Good news…lord knows we need some.
How About The Eagles!
The Atlantic High Football team had a great season. Coach TJ Jackson, his staff and the players should be proud of their accomplishments. And we should be proud of the team.
Boosters such as Lee Cohen and Ryan Boylston also deserve a round of applause for their commitment to the team and its players. It takes a village and Lee and Ryan get that. They are building a special program at Atlantic.
A Smile Is a Gift
Have you heard about the great work that Spodak Dental is doing with Marlins superstar Giancarlo Stanton?
Well, it’s astonishing. The duo have teamed up to provide dental services to needy kids, restoring their smiles and their confidence and in many cases alleviating painful conditions.
Craig Spodak is a true leader. His community efforts, understanding of what it takes to build a sustainable city and his belief in Delray is a model for young entrepreneurs. The investment he made in a green building west of 95 ought to be celebrated. We’ve seen big investments downtown but out west? Wow!
It Takes A Village Part II
I had a chance to have lunch with Mark Sauer and Leo Ressa of Delray Students First last week. The nonprofit provides mentoring and tutoring services to our neediest kids.
Mark and Leo are smart retired business executives with tons of smarts, heart and energy. Mark used to be president of the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Blues and Leo was a managing director for Merrill Lynch in NY. They could spend their time on the links or on the sand but they have rolled up their sleeves to help kids. Our Dare 2 Be Great foundation works with them.
They are doing an amazing job. They are changing lives –check that they are saving lives. But the needs are enormous given the amount of people that need help right here in our own community. Delray Students First needs to scale and they need our help.
We can talk all we want about buildings, height, density etc., but the important work in a community is how do we develop our human capital? That’s the question and the challenge that we should be wrestling with. It ought to keep us up at night and it should be the first thought when we wake up.
It is the first and last thoughts of each day for guys like Mark and Leo.
We have tremendously gifted kids in our community who need our help, love, guidance and support so that we can break the cycle of poverty that fuels crime, abuse and dysfunction in society. Mark and Leo and others are hard at work on this opportunity…but they can’t do it alone. It takes a village. Let’s be one. Contact me through the blog and I will connect you.
The Ties That Bind
Final piece of good news..Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band are coming to the BB&T Center in February.
Bruce is our neighbor in Wellington. We are hoping– nope we are praying, that he will visit his old Jersey friend Fran Marincola at the two-time restaurant of the year Caffe Luna Rosa while in our neck of the woods.
A guy can dream right?
so am I!