BOCA RATON — The 10th annual Men with Caring Hearts Awards Luncheon, presented by Florence Fuller Child Development Centers (FFCDC), will be held April 28 at Woodfield Country Club, Boca Raton.
The event honors men who have improved the quality of lives around them through their work with nonprofit groups.
This year’s luncheon is chaired by Carrie Rubin and Mark Wyllie and will feature a record-breaking 32 nominees for both the adult category and a new award, Youth in Philanthropy.
Each year the planning committee selects one very special gentleman to be recognized as the “Tiffany Biggest Heart”.recipient. The 2011 honoree is Cliff Viner, general partner of AVM, LP and managing partner of the Florida Panthers hockey franchise.
Viner, along with his wife Jill, supports many local organizations including B’nai Torah Congregation, Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service and FFCDC.
The “Tiffany Lifetime Achievement Award” has been given to Harold Perper, a well-known community philanthropist who has embraced many local nonprofits. The Mary Ann and Harold Perper Mildly Ill Clinic is an example of their commitment to provide health and wellness services for students attending FFCDC.
Tiffany Biggest Heart Honoree Cliff Viner.
Nominees for the Tiffany Outstanding Service Award are: Joseph Bensmihen, Stand Among Friends; Jean-Marc Casanave, George Snow Scholarship Fund; Bradford Deflin, 211 Palm Beach/ Treasure Coast; Jay DiPietro, SOS Children’s Villages – Florida; Joel Dowley, Families First of Palm Beach County; Robert A. Eckelson, D.D.S., Boca Central Rotary Club; Frank Frione, The Haven; Robert Gittlin, Golden Bell Educational Foundation; Charles Grobstein, Ruth Rales Jewish Family Services; Craig Hartmann, AVDA, Inc.; Robert Hurley, Oasis Compassion Agency; Mike Kaufman, FFCDC, Inc.; Paul Kilgallon, Best Foot Forward; Herb Krickstein, M.D., Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation; Joe Landy, Autism Speaks; Ralph Mesa, Junior League of Boca Raton; Jeb Niewood, Parkland Buddy Sport; Walter Pelstring, Debbie Rand Memorial Service League, Inc., Dick Reed, Ph.D., Kiwanis of Boca Raton; Jerry Rispoli, Boca Raton Police Department; Noah Rubin, Spirit of Giving Network; Solomon ’‘Doc” Schwartz Ph.D., Boca Helping Hands; Jerry Siegel, Seagull Industries for the Disabled; Andrew Turkell, DMV, Tri County Humane Society; Gregg Weiss, Milagro Center and Carrol “Prim” Wood, Horses and the Handicapped of South Florida, Inc.
The Tiffany Youth in Philanthropy nominees, featuring young men ages 16 to 21, are: Jose Allende, Debbie Rand Memorial Service League; Brandon Anderson, SOS Children’s Villages – Florida; Ethan Aparicio, Weppner Center for Civic Engagement and Service; Steve Geffrard, FFCDC, Inc.; Lucas Metropulos, Saint Andrew’s School and Shamal Williams, Rotaract@FAU.
For information and reservations, call Debbie Wenger, 561-391-7274 x 127 or visit www.ffcdc.org.
Proceeds will benefit programs at FFCDC, which provides quality childcare and preschool education to 625 children from low-income families at its two locations, in east and west Boca Raton.