Seven Boy Scouts inducted into Eagle Court of Honor. Former President Bush sent his congrats

At a ceremony filled with hope and inspiration, seven members of Pinecrest-based Boy Scout Troop 457 were inducted into the Eagle Court of Honor.

Even former president George W. Bush recognized in a letter the achievements of Daniel Stephen Kayworth, Carson Q. Garcia, Raven C. Brousseau, Kurt Mitchell Jablonski II, Grant Alan Kleber, Kevin Mark Sturge, and Noah L. Giles.

“Congratulations on earning the rank of Eagle Scout. Becoming an Eagle Scout is an outstanding achievement that reflects your hard work and dedication. Your accomplishment serves as an example of excellence and a source of pride for your community,” Bush wrote.

Presiding over the ceremony were Scoutmaster Julie Ziska, Troop Committee Chair Rick Diaz, and Assistant Scoutmasters Peter Burg and Mark Hanson.

To earn the rank of Eagle, a scout must earn a minimum of 21 merit badges and demonstrate the traits of leadership, honesty and duty. They must also plan, coordinate and supervise a service project called the Eagle Project, all before their 18th birthday.

Troop 457 has lead more than 320 Eagle Scouts through the past 36 years to this highest ranking.

“To have earned the nationally recognized achievement of Eagle Scout is an accomplishment that a young man can be proud of for the rest of his life,” said Palmetto Bay Mayor Karyn Cunningham who was among other local leaders who spoke at the ceremony.

In 2019, girls who dreamed of becoming an Eagle Scout were allowed to join BSA (Boy Scouts of America) for the first time. As of March 2021, nearly 1,000 girls have celebrated achieving the highest rank of Eagle.

Lions Club donates park benches

Over the past year, the Miami Buena Vista Biltmore Lions Club has helped to collect over 1,000 pounds of plastic bags. In May, the community group donated two park benches that were from the recycled plastic to the City of Miami Beach.

The benches were installed at the Miami Beach Boardwalk at Collins Avenue and 53rd Street for the community’s enjoyment. Environmental protection is one of the group’s main areas of focus.

“Our club is proud that these two park benches represent 1,000 pounds of plastic that have not ended up harming our environment, whether in landfills or our oceans,“ club president Cathy Triana said.

Foundation awards $250K in scholarships

The Coral Gables Community Foundation continues to make education a top priority through recent awards of nearly $250,000 in college scholarships to deserving local students.

Dignitaries, Foundation Board Members, donors, and the scholarship recipients and their families celebrated at the annual Scholarship Reception hosted jointly with the City of Coral Gables at the Coral Gables Museum.

Three new scholarships were given this year: the Julian Perez Memorial Scholarship presented by Mayra Vide-Perez in honor of her husband, the Mitchell Zuniga Memorial Scholarship presented by Martha Mendez Michele in honor of her son and given to a graduating Cavalier football student athlete, and the inaugural Shine Bright Scholarship.

“Each year, the Coral Gables Community Foundation has the privilege of honoring students who have excelled academically and shown outstanding service to their community,” said Laura Russo, chair of the Foundation’s board of directors.

As part of the Support Surfside relief fund efforts, Coral Gables Community Foundation has helped, with other organizations, to raise millions of dollars for those impacted by the building collapse disaster.

To make a donation, or to request assistance, visit www.supportsurfside.org

UM musicians join Festival Napa Valley

Frost School of Music at the University of Miami and Festival Napa Valley will collaborate in university-level educational, chamber music and orchestral music programming called “Frost School at Festival Napa Valley.”

The multiyear partnership will have Frost faculty and students fully integrated in many of the Festival’s programs including the Blackburn Music Academy, the Manetti Shrem Opera Program, and Festival Orchestra Napa.

The announcement was made jointly by Frost School’s Dean Shelly Berg and Charles Letourneau, Festival Napa Valley’s Vice President and Director of Artistic Planning.

“Festival Napa Valley is one of the most treasured music festivals in the U.S. and we are thrilled to join forces on this new initiative,” Berg said. “The Frost School trains the whole musician — as an artist, entrepreneur, stage persona, and more, and we are enthused to bring this philosophy of musicianship to the innovative Festival Napa Valley.”

About 20 Frost students will participate in the renowned Blackburn Music Academy this summer. Students are recommended by faculty and selected through an audition process.

Participating faculty members include Jennifer Grim, Margaret Donaghue Flavin, Jodi Levitz, Craig Morris, Bettina Mussumeli, Svet Stoyanov, and Richard Todd.

Festival Napa Valley’s all-outdoor summer season is July 16-25. Learn more at www.festivalnapavalley.org.

Write to ChristinaMMayo@gmail.com with news for this column.

This story was originally published July 8, 2021 at 4:47 PM.