The 2017 Unsung Heroes celebration was held Friday, January 27th at the Key West Marriott Beachside. Check out all the photos from this year’s celebration here.
CFFK Board Member Ron Burd, CFFK President/CEO Dianna Sutton, Lower Keys Medical Center CEO David Clay with LKMC’s John Emery, and CFFK Chair Roger Heinen.
2017 Unsung Hero Melson Maxime from Keys to Be the Change.
The Community Foundation honored the outstanding work of 96 volunteers for nonprofits throughout the Florida Keys at the 17th annual Unsung Heroes luncheon on Friday, January 27.
The sold-out event was sponsored by the Lower Keys Medical Center and recognized the Volunteers of the Year nominated by Monroe County 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofits.
Below is the list of the 2017 Unsung Heroes (Click here to learn more about this year’s honorees.). Honorees were presented with a Certificate of Recognition and celebrated for their community service.
“The Unsung Heroes event pays tribute to the work of volunteers whose efforts greatly enhance all of our Keys community,” said Dianna Sutton, President and CEO of CFFK. “More than 1,100 volunteers have been celebrated for their invaluable contributions since we began the event in 2001.”
More than 20 percent of all Florida residents volunteer for nonprofits, donating an average of 27 hours per person. Last year in America, 62.6 million people volunteered hours of service valued at $184 billion.
2017 Unsung Heroes
Anita Woodruff AARP Chapter 135
QMitch Jones AIDS Help
Dotti Clifford American Cancer Society
Lois Griffin American Legion Auxiliary
Keith Anderson American Legion Auxiliary 154 Marathon Memorial Unit
Kathleen Ford Anchors Aweigh Club
Jon McIntosh Anne McKee Artists Fund of the Florida Keys
Ralph DePalma Bahama Village Music Program
Thomas Marrs Boys & Girls Clubs of the Keys Area
Talia Santiago Cancer Foundation of the Florida Keys
Leonore Stowe Canon John H. Reece Scholarship Fund
Roma Hartley Christina’s Courage
Wanda Brock Coldwell Banker Schmitt Charitable Foundation
Naomi Thomas Coral City Elks Temple #400
Georgette Robertson Cornish Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church
Rev. Dr. Pam Feeser DOLPHINS Living Springs Counseling
Roosevelt Sands Dr. Martin Luther King Scholarship Committee
Steve Russ FIRMKeys
Pat Miller FKCC Education Foundation
Reen Stanhouse Florida Keys Council of the Arts
Mary Williams Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition
Dick Saylor Florida Keys History & Discovery Foundation
James Mantell Florida Keys Outreach Coalition
Ken & Cheryl Thurston Florida Keys SPCA
Peter Arnow Friends of The AIDS Memorial
Prudence Churchill Friends of the Key West Library
Joe Viana Fringe Theater of Key West
Danielle Carson Good Health Clinic
Mary Brady Growing Hope Foundation
Sherry Read Guidance Care Center
Bruce Bush Habitat for Humanity of Key West & Lower Florida Keys
Suzy Curry Habitat for Humanity of the Middle Keys
Juan Riera Historic Florida Keys Foundation
Dr. Sally Bauer History of Diving Museum
David Eyer Impromptu Classical Concerts of Key West
Chris Ollinger Key West Area Chief Petty Officers Association
Mally Weaver Key West Art Center
Hugh Johnson Key West Community Sailing Center
Cynthia Edwards Key West Garden Club
Doug Mack Key West Literary Seminar
Joe Liszka (Posthumous) Key West Orchid Society
Lt. Joe Tripp Key West Police Athletic League
Sandra Higgs Key West Rotary Club Foundation
Kathleen Nowaczyk Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden
Joan Sammy Key West Woman’s Club
Chelsea Catherine Key West Writers Guild
Heidi Golightly Keys Coalition Against Human Trafficking
Melson Maxime Keys to Be the Change
Deborah Crowe Kids Come First in the Florida Keys
Lt. Areaka Jewell KWPD LOVE Fund
George Halloran Last Stand
Henry Rosenthal Leadership Monroe County
Craig & Lynn Wanous Literacy Volunteers of America Monroe County
Constance Gilbert (Posthumous) Lower Keys League of Women Voters
Mary Slawson Marathon Wild Bird Center
David Purdo Matecumbe Historical Trust
Fred Marchak Metropolitan Community Church
Chris Shultz Monroe Association for ReMARCable Citizens
Mike Puto Monroe County Education Foundation
Keith MacDonald Montessori Children’s School of Key West
Kehaulani Murray Navy League Key West Council
Karl Reutling Old Island Restoration Foundation
Audrey Waldman One Island Family
Holly Owen Paradise Ballet Theatre Presenters
Lisa Van Gilder Red Barn Theatre
Maggie Howes Reef Relief
Helen Garcia Samuel’s House
Susan Mesker (Posthumous) Save Our Pines
William (Bill) Barry Schooner Western Union Preservation Society
Beverly Hanks Sister Season Fund
Maxine Makover South Florida Symphony Orchestra
Nira Tocco Southernmost Coconut Castaways
Alan Teitelbaum Southernmost Homeless Assistance League
Mathew “Timmy” Tribou Southernmost Post 3911 VFW of the U.S.
Pat Hart Special Olympics Florida Monroe County
Wynn Steinkamp St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Gary Schott St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Women
Raquel Rojas Star of the Sea Outreach Mission
Steve Gahan Sunrise Rotary Foundation of Key West
Ed Guillory Tennessee Williams Key West Exhibit
Colleen Quirk The Basilica School
Kalo Clarke & Kim Pederson The Studios of Key West
Joan Leggett Trinity Presbyterian Blessed Community Gospel Choir
Dawn Messing & Jeff Frost Tropic Cinema
Carol Greco United Way of the Florida Keys
Debra Butler Unity of the Keys
Julio Candelario USCG Chief Petty Officers Association
Heidi Nute Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of the Florida Keys
Mary Lee Singer Voices for Florida Keys Children
Michael Gatien Volunteers of America
Betty Rubenstein Waterfront Playhouse
Sharon Toppino Wesley House Family Services
Dempsey Ballard Womankind
Marilyn Douthett Zonta Club of Key West
Linda DeGinder Zonta Club of Marathon
