The weekend of Feb. 25 and 26 promises to be crazy busy with outdoor fun. Doral will be well represented at A Safe Haven for Newborns (SHFN) Walk at Amelia Earhart Park on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 25. DBC member Marti Bueso and others are recruiting teams to participate in this annual event that promises to be a great success. Proceeds from the walk and fun family day will help Safe Haven save babies from abandonment.
To kick off this SHFN Walk, Board Member Henry Delgado partnered with Smith & Wollensky on Miami Beach to host a beautiful reception on Jan. 26 during which guests enjoyed an open bar and scrumptious hors d’oeuvres. ASHFN Founder Nick Silverio addressed the crowd, and shared a touching new video with testimonials that features how this organization has saved the lives of more than 250 babies and counting. Walk Chair Norris Perez was on hand as the “ultimate volunteer” working with Marti and an amazing committee of dedicated people to make this event a success.
Among the crowd of volunteers and supporters seen enjoying the affair with this writer were Gina Perez, Marie Pappas, Scott Cabrera, Jeff Sullivan, Odalys Quesada, Joe Perez, Marcia and Luiz Diaz de Villegas, CBS Radio’s Max Ramirez, Julijana Rose, Dr. William Bruno, Ximena and Joseph Terneus, Yesenia Moreno, Pete de la Torre, Sally Villaba, Alina Barrios, the Murphy family from Coastal Construction, Peggy Calhoun, Efrain Sora, and dozens more. For more information or to register for the Feb. 24 walk, visit www.asafehavenfornewborns.com.
The next day, on Sunday, Feb. 26, several DBC members also will be participating in the 2nd Annual Coral Gables Rotary Chili Cook Off. Miami Christian School has already re-upped with plans for an even bigger showing with Chef Cathie Burns and Allison Bean cooking and recruiting MCS students to help.. The fun starts at 1 p.m., after chefs have prepared their chili , and closes at 5 p.m.
Once again this year, the action happens at Fred B. Hartnett Ponce Circle Park in Coral Gables just south of Miracle Mile (Coral Way) on Ponce de Leon Blvd. There will be live music by The Stiltsville and Funk Pedal with great food and drink for sale and more. Among the major sponsors are Coral Gables Hospital whose chef won last year for “Overall Best Chili.”
The competition is on for others who want to show off their culinary skills. Entry fee is only $25. This is a family fun day you will not want to miss. Admission is free but chili tasters will need to buy a wrist band for tastings. For more information or to register to compete today, visit www.chilichillin.com.
Coming up next month are a few dates you may want to save: On March 9, the Confucius Institute at Miami Dade College will present a Chinese film, “The Summer Is Gone,” in conjunction with the Miami Film Festival. Times to be determined. In addition, on March 11, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., plans are underway for a day long Master Class Symposium to be held at Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus. The Confucius Institute promotes the international education, cross-cultural understanding, global citizenship, and lifelong learning through its Chinese Language and cultural programs. For more information, contact Arely Ruiz at arely@arelypr.com or visit www.mdc.edu/confucius.
Finally, the Junior Orange Bowl’s “Mad Hatter in Wonderland Gala” is set for March 18, at the East Miami in the Brickell City Centre, 788 Brickell Plaza. This year’s honorees include Bacardi, Barbara & Don Waters, and the Orange Bowl Committee. For more information on how you may participate, call Jessica at 305 610-4149, or send an email to jcerda@jrorangebowl.org, or visit www.jrorangebowl.org.
Until next time, keep making each day count.
