DRW Magazine

DRW Blog – redirecting to Facebook

drwmag — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:06:24 +0000

In an effort to streamline communications, content that once would have been posted on the blog is now being posted on our Facebook site:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/DRW-Magazine/288208652785

Bookmark it! And thanks for reading.

Upcoming Cooper City events

drwmag — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:28:14 +0000

COMMUNITY FLAG RETIREMENT CEREMONY   (September)
In honor of the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 on Saturday, September 10^th at the Cooper City Community Center from 5 p – 8 p local Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troops will provide a respectful flag ceremony as well as demonstrate proper flag etiquette including how to fold a flag and how to properly dispose of the flag. Flags will be collected on site for future retirement. The actual ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. Complimentary! Please join us!
When:                  Saturday, September 10th
Where:                Cooper City Community Center
Time:                    5 – 8:00 p.m. (Flag Ceremony begins at 6 p.m.)
All ages are invited to attend this complimentary patriotic event.

Contact: Cooper City Recreation 954.434.4300, x233 / www.CooperCityFL.org

GRANDPARENTS DAY CELEBRATION (September)

Afternoon fun for grandparents and grandchildren.

The Cooper City Recreation a Department is offering a “Grandparent Day Celebration” for grandparents and their grandchildren at the Cooper City Pool and Tennis Center on Sunday, September 11^th from 2 – 4 p.m. Grandparent or grandchild, or both, must be a Cooper City resident in order to participate. Tickets must be purchased in advance at the Pool and Tennis Center and are $3.00 per person. Grandchildren must be 4 years and up. Activities include an ice cream social and games. For more information call the Pool and Tennis Center at 954.436.7300.

When: Sunday, September 11^th / 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Where: Cooper City Pool and Tennis Center

Who: Limited to Cooper City residents (grandparent or grandchild must be a Cooper City resident).

Cost: $3.00 per person.

Contact: Cooper City Recreation 954.434.4300, x233 / www.coopercityfl.org

MOM AND SON “NIGHT OF FUN” (September)

Cooper City Recreation Department is offering a “Mom and Son Night of Fun” for Cooper City resident moms and sons, kindergarten and up. The event will be held on Friday, September 16^th from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. at the Cooper City Community Center. The theme is “Celebrate

America” so dress patriotic and join us for dinner, games and dancing. Tickets must be purchased in advance for $10.00 per person at the Cooper City Community Center. For more information call the Cooper City Recreation Department at 954.434.4300, 233.

When: Friday, September 16th / 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Where: Cooper City Community Center

What: Mom and Son Night of Fun

Who: Limited to Cooper City residents

Cost: $10.00 per person includes dinner, games and dancing!

COOPER CITY COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE (October)

Cooper City is hosting its “Multi-Family Garage Sale” on Saturday, October 1^st from 7 a.m. – 12 noon at the Cooper City Sports Complex located on the corner of Stirling Road and 100^th Avenue in Cooper City. Sixty plus residents will be selling a variety of garage and closet treasures. Prospective buyers are encouraged to come on out and take advantage of some terrific buys!

Hope to see you there! For directions call the Cooper City Recreation Department at 954.434.4300, x233.

What: Community Garage Sale

When: Saturday, October 1st

Where: Cooper City Sports Complex

Corner of Stirling Road and 100^th Avenue in Cooper City

Who: Open to the public to browse and find some great buys! Over 60 residents will be selling their “garage and white elephant” items!

Time: 7 a.m. – 12 n

Contact: Call 954.434.4300, x233 for directions / www.CooperCityFL.org

COMMUNITY BOOK SWAP (October)

The Cooper City Recreation Department is offering a Community Book Swap on Friday, October 14^th from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center for residents and friends. Interested participants are asked to drop off their gently used books that are in good condition to the Community Center or Pool and Tennis Center during the week of October 10^th through October 13^th from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. A ticket will be given for each book received. On Friday, October 14^th, participants may “swap” their ticket(s) for different books at the Book Swap. For more information call the Cooper City Recreation Department at 954.434.4300, x233.

What: Community Book Swap

Where: Cooper City Community Center

Date: Friday, October 14, 2011

Time: 6 –7:30 p.m.

Cost: Complimentary!

Contact: 954.434.4300, x233 / www.CooperCityFL.org

Trick or Treat Shop to Shop and Costume Contest (October)

The City of Cooper City and Countryside Shops of Cooper City is hosting “Trick or Treat Shop to Shop and Costume Contest” on Saturday, October 29^th from 10 – 12 noon at Countryside Shops in Cooper City. During this time children can “trick or treat” shop to shop for candy as well as enter a Costume Contest held for children, infants through middle school, at the south end of the shopping center. Times for the Costume Contest for each age group will be posted throughout the shopping center. All children participating in this event MUST be accompanied by an adult. For more information call the Cooper City Recreation Department at 954.434.4300, x233.

What: Trick or Treat Shop to Shop and Costume Contest

When: Saturday, October 29^th from 10 a.m. – 12 noon

Where: Countryside Shops located in Cooper City

Time: 10 a.m. – 12 noon

Cost: Complimentary!

Age: Infants through 5th grade. All children MUST be accompanied by an adult.

Contact: Cooper City Recreation, 954.434.4300, x233 / www.CooperCityFL.org

Tot Time Classes (on-going)

The Cooper City Recreation Department is offering a variety of Tot Classes for children 4 years

old and under. Classes include Little Toddlers with child and parent, Tot Time with child and parent, Adventures in Literature, Cooking Food Fun and Scholastic Science for children 3 and 4 years of age without a parent. Please call the Department at 954.434.4300, x233 for additional information and registration details.

What: Tot Time Classes

When: Ongoing

Time: Class times vary

Cost: Call the Department for information on registration

Who: Children 14 months to 4 years of age

Contact: 954.434.4300, x233 / www.CooperCityFL.org

Broward Public School changes for the new school year

drwmag — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:09:42 +0000

When students return to Broward schools on August 22, they may find some changes. There may be a new or expanded program, a new type of textbook, subject matter being presented in a different way, or possibly some new classrooms added to their school.

For more information on any of the items listed below, please contact the Public Relations & Governmental Affairs Department, 754-321-2300.

STEM Academy at McNicol Middle School

Students and staff at McNicol Middle School (Hollywood) will be pleasantly surprised upon their return for this 2011/12 school year. The opening of the McNicol STEM Academy will provide a fresh start to the implementation of the STEM magnet program at the school. STEM is a nation-wide initiative that focuses on Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics. The McNicol STEM Academy will highlight three houses of STEM Curriculum: Forensics Science, Alternative Energy, and a STEM Paxton Lab.

Silver Lakes Middle School Opens New STEM Magnet Program

The new STEM Magnet program at Silver Lakes Middle School (North Lauderdale) will offer an educational choice for students interested in science, technology, engineering and math. Students will have an opportunity to work with state-of-the-art technology, participate in scholastic competitions, attend educational field trips and learn from experts in the field through distance learning.

New Classroom Building at Parkway Middle School

Parkway Middle School of the Arts (Lauderhill) is slated to open a new three-story classroom building (not a new school, a new classroom building) this fall, along with a new gymnasium and athletic field.

The building is a state of the art, three-story classroom building with 32 classrooms. A large business lab that has 26 Dell computer stations and 26 Mac computer stations, can be separated by a sliding partition to create two separate labs. There are four science labs and three resource rooms that can be divided into two small rooms.

Code of Student Conduct Booklet Goes Green

For the first time, the 2011/12 Broward County Public Schools Code of Student Conduct handbook will be distributed electronically in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole and Portuguese. The handbook is now being emailed to those parents and students who have entered their email addresses in the District’s Virtual Counselor. Parents and students may register for Virtual Counselor access at (www.broward.k12.fl.us/dwh). The Code of Student Conduct handbook will also continue to be available on the District’s website (www.browardschools.com). A limited number of print copies of the handbook are available to parents. Parents/guardians may contact their school to request a print copy.

Change to Common Core State Standards Begins

To level the playing field for students and better prepare America’s students for college or a career, Florida has joined 43 other states and the District of Columbia in the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSS). The change to common standards will begin this fall. Starting with the 2011/12 school year, Broward and all other Florida school districts are mandated by the Florida Department of Education to implement CCSS for kindergarten students across all content areas and CCSS Literacy Standards in grades 1 – 12.This is the first step in a process timeline that will lead to complete implementation in all content areas in all grades, during the 2013/14 school year, and new CCSS aligned assessments, to replace FCAT 2.0 in the 2014/15 school year.

Dual Enrollment College Courses Available Online

BCPS has announced a unique venture to expand its dual enrollment program with Broward College. The new venture expands current Broward College course offerings to include online learning options. The dual enrollment program gives high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to enroll in courses at Broward College and earn both high school and college credits. Through collaboration with Broward Virtual School, Broward College is now offering five college courses entirely online to BCPS high school students. This is the first venture of its kind in the state of Florida.

Middle School Science: New Books – Big Change

BCPS middle school students, grades 6 – 8, and their parents will see a big change this fall, when traditional science books are replaced with soft-cover books with perforated pages that can be removed. Each student will have his or her own personal science textbook and will be able to use a highlighter, write notes and even cut, draw and paste directly into the book. It will be an interactive learning tool, and unlike any other textbook students have ever seen before. BCPS recently purchased the new science textbooks as part of a statewide, state-funded textbook upgrade. This process takes place on a six-year cycle for all textbooks.

Students Gain Driving Experience in SUVs

Driving fatalities continue to be the number one cause of death for young people ages 15-24. The District has recognized the need for Driver’s Education and will serve over 9,000 students during 2011/12 school year. A recent addition to the program has been the purchase of 10 SUVs to give students a more rounded driving experience.

School Duel Begins Second Season

The 2011/12 school year on BECON-TV marks the second season and expansion of School Duel, South Florida’s first locally produced academic quiz show, hosted by Lisa Lee. The show’s debut season matched 16 high school teams from across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties in the single-elimination contest. The first season of School Duel was so successful and popular that there will be even more opportunities for schools and corporate sponsors to participate in 2011/12. School Duel season two will have an expanded field, consisting of 20 talented teams from across South Florida. Applications for School Duel will be made available at the start of the school year.

Sports Blitz Universe Expanding

Coverage of the county’s top football, basketball and volleyball matchups will be expanded this year on Sports Blitz Game Time on BECON-TV. You can also go behind the scenes and up-close with local athletes and celebrities on Sports Blitz, On The Record and All Access. It’s all a part of the Sports Blitz Universe, only on BECON-TV.

Minority & Women Business Enterprise Expo – August 4

drwmag — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:31:05 +0000

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) will host its annual Minority & Women Business Enterprise Expo on Thursday, August 4, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Piper High School, 8000 NW 44 Street, Sunrise. Admission is free.

The Expo will provide minority and women business entrepreneurs an opportunity to network with BCPS staff from various departments and schools, as well as public- and private-sector organizations. Numerous businesses will sponsor and take part in the Expo, offering those attending an excellent networking opportunity.

The event will feature workshops and roundtable discussions covering such topics as Procurement with The School Board of Broward County, Florida; Website Development; How to Get More Positive Decisions from Prospective Clients in the Uncertain Economy; and How to Conduct Business with Other Federal Government Agencies. Information about Certification Programs that the Federal Government offers to the minority community will also be available.

For information on having a tabletop display at the Expo, vendors may go to (www.broward.k12.fl.us/supply/vendors/events.htm) or contact Keith Roberts or Marcy Houser, Supplier Diversity and Outreach Program, 754-321-0550. There is a $50 fee and vendor space is limited.

Adam Walsh book to be highlighted at Beth Ahm Israel on July 27th

drwmag — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:10:02 +0000

July 27 is the 30th anniversary of the abduction and murder of Adam Walsh. Those of us who remember that horrible day recognize that from that day forward, the way we raise our children dramatically changed. No longer do we allow our children to play outside alone, wonder through the mall or go unattended. John and Reve Walsh have taken this horrible tragedy and done wonderful things–from producing the television show America’s Most Wanted, to co-founding the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. All of this was done in memory of Adam.

Only recently has the murder been solved. The book Bringing Adam Home, details the story of Detective Sgt. Joe Matthews’ 27 year investigation and determination that Ottis Toole committed this horrendous crime. During that time, Detective Sgt. Matthews developed and marketed a state-of-the-art, scientifically validated, home DNA identification and legacy kit called DNA LifePrint.

Author Les Standiford and Detective Sgt. Matthews will be at temple Beth Ahm Israel in Cooper City on Wednesday July 27 to discuss their book, how the murder was solved, how the world has changed since 1981 and what we can do to protect our families in the future. There will be an opportunity to purchase the book and have it signed. It is a free event, but RSVP is requested. 954.260.8344

Help Walgreens and HOPE Outreach Center fight hunger on June 4

drwmag — Mon, 16 May 2011 12:21:51 +0000

June is Hunger Awareness Month and Walgreens teamed up with HOPE Outreach Center and will be accepting Food Pantry donations at 17 Walgreens locations in Davie, Cooper City, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Weston and Southwest Ranches.

We Want You to VOLUNTEER for a shift or to become a Team Captain.

Please join us on Saturday June 4, between 10AM to 4PM and help us fill HOPE’s Food Pantry. We will be accepting non-perishable items to help your neighbors with a hand up during these difficult economic times. In 2010, Hope Outreach provided food assistance to over 15,000 to your neighbor’s right here in Southwest Broward, through our Food pantry distribution program.

Can you help? Please email your contact information to info@hopeoutreachfl.org:

Name:______________________________________________________________

Email:______________________________________________________________

Phone:______________________________________________________________

Hours Available: ____ 10AM to 1PM ____ 1PM to 4PM

Can you be a Captain?__________________________________________________

(Captains are responsible for one site and need to be available the whole day. Captains must attend a short Captain’s meeting on June 1^st at 6:30PM)

Further questions or information can be e-mailed to info@hopeoutreachfl.org, or by contacting Leslie Stein (volunteer coordinator) lesliejstein@gmail.com , or calling Kathy Blanton – Event Chair at 954.434.0083.

HOPE Outreach Center, Inc. is a 501(c) 3 non-profit. Our many programs and services offer a hand up to people who are unable to make ends meet due to job loss, health crisis, disability or other emergency.

Participating Walgreens locations are as follows:

Davie: 13628 W. State Road 84 Davie, FL 33325, 11204 W. State Road 84 Davie, FL 33325

Weston:1751 Bonaventure Blvd. Weston, FL 33326, 199 Weston Rd. Weston, FL 33326, 4473 Weston Rd. Weston, FL 33331

Cooper City: 11105 Stirling Rd. Cooper City, FL 33328, 8625 Stirling Rd. Cooper City, FL 33328, 2790 N. University Dr. Hollywood, FL 33024

Hollywood: 6817 Taft St. Hollywood, FL 33024, 890 N. State Road 7 Hollywood, FL 33021

Pembroke Pines: 9005 Pines Blvd. Pembroke Pines, FL 33024, 201 N. Hiatus Rd. Pembroke Pines, FL 33026, 13800 Pines Blvd. Pembroke Pines, FL 33027, 15911 Pines Blvd. Pembroke Pines, FL 33027, 18310 Pines Blvd. Pembroke Pines, FL 33029, 19550 Pine Blvd. Pembroke Pines, FL 33029

Southwest Ranches: 6700 Dykes Rd. Southwest Ranches, FL 33331

HOPE Outreach Center Inc. 4700 SW 64 Ave., Davie, Fl 33314 www.hopeoutreachfl.org Phone 954.321.0909

Happy Paws Pet Expo – Nov. 12-13

drwmag — Mon, 02 May 2011 17:23:37 +0000

Davie “Large Animal Hurricane Release Program”

drwmag — Mon, 02 May 2011 16:22:30 +0000

The Town of Davie is accepting pre-registration applications for a Temporary Release Program for large animals beginning June 1, 2011. The Town will open a neighborhood center to serve as holding area before and during a hurricane or natural disaster. In order to qualify for the temporary release program, you must be a Davie resident or your horse(s) must live in Davie.

Once a hurricane warning has been issued, a site located, will open for pre-registered horses only. This site will reopen to retrieve your horses when the winds have subsided to a minimum of 40 mph. You are encouraged to visit the site for yourself before completing your pre-registration form to determine whether you feel it is safer than your current situation. Remember, this turn-out site is for Davie residents or your horse(s) must live in Davie.

The cost for the program is $20.00 per horse. This fee must be included with your pre-registration. Pre-registration forms are available by contacting Bonnie Stafiej, Director of Special Projects at (954) 797-1163, bonnie_stafiej@davie-fl.gov or you may obtain this information on-line. Download your application and other important information by visiting the Town of Davie’s web page at www.davie-fl.gov. Click on Hurricane Info and locate Temporary Large Animal Release Program.

Becon-TV and Town Of Davie to launch TV series

drwmag — Mon, 02 May 2011 15:01:13 +0000

The Town of Davie and BECON-TV (Broward Education Communications Network) are working on a new television series called BizBlock, designed to educate and inform microbusiness enterprises and small to medium business owners in and around the Town of Davie. “I am looking forward to our partnership with BECON-TV in providing a wonderful informational TV series that will assist our business owners in being successful.” said Davie Mayor Judy Paul. The Mayor continued, “The community will benefit from the myriad of episode topics pertinent to operating a small to medium business.”

The goal of the series is to provide actionable information that can help small business owners succeed. Each episode will feature business experts and successful business people who can guide others with their expertise. These professionals will share their experiences and offer suggestions for successfully managing and growing a business on a wide variety of topics such as marketing, planning, and selling. The end result will be an idea bank for small business owners.

Town of Davie Economic Development Manager, Peter Tokar III adds, “True economic recovery in our country starts right here at home. Providing assistance to our microbusiness enterprises and small business community is the first step to rebuilding our economy. We need to keep the doors of local business open and encourage local commerce. We are excited to launch BizBlock
with BECON TV and provide valuable tools to local business to help them grow and prosper in this challenging economic climate.”

Episode topics include Dynamic Business Planning, Branding your Business, Management Techniques, Advertising and Marketing and were developed with the expertise and input of Broward County’s Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE). According to Dr. Phyllis Schiffer-Simon, General Manager of BECON TV, “The opportunity to partner with the Town of Davie on this economic development business series is exciting. We hope to be able to present a variety of tools and strategies that small to medium businesses can use to be more successful in a lively video format. BECON TV’s expertise is in educational and instructional programming and this new series is a welcome challenge for our creative team, which includes Debra Hall Greene, Executive Producer.”

For more information about BizBlock, where to watch BECON in your area, and any of BECON’s broadcast or instructional programming, visit www.becon.tv or call 754-321-1000. This program is a collaborative effort of the Town of Davie Housing and Community Development Department and the Office of Economic Development and is funded through the Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) program. Town of Davie businesses interested in receiving copies of the series should contact Economic Development Manager Peter Tokar at 954-797-1082. BizBlock is a production of BECON which is owned and operated by the School Board of Broward County and airs instructional programs in all Broward County schools. The show will also broadcast on BECON-TV (WBEC-TV), and is licensed by the FCC to provide noncommercial educational programming to the South Florida community and is available on Comcast Cable on channel 19, DirecTV, Dish Network and AT&T U-verse channel 63 in Broward, Dade and Palm Beach Counties. You can become a fan of BECON-TV on Facebook, watch BECON-TV on YouTube and follow us on Twitter.

Weston – AARP Safe Driving Course for Mature Adults

drwmag — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:04:44 +0000

On Saturday, May 7 from 10a-4p the City of Weston is offering AARP’s 55 Alive/Mature Driving Program. This is a six (6) hour classroom session designed as a refresher course in safe driving. The course is designed especially for older motorists dealing with age related physical changes. The course is available to anyone 50 and over. A reduction in automobile insurance premium is allowed to each person 55 and over, by most insurance companies when the course is completed and the driver has a safe driving record. Advance registration is required; call Sonny at 954-385-9920. $12 per person (AARP members; otherwise $14).

The course will be held at the Weston Community Center, 20200 Saddle Club Road, Weston, FL 33327. 954-389-4321. Please bring a bagged lunch and members should bring AARP card.