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The Deering Estate Foundation honored its 2021 Champion Partners of the Year at its Annual Meeting on January 19, 2022, via Zoom. A collective energy recognizing all that had been accomplished and an optimism for what can still be achieved was felt by all dedicated community leaders, collaborating partners, and Estate volunteers and staff who joined the virtual meeting.
In presenting the 2021 Champion Partner Awards, Deering Estate Foundation President Liede DeValdivielso, Executive Director Nina Zanella, and Deering Estate Director Jennifer Tisthammer emphasized the importance of cooperative efforts and community engagement in preserving and enhancing the Deering Estate and fulfilling its mission.
Celebrating and receiving their awards were:
Mira Lehr – 2021 Champion Programming Partner of the Year
Mira Lehr is an eco-feminist artist from Miami whose career spans four decades. Her nature-based imagery encompasses painting, design, sculpture, and video installations. Mira has affected a new generation of young artists by serving as a mentor and collaborator. She is a local treasure, celebrated as “the Godmother of Miami’s Art Scene” and were honored to have her work exhibited at Deering. Her work, activism and philosophy align with our mission and goals for the future, and we look forward to continuing our work with her. Mira Lehr’s solo and group exhibitions number more than three hundred. Locally, her work has been shown at Vizcaya, Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, just to name a few. Mira is a graduate of Vassar College with a degree in Art History, under the mentorship of Linda Nochlin, the renowned feminist art historian. Lehr is the subject of a brand new, 420-page international monograph entitled Mira Lehr: Arc of Nature, by the leading art book publisher Skira Editore, to be published this spring. Mira honored us by being the subject of a solo exhibition of her most recent work to kick off our 2021-2022 Cultural Arts Season. The show received incredibly positive reviews in major national publications that also helped to expand our cultural arts profile. Mira donated proceeds of the early preview sale of her book during a fabulous private event during Art Basel Miami Beach to the Deering Estate Foundation. We look forward to future collaborations with Mira, her team and our continued support of her work and vision.
The Florida Villager – 2021 Champion Marketing and Media Partner of the Year
The 2021 Marketing and Media Partner award is presented to The Florida Villager for their efforts to promote the Deering Estate and Deering Estate Foundation to the community through The Florida Villager, a community lifestyle magazine, in print and digital formats. The Florida Villager features community and school stories, exciting features, local business profiles and more. The full color, glossy magazine is distributed monthly via direct mail to over 42,000 homes in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, South Miami, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay & east Kendall. Deering Estate was awarded Best of the Best • Reader’s Choice Award for Best Local Landmark for two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021, and was included in the Best of the Best “Special Souvenir Edition” (print & digital). The print magazines were distributed to winners and throughout Coral Gables, South Miami, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, and Palmetto Bay. Best of the Best was also featured and distributed via email and social media channels. The Florida Villager also regularly features Deering Estate and Deering Estate Foundation events as “Spotlight Events” and as part of the “GO/SEE/DO Top 7 events not to miss” section of the magazine. We thank you for your promotional efforts in highlighting the Deering Estate to the community which has generated additional exposure and awareness of the Deering Estate as a historic landmark.
Rosa Lowinger and Associates – 2021 Champion Restoration and Preservation Partner of the Year
Rosa Lowinger & Associates, known as RLA Conservation, with studios in Miami and LA, is a team of professionally trained conservators and artisans specializing in the care of sculpture, historic architecture, and artifacts. Over the years, RLA has served as one of our of key museum partners in helping us to maintain and secure our permanent collection for generations to come. Joining the awards celebration from RLA is Julie Flynn. Julie is RLA’s Assistant Conservator, and holds an M.A. in Principles of Conservation and a Master of Science in Conservation for Museums and Archaeology from University College London in the U.K. She joined RLA in 2018 and prior to then worked at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory as a Petroglyph Project Conservator. In the past 4 years, Julie has worked closely with the 100 Ladies of Deering and Deering Estate staff on restoring treasured collection objects including the Flight Into Egypt stained glass panels and currently on our two Baroque Chairs of State. Julie has also shared her expertise through studio visits with 100 Ladies and staff, and recorded interviews for the public to learn about the process of art restoration and conservation.
Pottery Barn – 2021 Champion Corporate Partner of the Year
Josh Humphrey and Pottery Barn Miami Beach joined our volunteer holiday design team in 2018. Invited by Alfredo Brito, our Designer in Residence, Josh, and his team have brought the style, elegance, and brand recognition of one of the country’s most well recognized upscale home furnishing stores to the Deering Estate. The Historic Holiday Décor is one of the community’s most beloved traditions at Deering, and each year Josh and his team go above and beyond with their design of the Stone House second floor landing space. His is consistently one of the most photographed areas during the holiday exhibition. We are so grateful for his donated time, creative energy and enthusiasm for this project and look forward to our continued work together.
University of Miami CARD (Center for Autism and Related Disabilities) – 2021 Champion Educational Partner of the Year
University of Miami Center for Autism and Related Disabilities has been a key partner with our learning programs this past year. Dr. Alessandri has been a key partner in making our programs more inclusive. With their expertise, they have assisted with staff trainings and evaluating our curriculum to help us be more inclusive. The new gained knowledge the team has received from UM CARD will allow us to expand on our educational experiences to new audiences. We are excited to present them with this award.
Chef Cindy Hutson – 2021 Champion Community Partner of the Year
In 1994, award-winning chef Cindy Hutson met her life partner, Delius Shirley. Against the odds and with the extra support of Shirley, Hutson took the leap of faith and that same year opened Norma’s on the Beach. Rave reviews touted Hutson’s cuisine and helped set the pace for what would develop into a thriving culinary future. More than 20 years later, the dynamic duo has built a culinary empire with the successful opening—and operation—of more than eight award-winning concepts. Her culinary approach has been long rooted in the support of utilizing what is local and indigenous to the land, which can be seen in her many regionally inspired Caribbean concepts. Cindy’s commitment to her community includes serving as Culinary Ambassador for the Miami Cancer Institute and developed a collection of innovative healthy foods for cancer patients during and after treatment and throughout survivorship.
The Deering Estate Foundation’s relationship with Chef Cindy began when she participated in one of earliest Chef Demos during the annual Seafood Festival. And our friendship has only grown. In early 2019 to make plans for the inaugural Chef’s Table on the Bay and, less than one week later we were in the beginning of the pandemic. This special event was postponed, cancelled, postponed again… six times in all. Each time, Cindy was there steadfast and ready to kick off the Chef’s Table which was successfully held on Friday, October 29, 2021.
Royal Caribbean – 2021 Champion Partner of the Year
Royal Caribbean’s corporate philanthropy is to fund organizations that benefit and offer services to the entire community plus support marine conservation and education. The company’s philanthropy is widespread globally. Royal Caribbean also aids after natural disasters, planted trees following Galapagos endemic, built a school in Haiti, helped women artisans in Central America and helped regional organizations in the Caribbean Latin American nations. They also sponsor a major initiative entitled “Save the Waves.”
This company also established The Ocean Fund in 1996 to specifically support marine conservation in the world’s oceans. The mission of the Ocean Fund is to support efforts to restore and maintain a healthy marine environment, plus promote awareness of ocean and coastal issues. Respect for marine life is an important element of this concept.
The Deering Estate, Deering Estate Foundation and Royal Caribbean share a joint commitment to environmental preservation and sustainability.
The Deering Estate Foundation is fortunate indeed to have the support of Royal Caribbean as a sponsor of our signature Mistletoe and Martinis and through their donations over the years – especially during the difficult time of COVID.
Jo Ann Szaro – 2021 Volunteer of the Year
Jo Szaro is a genuine, down-to-earth, honest, accepting, inclusive, fun-loving, hard-working, and loving human being. She is a family-focused woman who serves as the matriarch and chief mischief-maker for her tribe. She is an adventurer who is a certified boat captain, loves to ride her three-wheel bike, and enjoys a fine glass of scotch whiskey.
Jo is like a ray of sunshine with boundless energy and enthusiasm. If Jo says she will chair an event, well, look out. Jo has chaired and grown Mistletoe and Martinis since it began over four years ago. And this year, with her co-chair, Beth Person, this beloved event was more successful than ever.
Jo embodies philanthropy in our community from Florida State University to the Deering Estate Foundation and every non-profit organization in between. And we are all better for her generosity of spirt and support. She provided a challenge gift for Give Miami Day which ensured our success. Jo Ann Szaro is both a board member and a member of the 100 Ladies of Deering.
About the Deering Estate
2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the construction of the Stone House, and along with our philanthropic partners, the Deering Estate Foundation & 100 Ladies of Deering, we will be hosting a series of events & programs in celebration of this momentous occasion. The Deering Estate is located at 16701 SW 72 Ave. in Miami.
About the Deering Estate Foundation
For those who treasure the Deering Estate, who advocate for its preservation and wish to invest in its future, The Deering Estate Foundation provides opportunities for individuals and corporations alike to partake in membership, signature events, and one-of-a-kind experiences, all in service of providing vital funding and support to the Deering Estate.
