Marjory Stoneman Douglas memorial events

February 12
Day of Service and Love 

Only students and staff will be allowed on the grounds. It will be very similar to years past. This year’s seniors were freshmen when the shooting occurred on Valentine’s Day, 2018. There will be community service and campus projects, including campus beautification of Marjory’s Garden at the back of the school. There will also be a first responder’s breakfast.

February 14
Spreading The Love

10 a.m. to 5 p.m, Eagles’ Haven Wellness Center, 5655 Coral Ridge Dr.,Coral Springs.

Events will be outside in the parking lot, socially distanced. Masks are mandatory. Events will be centered on healing and “spreading the love” within the community. There will be arts and crafts, such as rock painting for the MSD Rock Garden, along with therapeutic activities like meditation and yoga. The families and community will have a space for grieving and remembering, with a candle lighting ceremony and benches. All clinicians will be present for individual counseling should the need arise. At the end of the day there will be a healing circle before transitioning to Pine Trails Park where the City of Parkland’s events will take place.

Pine Trails Park, 10555 Trails End, Parkland

The City of Parkland’s planned events will begin at 5:30 p.m. by the amphitheater. Social distancing and masks will be required. In lieu of an in-person service project as part of the Community Commemoration event, the City has collaborated with Food for the Poor on a fundraiser to build a home in an impoverished area of Honduras.

Therapists and the very popular therapy dogs from Canine Assisted Therapy will be available. 17 Memory Boards will be set up for people to write messages, with volunteers standing by to sanitize the permanent markers.

Spiritual Leaders will be taking the stage at 6 p.m., followed by a video presentation that focuses on the memory of the 17 people lost in the tragedy.

Virtual events
Run 4 Beigel – 5k Run/Walk
February 6 – February 14, 2021
https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Parkland/Run4Beigel

NSU – 3 Years Later #MSDStrong
12 p.m., February 12
https://www.nova.edu/alumni/events/index.html

Make Our Schools Safe – #LIVEFORALYSSA Benefit
7 to 8:30 p.m. February 11
https://makeourschoolssafe.org/2nd-annual-live-for-alyssa-benefit/

Chris Hixon Memorial 5k Run/Walk
February 20, 2021
https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Hollywood/ChrisHixonMemorialRun

SoFlo BUZZ: October 2020 I

PARKLAND DASH is back — virtually

In keeping with social distancing requirements, this year’s Parkland Dash will allow participants to choose their own routes. Runners will be able to view live results online throughout the race day as participants submit their times.

On Saturday, October 18th, just run and track your 5K (3.1 miles) or 5 miles while using the RaceJoy app on your cell phone. The deadline to submit your time is 3:00 p.m. race day. Once the countdown clock reaches zero, no more times will be accepted and the race will be finalized.

To register for the run, visit runsignup.com/parklanddash.

Each $30 registration helps support Canine Assisted Therapy, the mission of which is to improve the health and well-being of children and adults by achieving specific physical, cognitive, social, or emotional goals through the use of certified pet therapy teams.

Canine Assisted Therapy has provided ongoing services to MSD, The Parkland Library, Riverglades Elementary, and Aston Gardens. They work with isolated seniors, pediatric patients, individuals with special needs, veterans, those suffering from grief or loss, and many others. Founded in 2009, this non-profit organization has the goal of improving the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of pet therapy services in South Florida.

 

Foundation distributes 41,000 school supply kits

Broward Education Foundation, dedicated to serving students and teachers in Broward County Public Schools, recently distributed more than 41,000 safely sealed 18-piece basic school supply kits to 41,000 students from 69 Title I elementary schools in Broward County.

 

More than 90 percent of students in Broward’s top 40 Title I elementary schools are enrolled in free and reduced lunch programs.

The foundation pivoted from a physical school supply drive to a virtual one. Thanks to the generosity of the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, Jim Moran Foundation, Wells Fargo, Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, Ultimate Software, Hamilton Group Funding, Inc., People’s Trust Insurance, Harmony Development Center, Inc., State Farm Insurance, Pride Center at Equality Park, Centennial Bank, Broward County Public Schools, BrightStar Credit Union, Pirtle Construction, and many more generous corporations and individuals, the campaign was a success.

“Ordinarily, Broward Education Foundation’s School Supply Drive would help to stock the shelves at our school supply center where teachers from Title I schools shop free for their students in need,” said Shea Ciriago, executive director of the foundation. “We knew we had to be proactive in light of COVID, so we orchestrated the online fundraising campaign.”