JUST KEEP SWIMMING
Wellington Master’s Swim Team Provides
Opportunity For Adults To Gather And Thrive

by Lenore Phillips

One of the perks of living in Florida is the ability to be outside and active all 12 months of the year. Activities range from lounging at the beach to being an athlete at any age. Many residents of Wellington are members of a local running club, cycling club, softball teams and volleyball teams. Another team that is lesser known, but equally thriving for adult participants is the Wellington Swim Club (WSC), home of the Wellington Marlins Master’s Swim Team. This team of swimmers of varying abilities and goals is representative of the power of fitness to create a strong community with outstanding opportunities.

The Wellington Master’s Swim team has been a part of the Wellington Aquatics Complex since 2015. The program was established as an affiliate of the United States Masters Swimming Association and is geared toward the adult swimmer. The Wellington Marlins are just one of hundreds of such programs across the United States, with two teams in Palm Beach County alone.

While the word “masters” may sound intimidating, it should not. Many of these groups, WSC included, offer introductory programs for adults who are learning to swim for the first time, as well as swimmers who have been competing at a high level from childhood. The program offers coached workouts six days a week from head coach Lina Bot, and an array of assistant coaches.

Over the years, the Wellington Swim Club has gone through several iterations. The Marlins team was organized in 2019 by coach Patrick Billingsley. With the motto “Show Up, Swim, Have Fun,” WSC built its community with a strong mixture of top competitive swimmers, triathletes, open water swimmers and non-swimmers looking for a way to expand their fitness horizons.

“I had been a swim and triathlon coach for the better part of a decade when I decided to start a master’s team in Wellington,” said Billingsley, now the team’s former head coach. “I knew that we had some very competitive swimmers in the area, and we had a top-notch facility at the Wellington Aquatics Complex, so I decided to establish a team and see what would happen.”

Almost immediately, it became a vibrant program. The team would practice from 5 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, and eventually added a weekend practice day, as well as lunchtime practices for those not interested in being up before the sun. The team continued its steady growth and morphed into a recognizable player in the local athletic community, as well as a force to be reckoned with on the state and national competitive scenes.

During the COVD-19 pandemic, the program was forced to hit the pause button. The swimmers stayed in touch with one another on a private Facebook group dedicated to the team and even shared exercise plans so that collectively, they could stay in shape until the pool could safely re-open.

Through hard work by the coaching staff and the strict safety measures put in place by the Village of Wellington and the management of the aquatics complex, swimmers were able to return to the pool deck in May 2020.

The strength of the return came as a surprise to many on the team as new faces emerged in their community. After the forced confinement due to the pandemic, many people were looking for a safe, outdoor activity that also allowed them to be around other people.

“Swimming is a unique sport because you are always competing against yourself first and your teammates second, but you also act as a team because you are working out closely with people who are similar in speed and stamina to you,” Billingsley said. “The camaraderie that emerges in a swim team is so special because everyone feels like they are struggling in training and succeeding in improving their fitness together. It creates a completely unique and very tight bond. The pandemic only strengthened that in our team. It was really uplifting, considering the stress everyone was experiencing at the time.”

Besides the changes as a result of the new normal created by the pandemic, there were also changes in the coaching staff. Billingsley decided to step back from the program so that he could focus more time on his growing family, and Bot took over the role as head coach. She has spent the better part of the last 16 years teaching the fundamentals of swimming to age group swimmers as part of the Wellington Aquatics Complex staff and has been teaching competitive swimming for the last two years. Assuming the role of head coach of the master’s program was a change of pace for her professionally but one that she was eager to grow into.

“I love being a part of the swimmers’ progress and helping them to reach their individual goals,” Bot said. “What drew me to working with the master’s team is how inclusive it is. The team acts as a family, and everyone is so positive in how they push one another. This support system is especially meaningful during COVID-19 times. It also makes coming to the pool deck every day very positive and inspiring.”

In 2021, the team is focused on expanding its membership to include more swimmers and returning to competition. Through Bot’s directive, the team has expanded the number of coached workouts and opportunities for competition in Florida. There is hope that with Olympic competition coverage set to begin this month, the triumphs in the pool on the international stage will inspire even more new swimmers to follow the team’s guiding principles of “Show Up, Swim, Have Fun!”

If you are interested in becoming involved with the Wellington Marlins Master’s Swim Team, visit www.wellingtonswimclub.com.

IT STARTS WITH A CONVERSATION
The Moorcroft Conservation Foundation
Is Bridging An Educational Gap In Wellington

Story and Photos By Georgie Hammond

When Charlie Moorcroft arrives home from his job as an equestrian trainer, his work for the day is not over. As he swings open the gate to his beautiful backyard, Moorcroft is greeted by the sounds of animals meowing, chirping, squealing and the low hum of temperature regulating lights. To visitors, the sight of the massive animal enclosures set upon his lush grass is enough to make your jaw drop, but for Moorcroft, it’s just another day of doing what he loves from the comfort of his home — all right in the heart of Wellington.

Moorcroft’s journey with animals began as a child, growing up riding at a local stable where he learned the ins and outs of taking care of and riding horses. Beyond horses, his innate interest in all animals was apparent from the start, often visiting local livestock shows as a child. He would pick out ducks, geese, pheasants, rabbits and other animals to keep at his neighbor’s farm, where he worked for them to live because of his mother’s “no-animals-in-the-house” policy. However, Moorcroft never imagined that his love for animals would one day be echoed across the world with the help of his own nonprofit organization, the Moorcroft Conservation Foundation.

“I have had animals on and off my entire life. But being in the equestrian industry, my job never let me be in one place long enough to really give them the life they deserve. In 2006, my business changed in a way that allowed me to move to Wellington full time, and so I was able to start slowly, adding more animals back into my life,” Moorcroft said. “Today, I have more than 16 species of turtles, tortoises, skunks, birds, maras, cats and rabbits, all in my backyard as a part of my own collection of exotic, critically endangered and protected species.”

Moorcroft’s wide array of animals that once only fulfilled his personal passion are now gaining even more importance under his care, serving as educational ambassadors for the Moorcroft Conservation Foundation.

Established in November 2020 with a mission of introducing children and adults to global conservation issues, the nonprofit organization is inspiring people, many of whom have had the pleasure of meeting Moorcroft’s animals, to make a difference and assist in raising funds to support collaborative organizations.

“We started the foundation just as a way to bring awareness and real-life experiences to people within and beyond our community here in Wellington,” Moorcroft said. “Our goal is really to bridge the gap between kids and education, and also bring funds to other organizations that we trust so that they can also provide opportunities for kids to be involved on a local, national and global level.”

As an extension of the foundation, Moorcroft’s diverse collection of animals provides people the opportunity to learn more about the meaning and importance of conservation through hands-on experiences and Moorcroft’s knowledge. Four large, outdoor enclosures, set within the confines of his spacious backyard, make for the perfect up-close encounter with larger animals, such as the cherry head red-footed tortoise, which loves to be fed bananas and hibiscus flowers.

In a temperature-regulated room off the house, Moorcroft keeps a variety of turtles and tortoises in environments that best suit their needs, and there’s even an incubation system for the eggs they lay. As children and adults interact with and hold each animal, Moorcroft rattles off his knowledge of the species, never missing a detail and keeping his audience engaged as they watch and learn from both the animals and Moorcroft.

“We really like when people come and visit, talk about the animals, meet them and talk about conservation. We want people to understand that these animals need our help,” Moorcroft said. “We work full time, and this is our home, so it’s not a public facility and there is no admission, but we do accept donations for the foundation and other organizations that we work closely with. But whenever possible, we love having people over to meet the animals and create conversation.”

Through Moorcroft and the foundation’s two other Wellington-based board members, Louise Serio and Holly Caristo, and Executive Director Geoff Teall, the Moorcroft Conservation Foundation has raised and donated funds to conservation organizations around the world, such as the TurtleRoom, the Cloud Foundation, Refuge des Tortues, the Equus Survival Trust, the Wolf Conservation Center and Florida Skunk Rescue, fulfilling the foundation’s mission on a global scale, while Moorcroft continues to love, care for and share his animals with those who visit his home.

“It all starts with a conversation. If you can’t talk about it, then you can’t do anything about it. So, my hope is to really just get the conversation started about conservation,” Moorcroft said. “Whether you come and meet my animals, or if you simply hear about us online, my wish is that it inspires you to dig deeper, do some research and see how you can help animals in your local community and beyond.”

To learn more about the Moorcroft Conservation Foundation, visit www.moorcroftconservationfoundation.org.

BUSINESS IS BLOOMING
Award-Winning Wellington Florist
Celebrates 30 Years In The Community

By M. Dennis Taylor

J.P. Varvarigos was born and raised in the floral business. As an adult, he runs Wellington Florist, recently voted the best florist in Palm Beach County. The third generation in the business, his grandfather was a florist in Queens, N.Y. His parents, Dean and Melinda Varvarigos, met as young adults in Fort Lauderdale while working for Buning the Florist. After their marriage, they ran their own shop for a decade before moving up to Palm Beach County.

The couple opened a small shop in Wellington 30 years ago, and Wellington Florist has since grown into a community institution.

“We moved to Wellington when there were still cows in open fields,” Melinda recalled. “When my husband came up to look at the property, he saw someone ride their horse up to the Burger King to get lunch.”

They were excited to learn more about the fledging community. “We knew immediately that this was where we wanted to be,” she said. “It has grown so much over the years.”

Melinda, who has earned the highest accreditation a florist can achieve from the American Institute of Floral Designers, is semi-retired nowadays and chooses to work only during very busy rush periods. Dean, one of the founders of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, passed away in 2017.

Yet that small floral business they established has continued to grow.

“We have doubled in size and volume about every five years,” said J.P. Varvarigos, who has been running the shop for the last decade. “Today, we have more square footage devoted to coolers than the entire size of that first shop.”

Those coolers hold the supplies of favorites and exotic flowers the shop has standing orders for each week, replenishing and maintaining an extensive and reliable inventory.

With meticulous care given to the reception and handling of the stable inventory, they also expect to accommodate large, last-minute orders and can fill them with incredibly short notice. What might take a smaller competitor days to source, Wellington Florist is likely to have in stock.

“We take the temperature of all the flowers when they are received to ensure they have not been mishandled and gotten hot, and we are known for rejecting and sending back any substandard flowers,” Varvarigos said. “Our vendors appreciate that we have standing orders all year round, so we get their best supplies first. They know they can’t get away with sending us anything but the best. In last year’s shortage of flowers, we were not even affected. The vendors supplied us first.”

Varvarigos said that the freshest inventory is handled by an expert staff with “can-do attitudes,” as the business offers great careers with a positive work/life balance — not just jobs to its 14 employees. “You get what you pay for. We ‘share the wealth’ so to speak, even for entry level positions… Our personnel are happy and not looking for something else. That equals retention,” he explained.

The thing that really sets Wellington Florist apart is its seven-day guarantee.

“There are no questions asked, no chiding that you must not have changed the water, or queries about how close to the sunlight the arrangement was placed. Just zero liability, never any buyer’s remorse,” Varvarigos said. “Even if they were surprised that they didn’t like the smell or the yellow wasn’t the shade they were expecting. The staff loves it because all they have to do is say, ‘We are sending a replacement.’ And it is a policy that is so worth it for customer and employee satisfaction.”

Nevertheless, the number of replacements going out represent just a tiny fraction of orders.

The business has always been active with charitable donations and supportive of area seniors. “We like to give back to the community with birthday arrangements and donations,” Varvarigos said.

The business has corporate standing orders for funeral homes, law firms, doctor’s offices and well-heeled, sometimes celebrity clients. It takes a special pride in every floral arrangement the designers create. “Every arrangement — even a standard order — has a premium flower in it that sets it off,” Varvarigos said.

Varvarigos added that now that the pandemic has waned, he expects to be doing many events that were canceled last year. “We took the time to completely revamp our web presence and to upgrade our storefront online,” he said. “We try to have a huge selection of up to 200 products available online for same day delivery.”

The excellent products, reliable service and unswerving dedication to customer satisfaction all blend to explain why Wellington Florist recently earned the business of the year award in the floral niche by the readers of the Palm Beach Post. “We are constantly sourcing flowers, getting better all the time,” Varvarigos said.

With future plans to expand the size of the facility, Varvarigos is also working to get a liquor license so their arrangements can include a bottle of champagne.

Wellington Florist is located at 13889 Wellington Trace in the Wellington Marketplace shopping plaza. For more info., call (561) 333-4441 or visit www.wellingtonflorist.com.

A PAINTING WITH A HEART
Local Artist Nancy Tilles Honors
Beloved Heart Surgeon With Commissioned Portrait

The late Dr. Malcolm Dorman, a beloved cardiac surgeon, was honored last month at a special reception at JFK Medical Center in Atlantis. Local artist Nancy Tilles was commissioned to paint a portrait of Dorman, which was unveiled at the event on June 15.

Dorman was a world-renowned heart surgeon, adored by his peers and patients alike. As the medical director of cardiac surgery, he founded and directed the Valvular Heart Institute at JFK Medical Center. He was known for his research and pioneering work in repairing mitral valves using minimally invasive techniques.

Besides his innovative techniques and educational dedication, Dorman also was recognized for his compassion for his patients and earned numerous awards and accolades over the years. Dorman considered the Patient’s Choice Awards in 2012, 2013 and 2014, as well as the Compassionate Doctor Recognition Award in 2013 and 2014, to be among his greatest achievements.

Dorman, who passed away March 26, was dedicated to ensuring that his patients received the best care possible, often staying in a patient’s room long after performing an exhausting surgery, in case he was needed. Despite his incredible talent for saving lives, he remained a humble man who said that it was God who used his hands to work medical miracles.

Tilles, a longtime member of the Wellington Art Society, presented her commissioned oil painting of Dorman at the June reception hosted by the hospital. “I enjoyed painting Dr. Dorman,” she said. “His kind spirit is what I most wanted to capture.”

Tilles took care to present Dorman in a way that showed his unique personality.

“The original picture I received was a group shot taken in an operating room with the large industrial lights behind them,” Tilles said. “The photograph was chosen by his coworkers for the way it highlighted his personality. I isolated him and painted a light blue background reminiscent of the sky with hints of gold to create glow. I am honored that the painting will hang at the cardiac wing of the hospital.”

Tilles is known for her oils and portraits, which hang in public and private collections throughout the country. She exhibits her work in nationally recognized art shows across Florida. Along with her portrait work, Tilles has created bodies of work representing flowers, underwater scenes and tropical art in mural-sized triptychs.

“I learned how to draw and paint by watching my father sketch,” she said. “I have always had a need to create a likeness of a person at their best. Besides painting people, I am presently deciphering patterns in nature and playing with the idea of how we see human form in so many different subjects.”

Tilles is presently teaching painting to adults at Easel Art Supply and will be teaching at the City of Palm Beach Gardens in the future. She is passionate about sharing her love of painting.

Tilles is also an active member of the Wellington Art Society, whose members consist of dedicated professional artists, up and coming artists, art lovers and supporters. The nonprofit charitable organization is open to artists of all mediums and patrons of the arts, allowing both local and regional artists to display their artwork in local galleries, interact with other artists and serve the community through their art.

Learn more about Nancy Tilles at www.nancytilles.com. For more information on the Wellington Art Society, visit www.wellingtonartsociety.org.

Working With HomeSafe, Verdex Construction Is Helping Build A Better Community

When the nonprofit HomeSafe recently celebrated its new facility, Verdex Construction — the general contractor overseeing the Sylvester Family West Campus — did more than just show up to cut the ribbon and make sure the lights worked. The company presented a check for more than $125,000 back to the local charity.

Now in its seventh year of business, Verdex Construction considers the role it plays in supporting the community one of its core values.

“I’ve been involved in HomeSafe a long time, so everybody in the company knows I’m pretty passionate about the organization and what they do,” explained Wellington resident Rex Kirby Jr., founder and president of Verdex. “I insisted that it be a competitive bid. It wasn’t about making a profit for us, so we discussed ways we could cut costs from the beginning.”

HomeSafe protects the community’s most vulnerable residents — victims of child abuse and domestic violence. The new campus, located on Lyons Road just east of Wellington, was dedicated at a ceremony on April 6 and provides a safe home for 12 children.

“This donation from Verdex will help fund significant upgrades that we have planned for our Lake Worth and Boca Raton campuses,” HomeSafe CEO Matt Ladika said. “Our goal is for each client to have their own room, so major renovations will be made to the layout and square footage of our existing group homes. This next year and a half will truly be a transformative time for the agency.”

Kirby and Verdex employed a number of methods to save money on the Lyons Road project, which led to the large donation to HomeSafe.

One such method for saving money after the project began was as simple as painting the fence. They worked with painters to donate the equipment, and Verdex purchased the paint.

“It saved thousands of dollars. Staff volunteered their time to do it on the weekend. We made it a fun event and bought shirts that said, ‘Volunteers for HomeSafe.’ We had a huge turnout; probably 30 of us out there painting and helping,” Kirby recalled. “We wanted to make sure that HomeSafe was aware that we really weren’t interested in this being a profiteering job, so we decided to donate the profits.”

Verdex also applied savings from subcontractors and vendors, like MR Drywall Services, to the cost savings throughout the building process without cutting back on the quality of work. All the small decisions and man hours put into finding these savings added up to more than just a check to refill HomeSafe’s coffers. Giving back is more than just part of the company culture.

“We are definitely involved in other things in the community. We’ve had a group that gave their time to Habitat for Humanity. We have given time and money to the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County. We try to give back to the communities we work in,” Kirby said.

He put together a list of core values before launching the company. One of those pillars is, “We value our communities.”

A Florida native, Kirby is very proud of the growth and quality of the people and projects that Verdex Construction is involved with. Kirby has worked in the industry for 40 years and brought more than just experience to his new company.

“Honestly, after working and growing other companies, being able to start my own company makes me proud. When I started Verdex, it was more than a tagline of ‘Building Something Better.’ I wanted to build a better company throughout,” Kirby explained. “We’ll grow again this year. It is consistent growth because we don’t just grab bodies to fill a slot. We are very particular about the people we bring on board and build the company around people who fit that culture.”

Taking care to adapt intelligently during a pandemic has also been an important part of Verdex’s success.

“We were incredibly fortunate that construction was deemed an essential business, and we incorporated a lot of different practices to make sure we didn’t take it for granted,” Kirby said.

From temperature checks and mandatory face masks to increased wash stations and distancing as feasible, Verdex continued to operate as safely as possible.

“We quit having packed meetings and became very good at Zoom,” he said. “We spent money on enhanced video equipment and project management software, and we accommodated those who wanted or needed to work from home.”

Keeping a solid reputation with both clients and subcontractors is pivotal to Kirby’s success.

“We have a group of subcontractors and design professionals working with us, and we approach it as at the end of the day, it’s our job to make sure everybody is successful,” Kirby said. “We are not successful at someone else’s expense, and we approach the business that way. Some simple principles we put in place since the beginning — like we pay our subcontractors promptly and treat them with respect — then you get a good following and the better pricing because they know you are going to do business the right way.”

Verdex Construction works on a variety of projects, including multi-family housing and hotels to government buildings. Some recent projects include the Town Southern luxury apartments in Royal Palm Beach and the Canopy Hotel in West Palm Beach.

“We won our first Palm Beach County school; a remodel/update for Banyan Creek Elementary,” Kirby said. “And we won a Palm Beach County project for the mosquito control compound. We have a lot of projects from Miami and Fort Lauderdale, up to this area, and over to Tampa as well.”

Despite finding success, new challenges remain.

“Right now, the market is booming, but it is one of those plus-minus things. Material costs are also soaring,” Kirby said. “We have an incredible amount of opportunity on our plate, but we are spending a lot of time navigating through the material increases and working with our clients to keep these projects within a budget they can afford.”

To learn more about Verdex Construction, visit www.verdex.com or call (561) 440-1600. For more information about HomeSafe, visit www.helphomesafe.org.

A Tribute to Mason Phelps Honoring The Life Of  An Innovative Leader

By Lenore Rees Phillips

They say it is difficult to shop for the person who has everything. This aptly relates the sentiment one feels when composing a tribute to a man of as many words and lives as Mason Phelps Jr. As an athlete, philanthropist, entrepreneur, businessman, event manager and personality, Mason was never singularly defined by one role he played.

After his untimely passing in May, social media was flooded with tributes bearing one thing in common — how profound and unique they are to the individual and their relationship with Mason. After spending hours lost in the scrolling recounts of days gone by, it is clear that Mason curated his life to be involved in things that he was passionate about and people he found interesting. The culmination of those curiosities was a life fully lived and one that will not be easily forgotten.

As a young man, Mason Phelps was captivated by horses, and that fascination, combined with a competitive streak, led him to earn international-level acclaim as an equestrian athlete. At just 16, Mason took part in his first United States Equestrian Team (USET) clinic. By 1968, he was named to the equestrian team that was representing the United States at the Mexico City Olympics, and the same year he was Rider of the Year of the U.S. Combined Training Association. While still in his 20s, Mason expanded his horizons from eventing, into the hunter and jumper disciplines.

Never one to shy away from an event, Mason easily combined sport and social interests to create one-of-a-kind horse shows. Early in his career, Mason founded and produced the AA Rated Christmas Show in San Antonio, Texas. Later, he raised the bar on his ability to curate something truly world class and created the International Jumping Derby that took place in Newport, Rhode Island. He is also widely recognized for creating the New England Horsemen’s Association Hunt Seat Medal, among other signature classes and charity events held across the United States.

The event that captivated Mason’s interest the longest and for which he is most well-known is the National Horse Show. He held the role of president for a decade and later chairman of the board of directors of the National Horse Show and worked tirelessly to make sure that the historic horse show survived a transition from Madison Square Garden in New York City to Wellington, with the legendary Gene Mische, and eventually helping it find a permanent home at the Kentucky Horse Park. Mason deeply respected the event for its place in the cultural heritage of equestrian sports in the United States and campaigned to ensure the event retained that heritage while also having it evolve to meet the ever-growing demands of modern equestrian sport on a global stage.

All of the work Mason did around the horse shows and around the world also helped him to amass a list of connections that rivaled even the most-worldly professionals. Never one to let an opportunity go by, Mason decided to harness the power of his connections and use them to the advantage of the projects that he was personally involved with. This led to his flagship professional enterprise, Phelps Media Group. Founded in 2002 in Wellington, Phelps Media Group immediately became a pioneer in equestrian marketing and the go-to company to produce and manage high-profile events. Based on the success of the business, Mason was named to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce President’s Circle for “building America’s most progressive and successful equestrian public relations firm.” With the resources being built through Phelps Media Group, Mason helped organize many successful sporting events, nonprofit fundraisers and unforgettable social experiences.

Aside from his professional persona, Mason was larger than life. He was always the life of a party, and if there was no party, then he would make sure that one was put together in short order. He was fiercely loyal to his friends and always had many friends that he had known for many years, no matter where he roamed. In his later years, Mason found the most comfort at his retreat on the Canadian side of Michigan, Campement d’Ours. While he would never miss a winter season in Wellington and the chance to be social with the scene that molded him, he craved the time he spent on the water in Canada, in an arguably simpler life.

Although the stories about Mason and his triumphs abound, his legacy will ultimately be defined by the people whose lives he changed by simply giving them a chance to succeed. His uncanny ability to see the best in people, encouraging their strengths while carefully adapting their weakness, led him to be the launch point for many who now have prominent careers in the equestrian industry and beyond.

When considering his legacy at the time of his passing, the following words seem to resonate the most — a provocative innovator whose tenacity of spirit and vivacious personality will live on in the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to be in his orbit.

Merger Of Central And Hispanic Chambers Creates Cross-Cultural Countywide Organization

By M. Dennis Taylor

The economic challenges over the past year have left many organizations shifting their missions and goals, often evolving into something new. In some instances, they are reimagining their purpose and developing a new brand for themselves.

Diversity and inclusion are key objectives for business organizations in recent years. That’s why two of Palm Beach County’s most successful business organizations chose the current era of unprecedented changes as the perfect time for a merger. The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County have been reformed into a single organization. Since completing the merger last October, the new entity has held a number of virtual events. It will host its first in-person meetings this August.

“We have succeeded in aligning two organizations with similar objectives,” explained Mary Lou Bedford, CEO of the Central Palm Beach County Chamber, which is based in Wellington. “We are really excited to now serve a broader and more diverse group of some 600 businesses and growing all throughout Palm Beach County.”

Former Hispanic Chamber CEO Maria Antuña is now the executive vice president of the Central Palm Beach County Chamber. She will focus on business development and Hispanic affairs, facilitating meetings to allow members to maximize the benefits of the united chamber.

The four-decade-old Central Palm Beach County Chamber traditionally focused on the geographical region, but the merger makes the new organization truly county wide.

“We were already overlapping, but now we mesh as a single organization that creates a further synergy — a perfect storm of resources, current and future — of what were two separate groups before,” Antuña said. “With 30 percent of Palm Beach County of Hispanic background, now is the time to join the group which has even stronger opportunities.”

Antuña believes the merger is a win-win for both organizations.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a trend around the nation for chambers to become more innovative and sustainable by aligning with other chambers and business organizations,” she explained. “Strategically, this agreement makes sense and will bring more success to our membership.”

Antuña added that the chamber has been working closely as its member businesses deal with the problems brought by the pandemic.

“The chamber has earned and has already been operating a COVID-19 Technical Assistance Center from a MBDA [Minority Business Development Agency] CARES Act grant project,” she said. “It is a year-long partnership to help current and future Hispanic and minority owned business members navigate this economic crisis with leadership from the chamber.”

The united chamber serves members throughout the county with a goal to continuously improve the business climate and safeguard the economy by facilitating and assisting business expansion and increasing opportunities for growth of high wage jobs. As things continue to slowly return to normal, programs focused on advocacy, economic development, events and direct services to members will expand.

Along with small and medium business enterprises in the geographic and Hispanic culture area, the united chamber’s focus will be on the top employer sectors, including agribusiness, healthcare, equestrian, IT/telecommunications, business/financial services, manufacturing and aerospace/aviation/engineering in bilingual and bicultural marketing.

Bedford explained that the reasons to join the chamber remain as true now as ever: business growth, networking, advocacy, leadership opportunities, market-wide credibility, community awareness, visibility, corporate responsibility, economic sustainability, professional development, and now in multiple languages and cultures.

“The virtual luncheon discussions will continue and change to in-person over time,” Bedford said.

Bedford added that the in-person workshop this summer will be a perfect opportunity for so many members to meet other members they don’t yet know.

“It is the perfect opportunity for existing and new members to reach out in the hybrid organization with economic workshop activities on useful and interesting topics,” she said.

Other initiatives are on the horizon as well.

“By the third quarter of 2021, we will be hosting our business academy,” Bedford explained, highlighting the many resources of the combined organization. “Now we have grown to be truly county wide. Members will have more influence than ever.”

Contact the newly combined chamber at (561) 790-6200 or info@cpbchamber.com. Find the chamber on social media @cpbchamber on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or visit www.cpbchamber.com.

Wellington’s Missy Clark Helps Philadelphia’s Urban Riding Academy Keep Horses Cemented In The City

For Wellington residents, the equestrian world seems like a way of life. Even if you are not a rider yourself, it is interlaced as a part of the community — seeing riders cross the road or gallop along a canal can be a daily occurrence. Where you would not expect to see a horse riding along the roads would be a busy city like Philadelphia. However, Netflix’s new film, Concrete Cowboy, starring Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin, has showcased a part of Philadelphia that few people knew existed, telling the story of the Black urban cowboys in the city.

The urban Black cowboy has been living throughout neighborhoods in Philadelphia for more than 100 years. From the early 1900s through the late 1950s, horse-drawn wagons delivered ice, milk and other produce to city residents. Horses were no stranger to Philadelphia streets. Eventually, modern vehicles replaced those delivery routes, but the urban Black cowboy still remained.

Fletcher Street Stable was one of the first urban stables and was one of the last standing homes of the urban Black cowboy. Like others preceding it, Fletcher Street held those similar values: family, friends and horsemanship. Over the years, generations of urban youth wandered into the barn, learning how to responsibly care for horses and how to ride. They became a part of an environment that gave them refuge from the more troublesome areas of the city.

Due to gentrification, many of the stables that once made up the community of Black cowboys in Philadelphia are now gone.

In 2019, the producers and directors of Concrete Cowboy partnered with the late Eric Miller and the riders of Fletcher Street to form the Philadelphia Urban Riding Academy (PURA) and preserve the life, legacy and culture of Black urban cowboys in Philadelphia.

Recently, PURA found an ally from Wellington’s own community — Missy Clark of North Run. One of the leading show jumping and equitation trainers in the country, Clark has been a longtime resident of Wellington, competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival most of her life. In June 2020, Clark learned about PURA’s executive director, the “Concrete Cowgirl” Erin Brown, through Instagram and wanted to support PURA’s mission.

“I sent Erin an e-mail and we connected with a phone call,” Clark recalled. “We probably talked for an hour and a half during that initial phone call. She was someone I really connected with, and I think she connected with me, and then it went on from there. I told her my idea about ‘Concrete to Show Jumping,’ hoping to encourage other professionals in our sport of show jumping to reach out and form alliances with organizations of their own.”

With a mission to open doors to diversified worlds within the horse industry, Concrete to Show Jumping aims to open the eyes, minds and hearts of equestrians by participating in new experiences, forming new alliances and building friendships with equestrians from diverse backgrounds.

The first initiative for Concrete to Show Jumping is to find a permanent home for PURA and all of the programs it includes. Together, they have launched the “Fresh Start for Philly Youth” fundraising campaign through GoFundMe. The campaign’s goal is to raise money for its new facility in the Cobbs Creek section of Philadelphia that will provide a unique, safe space for children, teens and adults to experience horses up close and personal.

“When I looked at the property, I fell in love,” Brown said. “I knew in my heart that this was the place. It’s perfect because although it’s backed into Cobbs Creek Park, it is also right across the street from a residential location. So, you are in the city, and then you cross the street, and you are in the park. It’s a gorgeous place. Once it is a barn, it is going to be absolutely amazing.”

The “Fresh Start for Philly Youth” fundraiser has the goal of raising $2,000,000 for PURA’s new permanent facility. This home will provide stabling for 20 to 25 horses, paddocks and a covered arena, as well as recreational space for other youth and veteran programs. With the help of the entire equestrian community, PURA and Concrete to Show Jumping believe that this goal is attainable. Every dollar raised will be put toward the facility, and the horses and students that will call it home. PURA currently supports multiple programs, including a 4-H Club, Cowboys Against Crime and the Junior Concrete to Cowboy and Cowgirls, which includes horsemanship and riding lessons for the urban youth of Philadelphia.

“If your child wants to learn how to ride but you can’t afford it, there will be a program for that,” Brown explained. “There will be recreational programs for those who just want to be around horses. This new facility will provide a safe environment for everyone in the community to be able to enjoy.”

Clark hopes that her fellow equestrians here in Wellington chip in their support.

“Horses are something that touched all of our lives in such a special way,” she said. “It’s important to continue that legacy and bring it to people who would not otherwise have the access to horses in their community.”

As a nonprofit organization, PURA is now collecting donations for the “Fresh Start for Philly Youth” initiative, creating a new facility that will provide a space unlike any other for children, teens and adults to experience horses up close and personal.

For more information, or to become a part of Fresh Start for Philly Youth, visit www.thepura.org.