Community & Philanthropy

Though Roy Rogers never lived in Coconut Creek, he’s been so closely connected with the city that it’s almost like a second home. “My heart’s in Coconut Creek,” says the Lighthouse Point resident, 80. “I’m so proud of the Butterfly Capital of the Galaxy—not just the planet.” As a developer, his influence in South Florida

One of Coconut Creek’s most popular attractions, Tradewinds Park, draws visitors from all over Broward County. Parents take their children to ride model trains, teenagers go to play baseball and soccer, and tourists stroll through the gardens at Butterfly World, located within the park . But few people think of the 626-acre park as a

Retired Staff Sgt. Geovanny Arroyo spent five years in active duty with the U.S. Army, first with the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (part of the 82nd Airborne Division) and then in Iraq with the 124th Infantry. When he returned to Florida, he remained with the U.S. Army Reserves until 2012. For a few years after

A community tradition grows to support the police department Among the 5Ks and triathlons that Walter Jominy participates in—including an Ironman last year—there’s one race the North Creek Presbyterian Church elder would never miss: North Creek’s Explorer 5K Run/Walk. That’s because, beyond bringing the community together, it gives back to Coconut Creek by raising money

Miami Palmetto Senior High School’s 2016 graduates share how they got into the nation’s most selective schools In today’s competitive college admissions atmosphere, acceptance rates are declining as application numbers rise. The University of Florida accepts fewer than half its applicants, and admission rates at Ivy League and other ultra-selective schools are in the single

Lead photo by Luccia Photos Though Janell Bantz has been a member of the Women’s Club of Coconut Creek for two years, she has been involved with it since 1991, when she was 18 and moved to Coconut Creek from Michigan. Within two weeks of moving, she met the man who would become her husband,

Local moms and students led a campaign to help victims of the April 16 magnitude-7.8 earthquake in Ecuador. Initiated by Pinecrest residents Laura Munilla and Genny Verdezoto and Gabriela Zenoz, a student from Westminster Christian School, Miami Moms for Ecuador started as a network of mothers coordinating donation drives at 10 private schools in Pinecrest

Students from Palmetto Elementary School’s Class of 2009 reunite with the teacher who helped prepare them for the future By Julia Tesmond Few people expect to attend a fifth-grade reunion. Yet as I held the neatly folded pastel invitation while roaming the halls of Palmetto Elementary School, it felt right. The reunion had been organized

Kids Live and Learn at SOS Children’s Villages-Florida By Elyssa Schwartz At age 13, Juliana* received her first A on a school assignment. After earning Cs and Ds throughout elementary school, she was elated. A sixth grader at the time, the achievement came after just recently learning how to read. Thanks to her tutor and

North Broward Preparatory School Opens a Global Wellness Center Photos by Downtown Photos In September, North Broward Preparatory School announced the opening of its Global Wellness Center. The 39,691-square-foot building is designed to serve as a place for students to explore health, physical fitness, wellness and mindfulness approaches. “Over the past decade, we have all

Two Stoneman Douglas grads begin their pro baseball journey By Michelle F. Solomon They are the ultimate boys of summer—two 2016 graduates of Stoneman Douglas High School. Colton Welker and Jesus Luzardo were selected in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft in June—Welker by the Colorado Rockies and Luzardo by the Washington Nationals. Both 18 years

Pinecrest’s Youth Advisory Council members gain experience from community involvement By Michelle F. Solomon For Caitlyn Chong, learning about the positions and the people involved in running the Village of Pinecrest was one of the most impressionable lessons she took away from her two years with the city’s Youth Advisory Council. A recent Palmetto High