Seven South Miami-area middle and high school students were recently named winners of the South Miami Drug-Free Coalition (SMDFC) student art contest. Winning artworks were chosen from original pieces reflecting the contest theme, “Drug Free Is The Key.”
SMDFC is an Informed Families-sponsored initiative. Juan Garcia won bestin- show. In the 6-8 grade category winners were Rebecca Adler, first place; Alexis Graboski, second place; and Maria Lopez, third place. All are students at South Miami Community Middle School (SMCMS). Awards in the 9-12 grade category went to Natalie Munoz, of South Miami Senior High School, first place; Christopher Rodriguez, second place; and Quentin Coffy, third place, both from SMCMS.
Winning entries were on display at the 25th annual South Miami Rotary Art Festival this past February, as well as at other locations throughout South Miami. Additionally, winning artwork will be considered for possible use to promote Informed Families’ annual Red Ribbon Week or other drug-free activities sponsored by SMDFC and Informed Families.
The University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame, a non-profit charitable organization, whose sole purpose is to promote the University of Miami’s athletic teams and to preserve its history, held 41st Annual Induction banquet on April 23rd, at Miami’s Jungle Island. Among the many in attendance were current NFL star Edgerrin James, 1980’s football lineman Mike Sullivan, basketball star Tim James, baseball star Aubrey Huff and Warren Bogle, the first Miami player to reach the Major Leagues, track Olympian Davian Clark and women’s National Champion golfer Cathy Morse.
Congratulations to David Lawrence who was honored yet again with the 2009 Humanitarian of the Year Award at a dinner held recently at the JW Marriott Miami at which Mayor Carlos Alvarez, was the Honorary Chair.
Lawrence was also awarded the Coral Gables Citizen of the Year by the Rotary Club of Coral Gables. Congratulations to a man who has truly impacted our community in a most positive way for decades on end.
Finally, Col. Lettie Bien left Sunday for Iraq on April 19. After retiring from the military, Bien will now be serving our country working as a civilian. In Lettie fashion, her standing order to her friends was to “Take care of yourself and give something back to your community in some form or another! Now, more than ever, is the time to reach out, help one another and stop getting caught up in the small or material things that mean nothing. Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem. Our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, Country…that is what it is all about.” Truer words were never spoken. Until next week, keep making each day count.
Keeping up with what’s happening in our community is quite a challenge and I am certain there are many activities I miss. If you would like to submit information for this column, send your news via e-mail to galburns@aol.com .
