Ransom Everglades teen making a difference with cleanups of Bird Key in Biscayne Bay
It’s impossible for the feathered residents of Bird Key in Biscayne Bay to pick up all the garbage that floats to the shore around their buttonwood tree-filled home.
But regular visits to the bird rookery by teen Carson Stanton-Sharpless and his mom are helping in a big way.
“We’ve been going to the island every weekend for the past few weeks and filling our kayaks with as much trash as we can carry,” said Carson, a rising sophomore at Ransom Everglades School.
“Even though we are just two people and we can only pick up so much trash, the island looks much better than it did before we started doing the cleanups.”
They come back home loaded with trash, even a tire and large cushions strapped to the kayaks, he said.
“I had never done anything like it before, but I have always been troubled by seeing trash and have picked up trash when I saw it, “ Carson said. “Like many other people, I had been passively passionate about keeping nature clean. But this quarantine has allowed me to realize that I can make more of a difference by actively working toward improving the environment.
“The satisfaction caused by seeing the change that we’ve made is enough of a reward to keep us wanting to keep doing these cleanups,” Carson said.
“We just want people to know that even now, during this global pandemic, people can make a positive change in their community. If everyone does a little bit, we can together make a big difference.”
Food for first responders
At the beginning of the pandemic, Chris and Geraldine Blakely decided to take action by helping first responders, friends and neighbors. They involved their three children — ages 7, 9 and 12 — and began producing their home-cooked barbecue and smoked meals to give as donations.
“Our entire family helps with the preparation, cooking, packaging and delivering the food. This process has united our family even more toward a common goal of helping others and learning so much more about entrepreneurship and philanthropy. It has truly been a magnificent experience, which we hope to expand,” Geraldine Blakely said.
The Blakely family recently delivered several coolers filled with their food to the nurses and doctors at Coral Gables Hospital.
They are selling their packaged homemade food online, and you can also find it in a cooler at Pinecrest Wayside Market. For more, visit www.blakelybackyard.com or call 305-333-0993.
Poinciana Fiesta goes digital
This year, organizers of the 83rd annual Royal Poinciana Fiesta opted to make the celebration a digital one. The lead sponsor, The Tropical Flowering Tree Society, converted the 2020 edition of the longest running festival in Miami-Dade County to a website at poinciana2020.wordpress.com
Everyone can enjoy photos of the colorful trees, the Royal Poinciana Court and scholarship winners, music composed for the event, and the Larry Schokman Book Award.
The Fiesta Queen, recipient of a $2,000 scholarship, is Nina Perez-Dubson, a graduate of Westminster Christian School. The two Fiesta Princesses, recipients of $1,000 scholarships, are Monica Lopez, a graduate of Coral Park Senior High who will attend Florida International University to study biochemistry; and Kelly Gehrke, who attended John A. Ferguson Senior High School and has been active with The Tropical Flowering Tree Society.
The Underline offers meditation
These days, everyone needs some stress relief. The Underline is now offering free 15-minute guided mindfulness sessions every Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Midweek Mindfulness is a gift to the community whether you are healing from COVID-19, Zooming around the clock for work, minding your children, or dealing with day-to-day stress.
The sessions are led by Doctor of Oriental Medicine and Breathwork Therapist Christina Casado and powered by Baptist Health South Florida and Miami Downtown Development Authority.
The Zoom meditation sessions are meant to help participants recharge, release and renew. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/midweek-mindfulness-with-the-underline-tickets-105586325542
Teen wins kindness competition
Congratulations to Miami teen Everest Maya-Tudor, 17, who won the national Call for Kindness competition sponsored by Riley’s Way Foundation.
Everest designed The STEM Hour Program to provide underserved children access to the world of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) through engaging, hands-on learning activities.
Her program works with the Little Lighthouse Foundation at the Chapman House, a homeless shelter for families in Miami. With the grant, she will increase the number of experiments offered and hopefully expand to more shelters.
“Teens across the country are leading the charge to make the world a better place,” said Christine O’Connell, Executive Director of Riley’s Way.
Key Clubs awarded for service
Congratulations to the winners from six high schools in Northeast Miami-Dade County who were honored with awards for community service.
Key Clubs at Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High School, MAST at FIU (Biscayne Bay Campus), Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School, Doctors Charter School, North Miami Beach Senior High School, and Monsignor Edward Pace High School — all under the auspices of the Kiwanis Club of Northeast Miami-Dade — were recognized by the Florida District in a variety of categories.
The Mast/FIU Key Club won eight awards, including Distinguished President (Isabel Armedilla), Distinguished VP (Ari Barbella-Biaha), Distinguished Secretary (Maya Baker) and Distinguished Class Director (Suria Rimer).
The students’ year-round efforts at the six schools earned them the District’s most prestigious honor, the Most Outstanding Key Club Division.
To join, contact Ed Margolis at edslinenow@aol.com or 305-785-6632, or Jeffrey Berson at JBKiwanis@aol.com or 305-409-7850.
If you have news for this column, write to ChristinaMMayo@gmail.com.