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Another busy month has non-profit groups providing critical programs and raising funds to deliver services and create awareness for important issues.
One such issue, human trafficking, is being addressed by Gloria Martinez and her Taking Back the Girls non-profit. You see, Martinez is a human trafficking victim and knows first-hand the importance of awareness for this issue and is doing something about it.
Currently working on her PhD that involves a documentary with an awareness campaign, Gloria completed an installation of 1,626 bears representing the number of individuals the DCF shows as victims of human trafficking, part of her “Too Much to Bear” campaign.
Just a week before the Mar. 18 installation at St. Thomas University, the Coral Gables Woman’s Club’s Civic Engagement chair, Kristina Jackson, learned about the call for bears and rallied club members collecting 95 bears in just a few days. The bears were delivered to Taking Back the Girls office Ultimately, the bears will be given to victims but may be used in additional installations down the road if funding becomes available.
To learn more about Gloria Martinez’ and her life, look for her interview with Gloria Burns on Miami’s Community Newspapers’ website (cnews.net).
Aside from collecting bears, the GFWC Coral Gables Woman’s Club held two events of note on Mar. 16 — a neighborhood cleanup and a party that night. Before preparing for the party honoring club president Ruth Martinez, several members gathered for the club’s monthly neighborhood cleanup organized by Frances Yec, collecting garbage and, of all things, a color printer that actually works. It was a two-women job carrying to the clubhouse, but Meredeth McKissick and Alma Suarez made it happen and the office now has a color printer.
These same two active members also were seen at the club’s Gringo Dingo Bingo at Bay 13 Brewery & Restaurant days later. That monthly event raised over $1,000 for the club’s good works thanks to sponsors Lynn Bauer, Dr. Hal Wanless, Dr. Jose Chaviano, Jerry Kavulich, Kim and Tom Davison as well as Kings Bowl in Doral, Bay 13 and Miami’s Community Newspapers who provide great prizes every month. As always, music by DJ Germain and Steven Bradley as emcee make this a great party every time.
In other news, 300 philanthropists gathered at Vizcaya on Mar. 5, for the 16th annual Vizcaya Preservation Luncheon. Striking, colorful dresses and hats fashions worn by the assembled crowd made for hard decisions for the fashion judges who were tasked with picking the winners who included Marile Lopez for Most Avant Garde; Natalia Echavaria for Best Hat, and Nancy McCormick for Best Ensemble. The affair was chaired by Christy Martin, Swanee DiMare and Eliah Beavers, a trio who produced a truly memorable event for all.
District Rotarians are all about environmental sustainability and have ongoing projects.
Robert Bull encourages all to get involved with the 42nd anniversary of Baynanza, that will have 33 locations across the county to cleanup Biscayne Bay on Saturday, Apr. 13, 9 a.m. to noon. To participate, go to the Baynanza registration site.
On the cultural front, the Tony-nominated Caroline, or Change will run at Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre through Apr. 14. This musical features a wonderful score by Jeanine Tesori (Shrek The Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie), blending blues, gospel and traditional Jewish melodies, while creating a musical backdrop for Pulitzer Prize-winner Tony Kushner’s (Angels in America) provocative and personal story. For info and tickets, go to www.actorsplayhouse.org.
Finally, save the dates, Tuesday, Apr. 16, for the next Gringo Bingo at Bay 13, and Saturday, May 11, for Coral Gables Woman’s Club’s annual Mother’s Day Tea. Look for more on that coming soon. For sponsorship opportunities or tickets, visit gfwccoralgableswomansclub.org.
Until next time, share your time and talents, count your blessings, and make a difference.
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For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.
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