Westin Walk participants take steps to healthy 2013

Westin Walk participants
Westin Walk participants
Divisi Choral Assemble from Coral Gables Senior High School join Coral Gables Chamber president Mark
Trowbridge for photo after the breakfast meeting. Pictured (l-r) are Monica Larrea, Elizabeth Lara, Trowbridge,
Joshua Dodge, Marcus Hines, Jostein Quintana, Mary Morrow, Jennifer Rodriguez and Larrelle Jack.

More than 40 folks showed up at the Westin Colonnade at 6:45 a.m. on Dec. 14 for a brisk 40-minute walk with local general managers Michael McMahon of the Westin Colonnade, Gary Marcoe of Season’s 52, and Glen Greer of Gables Fitness.

McMahon makes this walk around the City Beautiful every weekday and invites everyone to join him. He even treats his walkers to free water and coffee.

Westin Walk participants
Pictured are (l-r, top row) Dorothy Thomson, Robin Burr, Pam Schaefer, Carol Rosenau, Mitzi Jenner, Ana Lam, Mireya
Kilmon, Dr. Iris Torres-Rivera, Maryann Etkin, Carmen Suarez, Mayra Dominguez, and Patty Hendon; (bottom row)
Susie Tilson, Linda Hartwell, Barbara Lapsley, ClaireFrances Whitehurst, Nancy DesMangles and Gloria Burns.

To promote this healthy way to start the day, the trio of GMs began the 2013 Westin Wellness Walk season on Dec. 14 with a post walk breakfast celebration that not only included a nutritious buffet breakfast with yummy mini desserts from Season’s 52 but lots of great door prizes donated by each of the partners.

Among those in the crowd enjoying the morning were people from the local business community, residents, hotel guests and such notables as the Westin’s Laura Delgado, Barbara Van Hussen and executive chef Thomas Russo, andSeason 52’s Denise Erwin.

Westin Walk participants
Walkers gather at the Westin Colonnade for the start of the 2013 Westin Wellness Walk .

The GFWC Coral Gables Woman’s Club conducted its annual board dinner on Dec. 19 at the clubhouse in a beautifully curtained off area that was transformed into a winter wonderland by past resident Linda Hartwell and her helpers.

A Chinese gift exchange with a twist made for a lively time after a short meeting and a beautiful dinner prepared by Sandy Schaefer. Club president Mireya Kilmon, in keeping with her theme of “Galloping to New Horizons.” gave everyone a horse holiday ornament.

Among the many enjoying the evening were Dorothy Thomson, Robin Burr, Pam Schaefer, Carol Rosenau, Mitzi Jenner, Ana Lam, Mireya Kilmon, Dr. Iris Torres-Rivera, Maryann Etkin, Carmen Suarez, Mayra Dominguez, Patty Hendon, Susie Tilson, Barbara Lapsley, ClaireFrances Whitehurst, and Nancy DesMangles.

All gathered there were happy to learn that the initial dinner for the Rotary Wine Dinner series made more than $3,000 of which half will be donated to the club’s May Van Sickle Children’s Dental Clinic with more to come for sponsorship after the series of four dinners is completed.

Speaking of those Coral Gables Rotary Wine Dinners, the next one in the series will be at Angelique Euro Cafe on Tuesday, Feb. 26. A four-course dinner with wine pairings for each course promises another great evening to benefit local charities and the Coral Gables Rotary Foundation. Tickets are $125 per person and seating is limited. Chairing this series is Rotarian Rodney Langer who promises more information on this to come soon.

In other news, Coral Gables High School’s Choral Ambassadors, the Divisi Assemble, provided the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce with terrific entertainment during its Dec. 20 breakfast at The Biltmore Hotel.

CGHS choral teacher Mary Morrow has several different a capella groups that perform at various community events. On that morning, the singers, all seniors who will be graduating this year, included Monica Larrea, Elizabeth Lara, Joshua Dodge, Marcus Hines, Jostein Quintana, Jennifer Rodriguez and Larrelle Jack.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and until next time keep making each day count.

If you want to submit information for this column, please send your news via email to gloriagalburns@aol.com


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A graduate of the University of Florida with a major in Spanish, Burns has an extensive background in advertising, marketing and reciprocal trade, travel , non profit consulting and management. Before joining Miami's Community Newspapers as a columnist and marketing specialist, Gloria was the Executive Director of the Jr. Orange Bowl Committee (6 yrs.) and first Executive Director of the Coral Gables Community Foundation (14 yrs.) and the Pinecrest Community Foundation (1 ½ yrs) . Burns' volunteer activities led her to become a columnist for Community Newspapers writing Gloria’s Gab, that focuses on the non-profit activity, and a host of an online show, Gloria's Gab LIVE. Gloria serves the board of the Rotary Club of Coral Gables as Civic and Charity Chair, and is involved in the club's International Committee. She is an active Life Member of the Jr. Orange Bowl Committee and is Secretary of the Merrick Festival. She serves on the board of directors of the Coral Gables Woman' Club as Publicity Chair and also coordinates the club's monthly fundraiser for various charities with Gringo Bingo at Clutch Burger. In addition, Gloria participates in numerous other charitable events and is a member of the Business Forum Group, Profit Inc., the Greater Miami Festival & Events Association and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce. In other volunteer activity, Gloria helps Miami Christian School with fund-raising and PR; is an Ambassador and volunteers for events for A Safe Haven for Newborns. She is an active member of the Music Ministry at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church where she enjoys singing in the choir every weekend.