Twisty Pines Playground Newsletters

 

** News **
November 2010

After years of hard work, the Palm Beach Country Estates community park is finally going to be a reality. Soon we will have a park to hold events, families can have picnics and socialize with neighbors and kids and adults can use the many amenities planned for the park. 
The park will be a shining focal point in our community.

Residents have asked us now that SIRWCD owns the park property if there was any way they can help fund the park. So the Park/Playground committee has formally asked SIRWCD if there is any way they can help fund the park. The attorneys and accountants came back with a solution. Over the years residents have asked SIRWCD to do things that were not in their normal scope of road and canal maintenance. 
They couldn’t do these extra things because they are not considered maintenance. So back in 2005 SIRWCD budgeted a separate account for “Special Projects” or “Special Landscaping” from the taxes that were already being assessed. Approximately $35 per landowner is appropriated annually into this fund out of only PBCE resident’s taxes. Jupiter Farms and other SIRWCD communities are not affected. 
This money is to be used by PBCE only. So far the only thing this account has been used for is the additional swale maintenance on 69th that residents requested. A landscape company was hired to do the maintenance because SIRWCD doesn’t have the proper equipment. This is a yearly contract. There is still approximately $250,000 in this account and the account will continue to increase annually.

We were extremely excited when the accountants and lawyers said this account could be used for the park. Bids were collected for the parking area, landscaping, irrigation and fence. These are county requirements and with these improvements we would have a basic park. 
These bids total approximately $130,000. This figure does not include the county approved pavilions, fitness trail, basketball and racquetball courts and playground. We are still unsure if SIRWCD would be able to fund these recreational amenities. Fundraising will continue to help mitigate or possibly pay for the playground in full. 
There will be a public hearing regarding the park funding at the December 2nd SIRWCD meeting at Jupiter High School. We encourage residents to attend the SIRWCD meeting to show your support for the park or if you have any questions or concerns you can ask them there.
Palm Beach Country Estates will finally have a park and playground where our kids can play safely and adults can play too!

Chris Reinhardt - President DRLA=

 

December 2008

Zoning Applications for Park Being Submitted To County - 
February '09 Build Date Postponed for Twisty Pines Playground

 

Over the past few months we have been working with Palm Beach County Zoning and Parks Departments. It was once hoped that our community park would be classified as a Neighborhood Park, which has the shortest approval time, but this designation prohibits on site parking and permanent restrooms. It is intended for neighborhoods small enough for residents to walk or ride bikes to the park. Since our neighborhood has approximately 1500 homes and is roughly 5 square miles it was decided we are just too big for that and a parking lot would be needed. We will now be considered a Public Park which will require much more stringent plans and permits as well as a county public meeting. We are now looking at a 6-8 month county zoning approval process. Because of all these unforeseen requirements we will have to push back the date for our playground build, which was scheduled for February of 2009. We know everyone has been waiting a very long time for this park and playground. We are doing everything in our power to keep things moving as quickly as possible. As soon as we have permitting and zoning requirements met we will be able to reschedule the build date.

 

*** Park/Playground Committee Letter ***

Neighbors and friends,
For those of you who are new to the community, we have contracted with Leathers & Associates, a design firm that specializes in community built playgrounds. It was this company that helped the people of Jupiter plan and build Imagination Station. They did the same at Bryant Park in Lake Worth, Science Center in Boca, and Tiger Shark Cove in Wellington. In 2006 we had Design Day, were the children of Palm Beach County Estates and the designer from Leathers & Associates designed our playground using the children's drawings and ideas. One of the events at the Design Day was a playground naming contest. Twisty Pines Playground won the contest. 

Twisty Pines Playground will be located in the new Margaret Berman Memorial Park. The park is at the northeast corner of 69th and 155th in Palm Beach Country Estates.

Community-built is an interactive process that involves the local community in the design, organization and construction of projects. We encourage residents of all skill levels and ages to come join in. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will bring our community together for the equivalent of a modern day barn raising. The playground will be built in 5 days. Yes, you read that right, 5 days.

Now is the time to get involved. Bob Berman has donated the land for the community park, but its you, the community, who will turn it into a fantastic play place for our children.

We are going to accomplish this in two phases. First create the park, then build the playground. Ground breaking has begun on the park. We have started to clear the vines, brazilian pepper and some of the palmettos. A large group of volunteers have already moved the oak and cabbage palm trees from the front entrance to the park, before the Jog Road extension construction destroyed our front entrance. The road construction started in October 2008 and is scheduled to take 14 months to complete. 

We also need 12-20 volunteers NOW for the playground steering committee. Each person on the steering committee will be a chairman or co-chairman in charge of a particular area, such as lining up donated materials, providing childcare or finding volunteers.

You do not need to be skilled at carpentry or construction to help build the playground. We need many, many volunteers. There are a variety of tasks that must be done. If you can rake or sand wood, there is a job for you! There is something for everyone of every ability. Some of the jobs which need to be filled are:
Volunteer Table - Staff our Volunteer table and help volunteers sign in
Food Service - Setup for meals in the food service area
Tools Trailer - Help check tools in and out of the Tools Trailer
Childcare - Lend a hand in the childcare facility

Build - You will be assigned to a team of 3 or 4 persons. Each team has ONE skilled person. The definition of a skilled worker is someone who is able to use a circular saw. Skilled workers will wear a colored name tag for identification. You will work with your team to complete tasks assigned by a captain. Captains are assigned different areas of responsibility by our Site Supervisors from Leathers & Associates. If you are interested in being a captain, please email Bill Meyers at bjmeyers@bellsouth.net. Captains will help their teams by assigning tasks, ensuring quality, and helping wherever necessary. This is a special job requiring much dedication. A captain is an individual who commits to be part of the build from 7am to 9pm for the duration of the build or a good part of it.
As they say on the Leathers website, the community-built experience is greater than the sum of its parts. Volunteers working together over several days make connections that wouldnt normally occur. New friendships begin that will last a lifetime. People will have a new sense of commitment to each other and to the community. Community-built projects inspire everyone who participates with a sense of ownership, so much so that they become a focus of community life. People describe them as the experience of a lifetime. Families who helped build will return for picnics and bring out-of-town guests to show them what the community accomplished together. And this first community project is often just the beginning.
If you would like to help with a future Community Park Clean-up/Work day call Tim Brown at 561-676-5527 or if you would like to volunteer for a Twisty Pines Playground Steering Committee call Sarah at 561-741-1140 or email at scapple@comcast.net or for further information call Chris Reinhardt at 561-762-1281 or email at reinharm@bellsouth.net.
Thank you.

 

General Co-Coordinators:
 Co-Chairs:
Chris Reinhardt reinharm@bellsouth.net
Bill Meyers bjmeyers@bellsouth.net

Coordinators for Volunteers (at least 2 people):
This is a crucial position. A community-built project needs the help of volunteers at every stage. Two or more people will coordinate the efforts of many others, particularly during the last stages of our project when the call-a-thon takes place. It helps to have a detail oriented person to keep track of volunteer numbers and contact information. We’ll also probably need four to six people in charge of separate volunteer areas such as individuals, corporations, service groups, miscellaneous groups, and the call-a-thon.
 Co-Chairs:
Sarah Applegate scapple@comcast.net
Debbie Gavin fgavin0829@bellsouth.net
Penni Ampuja penninmike@bellsouth.net

Coordinators for Fundraising (2 people, who will need several assistants):
We’ll need two people to coordinate this area with several assistants willing to take charge of individual fundraisers. We’d like someone with some experience with corporate and foundation fundraising.
Co-Chairs:
Sheri Murray sheri_murray@bellsouth.net
Joan Bolds bbolds@adelphia.com

Coordinators for Public Relations (2 people):
These people must be organized and persistent, with good follow-through. Some experience in media would be helpful.
 Co-Chairs: 
Arie Strobel ariestrob@comcast.net
x

Coordinators for Childcare (need 2-4 people):
These people will coordinate and supervise childcare and arrange activities for children during construction. At least one person with a connection to a preschool or elementary school is helpful.
 Co-Chairs:
x 
x

Coordinator for Purchased Materials (1-2 people):
The person(s) who heads up this area should be familiar with buying practices and the network of companies that supply materials. He or she should also be organized and have an eye for detail. Contractors, builders, and employees of hardware stores or lumberyards make excellent coordinators for purchased materials.
 Co-Chairs:
x
x

Coordinator(s) for Donated Materials (1-2 people):
This person(s) should not work in the construction industry. The most successful coordinators are people who aren’t familiar with construction processes and materials. They must be willing to scrounge, and they must be people who won’t take “no” for an answer. They should be creative and resourceful. Many of the responsibilities of this position must be accomplished during regular business hours, so this coordinator must have very flexible daytime hours.
 Co-Chairs:
x
x

Coordinators for Tools (2 people):
Two people, one with a working knowledge of tools, should share this responsibility. Attention to organization and detail should be the forté of the other.
 Co-Chairs: 
x
x

Coordinator for Food (1 person):
Someone to take charge of acquiring food and organizing meals for workers during construction. Some experience in organizing church dinners, potlucks and the like is helpful.
 Chair: 
x

Coordinator for Design and Special Needs (1 person):
This person will head up a committee of adults and youths. The coordinator does not need to be experienced in design, as this is principally an administrative job. However, this committee is an opportunity to include artistic members of our community as well as parents of special-needs children who have unique insights into accessibility needs in the community. A quality design is this committee’s responsibility.
 Chair: 
x
New Park Fundraiser

 

Do you shop online? Do you buy things from Home Depot, Target Macy’s and Circuit City?  We have recently partnered with ShoptoEarn.com to make money for our Community Park and Playground. 
Here’s how it works: before you shop online go to www.ShopToEarn.net/twistypines or www.shoptwistypines.com and every time you shop from one of the 700 online stores, the park and playground will receive cash from a percentage of your purchases.  After you go to www.shoptwistypines.com it will ask you to "Enter the User ID of the person who referred you in the box below and press the "Go" button", type in "twistypines " and press "Go". Some of these retailers, such as Home Depot and Sports Authority, allow you to shop and pay for merchandise at home and pick them up at the store with no shipping fee.  Do this and you’ll certainly save yourself time and money.
As the holiday season approaches, consider logging on to our Shop-to-Earn website first.  It won’t affect the cost of anything you buy, but it will certainly help our park and playground get built more quickly.

Thank you to Roberta Von Der Luft for setting up our site and Bill Slater for sponsoring it!

 

Future and current fundraising activities for the
Twisty Pines Playground Foundation 

 

Over the next 8 months we will have many opportunities to meet and mingle with neighbors to support this community-built playground. Here are a few fundraisers we have planned over the next few months. 

Thursday, July 24 Family Fun Night: At JJ Mugs in Abacoa from 5-8 pm (see ad in newsletter for more details).
(This event was a HUGE success! We had over 150 people participate.)

July 30th Home Shopping Party: There will be multiple vendors, including Tupperware, Tastefully Simple, Discovery Toys and more. A percentage of sales will go to the playground. Please feel free to bring friends for a fun-filled girls’ night out. The party is at 7282 163rd Ct. N in PBCE at 7p.m. (This was a great get together. Thanks to everyone who participated.)

Flea Market: We hope to have this in mid-September at the main entrance of PBCE, complete with yard sale items and vendors selling their wares. If you are interested in buying table space to sell your own items or to donate items for the yard sale please contact Sheri Murray at 561-601-1647. (Flea Market/Yard Sale was held at the park site and was a big success. This event also gave everyone an opportunity to see the progress being made at the park.)

Casino Party: The one in June was a such a success that we are planning to have another one in mid- October. Please continue to check your newsletter and www.twistypinesplayground.org for more details as they become available. 
(Another great party! Congratulations to Mark Powell, winner of the Texas Hold'em Poker tournament.)

Shopping Bags: We are selling large reusable shopping bags with the Twisty Pines Playground logo on the front. These bags are great for taking to the grocery store as well as the beach. You can purchase these bags form Sheri Murray for $10 at 561-601-1647 to show your support for the playground. 

Online shoppers: Link to www.ShopToEarn.net/twistypines before you make purchases at your favorite stores. A portion of each sale will go to the playground! 

Business Owners: Remember to check the playground website to find out how to sponsor a playground component so your name can be seen at the playground for many years to come.

Personalized Fence Pickets: Routed with your name or message, these pickets will surround the playground. Individual or family pickets $30 each. Business or corporate pickets $50 each. Check the website for order form.

Personalized Bricks: Laser engraved with your name, message, stock clip art, or company logo. These bricks will pave the entryway to the playground. Check the website for prices and available sizes and order form.

Aluminum Collection Drive: Aluminum Drop Off Sites--
Debbie’s: 16432 77th Trail N. PLACE CANS IN BAGS AND LEAVE BESIDE GARAGE fgavin0829@bellsouth.net
Chris’: 15610 73rd Terr. N PLACE CANS IN BAGS AND LEAVE ON THE SOUTH CORNER OUTSIDE OF THE FENCE reinharm@bellsouth.net 
Barry’s: 14731 67th Trail North PLACE CANS IN BAGS AND LEAVE IN THE BLUE RECYCLE CONTAINER BESIDE THE GARAGE DOOR barryjbenjamin@yahoo.com
Duane’s: 15087 80th Dr. N. house is on the Corner of 150th and 80th. PLACE CANS IN BAGS AND DROP OVER THE FENCE ON RIGHT SIDE OF DRIVEWAY dlongphoto@aol.com

For info on any of the fundraisers or if you have ideas to share, please contact Sheri Murray at 561-601-1647