Friends and Neighbors: Miami city founders to be honored at Black History Month ceremony
A ceremony to honor the pioneers who made a difference back in the days before Miami was even a city will be held in the Miami City Cemetery as part of Black History Month.
The African American Committee of Dade Heritage Trust is sponsoring the 22nd annual Commemorative Service and Youth Talent on Parade at 3 p.m., Feb. 15 in the cemetery at 1800 NE Second Ave. and also at Biscayne Park, which is next to the cemetery.
Among the events will be the unveiling of a headstone at the grave of Christopher C. Scott, a little known African-American pioneer and incorporator of the city of Miami, according to research by Edna J. Williams.
The ceremony also will honor the lives of Leome Scavella Culmer and Wilfred McKenzie, two members who passed away last year. And Anita McGruder and Retha Boone-Fye will announce the winners of the essay contest, “Why I Am Proud of My Heritage.”
Maud Newbold is chairing the event. The public is invited to attend the ceremony, which will be preserved on video. There is no admission fee and there will be free refreshments.
Kappa Alpha Theta 75th anniversary
The Miami Alumnae Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta recently celebrated its 75th anniversary, and the 75th anniversary of Betty Baker Williamson’s initiation into the women’s fraternity, at Biscayne Bay Yacht Club.
The group’s community service work includes visiting youth at the Children’s Home Society of Florida, as well as inspiring the women and children at Lotus House Shelter. It has also supported for decades the activities of the Guardian Ad Litem program.
At the gathering, members recognized their work of raising funds for the Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation that will go toward college scholarships. President Gayle Bainbridge, Vice President Carolina Pedroletti McCain, Secretary Karen Throckmorton and Treasurer Lisa Sears lead the Miami chapter. For more visit http://miami.kappaalphatheta.org/
Gala to fund research
The Woman’s Cancer Association of the University of Miami (WCA), Barton Ravlin Chapter, will continue its work raising funds for cancer research and improved treatments at the upcoming annual gala Dancing for a Cure starting at 7 p.m., Feb. 28 at the UM Newman Alumni Center, 6200 San Amaro Dr., Coral Gables.
The highlight of the evening will be recognizing WCA’s cancer researchers of 2015. Guests are welcome and donations and sponsorships accepted. Lourdes Beltran is this year’s gala chair.
Tickets are $125 per person. For tickets and more information, contact Beltran at 786-543-0868 or lourdesab2@aol.com, or at Woman’s Cancer Assoc. of UM, Barton Ravlin Chapter, 1350 W. Flagler St., Miami, FL 33135.
You can learn more about the WCA’s mission since 1959 to help cancer patients, fund research, and promote awareness in South Florida at http://wcaofum.org/.
Flowering Tree Society
Learn about the proposal to plant flowering trees along U.S. 1 in Coral Gables at the next meeting of the Tropical Flowering Tree Society at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Rd., Coral Gables, in the Corbin Building, next to the Garden House.
Stephen Pearson, director of the John C. Gifford Arboretum at the University of Miami, president of TREEmendous Miami, and a TFTS Board member is the scheduled speaker.
This group meets on the second Monday of the month with programs that include speakers, rare flowering tree auctions, a bloom table, and refreshments. Visitors are welcome at no cost or become a member for $30 a year. Call TFTS at 305-389-5404, or check out http://www.tfts.org/ for more information.
Rotary Club
Visit the Rotary Club of Miami Dadeland Pinecrest, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Dadeland Marriott Hotel, 9090 S. Dadeland Blvd. when members and guests hear speaker Nushin G. Sayfie, chief administrative judge of the Miami-Dade County Circuit Court Criminal Division. Sayfie is scheduled to tell stories of Iran told to her by her Iranian-American parents.
February is Rotary’s World Understanding and Peace Month and the club traditionally welcomes guests who talk about other countries.
On Feb. 24, Robert Bull, a member of the Rotary Club of Miami, will discuss his club’s project of trying to save the lives of young children with leukemia in Guatemala.
The Rotary Club of Miami Dadeland Pinecrest meets for breakfast on the second and fourth Tuesday mornings of each month to discuss community service projects and hear speakers. For more, contact Ron Lieberman at 305-613-6744 or at miamilawyr@aol.com, or Howard Horowitz at 786-346-6661 or hhtheman@yahoo.com.
If you have news for this column, please send it to Christina Mayo at ChristinaMayo05@aol.com.
This story was originally published February 5, 2015 at 2:15 PM with the headline "Friends and Neighbors: Miami city founders to be honored at Black History Month ceremony."