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Board News:
- Alex Montague joins Board of Directors
- Carlos F. Garcia wins Merrick-in-the-Making award
Recent Happenings:
- Key to Giving program is back!
- Week of Service a great success!
- Mark your memories with a Commemorative Bench
Focus on Funds:
- Kerdyk Family Fund reaches $100,000
- Ponce Society of Young Professionals support the Cavalier Football Team
- Burgerliscious is almost here!
Grantee Spotlight:
- Whispering Manes teams up with Casa Valentina
Upcoming Events:
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Board News
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Alex Montague joins Board of Directors
The Coral Gables Community Foundation is pleased to announce the addition of Alex Montague to its Board of Directors.
Alex has been in the finance industry for over 25 years, currently as a Senior Vice President at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Prior to that, he served in the United States Air Force as a Base Safety Officer from 1982 to 1990. Alex is the recipient of many distinguished awards including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
Apart from his successful professional and military background, Alex is a member of several non-profit organizations. He served as a past Chairman and member of the Children's Bereavement Center Board of Directors, is a current board member of Camillus House and a board member of the American Institute of Polish Culture. For his service, Alex won the
Novo Award from the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce for Non-Profit Innovative Excellence Outstanding Board Leader
. Welcome, Alex!
Carlos F. Garcia honored with the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce "Community Builder" Merrick-in-the-Making Award
The Coral Gables Community Foundation is proud to share that on August 25th, our Immediate Past Chairman Carlos F. Garcia, Managing Partner of Hancock Askew & Co., was honored with the Merrick-in-the-Making Award in the Community Builder category by the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce. Carlos received the award at the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce's Annual George E. Merrick Awards of Excellence Dinner at the Biltmore Hotel.
The Merrick-in-the-Making award is presented by the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce to individuals who have served the community in an outstanding manner. Congratulations, Carlos!
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Recent Happenings
The Key to Giving Program is Back!
The program will allow individuals in our community an opportunity to support the greater community by making a matched charitable gift to 25 pre-selected non-profits that are making a difference in Coral Gables and throughout Greater Miami.
By donating your time and treasure through the Key to Giving Program, the Coral Gables Community Foundation, Key Biscayne Community Foundation and the Himan Brown Charitable Trust have committed an initial monetary pool as incentive dollars to match donations received between $50 and $500 per donor
to the participating organizations. For any one gift greater than $500, the first $500 will be considered for matching funds.
Click here to view the list of participatory non-profits and donate your time and have your donations matched!
Week of Service a great success!
As part of the Key to Giving program, we had a very successful Week of Service!
To kickoff our week, residents of the Lola B. Walker neighborhood joined the City of Coral Gables and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden on Monday, Sept. 12. and planted orchid seedlings in William A. Cooper Park, as part of the Million Orchid Project. The PARKnership Fund, a charitable fund managed by the Coral Gables Community Foundation, supports the Million Orchid Project, which will enhance the beautiful landscape around the City.
On Thursday, Sept. 15, volunteers participated in a hands-on-philanthropy event at the St. Alban's Child Enrichment Center, one of ou
r
Golden Gables partners, where volunteers painted and planted the Center. Evensky & Katz/Foldes Financial Wealth Management, the Ponce Society of Young Professionals and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and their 20/30 Group were on hand to beautify and enhance St. Alban's. Home Depot also participated by donating paint, plants and volunteers.
During the event,
a $5,000 collaborative donation was made to build the school's STEM curriculum. Making the donation was the Foundation, represented by John O' Rourke III and Mary Snow,
Evensky & Katz/Foldes Financial Wealth Management, represented by its Principal David Evensky, and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, represented by its President & CEO Mark A. Trowbridge.
Last but not least, on
Friday. Sept. 16
, a
Local Government in Action Forum
was held
at George Washington Carver Middle School
.
Representatives from the City of Coral Gables discussed their professions and local government issues with 8th grade students in roundtable discussions.
Among the participants were Volker Anding, retired Consul General for Germany in Miami; Diana Gomez, City of Coral Gables Finance Director; Ed Hudak, City of Coral Gables Chief of Police; Craig Leen, City of Coral Gables Attorney; Frank Quesada, City of Coral Gables Vice Mayor and Foundation Board Member; Marcos de la Rosa, City of Coral Gables i
ncoming Fire Chief; and Cathy Swanson-Rivenbark, City of Coral Gables City Manager.
Mark your Memories with a Commemorative Bench!
In partnership with the City of Coral Gables, the Coral Gables Community Foundation offers the Commemorative Bench Program. The program provides a meaningful way for people, non-profit and government organizations, and companies to honor the legacy of a loved one, a special milestone or commemorative event with a bench in one of the City's green spaces or parks.
The commemorative benches are 6-feet-long, UV- and moisture-resistant and have an estimated 15-year lifetime.
For more information on the program and to see a list of available green spaces and parks, please visit
our site.
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Focus on Funds
Kerdyk Family contributes $20,000 to the Kerdyk Family Scholarship Fund
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Pictured (from left to right): Chairman of the Foundation Board John O'Rourke, III; Marlene Kerdyk; Bill Kerdyk, Jr.;Kim Kerdyk; Tracy Kerdyk and Mary Snow, Executive Director of the Foundation
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On Thursday, August 25th, the Kerdyk family made a $20,000 contribution to the Kerdyk Family Fund at the Foundation, increasing the fund balance to more than $100,000. The Fund has been active since 2002, awarding more than $40,000 in music scholarships for local students and other Coral Gables projects.
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Camila Conessa and Tracy Kerdyk
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Recently,
for example, the Fund awarded two music scholarships to two local high school students. Camila Conessa
of
Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart
was awarded a $2,500 scholarship to study music and music business at Belmont University in Nashville.
Maria Yow
of
Coral Gables High School was awarded a $1,500 scholarship to study music at Florida International University.
The Fund was named after long
serving Commissioner William H. Kerdyk, Sr. and is continued by his family today. Bill Kerdyk, Sr. had a love of music he shared with his own children and established this scholarship fund to help students who also possess a love of music.
Coral Gables Community Foundation and the Ponce Society of Professionals donate $3,600 to the Cavalier Football Booster Club
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Pictured (from left to right): William Colas, Jr.; John O'Rourke, III, Chairman of the Foundation Board; Brian Quintana, Chair of the Ponce Society of Professionals; Carlos F. Garcia, Immediate Past Chairman of the Foundation Board; Roger Pollard, Head Coach of the Cavaliers football team; Anthony Fee; Mary Snow, Executive Director of the Foundation and Amanda Bonifay
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On August 31st, the Coral Gables Community Foundation and the Ponce Society of Professionals united to donate $3,600 to the Cavalier Football Booster Club, the booster club for the Coral Gables High School Football Program.
This joint contribution was made to the Cavalier Football Booster Club from the Foundation's Community Giving Fund and the fundraising efforts of the Ponce Society of Young Professionals' Shirt & Tie Drive.
Burgerliscious is almost here!
Twenty hot restaurants, one meaty festival, Burgerliscious sizzles on Thursday, November 3rd. Presented by the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, Burgerliscious is South Florida's premiere burger festival. Take a bite out of one or all of our meaty masterpieces! A portion of proceeds from this event will benefit the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Enhancement Fund at the Foundation, which supports small business training programs. Get your tickets at
burgerliscious.com.
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Grantee Spotlight: Whispering Manes teams up with Casa Valentina
Young women from Casa Valentina bond with
horses through the therapeutic horsemanship program.
Whispering Manes Therapeutic Riding Center, a recipient of a Spring 2016 grant from the Foundation, is supporting a therapeutic horsemanship and horseback riding program for ten young women from Casa Valentina, a program that helps youth transition from foster care to independent living. This program was made possible in part through the $4,300 grant award from the Foundation earlier this year. The program helps young women improve their self-esteem as it promotes physical, emotional and mental well-being.
"None of the young women had been around horses before, so this was a new experience for all of them. They have begun taking care of the horses by cleaning them, feeding them and giving them fresh water," said Erin Bauer, Executive Director of Whispering Manes. Bauer adds that the young women are developing the human-horse bond while learning to nurture something and receiving non-judgmental acceptance in return.
The Foundation is pleased to support Whispering Manes' good work!
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Upcoming Events
Less than one month away from A Passage to India!
2016 Co-chairs, Sissy DeMaria and Mary Young
Thank you to our Generous Sponsors!
Get glammed up for the Gala with the GLAMSQUAD!
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