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National Fam Awards Recognize Acts Of Kindness
Sometimes, the good that’s all around us gets lost in the shuffle of human suffer- ing...but that sure wasn’t the case at the Fourth Annual National FAM Awards. This “Academy Awards of Kind- ness” starts the holidays on the right foot. It also high- lights what For The Family is doing to encourage and honor the caring actions of people and organizations throughout the year in Kind- ness of the Heart.
Just as movies can win an Oscar, nine Family Flame Awards and $100 gift cards were earned from video nom- inations that came from as far away as California. The Children’s Board of Hillsbor- ough County was the scene as people like Victoria Pinero were honored for going above and beyond.
Victoria was named “Child of the Year” for decid- ing to have her birthday party at a retirement center and give gifts to the residents in- stead of receiving gifts. She and her cousins brought cakes and decorations for residents to hang in their rooms, joined them in Bingo and other activities, and made the day bright for everyone involved. Kara Pinero is Victoria’s aunt, and says that, “Victoria made a really big impact on my daughters. One is 5 and the other 8, and she set an in- credible example.” Her idea even started what will be- come a family tradition of bringing joy to the center every Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Reverend Prentiss Davis of Word of GOD Min- istries offered the Invocation, while Rick Ferriss provided top-notch musical entertain- ment throughout the event.
Other Family Flame Award winners included USF student Lisa Nguyen as “Sister of the Year” for being a role model in her volunteer work at Metropolitan Min- istries and for assisting her fellow students in multiple ways.
May Her was chosen as “Parent of the Year” for the assistance and support she provided to the entire family as her daughter endured a difficult pregnancy.
Berta and Carmen Franco earned the “Random Acts of Kindness” award for their touching generosity in
Gibsonton resident Grace Muldrew talks about the positive im- pact of helping others as she accepts the Family Flame Award for Volunteer of the Year at the Fourth Annual National FAM Award. Ward Cox, center makes the presentation.
Kara Pinero of Thonotosassa is joined by her children as they accept the Family Flame Award for ‘Child of the Year’ for Victo- ria at the Fourth Annual National FAM Awards.
getting a resident of the Gar- denville Senior Center all dressed up for a special event.
The “Kindness to Ani- mals” award went to Tom Jenkins for the care he gives to cats left behind at his apartment complex after peo- ple moved away.
Grace Muldrew re- ceived the “Volunteer of the Year” award for a wealth of caring actions too numerous to mention. The overall kind- ness of volunteers and staff at the Lutz Senior Center cap- tured the Family Flame Award for Kind Initiatives and Programs.
Meanwhile, MacFarlane Park Elementary School won the first-ever Family Flame Award for “Excellence in Per- forming the Golden Rule.” Students from every grade collected boxes upon boxes of relief supplies that went to the Bahamas shortly after the island nation was ravaged by Hurricane Dorian.
HONORING KINDNESS AT THE NATIONAL FAM AWARDS
W. Ward Cox is Ad- ministrator of For The Fam- ily, Inc. He was amazed, but not surprised, by the many examples of kindness that would go unnoticed if not for Kindness of the Heart and the National FAM Awards. “That’s the point, you see. The world can seem cold and forbidding, but the art of car- ing about one another is still strong. The more we see it, the more we’ll do to be kind.”
The Family Flame
Awards were presented by people who know what being kind is all about: Abby Everingham of the Pace Center for Girls, Tampa City Councilman Guido Manis- calco, Jada McMillon of Positive Spin, Sherri Day of the Tampa Bay Times, Mary Jo McKay of the Hillsbor- ough County Department of Aging Services, Raymond Padgett of Hillsborough County Schools, and Gil Singer of Marcadis Singer.
Marcadis Singer has sup-
ported the National FAM Awards since its inception, along with the Rebein Broth- ers Law Firm. MidFlorida Credit Union is a first-time Corporate Partner, and Branch Manager Terry Bel- lamy described how Kind- ness of the Heart reflects MidFlorida’s customer serv- ice goals. Other partners in- clude MPA Consulting, REACHUP, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, which provided a won- derful lunch as part of its support.
Even though the Fourth National FAM Awards were a rousing success, the effort to nurture kindness and recog- nize the people who excel at it continues to grow. Kindness of the Heart partnerships ex- tend from coast-to-coast in the U. S. and Canada, and so do the actions that keep good works alive and well. If you’d like to nominate a deserving person, just describe why in a smartphone video and e-mail it to ForTheFamilyTampa@ gmail.com.
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