Achievement Breakfasts honored top middle and high school as well as area elementary school students at Westin Colonnade on Mar. 12 and 14, respectively.
Presented by Miami-Dade Chapter- Thrivent Financial and coordinated by Joan Reitsma, the events were bigger than ever although a few schools were unable to attend because of scheduling conflicts. In fact, the Mar. 12 event drew more than 300 people for the middle and high school event that featured an entertaining talk by Chamber president and CEO Mark Trowbridge.
Trowbridge took on double duty also addressing the elementary school crowd before they were entertained by Earl Maulding and Actors’ Playhouse Musical for Young Audiences’ cast of the Wizard of Oz.
Coral Gables Friends of Education are able to produce these annual recognition events thanks to ongoing support from the Miami-Dade Chapter of Thrivent Financial, GFWC Coral Gables Woman’s Club, Claire Frances Whitehurst, Westin Colonnade, Gulliver Schools, Education Foundation of Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Coral Gables, and Alberto Romeu Photograher.
The GFWC Coral Gables Woman’s Club “High Rollers To Hollywood” was a great success raising much-needed funds for the club’s free children’s dental clinic. Carol Rosenau chaired the event with her right hand Debi Moore handling the silent auction and so many others helping with casino, cashiering, scenery, media, and Step and Repeat including Linda and John Hartwell, Nathalia Bogani, Robin Burr, Carmen Suarez, Vicki McGroarty, Dr. Iris Torres, Richard and Maryanne Etkin, and dozens more.
The club is grateful for the many donors who stepped up including Herbalife-Ron and Carol Rosenau, Evensky and Katz Wealth Management, Amtrust Bank, Gulliver Schools, Claire Frances Whitehurst, Publix Super Markets Charities, Mercon, Herbalife-D&G Nutrition.
GFWC Coral Gables Woman’s Club clubhouse also provided great site for the Independent Schools of South Florida (ISSF) Spelling Bee on Mar. 13. Independent schools from around South Florida convened for this annual event. Charging only for air conditioning and set up, CGWC waives the regular fee to help underwrite this annual event as well as two ISSF geography bees to help make it affordable for all schools, not just those with big budgets.
In other service club news, Gulliver Schools’ Interact Club once again awed guests with a wonderfully entertaining fashion show and silent auction on Mar. 13. This annual event is produced completely by the Interact students who always amaze with a beautiful program that even featured a musical performance by Luisa Maggioni, class of 2014, who wowed the crowd singing John Legend’s All of Me. Proceeds for this Interact production benefit Easter Seals, Give Kids the World and Chapman Partnership.
Speaking of Gulliver, the fashion show was just the start of a big week that ended with a giant celebration of the school’s 60th anniversary with a party to beat all parties on Mar. 15. More than 600 guests attended this spectacular celebration that began with cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres, live band on the patio, silent auction in the Media Center, dinner under an air conditioned tent on the football field followed by dessert and a casino night with more music to finish off the evening.
There were no shortage of celebrities and VIPs in the crowd for this affair honoring the Krutulis Family with a special video tribute to Mrs. K during the dinner program that left few dry eyes in the house. Among the notables in the crowd were honorary chairs Ray and Shannon Allen and Jennifer Valoppi and Christian de Berdoure who certainly added glamour to an already spectacular evening celebrating 60 years of excellence in education.
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.
