THINGS WE TAKE AND THINGS WE LEAVE BEHIND
Excerpted from Sunflower Blog, May 2015
“Are we gonna take this tree with us to the new Sunflower house, Susan?” A three-year-old in our Seedlings program puts his finger on a tall Florida live oak as he waits for my reply. “Nope, this tree has roots in the ground right here. This tree will not go with us.”
Saying Goodbye to our old home.
We all give that tree’s familiar bumpy trunk a thank you hug. Seedlings are generous tree huggers. The next half hour is spent with a very serious crew of three- to six-year-olds, pointing and talking about all the things we will take and which things we will leave behind when Sunflower moves to our new home in Delray. Almost every single thing that the children play with, dress-up in, ride on, dig with and touch now, will be a part of our new home when we move. Our old things mixed with the new will feel very familiar to any former Seedling.
And, like many former Seedlings, I know these children’s early memories will always be associated with this particular place in Boca. They’ll remember the freedom, the colors, the smells, tastes, dirt, water, paint, first friends, their teachers and the other parents who looked out for them.
I, personally, will take with me the memory, silliness, paint, dirt and puddle splashes of every single child and family that has been part of our Sunflower community. Even as they grow up and head off to college, I will always remember them playing and asking questions just as they are now. But, for the first time, I think I can truly empathize with the graduating Seedlings. I feel that weird, tingly mix of excitement, fear, wonder and the anticipation of bravely stepping into a brand new world. It feels good!
Sunflower’s roots have been in Boca, solidly, for close to a quarter of a century. Unlike the live oak, we can carefully pull up those roots and transplant them. A new, freshly prepared and richly fertilized home of our own welcomes us with room to stretch, reach out, sing at the top of our lungs– and grow!
Susan Caruso
Executive Director/Founder Sunflower Creative Arts
THANK YOU
for everything you do to help us provision – with sand and swings and songs, crayons and costumes and community – for the great adventure that is Sunflower Creative Arts. Your support makes this journey possible and allows for all the moments of joy, wonder and discovery along the way. Last year was epic as we prepared to leave the home where Sunflower “grew up” for the first 22 years of her life. In classes and at community events, more and more families came together to play, create and explore the natural world. Behind the scenes, the Board mapped out a strategy that will lead to a broader reach for Sunflower and a financially secure future. And we bought a house, a new home at 227 N Dixie Blvd in Delray Beach. None of this would have been possible without you. As always, thank you for sharing the hard work and hope, the forward-thinking dreams of the future and hands-in-the sand attention to the precious present moments as we grow and learn together.
PLAY NATURE ART
Sunflower believes hands-on learning experiences in Play, Nature and the Arts are absolutely essential for healthy human development. The pillars of Sunflower’s educational philosophy are Respect for the Individual, Learning Through Experience and Learning Within Community.
Most of all, thank you for making Sunflower a home for families, a home for learning and a home for childhood, no matter what our address.
Learning Within Community:
Programs and Community Events
Last year 257 families (nearly 100 more than the previous year) participated in Sunflower’s classes, including our free community programs: Sunflower Babies and Roots & Shoots. Over 650 people attended Ice Castle Festival & Play Day, marking the third year in a row this free community event has grown by leaps and bounds. Your participation in Ice Castle and Roots & Shoots’ International Day of Peace Celebration, our other free annual event, plus the new fundraiser Hop, Skip & a Jump-A-Thon, included over 510 volunteer hours and helped spread Sunflower’s mission and message to the larger community.
Help support
Learning Within Community
Just like coming home. Last year marked the beginning of a brand new tradition at Sunflower: Gather in the Garden, a monthly community potluck held in the Sunflower Learning Garden. An average of 25 families per month gathered to share food, tackle small garden projects and catch up with their Sunflower friends.
Learning Through Experience:
Seedlings
Sunflower’s signature early childhood program, Seedlings, is a play-based learning environment that gives children and parents tools for empowered communication and peaceful problem-solving skills. Seedlings families form the heart of the Sunflower community, supporting each other in learning and in life. Your generous donations to the Sunflower Operating Fund last year helped us expand Seedlings to offer a choice of morning, afternoon or full day options and increase enrollment from 25 students to 40 students, allowing more families to share in the Sunflower experience.
I love how much Seedlings has awoken my child’s curiosity and exploration. He’s learned things I never would have expected.
Help Support
Learning Through Experience
Respect for the Individual:
Parents and Children Growing Together
You helped us serve an additional 19 families with 2- and 3-year-olds in the inaugural year of our Little Seedlings program. Little Seedlings is Sunflower’s transitional program that bridges the gap between parent/child classes and our full Seedlings program. Each class includes parent participation, ongoing mentoring and support, and the opportunity to grow and learn within a community at a time when it’s most important for young children and parents. This program is unlike anything else in our local area, and would not be possible without your support. Over 100 more families were served in our other parent/child classes and afterschool theater class. The impact of these programs, which emphasize Sunflower’s pillars (Respect for the Individual, Learning Through Experience and Learning Within Community), can be seen for a lifetime.
Respect for the Individual
Help Support
You Raised $14K for Play
Thank you to everyone who participated in our first annual Hop, Skip & a Jump-A-Thon. Your hard work paid off in Sunflower’s most successful fundraiser ever! More than 300 donors raised $14,965.09 in support of Sunflower’s Play + Nature + Art programs, and nearly 200 people took part in the event at Rutherford Park in Boca Raton. This outpouring of support was truly inspiring!
Hop, Skip & a Jump-A-Thon logo, designed by Sunflower mom Candi Lehenbauer.
New Friends Along the Way
Last year, for the first time, we had several generous businesses and families sponsor our Peace Day and Ice Castle Festival & Play Day. We love building bridges with these community leaders, and are thankful for their support.
2014-2015 Event Sponsors
Benny’s On The Beach
Discount School Supplies
The England Family
The Goldman-Kelly Family
Mother Earth Diaper Service
Nature’s Way Café
Neal Weisman, MD
www.NonChemicalCallie.com
Organic Movements
The Palms Birth House
Publix
Pure and Simple Baby
Pure Earth Baby
Samantha Monus
Tijuana Flats
The Wise Women’s Sanctuary
Last year, Sunflower was pleased to begin a partnership with Delray Beach Children’s Garden. Roots & Shoots members helped the new community garden with a service project, mulching and planting sunflowers, and We Love Shakespeare! Players presented their Spring performance in the garden.
Shakespeare Players presented scenes from several plays under the shade of the mango trees in the Delray Beach Children’s Garden.
All the ways we played…
As we bid our sunny, sandy playground farewell, we wish to say a huge THANK YOU to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Boca Raton for their support and for patiently and generously sharing their home with us for 22 years.
_______________________
Spring 2014
Realtor and friend Diane Paez leads Sunflower to 227 N Dixie Blvd., a “charming house that could be a lovely home for us, with an empty lot next door where we could build a nature playground…”
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Summer 2014
Sunflower puts 227 N Dixie Blvd under contract for purchase.
_______________________
October 2014
Sunflower forms an Advisory Board whose members will provide expertise and guidance as we make the transition to a new operating home base.
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November 2014
Members of the McMurrain family, who own and built 227 N Dixie Blvd in 1949, share stories and history related to their home with Sunflower staff and Board members.
_____________________
December 2014
Sunflower hosts an open house for the Dixie Blvd neighbors.
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January 2015
Delray Beach City Commission approves Sunflower’s planned use of the property as a learning center. Short term financing is secured, allowing Sunflower to move forward with the purchase and renovation while planning a Capital Campaign to finance the project long term.
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February 2015
Closing. “The house is ours!”
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March 2015
Sunflower is awarded a $4,510.50 Paint Up and Signage Grant and a $50,000 Site Development Assistance Grant from the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Funds from the Site Development Grant will pay for improving the exterior of the property, including paving, site lighting, fencing, windows and more. Many thanks to Karen Epstein and Jennifer Ligeti for their hard work on these grant applications.
_______________________
April 2015
Current Seedlings families, Capital Campaign donors, Sunflower Ambassadors and Board/Advisory Board members get the very first sneak peeks of Sunflower’s new home before construction begins.
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May 2015
Construction begins! Nearly fifty guests – including Sunflower Board, staff, families and supporters – attend the official Groundbreaking to kick off the renovation of Sunflower’s new home. Delray Mayor Cary Glickstein spoke at the ceremony, along with Susan Caruso and Jennifer Ligeti. Several members of the McMurrain family also were in attendance.
_______________________
June 2015
Sunflower forms an official Capital Campaign Committee. Jesse England accepts the role of Capital Campaign Chair. “It is a tremendous privilege and honor to serve in this capacity for such a wonderful organization,” Jesse said. “Sunflower’s mission and all of the people working hard to support it are truly inspiring, and I am proud to join such a dedicated team.” Jennifer and George Ligeti will serve as Honorary Co-Chairs. Victoria Green and Saskia Meckman also sign on, the first of many committee members on this important team.
_______________________
July 2015
Sunflower moves into our new home!
The adventure continues…
Financials, July 2014 – June 2015
<- 19% Donations & Fundraising
<- 81% Program
OPERATING INCOME
Program $162,343
Donations & Fundraising $38,193
Total Operating Income $200,535
OPERATING EXPENSES
Program $162,009
Administrative $42,660
Fundraising $19,736
Total Operating Expenses $224,406
Fundraising 9% ->
Administrative 19% ->
Program 72% ->
Reviewed statement and all financial documents are available at www.guidestar.org.
A bunch of little monkeys… Made possible by your generous support. Seedlings’ days are everything childhood should be– filled with time to learn, sing, giggle and dream.
Sunflower Circle
our monthly giving club
Spotlight on Saskia Meckman, Sunflower Volunteer
Saskia and Serena show their love at Give in the Garden, part of Sunflower’s Great Give scholarship fundraiser last May.
Last year Saskia was a Little Seedlings parent, Sunflower Ambassador and a volunteer for the Hop, Skip & a Jump-A-Thon fundraiser. She joined Sunflower’s Capital Campaign committee in June.
Why do you volunteer for Sunflower? Having been part of this amazing community of families, I have seen what an important role Sunflower plays. Imagine all the people (little and big) it has greatly supported and influenced in the past 22 years! To help Sunflower grow and move forward in some small way has been an honor.
What do you love about Sunflower? Sunflower was the first “home” Serena (our daughter) and I felt most comfortable in as we navigated life as new mom and baby out in the Boca Raton/Delray Area. It is a unique environment where I have felt open and safe to grow as a parent and person, a place that I know my daughter loves to come to and explore who she is as a child growing up in this ever-changing world.
2014–2015 DONORS (Operating Fund and Scholarship Fund)
We are very grateful to the donors and organizations that supported Sunflower Creative Arts from July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015.
Donors A - E
Leanne and Lon Adair
Lisa and Steven Aliperta
Jill Allingham
Ashley Amian
Amy and Edgar An
Ann Anderson and Niklas
The Andreadis Family
Cindy and Richard Andresen
Anonymous (75)
Gayle Appel
Jennell Appel
Luanda Azevedo and Kyle Kuhlman
June Backer
Sharon and Scott Baker
Cathy Barr
Kim and Sharon Barr
Michelle and Shawn Barrett
Kim and Mark Bauer
Danielle and Thomas Baugh
Harvey Baumgarten
Mary Ellen Becker and Bruce Hurley
Luca, Janine and Mauricio Benavente
Doris Berge
Scott Berge
Alyson Berry
The Billings Family
Cameron Blacklock
Vanessa Boltz
Callie and Matthew Bosch
Hannah Bottigheimer
The Bowne Family
Ron Bradley
Diogo Braga
Carlton Brijmohan
Genna Brisson
Pam Brown
Stacy Brown and Steve Goldner
Terri Ann Brown
Matthew Buchholz
Jessie and Daniel Budd
Jannick Burkhardt
Mij Byram
Mary and Bob Cadwell
Lisa Camp and Camp Tellman
Erin Carter
Ileen Carter
Kelly Carter-Smock
Susan Caruso
David Chapman
Dorothy Charbonneau
Connie and Jim Chester
Andre Chin
Carol Chin and Vincent Lawson
Kim Chin
Simone Chin and Mahesh Neelakanta
Gloria Chiodo
Elisa and Gabriella Chong
Velvet and Chris Chong
Shannon Cid
Guy Cipriano
The Clearys
Allison and Ed Coach
Marc Cogman
Linda Cohen
Linda Cohen and Howard Sirota
Mary Ann Cole
Linda and James Colucci
Rachael Compofelice and Cousin Charlie
Leslie Cooper
Kathleen Costa
Brit and Jack Courtney
Adriana Crisan and Steven Burstein
Cindy Cudworth
Christopher Cummings
Teresa Cummings
Chase Cury
Brian and Cecilia Dan
Diana Davidson
Sloane Davidson
Michael Davis
The Deans – Dan, Nikki, Oliver and Zac
Inara and Scott Decubellis
Laura DeGroot
Kerri and Steve Deitsch
Rachel’ Dency (in honor of Sarene)
Hallie, Lynne and Jerry Deutsch
Jenna Dickensheet
Mike and Alex Downer and Frisco
Andrea Doyle
Susan and David Dubbin
Kimberly and Jeremy Dudley
Stephanie and Aubrey Dunham
Rob, Amy, and Bo Dunphy
Carmen and John Edelson
Michelle Ellis
Hannah, Sophia, Mark and Cynthia England
Meredith and Jesse England
Wanda England
Karen and Bill Epstein
Sophie Evans and Chris Hentschl
Lexi and Hayden – Evolution Salt Co
Donors F - N
Joelly Faber
Cathy Fant
Diana and Manny Fernandez
Jill and Kol Firtell
Elaina and Jim Fischer
Mike, Kelly and Connor FitzGibbon
Ruth Ann Fleming
Lisa and Jason Fogelson
Ilana Foglia (in memory of her mother, Ginny Moro)
Joe Gaglianello
Joseph Gaglianello
Mary Gaglianello
Karen Galin
Suzy Garfinkle
Allison, Samson and Madden Garvin
Jennifer Gene
Deidre Geraci
Ron and Cecilia Geraci
Barbi, Steve, and Barbi Gerald
The Gerlitz Appel Family
The Glas Family
Audrey Gluck and Sergio De Simone
Connie and Barry Gluck
The Goldman-Kelly Family
Helen Grace
Christopher Alan Graves
Victoria and Vince Green
Jaime and Brett Greenberg
Margaret and William Greenfield
The Griffin Family
Roberto Guzman
Sarah Gyampoh
Barbara Haensel
Julia P. Haensel
Marzena and Josh Hamby
Colleen Haney/Communicating Energy Wellness
Tiffany and Jeremy Hanlon
Kristin Harkness
Michael Harney
Rosie and Josh Harris
Rebecca and Mark Harvey
Stephanie Hawkins
Maris Hayashi and James Tracey
Dinna Hearn
Victoria Maria and Yina Herrera
Melissa Hersh
Suzan and Terry Hibbs
Cindy, Jackie and Katie Hirsch
Elisabeth Hoffman
Cindy Hoyle
Suzanne Humphries
Daric Huntt
Astrea Hupfel (in honor of Jennifer Ligeti and Family)
Michele Iemolo
Kerry and Anissa Inaganti
Angela and Dante Ionata
Ita Ita Organic Food
Craig Jenkins
Lynn Jones
Michelle Jun
Roger Kalina
Eric Karr
Jeannette and George Karr
Justin Karr
The Kattermann Family
Jill Kay and Stefano Papaleo
Norma Kay
Rebecca Keller
Vicky Kemish
The Kenneys
Brenda Kerstetter
Samer Khalidi and the Dubai Cousins
Paul and Patricia Kilgallon
Brian and Lindsey King
The Kitchner Family
Merri Klar and Jeff Berkowitz
Allison and Gregory Koslowski
Ellen and Bill Kruse
Mary Beth Kugler
Hallye and Gregory Kuhlman
Diana and Paul LaCarubba
The Landau Family
The Lawrences
Alan and Elisa Leavitt and Family (in honor of Susan Caruso)
Arielle Leavitt
Candi and Bear Lehenbauer
Simon Leung
Luciana and Eran Levy
Heather Lewin
Beth Licht
Jennifer and George Ligeti
Samantha Ligeti
Martin Lipschultz
Chuck Lister
Mr. and Mrs. Jay Livingston (in memory of Karen “Nana” Blair)
Anna Tsapina and Mikhail Lobanov
Hannah, Chris, Thomas and William Lockwood
John Lombardo
Sid and Kelly Long and Cousin Joshawa
Angie Lopez
Jennifer Low
Donors M - S
Crystal and Michael MacLean
Philip Mahalik
James Barton and Jennifer Marangos
Christine Marchand-Manze and Bob Manze
Elizabeth Mariner
Tayler Mariner and Martin Lee
Natalia, Alessandra and Nathan Martinez
Dylan Peers McCoy
Lora and Jim McCoy
Meade Peers McCoy
Hannah McFadden
Ivette McMullen
Daria Wels and Daniel McNalis
Carmen Meckman
Marie, Steve, and Ben Meckman
Saskia Meckman and Fares Khalidi
Brenda Medore
Irene Menegas and Manuel Vasquez
Debbie Michael and Lottie Champion
Faith Miller
The Mirsky Family
Rakesh Mishra
Irfan Mohammed
Mike Monahan
Mia and James Moore
Ricardo Moreno
Lori and Mike Morrison
Marc Morrison and family
Nina and Joe Morrison
Brian Moskin
Lauren Mulkey
Lillian Murray
Perambur Neelakanta
Marisa and Marcus Nesse
Cassandra Newkirk
Joy Nissley
Minerva Nunez
Maxine Ofsowitz
The Ohanian Family (in memory of Ginny Moro)
Janine and Jared Opper
Wayne Paglieri
Zii Andrea and Alesia Papaleo
Chuck Papp
Jessie Patterson
Terry and Allan Gadd
Cherrise and Keith Pawlak
Lesley and Henry Pawlak
The Petersen Family
Casey and Sean Philbrick
Julia and Terry Philbrick
The Pleasants Family
Liam, Jessica, and Scott Podnos
Ami Polonsky
James Porreca
Jolie Filpo
Ralph A. Powers, Jr.
Marta Prado
Sylvia Pritt
The Quinones Family
Belen Ramos
Viji Ranganathan
Anna Rankin
Kimberly Read
Julie Redd
Phillip Rich
Barbara Riddick
Sherry Rienas
Emma Riley
Susan Rinder
Emma Risley and Scott Schereschewsky
Helen Rockberger
Loibel Dance Studio
Amanda and Ryan Roy
Natalie and Lance Sager
Courtney Salamone and Joseph Snider
Vivian and Ben Salisbury
The Salt Suite
Donors T - Z
Patricia Sanz and Edwin Pena
The Schattens
Erick Schiess
Lia Schultz
Estelle Schwartz
Steven B. Schwortz
Kathy and Spence Seery
Tricia and Bill Seery
Elizabeth Selya
Ilysia Shattuck and Stephen Charbonneau
Sue and Bob Shattuck
Tanya and Jason Shattuck
Courtney Siders
Denise and Matt Sidley and Christina Klimek
Michael Sigelakis
Valerie Silidker
Adena Simmons
Cory Simpson
Howard Sirota
Aidan Smith
Ani and Adam Smith
Claranne and Rich Smith
Denae Smock
The Sneiderman Family
Frances and Ronald Snider
Gary Snyder
Cynthia Sossei
Cynthia and Alan Sperling
Lisa Spiro
Jenny and Tom Stancampiano
Erin Stockard
Clea Stone
Gail Stone
Ellen and Marshall Stone
Peggy and David Stone
Anna Sullivan
Dorota Szladewska and Ernesto Salas
Teddy and Luke Talbot
Rita Tangorra
The Tatges
Claire and Michael Teller
Maria and Michael Tempesta
Tanil and Trey Tidwell
Erin Tobin
Joseph Tocci
Nikki Tomaino
Angela Towne and Gus Martinez
Reva Tucker
Jade Umlauf
Barbara Unger
The Vandemark Family
Annike Venoy and Michael Greenberg
Maria and Manuel Vergara
Ellery Vick
Marjorie and Dick Viens
Erika and Victor Villalobos
Carol and Michael Vogt
Kim Wallant and Douglas Stewart
Connie and Ted Walters
Rachel and Adam Wasch
Kathleen Watson
Amy and Neal Weisman
Gayle Wentworth
Patricia Werhahn and Richard Viens
Lisa and Jim Wheeler
Beverly White
Traci Wilbur
Julie Williams and Steve Ellman
Lee and Charlie Williams
Dave Wilusz
Gertrude and Theodore Winsberg
Christine Yaralli
The Young Family
Shelly and Paul Zacks
The size of the names in the word cloud is randomly created and not a reflection on how much each donation is valued.
Every effort has been made to acknowledge contributions correctly and completely. Should you discover an error or omission, please call us at 561 501-6615.
Sunflower Circle
Our monthly giving club
Special thanks to Stacy Brown, Steve Goldner and their son Blake for opening their beautiful home to us last fall for the annual Sunflower donor and volunteer thank you party.
We’re all in this together: Sunflower Scholarship Fund
Your generous donations to this fund ensure our programs remain affordable and available to more members of the community. Last year you helped raise $8,258 for need-based scholarships. Your gifts directly impact the next generation of Sunflower families. Thank you!
“Without the help of the Sunflower Scholarship Fund, there is absolutely NO way my children could have been a part of the program. It was imperative to me that they experience this type of childhood; that they have this foundation in life that I feel ALL children deserve. A foundation that they can carry with them well into adulthood.”
-Erika Villalobos, Sunflower Mom
A HOME FOR SUNFLOWER – Capital Campaign
Your generous donations to the Capital Campaign helped turn Sunflower’s dream of a new home into reality this year– bringing more families into our community, creating one of South Florida’s first nature playscapes, and allowing Sunflower’s model to become more widely known. As we settle into our new home, your support continues to be crucial. Our goal is to pay down and ideally eliminate the debt we acquired in purchasing and renovating 227 N Dixie Blvd.
Total Project Expenses: $1,371,971
Capital Campaign Goal: $1,000,000
Money Raised to Date: $188,082.10
(including donations, pledges and grants)
Thank you to our newly formed Capital Campaign fundraising committee and to our Advisory Board for lending expertise and guidance during the purchase of Sunflower’s new home.
Advisory Board
Leslie Cooper
Jeanette Denker
Karen Epstein
Patricia Kilgallon
Paul Kilgallon
Jenna Laufer
Liz Locke
Jeffrey Lynne, Esq.
Natalie Mitchell
Kristi Moyer M.Ed.
Diane Paez
Michele Peel
Scott Schereschewsky
Laura Walsh
Capital Campaign Donors
* 2014-2015 donors
Amy and Edgar An *
Keith Backer
Sharon and Scott Baker
Jill and Walter Baum
Stacy Brown and Steve Goldner
Mike Budd
Ileen P. Carter
Angelo Caruso
Steven Caruso
Susan Caruso *
Danielle Casale
Carlee Cohen and Jeremy Barr
Mary L. Cohn
Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency*
Kerri and Steve Deitsch
Jeanette and Dr. Mark Denker *
Suzanne Deutch
Dockerty Romer & Co
Susan and David Dubbin *
Stephanie and Aubrey Dunham
Gary and Wynna Dunmyer
Dionne Ekendiz
Karen and Bill Epstein and family *
Ilana Foglia (in memory of her mother, Ginny Moro)*
Rebecca Follo and J. Thomas Bentley *
Barbara Fuller *
Lisa and Michael Glas
Glidden Spina and Partners *
Connie and Barry Gluck
Victoria and Vince Green*
Margaret and William Greenfield
Kristin Harkness
Astrea Hupfel
Rosemary Justice
Patricia and Paul Kilgallon *
Candy and Martin Kopczak
Le Petit Prince
Luciana and Eran Levy *
Jennifer and George Ligeti *
Martin Lipschultz
Little Seedlings Class of 2014-15*
Tayler Mariner and Martin Lee *
Lora and Jim McCoy
Kirsten McKeen *
Mendelson Consulting *
Nationwide Interpreter Resource, Inc.
Native Green Cay Nursery*
Rosario and Ernest Orphanos *
Michele and Tom Peel *
Virginia Perz
Evan Phalon
Ami Polonsky
Helena Redman
Emma Risley and Scott Schereschewsky
Dany Schaper *
Ilysia Shattuck and Stephen Charbonneau *
Sue and Bob Shattuck
Shauna of the Star *
Ellen and Marshall Stone
Dorota Szladewska and Ernesto Salas
Christine Templeton *
Sharon Rosenthal and Roy Trachtenberg
Patricia Werhahn and Richard Viens *
Join our Journey
Three ways you can help Sunflower:
Tell your friends Invite a friend to Gather in the Garden! Like us on Facebook and ask your friends to like us too. Or make it official: join the Sunflower Ambassadors or the Capital Campaign committee. Contact us to learn more.
Volunteer An hour a week or an hour a year, we need your help! Contact us to find a match for your skills and our needs.
Donate Consider a first-time financial gift or an increase to your giving. Give online: SunflowerCreativeArts.org/donate
“Both of my daughters grew up on the Sunflower playground in Boca. There’s a lot of love and memories in that Sunflower sand, buried like little sparkly treasures. And, in a lot of ways, I feel like I grew up there too. I’m so happy my girls and I all had such a safe place to dare and leap… and land softly, with friends. Now, onward to Delray!”
– Jaime Greenberg, Sunflower Mom and Communications Director
Special thanks to all our extraordinary photographers who generously capture the essence of Sunflower.
227 N Dixie Blvd, Delray Beach, FL 33444
561 501-6615 • SunflowerCreativeArts.org
Sunflower Creative Arts, Inc. is a 501c3 organization, which provides its services and benefits to children and families without regard to race, color, nationality, religion, gender or ethnic origin.
Board of Directors
Jennifer Ligeti, President
Dr. Edgar An, PhD, Vice President
Tayler Mariner, Treasurer
Susan Dubbin, Secretary
Susan Caruso, Executive Director
Gary R. Dunmyer
William L. Epstein
Lora Peers McCoy
Sunflower Executive Staff
Susan Caruso, Executive Director
Jaime Greenberg, Communications Director
Meade Peers McCoy, Director of Special Projects and Strategic Initiatives
Ilysia Shattuck, Development Director
Dorota Szladewska, Financial Director
Sunflower Teachers and Staff 2014–2015
Susan Caruso
Haidor Truu, Seedlings teacher
Amy Weisman, Seedlings teacher
Lori Morrison, Office Manager & Family Liaison