Community Champions Post Event Release

Deliver the Dream’s 1st annual Community Champions Awards Dinner Raises More Than $100,000 for Families In Need

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – Deliver the Dream, a South Florida-based nonprofit that organizes retreats for families experiencing a serious illness or crisis debuted their first annual Community Champions Awards Dinner by honoring eight outstanding leaders and three incredible teams of leaders who are not only successful in their professions but are champions in giving back to our community.

The event, sponsored by Maroone an AutoNation company, was emceed by NBC 6 anchor Nathalie Pozo. It featured a stunning sunset beach cocktail reception courtesy of GREY GOOSE Vodka, a lively Live Auction, which included Sheriff Lamberti as the guest auctioneer, and an exciting awards ceremony.

Paul Sallarulo won the first place individual top fundraiser award by raising more than $30,000 and Bluegreen’s BEAR Team won first place in the team category by raising more than $11,000.

Jeff Bailey was the second place top fundraiser who raised more than $7,000 and Beverly Vesel came in third place by raising more than $6,000. The Memorial Breast Cancer Center Team came in second and raised more than $5,000 and Dr. Will Richardson and the Natura Dermatology Team came in third in the Team category.

Proceeds from the event will go directly to Deliver the Dream’s Family Retreat Program, which helps families who have a child or a parent living with an illness and going through a crisis. Deliver the Dream retreats happen every month and invite up to 15 families, free of charge, to get away from the stress of their every day lives and connect with other families living with similar circumstances. Each monthly retreat focuses on a different illness or disorder such as Cancer, Down Syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Sickle Cell or HIV.


The esteemed honorees selected for this year are as follows:
Pamela Adams, founder of Adams Consulting Group, a full service public outreach and engagement consulting firm.
Jeff Bailey, General Counsel for Del Monte Fresh Produce Company.
Jim Barkan, founder of the Barkan Method of Hot Yoga.
Fred Bredemeyer, CEO of Consul Park Consulting, a company that supervises the operation of government and private parking lots in Miami, NY, and Los Angeles. Sheriff Al Lamberti, Broward County Sheriff
Dr. Marah Lee, an internist doctor with a specialist degree in HIV medicine.
Paul Sallarulo, President of Nexera, Board Chair of Special Olympics of Broward County and Chairman of the Board of Governors of Nova Southeastern University - Wayne Huizenga School of Business.
Beverly Vesel, an attorney specializing in family law, advocate of children's rights, and one of three women to sit on the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors for Nova Southeastern University Law School. 

In addition to our individual honorees, the three groups that were celebrated include:
The Bluegreen Corporation BEAR Team (Luisa David, Sarah Edwards, Amber Fox, Marlenys Gargiulo-Gonzalez, LisaMarie Hayes, Mary Hironimus, Mercedes Ingram, Cheryl Jozefiak, Kristine Lenza, Trish Martinache, Bianca Medina, Mariela Montgomery, Rhoda Rubin, Laurie Scher, Jamie Stewart, Martha Storey, Kari Suto, Grace Ultsch & Dina Winger)
The Memorial Breast Cancer Center Group (Dr. Alejandra Perez, Dr. Carmen Calfa, Dr. Aruna Mani, Dr. Maricer Escalon, Dr. Tejal Patel)
The Natura Dermatology Group headed by Dr. Will Richardson, a well renowned board certified dermatologist and owner of Natura Dermatology and Cosmetics in Ft. Lauderdale. The group also includes Stefanie Gold, Janet Powell, Dustin Diener, Marline Henry and Roger Roa.