The Orange Bowl Committee launched a new girls golf program on Sept. 17 in conjunction with the First Tee Foundation that filled a void in the many youth programs that the Orange Bowl supports in our community.
Despite the driving rain that afternoon, hundreds gathered at Melreese Golf Course to celebrate with dozens of young female golfers who will be taking advantage of this opportunity to take part in a program that teaches golf while also stressing academics with tutoring help several days a week.
As the third female president of the Orange Bowl in its 81-year history, Lee Stapleton, a litigating partner with Baker McKenzie, saw the need for additional youth programs focused on girls and wanted to do something about it. Addressing the crowd, she noted that one third of all college golf scholarships for women go unused which made this program a great option.
Speaking of the Orange Bowl Committee, the Orange Bowl Foundation recently donated $50,000 to the Junior Orange Bowl Committee to support that organization’s numerous athletic and cultural events for the upcoming year and were recognized at a kickoff on Sept. 15 at the Coral Gables Country Club by 2015-16 JOBC president Kathleen Slesnick Kauffman.
Coral Gables Rotarians recently helped with funding for a new Scatter Garden at the Miami-Dade County Cemetery. A group of hard working volunteers from Vitas, the Veterans Administration, and others actiually finished constructing the garden the morning of the ribbon breaking on Patriot Day (9/11). This new garden provides a place for people to visit where the county scatters ashes for those whom the county cremates. A key person getting Gables Rotarians involved in this project was Edwin Vasco, a Marine veteran, who met with former Coral Gables Rotary president Yoli Woodbridge to get help with funding. Rotarians not only helped with funding but Coral Gables Rotary Community Service chair Rebecca Kibbe and her committee will be working with Interact and other volunteer groups to help maintain the site. The Adrienne Arsht Center celebrated the start of the South Florida arts season on Sept. 12 with ArtsLaunch2015, a fun-filled day of activities for the community presented by American Airlines. While ArtsTalk2025 provided insight into the future of the Miami arts community, other activities ranged from to a mini comic book convention, sampling from the center’s onsite restaurant, and film screenings. Best of all, it was free to the public.
John Richard, president and CEO of the Arsht Center, believed this event was a way to embrace and celebrate diversity and bring local arts and patrons together to begin The Adrienne Arsht Center’s10th Anniversary.
Finally, the Oct. 3 5K Park Fest is days away and a big shout out to Coral Gables Hospital for entering a team and directing their donations to the MVS Coral Gables Woman’s Club Children’s Dental Clinic. This will be a busy day with a Junior Orange Bowl Family Day at Tropical Park that goes on until 2 p.m. overlapping slightly with Park Fest that goes on until 5 or 6 p.m. Never say there is nothing to do in South Florida.
Until next time, keep making each day count.
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