Heart of Palm Beach County - An Evening of Gratitude
Our annual Heart of Palm Beach County event was held on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. The event name was very fitting because when you looked into the audience, you saw exactly that—the heart and soul of Palm Beach County. A feeling of warmth and appreciation filled the room, a true testament to how working together for a common goal can make a difference right in your own backyard.
We had the honor of recognizing and celebrating our most dedicated supporters who exemplified the spirit of community service. We could feel the emotion and compassion behind each acceptance speech, and we applaud the hard work, devotion, and passion the honorees have demonstrated with the positive impact they have made within our community.
Congratulations to the award recipients for their well-deserved recognition:
- Volunteer of the Year: Robert “Bob” Simm; Florida Power & Light Company
- Tocqueville Society Award: Arthur Bellis
- Joe Brennan Union Award: Patricia “Pat” Emmert; Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO
- Excellence in Mentoring: Judith Rae Williams; Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Palm Beach County
- MISSION UNITED: Robert “Bob” Bertisch and Melva Rozier; Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc.
- Hunger Hero: Reverand Willie Lawrence and C. Veree’ Jenkins
- Community Champion: Communities In Schools of Palm Beach County
- Extraordinary Employee Campaign Coordinator: Deb Drum; Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management
Top Workplace Campaigns:
- Publix Super Markets and Publix Super Markets Charities
- NextEra Energy Inc., the Parent Company of Florida Power & Light Company
- Palm Beach County Government
- NCCI
- Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office
- The School District of Palm Beach County
- BMO Financial Group
- EY
- Costco Wholesale
- Johnson Controls
The outstanding support of United Way radiated throughout the Heart of Palm Beach County! I hope our guests, community partners, and corporate sponsors left this event feeling inspired and honored for their work on creating positive change to help our community thrive. Because of their contributions and commitment to improving the lives of Palm Beach County residents, we can address our community’s most critical needs.
– Dr. Laurie George, President & CEO
We would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to our sponsors for their incredible support and for believing in our mission. Thank you to Publix Super Markets and Super Markets Charities, NextEra Energy Inc., the parent company of Florida Power & Light Company, NCCI, Deloitte, Palm Beach Media Group, Velocity Community Credit Union, EY, Shutts, Amped Fitness, and ESPN West Palm!
A very special shoutout to the Platinum Steppers from Achievement Centers for Children & Families, who kicked off the evening with an exciting step performance. Keeping up with their momentum, the Essence of Motown took the stage and brought the crowd to their feet with their dancing and harmonies of the Motown sound. Last but not least, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the evening’s special guest emcee, Theo Dorsey, radio personality with ESPN West Palm.
That’s a wrap on Heart of Palm Beach County 2024, but 2025 is on our minds where we could once again recognize more individuals and organizations who continue proving that Palm Beach County is the best place to live, work, play, and thrive.
Photos courtesy of Capehart Photography
