Service clubs kick off 2025 with festivities; King Mango Strut reins in the Grove

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With tons of festivities on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day brought dozens of Rotarians to Mattheson Hammock for the Coral Gables Rotary’ s Annual Moose Milk Party coordinated by Past President Sally Baumgartner Goodman. While the club provided the libations centered around Moose Milk (vanilla ice cream and gin), members came with assorted dishes and, of course, black eyed peas for good luck. Club President Jim Skinner and wife, retired Judge Maria Korvick, came with their beautiful poodles and others came with kids and grandchildren for a picture-perfect day with friends. Among the many others gathered for the day were Past President (PP) Frank Sexton, PP Yolanda Woodbridge, PP Debbie Swain and John Swain, PP Keith Phillips and Angela Phillips, and PP Bruce Kerestes; Hadley Williams, Sue Paladino, Phil Boswell, Carol and Jasper Brock, RCCG Treasurer Bill Quesenberry and Chie Quesenberry, and Diane Thurston.

On January 5, the 41st Annual King Mango Strut Parade kicked off 2025 with its satirical, outrageous annual parade attracting ten thousand or more spectators and parade participants who marched or lined the streets of Coconut Grove on a picture-perfect day.

This parade, which spoofs current events in comical ways, all started when a group was not allowed to be in the King Orange Bowl Parade decades ago and decided to do their own. As always, the satirical nature of the parade and creative talents of the marchers was evident this year from the Miami Chainsaw Massacre – Save Our Trees and Celebrate Incinerate (not in our backyard) to the peace-loving Coconut Grove Rotarians, the Marching Freds (with whom this writer marched for a few years), the Coconut Grove Woman’s Club as well as the Coral Gables Woman’s Club with its antique TR6 and band (Alex Guillen as J Lo and the Heartbreakers). It was a picture-perfect day for this iconic Coconut Grove event. Kudos to the event organizers who invest countless volunteer hours to magically produce this annual celebration that brings our community together.

Finally, here are some dates to save:
Now through February 23, 2025 – Jersey Boys is running at Actors Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre in Coral Gables. www.actorsplayhouse.org

Now through April, 2025 – South Florida PBS’s DaVinci Immersive Experience in Boynton Beach, www.southfloridapbs.org

January 28, 2025 – Coral Gables Woman’s Club Gringo Bingo at Birdie Bistro on Granada Golf Course in Coral Gables. 7 p.m. to RSVP gloria@cnews.net

February 8, 2025 – Coral Gables Community Foundation’s Tour of the Kitchens, 9 a.m., Merrick Park. www.gablesfoundation.org

February 15, 2025 – Feeding South Florida’s Outrun Hunger 5K at Tropical Park 6:30 – 9 a.m. – https://feedingsouthflorida.org/events

March 8, 2025 – Paws4You’s Mardi Paws! Gala at the Cruz Building in Coconut Grove.

March 14. 2025 – The Women’s Fund Power of the Purse Luncheon, 11 a.m., at Jungle Island.

May 16,2025 – 8th Annual Tee Off for a Cause Charity Golf Tournament at Red Tiger Golf Course at Trump. Call 305-882-1305 Ext. 104 or safehaven@asafehavenfornewborns.com.
May 16, 2025 – United HomeCare’s 30th Annual Claude Pepper Awards Luncheon, 11 a.m., at The Pullman Hotel.

Finally, remember to count your blessings, share a kind word and a smile, and make a difference!

 

 

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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.