The Key West Garden Club

The Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden Society

Roger and Cindy McVeigh
Outstanding Individuals

Through their tremendous contributions helping with issues concerning the Keys’ environment, health care, animal welfare, homelessness, and others, Roger and Cindy McVeigh are two exemplary civic leaders. Their wide-ranging community service includes Roger’s work with the Lower Keys Medical Center (trustee), Key West Crosstown Greenway Project, Parks and Recreation, SHAL, and Key West Garden Club, among countless others, and Cindy’s dedication to the Florida Keys SPCA (volunteer and board treasurer), and Key West Southernmost Runners. Making Key West their family home 15 years ago, which now includes two FKSPCA alumni Oreo and Cocoa, the McVeighs are devoted to community service. As steadfast members of CFFK’s Legacy Society, their planned gifts will impact the future of the Keys for generations to come.

Centennial Bank
Outstanding Business

With eight community financial centers throughout the Keys, Centennial Bank has a philosophy of being part of the community. Not only does the bank provide critical financial support and sponsorships, its employees are visible at hundreds of events – selling tickets, making change, working 5K runs, and even grilling with their famous hospitality wagon, serving at more than 90 special events each year. Bank officers also help lead nonprofits by serving on boards and committees. Wesley House, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Keys’ Rotary Clubs and Zonta Clubs, FKSPCA, Keys’ Chambers of Commerce, and countless more, all benefit from Centennial’s generous donations of time, money and manpower. A great community partner, Centennial Bank is a model for other businesses to help improve quality of life for our residents and visitors.

Florida Keys SPCA
Community Service Award

One of our community’s outstanding nonprofits, the Florida Keys SPCA is an active center for animal welfare and education in the Middle and Lower Keys. After 10 years of hard work and dedication, the nonprofit recently opened a new, $8.4 million, 24,000 square foot state-of-the-art center which provides housing, veterinary care, a “Critter Camp” for youth, and other education programs.  The center cares for over 200 animals every day. The FKSPCA proudly holds an agency fund with the Community Foundation, trusting us to invest its assets for the future of the Florida Keys.  By serving residents and helping animals with care and innovation for over 20 years, FKSPCA is leading the way for nonprofits in the Keys.

Dennis Beaver and Bert Whitt
Outstanding Individuals

Through their tremendous contributions, these two exemplary businessmen, community leaders, philanthropists, volunteers and humanitarians have been changing lives in the Florida Keys. For years, Dennis and Bert painstakingly collected and catalogued Tennessee Williams artifacts and opened an important educational and historical exhibit of their collection. Last year, they merged the museum with the Key West Art and Historical Society to further the great playwright’s legacy in the Keys. Dennis and Bert continue to be active in the museum and the community, and as members of CFFK’s Legacy Society, their planned gifts will impact the future of the Keys for generations to come.

Habitat for Humanity of Key West and Lower Florida Keys
Community Service Award

One of the nonprofits leading the way in actively addressing the critical need for affordable housing for Keys residents, Habitat for Humanity of Key West and Lower Florida Keys exemplifies utilizing hundreds of volunteers to meet the needs of the community. They have been diligently working on affordable housing for decades. Post-Hurricane Irma they have completed and sold 10 affordable new homes to low-income working families on Big Coppitt Key, completed major hurricane home repairs in the hard-hit Lower Keys, and added affordable rental units, bringing the total of rental units to 28 in addition to the 45 affordable homes owned by Habitat partner families. This outstanding nonprofit is not only bringing people together to build homes and communities, it is also providing hope and inspiration.

Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel
Outstanding Business

One of the highest rated hotels in the Florida Keys, Marriott Beachside is a caring and generous corporate community partner working to improve quality of life for Keys residents and visitors. Through its innovative guest donor program, one dollar from every guest staying at the resort throughout the year is donated for programs to benefit our Keys’ unique culture, beautiful environment and much more. The business partnership program, which has benefitted CFFK and numerous nonprofit groups, is now a model for other visitor-related businesses to support our nonprofits and improve our island paradise for the future.

Jon and Julie Landau
Outstanding Individual/Family

Academy Award-winning film producer Jon Landau and his wife Julie created the Landau Family Hurricane Relief Fund for the Upper Keys at CFFK which fostered significant contributions from around the world and supplied thousands of residents in the hard hit Upper Keys with relief, recovery and rebuilding.

Florida Panthers Foundation
Outstanding Business

The professional ice hockey team generously donated over $1 million to four organizations in South Florida for critical Keys recovery efforts, which included a lead gift of $250,000 to CFFK’s Florida Keys Emergency Relief Fund that assisted residents throughout Monroe County with food, housing, medical care and more.

Lower Keys Medical Center
Community Service Award

The hospital’s emergency room reopened within hours of Hurricane Irma’s strike on the Keys, enabling first responders to conduct search and rescue efforts and restore water and power. LKMC also assisted hundreds of Lower Keys residents through a generous contribution to CFFK’s disaster relief initiative.