Community Invited To Join In Showering Countess De Hoernle With Record-Setting 100th Birthday Wishes

Aug. 9, 2012 - PRLog -- In appreciation for Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle’s immense, selfless contributions to the community, The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller Commandery of Florida invites residents, nonprofits, schools, companies, city and county officials and staff to participate in what is expected to be a heart-warming, record-setting birthday greeting initiative in the countdown to the Countess’s 100th Birthday Celebration (C100 Event) festivities.  

The “official” daylong C100 celebration to be held on the Countess’s actual birthday, Monday, September 24, 2012 begins with a communitywide “Red, White & Boca-Blue Countess Appreciation Day” during which the entire community is encouraged to pay visual tribute to the Countess in a way that reflects her patriotism for the United States, her “country by choice”, by wearing red, white, and blue and wrapping trees with red, white, and blue ribbons.

Festivities will conclude in royal-style with a formal gala celebration for more than 700 dignitaries and community, business, and nonprofit leaders who will don black or white tie, military or Scottish equivalent, tiaras, regalia, and decorations. Attendees will enjoy dinner, reminiscing, and a video retrospective and the presentation of the record-breaking birthday card signed by thousands from the community she has long supported.  

“Our goal is to secure 5,000-plus well wishes and signatures, which should be easily obtainable considering all the organizations and lives the Countess has touched, enhanced, and enriched by her generosity and inspiration,” noted C100 Gala Chair Commander Isabelle K. Paul DCGSJ.  “We are encouraging companies, large and small, to display panels for staff signing in cafeterias; business and nonprofit organizations to make panels available at their special events and membership meetings; schools and universities to gather signatures from students, parents and staff; and residents to visit the Boca Raton libraries, recreation centers, and nonprofit venues to pen their birthday greetings and signatures.”

Beginning on Monday, August 6, 2012 and continuing through Friday, September 14, 2012, birthday card panels, which will be assembled as one gigantic birthday card to debut at the C100 gala, will be available for signing at key, convenient locations and events from Boca Raton to West Palm Beach.  Conceived, launched, and organized by Kaye Communications, the C100 Strategic Communications, and Community Relations and Media Relations Partner and sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue, the initiative is being driven by volunteers from Family Promise of South Palm Beach County, Spirit of Giving Network, and the Boca Raton Historical Society who comprise the official “C100 Signature Squad”.  The dedicated squad will be coordinating panel deliveries and pick-ups for companies, nonprofits, schools and universities, etc. as requested.

To request birthday card panel(s) and/or panel delivery and pick-up, companies, schools and universities, organizations and nonprofits should contact Kokie Dinnan at Family Promise of South Palm Beach County, kdinnan@familypromisepbc.org (561) 265-3370; Karen Krumholtz at the Spirit of Giving Network, karen@spiritofgivingnetwork.com (561) 385-0144; or Mary Csar at the Boca Raton Historical Society, mary@bocahistory.org (561) 395-6766, ext. 106 or (561) 212-0301.

The community-at-large, including residents, visitors and other fans of the Countess, is invited to stop by one of the following “official C100 birthday card signing locations” to “pen” their own wishes to “Our Legend” and commend “Her Legacy”.  The public can sign the record-breaking birthday card at the following locations:

South Palm Beach County:
•   Spirit of Giving Network, Vegso Community Center, 261 Northwest 13th Street, Boca Raton, FL 33432
•   Boca Raton Historical Society, Old Town Hall, 71 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, FL 33432
•   Saks Fifth Avenue-Boca Raton at Town Center, 5800 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431
•   Boca Raton City Hall, 201 West Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, FL 33432
•   Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, 1800 North Dixie Highway, Boca Raton, FL 33432
•   Kaye Communications, Inc., 1515 South Federal Highway, Suite 103, Boca Raton, FL  33432
•   Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle Art School-Boca Raton Museum of Art, 801 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, FL 33486
•   YMCA of South Palm Beach County, 6631 Palmetto Circle South, Boca Raton, FL 33433
•   Florida Atlantic University, Living Room Theaters, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431
•   Gallery 22 By Yaacov Heller, Royal Palm Place, 320 Esplanade, Boca Raton, FL 33432
•   Downtown Boca Library, 200 NW Boca Raton Boulevard, Boca Raton, FL 33432
•   Spanish River Library, 1501 NW Spanish River Boulevard, Boca Raton, FL 33431
•   American Red Cross, 5820 North Federal Highway, Suite B, Boca Raton, FL 33487
•   Family Promise of Palm Beach County, 840 George Bush Boulevard, Building D, Delray Beach, FL 33483 (on the property of St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church)

North Palm Beach County:
•   HomeSafe, 2840 Sixth Avenue, Lake Worth, FL 33461
•   American Red Cross, 825 Fern Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
•   Northwood University Student Life Center, 2600 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL  33409
•   Children’s Home Society, 3333 Forest Hill Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL  33136
•   Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, 1715 Tiffany Drive East, West Palm Beach, FL 33407

To learn more about the Countess, the gala, sponsorships, birthday greeting ads, and tickets, as well as updates and how to participate in the “Red, White & Boca-Blue Countess Appreciation Day” festivities, visit www.countess100.org and www.youtube.com/user/Countess100Gala; “Like” Countess on Facebook (www.facebook.com/countess100), or call C100 Gala Chair Isabelle K. Paul (561) 391-3424.

About The C100 Birthday Gala: On Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle’s Birthday, Monday, September 24, 2012:
To celebrate Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle’s immense selfless contributions to the community in royal style, the “Our Legend, Her Legacy” themed benefit gala will be held at Boca West Country Club with more than 700 dignitaries and community, business, and nonprofit leaders donned in black or white tie, military or Scottish equivalent, tiaras, regalia, and decorations for dinner, music, multi-media tributes, dancing, and reminiscing. The evening’s program will include a video retrospective and presentation of a gigantic birthday card signed by thousands from the community she has long supported.  

Presented by the Order of St. John, Chaired Dame Isabelle K. Paul DCGSJ and Vice-Chair Dame Alyce E. Erickson DSJ with Honorary Chairs Christine Lynn and Barbara and Dick Schmidt, the event is being held as a benefit to fulfill the Countess’s 100th birthday wish of raising significant funds to benefit Boca Raton area nonprofits.  Sponsorships at various levels, commemorative journal tribute ads and birthday greetings, tables of 10 and individual seats at $375 per person are available at www.countess100.org. The gala’s program journal will be sent to the Library of Congress, and the Florida State and Boca Raton Historical Societies for inclusion in their historic archives.

About The Countess, “Our Legend, Her Legacy”:
Managing her charitable work from her home since 1981 without any staff, the Countess de Hoernle has selflessly given away more than $40 million of her personal funds to local charities while serving on 16 boards of directors each year for more than 25 years, for more than 30 different charities in her lifetime.  Serving as an indelible and inspiring role model of philanthropy with wisdom and grace, there are more than 40 buildings named in her honor throughout Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, New York and abroad.  For more, visit www.countess100.org.