In this issue . . .   
BOARD NEWS   Board members making moves in the community
FOCUS ON FUNDS Evensky & Katz/Foldes Financial Wealth Management's 30th anniversary
RECENT EVENTS 2016 Tour of Kitchens is a great success 
MERRICK SOCIETY  Become a member, make a difference in your community    
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BOARD NEWS
Sasha Dolgicer to Chair Four-Year Scholarship Committee


Board member Sasha Dolgicer has been named Chair of the Foundation's Four-Year Scholarship Committee. 

The Coral Gables Community Foundation established the Four-Year Scholarship in 2015. This scholarship awards four deserving, in-need Coral Gables Senior High School seniors $10,000 in scholarship funding for four years of college study.

Sasha, Senior Director of Corporate Relations at the University of Miami, will chair the committee and, along with committee members, review applications from students.

We are excited to work with Sasha and the Four-Year Scholarship Committee on this endeavor!


John O'Rourke's Montica Jewelry moves to new location

Foundation Board Chairman John O'Rourke III's Montica Jewelry has moved to a new location.

Formerly on Miracle Mile, Montica Jewelry's beautiful new boutique is now located at 500 South Dixie Highway, Suite 203 in Coral Gables. 

John welcomes you to visit his new boutique and experience an amazing array of diamond jewelry and top designers.


Wayne Eldred appointed Chair of Council for Doctors Hospital and Miami Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute

Board member Wayne Eldred has been appointed Chair of the Baptist Health Foundation Council for Doctors Hospital and Miami Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute.
 
"It is a privilege to be part of the Baptist Health Foundation's Team allowing me to contribute to their great work, for its causes and facilities," said Wayne. "Doctors Hospital has saved two dear friends of mine and rehabilitated many more. I look forward to contributing to the future development of Doctors Hospital, and being part of the Baptist Health South Florida Foundation and their organizations."

Wayne is the owner of Tarpon Bend Raw Bar & Grill in the heart of Coral Gables.  In addition to his  role on the  Foundation's Board and Community Giving Committee, Wayne  is the current Chairman of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Camillus House Board of Directors. He was also recently named by the Miami Herald as one of South Florida's Food 50.

Matthew Meehan opens business in 
North Carolina

Foundation Board Secretary Matthew Meehan has entered into a new business venture as Owner/Investor of MATI Energy.

MATI Energy is a new all natural energy drink brewed from guayusa leaves and is currently available on Amazon and in Whole Foods stores across the Southeast United States.

Recently acquiring a distribution deal with Anheuser-Busch, Costco, Vistar, and Kroger, MATI Energy opened a new 30,000 square foot production facility in Clayton, North Carolina where MATI employees will bottle, brew and distribute the beverage across the country.

2016 marks 25th anniversary of the 
Coral Gables Community Foundation


This year, the Foundation is celebrating its 25th anniversary. We wish to thank our current and past Board members, donors, esteemed fund holders, Merrick Society members and supporters for 25 years of community philanthropy in Coral Gables.

To commemorate the occasion, kabookaboo Marketing has designed a special 25th Anniversary logo. Thank you to Ari Rollnick and the kabookaboo team for the new logo design!
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FOCUS ON FUNDS
Evensky & Katz/Foldes Financial Wealth Management celebrates 30th anniversary
Top: David Garcia, Lane Jones, David Evensky, Matt McGrath and Brett Horowitz of Evensky & Katz/Foldes Financial Wealth Management, Coral Gables Mayor Jim Cason, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Mark Trowbridge and Foundation Board member/Chamber of Commerce Chairman Wayne Eldred. Bottom left: Merrick Society members Evelyn Budde and Audrey Ross; Bottom right: Merrick Society member Alex Montague, Coral Gables Community Foundation Board Secretary Matthew Meehan and Chairman John O'Rourke III. Photos by Ada L. Stevens, SnapHappy Photos, LLC.
On February 10, Evensky & Katz/Foldes Financial Wealth Management celebrated the firm's 30th anniversary with a luncheon at the Coral Gables Museum.

At the luncheon, Evensky & Katz/Foldes celebrated 30 years of success as one of the largest investment firms in South Florida. Not only is the company at the top of its industry, but the firm is also a leader in local philanthropy. Through their Donor-Advised Fund at the Coral Gables Community Foundation, which serves as the central source of the company's philanthropic giving in the community, the firm donated more than $100,000 to local non-profit organizations in 2015 alone.

Also during the celebration, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Trowbridge launched the Chamber's new Non-Profit Task Force initiative. The Non-Profit Task Force will work to further position Coral Gables as a leader in corporate philanthropy, while serving as a driving force in hyper-local social responsibility.
Scholarship opportunities available for Coral Gables students

The Coral Gables Community Foundation is currently accepting  college scholarship applications .
The Foundation and its funds award six scholarships annually: the Grant & Bridget Daugherty Nursing Scholarshipthe Lady Suzanna P. Tweed Scholarship, the Ralph V. Moore Scholarship for Cavalier Excellence, Coral Gables Community Foundation Four-Year Scholarship and the Culinary Arts Program Scholarship are open to Coral Gables Senior High School seniors only. The Kerdyk Family Trust Music Scholarship is open to high school seniors who live in the City of Coral Gables or who attend high school in the City of Coral Gables.

The deadline for all scholarship applications is March 15.

New dental chair unveiled at May Van Sickle Children's Dental Clinic

Last year, the May Van Sickle Children's Dental Clinic at the Coral Gables Woman's Club received a grant from the Foundation's Community Giving Committee for a brand new dental chair to better serve the many children from low-income households who receive free dental treatment at the Clinic. On February 16, the chair was proudly unveiled in the company of Foundation Chairman John O'Rourke III, past Community Giving Committee Chair John Allen, Executive Director Mary Snow, Former Mayor Dorothy Thomson, Dr. Iris Torres-Rivera, Gloria Burns and Barbara Lapsley. Congratulations to the May Van Sickle Children's Dental Clinic and thank you for the wonderful work you do for children in our community.

Shelly Roberts Circle of Love Fund hosts Run For The Kids

The 2016  Run For The Kids (FKA 5K For The Kids) took place on Sunday, February 7. Started by the Shelly Roberts Circle of Love, a fund at the Coral Gables Community Foundation, Run For The Kids is a family friendly run/walk benefiting various non-profit organizations that support kids and families facing childhood cancer. 100% of the funds raised by Run For The Kids goes directly towards supporting these brave children through these difficult circumstances, helping to make their dark times a little brighter. The money raised from the 5th Annual Run For The Kids will benefit Children's Cancer Fund, StudentsCare, Smashing Walnuts, Gift of Life, and Camp Boggy Creek. More information about the event and its beneficiaries can be found at  www.runforthekidsmiami.com.

 
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RECENT EVENTS
Foundation hosts seventh annual Tour of Kitchens

On Saturday, February 6, a mix of foodies and home-design enthusiasts gathered together for the Coral Gables Community Foundation's Seventh Annual Tour of Kitchens
 
The 2016 Tour of Kitchens was chaired by Venny Torre, CEO of Torre Construction & Development. During the tour, nine of Coral Gables' finest private home kitchens opened their doors to the public and offered mouthwatering food tastings, exclusive home and kitchen items for sale and table setting displays for dining room inspiration. In addition to the homes, the Merrick Manor Sales Gallery and Scavolini Store Miami were also featured stops on the Tour. Proceeds from the 7th Annual Tour of Kitchens benefited the Coral Gables Community Foundation and its Culinary Arts Fund, which provides support and scholarships for the Culinary Arts Program at Coral Gables Senior High School.
 
The Tour kicked off with the Opening Event at the Snaidero Kitchens + Design showroom, where a lavish breakfast, coffee and mimosas were served. From there, guests began their self-guided Tour.
 
Each home on the Tour featured tasty bites from a popular eatery, including Whisk Gourmet, MesaMar Seafood & Table, Tarpon Bend Raw Bar & Grill, Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, Bricktop's and La Taberna Giralda. The beneficiaries of the Tour itself, the Culinary Arts Program students from Coral Gables Senior High School, also showed off their culinary skills at one of the homes.
 
The Tour finished with a Closing Event at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery featuring Martini Prosecco provided by  Bacardi.

The success of this year's event is due in large part to the Foundation's wonderful Tour of Kitchens Committee, whose dedication and efforts made the 2016 edition the most successful Tour of Kitchens in organization history.
 
The 2016 Tour of Kitchens was also made possible by the support of the following generous sponsors: Top Chef Sponsors Astor Companies/Merrick Manor, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery and Scavolini Miami; Gourmand Sponsor Snaidero Kitchens + Design; Gourmet Sponsors Raymond James and EWM International Realty; Foodie Sponsor Valerie Quemada, Realtor; and In-Kind Sponsors: Doctors Hospital, Bacardi/Martini Prosecco, GEM Spring Water, Waste Management and The Palace. South Florida Luxury Guide served as the Media Partner for the event.

To view more photos from the 2016 Tour of Kitchens, please visit our Facebook page.

Thank you to our 2016 Tour of Kitchens sponsors

Top Chef Sponsors
         
Gourmand Sponsor

Gourmet Sponsors
    
Foodie Sponsor

In-Kind Sponsors


Media Partner


Ponce Society of Young Professionals bring cheer to the elderly for Valentine's Day 

The Ponce Society of Young Professionals (PSYP) continued their tradition of delivering gift baskets to the elderly for Valentine's Day. On February 12, members of the PSYP visited residents of the Riviera Health Resort in Coral Gables. Residents were treated to games of bingo and dominoes, cookies, juice and  beautiful  gift baskets made by the PSYP members 
themselves.

Lilly Pulitzer Shop & Share benefits the Foundation

On February 25, the Lilly Pulitzer store at the Village of Merrick Park hosted a Shop & Share event for the Coral Gables Community Foundation. Ten percent of all in-store purchases went to support the Foundation and its projects. Thank you Lilly Pulitzer Merrick Park for supporting your local community foundation!
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The Coral Gables Community Foundation Seeks Office Administrator/Marketing Coordinator to start immediately

The Coral Gables Community Foundation seeks a full-time Office Administrator/Marketing Coordinator to provide advanced administrative and marketing support in a small, community-oriented environment . Under the direction of the Foundation's Executive Director, this individual will perform a broad variety of administrative and marketing tasks including, but not limited to, preparing all electronic and printed marketing materials, managing all social media communications, and handling all incoming office phone calls. S alary commensurate with experience and ability. Please email Mary Snow at mary@gablesfoundation.org for a full job description and to apply.
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MERRICK SOCIETY

Create your legacy today! 

The Coral Gables Community Foundation's new home in the Mercantil Commercebank building at the corner of Alhambra Circle and Ponce de Leon Boulevard

 

ABOUT THE MERRICK SOCIETY 

Merrick's vision for better living continues today as involved Coral Gables stakeholders strive to maintain the look and feel of the City Beautiful. Do you have a vision for Coral Gables? The Coral Gables Community Foundation established the Merrick Society so that visionary people like you can continue George Merrick's dream. The Merrick Society promotes and preserves key philanthropic activities in Coral Gables and raises unrestricted funds for the Foundation. Merrick Society donors commit to a three-year annual contribution of  $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, $10,000, or more. Merrick Society donors are invited to the annual benefactor reception and other special events, and receive a lapel pin in recognition of their participation. To find out more, please contact our Executive Director, Mary Snow, at 305.446.9670, or via email at mary@gablesfoundation.org.

 

Mary Snow,   EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
305.446.9670 | mary@gablesfoundation.org  
305.446.9670

ABOUT THE CORAL GABLES COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Led by community leaders, the Coral Gables Community Foundation provides the philanthropic conduit to connect individuals and corporations looking to positively impact the success of the community. Celebrating 25 years, the Foundation has been at the forefront of the evolving needs of Coral Gables, while effectively bringing together beneficiaries and benefactors to fund programs with the greatest impact and benefit to "The City Beautiful."