Festival organizers, event and meeting planners, and numerous other vendors were on hand for the Greater Miami Festivals and Events Association’s 5th Annual Conference at Milander Conference Center on June 21. Attendees came from all over South Florida providing great dialogue and networking as well as some amazing performances and speakers. Kudos to Executive Director Robbie DiPietro and her staff and board for orchestrating an impressive and very successful event. Keynote speaker was “The Sponsorship Guy,” Larry Weil, who shared his many Award-Winning sponsorship strategies and held a smaller group chat following lunch. Other speakers included John Malleky, from Edison Festival and Fiesta San Antonio, as well as Malken Stefany, from Tampa’s Gasparella Celebration.
This organization provides incredible resources and opportunities for nonprofit, entertainers and event planners. Among the list of members include such notables as the Village of Pinecrest, the Junior Orange Bowl, Arts & Business Council, Florida Renaissance Festival, Orchestra Miami, University of Miami Frost School of Music, Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, GMCVB and Miami Book Fair International.
In other news, A Safe Haven for Newborns raised more than $500 with a reception at Kendra Scott at Brickell City Center on June 22.
Twenty percent of the sales that night was donated to Safe Haven. Guests enjoyed champagne, snacks and playing with the color bar that allows customers to design their own jewelry. Store manager Brittany Benavidez was on hand with ASHFN’s Nick Silverio and Marti Bueso to welcome the crowd of supporters from the DBC and ASFHN’s board of directors including Efrain and Roxana Sora (who was attired in her own art, a beautiful elegant tunic), Alina Barrios, Nella Watanabe, Adriana Simon Parra and Orestes Simon, Dunia and Frank Cuneo, Cindy Delgado, Mara Falero, Paula Franco, Sally Villalba, Carlos and Judy Ruiz, AMR’s Dave Sanford and Robert White, Sara Armesto, Isabel Cristina Martin, Nancy La, Scott Cabrera, Mirta Fuentes, Emily Bahamonde,and Gina Perez, and dozens more.
Speaking of A Safe Haven for Newborns, they recently announced another baby saved making it 265 babies saved from abandonment since its founding. Save the date of October 21, for Safe Haven’s 7th Annual “A Wonderland of Safe Haven” Gala to be held at the Intercontinental Miami, 100 Chopin Plaza.
Safe Haven, by the way, is one of nine local charities so far who have signed up to participate in this year’s annual Scoops of Hope Breakfast to be held Wed., July 26, 7:30 – 10:30 a.m., at the Hotel Colonnade in Coral Gables. This annual event to benefit Give Kids the World Village and participating local charities has raised thousands of dollars every year to support worthy programs and initiatives from Coral Gables Rotary’s veterans programs and South Miami Rotary’s outreach efforts to Coral Gables Woman’s Club’s free children’s dental clinic. As of this writing, several vendors have also signed up to support the effort purchasing display tables including HV Designs, Artful Fashions DBA Roxana Zubia, Coral Gables Hospital, Florida Dairy Farmers and DOCA Business Group (Nuzion organic quinoa and chia seeds), to mention a few.
Tickets may be purchased through local participating charities that keep 50 percent of the $10 ticket price while the other 50 percent is directed to Give Kids the World, a 70 acre resort in the Orlando area that provides a free one week vacation to children with life threatening illnesses accompanied by their entire family. GKTW is a pet charity of the Hotel Colonnade that has hosted events year after year support this resort as well as dozens of local charities.
Those charities looking to participate, individuals wanting to purchase tickets, or vendors may email gloria@cnews.net or call 305 968-3090. Tickets will also be available at the door.
Several members of the Coral Gables Woman’s Club and other local charities were recent guests for a tour and lunch on the NCL Sky that will be making 4 day cruises to Cuba. CGWC member Diane Superville orchestrated this outing with NCL’s Christopher Cardena. The Cuba cruises provide a good cultural experience for local service clubs and might also serve as a good fundraiser. Among the CGWC members attending with this writer were Club President Deborah Van Stone Moore, of Gulliver Schools; Arely Ruiz, of Arely Ruiz PR; and Marti Bueso. of Home Financing Center.
Until next time, keep making each day count.
