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Dr. Joy Galliford, Founder and Executive Director of Friends of South Florida Music, is focused on making sure that the Christmas Spirit is alive and well through her 4th Annual Santa’s Workshop.
In addition to providing an award winning music curriculum, Friends of South Florida Music
provides Dr. Joy’s Music Fundamentals early childhood music classes at eleven schools
throughout Miami-Dade County.
As part of getting to know the students and families in the program, Dr. Joy identified a need at seven schools: Arcola Lake Elementary, Future Leaders of Tomorrow Academy, Pine Villa Elementary, Promised Land Academy and Therapy, Kinderkids Learning Center 2 in Naranja, Kinderkids Learning Center 3 in Florida City, and Kinderkids Learning Center 1 in West Flagler.
Realizing that many of the children at these schools would not be getting a single Christmas present this year, Dr. Joy started looking for sponsors.
Leading the organization of this year’s 4th Annual Santa’s Workshop is the FSFM Making Friends Ambassadors. Making Friends’ purpose is to support the leaders of FSFM to achieve their goals. The group enlists student musicians to raise awareness and provide volunteer support throughout the calendar year for various FSFM activities.
Gabriella Prieto, a 10th grader at Downtown Doral Charter Upper School, undertook the role of 2022 Making Friends Lead Ambassador for her 4th consecutive year as part of her 2022-2023 International Baccalaureate (IB) personal project. Gabriella, who has been a music student of Dr. Joy’s since she was six months old is now a proficient pianist, worked tirelessly with Dr. Joy to order and organize 600 toys and to provide leadership for the 5 day delivery schedule.
Key Biscayne resident Raine Calva and Elena Freyre, along with Pinecrest resident Rosy Rodriguez sponsored in part Arcola Lake and Kinderkids Learning Center 3, Miami Beach resident Maritere Alino along with her FSFM Making Friends Ambassador son, Joaquin, contributed towards the Future Leaders of Tomorrow Academy in Florida City. Mary Turso and her daughter, Mackenna, another FSFM Making Friends Ambassador, served as the coordinators and sponsored in part the Promised Land Academy and Therapy School in Homestead.
Elena Freyre said the workshop was a lesson on the giver getting more than the receiver. “There is need in our own ‘backyard’ and these families were so appreciative that I feel like we got more out of it than the recipients did,” said Elena. “Nothing makes you more grateful for what we have than sharing our blessings.”
Over 600 children received gifts as part of the workshop.
“What is more precious than receiving an unexpected gift of love,” said Dr. Joy. “Those who
delivered the gifts were in awe of the children, overwhelmed by their thank you’s, and delighted in bringing our community together as we provide for our children who will be building the future for each of us.”
Gabriella Prieto stated “This has been a very joyous and rewarding experience. I enjoyed
managing the project and delivering the gifts to the kids.”
