Community Foundation Announces 2017 Partners in Paradise Recipients

The Community Foundation of the Florida Keys is pleased to announce the recipients of its inaugural Partners in Paradise Awards who will be honored at a celebration on April 2nd for their significant contributions and inspiration to others in our community. Congratulations to these outstanding 2017 Partners in Paradise recipients:

  • Individual: John Padget, entrepreneur, education advocate and philanthropist. John’s leadership and passionate commitment to advancing education has significantly impacted the Keys and the State of Florida through his work with the County and State Departments of Education and as a key supporter of Take Stock in Children.
  • Business: The BottleCap, owned by Carmelo Vitale and Carolyn Sullivan. Through more than 500 weekly Non-Profit Friday events over the past 10 years, The BottleCap has generously donated approximately $500,000 to Florida Keys nonprofits, raised awareness for the mission of scores of organizations, and added hundreds of new supporters to causes.
  • Nonprofit Organization: Star of the Sea Outreach Mission. Under the tireless direction of its unpaid Executive Director Thomas Callahan, SOS does incredible work serving those most in need in our community. SOS serves more than a half million meals each year and provides over 1.8 million pounds of food to 9,000 homeless and low-income individuals annually.

The awards will be handed out at the Partners in Paradise Awards Celebration on Sunday, April 2nd, at Sidebar Key West, 504 Angela St. The event, which includes live entertainment, a brunch buffet, Mimosas and Bloody Marys, is $60 per person. Reservations can be made at www.cffk.org or by calling (305) 292-1502.

“The three recipients exemplify what individuals, businesses, and nonprofits are doing every day to change the future of our Keys community,” said Dianna Sutton, President/CEO of the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys. “Partners in Paradise celebrates local giving, community service, and the

tremendous and generous work being done here.”

The Community Foundation and its partners have granted more than $21 million to the community since 1996 to support the work of local nonprofits in areas such as the arts, environment, education and healthcare. The Community Foundation currently manages over 140 funds and endowments for individuals and other nonprofits and causes throughout the Florida Keys. More information is available at www.cffk.org or by calling 305-292-1502.

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