra; hand bell choirs and choirs from area churches; choruses from Fletcher High School and Middle School; and a visit by Santa
Claus.
Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to fill the gifting buckets for Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry. Stocking stuffers, refreshments and holiday treats will be available for purchase at the event, as well as every weekend during the month of December.
Memorial service for homeless Dec. 19
In conjunction with National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, the Emergency Services & Homeless Coalition of Northeast Florida will host a candlelight vigil at 11 a.m. Dec. 19 at the Salvation Army Chapel, 15 E. Church St. The event is free and open to the public.
The ceremony will include remarks from local homeless advocates, readings from poets, prayers, performances by Jacksonville-based artists and a candlelight vigil with the reading of the names of those who have died homeless in the area this past year.
All homeless persons who are known to have passed away will be remembered.
Since 1990, the National Coalition for the Homeless has sponsored National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day on the first day of winter to bring attention to the issue of homelessness and to remember homeless citizens who have died.
In 2013, more than 180 cities in 44 states and the District of Columbia participated in the 24th Annual National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day.
Stein Mart to host holiday party for Dreams Come True
Stein Mart will again be spreading joy during the holiday season by hosting its “18 Kids of Christmas” party for children of Dreams Come True and their families.
Dreamers and their families will have the opportunity to tour emergency vehicles of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue, along with a visit from Santa Claus who will hand out gifts.
After that, each child will be escorted to a Stein Mart for a “holiday shopping adventure.”
This year’s party is 9-11 a.m. Thursday and starts at Veterans Memorial Arena.
Dreams Come True was founded in 1984 and has helped children battling life-threatening illnesses realize a dream. Since being founded, 3,100 children in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia have been assisted.
J.P. Hall Children’s Charities event next week
For the 33rd consecutive year, the J.P Hall Children’s Charities will host its Christmas party to benefit underprivileged children in Clay County.
Since the event started, more than 44,000 Clay County children have enjoyed a Christmas.
The organization provides a bag of new toys based on age and gender to children up to age 14.
This year’s event will be 8 a.m.-noon Dec. 20 at the Clay County Fairgrounds, 2497 Florida 16 W. in Green Cove Springs. Lines are expected to be long, but everyone in line before the gates close at noon will receive a gift.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Pre-registration is not required, but proof of residency through a utility bill, child’s report card or driver’s license is.
For more information, visit jphallcharities.com or call (904) 860-8739.