MacArthur Beach State Park Fall - Winter 2009 Dune News A quarterly newsletter sponsored by the Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park, Inc. IN THIS EDITION Bark in the Park.......................................2 Celebrating Years of Evening of Ragtime & Jazz .................3 20 Manager Matters ...................................3 John D. MacArthur Beach State Park Beach and Dune System .....................4 Active Estuary .........................................4 John D. MacArthur Beach State Park the beach, is the only State Park in Palm Volunteer Spotlight ..............................4 was established to safeguard a diverse Beach County. Campaign Donors .................................5 and undisturbed subtropical coastal What Type of Reef is That? ..................5 habitat from development, a protected More than 119,000 visitors come each New and Returning Members ..........6 area where children and adults can year to enjoy the beach, spend time with experience Florida’s natural beauty. family and friends and participate in Appreciating Trees ................................6 the natural science education programs, Up and Coming Activities ...................7 The Park is named for John D. MacArthur, special events, and recreation courses whose generosity allowed the State of conducted by Park staff and our Florida to secure the land. Developed in wonderful volunteers. part with funds donated by the John D. John D. MacArthur Beach and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, In this edition some of the staff will share STATE PARK the Park opened to the public in late their love of the Park and each of the four 10900 Jack Nicklaus Drive 1989. ecosystems which make up this piece of North Palm Beach, FL 33408 paradise; the Maritime or Hardwood Widely known as a nesting ground for Hammock, the Estuary, Beach and Dunes Park Office: sea turtles, including the endangered and the Ocean Reef. 561.624.6950 loggerhead and the Nature Center: exceedingly rare I love the Park; to me it is magic, a haven of peace, 561.624.6952 leatherback, MacArthur an unspoiled slice of nature and a big part of what Beach State Park also offers helps to keep my life balanced. The staff, volunteers, Fax: protection to 7 species of wildlife and plants, the wonderful programs and 561.624.6954 plants and 22 species of special events, and of course the estuary, my most Friends Office: animals designated by favorite place. There is no place on earth better than 561.776.7449 state and global ranking our Park! as endangered and/or Websites: threatened. The 438-acre Leni Bane, Former Park Ranger, current Board Member www.macarthurbeach.org preserve, extending from and Volunteer www.floridastateparks.org/macarthurbeach Lake Worth Lagoon to Original Park Staff 1989 The Friends of MacArthur Beach Left to Right standing: Mike State Park Watts, Chuck Halladin, Leni is a non-profit corporation Bane, Ron Long, Pam Ingram, with a mission of generating Mary Welsch, John Fillyaw, supplemental resources to Jon Robinson, Tom Renna, preserve, restore, and interpret Shirley Norwood, Heather the natural and cultural assets Benedict, Bill Potter, Maria of the Park for present Velez, Bob Galbraith. Kneeling: and future generations Willie Brown, Tim Small. 1 The Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park Board of Directors… John D. MacArthur …Invite YOU to attend Bark in the Park and An evening of Ragtime, Beach State PARK Special Events To Benefit the Nature Education Endowment Fund Staff Don Bergeron, Park Manager The Nature Education Endowment Fund was founded in 2002 by the Friends to ensue ongoing Pat Rash, Asst. Park Manager Athena Tzathas, Admin. Assistant support of supplemental personnel and innovative programming such as: Park Services Specialists Art Carton The Natural Science Education Programs, which provide a wonderful outdoor learning Kathryn Rothenburg experience, in an environment that exists no where else in Palm Beach County. The Park offers Rangers programs for all grades: K-2nd Habits and Habitats Steve Desy 3rd Plants Plus Scott Duncan 4th-5th The Florida Environment Charlie Hein 6th-12th Beach and Dune Dynamics Rob Matriscino Mike Watts or Bill Wilson Estuary Exploration OPS Staff Lynn Desy David Gelb BARK IN THE PARK Eric Ludwig Sarah Waddell December 6, Noon to 4:00pm Free Pet Photo with Park Admission Fun for the Whole Family Friends of MacArthur • Demonstrations • Pet Games • Vendor Area • Silent Auction • Beach State Park, Inc. • Children’s Activities • Music • Food • Board of Directors SAVE THE DATE!!! Rebecca G. Doane, President John D. MacArthur Beach State Park Stephanie Pew, Vice President 10900 Jack Nicklaus Drive (A1A) North Palm Beach, FL 33408 Daniel Calkins, Treasurer (North End of Singer Island) 561-624-6950 www.macarthurbeach.org Gretta Curry, Secretary Paul Aleskovsky Leni Bane Steve Bass Garrett Bruno Kay Carnes Steven Cohen E.J. Crittenden Kerry Diaz Justice for All www.currylaw.com Susanne Fruehauf Marianne Gold Marianne and Harvey Gold CANINE COLLEGE DAY SPA Marjorie Gadarian Graham PREFERRED PRINTING & GRAPHICS Marjorie Gadarian Graham, P.A. Larry Harjehausen Patti and Charlie Hamilton Animals101.org Janet Heaton Janet Hibel, Ph.D. Greg Leach Dr. William Mech Friends of MacArthUR Beach State Park, Inc. Ruth Petzold Membership Application Judge Edward Rodgers A not-for-profit Citizens Support Organization Amy Woods Advisory Council q Benefactor…$500+ q Patron…$499-$100 q Family…$75 q Individual…$40 Carolyn Stone Theodore Thoburn Name(s): M ______________________________________________________________________ Honorary Directors William Hyland, Jr. Address: _____________________________ City, State, Zip: ____________________________ William Nolan Nancy Van Deuren Gilda Vogel Phone: ______________________________ Email: ____________________________________ Friends Staff Cheryl Houghtelin, Dir. Comm. Please send this application along with your check or credit card information to: Relations/Dune News Editor Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park, Inc. Martin Shiffman, Administrator 10900 Jack Nicklaus Drive Lynn Desy, Assistant Administrator North Palm Beach, FL 33408 Debbie Coyle, Weekend Manager Or join through the web site - www.macarthurbeach.org www.macarthurbeach.org 2 For more information regarding the “Friends” please call 561.776.7449. An Evening of Ticket Office -561-207-5900 Ragtime and Open Mon-Fri 11am-4pm Dixieland Jazz Located at the Theatre 11051 Campus Drive, Palm Beach Gardens $50.00 Preferred Orchestra Seating Bob Milne Includes post-performance, Meet the Artist reception $35.00 Orchestra Seating • $25.00 Balcony Seating (Group Rates for 20 or more) A Musical Ambassador Bob Milne’s endless enthusiasm, enchanting ease of playing, his engaging manner while telling stories about the music, and his warmth and humor all come together to make him, as he has been described by a member of the U.S. State Dept., “a musical ambassador.” • World Renowned Ragtime Pianist • Designated “National Treasure” by the Library of Congress • Favorite Performer of President Bush, Sr. Bob has performed and taught Ragtime through-out the world; Japan, Ireland, Canada and Okinawa. Performing at the PBCC Eissey Campus Theatre February 19, 2010 • 7:30 p.m. Bob has produced 11 solo piano recordings to date, which cover his wide range of playing styles, from the sweet and melodic to the highly Generously Sponsored by rhythmic. Visit Bob on line – www.bobmilne.com Manager Matters This year John Nature Center, theater, amphitheater, of the Pew Family Natural Science D. MacArthur picnic facilities, boardwalk, and gift Education Center is expected to begin Beach State Park shop. Programs such as kayak tours and shortly. This new facility will house a celebrates its nature walks are presented daily and natural science education classroom with 20th anniversary, special events are held throughout the a wet lab as well as a new, larger gift having opened year. Thanks in large part to Palm Beach shop. Along with the new facility will to the public County’s Division of Environmental be improvements to the existing Nature in 1989. It’s Resource Management (ERM), Munyon Center which will include new exhibits Find and circle all of the birds amazing to see Island has undergone extensive and aquariums, a new audio-video that are hidden in the grid what twenty years of dedication and environmental restoration. Kayakers system for the theater, and much more. hard work by Park staff and volunteers and other boaters visiting Munyon has accomplished. These efforts have Island now enjoy walking paths under a There are many ways to measure a helped to ensure this magnificent canopy of native trees, kayaking through Park’s success; the quality of its natural remnant of old Florida, The Real Florida, a thriving mangrove swamp, and resources, community support, the will be preserved for all time. picnicking at one of five pavilions. number of visitors, programming, and well maintained facilities are just a few. The history of MacArthur Beach State Just as the Park’s history did not begin Judging by the comments I regularly Park certainly does not begin in 1989. twenty years ago, history continues to be receive from our visitors, there is no With prehistoric Indian middens, the written at MacArthur Beach State Park. doubt that by any measure the first ruins of the lavish Hygeia Hotel on Thanks to the passion and commitment twenty years of John D. MacArthur Munyon Island, and the Park’s namesake of the Friends of MacArthur Beach Beach State Park have been a resounding