Village residents known as Pinecrest Pioneers gathered at Evelyn Greer Park in mid-December to celebrate their Village and toast to their long life. There are about 600 residents who count 80 birthdays or more living within Pinecrest’s 7.5 square miles, about a dozen are in their 90s.
Many of these Pinecrest Pioneers lived in this once rural area as children during World War II when German submarines cruised offshore. They grew up here and raised families during an industrial boom that propelled their neighborhood to become one of South Florida’s most exclusive suburbs.
To celebrate the lives and stories of these venerable men and women, the Village of Pinecrest has been hosting an annual Pinecrest Pioneer Luncheon for the last five years, a tradition started by Mayor Cindy Lerner in 2009.
The most recent luncheon was holiday themed and took place on Dec. 13 in Evelyn Greer Park. About 100 Pioneers attended the luncheon, along with Village officials and the Palmetto Elementary School Jazz Troupe, who played holiday jazz classics.
Mayor Lerner chaired the event and delivered her annual State of the Village address.
