The EDGE Charitable Foundation hosted a “thank you” luncheon on Thursday, Nov. 29, to acknowledge those sponsors and volunteers who helped with the recent “Green Masquerade Ball” and other projects to raise funds for the organization’s education mission in various parts of the world.
The awards event took place at Carrabba’s Italian Grill in South Miami and was attended by 35 guests. Mercy Hernandez, Priya Nembhard and Irma Gomez, the founders of the Early Development of Global Education (EDGE), took turns speaking about their mission.
“We are educators, environmentalists and humanitarians,” said Mercy Hernandez, president of EDGE and director of Old Cutler Academy in Cutler Bay.
Hernandez explained that in helping underprivileged and abused children in South Florida and in other countries one of their goals is to teach the young about the importance of preserving the environment so that they will grow up to lead others in making the world a better place.
Interns Raquel Hernandez, Joslyn Fabian and Yesenia Gutierrez were acknowledged with plaques, as were other volunteers.
Event sponsors that were recognized were Ray Price, Allied Paper; Ed Gallagher Photography; Jose Martinez, Parties by Pat; James Rogers, Cutler Auto Repair; Pablo Mejia, Group M; Bob Drinon, Premier Beverage; Ralph Rodriguez, Southside Productions; Willie Gonzalez, Hispanic Police Officer Association; Jon Wilson, DJ Johnny 5; Heather Harricharran, Dance Culture; Jair Acevedo, Dripnatic Design; Pablo Gonzalez, Carrabba’s Italian Grill; Lily Clark, Fast Bartending; Rod Ruple, LagasseSweet; Denessia Ramsundar, Starbucks; Steven Rodriguez, Speedy Bacon Film; Lucy Ojeda, WEPA; Community Newspapers; Evadine Rampersaud, UM GEAR Team; Bobby Fortige, Upinsmoke Cigars; Alberto Santos, BMW; Glen, Rays of Light, and Barry Schimer, Balmar Trophies.
Special volunteers and supporters included Mr. and Mrs. Bender, Bill Hernandez, Vince de la Vega, Wade Nembhard, Jessie Gomez, Betty Hegland, Kristy Hegland, Raquel Hernandez, Joe Gallagher, Patrick Khoury and Chamber Next.
The next project of EDGE is its annual toy drive on Dec. 19 for local children who are domestic abuse and human trafficking victims, and migrant families. Their goal is to provide more than 1,000 children with toys.
For information about the EDGE, call 305-232-7225 or visit the website at ww.theedgeeducation.com
