Lighthouse Guild, the leading organization dedicated to providing exceptional services that help visually impaired people attain their goals, hosted its annual Palm Beach Visionary Evening at Club Collette on February 28, 2023.
The gala honored Jackie Weld Drake and James Borynack for their philanthropic accomplishments. Co-chairmen were Esty and Dan Brodsky, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Jennifer and David Fischer, Audrey and Martin Gruss, Thomas Quick, and Adolfo Zaralegui. The Alex Donner Orchestra provided entertainment.
Marc Rosen, Founder of the Palm Beach Friends of Lighthouse Guild, welcomed the guests and introduced James Dubin, Chairman of Lighthouse Guild, who expressed us appreciation for everyone’s support. Dubin introduced Dr. Calvin W. Roberts, Lighthouse Guild’s President and CEO, who is considered a trailblazer in the field of vision and technology.
Roberts gave an overview about Lighthouse Guild, its Technology Center, and about the array of high and low-tech options (including the cutting-edge NaviLens technology) available to help the blind and visually impaired. He then introduced Jennifer Fischer, Lighthouse Guild’s new International Ambassador, who was honored in 2022 with her husband, David Fischer. Jennifer Fischer and Roberts presented the Visionary awards to Weld Drake and Borynack, respectively.
Prior to the live auction, Sydney Delconvito, a visually impaired first year college student, shared her experience about how Lighthouse Guild and its Teen Tele-Support Group helped her build skills, community and her own determination, which has her excelling in college.
The 2023 Palm Beach Visionary Evening, which drew nearly 180 guests, raised more than $500,000 in support of Lighthouse Guild’s programs and services.
Lighthouse Guild is dedicated to providing exceptional services that inspire people who are visually impaired to attain their goals. It provides coordinated care for eye health, vision rehabilitation, technology and behavioral health and related services.
The podcast series, “On Tech & Vision with Dr. Cal Roberts” offers information and insights about technological innovations that are tearing down barriers for people who are blind or visually impaired. For more information, visit Lighthouseguild.org.
On March 8th, at Via Flagler, The Historical Society of Palm Beach County held its final Cocktails in Paradise event of the season, Designing Palm Beach. Guests at the sold-out event received a private tour of David Frisbie’s residential Unit #2, while learning the story behind the redesigned property from representatives of Tralongo & Taylor, Frisbie Group, and Dailey Janssen Architects. The collaboration of these firms, along with The Breakers, helped to create the new face of Royal Poinciana Way in 2020-2021 while maintaining its historical integrity.
This Cocktails in Paradise event was presented by Tralongo & Taylor and Young Friends of the HSPBC. Sponsors of the private event also include The Breakers, First Republic, Lesser Lesser Landy & Smith PLLC, MC Elite Management Services LLC, McMow Art Glass, Modern Luxury Palm Beach, Munyon’s Paw-Paw Liqueur, Rachel Tessoff Realtorâ, and TFG Financial Advisors.
The Historical Society of Palm Beach County is a nonprofit organization founded in 1937 to collect, preserve, and share the history of Palm Beach County and the larger context of Florida. The HSPBC operates and maintains the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum, an admission-free, accessible institution featuring high quality, interactive exhibits in the 1916 Historic Courthouse, West Palm Beach, Florida. Funds raised by the Society provide critical education programs to the school children of Palm Beach County. To learn more, call 561.832.4164 ext. 100 or visit pbchistory.org.
Photographs by Capehart
