Tuesday, November 24, 2009

US Swimming and US Masters Swimming Teams Come to Pompey Park Pool

CITY OF DELRAY BEACHMEDIA RELEASE

November 24, 2009: The City of Delray Beach Parks & Recreation Department is proud to announce their newest aquatic program, the East Coast Swimming US Swimming & US Masters Swimming at Pompey Park Pool.

Pompey swim team members are registered with Florida Gold Coast Swimming and their competition swim times are recorded at a national level. Swim team members are eligible to compete in local and national swim meets including Junior Olympics and Olympic competitions.

The US Swimming Team is open to girls and boys ages 5 years old and up. The US Masters Swimming is open to men and women 18 years and up. Swim practice is held Tuesdays through Saturdays from 3:30 to 6:00 pm at Pompey Park Pool located at 1101 NW 2nd Street Delray Beach (561) 243-7358. Swim team members unable to attend practice at 3:30 pm, the start time will be adjusted to accommodate school ending times.

Pompey Swim Coach, David Wright, is a holder of the American Swim Coaches Association Level 5 certification. This is their highest level of certification. Coach Wright has coached at the Barcelona Olympic Games and has placed athletes in the finals of three World Championships and two Pan Pacific Games. Since arriving in the United States four years ago, Coach Wright has coached six swimmers to national championships qualifying standard.

If you would like more information, you may contact Head Coach David Wright at (561) 703-2858 or by e-mail at nzdaw@yahoo.co.nz.


Contact:
Nina Salomon
Aquatics Supervisor
(561) 243-7358
Salomon@mydelraybeach.comCity Commission:
Nelson S. "Woodie" McDuffie, Mayor
Gary Eliopoulos, Vice-Mayor
Adam Frankel, Deputy Vice-Mayor
Fred Fetzer, Commissioner
Angeleta Gray, Commissioner

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Toy Drive Brings Holiday Cheer to Local Children

November 19, 2009: Share the joy of giving this season by donating to the Delray Beach Holiday Toy Drive. Beginning November 19th, new unwrapped toys and store gift cards will be collected for deserving boys and girls ages 5 to 16 years. Drop off sites are located throughout the City and items will be accepted through December 16th.

For the past 19 years, Delray Beach merchants and residents have come together as a community to support this worthy effort. Through their generosity, thousands of children have experienced the caring spirit of the holiday.

Don't have time to shop? Checks, made payable to the Delray Citizens for Delray Police, are greatly appreciated.

If you are interested in donating to this worthy cause, contact Officer Jeff Messer at (561) 243-7841 or Jennifer Buce at (561) 243-7138. PLEASE! NO TOY GUNS.

DROP-OFF LOCATIONS:

All Delray Beach Fire Rescue Stations
Delray Beach Police Department, 300 West Atlantic Avenue
Boston's on the Beach, 40 South Ocean Boulevard
Delray Shores Pharmacy, 600 North Congress Avenue
Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, 64A SE 5th Avenue
Meisner Electric Inc, 220 NE 1st Avenue
Delray Beach City Hall, 100 NW 1st Avenue
Old School Square, 51 North Swinton Avenue
Delray Beach Community Center, 50 NW 1st Avenue
Plastridge Insurance, 820 North Federal Highway
Delray Camera Shop, 186 NE 2nd Avenue
Sande's Restaurant, 1717 North Federal Highway
The Delray Beach Holiday Toy Drive is sponsored by the Delray Citizens for Delray Police/Kids and Cops Program.



Contact:
City of Delray Beach
Public Information Office
(561) 243-7190
PIO@mydelraybeach.comCity Commission:
Nelson S. "Woodie" McDuffie, Mayor
Gary Eliopoulos, Vice-Mayor
Adam Frankel, Deputy Vice-Mayor
Fred Fetzer, Commissioner
Angeleta Gray, Commissioner

Road Closures, Shuttle Service and Parking Facilities

During Famous 100 Foot Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
November 20 2009: Delray Beach will celebrate the holidays with the traditional 100 Foot Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, December 3, 2009. Festivities will begin at 4:45 pm with wonderful entertainment, outdoor skating, the holiday carousel and much more.

At 6:15 pm, spectators will gather at Old School Square, 51 North Swinton Avenue, to welcome the arrival of Santa Claus and witness the illumination of over 15,000 glistening holiday tree lights. The celebration continues in Downtown Delray Beach with Art & Jazz on the Avenue from 6:00 pm until 10:00 pm.

ROAD CLOSURES
Beginning at 4:00 pm, East Atlantic Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic from Swinton Avenue to Southeast 7th Avenue at the Intracoastal Waterway. Atlantic Avenue will reopen after 10:00 pm.

DOWNTOWN ROUNDABOUT SHUTTLE SERVICE MODIFIED ROUTE
The Downtown Roundabout free shuttle bus service will run on a modified route during the tree lighting ceremony with service continuing until midnight. Two buses, one originating at the Tri-Rail station on Congress Avenue and the other originating at the Delray Beach Public Library, will provide round trip shuttle service to the beach via Atlantic Avenue using detoured routes on NE/SE 1st Streets. For additional information on the shuttle, call (561) 243-7000.

PARKING FACILITIES
Parking fees, at a rate of $5 per vehicle, will be in effect from 4:00 pm until closing at the Robert Federspiel Parking Garage, South County Courthouse Parking Garage, Old School Square Parking Garage and the north parking lot of City Hall. Parking attendants accept cash only and will monitor the garages until the posted closing times.

For more information on event parking, please call (561) 243-7190 or (561) 243-7196. For more information on the Famous 100 Foot Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, please call (561) 279-1380.



Contact:
City of Delray Beach
Public Information Office
(561) 243-7190
PIO@mydelraybeach.comCity Commission:
Nelson S. "Woodie" McDuffie, Mayor
Gary Eliopoulos, Vice-Mayor
Adam Frankel, Deputy Vice-Mayor
Fred Fetzer, Commissioner
Angeleta Gray, Commissioner

City of Delray Beach Advisory Board Meetings November 23-27, 2009

November 20, 2009: The City of Delray Beach has 22 active Advisory Boards and Committees, each set up to perform specific functions. Citizen participation in local government is essential if we are to maintain the quality of life enjoyed in Delray Beach. All Board and Committee meetings are open to the public. The Advisory Board meetings scheduled for November 23rd - 27th are as follows:

11/23 - 6:00 pm, Public Art Advisory Board Meeting, Environmental Services Administration Building
11/26 and 11/27 - Thanksgiving Holiday, City Hall Closed

Please note all meeting dates, times and locations may be subject to change. For more information and all Advisory Board schedules, please contact Venice Cobb at (561) 243-7056.


Contact:
City of Delray Beach
Public Information Office
(561) 243-7190
PIO@mydelraybeach.comCity Commission:
Nelson S. "Woodie" McDuffie, Mayor
Gary Eliopoulos, Vice-Mayor
Adam Frankel, Deputy Vice-Mayor
Fred Fetzer, Commissioner
Angeleta Gray, Commissioner

City of Delray Beach Firefighters and Caring Kitchen

Donate Food & Supplies to Needy Families
November 20, 2009: This upcoming holiday season is an especially trying time for a lot of families. Many of the community's homeless population and others will feel the impact harder than ever.

Knowing this, the City of Delray Beach firefighters teamed up with the Caring Kitchen to provide food for twenty-five (25) local families in need. The City's firefighters contributed $1,000 toward the purchase of food and supplies for each of these families.

The City of Delray Beach and our employees are committed to helping the Delray Beach community through these difficult times. Some other important holiday community projects that are being undertaken by City staff include toy drives, food baskets & collections and the provision of care packages to our deployed military troops.

For more information, please contact Lt. Tim Garito, Delray Beach Fire-Rescue, at (561) 243-7424.



Contact:
City of Delray Beach
Public Information Office
(561) 243-7190
PIO@mydelraybeach.comCity Commission:
Nelson S. "Woodie" McDuffie, Mayor
Gary Eliopoulos, Vice-Mayor
Adam Frankel, Deputy Vice-Mayor
Fred Fetzer, Commissioner
Angeleta Gray, Commissioner

City Raised Public Awareness During Florida City Government Week

November 20, 2009: In an effort to raise public awareness about municipal government, the City of Delray Beach participated in Florida City Government Week - My City: I'm Part of It, I'm Proud of It from October 18-24, 2009. This program, which is sponsored by the Florida League of Cities, encourages municipalities around the state of Florida to promote the important role played by local government in everyone's life and to take an active part in promoting their city through civic education.

Many residents throughout the State are unaware of how city services impact their lives and how they contribute to enhancing their quality of life. In fact, statewide statistics show that 30 percent of Florida's residents are natives, while 70 percent moved here from somewhere else. This greatly affects a Floridian's understanding of state and local government.

During Florida City Government Week, the City hosted various activities and events to engage our younger residents to increase their awareness of municipal services and its framework and to raise greater civic consciousness among the students to become better citizens. The activities that were held included:

"Civic Brain Bowl" at Carver Middle School - The Brain Bowl was an academic competition in which more than 200 Carver students actively participated in the "Pre-Bowl Curriculum" that focused on learning about three (3) main subject areas: Florida Fun Facts, Who Runs the City and City Services & Departments. Twenty-five (25) of the students then went on to compete in the "Civic Brain Bowl" where they participated in teams and answered questions from the three (3) subject areas. Five teams competed and the "Blazing Brainiacs" prevailed. Overall the event proved to be highly successful and educational.

Mock City Commission Meeting at Carver Middle School - The students at Carver Middle School participated in a Mock City Commission meeting to provide them with firsthand knowledge on how government policies are determined. Seven (7) students assumed the role of Mayor, City Commissioners, City Manager and City Clerk. They considered a controversial Annexation Ordinance that would have permitted the development of a fast-food restaurant in a residential community. After a lengthy discussion, the Commission voted 3-2 to annex the site..the fast food was too much of a temptation! This event proved to have the most impact on the students' understanding of local government.

Guest Speaker at Carver Middle School - Lula Butler, the City of Delray Beach's long time Community Improvement Director, spent a morning speaking to the students at Carver Middle School on the various aspects of her job as well as the roles that other City departments play in providing services to our residents, businesses and visitors. This interactive discussion also included an exercise where the students were challenged to identify government-related services and how they benefit the community.

For more information on the City's participation in Florida City Government Week - My City: I'm Part of It, I'm Proud of It, please contact the City's Education Coordinator, Janet Meeks, at (561) 243-7231.

Florida City Government Week was developed as part of an ongoing effort sponsored by the Florida League of Cities (established in 1922) to help increase public awareness of municipal services and create a greater civic consciousness among the citizens of the state. The City of Delray Beach has participated in this project for almost two decades. In the past, the City has invited school-aged children to City Hall to shadow employees, hosted the Youth and Adult Residents Academies and scheduled Guest Speakers in local schools. For more information on the Florida League of Cities - Florida City Government Week, click the following link: http://tiny.cc/FloridaGovtWeek.

Delray Beach Fun Facts:

The current population of the City of Delray Beach is 65,800.
The City of Delray Beach contains 15.1 square miles.
The City of Delray Beach employs 758 people.
The average rainfall in Delray Beach is 61 inches per year.
On average the hottest month in Delray Beach is July.
The City has a Teen Center located at 505 SE 5th Avenue.
School District Fun Facts:

There are 170,215 students attending a Palm Beach County School k-12, alternative and Charter.
There are 164 choice programs offered to students in elementary, middle and high schools.
There are 186 public schools located in Palm Beach County.
Palm Beach County is the 5th largest district in Florida and 11th in the nation.
Florida State Fun Facts:

The state capital is Tallahassee.
Charlie Christ is the governor of Florida.
State sales tax is 6.5%.
Pensacola and St. Augustine are Florida's oldest cities. Both were chartered in 1822.
The youngest cities in Florida are Cutler Bay and West Park which were incorporated in 2005.
There are approximately 9.5 million Floridians living in incorporated areas. The percentage of Floridians living in incorporated areas is 50.9 percent.
The smallest city in Florida is Weekie Wachee with a population of 8 people.
The largest city in Florida is Jacksonville which contains 852,450 people.
Municipal government is the oldest form of local government in Florida.
The total land area of Florida is 58,560 square miles.
The highest natural point in Florida is 345 feet above sea level.
The largest lake is Lake Okeechobee which is 700 square miles.

Contact:
City of Delray Beach
Public Information Office
(561) 243-7190
PIO@mydelraybeach.comCity Commission:
Nelson S. "Woodie" McDuffie, Mayor
Gary Eliopoulos, Vice-Mayor
Adam Frankel, Deputy Vice-Mayor
Fred Fetzer, Commissioner
Angeleta Gray, Commissioner

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Tennis Lessons with a Pro at Pompey Park Recreation Center

CITY OF DELRAY BEACHMEDIA RELEASE

November 13, 2009: Want to learn how to play tennis or even improve your game? Take "Lessons with the Pro" at Pompey Park Recreation Center.

Adult individuals and/or groups are invited to learn the fundamentals of tennis and/or just improve their game with a Professional Tennis Registry Certified instructor. Lessons are available Mondays through Thursdays, but must be made by appointment only.

Prices for individuals start at $15.00 for each half-hour lesson and increase up to $75.00 for a four (4) lesson package. Group costs are $40 per hour with a maximum of four (4) people per group. Participants are required to bring their own racquet.

For more information contact Kacy Young at (561) 243-7356 or email Kacy at youngk@ci.delray-beach.fl.us

Professional Tennis Registry provides quality education, global certification, and unsurpassed service -all at a great value- to tennis teaching professionals and coaches. With more than 14,000 members in 122 countries, PTR is an inclusive and diverse organization whose members strive to Make a World of Difference in growing the sport of tennis.


Contact:
David Ricks
Recreation Supervisor III
(561) 243-7356
ricks@ci.delray-beach.fl.usCity Commission:
Nelson S. "Woodie" McDuffie, Mayor
Gary Eliopoulos, Vice-Mayor
Adam Frankel, Deputy Vice-Mayor
Fred Fetzer, Commissioner
Angeleta Gray, Commissioner

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