April 2018 Community Foundation Newsletter
Umbrella Sky is coming to the City Beautiful!
The Coral Gables Community Foundation is excited to partner with the  City of Coral Gable s and the Business Im provement District of Coral Gables to make our City Beautiful  even more colorful. Stay tuned for vibrant shade floating above Giralda Plaza this Spring!
Dave Ragan Jr. Memorial Fund established at the Coral Gables Community Foundation
The Coral Gables Community Foundation is pleased to announce a new fund, the Dave Ragan Jr. Memorial Fund. The fund was established by Dave Ragan III, Head Golf Professional at Deering Bay Yacht & Country Club in his father's memory to support youth development and educational opportunities through golf.

Dave Ragan was an accomplished American professional golfer, playing on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour. Born in Daytona Beach, Florida, Dave attended the University of Florida and played on the men's golf team. He won two Southeastern Conference championships and the SEC individual championship as a senior, and was recognized as an All-American. He was later inducted into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame as a Gator Great.

Dave turned professional in 1956 and won three PGA Tour events. He finished second to Jack Nicklaus in the 1963 PGA Championship. He was a member of the 1963 PGA Ryder Cup Team.

With Love Miami Charity Project Fund established
The Coral Gables Community Foundation is pleased to serve as the fiscal sponsor for With Love Miami.

With Love Miami is a charity project assisting families with newborns in underdeveloped countries. With Love Miami's purpose is to deliver care packages to families that cannot afford the basic necessities for a newborn's first year. Each care package includes essential supplies such as bottles, blankets, clothes, cloth diapers, diaper pins, pacifiers and feminine pads for new moms.

Merrick Society Member Moment: Lori Thomas
The Coral Gables Community Foundation is proud to highlight Lori Thomas in this month's Merrick Society Member Moment for her dedication and philanthropy.

Lori, a retired lawyer, is from Indianapolis. She has lived in Hawaii, New Jersey and moved to Coral Gables in 2011.

Lori is passionate about the arts having served as Chairperson of the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts during her time in Hawaii. Lori is a Board Member of the Young Patronesses of the Opera, is a Patron member of PAMM and HistoryMiami Museum and is a member of the Biltmore Women's Golf Association.

Lori has been a Merrick Society Member for four years and is a contributing and active member of the Tour of Kitchens Committee.

Thank you for your support, Lori!
Ponce Society of Young Professionals beautifies George Washington Carver Elementary School
On Saturday, April 21, the Ponce Society of Young Professionals participated in a service project to enhance the landscape of George Washington Carver Elementary School with new grass and mulch.

With generous donations from Home Depot, the Ponce Society improved the courtyard with new greenery and mulch so students will have a pleasant space to play and congregate on campus. Thank you to Carver Elementary School Principal Patricia Fairclough for her warm hospitality.
Foundation Board Member John Allen named Executive Director of Coral Gables Museum
Foundation Board Member John Allen was recently named Executive Director of the Coral Gables Museum.

John has been a dedicated member of the Foundation for many years. Before joining the Coral Gables Museum, John served as the Vice President of Operations at Home Financing Center.

In his new role, John is excited to enhance the Museum’s offerings through their programs, exhibits and educational offerings. 

Congratulations, John!
Save the Date for this year's Biltmore Ball!
Gala Co-Chairs
Save the Date for this year's Biltmore Ball to ben efit the Coral Gables Community Foundation....Venetian Fantasy!
 
What could be more magical than reveling oneself in the art, history, romance and classic Venetian Gothic architecture of the “City of Masks”?
 
Join the Coral Gables Community Foundation and Gala Co-Chairs Sissy DeMaria-Koehne and Lauren Harrison on Friday, October 5th for a black tie and masquerade benefit at the iconic   Biltmore Hotel Miami Coral Gables .


Thank you to our Ball Host!
The City of Coral Gables presents Venice in the Gables!
The Coral Gables Community Foundation is proud to serve as the fiscal sponsor for this public arts initiative.

Benchstories, Volume 1
In partnership with the City of Coral Gables, the Coral Gables Community Foundation launched the Commemorative Bench Program in 2016. Families and friends from around the community have placed benches in Coral Gables' beautiful parks to honor memories, milestones and loved ones. This is a collection of the stories behind the benches, Benchstories.

Ponce Society of Young Professionals Happy Hour on May 8
Join the Ponce Society of Young Professionals at their first happy hour of the year for bubbly and bites!

$10 donation includes one signature sangria or beer and bites.

All proceeds will go towards funding Ponce Society of Young Professionals' service projects.

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 families, 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.


Create your Legacy Today
George Merrick's vision for better living continues today as involved Coral Gables stakeholders strive to maintain the look and feel of the City Beautiful.

The Coral Gables Community Foundation established the Merrick Society so that visionary people can continue George Merrick's dream. The Merrick Society preserves key philanthropic activities in the Gables and raises unrestricted funds for the Foundation.
 
This exclusive group commits to a three-year annual contribution of $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, or $10,000. To find out more, please contact our Executive Director, Mary Snow, at 305.446.9670, or via email a t  mary@gablesfoundation.org.